JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that they had retrieved the bodies of two hostages from Gaza in an operation that killed two Israeli soldiers.

Soldiers retrieved the bodies of Eden Zakaria, 27, who was kidnapped from the music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, and Ziv Dado, 36, a soldier serving near the Gaza border. Dado was killed on October 7 and his body was taken to Gaza. Zakaria was wounded on October 7, and it was unclear if she was taken alive or dead to Gaza, according to reports on Israel’s Channel 12.

During the operation to rescue the bodies, two soldiers, Gal Meir Eizenkot and Eyal Meir Berkowitz, were killed. Gal Eisenkot is the son of Gadi Eizenkot, who served as military chief of staff from 2015 to 2019 and sits on the war cabinet.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israel pressed ahead Tuesday with an offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers that it says could go on for weeks or months. Ahead of a non-binding vote at the United Nations later Tuesday, Israel and the United States faced global calls for a cease-fire in Gaza.

More than 17,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, around two-thirds of them women and children, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory</a>. About 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced within the besieged territory, where United Nations agencies say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-90e02d26420b8fe3157f73c256f9ed6a">there is no safe place to flee</a>. With only a trickle of humanitarian aid reaching a small portion of Gaza, residents face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-war-southern-gaza-humanitarian-conditions-4da8410ab2e849adef8aff18c79b310c">severe shortages of food, water and other basic goods</a>.

Israel says 97 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>. Qatar, which has played a key mediating role, says efforts to stop the war and have all hostages released will continue, but a willingness to discuss a cease-fire is fading.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696679013332.png" alt="Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. File photo (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)" />
 <figcaption>Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. File photo (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that they had retrieved the bodies of two hostages from Gaza in an operation that killed two Israeli soldiers.Soldiers retrieved the bodies of Eden Zakaria, 27, who was kidnapped from the music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, and Ziv Dado, 36, a soldier serving near the Gaza border. Dado was killed on October 7 and his body was taken to Gaza. Zakaria was wounded on October 7, and it was unclear if she was taken alive or dead to Gaza, according to reports on Israel’s Channel 12.During the operation to rescue the bodies, two soldiers, Gal Meir Eizenkot and Eyal Meir Berkowitz, were killed. Gal Eisenkot is the son of Gadi Eizenkot, who served as military chief of staff from 2015 to 2019 and sits on the war cabinet.Meanwhile,&nbsp;Israel pressed ahead Tuesday with an offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers that it says could go on for weeks or months. Ahead of a non-binding vote at the United Nations later Tuesday, Israel and the United States faced global calls for a cease-fire in Gaza.More than 17,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, around two-thirds of them women and children, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory</a>. About 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced within the besieged territory, where United Nations agencies say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-90e02d26420b8fe3157f73c256f9ed6a">there is no safe place to flee</a>. With only a trickle of humanitarian aid reaching a small portion of Gaza, residents face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-war-southern-gaza-humanitarian-conditions-4da8410ab2e849adef8aff18c79b310c">severe shortages of food, water and other basic goods</a>.Israel says 97 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>. Qatar, which has played a key mediating role, says efforts to stop the war and have all hostages released will continue, but a willingness to discuss a cease-fire is fading.

2 soldiers killed retrieving bodies of 2 hostages in Gaza

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen issued the following statement in response to Congressman Mike Flood’s introduction of a resolution condemning the United Nations (UN) Food Strategy released at the COP28:

“I appreciate Congressman Flood’s leadership on this very important issue. The United Nations’ radical attack on agriculture undermines the livelihoods of Nebraska farmers and ranchers, as well as those in other states where agriculture is an economic driver. Anti-agriculture activism damages the world’s food system and hurts the hungry. In Nebraska, our farmers and ranchers raise their products using sustainable methods, designed to protect the land and resources on which they rely. I urge the House of Representatives to pass Congressman Flood’s resolution, recognizing Nebraska’s collective role in feeding the world and saving the planet.”

A copy of Congressman Flood’s introduced resolution can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dropbox.com%2Fscl%2Ffi%2Fdxie2vqo1wc41sq7p8dd4%2FFLOOD_Meat-Resolution.pdf%3Frlkey%3Dylnjpjbv5htf411ps9n37jbwk%26dl%3D0&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C933812dd9d45494e766a08dbfab33902%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638379419894590556%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ydDH6HUFJ1iXz8QaOXDZ2RFpSKOvSQnVZw6szm3No1U%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>. A copy of the Food &amp; Agriculture Organization report released over the weekend at COP28 can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fao.org%2Finteractive%2Fsdg2-roadmap%2Fassets%2F3d-models%2Finbrief-roadmap.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C933812dd9d45494e766a08dbfab33902%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638379419894590556%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=dgWaZfs%2BK0qCL2Y%2FWG4ChcxnRY65kWzpcTyhYuXW%2F5g%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen issued the following statement in response to Congressman Mike Flood’s introduction of a resolution condemning the United Nations (UN) Food Strategy released at the COP28:“I appreciate Congressman Flood’s leadership on this very important issue. The United Nations’ radical attack on agriculture undermines the livelihoods of Nebraska farmers and ranchers, as well as those in other states where agriculture is an economic driver. Anti-agriculture activism damages the world’s food system and hurts the hungry. In Nebraska, our farmers and ranchers raise their products using sustainable methods, designed to protect the land and resources on which they rely. I urge the House of Representatives to pass Congressman Flood’s resolution, recognizing Nebraska’s collective role in feeding the world and saving the planet.”A copy of Congressman Flood’s introduced resolution can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dropbox.com%2Fscl%2Ffi%2Fdxie2vqo1wc41sq7p8dd4%2FFLOOD_Meat-Resolution.pdf%3Frlkey%3Dylnjpjbv5htf411ps9n37jbwk%26dl%3D0&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C933812dd9d45494e766a08dbfab33902%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638379419894590556%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ydDH6HUFJ1iXz8QaOXDZ2RFpSKOvSQnVZw6szm3No1U%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>. A copy of the Food &amp; Agriculture Organization report released over the weekend at COP28 can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fao.org%2Finteractive%2Fsdg2-roadmap%2Fassets%2F3d-models%2Finbrief-roadmap.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C933812dd9d45494e766a08dbfab33902%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C638379419894590556%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=dgWaZfs%2BK0qCL2Y%2FWG4ChcxnRY65kWzpcTyhYuXW%2F5g%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.

Governor Pillen Statement in Response to the United Nations Food Strategy 

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A pregnant Texas woman whose fetus has a fatal condition left the state to get an abortion elsewhere before the state Supreme Court on Monday rejected her unprecedented challenge of one of the most restrictive bans in the U.S.

Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two, had spent nearly a week seeking court permission in Texas to end her pregnancy, but her attorneys said she could not wait any longer and left the state. Her baby has a condition known as trisomy 18, which has low survival rates, and her lawsuit argued that continuing the pregnancy jeopardized both her health and ability to have more children.

Texas’ abortion ban makes narrow exceptions when the life of the mother is in danger but not for fetal anomalies. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that Cox had not shown that any of the complications in her pregnancy rose to the level of threatening her life.

“Her health is on the line. She’s been in and out of the emergency room and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-care-wait-times-us-roe-dobbs-7b0a328bb34b0acb3d37e359a63712fc">she couldn’t wait any longer,”</a>&nbsp;said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which was representing Cox.

The organization did not disclose where Cox went. On Monday, she would have been 20 weeks and six days pregnant.

Hours after Cox's attorneys announced she had left Texas, the state Supreme Court issued its decision that ruled against Cox. It came three days after the court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-ban-supreme-court-decision-10767891a475e7ce2c82b1404450908a#:~:text=AUSTIN%2C%20Texas%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94,restrictive%20bans%20in%20the%20U.S.">temporarily halted</a>&nbsp;a lower judge's ruling that gave Cox permission to get an abortion.

"No one disputes that Ms. Cox’s pregnancy has been extremely complicated. Any parents would be devastated to learn of their unborn child’s trisomy 18 diagnosis," the court wrote. “Some difficulties in pregnancy, however, even serious ones, do not pose the heightened risks to the mother the exception encompasses.”

Cox, who lives in the Dallas area, was believed to be the first woman in the U.S. to ask a court for permission for an abortion since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">Roe v. Wade was overturned last year.</a>&nbsp;Her lawsuit quickly became a high-profile test of bans in Texas and a dozen other GOP-controlled states, where abortion is prohibited at nearly all stages of pregnancy.

Days after Cox filed her lawsuit, a pregnant woman in Kentucky also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kentucky-aclu-lawsuit-14df6d5e8a5aaa36009557d080b1c779">asked a court to allow an abortion.</a>&nbsp;There has been no ruling yet in that case.

In Texas, Paxton mounted an aggressive defense to try to prevent Cox from having an abortion. He sent three Houston hospitals letters warning of legal consequences — both criminal and civil — if they allowed Cox's physician to provide the procedure. He also argued that Cox had not demonstrated that her life was at imminent risk, including noting that she was sent home after her multiple visits to emergency rooms.

Cox had cesarean surgeries during her first two pregnancies. Her lawsuit argued that inducing labor would carry a risk of a uterine rupture because of her prior C-sections, and that another one at full term would would endanger her ability to carry another child. But Paxton contended those arguments still fell short.

“Rather, the only question is whether Ms. Cox’s condition meets the exception, regardless of how long the child is expected to live,” Paxton's office told the court in a filing over the weekend.

Dr. Leilah Zahedi-Spung, a maternal fetal medicine specialist in Colorado and a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, said when lethal fetal anomalies are diagnosed “there’s only risk to that pregnant person and no benefit unfortunately for that innocent child.”

“You are putting your body through risks without any benefit because prolonging the pregnancy doesn’t change the survival rate,” Zahedi-Spung said.

Doctors told Cox that her fetus has a condition known as trisomy 18, which is when a baby has an extra copy of chromosome 18. The diagnosis has a very high likelihood of miscarriage or stillbirth, and low survival rate. Doctors told Cox that inducing labor or carrying the baby to term could jeopardize her ability to have another child.

Trisomy 18 occurs in approximately 1 in 2,500 diagnosed pregnancies, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. There is no live birth in about 70% of pregnancies involving the diagnosis that proceed past 12 weeks gestational age, according to a legal filing that the two groups submitted to the court.

The termination of pregnancies because of fetal anomalies or other often-fatal medical problems&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ending-pregnancies-over-grave-medical-problems-e504e595f5f4ea6139db3f7b5155ca85">is seldom discussed</a>&nbsp;in national debates over abortion. There are no recent statistics on the frequency of terminations for fetal anomalies in the U.S. but experts say it’s a small percentage of total procedures.

Texas has long been at the forefront of strict abortion laws in the U.S., and even now, there are ongoing efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-travel-ban-roads-west-texas-3997304c4156f131ee90bb1363735ba3">make it harder for pregnant women to leave Texas</a>&nbsp;for states where the procedure is legal. This year, a federal judge in Texas ruled that the bans do not apply to helping women get abortions out of state.

Under Texas’ bans, doctors who provide an abortion can face criminal charges that carry punishments of up to life in prison. They could also face lawsuits from private citizens, who are empowered to sue a person who helps a woman obtain an abortion, such as the doctor’s staff. The laws do not threaten the mother with any legal consequences.

