NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.

Prosecutors had alleged 10 violations, but New York Judge Juan M. Merchan found there were nine. The ruling was a stinging rebuke for the presumptive Republican nominee, who had insisted he was exercising his free speech rights. Trump stared down at the table in front of him as the judge read the ruling, frowning slightly.

Merchan wrote that he is “keenly aware of, and protective of,” Trump’s First Amendment rights, “particularly given his candidacy for the office of President of the United States.”

“It is critically important that defendant’s legitimate free speech rights not be curtailed, that he be able to fully campaign for the office which he seeks and that he be able to respond and defend himself against political attacks,” Merchan wrote.

Still, he warned, that the court would not tolerate "willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment.”

The ruling came at the start of the second week of testimony in the historic case. Manhattan prosecutors say Trump and his associates took part in an illegal scheme to influence the 2016 presidential campaign by burying negative stories. He has pleaded not guilty.

Trump was ordered to pay the fine by the close of business Friday, Merchan ruled, and he must remove seven offending posts from his Truth Social account and two from his campaign website by 2:15 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Merchan said. The judge is also weighing other alleged gag order violations by Trump and will hear arguments Thursday.

Of the 10 posts, the one Merchan ruled was not a violation came on April 10, a post referring to witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels as “sleaze bags." Merchan said Trump’s contention that he was responding to previous posts by Cohen “is sufficient to give” him pause on whether the post was a violation.

Among those he found to be violations, Merchan ruled that a Trump post quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters’ claim that liberal activists were lying to infiltrate the jury “constitutes a clear violation” of the gag order. Merchan noted that the words contained within the quotation marks in Trump’s April 17 post misstated what Watters actually said.

“Thus, in this court’s view, this post constitutes the words of defendant himself,” Merchan wrote.

Merchan cautioned that the gag order “not be used as a sword instead of a shield by potential witnesses” and that if people who are protected by the order, like Cohen, continue to attack Trump “it becomes apparent” they don’t need the gag order’s protection. Cohen has said he will refrain from commenting about Trump until after he testifies at the trial.

Meanwhile, testimony resumed Tuesday with Gary Farro, a banker who helped Cohen, Trump's former attorney, open accounts, including one that Cohen used to buy the silence of porn performer Stormy Daniels. She alleged a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies.

Jurors so far have heard from two other witnesses. Trump’s former longtime executive assistant, Rhona Graff, recounted that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-david-pecker-868e6b9d30a039d5009ec6a9d7e96ff7">she recalled once seeing Daniels at Trump's office suite</a>&nbsp;in Trump Tower and figured she was a potential contestant for one of Trump’s “Apprentice”-brand shows.

Former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-national-enquirer-d44d4a7ce66cc08edb5981b3afb882ba">National Enquirer publisher David Pecker</a>&nbsp;laid out how he agreed to serve as the Trump campaign's “eyes and ears” by helping to squelch unflattering rumors and claims about Trump and women.

Through detailed testimony on email exchanges, business transactions and bank accounts, prosecutors are forming the foundation of their argument that Trump is guilty of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;in connection with the hush money payments. The prosecution is leading up to crucial testimony from Cohen himself, who went to federal prison after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-michael-cohen-74aaf72511d64fceb1d64529207bde64">pleading guilty to campaign finance violations</a>&nbsp;and other crimes. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.

It's unclear when Cohen will take the stand; the trial is expected to go on another month or more. And with every moment Trump is in court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">as the first of his four criminal trials plays out</a>, he's growing increasingly frustrated while the November election moves ever closer.

For his part, the former president and presumptive Republican nominee has been campaigning in his off-hours, but is required to be in court when it is in session, four days a week. Outside the courtroom Tuesday, Trump criticized prosecutors again.

“This is a case that should have never been brought,” he said.

Prosecutors used Pecker, Trump's longtime friend, to detail a “catch-and-kill” arrangement in which he collected seamy stories about the candidate so the National Enquirer or Trump's associates could buy and bury the claims.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-national-enquirer-1dd3c3111febf219bdf1d8627504a3c5">Pecker described how he paid $180,000</a>&nbsp;to scoop up and sit on stories from a doorman and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. He didn't involve himself in the Daniels payout, he said. He testified for parts of four days.

Trump says all the stories were false. His attorneys&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-david-pecker-868e6b9d30a039d5009ec6a9d7e96ff7">used cross-examination to suggest Trump</a>&nbsp;was really engaged in an effort to protect his name and his family — not to influence the outcome of the presidential election.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-david-pecker-868e6b9d30a039d5009ec6a9d7e96ff7">Farro first took the stand Friday</a>. While a senior managing director at First Republic Bank, he was assigned to work with Trump's lawyer for about three years, in part because of his “ability to handle individuals who may be a little challenging," Farro said, adding that he didn't find Cohen difficult.

Farro detailed to jurors the process of helping Cohen create accounts for two limited-liability companies — corporate-speak for a business account that protects the person behind the account from liability, debt and other issues. Farro testified that Cohen indicated the companies, Resolution Consultants LLC and Essential Consultants LLC, would be involved in real estate consulting.

Prosecutors showed jurors emails in which Cohen describes the opening of the Resolution Consultants account as an “important matter.”

Cohen acknowledged when he pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 that it had been formed to send money to American Media Inc., the Enquirer publisher. It was meant as a payback for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-criminal-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-5fdc819697a76536ed83cbf28d4a523c">their purchase of McDougal's story.</a>&nbsp;But the deal never went through.

Farro said that since the account was never funded, it was never technically opened. Instead, Cohen pivoted to starting up the Essential Consultants account, which he later used to pay Daniels $130,000.

When asked whether Cohen seemed anxious to get the bank accounts set up, Farro testified: “Every time Michael Cohen spoke to me, he gave a sense of urgency.”

Farro told the 12-person panel that the bank’s policy prohibited doing business with entities tied to “adult entertainment,” including pornography and strip clubs. Trump’s lawyers have not yet had a chance to cross-examine Farro.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713921168558.png" alt="File-Trump was ordered to pay the fine by the close of business Friday-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File-Trump was ordered to pay the fine by the close of business Friday-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.Prosecutors had alleged 10 violations, but New York Judge Juan M. Merchan found there were nine. The ruling was a stinging rebuke for the presumptive Republican nominee, who had insisted he was exercising his free speech rights. Trump stared down at the table in front of him as the judge read the ruling, frowning slightly.Merchan wrote that he is “keenly aware of, and protective of,” Trump’s First Amendment rights, “particularly given his candidacy for the office of President of the United States.”“It is critically important that defendant’s legitimate free speech rights not be curtailed, that he be able to fully campaign for the office which he seeks and that he be able to respond and defend himself against political attacks,” Merchan wrote.Still, he warned, that the court would not tolerate "willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment.”The ruling came at the start of the second week of testimony in the historic case. Manhattan prosecutors say Trump and his associates took part in an illegal scheme to influence the 2016 presidential campaign by burying negative stories. He has pleaded not guilty.Trump was ordered to pay the fine by the close of business Friday, Merchan ruled, and he must remove seven offending posts from his Truth Social account and two from his campaign website by 2:15 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Merchan said. The judge is also weighing other alleged gag order violations by Trump and will hear arguments Thursday.Of the 10 posts, the one Merchan ruled was not a violation came on April 10, a post referring to witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels as “sleaze bags." Merchan said Trump’s contention that he was responding to previous posts by Cohen “is sufficient to give” him pause on whether the post was a violation.Among those he found to be violations, Merchan ruled that a Trump post quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters’ claim that liberal activists were lying to infiltrate the jury “constitutes a clear violation” of the gag order. Merchan noted that the words contained within the quotation marks in Trump’s April 17 post misstated what Watters actually said.“Thus, in this court’s view, this post constitutes the words of defendant himself,” Merchan wrote.Merchan cautioned that the gag order “not be used as a sword instead of a shield by potential witnesses” and that if people who are protected by the order, like Cohen, continue to attack Trump “it becomes apparent” they don’t need the gag order’s protection. Cohen has said he will refrain from commenting about Trump until after he testifies at the trial.Meanwhile, testimony resumed Tuesday with Gary Farro, a banker who helped Cohen, Trump's former attorney, open accounts, including one that Cohen used to buy the silence of porn performer Stormy Daniels. She alleged a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies.Jurors so far have heard from two other witnesses. Trump’s former longtime executive assistant, Rhona Graff, recounted that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-david-pecker-868e6b9d30a039d5009ec6a9d7e96ff7">she recalled once seeing Daniels at Trump's office suite</a>&nbsp;in Trump Tower and figured she was a potential contestant for one of Trump’s “Apprentice”-brand shows.Former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-national-enquirer-d44d4a7ce66cc08edb5981b3afb882ba">National Enquirer publisher David Pecker</a>&nbsp;laid out how he agreed to serve as the Trump campaign's “eyes and ears” by helping to squelch unflattering rumors and claims about Trump and women.Through detailed testimony on email exchanges, business transactions and bank accounts, prosecutors are forming the foundation of their argument that Trump is guilty of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;in connection with the hush money payments. The prosecution is leading up to crucial testimony from Cohen himself, who went to federal prison after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-michael-cohen-74aaf72511d64fceb1d64529207bde64">pleading guilty to campaign finance violations</a>&nbsp;and other crimes. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.It's unclear when Cohen will take the stand; the trial is expected to go on another month or more. And with every moment Trump is in court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">as the first of his four criminal trials plays out</a>, he's growing increasingly frustrated while the November election moves ever closer.For his part, the former president and presumptive Republican nominee has been campaigning in his off-hours, but is required to be in court when it is in session, four days a week. Outside the courtroom Tuesday, Trump criticized prosecutors again.“This is a case that should have never been brought,” he said.Prosecutors used Pecker, Trump's longtime friend, to detail a “catch-and-kill” arrangement in which he collected seamy stories about the candidate so the National Enquirer or Trump's associates could buy and bury the claims.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-national-enquirer-1dd3c3111febf219bdf1d8627504a3c5">Pecker described how he paid $180,000</a>&nbsp;to scoop up and sit on stories from a doorman and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. He didn't involve himself in the Daniels payout, he said. He testified for parts of four days.Trump says all the stories were false. His attorneys&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-david-pecker-868e6b9d30a039d5009ec6a9d7e96ff7">used cross-examination to suggest Trump</a>&nbsp;was really engaged in an effort to protect his name and his family — not to influence the outcome of the presidential election.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-david-pecker-868e6b9d30a039d5009ec6a9d7e96ff7">Farro first took the stand Friday</a>. While a senior managing director at First Republic Bank, he was assigned to work with Trump's lawyer for about three years, in part because of his “ability to handle individuals who may be a little challenging," Farro said, adding that he didn't find Cohen difficult.Farro detailed to jurors the process of helping Cohen create accounts for two limited-liability companies — corporate-speak for a business account that protects the person behind the account from liability, debt and other issues. Farro testified that Cohen indicated the companies, Resolution Consultants LLC and Essential Consultants LLC, would be involved in real estate consulting.Prosecutors showed jurors emails in which Cohen describes the opening of the Resolution Consultants account as an “important matter.”Cohen acknowledged when he pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 that it had been formed to send money to American Media Inc., the Enquirer publisher. It was meant as a payback for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-criminal-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-5fdc819697a76536ed83cbf28d4a523c">their purchase of McDougal's story.</a>&nbsp;But the deal never went through.Farro said that since the account was never funded, it was never technically opened. Instead, Cohen pivoted to starting up the Essential Consultants account, which he later used to pay Daniels $130,000.When asked whether Cohen seemed anxious to get the bank accounts set up, Farro testified: “Every time Michael Cohen spoke to me, he gave a sense of urgency.”Farro told the 12-person panel that the bank’s policy prohibited doing business with entities tied to “adult entertainment,” including pornography and strip clubs. Trump’s lawyers have not yet had a chance to cross-examine Farro.

