<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/06/nebraska-supreme-court-dismisses-foster-care-abuse-case-against-dhhs-expands-immunity/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new Nebraska Supreme Court decision added fuel to some lawmakers’ desire to try again, as early as this year, to increase accountability for child sexual assault and abuse.

An unsigned majority of the state’s highest court,&nbsp;in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/N00010954PUB.pdf">4-1 opinion in Joshua v. State</a>, issued Friday, upheld certain immunity for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services after three siblings alleged negligence after more than a decade of sexual and physical abuse in foster care. The opinion built upon the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/N00007360PUB.pdf">2020 decision Moser v. State</a>&nbsp;and overruled related cases, too.

Justices Jeffrey Funke and John Freudenberg did not participate in the decision.

State lawmakers passed legislation to change the underlying state law before Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/24/pillen-vetoes-nebraska-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-proposal/">vetoed those revisions</a>&nbsp;last month. Leading senators said they might try to call for a special session this summer on their own if the governor does not.

“We need a special session immediately to address this issue,” State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who helped lead legislative efforts this spring, said in a Friday text.

‘Public policy’ or ‘statutory construction’

At hand is the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act, which forbids certain lawsuits against political subdivisions, upholding “sovereign immunity.” This includes cases of assault or battery, which the majority said could be changed by the Legislature “as a matter of public policy.”

“This court is required by settled principles of strict construction to read that exemption broadly in order to preserve the state’s immunity,” the majority wrote.

A penned dissent from the court’s longest serving member, Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, said the court “overlooked an opportunity” to limit the 2020 decision and differentiate between immune child assault and nonimmune child abuse.

Miller-Lerman said even under the Moser decision, “the actions of DHHS are nonliable.” She also dissented on the Moser decision, stating then that it diverted from the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/1987/87-626">U.S. Supreme Court</a>.&nbsp;

The senior justice would have returned the decision to a lower court to consider allegations of non-assault claims, including emotional abuse and domestic violence involving the foster family’s dogs.

“The problematic outcome in this case is the result of the application by the majority of its statutory interpretation in Moser and the progeny thereof with which, as I have repeatedly written, I respectfully disagree,” Miller-Lerman wrote.

“In my view, this issue is one of statutory construction, not public policy, and the solution is within the majority’s grasp,” Miller-Lerman continued. “In the absence of ambiguity, statutory interpretation is not a matter of public policy.”

In January 1996, three siblings (Joshua, Sydnie and Abigail) became wards of the state after a serious car accident left their mother severely disabled and unable to care for them. Their biological father was deemed an unfit parent due to active alcoholism and instability in employment and housing.

The siblings were placed in a foster home with Miles Ruch Sr. and Carol Ruch during which it is “generally undisputed” that the siblings were subjected to frequent physical and sexual abuse.

In August 2004, Sydnie and Abigail each told their foster mother that her husband had been sexually abusing them, and Miles Ruch was arrested, charged and convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault of a child.

The siblings remained in Carol Ruch’s custody for several months until reports indicated Carol Ruch had physically assaulted and injured Joshua.

In July 2005, the siblings were returned to their biological father’s custody, based in part on DHHS recommendations. Several months later, he was arrested for sexually assaulting Sydnie and Abigail.

A decade later, in December 2015, the siblings alleged DHHS failed to properly screen and monitor their foster home placement and later remove them from their home. The agency also failed to protect the children, they alleged, when they were reunited with their biological father.

The district court issued $2.9 million in damages against Miles Ruch — but it concluded “that the siblings had adduced no evidence suggesting DHHS had any reason to foresee that he [the biological father] would sexually abuse the siblings.”

DHHS had argued it had immunity, which the lower court said was “somewhat compelling,” though it ultimately ruled a 1977 state case precluded immunity.

The Nebraska Supreme Court disagreed, stating the facts of the case were “undeniably tragic” and abuse of a child entrusted in the state’s foster court system “is deplorable.”

“But it is not the proper role of this court, even when faced with tragic and compelling facts, to pick and choose which tort claims arising out of an assault or battery should be permitted under the [laws] and which should not,” the court wrote.

Miller-Lerman said DHHS received multiple reports of abuse, yet the court’s reluctance means the majority has “effectively ruled that once there is an assault in the picture rendering the State immune, the State is also immune from suit resulting from cruel emotional child abuse.”

“I do not think this holding is supported by statute or the record,” she said.

Friday’s decision does not affect the $2.9 million award against Miles Ruch.

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, an attorney, said the court’s decision to explicitly overrule a handful of other related cases, while it had done so “implicitly” before, was “breathtaking.”

For four years, lawmakers have sought to amend the act and expand lawsuits against political subdivisions —&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/25/we-were-so-close-nebraska-mother-responds-to-veto-of-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-bill/">such as schools</a>&nbsp;and state agencies.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50137">In the latest case</a>, it would have been if subdivisions failed to use “reasonable care” to control or protect a child in their care in cases of sexual assault or abuse. Damages could have been awarded up to $1 million.

Lawmakers passed that measure 28-17 last month, but Pillen said it was “overly broad” and would “substantially erode” sovereign immunity protections, passing off costs to taxpayers.

“We must hold perpetrators accountable and protect children from abuse by enforcing the criminal laws that exist and by targeting the wrongdoer,” Pillen said in his April 24 veto letter. “Taxpayers should not bear this burden.”

The “callous veto” along with the court’s bad decision, Conrad said, was “yet another example of why the Legislature must act to reset the scales of justice and ensure that big government is held accountable when their actions or inactions hurt or harm its citizens.”

“You don’t need to be a legal scholar to understand that this is the wrong outcome,” Conrad said. “This shouldn’t be a political issue — this is a common sense issue.”

In Nebraska, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=IV-8">special session</a>&nbsp;can only be called through a governor’s proclamation, which the governor or&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=50-125">33 senators can initiate</a>.

In the case of the Legislature itself — which has not happened in Unicameral history —&nbsp;10 or more senators must formally declare the purpose or purposes of the session to the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office. Within 10 days, the secretary must poll the body; if 33 or more agree, the governor has five days after receiving notice to convene the special session.

Special sessions are not limited to one topic, and a consideration of such legislation could come at the same time as an expected session on property taxes this summer.