Dr. Christina Bourne, medical director for abortion provider Trust Women, which provides abortion care in Wichita, Kansas, and also has a clinic in Oklahoma City, said that whether someone’s life is at risk can be subjective.

Doctors are now operating in a confusing atmosphere, Bourne said,

“If you are a pregnant person in a legally restrictive state, I am concerned about your health outcomes,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702131734401.png" alt="Kate Cox.Courtesy The Center for Reproductive Rights" />
 <figcaption>Kate Cox.Courtesy The Center for Reproductive Rights</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A pregnant Texas woman whose fetus has a fatal condition left the state to get an abortion elsewhere before the state Supreme Court on Monday rejected her unprecedented challenge of one of the most restrictive bans in the U.S.Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two, had spent nearly a week seeking court permission in Texas to end her pregnancy, but her attorneys said she could not wait any longer and left the state. Her baby has a condition known as trisomy 18, which has low survival rates, and her lawsuit argued that continuing the pregnancy jeopardized both her health and ability to have more children.Texas’ abortion ban makes narrow exceptions when the life of the mother is in danger but not for fetal anomalies. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that Cox had not shown that any of the complications in her pregnancy rose to the level of threatening her life.“Her health is on the line. She’s been in and out of the emergency room and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-care-wait-times-us-roe-dobbs-7b0a328bb34b0acb3d37e359a63712fc">she couldn’t wait any longer,”</a>&nbsp;said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which was representing Cox.The organization did not disclose where Cox went. On Monday, she would have been 20 weeks and six days pregnant.Hours after Cox's attorneys announced she had left Texas, the state Supreme Court issued its decision that ruled against Cox. It came three days after the court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-ban-supreme-court-decision-10767891a475e7ce2c82b1404450908a#:~:text=AUSTIN%2C%20Texas%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94,restrictive%20bans%20in%20the%20U.S.">temporarily halted</a>&nbsp;a lower judge's ruling that gave Cox permission to get an abortion."No one disputes that Ms. Cox’s pregnancy has been extremely complicated. Any parents would be devastated to learn of their unborn child’s trisomy 18 diagnosis," the court wrote. “Some difficulties in pregnancy, however, even serious ones, do not pose the heightened risks to the mother the exception encompasses.”Cox, who lives in the Dallas area, was believed to be the first woman in the U.S. to ask a court for permission for an abortion since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">Roe v. Wade was overturned last year.</a>&nbsp;Her lawsuit quickly became a high-profile test of bans in Texas and a dozen other GOP-controlled states, where abortion is prohibited at nearly all stages of pregnancy.Days after Cox filed her lawsuit, a pregnant woman in Kentucky also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kentucky-aclu-lawsuit-14df6d5e8a5aaa36009557d080b1c779">asked a court to allow an abortion.</a>&nbsp;There has been no ruling yet in that case.In Texas, Paxton mounted an aggressive defense to try to prevent Cox from having an abortion. He sent three Houston hospitals letters warning of legal consequences — both criminal and civil — if they allowed Cox's physician to provide the procedure. He also argued that Cox had not demonstrated that her life was at imminent risk, including noting that she was sent home after her multiple visits to emergency rooms.Cox had cesarean surgeries during her first two pregnancies. Her lawsuit argued that inducing labor would carry a risk of a uterine rupture because of her prior C-sections, and that another one at full term would would endanger her ability to carry another child. But Paxton contended those arguments still fell short.“Rather, the only question is whether Ms. Cox’s condition meets the exception, regardless of how long the child is expected to live,” Paxton's office told the court in a filing over the weekend.Dr. Leilah Zahedi-Spung, a maternal fetal medicine specialist in Colorado and a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, said when lethal fetal anomalies are diagnosed “there’s only risk to that pregnant person and no benefit unfortunately for that innocent child.”“You are putting your body through risks without any benefit because prolonging the pregnancy doesn’t change the survival rate,” Zahedi-Spung said.Doctors told Cox that her fetus has a condition known as trisomy 18, which is when a baby has an extra copy of chromosome 18. The diagnosis has a very high likelihood of miscarriage or stillbirth, and low survival rate. Doctors told Cox that inducing labor or carrying the baby to term could jeopardize her ability to have another child.Trisomy 18 occurs in approximately 1 in 2,500 diagnosed pregnancies, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. There is no live birth in about 70% of pregnancies involving the diagnosis that proceed past 12 weeks gestational age, according to a legal filing that the two groups submitted to the court.The termination of pregnancies because of fetal anomalies or other often-fatal medical problems&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ending-pregnancies-over-grave-medical-problems-e504e595f5f4ea6139db3f7b5155ca85">is seldom discussed</a>&nbsp;in national debates over abortion. There are no recent statistics on the frequency of terminations for fetal anomalies in the U.S. but experts say it’s a small percentage of total procedures.Texas has long been at the forefront of strict abortion laws in the U.S., and even now, there are ongoing efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-travel-ban-roads-west-texas-3997304c4156f131ee90bb1363735ba3">make it harder for pregnant women to leave Texas</a>&nbsp;for states where the procedure is legal. This year, a federal judge in Texas ruled that the bans do not apply to helping women get abortions out of state.Under Texas’ bans, doctors who provide an abortion can face criminal charges that carry punishments of up to life in prison. They could also face lawsuits from private citizens, who are empowered to sue a person who helps a woman obtain an abortion, such as the doctor’s staff. The laws do not threaten the mother with any legal consequences.Dr. Christina Bourne, medical director for abortion provider Trust Women, which provides abortion care in Wichita, Kansas, and also has a clinic in Oklahoma City, said that whether someone’s life is at risk can be subjective.Doctors are now operating in a confusing atmosphere, Bourne said,“If you are a pregnant person in a legally restrictive state, I am concerned about your health outcomes,” she said.

Court rules against first woman to seek court-approved abortion in 50 years

LINCOLN— A Nebraska State Trooper has begun his recovery after being injured Monday when a suspect rammed his patrol vehicle during a pursuit between Lincoln and Omaha, according to a media release from the Nebraska State Patrol.

The trooper suffered serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. He has undergone successful surgery at Bryan Medical Center West Campus. A long recovery lies ahead, but he is alert and in good spirits this morning.

The suspect, an 18-year-old from La Vista, was not injured in the crash. He refused medical treatment at the scene and was lodged in Lancaster County Jail for assault on an officer, assault on an officer using a motor vehicle, willful reckless driving, and flight to avoid arrest.

&nbsp;(LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person after a pursuit, during which the suspect rammed his vehicle into an NSP cruiser and injured a trooper.

At approximately 12:40 p.m. Monday, a trooper observed a Ford Fusion traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour on Interstate 80 in Lincoln, near mile marker 403. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to yield and fled westbound. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

During the pursuit, the driver passed numerous vehicles on the shoulder and continued westbound at speeds above 100 miles per hour. When the vehicle reached the Milford interchange, at mile marker 382, it exited and reentered I-80 traveling eastbound toward Lincoln.

The NSP AirWing took over the pursuit from the air as the vehicle continued at a high rate of speed through the Lincoln area. After passing through Lincoln, patrol units continued their pursuit on the ground. At approximately 1:15 p.m. the suspect rammed a trooper’s patrol vehicle, causing both vehicles to roll near mile marker 422. The trooper’s cruiser came to rest in the median. The suspect’s vehicle crossed the westbound lanes and came to rest in the north ditch.

The suspect was taken into custody without further incident. The trooper has been transported to Bryan Medical Center West Campus with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect refused medical treatment at the scene and has been transported to Lancaster County Jail. Charges are pending as the investigation remains ongoing.

Interstate 80 was closed for both directions of travel for approximately 75 minutes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702405737769.png" alt="Photo Nebraska State Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN— A Nebraska State Trooper has begun his recovery after being injured Monday when a suspect rammed his patrol vehicle during a pursuit between Lincoln and Omaha, according to a media release from the Nebraska State Patrol.The trooper suffered serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. He has undergone successful surgery at Bryan Medical Center West Campus. A long recovery lies ahead, but he is alert and in good spirits this morning.The suspect, an 18-year-old from La Vista, was not injured in the crash. He refused medical treatment at the scene and was lodged in Lancaster County Jail for assault on an officer, assault on an officer using a motor vehicle, willful reckless driving, and flight to avoid arrest.Original press release&nbsp;(LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person after a pursuit, during which the suspect rammed his vehicle into an NSP cruiser and injured a trooper.At approximately 12:40 p.m. Monday, a trooper observed a Ford Fusion traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour on Interstate 80 in Lincoln, near mile marker 403. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to yield and fled westbound. The trooper initiated a pursuit.During the pursuit, the driver passed numerous vehicles on the shoulder and continued westbound at speeds above 100 miles per hour. When the vehicle reached the Milford interchange, at mile marker 382, it exited and reentered I-80 traveling eastbound toward Lincoln.The NSP AirWing took over the pursuit from the air as the vehicle continued at a high rate of speed through the Lincoln area. After passing through Lincoln, patrol units continued their pursuit on the ground. At approximately 1:15 p.m. the suspect rammed a trooper’s patrol vehicle, causing both vehicles to roll near mile marker 422. The trooper’s cruiser came to rest in the median. The suspect’s vehicle crossed the westbound lanes and came to rest in the north ditch.The suspect was taken into custody without further incident. The trooper has been transported to Bryan Medical Center West Campus with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect refused medical treatment at the scene and has been transported to Lancaster County Jail. Charges are pending as the investigation remains ongoing.Interstate 80 was closed for both directions of travel for approximately 75 minutes.

Update: Trooper Recovering, Suspect Charged with Assault on an Officer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Harvard President Claudine Gay will remain leader of the prestigious Ivy League school following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ivy-league-presidents-backlash-women-021ec60af6a5a5279c644376de065738">her comments last week</a>&nbsp;at a congressional hearing on antisemitism, the university's highest governing body announced Tuesday.

“Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing,” the Harvard Corporation said in a statement following its meeting Monday night.

Only months into her leadership, Gay came under intense scrutiny following the hearing in which she and two of her peers struggled to answer questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-hamas-college-protest-tulane-29dca6e670639b73f5bfe7bfcf6befee">campus antisemitism</a>. Their academic responses provoked a backlash from Republican opponents, along with alumni and donors who say the university leaders are failing to stand up for Jewish students on their campuses.

Some lawmakers and donors to the the university called for Gay to step down, following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-governor-antisemitism-colleges-israel-gaza-ae1294d644b3305cc51e8d9bb7252766">the resignation of Liz Magill</a>&nbsp;as president of the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday.

The Harvard Crimson student newspaper first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/12/12/gay-stays-in-office-corporation-support/">reported Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that Gay, who became Harvard’s first Black president in July, will remain in office with the support of the Harvard Corporation following the conclusion of the board’s meeting. It cited an unnamed source familiar with the decision.

A petition signed by more than 600 faculty members&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-penn-mit-antisemitism-ivy-league-aff2c8e58088654953cac9c334170444">asked the school's governing body</a>&nbsp;to keep Gay in charge.