Judge fines Trump thousands over violating gag order

(ELKHORN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Governor Jim Pillen and Colonel John Bolduc flew with the Nebraska State Patrol Aviation Support Unit on Monday to survey damage caused by tornadoes Friday in eastern Nebraska.

During today’s helicopter flight, Governor Pillen was able to view some of the same areas of damage he saw from the ground on Saturday. Several hundred homes suffered significant damage or were destroyed during the storms, which dropped multiple tornadoes in several Nebraska counties.&nbsp;<a>Only minor injuries have been reported in Nebraska as a result of these storms.</a>

Photos from Monday's flight are posted on Nebraska State Patrol social media pages:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/nestatepatrol" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.instagram.com/nestatepatrol" target="_blank">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.x.com/nestatepatrol" target="_blank">X</a>.

NSP pilots were also able to provide Douglas County officials with an aerial view of damage in western Douglas County during separate flights Monday afternoon.

Troopers continue to provide additional patrols in the Elkhorn area in partnership with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Omaha Police Department. Anyone seeking to volunteer in recovery efforts should reach out to&nbsp;<a href="https://rapidresponseamerica.org/" target="_blank">Omaha Rapid Response</a>&nbsp;to find out the most effective way to help.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714486954188.jpeg" alt="(Courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cody ThomasNebraska State Patrol(ELKHORN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Governor Jim Pillen and Colonel John Bolduc flew with the Nebraska State Patrol Aviation Support Unit on Monday to survey damage caused by tornadoes Friday in eastern Nebraska.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714487065036.jpeg" alt="Governor Pillen and Colonel Bolduc (Courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol)" />
 <figcaption>Governor Pillen and Colonel Bolduc (Courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol)</figcaption>
 </figure>During today’s helicopter flight, Governor Pillen was able to view some of the same areas of damage he saw from the ground on Saturday. Several hundred homes suffered significant damage or were destroyed during the storms, which dropped multiple tornadoes in several Nebraska counties.&nbsp;<a>Only minor injuries have been reported in Nebraska as a result of these storms.</a><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6u1vR5gTTcQ?si=nmxSzaHanKaND47S" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Photos from Monday's flight are posted on Nebraska State Patrol social media pages:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/nestatepatrol" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.instagram.com/nestatepatrol" target="_blank">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.x.com/nestatepatrol" target="_blank">X</a>.NSP pilots were also able to provide Douglas County officials with an aerial view of damage in western Douglas County during separate flights Monday afternoon.Troopers continue to provide additional patrols in the Elkhorn area in partnership with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Omaha Police Department. Anyone seeking to volunteer in recovery efforts should reach out to&nbsp;<a href="https://rapidresponseamerica.org/" target="_blank">Omaha Rapid Response</a>&nbsp;to find out the most effective way to help.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714487186723.jpeg" alt="Washington County (Courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol)" />
 <figcaption>Washington County (Courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol)</figcaption>
 </figure>

Governor, NSP Colonel Survey Tornado Damage via NSP Helicopter

The UNMC College of Medicine is seeking a regional associate dean of medicine as it prepares for the first cohort of medical students to be accepted at the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The inaugural regional associate dean of medicine, who will be based on the Kearney campus, will play a pivotal role in establishing a regional medical school campus in Kearney, said Bradley Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine.

“As the college works to improve the health of Nebraskans throughout the state by beginning to train medical students at UNK, a great leader will be critical,” Dr. Britigan said. “This individual will&nbsp;foster ongoing relationships with stakeholders throughout the region, including those at the governmental, philanthropic, community and health system levels.”

The first medical class will begin matriculating at Kearney in August 2026, and Dr. Britigan said UNMC leaders hope to have the new regional dean in place quickly.

“This leader will&nbsp;provide primary oversight for development, implementation, sustainment and improvement of the college’s academic and medical education activities on the Kearney campus, including local faculty, staff and training at regional medical facilities and offices,” Dr. Britigan said. “It is a challenging role that provides an opportunity to make a foundational impact and change the face of health care in central and rural Nebraska.&nbsp;We are excited to find the perfect leader for this important position.

The regional associate dean will report to the dean of the UNMC College of Medicine and will work closely with other senior college leaders. Educational or leadership experience is preferred.&nbsp;

<a href="https://unmc.peopleadmin.com/postings/84739" target="_blank">See further information or apply,</a>&nbsp;or contact Geoffrey Talmon, MD, associate dean for medical education,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gtalmon@unmc.edu" target="_blank">via email</a>. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but the initial review of applications will occur on or after May 31. Applications received after May 31 may not receive full consideration. &nbsp;

UNMCThe UNMC College of Medicine is seeking a regional associate dean of medicine as it prepares for the first cohort of medical students to be accepted at the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Kearney.The inaugural regional associate dean of medicine, who will be based on the Kearney campus, will play a pivotal role in establishing a regional medical school campus in Kearney, said Bradley Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine.“As the college works to improve the health of Nebraskans throughout the state by beginning to train medical students at UNK, a great leader will be critical,” Dr. Britigan said. “This individual will&nbsp;foster ongoing relationships with stakeholders throughout the region, including those at the governmental, philanthropic, community and health system levels.”The first medical class will begin matriculating at Kearney in August 2026, and Dr. Britigan said UNMC leaders hope to have the new regional dean in place quickly.“This leader will&nbsp;provide primary oversight for development, implementation, sustainment and improvement of the college’s academic and medical education activities on the Kearney campus, including local faculty, staff and training at regional medical facilities and offices,” Dr. Britigan said. “It is a challenging role that provides an opportunity to make a foundational impact and change the face of health care in central and rural Nebraska.&nbsp;We are excited to find the perfect leader for this important position.The regional associate dean will report to the dean of the UNMC College of Medicine and will work closely with other senior college leaders. Educational or leadership experience is preferred.&nbsp;<a href="https://unmc.peopleadmin.com/postings/84739" target="_blank">See further information or apply,</a>&nbsp;or contact Geoffrey Talmon, MD, associate dean for medical education,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gtalmon@unmc.edu" target="_blank">via email</a>. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but the initial review of applications will occur on or after May 31. Applications received after May 31 may not receive full consideration. &nbsp;

UNMC seeking leader for Kearney medical school expansion

JERUSALEM (AP) — A U.S. Navy ship and several Army vessels involved in an American-led effort to bring more aid into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-aid-port-eb8a701b3a7dc8f946422c04323ff913">the besieged Gaza Strip are offshore</a>&nbsp;of the enclave and building out a floating platform for the operation that the Pentagon has said will cost at least $320 million.

Sabrina Singh, Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters the cost is a rough estimate for the project and includes the transportation of the equipment and pier sections from the United States to the coast of Gaza, as well as the construction and aid delivery operations.

Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press on Tuesday show the USNS Roy P. Benavidez about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from the port on shore, where the base of operations for the project is being built by the Israeli military. The USAV General Frank S. Besson Jr., an Army logistics vessel, and several other Army boats are with the Benavidez and working on the construction of what the military calls the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, system.

Satellite images from Sunday and Monday by Planet Labs PBC showed pieces of the floating pier in the Mediterranean Sea, alongside the Benavidez. Measurements of the vessel match known features of the Benavidez, a Bob Hope-class vehicle cargo ship operated by the Military Sealift Command.

A U.S. military official confirmed late last week that the Benavidez had begun construction and that it was far enough off shore to ensure that the troops building the platform would be safe. Singh said on Monday that next will come the construction of the causeway, which will then be anchored to the beach.

The U.S. military’s Central Command early Tuesday published images of the floating pier’s construction online, after the AP’s publication of the satellite photos.

“The pier will support USAID and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” the statement on the social platform X said.

U.S. and Israeli officials have said they hope to have the floating pier in place, the causeway attached to the shore and operations underway by early May. The Pentagon said on Monday the operation will cost at least $320 million. The cost was first reported by Reuters.

Under the plan by the U.S. military, aid will be loaded onto commercial ships in Cyprus to sail to the floating platform now under construction off Gaza. The pallets will be loaded onto trucks, which will be loaded onto smaller ships that will travel to a metal, floating two-lane causeway. The 550-meter (1,800-foot) causeway will be attached to the shore by the Israeli Defense Forces.

The U.S. military official said an American Army engineering unit has teamed with an Israeli military engineering unit in recent weeks to practice the installation of the causeway, training on an Israeli beach just up the coast.