“Make no mistake: whether it’s through a special session, which I think is the best remedy, or in next year’s regular session, this issue is not going away,” Conrad said. “We need Nebraskans to join us, to call for change to right this wrong, to say, ‘Not in our name.’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715018704594.jpeg" alt="Judges of the Nebraska Supreme Court (and when they were appointed), front row from left: Lindsey Miller-Lerman (1998), Chief Justice Michael Heavican (2006), William Cassel (2012). Back row, from left: Jonathan Papik (2018), Stephanie Stacy (2015), Jeffrey Funke (2016) and John Freudenberg (2018). (Courtesy of the court)" />
 <figcaption>Judges of the Nebraska Supreme Court (and when they were appointed), front row from left: Lindsey Miller-Lerman (1998), Chief Justice Michael Heavican (2006), William Cassel (2012). Back row, from left: Jonathan Papik (2018), Stephanie Stacy (2015), Jeffrey Funke (2016) and John Freudenberg (2018). (Courtesy of the court)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/06/nebraska-supreme-court-dismisses-foster-care-abuse-case-against-dhhs-expands-immunity/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;A new Nebraska Supreme Court decision added fuel to some lawmakers’ desire to try again, as early as this year, to increase accountability for child sexual assault and abuse.An unsigned majority of the state’s highest court,&nbsp;in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/N00010954PUB.pdf">4-1 opinion in Joshua v. State</a>, issued Friday, upheld certain immunity for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services after three siblings alleged negligence after more than a decade of sexual and physical abuse in foster care. The opinion built upon the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/N00007360PUB.pdf">2020 decision Moser v. State</a>&nbsp;and overruled related cases, too.Justices Jeffrey Funke and John Freudenberg did not participate in the decision.State lawmakers passed legislation to change the underlying state law before Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/24/pillen-vetoes-nebraska-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-proposal/">vetoed those revisions</a>&nbsp;last month. Leading senators said they might try to call for a special session this summer on their own if the governor does not.“We need a special session immediately to address this issue,” State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who helped lead legislative efforts this spring, said in a Friday text.<h2>‘Public policy’ or ‘statutory construction’</h2>At hand is the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act, which forbids certain lawsuits against political subdivisions, upholding “sovereign immunity.” This includes cases of assault or battery, which the majority said could be changed by the Legislature “as a matter of public policy.”“This court is required by settled principles of strict construction to read that exemption broadly in order to preserve the state’s immunity,” the majority wrote.A penned dissent from the court’s longest serving member, Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, said the court “overlooked an opportunity” to limit the 2020 decision and differentiate between immune child assault and nonimmune child abuse.Miller-Lerman said even under the Moser decision, “the actions of DHHS are nonliable.” She also dissented on the Moser decision, stating then that it diverted from the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/1987/87-626">U.S. Supreme Court</a>.&nbsp;The senior justice would have returned the decision to a lower court to consider allegations of non-assault claims, including emotional abuse and domestic violence involving the foster family’s dogs.“The problematic outcome in this case is the result of the application by the majority of its statutory interpretation in Moser and the progeny thereof with which, as I have repeatedly written, I respectfully disagree,” Miller-Lerman wrote.“In my view, this issue is one of statutory construction, not public policy, and the solution is within the majority’s grasp,” Miller-Lerman continued. “In the absence of ambiguity, statutory interpretation is not a matter of public policy.”<h2>Timeline of abuse</h2>In January 1996, three siblings (Joshua, Sydnie and Abigail) became wards of the state after a serious car accident left their mother severely disabled and unable to care for them. Their biological father was deemed an unfit parent due to active alcoholism and instability in employment and housing.The siblings were placed in a foster home with Miles Ruch Sr. and Carol Ruch during which it is “generally undisputed” that the siblings were subjected to frequent physical and sexual abuse.In August 2004, Sydnie and Abigail each told their foster mother that her husband had been sexually abusing them, and Miles Ruch was arrested, charged and convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault of a child.The siblings remained in Carol Ruch’s custody for several months until reports indicated Carol Ruch had physically assaulted and injured Joshua.In July 2005, the siblings were returned to their biological father’s custody, based in part on DHHS recommendations. Several months later, he was arrested for sexually assaulting Sydnie and Abigail.A decade later, in December 2015, the siblings alleged DHHS failed to properly screen and monitor their foster home placement and later remove them from their home. The agency also failed to protect the children, they alleged, when they were reunited with their biological father.<h2>Trial court passed on immunity</h2>The district court issued $2.9 million in damages against Miles Ruch — but it concluded “that the siblings had adduced no evidence suggesting DHHS had any reason to foresee that he [the biological father] would sexually abuse the siblings.”DHHS had argued it had immunity, which the lower court said was “somewhat compelling,” though it ultimately ruled a 1977 state case precluded immunity.The Nebraska Supreme Court disagreed, stating the facts of the case were “undeniably tragic” and abuse of a child entrusted in the state’s foster court system “is deplorable.”“But it is not the proper role of this court, even when faced with tragic and compelling facts, to pick and choose which tort claims arising out of an assault or battery should be permitted under the [laws] and which should not,” the court wrote.Miller-Lerman said DHHS received multiple reports of abuse, yet the court’s reluctance means the majority has “effectively ruled that once there is an assault in the picture rendering the State immune, the State is also immune from suit resulting from cruel emotional child abuse.”“I do not think this holding is supported by statute or the record,” she said.Friday’s decision does not affect the $2.9 million award against Miles Ruch.<h2>‘This is the wrong outcome’</h2>State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, an attorney, said the court’s decision to explicitly overrule a handful of other related cases, while it had done so “implicitly” before, was “breathtaking.”For four years, lawmakers have sought to amend the act and expand lawsuits against political subdivisions —&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/25/we-were-so-close-nebraska-mother-responds-to-veto-of-child-sexual-assault-and-abuse-bill/">such as schools</a>&nbsp;and state agencies.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50137">In the latest case</a>, it would have been if subdivisions failed to use “reasonable care” to control or protect a child in their care in cases of sexual assault or abuse. Damages could have been awarded up to $1 million.Lawmakers passed that measure 28-17 last month, but Pillen said it was “overly broad” and would “substantially erode” sovereign immunity protections, passing off costs to taxpayers.“We must hold perpetrators accountable and protect children from abuse by enforcing the criminal laws that exist and by targeting the wrongdoer,” Pillen said in his April 24 veto letter. “Taxpayers should not bear this burden.”The “callous veto” along with the court’s bad decision, Conrad said, was “yet another example of why the Legislature must act to reset the scales of justice and ensure that big government is held accountable when their actions or inactions hurt or harm its citizens.”“You don’t need to be a legal scholar to understand that this is the wrong outcome,” Conrad said. “This shouldn’t be a political issue — this is a common sense issue.”<h2>Special session could be next step</h2>In Nebraska, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/articles.php?article=IV-8">special session</a>&nbsp;can only be called through a governor’s proclamation, which the governor or&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=50-125">33 senators can initiate</a>.In the case of the Legislature itself — which has not happened in Unicameral history —&nbsp;10 or more senators must formally declare the purpose or purposes of the session to the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office. Within 10 days, the secretary must poll the body; if 33 or more agree, the governor has five days after receiving notice to convene the special session.Special sessions are not limited to one topic, and a consideration of such legislation could come at the same time as an expected session on property taxes this summer.“Make no mistake: whether it’s through a special session, which I think is the best remedy, or in next year’s regular session, this issue is not going away,” Conrad said. “We need Nebraskans to join us, to call for change to right this wrong, to say, ‘Not in our name.’”

Nebraska Supreme Court dismisses foster care abuse case against DHHS, expands immunity

This year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-shareholders-meeting-b345638b402f5ef2f9f9d7080eff0978">Berkshire Hathaway meeting</a>&nbsp;gave shareholders their best chance yet to hear from the man who will one day take over as CEO when Warren Buffett is gone, but Buffett said for the first time Saturday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-successor-74ec95bf0acfd43fdd1f2284ee9f0e89">Greg Abel</a>&nbsp;should also take responsibility for the company's investments after he takes over, raising new questions about the succession plan.

Abel put his encyclopedic knowledge of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-pacificorp-liability-warren-buffett-lawsuits-2313403237cb663487daf1953fe952a9">utility business</a>&nbsp;that he led directly for years on display and delved into railroad operations and potential acquisitions that Berkshire pursued while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/brklive/">sharing the stage with Buffett all day</a>. For his part, the 93-year-old billionaire showed investors he is still sharp.

Abel pointed out that it required a major culture shift to get workers at PacifiCorp and the other utilities, who have long focused all their energy on keeping the lights on, to think about shutting the power down at times when the risk that their power lines could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-brown-fires-us-news-wa-state-wire-ca-state-wire-8e4e0818146a72c713de625e902f9962">spark wildfires</a>&nbsp;is too great. He also said BNSF railroad is working on getting “our cost structure right” after delivering disappointing results.

Succession was clearly top of mind for many of the thousands of people who filled an Omaha arena to listen to the two men after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-munger-dead-warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-96b8e7a7b096339cb57ff72df915567a">last fall's death</a>&nbsp;of Vice Chairman Charlie Munger. Buffett, Abel and Ajit Jain, Berkshire's other top executive who oversees the company's insurers, reassured investors that Berkshire's board spends plenty of time focused on “what would happen to the operation if I get hit by a truck,” as Jain put it. Finding the right replacement for any of the three of them will be important.

Previously, Buffett had said that when Abel becomes CEO, investment managers Ted Weschler and Todd Combs, who's also taken on the responsibility of being Geico's CEO, would handle Berkshire's massive portfolio. But Buffett said Saturday that his thinking has evolved, and that “I would probably, knowing Greg, I would leave the capital allocation to Greg."

And Buffett said because Abel understands businesses so well, he also understands stocks.

But Edward Jones analyst James Shanahan said a good business doesn't always make a good stock unless you get the timing and position size right, and there is an art to that.

"I think stock picking is hard. I don’t think it’s something you can just start doing and be good at it," Shanahan said.

Abel does have a history of making multibillion-dollar deals when he was the head of Berkshire's utility unit for a decade, including the acquisitions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/41a0d2fb98e64e18aec6c8525886a34d">NV Energy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bafaf7f961f44fbab6f07287812cca0b">AltaLink</a>, but he's never been a stock picker. Weschler and Combs might be able to help Abel get the timing right and find opportunities in the stock market, but Buffett didn't say that Saturday.

Abel just reassured shareholders that "the capital allocation principles that we use today will be maintained.”

“Does that give you more or less confidence post-Buffett? I would say it’s got to give you less — not because it’s a worse circumstance — but because it hasn’t been very transparent and communicated that clearly. You’ve got to start asking, well, what else is going to change?” said Cole Smead with Smead Capital Management.

Abel definitely has the confidence of the CEOs at all of Berkshire's many varied noninsurance businesses who report to him and ask his advice on any challenges they are facing.

“Greg sees so much more than I do on a daily basis. So his perspective is valued, and his wisdom is something that is such a luxury for all of us to be able to tap into,” said Dan Sheridan, who just became CEO of Brooks Running this year after his predecessor retired. He said Abel is always humble and curious about the business, even while asking challenging questions.

See's Candies CEO Pat Egan added that Abel reflects all of Berkshire's core values, with the company's emphasis on integrity, taking care of customers and strengthening brands, while still giving Berkshire's subsidiaries the freedom to operate independently.

“He really expects us to know our business, understand the parameters, and to run our business on a day to day basis,” said Tim Baucom, CEO of flooring giant Shaw Industries. “So I feel like I have all the freedom of the world, but with freedom comes responsibility.”

The shareholders who attended the meeting and spent hours shopping and talking with executives at the booths Berkshire subsidiaries set up when they weren't listening to Buffett and Abel remain confident. Some of them even got the chance to take selfies with Abel, though Buffett no longer tours the exhibit hall in public.

“I think they'll be fine,” said Michael Grizzard, who made the trip to Omaha from Richmond, Virginia, for the second time. “They're in good hands, and I think they have a good culture.”

Smead said even Buffett, who is easily one of the greatest investors the world has ever seen, has been having a hard time lately finding good investments big enough to make a difference at Berkshire except for the $135 billion Apple stake that remains its largest investment even after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-profit-0a1c9e939d18f4ff78fc64a6ad9fd941">some trimming</a>&nbsp;this year.