“So many people have suffered tremendous damage and pain because of Hamas's brutal terrorist attack, and the university's initial statement should have been an immediate, direct, and unequivocal condemnation,” the corporation's statement said. “Calls for genocide are despicable and contrary to fundamental human values. President Gay has apologized for how she handled her congressional testimony and has committed to redoubling the university's fight against antisemitism."

In an interview with The Crimson last week, Gay said she got caught up in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-mit-penn-campus-antisemitism-backlash-2c89312cdd0d2652a9b57ce71f1533fd">a heated exchange at the House committee hearing</a>&nbsp;and failed to properly denounce threats of violence against Jewish students.

“What I should have had the presence of mind to do in that moment was return to my guiding truth, which is that calls for violence against our Jewish community — threats to our Jewish students — have no place at Harvard, and will never go unchallenged,” Gay said.

Testimony from Gay and Magill drew intense national backlash, as have similar responses from the president of MIT, who also testified before the Republican-led House Education and Workforce Committee.

The corporation also addressed allegations of plagiarism against Gay, saying that Harvard became aware of them in late October regarding three articles she had written. It initiated an independent review at Gay's request.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Harvard President Claudine Gay will remain leader of the prestigious Ivy League school following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ivy-league-presidents-backlash-women-021ec60af6a5a5279c644376de065738">her comments last week</a>&nbsp;at a congressional hearing on antisemitism, the university's highest governing body announced Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill resigned Saturday after facing backlash from her congressional testimony earlier this week on antisemitism on college campuses. Here&#39;s the exchange. <a href="https://t.co/EVrAMy33qh">pic.twitter.com/EVrAMy33qh</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1733607598803292487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing,” the Harvard Corporation said in a statement following its meeting Monday night.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702390765330.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Only months into her leadership, Gay came under intense scrutiny following the hearing in which she and two of her peers struggled to answer questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-hamas-college-protest-tulane-29dca6e670639b73f5bfe7bfcf6befee">campus antisemitism</a>. Their academic responses provoked a backlash from Republican opponents, along with alumni and donors who say the university leaders are failing to stand up for Jewish students on their campuses.Some lawmakers and donors to the the university called for Gay to step down, following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-governor-antisemitism-colleges-israel-gaza-ae1294d644b3305cc51e8d9bb7252766">the resignation of Liz Magill</a>&nbsp;as president of the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday.The Harvard Crimson student newspaper first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/12/12/gay-stays-in-office-corporation-support/">reported Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that Gay, who became Harvard’s first Black president in July, will remain in office with the support of the Harvard Corporation following the conclusion of the board’s meeting. It cited an unnamed source familiar with the decision.A petition signed by more than 600 faculty members&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-penn-mit-antisemitism-ivy-league-aff2c8e58088654953cac9c334170444">asked the school's governing body</a>&nbsp;to keep Gay in charge.“So many people have suffered tremendous damage and pain because of Hamas's brutal terrorist attack, and the university's initial statement should have been an immediate, direct, and unequivocal condemnation,” the corporation's statement said. “Calls for genocide are despicable and contrary to fundamental human values. President Gay has apologized for how she handled her congressional testimony and has committed to redoubling the university's fight against antisemitism."In an interview with The Crimson last week, Gay said she got caught up in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-mit-penn-campus-antisemitism-backlash-2c89312cdd0d2652a9b57ce71f1533fd">a heated exchange at the House committee hearing</a>&nbsp;and failed to properly denounce threats of violence against Jewish students.“What I should have had the presence of mind to do in that moment was return to my guiding truth, which is that calls for violence against our Jewish community — threats to our Jewish students — have no place at Harvard, and will never go unchallenged,” Gay said.Testimony from Gay and Magill drew intense national backlash, as have similar responses from the president of MIT, who also testified before the Republican-led House Education and Workforce Committee.The corporation also addressed allegations of plagiarism against Gay, saying that Harvard became aware of them in late October regarding three articles she had written. It initiated an independent review at Gay's request.

🎥Why Harvard won't fire president following antisemitism testimony

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels slammed into a Norwegian-flagged tanker in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen near a key maritime chokepoint, the rebels and authorities said Tuesday.

The assault on the oil and chemical tanker Strinda expands a campaign by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-houthi-yemen-ships-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-strip-716770f0a780160e9abed98d3c48fbde">Iranian-backed rebels targeting ships</a>&nbsp;close to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait into apparently now striking those that have no clear ties to Israel. That potentially imperils cargo and energy shipments coming through the Suez Canal and further widens the international impact of the Israel-Hamas war now raging in the Gaza Strip.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-15d10ed74c7f3cc7fd36fa0f77f73e54">Houthi</a>&nbsp;military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree issued a video statement saying the rebels only fired on the vessel when it “rejected all warning calls.”

The U.S. military's Central Command issued a statement Tuesday saying an anti-ship cruise missile “launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen” hit the Strinda.

“There were no U.S. ships in the vicinity at the time of the attack, but the USS Mason responded … and is currently rendering assistance,” Central Command said. The Mason is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that has been involved in several of the recent incidents off Yemen.

The private intelligence firms Ambrey and Dryad Global had earlier confirmed the attack happened near the crucial Bab el-Mandeb Strait separating East Africa from the Arabian Peninsula.

Geir Belsnes, the CEO of the Strinda's operator, J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, also confirmed the attack took place.

“All crew members are unhurt and safe,” Belsnes said. “The vessel is now proceeding to a safe port.”

The Strinda was coming from Malaysia and was bound for the Suez Canal and then on to Italy with a cargo of palm oil, Belsnes said. Saree alleged without offering any evidence that the ship was bound for Israel.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which provides warnings to sailors in the Middle East, earlier reported a fire aboard an unidentified vessel off Mokha, Yemen, with all the crew aboard being safe. The coordinates of that fire correspond to the last known location of the Strinda based off satellite tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press.

The Houthis have carried out a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and also launched drones and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-israeli-houthi-gaza-war-3e48ff43f1225ccd98c9a56929fb8f57">missiles targeting Israel</a>. In recent days, they have threatened to attack any vessel they believe is either going to or coming from Israel, though there was no immediate apparent link between the Strinda and Israel.

Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said over the weekend that Israel has called on its Western allies to address the threats from Yemen and would give them “some time” to organize a response. But he said if the threats persist, “we will act to remove this blockade.”

Analysts suggest the Houthis hope to shore up waning popular support after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-saudi-rebels-exchange-537ea06a0ecbf90d57ede80a50aacd6e">years of civil war in Yemen</a>&nbsp;between it and Saudi-backed forces.

France and the United States have stopped short of saying their ships were targeted in rebel attacks, but have said Houthi drones have headed toward their ships and were shot down in self-defense. Washington so far has declined to directly respond to the attacks, as has Israel, whose military continues to describe the ships as not having links to their country.

Global shipping has increasingly been targeted as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7">brief pause in fighting</a>&nbsp;during which Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The collapse of the truce and the resumption of a punishing Israeli ground offensive and airstrikes on Gaza have raised the risk of more sea attacks.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is only 29 kilometers (18 miles) wide at its narrowest point, limiting traffic to two channels for inbound and outbound shipments, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Nearly 10% of all oil traded at sea passes through it.

In November, Houthis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-red-sea-ship-yemen-houthis-65b611ff878a411900037e7c9a8ee17b">seized a vehicle transport ship</a>&nbsp;linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Separately, a container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-ship-drone-attack-symi-39929cae42a191b2f242896a053123a7">came under attack</a>&nbsp;by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean.

A separate, tentative cease-fire between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition fighting on behalf of Yemen's exiled government has held for months despite that country's long war. That's raised concerns that any wider conflict in the sea — or a potential reprisal strike from Western forces — could reignite those tensions in the Arab world's poorest nation.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels slammed into a Norwegian-flagged tanker in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen near a key maritime chokepoint, the rebels and authorities said Tuesday.The assault on the oil and chemical tanker Strinda expands a campaign by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-houthi-yemen-ships-attack-israel-hamas-war-gaza-strip-716770f0a780160e9abed98d3c48fbde">Iranian-backed rebels targeting ships</a>&nbsp;close to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait into apparently now striking those that have no clear ties to Israel. That potentially imperils cargo and energy shipments coming through the Suez Canal and further widens the international impact of the Israel-Hamas war now raging in the Gaza Strip.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-15d10ed74c7f3cc7fd36fa0f77f73e54">Houthi</a>&nbsp;military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree issued a video statement saying the rebels only fired on the vessel when it “rejected all warning calls.”The U.S. military's Central Command issued a statement Tuesday saying an anti-ship cruise missile “launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen” hit the Strinda.“There were no U.S. ships in the vicinity at the time of the attack, but the USS Mason responded … and is currently rendering assistance,” Central Command said. The Mason is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that has been involved in several of the recent incidents off Yemen.The private intelligence firms Ambrey and Dryad Global had earlier confirmed the attack happened near the crucial Bab el-Mandeb Strait separating East Africa from the Arabian Peninsula.Geir Belsnes, the CEO of the Strinda's operator, J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, also confirmed the attack took place.“All crew members are unhurt and safe,” Belsnes said. “The vessel is now proceeding to a safe port.”The Strinda was coming from Malaysia and was bound for the Suez Canal and then on to Italy with a cargo of palm oil, Belsnes said. Saree alleged without offering any evidence that the ship was bound for Israel.The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which provides warnings to sailors in the Middle East, earlier reported a fire aboard an unidentified vessel off Mokha, Yemen, with all the crew aboard being safe. The coordinates of that fire correspond to the last known location of the Strinda based off satellite tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press.The Houthis have carried out a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and also launched drones and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-israeli-houthi-gaza-war-3e48ff43f1225ccd98c9a56929fb8f57">missiles targeting Israel</a>. In recent days, they have threatened to attack any vessel they believe is either going to or coming from Israel, though there was no immediate apparent link between the Strinda and Israel.Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said over the weekend that Israel has called on its Western allies to address the threats from Yemen and would give them “some time” to organize a response. But he said if the threats persist, “we will act to remove this blockade.”Analysts suggest the Houthis hope to shore up waning popular support after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-saudi-rebels-exchange-537ea06a0ecbf90d57ede80a50aacd6e">years of civil war in Yemen</a>&nbsp;between it and Saudi-backed forces.France and the United States have stopped short of saying their ships were targeted in rebel attacks, but have said Houthi drones have headed toward their ships and were shot down in self-defense. Washington so far has declined to directly respond to the attacks, as has Israel, whose military continues to describe the ships as not having links to their country.Global shipping has increasingly been targeted as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7">brief pause in fighting</a>&nbsp;during which Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The collapse of the truce and the resumption of a punishing Israeli ground offensive and airstrikes on Gaza have raised the risk of more sea attacks.The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is only 29 kilometers (18 miles) wide at its narrowest point, limiting traffic to two channels for inbound and outbound shipments, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Nearly 10% of all oil traded at sea passes through it.In November, Houthis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-red-sea-ship-yemen-houthis-65b611ff878a411900037e7c9a8ee17b">seized a vehicle transport ship</a>&nbsp;linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Separately, a container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-ship-drone-attack-symi-39929cae42a191b2f242896a053123a7">came under attack</a>&nbsp;by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean.A separate, tentative cease-fire between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition fighting on behalf of Yemen's exiled government has held for months despite that country's long war. That's raised concerns that any wider conflict in the sea — or a potential reprisal strike from Western forces — could reignite those tensions in the Arab world's poorest nation.