The new port sits southwest of Gaza City and a bit north of a road bisecting Gaza that the Israeli military built during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">current war against Hamas</a>. The area was the territory’s most populous before the Israeli ground offensive rolled through and pushed more than 1 million people south toward the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt.

Now Israeli military positions are on either side of the port, which initially had been built — as part of an effort led by World Central Kitchen — out of the rubble of buildings leveled by Israel. That effort halted after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-central-kitchen-jose-andres-gaza-israel-a21b62edbfa1150d0eb78ed5597a03c8">an Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers</a>&nbsp;on April 1 as they traveled in clearly marked vehicles on a delivery mission authorized by Israel. The organization says it is resuming its work in Gaza.

Aid has been slow to get into Gaza, with long backups of trucks awaiting Israeli inspections. The U.S. and other nations also have used air drops to send food into Gaza. The U.S. military official said deliveries on the sea route initially will total about 90 trucks a day and could quickly increase to about 150 trucks daily.

Aid organizations have said several hundred such trucks are needed to enter Gaza every day.

In the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage, Israel cut off or heavily restricted food, water, medicine, electricity and other aid from entering the Gaza Strip. Under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/blinken-israel-hamas-war-gaza-saudi-arabia-c0425791dc59e745021d3dd726dc8f09">pressure from the U.S. and others</a>, Israel says the situation is improving, though United Nations agencies have said much more aid needs to enter.

Gaza, slightly more than twice the size of the city of Washington and home to 2.3 million people, has found itself on the brink of famine. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the fighting began, local health authorities say.

On Sunday, Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the amount of aid going into Gaza would continue to scale up.

“This temporary pier will provide a ship-to-shore distribution system that will further increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” he said in a statement.

However, high-ranking Hamas political official&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-khalil-alhayya-qatar-ceasefire-1967-borders-4912532b11a9cec29464eab234045438">Khalil al-Hayya told the AP</a>&nbsp;last week that the group would consider Israeli forces — or forces from any other country — stationed by the pier to guard it as “an occupying force and aggression,” and that the militant group would resist it.

On Wednesday, a mortar attack targeted the port site, though no one was hurt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714471004272.png" alt="Photos U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photos U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — A U.S. Navy ship and several Army vessels involved in an American-led effort to bring more aid into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-aid-port-eb8a701b3a7dc8f946422c04323ff913">the besieged Gaza Strip are offshore</a>&nbsp;of the enclave and building out a floating platform for the operation that the Pentagon has said will cost at least $320 million.Sabrina Singh, Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters the cost is a rough estimate for the project and includes the transportation of the equipment and pier sections from the United States to the coast of Gaza, as well as the construction and aid delivery operations.Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press on Tuesday show the USNS Roy P. Benavidez about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from the port on shore, where the base of operations for the project is being built by the Israeli military. The USAV General Frank S. Besson Jr., an Army logistics vessel, and several other Army boats are with the Benavidez and working on the construction of what the military calls the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, system.Satellite images from Sunday and Monday by Planet Labs PBC showed pieces of the floating pier in the Mediterranean Sea, alongside the Benavidez. Measurements of the vessel match known features of the Benavidez, a Bob Hope-class vehicle cargo ship operated by the Military Sealift Command.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714471132275.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A U.S. military official confirmed late last week that the Benavidez had begun construction and that it was far enough off shore to ensure that the troops building the platform would be safe. Singh said on Monday that next will come the construction of the causeway, which will then be anchored to the beach.The U.S. military’s Central Command early Tuesday published images of the floating pier’s construction online, after the AP’s publication of the satellite photos.“The pier will support USAID and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” the statement on the social platform X said.U.S. and Israeli officials have said they hope to have the floating pier in place, the causeway attached to the shore and operations underway by early May. The Pentagon said on Monday the operation will cost at least $320 million. The cost was first reported by Reuters.Under the plan by the U.S. military, aid will be loaded onto commercial ships in Cyprus to sail to the floating platform now under construction off Gaza. The pallets will be loaded onto trucks, which will be loaded onto smaller ships that will travel to a metal, floating two-lane causeway. The 550-meter (1,800-foot) causeway will be attached to the shore by the Israeli Defense Forces.The U.S. military official said an American Army engineering unit has teamed with an Israeli military engineering unit in recent weeks to practice the installation of the causeway, training on an Israeli beach just up the coast.The new port sits southwest of Gaza City and a bit north of a road bisecting Gaza that the Israeli military built during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">current war against Hamas</a>. The area was the territory’s most populous before the Israeli ground offensive rolled through and pushed more than 1 million people south toward the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt.Now Israeli military positions are on either side of the port, which initially had been built — as part of an effort led by World Central Kitchen — out of the rubble of buildings leveled by Israel. That effort halted after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-central-kitchen-jose-andres-gaza-israel-a21b62edbfa1150d0eb78ed5597a03c8">an Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers</a>&nbsp;on April 1 as they traveled in clearly marked vehicles on a delivery mission authorized by Israel. The organization says it is resuming its work in Gaza.Aid has been slow to get into Gaza, with long backups of trucks awaiting Israeli inspections. The U.S. and other nations also have used air drops to send food into Gaza. The U.S. military official said deliveries on the sea route initially will total about 90 trucks a day and could quickly increase to about 150 trucks daily.Aid organizations have said several hundred such trucks are needed to enter Gaza every day.In the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage, Israel cut off or heavily restricted food, water, medicine, electricity and other aid from entering the Gaza Strip. Under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/blinken-israel-hamas-war-gaza-saudi-arabia-c0425791dc59e745021d3dd726dc8f09">pressure from the U.S. and others</a>, Israel says the situation is improving, though United Nations agencies have said much more aid needs to enter.Gaza, slightly more than twice the size of the city of Washington and home to 2.3 million people, has found itself on the brink of famine. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the fighting began, local health authorities say.On Sunday, Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the amount of aid going into Gaza would continue to scale up.“This temporary pier will provide a ship-to-shore distribution system that will further increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” he said in a statement.However, high-ranking Hamas political official&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-khalil-alhayya-qatar-ceasefire-1967-borders-4912532b11a9cec29464eab234045438">Khalil al-Hayya told the AP</a>&nbsp;last week that the group would consider Israeli forces — or forces from any other country — stationed by the pier to guard it as “an occupying force and aggression,” and that the militant group would resist it.On Wednesday, a mortar attack targeted the port site, though no one was hurt.

US military working to build $320M pier for Gaza aid

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A real estate company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has agreed to pay $250 million to settle lawsuits nationwide claiming that longstanding practices by real estate brokerages forced U.S. homeowners to pay artificially inflated broker commissions when they sold their homes.

HomeServices of America said Friday that the proposed settlement would shield its 51 brands, nearly 70,000 real estate agents and over 300 franchisees from similar litigation.

The real estate company had been a major holdout after several other big brokerage operators, including Keller Williams Realty, Re/Max, Compass and Anywhere Real Estate, agreed to settle. Last month, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-association-of-realtors-agent-commissions-lawsuits-d62a66cb80639be3c4c3b429053a22c5">National Association of Realtors agreed to pay $418 million</a>.

“While we have always been confident in the legality and ethics of our business practices, the decision to settle was driven by a desire to eliminate the uncertainty brought by the protracted appellate and litigation process,” the company said in a statement.

HomeServices said its proposed settlement payout represents a current after-tax accounting charge of about $140 million, though it will have four years to pay the full amount. The real estate company also noted that its parent company is not part of the settlement.

Buffett said in February in his annual letter to shareholders that Berkshire had $167.6 billion cash on hand at the end of last year. That makes Berkshire, which is based in Omaha, Nebraska, an attractive target for litigation, but the company largely lets its subsidiaries run themselves and doesn’t directly intervene in litigation involving its many companies, which include Geico insurance, BNSF railroad and See’s Candy.

Including HomeServices' proposed payout, the real estate industry has now agreed to pay more than $943 million to make the lawsuits go away.

“This is another significant settlement for American home sellers who have been saddled with paying billions in unnecessary commission costs," Benjamin Brown, managing partner at one of the law firms that represented plaintiffs in a case filed in Illinois, said in a statement.

The lawsuits' central claim is that the country’s biggest real estate brokerages and the NAR violated antitrust laws by engaging in business practices that required home sellers to pay the fees for the broker representing the buyer.

Attorneys representing home sellers in multiple states argued that homeowners who listed a property for sale on real estate industry databases were required to include a compensation offer for an agent representing a buyer. And that not including such “cooperative compensation” offers might lead a buyer’s agent to steer their client away from any seller’s listing that didn’t include such an offer.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nar-real-estate-commission-real-estate-agent-6dadde0d51cc63b9fd568a58f95610d8">In October, a federal jury in Missouri</a>&nbsp;ordered that HomeServices, the National Association of Realtors and several other large real estate brokerages pay nearly $1.8 billion in damages. The defendants were facing potentially having to pay more than $5 billion, if treble damages were awarded.

The verdict in that case, which was filed in 2019 on behalf of 500,000 home sellers in Missouri and elsewhere, led to multiple similar lawsuits being filed against the real estate brokerage industry.

The major brokerages that have reached proposed settlements in these cases have also agreed to change their business practices to ensure homebuyers and sellers can more easily understand how brokers and agents are compensated for their services, and that brokers and agents who represent homebuyers must disclose right away any offer of compensation by the broker representing a seller.

HomeServices said it also agreed to make “substantially similar new or amended business practice changes that have been included in the other corporate defendant settlement agreements,” said Chris Kelly, a HomeServices spokesperson.

NAR also agreed to make several policy changes, including prohibiting brokers who list a home for sale on any of the databases affiliated with the NAR from including offers of compensation for a buyer’s representative.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-estate-agent-commissions-home-sales-nar-0379e6256bba2eac86184ed73878f7b6">The new rules,</a>&nbsp;which are set to go into effect in July, represent a major change to the way real estate agents have operated going back to the 1990s.