So no matter how good an investor Abel is, he will have a hard time finding deals big enough to provide a meaningful boost to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-profit-0a1c9e939d18f4ff78fc64a6ad9fd941">Berkshire's earnings</a>&nbsp;that approached $13 billion in a down first quarter. That challenge is a big part of why&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-letter-charlie-munger-41d58fcfe54fa1eba8f5492aac0542a2">Buffett has warned</a>&nbsp;investors not to expect any of the "eye-popping performance" of Berkshire's past.

But for now, Buffett showed that Abel may not need to take over anytime soon because he looked good and he has long said he has no plans to retire, even if he acknowledged Saturday that he doesn't have the same energy he used to. CFRA Research analyst Cathy Seifert came away impressed with his stamina.

“There wasn’t anything in that performance that I found worrisome or troubling,” Seifert said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715018594509.jpeg" alt="Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Greg Abel poses for pictures with shareholders while touring the booths Berkshires companies set up, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. Abel will succeed Warren Buffett as CEO one day. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)" />
 <figcaption>Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Greg Abel poses for pictures with shareholders while touring the booths Berkshires companies set up, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. Abel will succeed Warren Buffett as CEO one day. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressThis year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-shareholders-meeting-b345638b402f5ef2f9f9d7080eff0978">Berkshire Hathaway meeting</a>&nbsp;gave shareholders their best chance yet to hear from the man who will one day take over as CEO when Warren Buffett is gone, but Buffett said for the first time Saturday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-successor-74ec95bf0acfd43fdd1f2284ee9f0e89">Greg Abel</a>&nbsp;should also take responsibility for the company's investments after he takes over, raising new questions about the succession plan.Abel put his encyclopedic knowledge of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-pacificorp-liability-warren-buffett-lawsuits-2313403237cb663487daf1953fe952a9">utility business</a>&nbsp;that he led directly for years on display and delved into railroad operations and potential acquisitions that Berkshire pursued while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/brklive/">sharing the stage with Buffett all day</a>. For his part, the 93-year-old billionaire showed investors he is still sharp.Abel pointed out that it required a major culture shift to get workers at PacifiCorp and the other utilities, who have long focused all their energy on keeping the lights on, to think about shutting the power down at times when the risk that their power lines could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-brown-fires-us-news-wa-state-wire-ca-state-wire-8e4e0818146a72c713de625e902f9962">spark wildfires</a>&nbsp;is too great. He also said BNSF railroad is working on getting “our cost structure right” after delivering disappointing results.Succession was clearly top of mind for many of the thousands of people who filled an Omaha arena to listen to the two men after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-munger-dead-warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-96b8e7a7b096339cb57ff72df915567a">last fall's death</a>&nbsp;of Vice Chairman Charlie Munger. Buffett, Abel and Ajit Jain, Berkshire's other top executive who oversees the company's insurers, reassured investors that Berkshire's board spends plenty of time focused on “what would happen to the operation if I get hit by a truck,” as Jain put it. Finding the right replacement for any of the three of them will be important.Previously, Buffett had said that when Abel becomes CEO, investment managers Ted Weschler and Todd Combs, who's also taken on the responsibility of being Geico's CEO, would handle Berkshire's massive portfolio. But Buffett said Saturday that his thinking has evolved, and that “I would probably, knowing Greg, I would leave the capital allocation to Greg."And Buffett said because Abel understands businesses so well, he also understands stocks.But Edward Jones analyst James Shanahan said a good business doesn't always make a good stock unless you get the timing and position size right, and there is an art to that."I think stock picking is hard. I don’t think it’s something you can just start doing and be good at it," Shanahan said.Abel does have a history of making multibillion-dollar deals when he was the head of Berkshire's utility unit for a decade, including the acquisitions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/41a0d2fb98e64e18aec6c8525886a34d">NV Energy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bafaf7f961f44fbab6f07287812cca0b">AltaLink</a>, but he's never been a stock picker. Weschler and Combs might be able to help Abel get the timing right and find opportunities in the stock market, but Buffett didn't say that Saturday.Abel just reassured shareholders that "the capital allocation principles that we use today will be maintained.”“Does that give you more or less confidence post-Buffett? I would say it’s got to give you less — not because it’s a worse circumstance — but because it hasn’t been very transparent and communicated that clearly. You’ve got to start asking, well, what else is going to change?” said Cole Smead with Smead Capital Management.Abel definitely has the confidence of the CEOs at all of Berkshire's many varied noninsurance businesses who report to him and ask his advice on any challenges they are facing.“Greg sees so much more than I do on a daily basis. So his perspective is valued, and his wisdom is something that is such a luxury for all of us to be able to tap into,” said Dan Sheridan, who just became CEO of Brooks Running this year after his predecessor retired. He said Abel is always humble and curious about the business, even while asking challenging questions.See's Candies CEO Pat Egan added that Abel reflects all of Berkshire's core values, with the company's emphasis on integrity, taking care of customers and strengthening brands, while still giving Berkshire's subsidiaries the freedom to operate independently.“He really expects us to know our business, understand the parameters, and to run our business on a day to day basis,” said Tim Baucom, CEO of flooring giant Shaw Industries. “So I feel like I have all the freedom of the world, but with freedom comes responsibility.”The shareholders who attended the meeting and spent hours shopping and talking with executives at the booths Berkshire subsidiaries set up when they weren't listening to Buffett and Abel remain confident. Some of them even got the chance to take selfies with Abel, though Buffett no longer tours the exhibit hall in public.“I think they'll be fine,” said Michael Grizzard, who made the trip to Omaha from Richmond, Virginia, for the second time. “They're in good hands, and I think they have a good culture.”Smead said even Buffett, who is easily one of the greatest investors the world has ever seen, has been having a hard time lately finding good investments big enough to make a difference at Berkshire except for the $135 billion Apple stake that remains its largest investment even after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-profit-0a1c9e939d18f4ff78fc64a6ad9fd941">some trimming</a>&nbsp;this year.So no matter how good an investor Abel is, he will have a hard time finding deals big enough to provide a meaningful boost to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/berkshire-hathaway-warren-buffett-profit-0a1c9e939d18f4ff78fc64a6ad9fd941">Berkshire's earnings</a>&nbsp;that approached $13 billion in a down first quarter. That challenge is a big part of why&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-letter-charlie-munger-41d58fcfe54fa1eba8f5492aac0542a2">Buffett has warned</a>&nbsp;investors not to expect any of the "eye-popping performance" of Berkshire's past.But for now, Buffett showed that Abel may not need to take over anytime soon because he looked good and he has long said he has no plans to retire, even if he acknowledged Saturday that he doesn't have the same energy he used to. CFRA Research analyst Cathy Seifert came away impressed with his stamina.“There wasn’t anything in that performance that I found worrisome or troubling,” Seifert said.

Berkshire Hathaway event gives good view of Warren Buffett's successor but also raises new questions

&nbsp; Scottsbluff, NE-On Saturday May the fourth 2024 @ 9:31 PM Scottsbluff Police Officers, Scottsbluff Fire Fighters, and Regional West emergency medical services were dispatched to the intersection of East 15th Street and 10th Ave to investigate a traffic crash between a vehicle and a house. 

Investigation revealed that Braulio Cruz, age 60 of Scottsbluff, was west bound on East 15th Street driving a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe at a high rate of speed when he ran the stop sign at 11th Ave.  After crossing 11th Ave the vehicle ran off the road to the left and drove across an empty lot. The vehicle crossed 10th Ave, drove through a fence, and into the home at 1420 10th Ave. The home was occupied but no one inside was injured. The home received significant damage and the vehicle was totaled. 

Cruz and a passenger, Alberto Areas, age 38 of Scottsbluff, received minor injuries. Cruz and Areas were treated at the scene and not transported to the hospital by EMS. Cruz was arrested and booked in at the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Willful Reckless Driving, a Stop Sign violation, and No Proof of Insurance. 

Scottsbluff Police were assisted at the scene by Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Deputies.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Scottsbluff Police Department&nbsp; Scottsbluff, NE-On Saturday May the fourth 2024 @ 9:31 PM Scottsbluff Police Officers, Scottsbluff Fire Fighters, and Regional West emergency medical services were dispatched to the intersection of East 15th Street and 10th Ave to investigate a traffic crash between a vehicle and a house. Investigation revealed that Braulio Cruz, age 60 of Scottsbluff, was west bound on East 15th Street driving a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe at a high rate of speed when he ran the stop sign at 11th Ave. After crossing 11th Ave the vehicle ran off the road to the left and drove across an empty lot. The vehicle crossed 10th Ave, drove through a fence, and into the home at 1420 10th Ave. The home was occupied but no one inside was injured. The home received significant damage and the vehicle was totaled. Cruz and a passenger, Alberto Areas, age 38 of Scottsbluff, received minor injuries. Cruz and Areas were treated at the scene and not transported to the hospital by EMS. Cruz was arrested and booked in at the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Willful Reckless Driving, a Stop Sign violation, and No Proof of Insurance. Scottsbluff Police were assisted at the scene by Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Deputies.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Drunk driver arrested in Scottsbluff after hitting a house over the weekend

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;–&nbsp;At the request of Governor Jim Pillen, President Joe Biden granted a major disaster declaration for the state, triggering the release of federal funds to help Nebraska residents and communities recover from severe storms, straight line winds and tornadoes that occurred April 25-27. The action comes just one day following Gov. Pillen’s request for federal assistance to help those who were impacted by severe storms in Douglas and Washington counties. Gov. Pillen expressed his appreciation for the expedited federal declaration. &nbsp;

“This approval will allow Nebraskans affected by the Arbor Day tornadoes to get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” said Gov. Pillen. “We know that the road to recovery will be a long one, but this declaration will help expedite processes and funding provided through FEMA, to help people take care of both immediate and long-term needs.”