U.S. destroyer responds after missile hits tanker in Red Sea 

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;on Monday asked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;to take up and rule quickly on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted on charges he plotted to overturn the 2020 election results.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-624/292946/20231211115417267_No.%2023-624%20U.S.%20v.%20Donald%20J.%20Trump%20Petition.pdf">Click here to read</a> the petition before the Supreme Court

Smith made his request for the court to act with unusual speed to prevent any delays that could push back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">the trial</a>&nbsp;of the 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner, currently set to begin March 4, until after next year’s presidential election.

Later Monday, the justices indicated they would decide quickly whether to hear the case, ordering Trump's lawyers to respond by Dec. 20. The court's brief order did not signal what it ultimately would do.

A federal judge ruled the case could go forward, but Trump said he would ask the federal appeals court in Washington to reverse that outcome. Smith is attempting to bypass the appeals court, the usual next step in the process, and have the Supreme Court take up the matter directly.

“This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former President is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office or is constitutionally protected from federal prosecution when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">has been impeached</a>&nbsp;but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">not convicted</a>&nbsp;before the criminal proceedings begin,” prosecutors wrote.

Trump's presidential campaign criticized Smith for trying to go around the appeals court. “There is absolutely no reason to rush this sham to trial except to injure President Trump and tens of millions of his supporters. President Trump will continue to fight for Justice and oppose these authoritarian tactics,” the campaign said in a statement.

The court is next scheduled to meet privately on Jan. 5, 2024. It's unclear whether the justices would convene sooner to take up Smith's request.

Underscoring the urgency for prosecutors in securing a quick resolution that can push the case forward, Smith and his team wrote: “It is of imperative public importance that respondent’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-9528a29b2dbebb6ee4a4ebd26780f98c">claims of immunity</a>&nbsp;be resolved by this Court and that respondent’s trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected.”

At issue is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388">a Dec. 1 ruling</a>&nbsp;from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that rejected arguments by Trump’s lawyers that he was immune from federal prosecution. In her order, Chutkan, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, wrote that the office of the president “does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass.”

“Former Presidents enjoy no special conditions on their federal criminal liability,” Chutkan wrote. “Defendant may be subject to federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction, and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office."

If the justices get involved, they would have an opportunity to rule for the first time ever on whether ex-presidents enjoy immunity from prosecution. Justice Department policy prohibits the indictment of a sitting president. Though there’s no such bar against prosecution for a former commander in chief, lawyers for Trump say that he cannot be charged for actions that fell within his official duties as president — a claim that prosecutors have vigorously rejected.

Smith’s team stressed that if the court did not expedite the matter, there would not be an opportunity to consider and resolve the question in the current term.

“The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request. This is an extraordinary case,” prosecutors wrote. “The Court should grant certiorari and set a briefing schedule that would permit this case to be argued and resolved as promptly as possible.”

Prosecutors are also asking the court to take up Trump’s claim, also already rejected by Chutkan, that he cannot be prosecuted in court for conduct for which he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">already impeached</a>&nbsp;— and acquitted — before Congress.

Trump faces charges accusing him of working&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-trump-capitol-10351fe6d555eaee7554379ceed8bb24">to overturn the results</a>&nbsp;of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent riot</a>&nbsp;by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol. He has denied any wrongdoing.

A Supreme Court case usually lasts several months, from the time the justices agree to hear it until a final decision. Smith is asking the court to move with unusual, but not unprecedented, speed.

Nearly 50 years ago, the justices acted within two months of being asked to force President Richard Nixon to turn over Oval Office recordings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-dean-richard-nixon-government-and-politics-crime-c7a7b99cca7c685cfc239f5e08b53378">the Watergate scandal</a>. The tapes were then used later in 1974 in the corruption prosecutions of Nixon's former aides.

It took the high court just a few days to effectively decide the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore.

If the justices decline to step in at this point, Trump's appeal would continue at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Smith already has asked for quick review there, too. But he said even a rapid appellate decision might not get to the Supreme Court in time for review and final word before the court's traditional summer break.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702331469560.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;on Monday asked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;to take up and rule quickly on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted on charges he plotted to overturn the 2020 election results.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-624/292946/20231211115417267_No.%2023-624%20U.S.%20v.%20Donald%20J.%20Trump%20Petition.pdf">Click here to read</a> the petition before the Supreme CourtSmith made his request for the court to act with unusual speed to prevent any delays that could push back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">the trial</a>&nbsp;of the 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner, currently set to begin March 4, until after next year’s presidential election.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702338990290.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Later Monday, the justices indicated they would decide quickly whether to hear the case, ordering Trump's lawyers to respond by Dec. 20. The court's brief order did not signal what it ultimately would do.A federal judge ruled the case could go forward, but Trump said he would ask the federal appeals court in Washington to reverse that outcome. Smith is attempting to bypass the appeals court, the usual next step in the process, and have the Supreme Court take up the matter directly.“This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former President is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office or is constitutionally protected from federal prosecution when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">has been impeached</a>&nbsp;but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">not convicted</a>&nbsp;before the criminal proceedings begin,” prosecutors wrote.Trump's presidential campaign criticized Smith for trying to go around the appeals court. “There is absolutely no reason to rush this sham to trial except to injure President Trump and tens of millions of his supporters. President Trump will continue to fight for Justice and oppose these authoritarian tactics,” the campaign said in a statement.The court is next scheduled to meet privately on Jan. 5, 2024. It's unclear whether the justices would convene sooner to take up Smith's request.Underscoring the urgency for prosecutors in securing a quick resolution that can push the case forward, Smith and his team wrote: “It is of imperative public importance that respondent’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-9528a29b2dbebb6ee4a4ebd26780f98c">claims of immunity</a>&nbsp;be resolved by this Court and that respondent’s trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected.”At issue is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388">a Dec. 1 ruling</a>&nbsp;from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that rejected arguments by Trump’s lawyers that he was immune from federal prosecution. In her order, Chutkan, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, wrote that the office of the president “does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass.”“Former Presidents enjoy no special conditions on their federal criminal liability,” Chutkan wrote. “Defendant may be subject to federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction, and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office."If the justices get involved, they would have an opportunity to rule for the first time ever on whether ex-presidents enjoy immunity from prosecution. Justice Department policy prohibits the indictment of a sitting president. Though there’s no such bar against prosecution for a former commander in chief, lawyers for Trump say that he cannot be charged for actions that fell within his official duties as president — a claim that prosecutors have vigorously rejected.Smith’s team stressed that if the court did not expedite the matter, there would not be an opportunity to consider and resolve the question in the current term.“The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request. This is an extraordinary case,” prosecutors wrote. “The Court should grant certiorari and set a briefing schedule that would permit this case to be argued and resolved as promptly as possible.”Prosecutors are also asking the court to take up Trump’s claim, also already rejected by Chutkan, that he cannot be prosecuted in court for conduct for which he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">already impeached</a>&nbsp;— and acquitted — before Congress.Trump faces charges accusing him of working&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-trump-capitol-10351fe6d555eaee7554379ceed8bb24">to overturn the results</a>&nbsp;of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent riot</a>&nbsp;by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol. He has denied any wrongdoing.A Supreme Court case usually lasts several months, from the time the justices agree to hear it until a final decision. Smith is asking the court to move with unusual, but not unprecedented, speed.Nearly 50 years ago, the justices acted within two months of being asked to force President Richard Nixon to turn over Oval Office recordings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-dean-richard-nixon-government-and-politics-crime-c7a7b99cca7c685cfc239f5e08b53378">the Watergate scandal</a>. The tapes were then used later in 1974 in the corruption prosecutions of Nixon's former aides.It took the high court just a few days to effectively decide the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore.If the justices decline to step in at this point, Trump's appeal would continue at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Smith already has asked for quick review there, too. But he said even a rapid appellate decision might not get to the Supreme Court in time for review and final word before the court's traditional summer break.

Trump responds to Supreme Court decision to rule on his immunity claim

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-us-emergency-sale-tank-ammunition-war-d3e9b41528433f2da9814d3293996cd5">defended the emergency sale</a>&nbsp;to Israel of nearly 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition and also called for quick congressional approval of more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">$100 billion in aid</a>&nbsp;for Israel, Ukraine and other national security priorities.

Blinken said the needs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s military operations in Gaza</a>&nbsp;justify the rare decision to bypass Congress. “Israel is in combat right now with Hamas,” he said during television interviews on Sunday. “And we want to make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Hamas.”

The tank ammunition and related support constitute only a small portion of military sales to Israel and the rest remains subject to congressional review, Blinken said. “It’s very important that Congress‘ voice be heard in this,” he said.

The decision to proceed with the sale of more than $106 million in tank shells came as the Biden administration’s larger aid package is caught up in a debate over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-immigration-ukraine-6bdcc5dde4dadb48b43ace75b5a55242">U.S. immigration policy and border security.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702300715756.png" alt="U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a meeting with Israel President Isaac Herzog in November.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a meeting with Israel President Isaac Herzog in November.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-us-emergency-sale-tank-ammunition-war-d3e9b41528433f2da9814d3293996cd5">defended the emergency sale</a>&nbsp;to Israel of nearly 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition and also called for quick congressional approval of more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">$100 billion in aid</a>&nbsp;for Israel, Ukraine and other national security priorities.Blinken said the needs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s military operations in Gaza</a>&nbsp;justify the rare decision to bypass Congress. “Israel is in combat right now with Hamas,” he said during television interviews on Sunday. “And we want to make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Hamas.”The tank ammunition and related support constitute only a small portion of military sales to Israel and the rest remains subject to congressional review, Blinken said. “It’s very important that Congress‘ voice be heard in this,” he said.The decision to proceed with the sale of more than $106 million in tank shells came as the Biden administration’s larger aid package is caught up in a debate over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-immigration-ukraine-6bdcc5dde4dadb48b43ace75b5a55242">U.S. immigration policy and border security.</a>

Biden ammunition sale to Israel did not have Congressional approval

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A pregnant Texas woman who sought court permission for an abortion in an unprecedented challenge to one of the most restrictive bans in the U.S. has left the state to obtain the procedure, her attorneys said Monday.

The announcement came as Kate Cox, 31, was awaiting a ruling from the Texas Supreme Court over whether she could legally obtain an abortion under narrow exceptions to the state’s ban. A judge gave Cox, a mother of two from the Dallas area, permission last week but that decision was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-ban-supreme-court-decision-10767891a475e7ce2c82b1404450908a">put on hold</a>&nbsp;by the state’s all-Republican high court.

The organization did not disclose where Cox went. On Monday, she was 20 weeks and six days pregnant.

Cox was believed to be the first woman in the U.S. to ask a court for permission for an abortion since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">Roe v. Wade was overturned last year.</a>&nbsp;Her lawsuit quickly became a high-profile test of bans in Texas and a dozen other GOP-controlled states, where abortion is prohibited at nearly all stages of pregnancy.