While many housing market watchers say it’s too soon to tell how the policy changes will affect home sales, they could lead to home sellers paying lower commissions for their broker's services. Buyers, in turn, may have to shoulder more upfront costs when they hire an agent to represent them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714414768839.jpeg" alt="A for sale sign is posted in front of a home in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, March 3, 2022. HomeServices of America, a real estate company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, has agreed to pay $250 million to settle lawsuits nationwide claiming that longstanding practices by real estate brokerages forced U.S. homeowners to pay artificially inflated broker commissions when they sold their homes. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)" />
 <figcaption>A for sale sign is posted in front of a home in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, March 3, 2022. HomeServices of America, a real estate company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, has agreed to pay $250 million to settle lawsuits nationwide claiming that longstanding practices by real estate brokerages forced U.S. homeowners to pay artificially inflated broker commissions when they sold their homes. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — A real estate company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has agreed to pay $250 million to settle lawsuits nationwide claiming that longstanding practices by real estate brokerages forced U.S. homeowners to pay artificially inflated broker commissions when they sold their homes.HomeServices of America said Friday that the proposed settlement would shield its 51 brands, nearly 70,000 real estate agents and over 300 franchisees from similar litigation.The real estate company had been a major holdout after several other big brokerage operators, including Keller Williams Realty, Re/Max, Compass and Anywhere Real Estate, agreed to settle. Last month, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-association-of-realtors-agent-commissions-lawsuits-d62a66cb80639be3c4c3b429053a22c5">National Association of Realtors agreed to pay $418 million</a>.“While we have always been confident in the legality and ethics of our business practices, the decision to settle was driven by a desire to eliminate the uncertainty brought by the protracted appellate and litigation process,” the company said in a statement.HomeServices said its proposed settlement payout represents a current after-tax accounting charge of about $140 million, though it will have four years to pay the full amount. The real estate company also noted that its parent company is not part of the settlement.Buffett said in February in his annual letter to shareholders that Berkshire had $167.6 billion cash on hand at the end of last year. That makes Berkshire, which is based in Omaha, Nebraska, an attractive target for litigation, but the company largely lets its subsidiaries run themselves and doesn’t directly intervene in litigation involving its many companies, which include Geico insurance, BNSF railroad and See’s Candy.Including HomeServices' proposed payout, the real estate industry has now agreed to pay more than $943 million to make the lawsuits go away.“This is another significant settlement for American home sellers who have been saddled with paying billions in unnecessary commission costs," Benjamin Brown, managing partner at one of the law firms that represented plaintiffs in a case filed in Illinois, said in a statement.The lawsuits' central claim is that the country’s biggest real estate brokerages and the NAR violated antitrust laws by engaging in business practices that required home sellers to pay the fees for the broker representing the buyer.Attorneys representing home sellers in multiple states argued that homeowners who listed a property for sale on real estate industry databases were required to include a compensation offer for an agent representing a buyer. And that not including such “cooperative compensation” offers might lead a buyer’s agent to steer their client away from any seller’s listing that didn’t include such an offer.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nar-real-estate-commission-real-estate-agent-6dadde0d51cc63b9fd568a58f95610d8">In October, a federal jury in Missouri</a>&nbsp;ordered that HomeServices, the National Association of Realtors and several other large real estate brokerages pay nearly $1.8 billion in damages. The defendants were facing potentially having to pay more than $5 billion, if treble damages were awarded.The verdict in that case, which was filed in 2019 on behalf of 500,000 home sellers in Missouri and elsewhere, led to multiple similar lawsuits being filed against the real estate brokerage industry.The major brokerages that have reached proposed settlements in these cases have also agreed to change their business practices to ensure homebuyers and sellers can more easily understand how brokers and agents are compensated for their services, and that brokers and agents who represent homebuyers must disclose right away any offer of compensation by the broker representing a seller.HomeServices said it also agreed to make “substantially similar new or amended business practice changes that have been included in the other corporate defendant settlement agreements,” said Chris Kelly, a HomeServices spokesperson.NAR also agreed to make several policy changes, including prohibiting brokers who list a home for sale on any of the databases affiliated with the NAR from including offers of compensation for a buyer’s representative.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-estate-agent-commissions-home-sales-nar-0379e6256bba2eac86184ed73878f7b6">The new rules,</a>&nbsp;which are set to go into effect in July, represent a major change to the way real estate agents have operated going back to the 1990s.While many housing market watchers say it’s too soon to tell how the policy changes will affect home sales, they could lead to home sellers paying lower commissions for their broker's services. Buyers, in turn, may have to shoulder more upfront costs when they hire an agent to represent them.

Berkshire Hathaway's real estate firm to pay $250 million to settle real estate commission lawsuits

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Three women who were diagnosed with HIV after getting “vampire facial” procedures at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa are believed to be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles, federal health officials said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7316a3.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>&nbsp;said in its Morbidity and Mortality Report last week that an investigation into the clinic from 2018 through 2023 showed it apparently reused disposable equipment intended for one-time use.

Although HIV transmission from contaminated blood through unsterile injection is a well-known risk, the report said this is the first documentation of probable infections involving cosmetic services.

Many popular cosmetic treatments are delivered with needles, such as Botox to iron out wrinkles and fillers to plump lips. A “vampire facial,” or platelet-rich plasma microneedling procedure, involves drawing a client's own blood, separating its components, then using tiny needles to inject plasma into the face to rejuvenate the skin. Tattoos also require needles.

The New Mexico Department of Health began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/28bcd83bc954401baba3446f56022668">investigating</a>&nbsp;the spa in the summer of 2018 after it was notified that a woman in her 40s had tested positive for HIV even though she had no known risk factors. The woman reported exposure to needles through the procedure at the clinic that spring.

The spa closed in fall 2018 after the investigation was launched, and its owner was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-albuquerque-spas-hector-balderas-7c890ba01b8d373f0de952b5258e2c96">prosecuted</a>&nbsp;for practicing medicine without a license.

The report said the investigation showed how important it is to require infection control practices at businesses that offer cosmetic procedures involving needles.

It also noted that the investigation was slowed by poor record keeping and said businesses providing such services should keep better records in case clients need to be contacted later.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714401990327.png" alt="-This electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health shows a human T cell, in blue, under attack by HIV, in yellow, the virus that causes AIDS.&nbsp; -Credit: Seth Pincus, Elizabeth Fischer and Austin Athman, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH" />
 <figcaption>-This electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health shows a human T cell, in blue, under attack by HIV, in yellow, the virus that causes AIDS.&nbsp; -Credit: Seth Pincus, Elizabeth Fischer and Austin Athman, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH</figcaption>
 </figure>ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Three women who were diagnosed with HIV after getting “vampire facial” procedures at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa are believed to be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles, federal health officials said.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7316a3.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>&nbsp;said in its Morbidity and Mortality Report last week that an investigation into the clinic from 2018 through 2023 showed it apparently reused disposable equipment intended for one-time use.Although HIV transmission from contaminated blood through unsterile injection is a well-known risk, the report said this is the first documentation of probable infections involving cosmetic services.Many popular cosmetic treatments are delivered with needles, such as Botox to iron out wrinkles and fillers to plump lips. A “vampire facial,” or platelet-rich plasma microneedling procedure, involves drawing a client's own blood, separating its components, then using tiny needles to inject plasma into the face to rejuvenate the skin. Tattoos also require needles.The New Mexico Department of Health began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/28bcd83bc954401baba3446f56022668">investigating</a>&nbsp;the spa in the summer of 2018 after it was notified that a woman in her 40s had tested positive for HIV even though she had no known risk factors. The woman reported exposure to needles through the procedure at the clinic that spring.The spa closed in fall 2018 after the investigation was launched, and its owner was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-albuquerque-spas-hector-balderas-7c890ba01b8d373f0de952b5258e2c96">prosecuted</a>&nbsp;for practicing medicine without a license.The report said the investigation showed how important it is to require infection control practices at businesses that offer cosmetic procedures involving needles.It also noted that the investigation was slowed by poor record keeping and said businesses providing such services should keep better records in case clients need to be contacted later.

CDC: 1st cases of HIV transmitted through cosmetic needles

SEWARD, Neb. (AP) — A former Nebraska deputy is jailed after a grand jury indicted him on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of a man in October, a prosecutor said Friday.

Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon announced the indictment of former Seward County Deputy Anthony Gann. Gann is jailed on $100,000 bond and is expected to have his first court appearance Monday, Condon said. It wasn't immediately clear if Gann had an attorney.

Seward County Sheriff Michael Vance told the&nbsp;<a href="https://journalstar.com/">Lincoln Journal Star</a>&nbsp;that Gann has resigned. Vance said an internal investigation by his office determined that Gann didn't commit any violations or break procedure.

The shooting happened on the afternoon of Oct. 23 when deputies tried to stop 43-year-old Jorge Santana-Ramirez on Interstate 80. The sheriff's office said that instead of stopping, Santana-Ramirez turned his vehicle and drove east in the westbound lanes for a time before crossing into the eastbound lanes.

SEWARD, Neb. (AP) — A former Nebraska deputy is jailed after a grand jury indicted him on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of a man in October, a prosecutor said Friday.Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon announced the indictment of former Seward County Deputy Anthony Gann. Gann is jailed on $100,000 bond and is expected to have his first court appearance Monday, Condon said. It wasn't immediately clear if Gann had an attorney.Seward County Sheriff Michael Vance told the&nbsp;<a href="https://journalstar.com/">Lincoln Journal Star</a>&nbsp;that Gann has resigned. Vance said an internal investigation by his office determined that Gann didn't commit any violations or break procedure.The shooting happened on the afternoon of Oct. 23 when deputies tried to stop 43-year-old Jorge Santana-Ramirez on Interstate 80. The sheriff's office said that instead of stopping, Santana-Ramirez turned his vehicle and drove east in the westbound lanes for a time before crossing into the eastbound lanes.

Ex-Nebraska deputy is indicted in connection with fatal highway shooting

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates are heading into the homestretch of their first legislative gathering in five years — one that appears on track to make historic changes in lifting their church's longstanding bans on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy.

After a day off on Sunday, delegates to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church resumed their work Monday and will be meeting all this week before wrapping up their 11-day session on Friday

They've already begun making historic changes: On Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-disaffiliation-lgbtq-regionalization-samesex-marriage-d429bb838c31f1899dbc48fbddb03197">delegates overwhelmingly endorsed</a>&nbsp;a policy shift that would restructure the worldwide denomination into regional conferences and give the U.S. region, for the first time, the same right as international bodies to modify church rules to fit local situations.