Assistance includes cost-sharing funds, which will help in the removal of debris and emergency protective measures, as well as the reimbursement for repairs to public infrastructure and property. It also includes individual assistance to renters, homeowners and business owners who have sustained losses. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will soon provide information to assist storm victims with the necessary application processes. &nbsp;

Those who sustained damage or losses in Douglas and Washington counties can begin applying for assistance right away at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.disasterassistance.gov%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7Caf2f034d32b940be39c308dc6bb4a2cc%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638503670763396273%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Is3OzULqEWkDTaEe9C6D%2B4qukF6E53xJq9zmqPE28Fo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.DisasterAssistance.gov</a>&nbsp;or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). There is also a FEMA mobile app, available through Google Play and the Apple App Store.

In the coming days and in coordination with the state and local governments, FEMA will have staff visiting affected neighborhoods. Those individuals will be carrying identification, so residents know who they are. They will be assessing damage and providing information to impacted individuals.

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas. Additional counties, as well as requests for assistance resulting from the severe weather may be declared at a later date.

In a separate, but additional update today, Gov. Pillen has ordered additional Nebraska State troopers and members of the Nebraska National Guard to assist with security, and deter looting in affected neighborhoods in both Douglas and Washington counties.

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;–&nbsp;At the request of Governor Jim Pillen, President Joe Biden granted a major disaster declaration for the state, triggering the release of federal funds to help Nebraska residents and communities recover from severe storms, straight line winds and tornadoes that occurred April 25-27. The action comes just one day following Gov. Pillen’s request for federal assistance to help those who were impacted by severe storms in Douglas and Washington counties. Gov. Pillen expressed his appreciation for the expedited federal declaration. &nbsp;“This approval will allow Nebraskans affected by the Arbor Day tornadoes to get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” said Gov. Pillen. “We know that the road to recovery will be a long one, but this declaration will help expedite processes and funding provided through FEMA, to help people take care of both immediate and long-term needs.”Assistance includes cost-sharing funds, which will help in the removal of debris and emergency protective measures, as well as the reimbursement for repairs to public infrastructure and property. It also includes individual assistance to renters, homeowners and business owners who have sustained losses. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will soon provide information to assist storm victims with the necessary application processes. &nbsp;Those who sustained damage or losses in Douglas and Washington counties can begin applying for assistance right away at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.disasterassistance.gov%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7Caf2f034d32b940be39c308dc6bb4a2cc%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638503670763396273%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Is3OzULqEWkDTaEe9C6D%2B4qukF6E53xJq9zmqPE28Fo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.DisasterAssistance.gov</a>&nbsp;or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). There is also a FEMA mobile app, available through Google Play and the Apple App Store.In the coming days and in coordination with the state and local governments, FEMA will have staff visiting affected neighborhoods. Those individuals will be carrying identification, so residents know who they are. They will be assessing damage and providing information to impacted individuals.Damage assessments are continuing in other areas. Additional counties, as well as requests for assistance resulting from the severe weather may be declared at a later date.In a separate, but additional update today, Gov. Pillen has ordered additional Nebraska State troopers and members of the Nebraska National Guard to assist with security, and deter looting in affected neighborhoods in both Douglas and Washington counties.

Gov. Pillen Responds to Expedited Federal Disaster Declaration

WASHINGTON&nbsp;-- FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Nebraska to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes from April 25 – 27, 2024.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Douglas and Washington counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency work by the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes in Douglas and Washington counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Andrew P. Meyer has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments.

WASHINGTON&nbsp;-- FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Nebraska to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes from April 25 – 27, 2024.The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Douglas and Washington counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency work by the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes in Douglas and Washington counties.Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.Andrew P. Meyer has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments.

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Nebraska

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;–&nbsp;Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced that Nebraska will not comply with the Biden administration’s new rules for Title IX.&nbsp;

Title IX is the law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs that receive funding from the federal government.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The Biden administration’s rewrite of Title IX is an affront to the commonsense idea that men do not belong in women’s only spaces,” said Gov. Pillen. “It’s also a direct attack on the Women’s Bill of Rights, established by my executive order last August.”&nbsp;

Gov. Pillen’s executive order declares the biological definition of male and female and protects women’s sports and the privacy of women-only spaces.&nbsp;

"Protecting our kids and women’s athletics is my duty," said Gov. Pillen. "The President's new rules threaten the safety of women and their right to participate in women’s sports. Nebraska will not comply. We must fight against radical gender ideology and vigorously protect the rights of Nebraska women and girls.”&nbsp;

The revised Title IX guidelines, approved by the federal Department of Education, are scheduled to go into effect Aug. 1.&nbsp;

Gov. Pillen’s Executive Order No. 23-16 establishing the Women’s Bill of Rights is attached.

<a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/press/EO-No-23-16-Establishing-a-Women%27s-Bill-of-Rights.pdf">EO No. 23-16 - Establishing a Women's Bill of Rights.pdf</a>

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;–&nbsp;Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced that Nebraska will not comply with the Biden administration’s new rules for Title IX.&nbsp;Title IX is the law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs that receive funding from the federal government.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The Biden administration’s rewrite of Title IX is an affront to the commonsense idea that men do not belong in women’s only spaces,” said Gov. Pillen. “It’s also a direct attack on the Women’s Bill of Rights, established by my executive order last August.”&nbsp;Gov. Pillen’s executive order declares the biological definition of male and female and protects women’s sports and the privacy of women-only spaces.&nbsp;"Protecting our kids and women’s athletics is my duty," said Gov. Pillen. "The President's new rules threaten the safety of women and their right to participate in women’s sports. Nebraska will not comply. We must fight against radical gender ideology and vigorously protect the rights of Nebraska women and girls.”&nbsp;The revised Title IX guidelines, approved by the federal Department of Education, are scheduled to go into effect Aug. 1.&nbsp;Gov. Pillen’s Executive Order No. 23-16 establishing the Women’s Bill of Rights is attached.<a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/press/EO-No-23-16-Establishing-a-Women%27s-Bill-of-Rights.pdf">EO No. 23-16 - Establishing a Women's Bill of Rights.pdf</a>

Nebraska Will Not Comply with the Biden Administration’s Rewrite of Title IX

MOSCOW (AP) —Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-cameron-weapons-3eb749fff9fb9593f23d42c9d920c9aa">reacted angrily</a>&nbsp;to comments by senior Western officials about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.

The drills are in response to “provocative statements and threats of certain Western officials regarding the Russian Federation,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

It was the first time that Russia has publicly announced drills involving tactical nuclear weapons, though its strategic nuclear forces regularly hold exercises. Tactical nuclear weapons include air bombs, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery munitions and are meant for use on a battlefield. They are less powerful than the massive warheads that arm intercontinental ballistic missiles and are intended to obliterate entire cities.

The Russian announcement appeared to be a warning to Ukraine’s Western allies about becoming more deeply involved in the more than two-year war. Some of Ukraine’s Western partners have previously expressed concern about stoking the conflict amid fears it could spill beyond Ukraine into a war between NATO and Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron repeated last week that he doesn’t exclude sending troops to Ukraine, and U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Kyiv’s forces will be able to use British long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia. Some other NATO countries providing weapons to Kyiv have balked at that possibility.

The Kremlin branded those comments as dangerous, heightening tension between Russia and NATO. The war already has placed significant strain on relations between Moscow and the West.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday said Macron’s recent statement and other remarks by British and U.S. officials had prompted the nuclear drills.

“It’s a new round of escalation,” Peskov said, referring to what the Kremlin regarded as provocative statements. “It’s unprecedented and requires special attention and special measures,” Peskov told reporters.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia’s Security Council that's chaired by President Vladimir Putin, said in his typically hawkish fashion that the comments by Macron and Cameron risked pushing the nuclear-armed world toward a “global catastrophe.”

It wasn’t the first time Europe’s military support for Ukraine has irked Russian authorities and prompted nuclear saber-rattling. In March last year, after the U.K. government’s decision to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing shells containing depleted uranium, Putin announced that he intends to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-belarus-nuclear-weapons-2d9584534da25c00c56dbf7b14694e0e">deploy tactical nuclear weapons</a>&nbsp;on the territory of Belarus.

The ministry said the exercise is intended to “increase the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to fulfill combat tasks” and will be held on Putin’s orders. The maneuvers will involve missile units of the Southern Military District along with the air force and the navy, it said.

Western officials have blamed Russia for threatening a wider war through provocative acts. NATO countries said last week they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-russia-ukraine-war-73a3a226a6d036f8eafade7afca0ca5c">are deeply concerned</a>&nbsp;by a campaign of hybrid activities on the military alliance’s soil, accusing Russia of being behind them and saying they represent a threat to their security.