Earlier Monday, two medical groups in the U.S. urged the Texas Supreme Court to rule in favor of Cox. Her attorneys said she had been to the emergency at least four times since becoming pregnant again in August.

“The pervasive ‘climate of fear’ among the Texas medical community is certain to be made worse by this case and the State’s actions in opposing the abortion Ms. Cox needs,” read the brief, which was filed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Texas’ abortion ban makes narrow exceptions when the life of the mother is in danger but not for fetal anomalies.

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has defended the state’s strict anti-abortion laws for nearly a decade, argued that Cox did not demonstrate that the pregnancy had put her life in danger.

“The Texas Legislature did not intend for courts to become revolving doors of permission slips to obtain abortions,” Paxton’s office wrote in a filing to the state Supreme Court last week.

Doctors told Cox that her fetus has a condition known as trisomy 18, which has a very high likelihood of miscarriage or stillbirth, and low survival rates, according to her lawsuit filed last week in Austin. They also told Cox that inducing labor or carrying the baby to term could jeopardize her ability to have another child.

Trisomy 18 occurs in approximately 1 in 2,500 diagnosed pregnancies, doctors told the court in the brief filed Monday. There is no live birth in about 70% of pregnancies involving the diagnosis that proceed past 12 weeks gestational age, according to the brief.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702131734401.png" alt="Kate Cox.Courtesy The Center for Reproductive Rights" />
 <figcaption>Kate Cox.Courtesy The Center for Reproductive Rights</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A pregnant Texas woman who sought court permission for an abortion in an unprecedented challenge to one of the most restrictive bans in the U.S. has left the state to obtain the procedure, her attorneys said Monday.The announcement came as Kate Cox, 31, was awaiting a ruling from the Texas Supreme Court over whether she could legally obtain an abortion under narrow exceptions to the state’s ban. A judge gave Cox, a mother of two from the Dallas area, permission last week but that decision was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-ban-supreme-court-decision-10767891a475e7ce2c82b1404450908a">put on hold</a>&nbsp;by the state’s all-Republican high court.“Her health is on the line. She’s been in and out of the emergency room and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-care-wait-times-us-roe-dobbs-7b0a328bb34b0acb3d37e359a63712fc">she couldn’t wait any longer,”</a>&nbsp;said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which was representing Cox.The organization did not disclose where Cox went. On Monday, she was 20 weeks and six days pregnant.Cox was believed to be the first woman in the U.S. to ask a court for permission for an abortion since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">Roe v. Wade was overturned last year.</a>&nbsp;Her lawsuit quickly became a high-profile test of bans in Texas and a dozen other GOP-controlled states, where abortion is prohibited at nearly all stages of pregnancy.Days after Cox filed her lawsuit, a pregnant woman in Kentucky also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-kentucky-aclu-lawsuit-14df6d5e8a5aaa36009557d080b1c779">asked a court to allow an abortion.</a>&nbsp;There has been no ruling yet in that case.Earlier Monday, two medical groups in the U.S. urged the Texas Supreme Court to rule in favor of Cox. Her attorneys said she had been to the emergency at least four times since becoming pregnant again in August.“The pervasive ‘climate of fear’ among the Texas medical community is certain to be made worse by this case and the State’s actions in opposing the abortion Ms. Cox needs,” read the brief, which was filed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.Texas’ abortion ban makes narrow exceptions when the life of the mother is in danger but not for fetal anomalies.Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has defended the state’s strict anti-abortion laws for nearly a decade, argued that Cox did not demonstrate that the pregnancy had put her life in danger.“The Texas Legislature did not intend for courts to become revolving doors of permission slips to obtain abortions,” Paxton’s office wrote in a filing to the state Supreme Court last week.Doctors told Cox that her fetus has a condition known as trisomy 18, which has a very high likelihood of miscarriage or stillbirth, and low survival rates, according to her lawsuit filed last week in Austin. They also told Cox that inducing labor or carrying the baby to term could jeopardize her ability to have another child.Trisomy 18 occurs in approximately 1 in 2,500 diagnosed pregnancies, doctors told the court in the brief filed Monday. There is no live birth in about 70% of pregnancies involving the diagnosis that proceed past 12 weeks gestational age, according to the brief.The termination of pregnancies because of fetal anomalies or other often-fatal medical problems&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ending-pregnancies-over-grave-medical-problems-e504e595f5f4ea6139db3f7b5155ca85">is seldom discussed</a>&nbsp;in national debates over abortion. There are no recent statistics on the frequency of terminations for fetal anomalies in the U.S. but experts say it’s a small percentage of total procedures.

Woman who sought court permission for abortion leaves state for the procedure

NEW YORK (AP) — SmileDirectClub is shutting down — just months after the struggling teeth-straightening company filed for bankruptcy protection.

<a href="https://smiledirectclub.com/">Click here to read </a>the announcement on the company web site.

In an announcement, SmileDirectClub said it had made an “incredibly difficult decision to wind down its global operations, effective immediately.”

That leaves existing customers in limbo. SmileDirectClub’s aligner treatment through its telehealth platform is no longer available, the Nashville, Tennessee, company&nbsp;<a href="https://smiledirectclub.com/" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;while urging consumers to consult their local dentist for further treatment. Customer care support for the company has also ceased.

Customer orders that haven’t shipped yet have been cancelled and “Lifetime Smile Guarantee” no longer exists, the company said. SmileDirectClub apologized for the inconvenience and said additional information about refund requests will arrive “once the bankruptcy process determines next steps and additional measures customers can take.”

SmileDirectClub also said that Smile Pay customers are expected to continue to make payments, leading to further confusion and frustration online. When contacted by The Associated Press Monday for additional information, a spokesperson said the company couldn’t comment further.

SmileDirectClub filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the end of September. At the time, the company reported nearly $900 million in debt. On Friday, the company said it was unable to find a partner willing to bring in enough capital to keep the company afloat, despite a monthslong search.

When SmileDirectClub went public back in 2019, the company was valued at about $8.9 billion. But its stock soon tumbled and plummeted in value over time, as the company proved to be unprofitable year after year and faced multiple legal battles. In 2022, SmileDirectClub reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/earnings-0d66b4f95579aa8d0aed238ff9eff436" target="_blank">a loss of $86.4 million</a>.

SmileDirectClub, which has served over 2 million people since its 2014 founding, once promised to revolutionaize the oral care industry by selling clear dental aligners (marketed as a faster and more affordable alternative to braces) directly to consumers by mail and in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-ri-state-wire-ca-state-wire-business-91b2f283975a45b9b935c53db5dbf2f6" target="_blank">major retailers</a>. But the company has also seen pushback from within and beyond the medical community.

Last year, District of Columbia attorney general’s office sued SmileDirectClub for “unfair and deceptive” practices — accusing the company of unlawfully using non-disclosure agreements to manipulate online reviews and keep customers from reporting negative experiences to regulators. SmileDirectClub denied the allegations, but agreed to a June settlement agreement that required the company to release over 17,000 customers from the NDAs and pay $500,000 to DC.

The British Dental Association has also been critical about SmileDirectClub and such remote orthodontics — pointing to cases of advanced gum disease provided with aligners, misdiagnosis risks and more in a Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TheBDA/status/1733776815414485084" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“It shouldn’t have taken a bankruptcy to protect patients from harm,” the British Dental Association&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TheBDA/status/1733776086645830066" target="_blank">wrote</a>, while calling on U.K. regulators for increased protections. “Dentists are left to pick up the pieces when these providers offer wholly inappropriate treatment.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702322656809.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — SmileDirectClub is shutting down — just months after the struggling teeth-straightening company filed for bankruptcy protection.<a href="https://smiledirectclub.com/">Click here to read </a>the announcement on the company web site.In an announcement, SmileDirectClub said it had made an “incredibly difficult decision to wind down its global operations, effective immediately.”That leaves existing customers in limbo. SmileDirectClub’s aligner treatment through its telehealth platform is no longer available, the Nashville, Tennessee, company&nbsp;<a href="https://smiledirectclub.com/" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;while urging consumers to consult their local dentist for further treatment. Customer care support for the company has also ceased.Customer orders that haven’t shipped yet have been cancelled and “Lifetime Smile Guarantee” no longer exists, the company said. SmileDirectClub apologized for the inconvenience and said additional information about refund requests will arrive “once the bankruptcy process determines next steps and additional measures customers can take.”SmileDirectClub also said that Smile Pay customers are expected to continue to make payments, leading to further confusion and frustration online. When contacted by The Associated Press Monday for additional information, a spokesperson said the company couldn’t comment further.SmileDirectClub filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the end of September. At the time, the company reported nearly $900 million in debt. On Friday, the company said it was unable to find a partner willing to bring in enough capital to keep the company afloat, despite a monthslong search.When SmileDirectClub went public back in 2019, the company was valued at about $8.9 billion. But its stock soon tumbled and plummeted in value over time, as the company proved to be unprofitable year after year and faced multiple legal battles. In 2022, SmileDirectClub reported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/earnings-0d66b4f95579aa8d0aed238ff9eff436" target="_blank">a loss of $86.4 million</a>.SmileDirectClub, which has served over 2 million people since its 2014 founding, once promised to revolutionaize the oral care industry by selling clear dental aligners (marketed as a faster and more affordable alternative to braces) directly to consumers by mail and in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-ri-state-wire-ca-state-wire-business-91b2f283975a45b9b935c53db5dbf2f6" target="_blank">major retailers</a>. But the company has also seen pushback from within and beyond the medical community.Last year, District of Columbia attorney general’s office sued SmileDirectClub for “unfair and deceptive” practices — accusing the company of unlawfully using non-disclosure agreements to manipulate online reviews and keep customers from reporting negative experiences to regulators. SmileDirectClub denied the allegations, but agreed to a June settlement agreement that required the company to release over 17,000 customers from the NDAs and pay $500,000 to DC.The British Dental Association has also been critical about SmileDirectClub and such remote orthodontics — pointing to cases of advanced gum disease provided with aligners, misdiagnosis risks and more in a Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TheBDA/status/1733776815414485084" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.“It shouldn’t have taken a bankruptcy to protect patients from harm,” the British Dental Association&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/TheBDA/status/1733776086645830066" target="_blank">wrote</a>, while calling on U.K. regulators for increased protections. “Dentists are left to pick up the pieces when these providers offer wholly inappropriate treatment.”

Telehealth orthodontics company shuts down

A federal judge ruled the case could go forward, but Trump, 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner, signaled he would ask the federal appeals court in Washington to reverse that outcome.

Smith is attempting to bypass the appeals court. The request filed Monday for the Supreme Court to take up the matter directly reflects Smith’s desire to keep the trial, currently set for March 4, on track and to prevent any delays that could push back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">the case</a>&nbsp;until after next year’s presidential election.

The earliest the court would consider the appeal would be Jan. 5, 2024, the date of the justices' next scheduled private conference.

Underscoring the urgency for prosecutors in securing a quick resolution that can push the case forward, they wrote: “It is of imperative public importance that respondent’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-9528a29b2dbebb6ee4a4ebd26780f98c">claims of immunity</a>&nbsp;be resolved by this Court and that respondent’s trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected.”