That measure — subject to local ratification votes — is seen as a way the U.S. churches could have LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage while the more conservative overseas areas, particularly the large and fast-growing churches of Africa, could maintain those bans.

But whether that measure maintains church unity remains to be seen. The General Conference comes as the American portion of the United Methodist Church, long the nation's third-largest denomination, has shrunk considerably.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-congregations-leaving-lgbtq-bans-dbd315f329e4cfec4ba78916668ab50b">One-quarter of its U.S. churches left</a>&nbsp;between 2019 and 2023 amid conservative dismay over the church's failure to enforce its LGBTQ bans amid widespread defiance.

A proposal to overturn those bans is headed to the delegates this week, and progressives are optimistic that they have the votes to realize their long-held dream.

Bishop Karen Oliveto of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area, the first openly lesbian bishop ordained in the church, said the tenor of the current conference is positive.

“The delegates are listening to each other, learning from each other, really providing a foundation for the work this week,” she said. “There have been hard conversations, but again this tone that we’re in this together. And we have a witness to make to the world that’s unified even in the midst of cultural differences.”

The denomination has debated homosexuality for more than half a century. Its Book of Discipline bans “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from the clergy and forbids clergy from presiding at same-sex marriages. It also forbids church funding of any advocacy for the “acceptance of homosexuality.”

But legislative committees last week overwhelmingly approved several proposals liberalizing the church’s stance on sexuality. They included one committee that voted 43-9 to overturn the ban on LGBTQ clergy.

The delegates will also vote on a new set of Social Principles — a wholesale revision of an existing set of non-binding statements — which also received overwhelming committee approval last week. The new version omits the previous version's declaration that homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching." And it defines marriage as a sacred covenant between “two people of faith,” without specifying gender.

Such changes could portend a further fragmentation of the international church. Delegates last week approved the departure of a small but notable part of the body — about 30 churches in Russia and other former Soviet countries, where conservative views on LGBTQ issues are strong.

Some are proposing that African and other churches be given the same chance that U.S. churches recently had to disaffiliate under favorable terms, including U.S. churches that missed the earlier deadline to do so, but a committee vote recommended against such measures.

Opponents say they already have mechanisms to depart, as some have recently done, but proponents say existing rules are burdensome.

Jerry Kulah of the advocacy group Africa Initiative said that while it will be up to individual conferences in Africa to decide whether to stay or leave the denomination, he believes it's time to leave.

“We cannot remain in this marriage,” he said. “We can’t be one church preaching different gospels.”

A large majority of African bishops, while affirming their opposition to LGBTQ ordination or marriage, have said in a joint statement they are committed to remaining in the United Methodist Church.

The denomination had until recently been the third largest in the United States, present in almost every county. But its 5.4 million U.S. membership in 2022 is expected to drop once the 2023 departures are factored in.

The denomination also counts 4.6 million members in other countries, mainly in Africa, though earlier estimates have been higher.

Conservative advocacy groups say U.S. churches that didn't meet the 2023 deadline should have the option of disaffiliating, too — along with the more than 7,000 that have already done so.

The denomination also will be debating policy stances regarding fossil fuels and other issues as well as voting on major budget cuts to denominational programs, reflective of losing thousands of congregations.

The Rev. Tracy Cox, lead pastor of First United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh, said she’s cautiously hopeful for changes to the rules on ordination and marriage. The congregation, which has long been LGBTQ-affirming, held a commissioning service on April 14 for those attending the General Conference.

“If you are called by God to be an ordained elder or deacon, no church, no institution should step in that way,” Cox said. “And as far as marriage goes, when somebody falls in love with someone, we need to be able to help them to raise a family or to be a family in the community where they’re going to serve.”

Added Tracy Merrick, a member of the congregation and a delegate: “It will say to the world about us that we really stand behind our statement that we are a church of open hearts, open minds, and open doors.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714416591781.png" alt="View inside the General Conference from the livestream&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>View inside the General Conference from the livestream&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By PETER SMITHCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates are heading into the homestretch of their first legislative gathering in five years — one that appears on track to make historic changes in lifting their church's longstanding bans on same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy.After a day off on Sunday, delegates to the General Conference of the United Methodist Church resumed their work Monday and will be meeting all this week before wrapping up their 11-day session on FridayThey've already begun making historic changes: On Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-disaffiliation-lgbtq-regionalization-samesex-marriage-d429bb838c31f1899dbc48fbddb03197">delegates overwhelmingly endorsed</a>&nbsp;a policy shift that would restructure the worldwide denomination into regional conferences and give the U.S. region, for the first time, the same right as international bodies to modify church rules to fit local situations.That measure — subject to local ratification votes — is seen as a way the U.S. churches could have LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage while the more conservative overseas areas, particularly the large and fast-growing churches of Africa, could maintain those bans.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714417373989.png" alt="View of the.delegates from the United Methodist General Conference live stream" />
 <figcaption>View of the.delegates from the United Methodist General Conference live stream</figcaption>
 </figure>But whether that measure maintains church unity remains to be seen. The General Conference comes as the American portion of the United Methodist Church, long the nation's third-largest denomination, has shrunk considerably.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodist-congregations-leaving-lgbtq-bans-dbd315f329e4cfec4ba78916668ab50b">One-quarter of its U.S. churches left</a>&nbsp;between 2019 and 2023 amid conservative dismay over the church's failure to enforce its LGBTQ bans amid widespread defiance.A proposal to overturn those bans is headed to the delegates this week, and progressives are optimistic that they have the votes to realize their long-held dream.Bishop Karen Oliveto of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area, the first openly lesbian bishop ordained in the church, said the tenor of the current conference is positive.“The delegates are listening to each other, learning from each other, really providing a foundation for the work this week,” she said. “There have been hard conversations, but again this tone that we’re in this together. And we have a witness to make to the world that’s unified even in the midst of cultural differences.”The denomination has debated homosexuality for more than half a century. Its Book of Discipline bans “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from the clergy and forbids clergy from presiding at same-sex marriages. It also forbids church funding of any advocacy for the “acceptance of homosexuality.”But legislative committees last week overwhelmingly approved several proposals liberalizing the church’s stance on sexuality. They included one committee that voted 43-9 to overturn the ban on LGBTQ clergy.The delegates will also vote on a new set of Social Principles — a wholesale revision of an existing set of non-binding statements — which also received overwhelming committee approval last week. The new version omits the previous version's declaration that homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching." And it defines marriage as a sacred covenant between “two people of faith,” without specifying gender.Such changes could portend a further fragmentation of the international church. Delegates last week approved the departure of a small but notable part of the body — about 30 churches in Russia and other former Soviet countries, where conservative views on LGBTQ issues are strong.Some are proposing that African and other churches be given the same chance that U.S. churches recently had to disaffiliate under favorable terms, including U.S. churches that missed the earlier deadline to do so, but a committee vote recommended against such measures.Opponents say they already have mechanisms to depart, as some have recently done, but proponents say existing rules are burdensome.Jerry Kulah of the advocacy group Africa Initiative said that while it will be up to individual conferences in Africa to decide whether to stay or leave the denomination, he believes it's time to leave.“We cannot remain in this marriage,” he said. “We can’t be one church preaching different gospels.”A large majority of African bishops, while affirming their opposition to LGBTQ ordination or marriage, have said in a joint statement they are committed to remaining in the United Methodist Church.The denomination had until recently been the third largest in the United States, present in almost every county. But its 5.4 million U.S. membership in 2022 is expected to drop once the 2023 departures are factored in.The denomination also counts 4.6 million members in other countries, mainly in Africa, though earlier estimates have been higher.Conservative advocacy groups say U.S. churches that didn't meet the 2023 deadline should have the option of disaffiliating, too — along with the more than 7,000 that have already done so.The denomination also will be debating policy stances regarding fossil fuels and other issues as well as voting on major budget cuts to denominational programs, reflective of losing thousands of congregations.The Rev. Tracy Cox, lead pastor of First United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh, said she’s cautiously hopeful for changes to the rules on ordination and marriage. The congregation, which has long been LGBTQ-affirming, held a commissioning service on April 14 for those attending the General Conference.“If you are called by God to be an ordained elder or deacon, no church, no institution should step in that way,” Cox said. “And as far as marriage goes, when somebody falls in love with someone, we need to be able to help them to raise a family or to be a family in the community where they’re going to serve.”Added Tracy Merrick, a member of the congregation and a delegate: “It will say to the world about us that we really stand behind our statement that we are a church of open hearts, open minds, and open doors.”___

General Conference: United Methodists prepare for votes on lifting LGBTQ bans 

Dr. Jeffrey P. Gold, a first-generation college student, heart surgeon and longtime college administrator who for the last decade has led the University of Nebraska Medical Center through a period of record growth, was confirmed today as NU’s ninth president by the Board of Regents.

Gold, who also serves as the NU System’s executive vice president and provost, will assume the president’s role on July 1, succeeding interim President Chris Kabourek. As president, he will carry forward ambitious goals laid out by the board and administration for elevating the University of Nebraska’s national stature and competitiveness at a time of unprecedented change and challenge in higher education.

“I’m grateful to the Board of Regents for the trust they have placed in me to serve this institution that I believe is truly poised to build the future,” Gold said. “As a Nebraskan by choice, it has been an honor and privilege to work alongside our leadership teams, our faculty, staff and students, and leaders in elected office, business and the community for the past 10 years. Most of all, I am inspired by what I see as the common thread that brings families from rural and urban communities across our state together: a deep desire for the very best educational experience for their children and grandchildren that will prepare them for lifelong learning and success.

“The University of Nebraska has delivered on that promise for Nebraskans for more than 150 years, and together we will continue to deliver the quality education, world-class research, engagement, economic development and health care that our citizens expect and deserve.”

Gold’s appointment concludes a national search launched last fall that engaged the university community and key stakeholders across the state, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members and leaders in agriculture, business and philanthropy. He was named the board’s priority candidate for president on March 20, after which he underwent a vetting period required by state law that included a dozen public events across Nebraska.

Members of the board thanked the many Nebraskans who participated in the search process, whether by sharing input on what qualities the regents should seek in the next president, attending public listening sessions or offering input on Gold’s candidacy.