Peskov dismissed those claims as “new unfounded accusations leveled at our country.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones hit two vehicles Monday in Russia’s Belgorod region, killing six people and injuring 35 others, including two children, local authorities said, in an area frequently struck by Kyiv’s forces in recent months.

One of the vehicles was a minibus that was carrying farm workers, Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

No other details were immediately available, and it was not possible to independently confirm the report from the border region.

While Ukraine’s army is largely pinned down on the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line due to a shortage of troops and ammunition after more than two years of fighting, it has used its long-range firepower to hit targets deep inside Russia. The apparent aim is to disrupt Russia’s war logistics system by hitting oil refineries and depots, and unnerve the Russian border regions.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-belgorod-bd4ea87798ce5161b332e0676558ca24">Belgorod</a>&nbsp;region was a staging ground for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It has come under regular attack ever since Russian forces retreated there from northeastern Ukraine early in the war following a counteroffensive by Kyiv.

In what has largely been a war of attrition, Russia has also relied heavily on long-range missile, artillery and drones to wreak damage on Ukraine.

At the end of last year, Belgorod officials said 25 people were killed, including five children, and more than 100 were injured in a Ukrainian attack, and regular rocket and drone strikes have continued since then. The area can be reached by relatively simple and mobile weapons such as multiple rocket launchers from forests on the Ukrainian side.

Russian authorities said in March they planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-belgorod-border-evacuation-children-029e64bdb0d9ba2c8a13dc0854aa7ca4">evacuate about 9,000 children</a>&nbsp;from the area because of continuous shelling, after Putin said he wanted to create a buffer zone to help protect border regions.

Also, the Kremlin's forces kept up their bombardment of Ukraine's power grid, with a nighttime Russian drone attack targeting energy infrastructure in Ukraine’s northern region of Sumy. Multiple towns and villages in the region, including Sumy, lost power, regional authorities said.

Russia attacked Ukrainian targets with 13 Shahed drones overnight, 12 of which were intercepted in the Sumy region, Ukraine’s air force said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) —Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-cameron-weapons-3eb749fff9fb9593f23d42c9d920c9aa">reacted angrily</a>&nbsp;to comments by senior Western officials about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.The drills are in response to “provocative statements and threats of certain Western officials regarding the Russian Federation,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.It was the first time that Russia has publicly announced drills involving tactical nuclear weapons, though its strategic nuclear forces regularly hold exercises. Tactical nuclear weapons include air bombs, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery munitions and are meant for use on a battlefield. They are less powerful than the massive warheads that arm intercontinental ballistic missiles and are intended to obliterate entire cities.The Russian announcement appeared to be a warning to Ukraine’s Western allies about becoming more deeply involved in the more than two-year war. Some of Ukraine’s Western partners have previously expressed concern about stoking the conflict amid fears it could spill beyond Ukraine into a war between NATO and Russia.French President Emmanuel Macron repeated last week that he doesn’t exclude sending troops to Ukraine, and U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Kyiv’s forces will be able to use British long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia. Some other NATO countries providing weapons to Kyiv have balked at that possibility.The Kremlin branded those comments as dangerous, heightening tension between Russia and NATO. The war already has placed significant strain on relations between Moscow and the West.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday said Macron’s recent statement and other remarks by British and U.S. officials had prompted the nuclear drills.“It’s a new round of escalation,” Peskov said, referring to what the Kremlin regarded as provocative statements. “It’s unprecedented and requires special attention and special measures,” Peskov told reporters.Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia’s Security Council that's chaired by President Vladimir Putin, said in his typically hawkish fashion that the comments by Macron and Cameron risked pushing the nuclear-armed world toward a “global catastrophe.”It wasn’t the first time Europe’s military support for Ukraine has irked Russian authorities and prompted nuclear saber-rattling. In March last year, after the U.K. government’s decision to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing shells containing depleted uranium, Putin announced that he intends to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-belarus-nuclear-weapons-2d9584534da25c00c56dbf7b14694e0e">deploy tactical nuclear weapons</a>&nbsp;on the territory of Belarus.The ministry said the exercise is intended to “increase the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to fulfill combat tasks” and will be held on Putin’s orders. The maneuvers will involve missile units of the Southern Military District along with the air force and the navy, it said.Western officials have blamed Russia for threatening a wider war through provocative acts. NATO countries said last week they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-russia-ukraine-war-73a3a226a6d036f8eafade7afca0ca5c">are deeply concerned</a>&nbsp;by a campaign of hybrid activities on the military alliance’s soil, accusing Russia of being behind them and saying they represent a threat to their security.Peskov dismissed those claims as “new unfounded accusations leveled at our country.”Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones hit two vehicles Monday in Russia’s Belgorod region, killing six people and injuring 35 others, including two children, local authorities said, in an area frequently struck by Kyiv’s forces in recent months.One of the vehicles was a minibus that was carrying farm workers, Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said.No other details were immediately available, and it was not possible to independently confirm the report from the border region.While Ukraine’s army is largely pinned down on the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line due to a shortage of troops and ammunition after more than two years of fighting, it has used its long-range firepower to hit targets deep inside Russia. The apparent aim is to disrupt Russia’s war logistics system by hitting oil refineries and depots, and unnerve the Russian border regions.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-belgorod-bd4ea87798ce5161b332e0676558ca24">Belgorod</a>&nbsp;region was a staging ground for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It has come under regular attack ever since Russian forces retreated there from northeastern Ukraine early in the war following a counteroffensive by Kyiv.In what has largely been a war of attrition, Russia has also relied heavily on long-range missile, artillery and drones to wreak damage on Ukraine.At the end of last year, Belgorod officials said 25 people were killed, including five children, and more than 100 were injured in a Ukrainian attack, and regular rocket and drone strikes have continued since then. The area can be reached by relatively simple and mobile weapons such as multiple rocket launchers from forests on the Ukrainian side.Russian authorities said in March they planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-belgorod-border-evacuation-children-029e64bdb0d9ba2c8a13dc0854aa7ca4">evacuate about 9,000 children</a>&nbsp;from the area because of continuous shelling, after Putin said he wanted to create a buffer zone to help protect border regions.Also, the Kremlin's forces kept up their bombardment of Ukraine's power grid, with a nighttime Russian drone attack targeting energy infrastructure in Ukraine’s northern region of Sumy. Multiple towns and villages in the region, including Sumy, lost power, regional authorities said.Russia attacked Ukrainian targets with 13 Shahed drones overnight, 12 of which were intercepted in the Sumy region, Ukraine’s air force said.

Russia will conduct nuclear weapon drills in response to ‘threats’ from the West

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scammers stole more than $3.4 billion from older Americans last year, according to an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-federal-bureau-of-investigation">FBI</a>&nbsp;report that shows a rise in losses through increasingly sophisticated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scams-phishing-robocalls-facebook-marketplace-291255fc54f4bef161cb6155af562d96">criminal tactics</a>&nbsp;to trick the vulnerable into giving up their life savings.

Losses from scams reported by Americans over the age of 60 last year were up 11% over the year before, according to the FBI's report. Investigators are warning of a rise in brazen schemes to drain bank accounts that involve sending couriers in person to collect cash or gold from victims.

“It can be a devastating impact to older Americans who lack the ability to go out and make money,” said Deputy Assistant Director James Barnacle of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “People lose all their money. Some people become destitute."

The FBI received more than 100,000 complaints by victims of scams over the age of 60 last year, with nearly 6,000 people losing more than $100,000. It follows a sharp rise in reported losses by older Americans in the two years after the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, when people were stuck at home and easier for scammers to reach over the phone.

Barnacle said investigators are seeing organized, transnational criminal enterprises targeting older Americans through a variety of schemes, like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/romance-scams-563ed335a7fc6a27f3f97ec14df1b867">romance scams</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investing-fraud-scam-regulators-874f9e3a315aa6cfd13335c92019ed54">investment frauds</a>.

The most commonly reported fraud among older adults last year was tech support scams, in which criminals pose over the phone as technical or customer service representatives. In one such scam authorities say is rising in popularity, criminals impersonate technology, banking and government officials to convince victims that foreign hackers have infiltrated their bank accounts and instruct them that to protect their money they should move it to a new account — one secretly controlled by the scammers.

Federal investigators saw an uptick between May and December of scammers using live couriers to take money from victims duped into believing their accounts had been compromised, according to the FBI. In those cases, scammers tell victims that their bank accounts have been hacked and that they need to liquidate their assets into cash or buy gold or other precious metals to protect their funds. Then the fraudsters arrange for a courier to pick it up in person.

“A lot of the the fraud schemes are asking victims to send money via a wire transfer, or a cryptocurrency transfer. When the victim is reluctant to do that, they’re given an alternative," Barnacle said. “And so the bad guy will use courier services.”

Earlier this month, an 81-year-old Ohio man&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-uber-driver-fatally-shot-2efec12816a9a40934a6a7524e20e613">fatally shot an Uber driver</a>&nbsp;he thought was trying to rob him after receiving scam phone calls, according to authorities.