Prosecutors are also asking the court to take up Trump’s claim, also already rejected by Chutkan, that he cannot be prosecuted in court for conduct for which he was was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">already impeached</a>&nbsp;— and acquitted — before Congress.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698261736155.png" alt="File&nbsp;-Former President Donald Trump during a break in his civil business fraud trial at New York Supreme Court in October. -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File&nbsp;-Former President Donald Trump during a break in his civil business fraud trial at New York Supreme Court in October. -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;on Monday asked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;to take up and rule quickly on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted on charges he plotted to overturn the 2020 election results.A federal judge ruled the case could go forward, but Trump, 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner, signaled he would ask the federal appeals court in Washington to reverse that outcome.Smith is attempting to bypass the appeals court. The request filed Monday for the Supreme Court to take up the matter directly reflects Smith’s desire to keep the trial, currently set for March 4, on track and to prevent any delays that could push back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">the case</a>&nbsp;until after next year’s presidential election.“This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former President is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office or is constitutionally protected from federal prosecution when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">has been impeached</a>&nbsp;but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">not convicted</a>&nbsp;before the criminal proceedings begin,” prosecutors wrote.The earliest the court would consider the appeal would be Jan. 5, 2024, the date of the justices' next scheduled private conference.Underscoring the urgency for prosecutors in securing a quick resolution that can push the case forward, they wrote: “It is of imperative public importance that respondent’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-9528a29b2dbebb6ee4a4ebd26780f98c">claims of immunity</a>&nbsp;be resolved by this Court and that respondent’s trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected.”At issue is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388">a Dec. 1 ruling</a>&nbsp;from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that rejected arguments by Trump’s lawyers that he was immune from federal prosecution. In her order, Chutkan, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, wrote that the office of the president “does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass.”“Former Presidents enjoy no special conditions on their federal criminal liability,” Chutkan wrote. “Defendant may be subject to federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction, and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office."If the justices get involved, they would have an opportunity to rule for the first time ever on whether ex-presidents enjoy immunity from prosecution. Justice Department policy prohibits the indictment of a sitting president. Though there’s no such bar against prosecution for a former commander in chief, lawyers for Trump say that he cannot be charged for actions that fell within his official duties as president — a claim that prosecutors have vigorously rejected.Smith’s team stressed that if the court did not expedite the matter, there would not be an opportunity to consider and resolve the question in the current term.“The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request. This is an extraordinary case,” prosecutors wrote. “The Court should grant certiorari and set a briefing schedule that would permit this case to be argued and resolved as promptly as possible.”Prosecutors are also asking the court to take up Trump’s claim, also already rejected by Chutkan, that he cannot be prosecuted in court for conduct for which he was was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">already impeached</a>&nbsp;— and acquitted — before Congress.Trump faces charges accusing him of working&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-hearings-trump-capitol-10351fe6d555eaee7554379ceed8bb24">to overturn the results</a>&nbsp;of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent riot</a>&nbsp;by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol. He has denied any wrongdoing.A Supreme Court case usually lasts several months, from the time the justices agree to hear it until a final decision. Smith is asking the court to move with unusual, but not unprecedented, speed.Nearly 50 years ago, the justices acted within two months of being asked to force President Richard Nixon to turn over Oval Office recordings in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-dean-richard-nixon-government-and-politics-crime-c7a7b99cca7c685cfc239f5e08b53378">the Watergate scandal</a>. The tapes were then used later in 1974 in the corruption prosecutions of Nixon's former aides.It took the high court just a few days to effectively decide the 2000 presidential election for Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore.

Supreme Court will decide if Trump is immune from Jan. 6 prosecution

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-board-of-regents-chair-not-concerned-amid-multiple-leadership-transitions/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;The chair of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents said last week he is not concerned in the face of multiple high-ranking leadership transitions across NU.

University of Nebraska at Kearney Chancellor Doug Kristensen announced he&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/06/unk-chancellor-announces-retirement-22-years-after-taking-central-nebraska-role/">plans to retire</a>&nbsp;at the end of the academic year after 22 years of service at UNK. In response, Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln told the Nebraska Examiner on Friday that there is always a “next chapter” and NU will find a successful replacement for Kristensen who will move the university forward.

“He has been a public servant and not a backbencher guy —&nbsp;a guy that’s out front. I think we as a state, we as a university, are better, in part, because of Doug,” Clare said.

“I’m not concerned about it whatsoever,” Clare added.

Kristensen is the longest-serving chancellor in NU history and is the longest currently serving leader of any higher education institute in the state. He previously served 14 years in the Nebraska Legislature.

Next year, Kristensen’s departure will mark the third high-ranking administrator to leave in just under a year, joining a national trend of higher education&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.chronicle.com/article/college-presidents-are-less-experienced-than-ever-and-eyeing-the-exit">administrators’ shrinking tenures</a>.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/30/retiring-unl-chancellor-reflects-on-seven-years-of-challenges-and-opportunities/">Chancellor Ronnie Green retired</a>&nbsp;at the end of June, after seven years of service. NU Ted Carter is on his way out the door Dec. 31 to lead The Ohio State University, after four years in Nebraska.

NU’s “next chapter” could bring a different lens to NU as regents eye longevity, at least in the search for Carter’s successor.

That search, with Clare chairing the regents’ advisory search committee, has a goal to find a leader deeply committed to Nebraska and willing to remain in the president’s seat for a decade or more.

This summer, Rodney Bennett of the University of Southern Mississippi succeeded Green and said during a candidate forum he plans to work at Nebraska for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/unl-chancellor-priority-candidate-meets-with-nebraska-students/">about 10 years</a>.

In addition to Bennett and Kristensen’s successor, University of Nebraska at Omaha Chancellor Joanne Li and University of Nebraska Medical Center Chancellor Jeffrey Gold remain at the helm of NU’s two Omaha campuses. Li joined UNO in July 2021. Gold has served in the UNMC role since early 2014, including four years as chancellor concurrently of UNO and UNMC.

Applications or nominations for the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-president-leadership-profile-released-applications-due-jan-1/">next NU president are due by Jan. 1</a>. Chris Kabourek, NU’s chief financial officer and interim president beginning Jan. 1, said he’ll quickly formulate a process to identify UNK’s next leader.

“We’ve got too many good things that are positive for the university, and we’re going to get things continuing to move up and forward,” Clare said. “I’m excited about our future.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702305738513.jpeg" alt="Regent Tim Clare, at right, joins Jay Lemons, leader of the consulting firm Academic Search, during an advisory committee meeting to find NU’s next president. Clare leads the advisory committee Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Regent Tim Clare, at right, joins Jay Lemons, leader of the consulting firm Academic Search, during an advisory committee meeting to find NU’s next president. Clare leads the advisory committee Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-board-of-regents-chair-not-concerned-amid-multiple-leadership-transitions/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;The chair of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents said last week he is not concerned in the face of multiple high-ranking leadership transitions across NU.University of Nebraska at Kearney Chancellor Doug Kristensen announced he&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/12/06/unk-chancellor-announces-retirement-22-years-after-taking-central-nebraska-role/">plans to retire</a>&nbsp;at the end of the academic year after 22 years of service at UNK. In response, Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln told the Nebraska Examiner on Friday that there is always a “next chapter” and NU will find a successful replacement for Kristensen who will move the university forward.“He has been a public servant and not a backbencher guy —&nbsp;a guy that’s out front. I think we as a state, we as a university, are better, in part, because of Doug,” Clare said.“I’m not concerned about it whatsoever,” Clare added.Kristensen is the longest-serving chancellor in NU history and is the longest currently serving leader of any higher education institute in the state. He previously served 14 years in the Nebraska Legislature.Next year, Kristensen’s departure will mark the third high-ranking administrator to leave in just under a year, joining a national trend of higher education&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.chronicle.com/article/college-presidents-are-less-experienced-than-ever-and-eyeing-the-exit">administrators’ shrinking tenures</a>.University of Nebraska-Lincoln&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/30/retiring-unl-chancellor-reflects-on-seven-years-of-challenges-and-opportunities/">Chancellor Ronnie Green retired</a>&nbsp;at the end of June, after seven years of service. NU Ted Carter is on his way out the door Dec. 31 to lead The Ohio State University, after four years in Nebraska.NU’s “next chapter” could bring a different lens to NU as regents eye longevity, at least in the search for Carter’s successor.That search, with Clare chairing the regents’ advisory search committee, has a goal to find a leader deeply committed to Nebraska and willing to remain in the president’s seat for a decade or more.This summer, Rodney Bennett of the University of Southern Mississippi succeeded Green and said during a candidate forum he plans to work at Nebraska for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/unl-chancellor-priority-candidate-meets-with-nebraska-students/">about 10 years</a>.In addition to Bennett and Kristensen’s successor, University of Nebraska at Omaha Chancellor Joanne Li and University of Nebraska Medical Center Chancellor Jeffrey Gold remain at the helm of NU’s two Omaha campuses. Li joined UNO in July 2021. Gold has served in the UNMC role since early 2014, including four years as chancellor concurrently of UNO and UNMC.Applications or nominations for the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-president-leadership-profile-released-applications-due-jan-1/">next NU president are due by Jan. 1</a>. Chris Kabourek, NU’s chief financial officer and interim president beginning Jan. 1, said he’ll quickly formulate a process to identify UNK’s next leader.“We’ve got too many good things that are positive for the university, and we’re going to get things continuing to move up and forward,” Clare said. “I’m excited about our future.”

Nebraska Board of Regents chair ‘not concerned’ amid multiple leadership transitions

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man has been arrested in the stabbing death of a Catholic priest who was attacked over the weekend in a church rectory in a small Nebraska community, authorities said.

The Rev. Stephen Gutgsell was assaulted Sunday “during an invasion” of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, the Archdiocese of Omaha said in a statement.

Gutgsell was taken to an Omaha hospital, where he died from his injuries, church officials said. Fort Calhoun, with a population of about 1,000 people, is roughly 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Omaha.

Police received a 911 call about an attempted break-in at the church just after 5 a.m. When officers arrived, they found Gutgsell injured and a suspected attacker inside. Kierre L. Williams, 43, was arrested on charges of homicide and using a weapon to commit a felony, Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson said in a statement.

It is not clear if Williams, who is from Sioux City, Iowa, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) north of Fort Calhoun, has a lawyer. A message left at the county jail was not immediately returned.

In 2007, Gutgsell pleaded guilty to theft by deception for embezzling $127,000 from an area church. He was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution. He was later reassigned to another church. At the time, church leaders said Gutgsell learned his lesson, admitted wrongdoing and sought forgiveness.

Earlier this year, his brother, the Rev. Michael Gutgsell, also pled guilty to theft charges. He served as chancellor of the Omaha archdiocese from 1994 until 2003.