“Jeff Gold has an impressive background and a skill set that we as a board felt was the right fit for the University of Nebraska,” said Board of Regents Chairman Rob Schafer of Beatrice. “This is an important moment for our university and all of higher education, requiring bold vision and courageous leadership. I am excited about our future and what we will accomplish with Dr. Gold at the helm.”

Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, who chaired the presidential search committee, said: “As chair of the board when we first brought Jeff Gold to Nebraska, this has come full circle for me. I’ve come to know Jeff as a good friend and colleague, someone who listens to students and has truly made Nebraska his adopted home. I believe Jeff will bring the same success to the entire University of Nebraska that he has achieved at UNMC over the past decade and I’m confident he will devote his full energy to our ambitious goals for academic excellence, competitiveness and AAU readmission.”

Gold, 71, has served as UNMC chancellor and chair of the board of UNMC’s clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine, since 2014. He assumed executive vice president and provost duties in 2021, becoming the university system’s chief academic officer and primary liaison to the board for academic affairs matters.

From 2017 to 2021, Gold concurrently held the role of University of Nebraska at Omaha chancellor, leading the state’s metropolitan university.

At UNMC, Gold has overseen a period of significant growth in enrollment, research, academic offerings, philanthropy and facilities. Enrollment has reached a record high for 23 straight years, and research grants and contracts now exceed $250 million. Continued success in technology transfer at both UNMC and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have helped Nebraska rank among the world’s top earners of patents for seven years running.

UNMC has expanded the breadth of its programs, notably through a successful partnership with the University of Nebraska at Kearney that has added health education programs to NU’s rural campus. Together with support from public and private partners, the UNMC-UNK collaboration has significantly bolstered the health care pipeline in the central and western parts of the state. Gold was announced today as the inaugural recipient of the Heartland Hero Award from the Rural Media Group.

UNMC has received national and international attention for its leadership in treating infectious disease, particularly during the Ebola outbreak of 2014-15 when UNMC was among a small number of select sites chosen by the U.S. Department of State to care for patients.

During Gold’s tenure, UNMC opened the Fred &amp; Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, to date the largest public-private partnership in university history and a key driver of UNMC’s global leadership in cancer research and care. UNMC has also opened iEXCEL, a high-tech clinical simulation and experimental learning center, the Dr. Edwin G. &amp; Dorothy Balbach Davis Global Center, a new home for the Munroe-Meyer Institute, and a new home for the Lincoln division of the College of Nursing, among other physical upgrades that have significantly expanded the campus’ footprint.

UNMC has benefited from more than $800 million in private philanthropy since Gold’s arrival, with more expected through the ongoing Only in Nebraska campaign.

Gold holds tenured faculty appointments in UNMC’s College of Medicine and College of Public Health, where his research interests in health care policy, population health and epidemiology are concentrated.

Raised in Brooklyn, Gold is the product of the New York City K-12 public school system. He became the first in his family to go to college and earned his bachelor’s degree in theoretical and applied mechanics from Cornell University. He earned his M.D. from the Weill Cornell College of Medicine and completed his general surgery residency at The New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Gold completed his cardiothoracic surgical fellowship training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, with additional training in pediatric cardiac surgery at the Boston Children’s Hospital of Harvard Medical School.

Gold has been certified by the American Board of Surgery and by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, specializing in adult and pediatric cardiac surgery. He is licensed in Nebraska, Ohio, New York and New Jersey.

Gold has been married for almost 50 years to Dr. Robin Hayworth, a medical school classmate. The couple has two adult children and two grandchildren.

Reporting to the board, the president is the chief executive officer of the four-campus University of Nebraska System. The president is responsible for carrying out the strategic priorities of the board and is the primary advocate to the Nebraska Legislature and other constituencies. Direct reports to the president include the campus chancellors and systemwide chief business, academic, legal and information technology officers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714400093170.jpeg" alt="Jeffrey Gold (Courtesy)" />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey Gold (Courtesy)</figcaption>
 </figure>Tyler EllysonUNK CommunicationsDr. Jeffrey P. Gold, a first-generation college student, heart surgeon and longtime college administrator who for the last decade has led the University of Nebraska Medical Center through a period of record growth, was confirmed today as NU’s ninth president by the Board of Regents.Gold, who also serves as the NU System’s executive vice president and provost, will assume the president’s role on July 1, succeeding interim President Chris Kabourek. As president, he will carry forward ambitious goals laid out by the board and administration for elevating the University of Nebraska’s national stature and competitiveness at a time of unprecedented change and challenge in higher education.“I’m grateful to the Board of Regents for the trust they have placed in me to serve this institution that I believe is truly poised to build the future,” Gold said. “As a Nebraskan by choice, it has been an honor and privilege to work alongside our leadership teams, our faculty, staff and students, and leaders in elected office, business and the community for the past 10 years. Most of all, I am inspired by what I see as the common thread that brings families from rural and urban communities across our state together: a deep desire for the very best educational experience for their children and grandchildren that will prepare them for lifelong learning and success.“The University of Nebraska has delivered on that promise for Nebraskans for more than 150 years, and together we will continue to deliver the quality education, world-class research, engagement, economic development and health care that our citizens expect and deserve.”Gold’s appointment concludes a national search launched last fall that engaged the university community and key stakeholders across the state, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members and leaders in agriculture, business and philanthropy. He was named the board’s priority candidate for president on March 20, after which he underwent a vetting period required by state law that included a dozen public events across Nebraska.Members of the board thanked the many Nebraskans who participated in the search process, whether by sharing input on what qualities the regents should seek in the next president, attending public listening sessions or offering input on Gold’s candidacy.“Jeff Gold has an impressive background and a skill set that we as a board felt was the right fit for the University of Nebraska,” said Board of Regents Chairman Rob Schafer of Beatrice. “This is an important moment for our university and all of higher education, requiring bold vision and courageous leadership. I am excited about our future and what we will accomplish with Dr. Gold at the helm.”Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, who chaired the presidential search committee, said: “As chair of the board when we first brought Jeff Gold to Nebraska, this has come full circle for me. I’ve come to know Jeff as a good friend and colleague, someone who listens to students and has truly made Nebraska his adopted home. I believe Jeff will bring the same success to the entire University of Nebraska that he has achieved at UNMC over the past decade and I’m confident he will devote his full energy to our ambitious goals for academic excellence, competitiveness and AAU readmission.”Gold, 71, has served as UNMC chancellor and chair of the board of UNMC’s clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine, since 2014. He assumed executive vice president and provost duties in 2021, becoming the university system’s chief academic officer and primary liaison to the board for academic affairs matters.From 2017 to 2021, Gold concurrently held the role of University of Nebraska at Omaha chancellor, leading the state’s metropolitan university.At UNMC, Gold has overseen a period of significant growth in enrollment, research, academic offerings, philanthropy and facilities. Enrollment has reached a record high for 23 straight years, and research grants and contracts now exceed $250 million. Continued success in technology transfer at both UNMC and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have helped Nebraska rank among the world’s top earners of patents for seven years running.UNMC has expanded the breadth of its programs, notably through a successful partnership with the University of Nebraska at Kearney that has added health education programs to NU’s rural campus. Together with support from public and private partners, the UNMC-UNK collaboration has significantly bolstered the health care pipeline in the central and western parts of the state. Gold was announced today as the inaugural recipient of the Heartland Hero Award from the Rural Media Group.UNMC has received national and international attention for its leadership in treating infectious disease, particularly during the Ebola outbreak of 2014-15 when UNMC was among a small number of select sites chosen by the U.S. Department of State to care for patients.During Gold’s tenure, UNMC opened the Fred &amp; Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, to date the largest public-private partnership in university history and a key driver of UNMC’s global leadership in cancer research and care. UNMC has also opened iEXCEL, a high-tech clinical simulation and experimental learning center, the Dr. Edwin G. &amp; Dorothy Balbach Davis Global Center, a new home for the Munroe-Meyer Institute, and a new home for the Lincoln division of the College of Nursing, among other physical upgrades that have significantly expanded the campus’ footprint.UNMC has benefited from more than $800 million in private philanthropy since Gold’s arrival, with more expected through the ongoing Only in Nebraska campaign.Gold holds tenured faculty appointments in UNMC’s College of Medicine and College of Public Health, where his research interests in health care policy, population health and epidemiology are concentrated.Raised in Brooklyn, Gold is the product of the New York City K-12 public school system. He became the first in his family to go to college and earned his bachelor’s degree in theoretical and applied mechanics from Cornell University. He earned his M.D. from the Weill Cornell College of Medicine and completed his general surgery residency at The New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Gold completed his cardiothoracic surgical fellowship training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, with additional training in pediatric cardiac surgery at the Boston Children’s Hospital of Harvard Medical School.Gold has been certified by the American Board of Surgery and by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, specializing in adult and pediatric cardiac surgery. He is licensed in Nebraska, Ohio, New York and New Jersey.Gold has been married for almost 50 years to Dr. Robin Hayworth, a medical school classmate. The couple has two adult children and two grandchildren.Reporting to the board, the president is the chief executive officer of the four-campus University of Nebraska System. The president is responsible for carrying out the strategic priorities of the board and is the primary advocate to the Nebraska Legislature and other constituencies. Direct reports to the president include the campus chancellors and systemwide chief business, academic, legal and information technology officers.

Board of Regents confirms Dr. Jeffrey Gold as ninth University of Nebraska president

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/27/pillen-confirms-no-loss-of-life-from-friday-storms-but-hundreds-lost-homes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Gov. Jim Pillen joined leaders from the Omaha, Bennington, Elkhorn and Waterloo areas in thanking Nebraskans for listening to weather forecasts that warned them to take shelter during Friday’s storms.

“It is an extraordinary miracle that we’ve had this kind of a cell come through, and no categories (of serious injuries), and no loss of life,” he said.

Pillen offered an update Saturday on the state and local storm response with Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer, Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson, Waterloo Fire Chief Travis Harlow, Bennington Fire Chief Dan Mallory and more.&nbsp;

He said he missed a call Saturday from President Joe Biden, who left a message offering whatever assistance Nebraska needs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as officials prepare to declare a disaster.