The man had been receiving calls from someone pretending to be an officer from the local court who demanded money. The Uber driver had been told to retrieve a package from the man’s home, a request authorities say was possibly made by the same scam caller or an accomplice.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scammers stole more than $3.4 billion from older Americans last year, according to an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-federal-bureau-of-investigation">FBI</a>&nbsp;report that shows a rise in losses through increasingly sophisticated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scams-phishing-robocalls-facebook-marketplace-291255fc54f4bef161cb6155af562d96">criminal tactics</a>&nbsp;to trick the vulnerable into giving up their life savings.Losses from scams reported by Americans over the age of 60 last year were up 11% over the year before, according to the FBI's report. Investigators are warning of a rise in brazen schemes to drain bank accounts that involve sending couriers in person to collect cash or gold from victims.“It can be a devastating impact to older Americans who lack the ability to go out and make money,” said Deputy Assistant Director James Barnacle of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “People lose all their money. Some people become destitute."The FBI received more than 100,000 complaints by victims of scams over the age of 60 last year, with nearly 6,000 people losing more than $100,000. It follows a sharp rise in reported losses by older Americans in the two years after the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, when people were stuck at home and easier for scammers to reach over the phone.Barnacle said investigators are seeing organized, transnational criminal enterprises targeting older Americans through a variety of schemes, like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/romance-scams-563ed335a7fc6a27f3f97ec14df1b867">romance scams</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investing-fraud-scam-regulators-874f9e3a315aa6cfd13335c92019ed54">investment frauds</a>.The most commonly reported fraud among older adults last year was tech support scams, in which criminals pose over the phone as technical or customer service representatives. In one such scam authorities say is rising in popularity, criminals impersonate technology, banking and government officials to convince victims that foreign hackers have infiltrated their bank accounts and instruct them that to protect their money they should move it to a new account — one secretly controlled by the scammers.Federal investigators saw an uptick between May and December of scammers using live couriers to take money from victims duped into believing their accounts had been compromised, according to the FBI. In those cases, scammers tell victims that their bank accounts have been hacked and that they need to liquidate their assets into cash or buy gold or other precious metals to protect their funds. Then the fraudsters arrange for a courier to pick it up in person.“A lot of the the fraud schemes are asking victims to send money via a wire transfer, or a cryptocurrency transfer. When the victim is reluctant to do that, they’re given an alternative," Barnacle said. “And so the bad guy will use courier services.”Earlier this month, an 81-year-old Ohio man&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-uber-driver-fatally-shot-2efec12816a9a40934a6a7524e20e613">fatally shot an Uber driver</a>&nbsp;he thought was trying to rob him after receiving scam phone calls, according to authorities.The man had been receiving calls from someone pretending to be an officer from the local court who demanded money. The Uber driver had been told to retrieve a package from the man’s home, a request authorities say was possibly made by the same scam caller or an accomplice.

FBI: Scammers stole more than $3 billion from older Americans last year

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-drug-enforcement-administration">The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration</a>&nbsp;is moving toward reclassifying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marijuana">marijuana</a>&nbsp;as a less dangerous drug. The Justice Department proposal would recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-health-schumer-becerra-dea-c00db5dabbeb9efd94cf17baff241e85">the medical uses of cannabis</a>, but wouldn't legalize it for recreational use.

The proposal would move marijuana from the “Schedule I” group to the less tightly regulated “Schedule III."

So what does that mean, and what are the implications?

WHAT HAS ACTUALLY CHANGED? WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Technically, nothing yet.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-biden-dea-criminal-justice-pot-f833a8dae6ceb31a8658a5d65832a3b8">The proposal</a>&nbsp;must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget, and then undergo a public-comment period and review from an administrative judge, a potentially lengthy process.

Still, the switch is considered “paradigm-shifting, and it’s very exciting,” Vince Sliwoski, a Portland, Oregon-based cannabis and psychedelics attorney who runs well-known legal blogs on those topics, told The Associated Press when the federal Health and Human Services Department recommended the change.

“I can’t emphasize enough how big of news it is,” he said.

It came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-marijuana-government-and-politics-2d5e3d9e2cfbbbe3ee114536738894a8">President Joe Biden asked</a>&nbsp;both HHS and the attorney general, who oversees the DEA, last year to review how marijuana was classified. Schedule I put it on par, legally, with heroin, LSD, quaaludes and ecstasy, among others.

Biden, a Democrat, supports legalizing medical marijuana for use “where appropriate, consistent with medical and scientific evidence,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday. “That is why it is important for this independent review to go through.”

IF MARIJUANA GETS RECLASSIFIED, WOULD IT LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL CANNABIS NATIONWIDE?

No. Schedule III drugs — which include ketamine, anabolic steroids and some acetaminophen-codeine combinations — are still controlled substances.

They're subject to various rules that allow for some medical uses, and for federal criminal prosecution of anyone who traffics in the drugs without permission.

No changes are expected to the medical marijuana programs now licensed in 38 states or the legal recreational cannabis markets in 23 states, but it's unlikely they would meet the federal production, record-keeping, prescribing and other requirements for Schedule III drugs.

There haven't been many federal prosecutions for simply possessing marijuana in recent years, even under marijuana’s current Schedule I status, but the reclassification wouldn't have an immediate impact on people already in the criminal justice system.

“Put simple, this move from Schedule I to Schedule III is not getting people out of jail,” said David Culver, senior vice president of public affairs at the U.S. Cannabis Council.

But rescheduling in itself would have some impact, particularly on research and marijuana business taxes.

Because marijuana is on Schedule I, it's been very difficult to conduct authorized clinical studies that involve administering the drug. That has created something of a Catch-22: calls for more research, but barriers to doing it. (Scientists sometimes rely instead on people’s own reports of their marijuana use.)

Schedule III drugs are easier to study, though the reclassification wouldn't immediately reverse all barriers to study.

“It’s going to be really confusing for a long time,” said Ziva Cooper, director of the University of California, Los Angeles Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids. “When the dust has settled, I don’t know how many years from now, research will be easier.”

Among the unknowns: whether researchers will be able to study marijuana from state-licensed dispensaries and how the federal Food and Drug Administration might oversee that.

“Reducing the schedule to schedule 3 will open up the door for us to be able to conduct research with human subjects with cannabis,” said Susan Ferguson, director of University of Washington’s Addictions, Drug &amp; Alcohol Institute in Seattle.

Under the federal tax code, businesses involved in “trafficking” in marijuana or any other Schedule I or II drug can't deduct rent, payroll or various other expenses that other businesses can write off. (Yes, at least some cannabis businesses, particularly state-licensed ones, do pay taxes to the federal government, despite its prohibition on marijuana.) Industry groups say the tax rate often ends up at 70% or more.

The deduction rule doesn't apply to Schedule III drugs, so the proposed change would cut cannabis companies' taxes substantially.

They say it would treat them like other industries and help them compete against illegal competitors that are frustrating licensees and officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-new-york-unlicensed-pot-shops-crackdown-343e14fd9e95dd15fb9bb4ebb74da9c6">places such as New York</a>.

“You’re going to make these state-legal programs stronger,” says Adam Goers, an executive at medical and recreational cannabis giant Columbia Care. He co-chairs a coalition of corporate and other players that’s pushing for rescheduling.

It could also mean more cannabis promotion and advertising if those costs could be deducted, according to Beau Kilmer, co-director of the RAND Drug Policy Center.

Rescheduling wouldn't directly affect another marijuana business problem: difficulty accessing banks, particularly for loans, because the federally regulated institutions are wary of the drug's legal status. The industry has been looking instead to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-us-news-ap-top-news-bills-wa-state-wire-ffd7b57255054696bcf96b1a8033268a">measure called the SAFE Banking Act</a>. It has repeatedly passed the House but stalled in the Senate.

Indeed, there are, including the national anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana. President Kevin Sabet, a former Obama administration drug policy official, said the HHS recommendation “flies in the face of science, reeks of politics” and gives a regrettable nod to an industry “desperately looking for legitimacy.”

Some legalization advocates say rescheduling weed is too incremental. They want to keep the focus on removing it completely from the controlled substances list, which doesn't include such items as alcohol or tobacco (they're regulated, but that's not the same).

Paul Armentano, the deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said that simply reclassifying marijuana would be “perpetuating the existing divide between state and federal marijuana policies.” Minority Cannabis Business Association President Kaliko Castille said rescheduling just "re-brands prohibition," rather than giving an all-clear to state licensees and putting a definitive close to decades of arrests that disproportionately pulled in people of color.

“Schedule III is going to leave it in this kind of amorphous, mucky middle where people are not going to understand the danger of it still being federally illegal,” he said.