Robinson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wowt.com/app/2023/12/10/washington-county-sheriffs-office-investigating-priests-death/">told WOWT-TV</a>&nbsp;that authorities did not believe Stephen Gutgsell's death was related to his criminal history. Robinson did not respond Sunday to questions on the topic from The Associated Press.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man has been arrested in the stabbing death of a Catholic priest who was attacked over the weekend in a church rectory in a small Nebraska community, authorities said.The Rev. Stephen Gutgsell was assaulted Sunday “during an invasion” of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, the Archdiocese of Omaha said in a statement.Gutgsell was taken to an Omaha hospital, where he died from his injuries, church officials said. Fort Calhoun, with a population of about 1,000 people, is roughly 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Omaha.Police received a 911 call about an attempted break-in at the church just after 5 a.m. When officers arrived, they found Gutgsell injured and a suspected attacker inside. Kierre L. Williams, 43, was arrested on charges of homicide and using a weapon to commit a felony, Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson said in a statement.It is not clear if Williams, who is from Sioux City, Iowa, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) north of Fort Calhoun, has a lawyer. A message left at the county jail was not immediately returned.In 2007, Gutgsell pleaded guilty to theft by deception for embezzling $127,000 from an area church. He was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution. He was later reassigned to another church. At the time, church leaders said Gutgsell learned his lesson, admitted wrongdoing and sought forgiveness.Earlier this year, his brother, the Rev. Michael Gutgsell, also pled guilty to theft charges. He served as chancellor of the Omaha archdiocese from 1994 until 2003.Robinson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wowt.com/app/2023/12/10/washington-county-sheriffs-office-investigating-priests-death/">told WOWT-TV</a>&nbsp;that authorities did not believe Stephen Gutgsell's death was related to his criminal history. Robinson did not respond Sunday to questions on the topic from The Associated Press.

Iowa man arrested in the death of a Nebraska priest

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched an online application for Direct Loan customers. More than 26,000 customers who submit a Direct Loan application each year can now use an online, interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan. This tool is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, improve customer service, and expand credit access.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is working hard to make it easier for farmers and ranchers to get the loans they need to keep growing food, fiber, and fuel for our country,” said Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. “Online services are commonplace in commercial lending, and with USDA Farm Service Agency's new online loan application feature, it is now easier for producers to get the financing they need to start, expand, or maintain their farming and ranching operations.”

The online farm loan application replicates the support an applicant would receive when completing a loan application in person with an FSA Farm Loan Officer, while continuing to provide customers with one-on-one assistance as needed. This tool and other process improvements allow farmers and ranchers to submit complete loan applications and reduce the number of incomplete and withdrawn applications.

Through a personalized dashboard, borrowers can track the progress of their loan application. It can be accessed on farmers.gov or by completing FSA’s Loan Assistance Tool at farmers.gov/loan-assistance-tool. To use the online loan application tool, producers must establish a USDA customer account and a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication (“eAuth”) account or a Login.gov account. For the initial stage, the online application tool is only available for producers who will be, or are currently, operating their farm as an individual. FSA is expanding the tools availability to married couples applying jointly and other legal entities in 2024.

FSA has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate Farm Loan Program customer-facing business processes. For the over 26,000 producers who submit a Direct Loan application to FSA annually, and its 85,000 Direct Loan borrowers, FSA has made improvements this year, including: · A simplified direct loan paper application, reduced from 29 pages to 13 pages. · The Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov that provides customers with an interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the Direct Loan products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding the application process.

FSA continues to accept and review individual requests for assistance from qualifying borrowers who took certain extraordinary measures to avoid delinquency on their direct FSA loans or those who were unable to make a recent installment or are unable to make their next scheduled installment for installments through January 15, 2024. All requests for assistance must be received by Dec. 31, 2023. For more information, or to submit a request for assistance, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center or visit farmers.gov/inflation-reduction-investments/assistance. 

The Inflation Reduction Act, a historic, once-in-a-generation investment and opportunity for agricultural communities, provided $3.1 billion for USDA to provide relief for distressed borrowers with certain FSA direct and guaranteed loans and to expedite assistance for those whose agricultural operations are at financial risk. Since October 2022, USDA has provided approximately $1.6 billion in assistance to more than 27,000 distressed direct and guaranteed FSA loan borrowers.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. 

By USDAWASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched an online application for Direct Loan customers. More than 26,000 customers who submit a Direct Loan application each year can now use an online, interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan. This tool is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, improve customer service, and expand credit access.“The Biden-Harris Administration is working hard to make it easier for farmers and ranchers to get the loans they need to keep growing food, fiber, and fuel for our country,” said Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. “Online services are commonplace in commercial lending, and with USDA Farm Service Agency's new online loan application feature, it is now easier for producers to get the financing they need to start, expand, or maintain their farming and ranching operations.”The online farm loan application replicates the support an applicant would receive when completing a loan application in person with an FSA Farm Loan Officer, while continuing to provide customers with one-on-one assistance as needed. This tool and other process improvements allow farmers and ranchers to submit complete loan applications and reduce the number of incomplete and withdrawn applications.Through a personalized dashboard, borrowers can track the progress of their loan application. It can be accessed on farmers.gov or by completing FSA’s Loan Assistance Tool at farmers.gov/loan-assistance-tool. To use the online loan application tool, producers must establish a USDA customer account and a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication (“eAuth”) account or a Login.gov account. For the initial stage, the online application tool is only available for producers who will be, or are currently, operating their farm as an individual. FSA is expanding the tools availability to married couples applying jointly and other legal entities in 2024.Farm Loan Improvement EffortsFSA has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate Farm Loan Program customer-facing business processes. For the over 26,000 producers who submit a Direct Loan application to FSA annually, and its 85,000 Direct Loan borrowers, FSA has made improvements this year, including: · A simplified direct loan paper application, reduced from 29 pages to 13 pages. · The Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov that provides customers with an interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the Direct Loan products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding the application process.More InformationFSA continues to accept and review individual requests for assistance from qualifying borrowers who took certain extraordinary measures to avoid delinquency on their direct FSA loans or those who were unable to make a recent installment or are unable to make their next scheduled installment for installments through January 15, 2024. All requests for assistance must be received by Dec. 31, 2023. For more information, or to submit a request for assistance, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center or visit farmers.gov/inflation-reduction-investments/assistance. The Inflation Reduction Act, a historic, once-in-a-generation investment and opportunity for agricultural communities, provided $3.1 billion for USDA to provide relief for distressed borrowers with certain FSA direct and guaranteed loans and to expedite assistance for those whose agricultural operations are at financial risk. Since October 2022, USDA has provided approximately $1.6 billion in assistance to more than 27,000 distressed direct and guaranteed FSA loan borrowers.USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

USDA Now Accepting Applications for Farm Loans Online

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Ukraine's leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will meet at the White House on Tuesday as the U.S. administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-immigration-ukraine-6bdcc5dde4dadb48b43ace75b5a55242">steps up the pressure</a>&nbsp;on Congress to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-aid-military-russia-002fde812843fc1fc0e969b653ce83a8">billions more in aid to Kyiv</a>&nbsp;in its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war with Russia</a>.

The visit is intended “to underscore the United States’ unshakeable commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s brutal invasion,” the White House said in a statement Sunday. “As Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, the leaders will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States’ continued support at this critical moment.”

Zelenskyy's office confirmed that he had accepted Biden's invitation. He also has been asked to speak to a meeting of all senators.

Biden has asked Congress for a $110 billion package of wartime funding for Ukraine ($61.4 billion) and Israel, along with other national security priorities. But the request is caught up in a debate over U.S. immigration policy and border security.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-argentina-cape-verde-496dc646174e1b89a145826963bb8bb3">Zelenskyy traveled to Buenos Aires</a>&nbsp;to witness&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-milei-inauguration-president-46b73d6a705e1c4652303022a37dbbb0">the swearing-in</a>&nbsp;on Sunday of Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei. The Ukrainian leader had been scheduled to address U.S. senators by video last week, but had to cancel the appearance, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

Congress already has allocated $111 billion to assist Ukraine, and Biden’s budget director, Shalanda Young,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/briefing-room/2023/12/04/letter-to-congressional-leadership-regarding-the-need-for-urgent-action-to-support-ukraines-defense/">said in a letter</a>&nbsp;this past week to House and Senate leaders that the U.S. will run out of funding to send weapons and assistance to Ukraine by the end of the year, which would “kneecap” Ukraine on the battlefield.

“It’s time to cut a deal that both sides can agree to,” Young said Sunday.

The stakes are especially high for Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during two television interviews Sunday, given that “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-military-assistance-economy-557cbced7f7c1242ea08c52dadefc33b">we are running out of funding</a>&nbsp;” for the Ukrainians. “This is a time to really step up because if we don’t, we know what happens. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will be able to move forward with impunity and we know he won’t stop in Ukraine.”

Earlier, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-us-emergency-sale-tank-ammunition-war-d3e9b41528433f2da9814d3293996cd5">defended the emergency sale</a>&nbsp;to Israel of nearly 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition and also called for quick congressional approval of the foreign assistance. Blinken said the needs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's military operations in Gaza</a>&nbsp;justify the rare decision to bypass Congress. “Israel is in combat right now with Hamas,” he said. “And we want to make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Hamas."

The tank ammunition and related support constitute only a small portion of military sales to Israel, Blinken said, and that the rest remains subject to congressional review. "It’s very important that Congress‘ voice be heard in this,” he said.

The decision to proceed with the sale of more than $106 million for tank shells came as the administration's larger aid package is caught up in a larger immigration debate.

Blinken noted that Biden has said he is willing to make&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-aid-military-russia-002fde812843fc1fc0e969b653ce83a8">significant compromises</a>&nbsp;to get the aid package moving. ``It’s something the president is fully prepared to engage on," Blinken said.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said there is bipartisan agreement that something has to be done to address record numbers of migrants crossing into the United States from Mexico.

“We want to solve that, to secure the border. I just saw the president of the United States say that we’ve got to secure the border. He’s right. So, any effort that doesn’t do that will be rejected by Republicans,” Romney said.

Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, said the administration has yet to justify additional aid to Ukraine. “So what we’re saying to the president and really to the entire world is, you need to articulate what the ambition is. What is $61 billion going to accomplish that $100 billion hasn’t?” Vance said.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said the money would make a difference because Russia is struggling to fund its war effort. “It can change the outcome of this war,” Murphy said. “Because at the very same time that we are making a renewed commitment to Ukraine, Russia’s ability to continue to fight this war is in jeopardy.”

Romney said he also supports the aid to Ukraine. “My own view is that it’s very much in America’s interest to see Ukraine successful and to provide the weapons that Ukraine needs to defend itself. Anything other than that would be a huge dereliction of our responsibility, I believe, to the world of democracy but also to our own national interest,” he said.

Blinken appeared on ABC's “This Week” and CNN's “State of the Union.” Romney and Murphy were on NBC's “Meet the Press.” Vance was on CNN. Young was on CBS' “Face the Nation.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — A deal to provide further U.S. assistance to Ukraine by year-end appears to be increasingly out of reach for President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>. The impasse is deepening in Congress despite dire warnings from the White House about the consequences of inaction as Republicans insist on pairing the aid with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-zelenskyy-border-security-8592ddcb1627fc6d0b43349bac3fe329">changes</a>&nbsp;to America's immigration and border policies.