“We’ll be having the declaration soon, so we’ll make sure that we’re helping everybody,” Pillen said.

Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman, Mallory and Harlow said rescue crews had moved in quickly after the storm and finished checking for potential injuries and fatalities by late Friday evening.

State and local emergency management officials were still surveying and documenting losses to Friday’s tornadoes they said did the most significant damage in Douglas, Lancaster, Saunders and Washington Counties.

Erv Portis of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said the state did not yet know the full scope of homes and businesses lost, but said that Douglas County had already tallied more than 150.

Pillen, Hanson and State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan toured neighborhoods in the Elkhorn area and in Bennington at midday Saturday, hours after the federal delegation visited homeowners near Waterloo and in west Omaha.

He said he spoke with Nebraskans who lost their homes and belongings, including a family that had just moved to Douglas County from Kentucky and another that had been in their new home two months.

Jill Martin of the Nebraska chapter of the American Red Cross said her group had worked with other local nonprofits to set up a community shelter in the Elkhorn area and Blair.

Pillen urged Nebraskans who suffered damage to their homes and businesses to notify their local county emergency management agency. He said doing so could help Nebraskans qualify for additional federal aid.

State and local governments and public power districts have already likely suffered enough damage to qualify for FEMA disaster aid called “public assistance,” which is basically aid for government agencies.

Individual home damage amounts could also unlock federal assistance for “individual assistance,” which is a federal aid program to help homeowners pay for some of the costs not covered by insurance.

Business owners who lost property could also become eligible to pursue government-subsidized, low-interest small business loans from the Small Business Administration to help recover from losses.

The state could end up qualifying for all three, officials said, given how much of eastern Nebraska got hit by tornadoes on Friday — the National Weather Service is still trying to confirm how many.

Omaha’s Eppley Airfield offered a clearer picture of the millions of dollars in damage it sustained from a tornado that destroyed a pair of hangars on the private aviation side of the airport.

Private aircraft in both hangars suffered significant damage, but the main equipment used to get private planes and people in and out of Eppley’s General Aviation were up and running again hours later.

Airport Authority Chief Executive Officer Dave Roth said he expects the airport to be ready to welcome Berkshire Hathaway Days next week, a major celebration of Warren Buffett’s company that draws tens of thousands from around the world.

He said the tornado had done little to no damage to the commercial side of the airport or to the new construction taking place on the commercial side.

Chris Franks of the National Weather Service said the strength of the tornado that hit Lancaster and Douglas Counties looked like an EF-3, with winds of 135 mph to 165 mph. He said the Omaha airport tornado looked closer to an EF-2, with winds of 110 mph to 135 mph.

He warned Nebraskans to pay attention again to predicted storms predicted for later Saturday.

Stothert praised the work of local first responders and others who helped Omaha police and fire. Both agencies confirmed they had officers and firefighters who lost homes to the storms.

Stothert said she would be signing an emergency declaration Saturday to get the ball rolling on unlocking state and federal emergency assistance to help pay for mounting costs of responding to the storms.&nbsp;

“It will be a very expensive event that the city will put in a lot of money to make sure that we recover the way that we need to be recovering,” she said.

Major storms often cost cities and other political subdivisions, including public power utilities, hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for rescue crews, cleanup and power restoration.

Omaha Public Power District said it was still working to restore power Saturday to more than 4,000 customers across its service area. The utility lost major transmission lines and neighborhood lines.

Metropolitan Utilities District told Douglas County Emergency Management’s Paul Johnson that local drinking water remained safe after the storm, but it was still repairing some damaged gas lines.

Pillen said he was not yet deploying the National Guard to help with disaster response, but that he would be sending local law enforcement agencies some backup from the Nebraska State Patrol.

Hanson and Schmaderer urged people who don’t own property in the affected areas to stay away and avoid the temptation to go see the damage first-hand. Hanson warned potential looters that they would be arrested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714401446384.jpeg" alt=" Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen speaks to reporters about state and local efforts to recover after tornadoes hit parts of several eastern Nebraska counties. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen speaks to reporters about state and local efforts to recover after tornadoes hit parts of several eastern Nebraska counties. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/27/pillen-confirms-no-loss-of-life-from-friday-storms-but-hundreds-lost-homes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Gov. Jim Pillen joined leaders from the Omaha, Bennington, Elkhorn and Waterloo areas in thanking Nebraskans for listening to weather forecasts that warned them to take shelter during Friday’s storms.“It is an extraordinary miracle that we’ve had this kind of a cell come through, and no categories (of serious injuries), and no loss of life,” he said.Pillen offered an update Saturday on the state and local storm response with Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer, Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson, Waterloo Fire Chief Travis Harlow, Bennington Fire Chief Dan Mallory and more.&nbsp;He said he missed a call Saturday from President Joe Biden, who left a message offering whatever assistance Nebraska needs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as officials prepare to declare a disaster.“We’ll be having the declaration soon, so we’ll make sure that we’re helping everybody,” Pillen said.Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman, Mallory and Harlow said rescue crews had moved in quickly after the storm and finished checking for potential injuries and fatalities by late Friday evening.<h2>Still surveying the damage</h2>State and local emergency management officials were still surveying and documenting losses to Friday’s tornadoes they said did the most significant damage in Douglas, Lancaster, Saunders and Washington Counties.Erv Portis of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said the state did not yet know the full scope of homes and businesses lost, but said that Douglas County had already tallied more than 150.Pillen, Hanson and State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan toured neighborhoods in the Elkhorn area and in Bennington at midday Saturday, hours after the federal delegation visited homeowners near Waterloo and in west Omaha.He said he spoke with Nebraskans who lost their homes and belongings, including a family that had just moved to Douglas County from Kentucky and another that had been in their new home two months.Jill Martin of the Nebraska chapter of the American Red Cross said her group had worked with other local nonprofits to set up a community shelter in the Elkhorn area and Blair.<h2>Pillen: Report major home damage</h2>Pillen urged Nebraskans who suffered damage to their homes and businesses to notify their local county emergency management agency. He said doing so could help Nebraskans qualify for additional federal aid.State and local governments and public power districts have already likely suffered enough damage to qualify for FEMA disaster aid called “public assistance,” which is basically aid for government agencies.Individual home damage amounts could also unlock federal assistance for “individual assistance,” which is a federal aid program to help homeowners pay for some of the costs not covered by insurance.Business owners who lost property could also become eligible to pursue government-subsidized, low-interest small business loans from the Small Business Administration to help recover from losses.The state could end up qualifying for all three, officials said, given how much of eastern Nebraska got hit by tornadoes on Friday — the National Weather Service is still trying to confirm how many.<h2>Airport update</h2>Omaha’s Eppley Airfield offered a clearer picture of the millions of dollars in damage it sustained from a tornado that destroyed a pair of hangars on the private aviation side of the airport.Private aircraft in both hangars suffered significant damage, but the main equipment used to get private planes and people in and out of Eppley’s General Aviation were up and running again hours later.Airport Authority Chief Executive Officer Dave Roth said he expects the airport to be ready to welcome Berkshire Hathaway Days next week, a major celebration of Warren Buffett’s company that draws tens of thousands from around the world.He said the tornado had done little to no damage to the commercial side of the airport or to the new construction taking place on the commercial side.<h2>Powerful storms</h2>Chris Franks of the National Weather Service said the strength of the tornado that hit Lancaster and Douglas Counties looked like an EF-3, with winds of 135 mph to 165 mph. He said the Omaha airport tornado looked closer to an EF-2, with winds of 110 mph to 135 mph.He warned Nebraskans to pay attention again to predicted storms predicted for later Saturday.Stothert praised the work of local first responders and others who helped Omaha police and fire. Both agencies confirmed they had officers and firefighters who lost homes to the storms.Stothert said she would be signing an emergency declaration Saturday to get the ball rolling on unlocking state and federal emergency assistance to help pay for mounting costs of responding to the storms.&nbsp;“It will be a very expensive event that the city will put in a lot of money to make sure that we recover the way that we need to be recovering,” she said.Major storms often cost cities and other political subdivisions, including public power utilities, hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for rescue crews, cleanup and power restoration.<h2>Utility work ongoing</h2>Omaha Public Power District said it was still working to restore power Saturday to more than 4,000 customers across its service area. The utility lost major transmission lines and neighborhood lines.Metropolitan Utilities District told Douglas County Emergency Management’s Paul Johnson that local drinking water remained safe after the storm, but it was still repairing some damaged gas lines.Pillen said he was not yet deploying the National Guard to help with disaster response, but that he would be sending local law enforcement agencies some backup from the Nebraska State Patrol.Hanson and Schmaderer urged people who don’t own property in the affected areas to stay away and avoid the temptation to go see the damage first-hand. Hanson warned potential looters that they would be arrested.“Don’t do it,” he said.

Pillen confirms no loss of life in NE from Friday storms, but hundreds lost homes

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/gov-pillen-issues-post-storm-declaration-that-allows-use-of-state-emergency-fund/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Gov. Jim Pillen on Sunday issued a post-tornado emergency declaration, which allows the use of an emergency fund established under the Nebraska Emergency Management Act, to respond to storm damage in three counties.

Gov. Pillen issues post-storm proclamation, which allows the use of a state emergency fund. (Courtesy of Governor’s Office)

In a statement, Pillen noted that state law requires him to sign a State of Emergency Proclamation before the Governor’s Emergency Fund can be tapped.

The proclamation comes in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/27/pillen-confirms-no-loss-of-life-from-friday-storms-but-hundreds-lost-homes/">aftermath of severe weather</a>&nbsp;that hit Nebraska on Thursday through Saturday. &nbsp;Douglas, Washington and Lancaster Counties&nbsp;are covered in the declaration.

Pillen said there was “significant damage” in those counties to private and public property and infrastructure from thunderstorms, high winds, rain and multiple tornadoes.&nbsp;

“The actions necessary to assist in meeting the emergency conditions and subsequent&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/26/historic-nebraska-tornadoes-storms-leave-damage-in-their-wake/">impacts of these events</a>&nbsp;present a burden on the storm impacted areas and required state resources,” the proclamation said.