___ Peltz reported from New York. Associated Press writers Colleen Long in Washington and Carla K. Johnson in Seattle contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698668144157.png" alt="Photo Rebecca Rivas" />
 <figcaption>Photo Rebecca Rivas</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-drug-enforcement-administration">The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration</a>&nbsp;is moving toward reclassifying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marijuana">marijuana</a>&nbsp;as a less dangerous drug. The Justice Department proposal would recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-health-schumer-becerra-dea-c00db5dabbeb9efd94cf17baff241e85">the medical uses of cannabis</a>, but wouldn't legalize it for recreational use.The proposal would move marijuana from the “Schedule I” group to the less tightly regulated “Schedule III."So what does that mean, and what are the implications?WHAT HAS ACTUALLY CHANGED? WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?Technically, nothing yet.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-biden-dea-criminal-justice-pot-f833a8dae6ceb31a8658a5d65832a3b8">The proposal</a>&nbsp;must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget, and then undergo a public-comment period and review from an administrative judge, a potentially lengthy process.Still, the switch is considered “paradigm-shifting, and it’s very exciting,” Vince Sliwoski, a Portland, Oregon-based cannabis and psychedelics attorney who runs well-known legal blogs on those topics, told The Associated Press when the federal Health and Human Services Department recommended the change.“I can’t emphasize enough how big of news it is,” he said.It came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-marijuana-government-and-politics-2d5e3d9e2cfbbbe3ee114536738894a8">President Joe Biden asked</a>&nbsp;both HHS and the attorney general, who oversees the DEA, last year to review how marijuana was classified. Schedule I put it on par, legally, with heroin, LSD, quaaludes and ecstasy, among others.Biden, a Democrat, supports legalizing medical marijuana for use “where appropriate, consistent with medical and scientific evidence,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday. “That is why it is important for this independent review to go through.”IF MARIJUANA GETS RECLASSIFIED, WOULD IT LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL CANNABIS NATIONWIDE?No. Schedule III drugs — which include ketamine, anabolic steroids and some acetaminophen-codeine combinations — are still controlled substances.They're subject to various rules that allow for some medical uses, and for federal criminal prosecution of anyone who traffics in the drugs without permission.No changes are expected to the medical marijuana programs now licensed in 38 states or the legal recreational cannabis markets in 23 states, but it's unlikely they would meet the federal production, record-keeping, prescribing and other requirements for Schedule III drugs.There haven't been many federal prosecutions for simply possessing marijuana in recent years, even under marijuana’s current Schedule I status, but the reclassification wouldn't have an immediate impact on people already in the criminal justice system.“Put simple, this move from Schedule I to Schedule III is not getting people out of jail,” said David Culver, senior vice president of public affairs at the U.S. Cannabis Council.But rescheduling in itself would have some impact, particularly on research and marijuana business taxes.WHAT WOULD THIS MEAN FOR RESEARCH?Because marijuana is on Schedule I, it's been very difficult to conduct authorized clinical studies that involve administering the drug. That has created something of a Catch-22: calls for more research, but barriers to doing it. (Scientists sometimes rely instead on people’s own reports of their marijuana use.)Schedule III drugs are easier to study, though the reclassification wouldn't immediately reverse all barriers to study.“It’s going to be really confusing for a long time,” said Ziva Cooper, director of the University of California, Los Angeles Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids. “When the dust has settled, I don’t know how many years from now, research will be easier.”Among the unknowns: whether researchers will be able to study marijuana from state-licensed dispensaries and how the federal Food and Drug Administration might oversee that.Some researchers are optimistic.“Reducing the schedule to schedule 3 will open up the door for us to be able to conduct research with human subjects with cannabis,” said Susan Ferguson, director of University of Washington’s Addictions, Drug &amp; Alcohol Institute in Seattle.WHAT ABOUT TAXES (AND BANKING)?Under the federal tax code, businesses involved in “trafficking” in marijuana or any other Schedule I or II drug can't deduct rent, payroll or various other expenses that other businesses can write off. (Yes, at least some cannabis businesses, particularly state-licensed ones, do pay taxes to the federal government, despite its prohibition on marijuana.) Industry groups say the tax rate often ends up at 70% or more.The deduction rule doesn't apply to Schedule III drugs, so the proposed change would cut cannabis companies' taxes substantially.They say it would treat them like other industries and help them compete against illegal competitors that are frustrating licensees and officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-new-york-unlicensed-pot-shops-crackdown-343e14fd9e95dd15fb9bb4ebb74da9c6">places such as New York</a>.“You’re going to make these state-legal programs stronger,” says Adam Goers, an executive at medical and recreational cannabis giant Columbia Care. He co-chairs a coalition of corporate and other players that’s pushing for rescheduling.It could also mean more cannabis promotion and advertising if those costs could be deducted, according to Beau Kilmer, co-director of the RAND Drug Policy Center.Rescheduling wouldn't directly affect another marijuana business problem: difficulty accessing banks, particularly for loans, because the federally regulated institutions are wary of the drug's legal status. The industry has been looking instead to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-us-news-ap-top-news-bills-wa-state-wire-ffd7b57255054696bcf96b1a8033268a">measure called the SAFE Banking Act</a>. It has repeatedly passed the House but stalled in the Senate.ARE THERE CRITICS? WHAT DO THEY SAY?Indeed, there are, including the national anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana. President Kevin Sabet, a former Obama administration drug policy official, said the HHS recommendation “flies in the face of science, reeks of politics” and gives a regrettable nod to an industry “desperately looking for legitimacy.”Some legalization advocates say rescheduling weed is too incremental. They want to keep the focus on removing it completely from the controlled substances list, which doesn't include such items as alcohol or tobacco (they're regulated, but that's not the same).Paul Armentano, the deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said that simply reclassifying marijuana would be “perpetuating the existing divide between state and federal marijuana policies.” Minority Cannabis Business Association President Kaliko Castille said rescheduling just "re-brands prohibition," rather than giving an all-clear to state licensees and putting a definitive close to decades of arrests that disproportionately pulled in people of color.“Schedule III is going to leave it in this kind of amorphous, mucky middle where people are not going to understand the danger of it still being federally illegal,” he said.___ Peltz reported from New York. Associated Press writers Colleen Long in Washington and Carla K. Johnson in Seattle contributed to this report.

What marijuana reclassification means for the United States

WASHINGTON (AP) — The last thing standing between Ashnaelle Bijoux and her college dream is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-financial-aid-college-education-faf16cf14fb69a20e373d3ada1b63dca">FAFSA form</a>&nbsp;— a financial aid application that's supposed to help students go to college, but is blocking her instead. She has tried to submit it over and over. Every time, it fails to go through.

“I feel overwhelmed and stressed out,” said Bijoux, 19. She came close to tears the last time she tried the form. “I feel like I'm being held back."

Normally a time of celebration for high school seniors, this spring has been marred by the federal government's botched rollout of the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa">new FAFSA application</a>. By May 1, students usually know where they're headed to college in the fall. This year, most still haven't received financial aid offers. Three months before the start of fall classes, many don't know where they're going to college, or how they're going to pay for it.

“We’re asking them to make probably one of the biggest financial decisions — and decisions that will have the biggest implications on their lives going forward — without all of the information,” said Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, went through a massive overhaul that was supposed to make it simpler and shorter. But a series of blunders by the Education Department made it harder than ever, delaying college decisions by months and raising fears that hundreds of thousands of students will forgo college entirely.

Across the United States, the number of students who have successfully submitted the FAFSA is down 29% from this time last year, and it’s even worse at schools with more low-income students, according to the National College Attainment Network.

The group's CEO, Kim Cook, warned members of Congress this month about a potentially “catastrophic” drop in college enrollments that would make the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-race-and-ethnicity-coronavirus-pandemic-phoenix-b2e2ec55b3ed43c4b64c192b0eced089">decreases of the pandemic</a>&nbsp;seem mild.

For Bijoux, of Norwich, Connecticut, the FAFSA problems threaten to undermine the promise of higher education.

To her, college is a chance to seize the opportunities that weren't available to her mother, who immigrated from Haiti to the U.S. as an adult. Bijoux hopes to become a therapist and set a positive example for her three younger brothers.

If her FAFSA goes through, she should be eligible for enough financial aid to help with the $ 13,000-a-year tuition at Southern Connecticut State University. If not, she might go to a local community college, but even that would require loans if she can't complete the FAFSA.

“That’s why it hurts, because it’s like you work so hard to go somewhere and do something and make something of yourself,” Bijoux said. “I thought I would start at a four-year (college) and then work hard continuously, like I’ve been doing basically my whole life. But that’s not the case.”

The updated FAFSA form has one section filled out by students and another by their parents. But when Bijoux finishes her part, nothing shows up on her mom's online account. She keeps trying, but nothing seems to change.

Similar problems have been reported across the country, along with numerous other bugs that the Education Department has scrambled to fix. Families who call for customer service have faced long wait times or say the call center hung up on them.

It “drains all the momentum” from families working to send their children to college, especially those navigating the process for the first time, said Anne Zinn, a counselor at Norwich Free Academy, where Bijoux goes to school.

“I can only say so many times, ‘Just be patient, just be patient,’ before they throw their hands up and they’re like, ‘Why am I doing this? I’m just gonna&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/skipping-college-student-loans-trade-jobs-efc1f6d6067ab770f6e512b3f7719cc0">go get a job</a>,'" she said.

The rollout has attracted bipartisan criticism in Congress, and it's being investigated at the request of Republicans. Last week, Richard Cordray, the federal student loan chief who oversaw the FAFSA update, announced he's stepping down at the end of June.

For colleges, too, the delays pose a major threat.

Enrollment decreases like those being projected now could put many small colleges out of business, or necessitate deep cuts in staff. Some colleges are pushing for emergency relief just to stay afloat, said Angel Pérez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

“If they don’t get checks from the federal government to basically get them through next year, they will not survive,” Pérez said.

The FAFSA has been the linchpin of student financial aid for decades. It's used to determine eligibility for the federal Pell grant, a scholarship for low-income students, and it's required to receive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/student-loans">federal student loans</a>. Colleges and states also use FAFSA to distribute their own scholarships.

FAFSA had long been maligned for being tedious, difficult and intimidating to families without college experience. Congress passed legislation in 2020 meant to simplify the form. The Education Department was ordered to reduce the number of questions from more than 100 to about 40, and change the formula to expand aid to more students.