After the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-aid-military-russia-002fde812843fc1fc0e969b653ce83a8">Democratic president said</a>&nbsp;this past week he was willing to “make significant compromises on the border,” Republicans quickly revived demands that they had earlier set aside, hardening their positions and attempting to shift the negotiations to the right, according to a person familiar with the talks who was not authorized to publicly discuss them and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The latest proposal, from the lead GOP negotiator, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., came during a meeting with a core group of senators before they left Washington on Thursday afternoon. It could force the White House to consider ideas that many Democrats will seriously oppose, throwing new obstacles in the difficult negotiations.

Biden is facing the prospect of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">cornerstone of his foreign policy</a>&nbsp;— repelling Russian President Vladimir Putin from overtaking Ukraine — crumbling as U.S. support for funding the war wanes, especially among Republicans. The White House says a failure to approve more aid by year's end could have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-military-assistance-economy-557cbced7f7c1242ea08c52dadefc33b">catastrophic consequences</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine and its ability to fight.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695327062140.png" alt="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a September visit with President Biden-photo White House" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a September visit with President Biden-photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Ukraine's leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will meet at the White House on Tuesday as the U.S. administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-immigration-ukraine-6bdcc5dde4dadb48b43ace75b5a55242">steps up the pressure</a>&nbsp;on Congress to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-aid-military-russia-002fde812843fc1fc0e969b653ce83a8">billions more in aid to Kyiv</a>&nbsp;in its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war with Russia</a>.The visit is intended “to underscore the United States’ unshakeable commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s brutal invasion,” the White House said in a statement Sunday. “As Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, the leaders will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States’ continued support at this critical moment.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Border first. America first. <a href="https://t.co/vvQSuLkYVM">pic.twitter.com/vvQSuLkYVM</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1733596885028655521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Zelenskyy's office confirmed that he had accepted Biden's invitation. He also has been asked to speak to a meeting of all senators.Biden has asked Congress for a $110 billion package of wartime funding for Ukraine ($61.4 billion) and Israel, along with other national security priorities. But the request is caught up in a debate over U.S. immigration policy and border security.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-argentina-cape-verde-496dc646174e1b89a145826963bb8bb3">Zelenskyy traveled to Buenos Aires</a>&nbsp;to witness&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-milei-inauguration-president-46b73d6a705e1c4652303022a37dbbb0">the swearing-in</a>&nbsp;on Sunday of Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei. The Ukrainian leader had been scheduled to address U.S. senators by video last week, but had to cancel the appearance, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.Congress already has allocated $111 billion to assist Ukraine, and Biden’s budget director, Shalanda Young,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/briefing-room/2023/12/04/letter-to-congressional-leadership-regarding-the-need-for-urgent-action-to-support-ukraines-defense/">said in a letter</a>&nbsp;this past week to House and Senate leaders that the U.S. will run out of funding to send weapons and assistance to Ukraine by the end of the year, which would “kneecap” Ukraine on the battlefield.“It’s time to cut a deal that both sides can agree to,” Young said Sunday.The stakes are especially high for Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during two television interviews Sunday, given that “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-military-assistance-economy-557cbced7f7c1242ea08c52dadefc33b">we are running out of funding</a>&nbsp;” for the Ukrainians. “This is a time to really step up because if we don’t, we know what happens. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will be able to move forward with impunity and we know he won’t stop in Ukraine.”Earlier, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-us-emergency-sale-tank-ammunition-war-d3e9b41528433f2da9814d3293996cd5">defended the emergency sale</a>&nbsp;to Israel of nearly 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition and also called for quick congressional approval of the foreign assistance. Blinken said the needs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel's military operations in Gaza</a>&nbsp;justify the rare decision to bypass Congress. “Israel is in combat right now with Hamas,” he said. “And we want to make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Hamas."The tank ammunition and related support constitute only a small portion of military sales to Israel, Blinken said, and that the rest remains subject to congressional review. "It’s very important that Congress‘ voice be heard in this,” he said.The decision to proceed with the sale of more than $106 million for tank shells came as the administration's larger aid package is caught up in a larger immigration debate.Blinken noted that Biden has said he is willing to make&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-aid-military-russia-002fde812843fc1fc0e969b653ce83a8">significant compromises</a>&nbsp;to get the aid package moving. ``It’s something the president is fully prepared to engage on," Blinken said.Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said there is bipartisan agreement that something has to be done to address record numbers of migrants crossing into the United States from Mexico.“We want to solve that, to secure the border. I just saw the president of the United States say that we’ve got to secure the border. He’s right. So, any effort that doesn’t do that will be rejected by Republicans,” Romney said.Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, said the administration has yet to justify additional aid to Ukraine. “So what we’re saying to the president and really to the entire world is, you need to articulate what the ambition is. What is $61 billion going to accomplish that $100 billion hasn’t?” Vance said.Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said the money would make a difference because Russia is struggling to fund its war effort. “It can change the outcome of this war,” Murphy said. “Because at the very same time that we are making a renewed commitment to Ukraine, Russia’s ability to continue to fight this war is in jeopardy.”Romney said he also supports the aid to Ukraine. “My own view is that it’s very much in America’s interest to see Ukraine successful and to provide the weapons that Ukraine needs to defend itself. Anything other than that would be a huge dereliction of our responsibility, I believe, to the world of democracy but also to our own national interest,” he said.Blinken appeared on ABC's “This Week” and CNN's “State of the Union.” Romney and Murphy were on NBC's “Meet the Press.” Vance was on CNN. Young was on CBS' “Face the Nation.”------------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — A deal to provide further U.S. assistance to Ukraine by year-end appears to be increasingly out of reach for President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>. The impasse is deepening in Congress despite dire warnings from the White House about the consequences of inaction as Republicans insist on pairing the aid with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-zelenskyy-border-security-8592ddcb1627fc6d0b43349bac3fe329">changes</a>&nbsp;to America's immigration and border policies.After the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-aid-military-russia-002fde812843fc1fc0e969b653ce83a8">Democratic president said</a>&nbsp;this past week he was willing to “make significant compromises on the border,” Republicans quickly revived demands that they had earlier set aside, hardening their positions and attempting to shift the negotiations to the right, according to a person familiar with the talks who was not authorized to publicly discuss them and spoke on condition of anonymity.The latest proposal, from the lead GOP negotiator, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., came during a meeting with a core group of senators before they left Washington on Thursday afternoon. It could force the White House to consider ideas that many Democrats will seriously oppose, throwing new obstacles in the difficult negotiations.Biden is facing the prospect of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">cornerstone of his foreign policy</a>&nbsp;— repelling Russian President Vladimir Putin from overtaking Ukraine — crumbling as U.S. support for funding the war wanes, especially among Republicans. The White House says a failure to approve more aid by year's end could have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-congress-military-assistance-economy-557cbced7f7c1242ea08c52dadefc33b">catastrophic consequences</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine and its ability to fight.To preserve U.S. backing, the Biden administration has quietly engaged in Senate talks on border policy in recent weeks, providing assistance to the small group of senators trying to reach a deal and communicating what policy changes it would find acceptable.The president is trying to satisfy GOP demands to reduce the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-border-crossings-asylum-immigration-def50446bc397ebfba36ab272dbc0a27">historic number of migrants</a>&nbsp;arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border while alleviating Democrats' fears that legal immigration will be choked off with drastic measures.As talks sputtered to a restart this past week, Democrats warned Republicans that time for a deal was running short. Congress is scheduled to depart Washington in mid-December for a holiday break.“Republicans need to show they are serious about reaching a compromise, not just throwing on the floor basically Donald Trump’s border policies,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday before Republicans made their counteroffer.But the new Republican proposal dug in on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-border-security-asylum-872a1e126677d7e203bb51bdb23a7975">policy changes</a>&nbsp;that had led Democrats to step back from the negotiations, according to the person familiar with the talks. The GOP offer calls for ending the humanitarian parole program that's now in place for existing classes of migrants — Ukrainians, Afghans, Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans and Haitians. That idea had been all but dashed before.Additionally, those groups of migrants would not be allowed to be paroled again if the terms of their stay expire before their cases are adjudicated in immigration proceedings.GOP senators proposed monitoring systems such as ankle bracelets for people, including children, who are detained at the border and are awaiting parole. Republicans want to ban people from applying for asylum if they have transited through a different country where they could have sought asylum instead. GOP lawmakers also want to revive executive powers that would allow a president to shut down entries for wide-ranging reasons.Further, after migrant encounters at the border recently hit historic numbers, the GOP proposal would set new guidelines requiring the border to be essentially shut down if illegal crossings reach a certain limit.Lankford declined to discuss specifics after the Thursday meeting, but said he was trying to “negotiate in good faith." He said the historic number of migrants at the border could not be ignored. The sheer number of people arriving at the border has swamped the asylum system, he said, making it impossible for authorities to adequately screen the people they allow in."Do you want large numbers of undocumented individuals and unscreened individuals without work permits, without access to the rest of the economy?” Lankford said.The lead Democratic negotiator, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, did not quickly respond to the GOP proposal.Senators had made some progress in the talks before Thursday, finding general agreement on raising the initial standard for migrants to enter the asylum system — part of what’s called the credible fear system. The administration has communicated that it is amenable to that change and that it could agree to expand expedited removal to deport immigrants before they have a hearing with an immigration judge, according to two people briefed on the private negotiations who spoke on the condition of anonymity.Immigration advocates and progressives in Congress have been alarmed by the direction of the talks, especially because they have not featured changes aimed at expanding legal immigration.Robyn Barnard, director of refugee advocacy with Human Rights First, called the current state of negotiations an “absolute crisis moment.” She warned that broadening the fast-track deportation authority could lead to a mass rounding up of immigrants around the country and compared it to the situation during the Trump administration. “Communities across the country would be living in fear,” she said.But Republican senators,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-asylum-border-congress-7507034034ba49a8f170777600cad46e">sensing that Biden, who is campaigning for a second term, wants to address</a>&nbsp;the historic number of people coming to the border, have taken an aggressive stance and tried to draw the president directly into negotiations.“The White House is going to have to engage particularly if Senate Democrats are unwilling to do what we are suggesting be done,” said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., at a news conference Thursday.The White House has so far declined to take a leading role in negotiations. “Democrats have said that they want to compromise. Have that conversation,” said White House press secretary Karine-Jean Pierre.After every GOP senator this past week voted not to move ahead with legislation that would provide tens of billions of dollars in military and economic assistance for Ukraine, many in the chamber were left in a dour mood. Even those who held out hope for a deal acknowledged it would be difficult to push a package through the Senate at this late stage.Even if senators reach a deal, the obstacles to passage in the House are considerable.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-border-security-zelenskyy-bf932727abd5e8ff3cf5c9c848a3cf78">Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has signaled</a>&nbsp;he will fight for sweeping changes to immigration policy that go beyond what is being discussed in the Senate. Also, broad support from House Democrats is far from guaranteed, as progressives and Hispanic lawmakers have raised alarm at curtailing access to asylum.“Trading Ukrainian lives for the lives of asylum seekers is morally bankrupt and irresponsible,” Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, as part of a coordinated campaign by Hispanic Democrats.The unwieldy nature of the issue left even Lankford, who was one of the few senators optimistic that a deal could be reached this year, acknowledging the difficulty of finding an agreement in the coming days.“There’s just a whole lot of politics that have been bound up in this,” he said as he departed the Capitol for the week. “Thirty years it hasn’t been resolved because it’s incredibly complicated."___