The governor directed the Nebraska adjutant general, who also serves as State Disaster Coordinator, to activate appropriate state emergency plans and to take steps necessary until threat to life and property created by the situation has been alleviated.

He called upon the state and appropriate federal agencies to cooperate in the effort.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714401542247.jpeg" alt=" Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen tours damage from Friday’s storms in eastern Nebraska. (Courtesy of the Governor’s Office)" />
 <figcaption> Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen tours damage from Friday’s storms in eastern Nebraska. (Courtesy of the Governor’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/gov-pillen-issues-post-storm-declaration-that-allows-use-of-state-emergency-fund/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Gov. Jim Pillen on Sunday issued a post-tornado emergency declaration, which allows the use of an emergency fund established under the Nebraska Emergency Management Act, to respond to storm damage in three counties.Gov. Pillen issues post-storm proclamation, which allows the use of a state emergency fund. (Courtesy of Governor’s Office)In a statement, Pillen noted that state law requires him to sign a State of Emergency Proclamation before the Governor’s Emergency Fund can be tapped.The proclamation comes in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/27/pillen-confirms-no-loss-of-life-from-friday-storms-but-hundreds-lost-homes/">aftermath of severe weather</a>&nbsp;that hit Nebraska on Thursday through Saturday. &nbsp;Douglas, Washington and Lancaster Counties&nbsp;are covered in the declaration.Pillen said there was “significant damage” in those counties to private and public property and infrastructure from thunderstorms, high winds, rain and multiple tornadoes.&nbsp;“The actions necessary to assist in meeting the emergency conditions and subsequent&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/26/historic-nebraska-tornadoes-storms-leave-damage-in-their-wake/">impacts of these events</a>&nbsp;present a burden on the storm impacted areas and required state resources,” the proclamation said.The governor directed the Nebraska adjutant general, who also serves as State Disaster Coordinator, to activate appropriate state emergency plans and to take steps necessary until threat to life and property created by the situation has been alleviated.He called upon the state and appropriate federal agencies to cooperate in the effort.

Gov. Pillen issues post-storm declaration that allows use of state emergency fund

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Colleges around the country implored pro-Palestinian student protesters to clear out tent encampments with rising levels of urgency Monday as classes wrap up for the semester and campuses prepare for graduation ceremonies.

Students and others have been sparing over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll. Many students are demanding their universities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-protests-israel-divestment-palestinians-3f37f96f7be8e1124f266842d9caa627">cut financial ties</a>&nbsp;with Israel.

Protests were still active at a number of campuses. Near George Washington University, protesters at an encampment breached and dismantled the barriers Monday morning used to secure University Yard, the university said in a statement. The yard had been closed since last week.

At Columbia University, the site of the first protests, dialogue since last week between academic leaders and student organizers to dismantle encampments has not progressed, the university president said Monday. Protesters at Yale University set up a new encampment with dozens of tents Sunday afternoon, nearly a week after police arrested nearly 50 demonstrators and cleared a similar camp.

At least one school, the University of Southern California, canceled its main graduation ceremony this spring. Others are asking the protests to resolve peacefully so they can hold their ceremonies.

Protesters on both sides of the rancorous debate shouted and shoved each other during dueling demonstrations Sunday at the University of California, Los Angeles. The university stepped up security after “some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators,” Mary Osako, vice chancellor for UCLA Strategic Communications, said in a statement. There were no reports of arrests or injuries.

About 275 people were arrested Saturday at various campuses including Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and Washington University in St. Louis. The number of arrests nationwide has surpassed 900 since New York police removed a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at Columbia University and arrested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-protests-israel-palestinian-hirsi-cd80372939c7c08a40346e8b7d546da1">more than 100 demonstrators</a>&nbsp;on April 18.

The plight of students who have been arrested has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-protest-gaza-war-arrest-amnesty-ae235703d6a9b99114078fca13a530a0">a central part of protests</a>, with the students and a growing number of faculty demanding amnesty for protesters. At issue is whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students through their adult lives.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714403040726.png" alt="Image of Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein's arrest at Washington University in St. Louis from the video" />
 <figcaption>Image of Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein's arrest at Washington University in St. Louis from the video</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Colleges around the country implored pro-Palestinian student protesters to clear out tent encampments with rising levels of urgency Monday as classes wrap up for the semester and campuses prepare for graduation ceremonies.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: Jill Stein and her Campaign Manager and Deputy Campaign Manager, Jason Call and Kelly Merrill-Cayer, have been arrested at Washington University in St. Louis while supporting a protest against WashU’s ties to the war on Gaza. Video from <a href="https://twitter.com/KallieECox?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KallieECox</a> <a href="https://t.co/rkUYC9b5Qx">pic.twitter.com/rkUYC9b5Qx</a>&mdash; Dr. Jill Stein🌻 (@DrJillStein) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrJillStein/status/1784411081340809348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Students and others have been sparing over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll. Many students are demanding their universities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-protests-israel-divestment-palestinians-3f37f96f7be8e1124f266842d9caa627">cut financial ties</a>&nbsp;with Israel.Protests were still active at a number of campuses. Near George Washington University, protesters at an encampment breached and dismantled the barriers Monday morning used to secure University Yard, the university said in a statement. The yard had been closed since last week.At Columbia University, the site of the first protests, dialogue since last week between academic leaders and student organizers to dismantle encampments has not progressed, the university president said Monday. Protesters at Yale University set up a new encampment with dozens of tents Sunday afternoon, nearly a week after police arrested nearly 50 demonstrators and cleared a similar camp.At least one school, the University of Southern California, canceled its main graduation ceremony this spring. Others are asking the protests to resolve peacefully so they can hold their ceremonies.Protesters on both sides of the rancorous debate shouted and shoved each other during dueling demonstrations Sunday at the University of California, Los Angeles. The university stepped up security after “some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators,” Mary Osako, vice chancellor for UCLA Strategic Communications, said in a statement. There were no reports of arrests or injuries.About 275 people were arrested Saturday at various campuses including Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and Washington University in St. Louis. The number of arrests nationwide has surpassed 900 since New York police removed a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at Columbia University and arrested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-protests-israel-palestinian-hirsi-cd80372939c7c08a40346e8b7d546da1">more than 100 demonstrators</a>&nbsp;on April 18.The plight of students who have been arrested has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-protest-gaza-war-arrest-amnesty-ae235703d6a9b99114078fca13a530a0">a central part of protests</a>, with the students and a growing number of faculty demanding amnesty for protesters. At issue is whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students through their adult lives.HOW IT STARTEDThe nationwide campus protests began as a response by some students to Israel’s offensive in Gaza after Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7.Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. Vowing to stamp out Hamas, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry.Israel and its supporters have branded the university protests as antisemitic, while critics of Israel say it uses such allegations to silence opponents. Although some protesters have been caught on camera making antisemitic remarks or violent threats, organizers of the protests, some of whom are Jewish, say it is a peaceful movement aimed at defending Palestinian rights and protesting the war.Student demonstrations have sprung up across the U.S. in various locations including New York, California, Missouri, Indiana, Massachusetts, Vermont and Virginia.MISSOURIWashington University in St. Louis locked some campus buildings and arrested protesters Saturday. Photos showed uniformed police attempting to remove masked protesters as others, also wearing masks, linked arms to thwart the efforts.The university said in a statement that more than 100 people, including 23 students and four university employees, were arrested on suspicion of trespassing. Megan Green, president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, said in a social media post that she was present and the protest remained calm “until the police came in like an ambush.”Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein said in a social media post that she and two of her campaign managers were among those arrested.The university’s statement defended the action and said protesters “did not have good intentions on our campus and that this demonstration had the potential to get out of control and become dangerous.”NEW YORKEarly protests at Columbia University in New York City, where demonstrators set up tents in the center of the campus, sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inside-columbia-protest-movement-0b35ff55f18d0bf4b2c8c0a27b1dbe04">pro-Palestinian demonstrations</a>&nbsp;across the country. The demonstrations have caused the school to hold remote classes.Columbia set a series of deadlines for protesters to leave the encampment, which they have missed, but the school said in an email to students that bringing back police “at this time” would be counterproductive. The students and administrators have engaged in negotiations to end the disruptions, but the sides have not come to an agreement, university President Minouche Shafik said in a statement Monday.On Sunday, students walked among dozens of colorful tents in front of Low Library, where rows of chairs already have been set up in preparation for commencement in May.CALIFORNIAAt UCLA, police set up barricades before hundreds of demonstrators on both sides joined a growing crowd Sunday near tents where pro-Palestinian students have been staying around-the-clock.Pro-Israel demonstrators who arrived for a “Stand in Support of Jewish Students” rally said their goal was to “stand up against hatred and antisemitism.” The counterprotest was organized by the Israeli-American Council, whose leader Elan Carr urged marchers to remain peaceful,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-04-28/gaza-ucla-usc-protests">the Los Angeles Times reported</a>.Across town, the University of Southern California said it was open Sunday after administrators shut down the campus a day earlier because of what the school called vandalism and disruptions.USC drew criticism after refusing to allow this year's class valedictorian, who has publicly supported the Palestinian cause, to make a commencement speech. Administrators then scrapped the keynote speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu. Last week the school announced the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-southern-california-commencement-speech-canceled-125cb8db93f2247ca3e45f782b7fcb2a">cancellation of its main graduation event</a>, a day after more than 90 protesters were arrested by police in riot gear.In the northern part of the state, officials Saturday ordered an “enforced hard closure” of California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. Two halls remained occupied by pro-Palestinian demonstrators.MASSACHUSETTSPolice in riot gear cleared an encampment at Northeastern University in Boston on Saturday. About 100 protesters were arrested and will be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, the Massachusetts State Police said.Boston's Emerson College said in a statement Sunday that it will not bring disciplinary charges against over 100 protesters who were arrested last week and will encourage prosecutors not to issue charges for encampment-related violations.At Boston's Tufts University, the school said in a statement that staffers would reach out to protesters Monday to plan for the end of an encampment in coming days.VIRGINIAThere were an unknown number of arrests over the weekend at a protest at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, a university spokesperson said Monday.Protesters began occupying the lawn of the graduate life center Friday, the university said in a statement. The gathering violated university policy, the school said, but there was a “safe and peaceful environment” over much of the weekend.___