Problems started piling up as soon as the new form went online in December, already months overdue.

The first applications were incorrectly processed using an outdated calculation for inflation. Later, a federal contractor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-aid-college-admissions-miscalculation-delay-6edb28219068fd19428b786635f09282">miscalculated</a>&nbsp;a different formula on more than 200,000 applications. Each mistake added to delays, leaving students waiting longer to hear anything about financial aid.

Even more worrisome is a misstep that blocked students from finishing the form if they have a parent without a Social Security number. Advocates say the system locked out hundreds of thousands of students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents but whose parents are not.

The Education Department on Tuesday said it's giving those parents a new way to enter their tax information manually. But as recently as this week, some students said they were still blocked from submitting the form.

Federal education officials say they're addressing lingering bugs but making progress. More than 8 million student applications have now been processed and sent to colleges, the agency said, and new applications are being processed within three days.

Still, the wait is far from over. It usually takes weeks for schools to prepare financial aid offers. Some colleges have extended decision deadlines to give students more time to weigh their options. But some stuck to May 1, forcing students to choose a college — and make a nonrefundable payment to hold their spot — without knowing all their scholarship options.

In West Virginia, Gov. Jim Justice on Tuesday declared a state of emergency that allows students to receive state scholarships without having their FAFSA processed by the federal government. West Virginia has the lowest number of college graduates in the nation, and the state’s high school FAFSA completion rates are currently down nearly 40%, said Justice, a Republican.

"Really and truly, a lot of kids are sitting on the sidelines ... wondering, ‘Am I going to be able to go to college?’ ” he said during a news briefing.

In Baltimore, Camryn Carter is waiting to find out if he'll get a full ride to the University of Maryland or face tens of thousands of dollars in student loans.

A top student and captain of his baseball and wrestling teams, Carter sees college as a step up in life. He thinks back to the times in the grocery store line when he had to put items back on the shelf because his mom couldn't afford the bill. A college degree would give him the stability he didn't always have, the 18-year-old said.

But when he looks at tuition,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-costs-elite-wellesley-harvard-tuition-aid-16dc3cb23d713a206d050da8594b998c">it's intimidating</a>. Along with Maryland, he's also considering McDaniel College, a private school in Maryland. If he enrolls there, he expects to borrow almost $30,000 a year.

“I try to make the best decisions now so I can have a good future,” he said. “I'm a little nervous that things won't work out. But I'm faithful.”

Leah Willingham contributed reporting from Charleston, West Virginia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700516528497.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The last thing standing between Ashnaelle Bijoux and her college dream is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-financial-aid-college-education-faf16cf14fb69a20e373d3ada1b63dca">FAFSA form</a>&nbsp;— a financial aid application that's supposed to help students go to college, but is blocking her instead. She has tried to submit it over and over. Every time, it fails to go through.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">What is supposed to be an exciting day for millions of high-school students across America is instead a day of uncertainty because of this Administration’s disastrous FAFSA rollout, leaving their future in limbo. <a href="https://t.co/0mm7S07rXR">pic.twitter.com/0mm7S07rXR</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1785789719139192850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I feel overwhelmed and stressed out,” said Bijoux, 19. She came close to tears the last time she tried the form. “I feel like I'm being held back."Normally a time of celebration for high school seniors, this spring has been marred by the federal government's botched rollout of the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa">new FAFSA application</a>. By May 1, students usually know where they're headed to college in the fall. This year, most still haven't received financial aid offers. Three months before the start of fall classes, many don't know where they're going to college, or how they're going to pay for it.“We’re asking them to make probably one of the biggest financial decisions — and decisions that will have the biggest implications on their lives going forward — without all of the information,” said Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, went through a massive overhaul that was supposed to make it simpler and shorter. But a series of blunders by the Education Department made it harder than ever, delaying college decisions by months and raising fears that hundreds of thousands of students will forgo college entirely.Across the United States, the number of students who have successfully submitted the FAFSA is down 29% from this time last year, and it’s even worse at schools with more low-income students, according to the National College Attainment Network.The group's CEO, Kim Cook, warned members of Congress this month about a potentially “catastrophic” drop in college enrollments that would make the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-race-and-ethnicity-coronavirus-pandemic-phoenix-b2e2ec55b3ed43c4b64c192b0eced089">decreases of the pandemic</a>&nbsp;seem mild.For Bijoux, of Norwich, Connecticut, the FAFSA problems threaten to undermine the promise of higher education.To her, college is a chance to seize the opportunities that weren't available to her mother, who immigrated from Haiti to the U.S. as an adult. Bijoux hopes to become a therapist and set a positive example for her three younger brothers.If her FAFSA goes through, she should be eligible for enough financial aid to help with the $ 13,000-a-year tuition at Southern Connecticut State University. If not, she might go to a local community college, but even that would require loans if she can't complete the FAFSA.“That’s why it hurts, because it’s like you work so hard to go somewhere and do something and make something of yourself,” Bijoux said. “I thought I would start at a four-year (college) and then work hard continuously, like I’ve been doing basically my whole life. But that’s not the case.”The updated FAFSA form has one section filled out by students and another by their parents. But when Bijoux finishes her part, nothing shows up on her mom's online account. She keeps trying, but nothing seems to change.Similar problems have been reported across the country, along with numerous other bugs that the Education Department has scrambled to fix. Families who call for customer service have faced long wait times or say the call center hung up on them.It “drains all the momentum” from families working to send their children to college, especially those navigating the process for the first time, said Anne Zinn, a counselor at Norwich Free Academy, where Bijoux goes to school.“I can only say so many times, ‘Just be patient, just be patient,’ before they throw their hands up and they’re like, ‘Why am I doing this? I’m just gonna&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/skipping-college-student-loans-trade-jobs-efc1f6d6067ab770f6e512b3f7719cc0">go get a job</a>,'" she said.The rollout has attracted bipartisan criticism in Congress, and it's being investigated at the request of Republicans. Last week, Richard Cordray, the federal student loan chief who oversaw the FAFSA update, announced he's stepping down at the end of June.For colleges, too, the delays pose a major threat.Enrollment decreases like those being projected now could put many small colleges out of business, or necessitate deep cuts in staff. Some colleges are pushing for emergency relief just to stay afloat, said Angel Pérez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.“If they don’t get checks from the federal government to basically get them through next year, they will not survive,” Pérez said.The FAFSA has been the linchpin of student financial aid for decades. It's used to determine eligibility for the federal Pell grant, a scholarship for low-income students, and it's required to receive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/student-loans">federal student loans</a>. Colleges and states also use FAFSA to distribute their own scholarships.FAFSA had long been maligned for being tedious, difficult and intimidating to families without college experience. Congress passed legislation in 2020 meant to simplify the form. The Education Department was ordered to reduce the number of questions from more than 100 to about 40, and change the formula to expand aid to more students.Problems started piling up as soon as the new form went online in December, already months overdue.The first applications were incorrectly processed using an outdated calculation for inflation. Later, a federal contractor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-aid-college-admissions-miscalculation-delay-6edb28219068fd19428b786635f09282">miscalculated</a>&nbsp;a different formula on more than 200,000 applications. Each mistake added to delays, leaving students waiting longer to hear anything about financial aid.Even more worrisome is a misstep that blocked students from finishing the form if they have a parent without a Social Security number. Advocates say the system locked out hundreds of thousands of students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents but whose parents are not.The Education Department on Tuesday said it's giving those parents a new way to enter their tax information manually. But as recently as this week, some students said they were still blocked from submitting the form.Federal education officials say they're addressing lingering bugs but making progress. More than 8 million student applications have now been processed and sent to colleges, the agency said, and new applications are being processed within three days.Still, the wait is far from over. It usually takes weeks for schools to prepare financial aid offers. Some colleges have extended decision deadlines to give students more time to weigh their options. But some stuck to May 1, forcing students to choose a college — and make a nonrefundable payment to hold their spot — without knowing all their scholarship options.In West Virginia, Gov. Jim Justice on Tuesday declared a state of emergency that allows students to receive state scholarships without having their FAFSA processed by the federal government. West Virginia has the lowest number of college graduates in the nation, and the state’s high school FAFSA completion rates are currently down nearly 40%, said Justice, a Republican."Really and truly, a lot of kids are sitting on the sidelines ... wondering, ‘Am I going to be able to go to college?’ ” he said during a news briefing.In Baltimore, Camryn Carter is waiting to find out if he'll get a full ride to the University of Maryland or face tens of thousands of dollars in student loans.A top student and captain of his baseball and wrestling teams, Carter sees college as a step up in life. He thinks back to the times in the grocery store line when he had to put items back on the shelf because his mom couldn't afford the bill. A college degree would give him the stability he didn't always have, the 18-year-old said.But when he looks at tuition,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-costs-elite-wellesley-harvard-tuition-aid-16dc3cb23d713a206d050da8594b998c">it's intimidating</a>. Along with Maryland, he's also considering McDaniel College, a private school in Maryland. If he enrolls there, he expects to borrow almost $30,000 a year.“I try to make the best decisions now so I can have a good future,” he said. “I'm a little nervous that things won't work out. But I'm faithful.”__Leah Willingham contributed reporting from Charleston, West Virginia.