LINCOLN — Time is running out to become a Nebraska State Trooper in 2023. Applications close Monday to join the next NSP recruit camp in July.

“As our current recruits pass the halfway point of camp at the NSP Training Academy, we’re building the next class ready to take on the mission to keep Nebraska safe,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “A career as a trooper is full of opportunity and we have positions open in every part of the state. There’s never been a better time to join our team and serve the people and visitors of Nebraska.”

Applications for Camp 68 close at 11:59 p.m., Monday, April 3. Camp 68 is scheduled to begin on July 5, with graduation scheduled for December 15, 2023. Apply at&nbsp;<a href="file://stnnspnas01.stone.ne.gov/Statewide$/Public%20Information/2023%20Press%20Releases/NebraskaTroopers.com">NebraskaTroopers.com.</a>

Troopers earn a starting salary of $30 per hour ($62,400 annually) upon graduating from the NSP Training Academy, with a built-in raise structure throughout their career. The current maximum base salary for troopers is $45.54 per hour ($94,723 annually).

The Nebraska State Patrol offers numerous career paths, including Criminal Investigator, K9 Handler, SWAT Team member, Drone Operator, Pilot, Crisis Negotiator, Training Instructor, Carrier Enforcement, Bomb Squad, patrolling Nebraska’s roadways, and many more. With dozens of specialty positions, a career as a Trooper is a career you get to define.

Troopers receive excellent benefits, including medical and life insurance, paid vacation, sick leave, and a great retirement program. Recruits are paid during training camp and receive state benefits, including medical and life insurance. Bilingual troopers are also eligible for a 2.5% pay increase upon graduation.

Applicants must be a United States citizen and at least 21 years of age by December 15, 2023, when they take the oath of office. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED equivalence. Additional information about the hiring process, benefits, and career opportunities can be found at<a href="http://www.nebraskatroopers.com/">NebraskaTroopers.com.</a>

NSPLINCOLN — Time is running out to become a Nebraska State Trooper in 2023. Applications close Monday to join the next NSP recruit camp in July.“As our current recruits pass the halfway point of camp at the NSP Training Academy, we’re building the next class ready to take on the mission to keep Nebraska safe,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “A career as a trooper is full of opportunity and we have positions open in every part of the state. There’s never been a better time to join our team and serve the people and visitors of Nebraska.”Applications for Camp 68 close at 11:59 p.m., Monday, April 3. Camp 68 is scheduled to begin on July 5, with graduation scheduled for December 15, 2023. Apply at&nbsp;<a href="file://stnnspnas01.stone.ne.gov/Statewide$/Public%20Information/2023%20Press%20Releases/NebraskaTroopers.com">NebraskaTroopers.com.</a>Troopers earn a starting salary of $30 per hour ($62,400 annually) upon graduating from the NSP Training Academy, with a built-in raise structure throughout their career. The current maximum base salary for troopers is $45.54 per hour ($94,723 annually).The Nebraska State Patrol offers numerous career paths, including Criminal Investigator, K9 Handler, SWAT Team member, Drone Operator, Pilot, Crisis Negotiator, Training Instructor, Carrier Enforcement, Bomb Squad, patrolling Nebraska’s roadways, and many more. With dozens of specialty positions, a career as a Trooper is a career you get to define.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565129733856.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Troopers receive excellent benefits, including medical and life insurance, paid vacation, sick leave, and a great retirement program. Recruits are paid during training camp and receive state benefits, including medical and life insurance. Bilingual troopers are also eligible for a 2.5% pay increase upon graduation.Applicants must be a United States citizen and at least 21 years of age by December 15, 2023, when they take the oath of office. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED equivalence. Additional information about the hiring process, benefits, and career opportunities can be found at<a href="http://www.nebraskatroopers.com/">NebraskaTroopers.com.</a>

Applications close Monday to become a state trooper in 2023

WASHINGTON (AP) —The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-medication-opioids-health-38ae986009788501bc418fe108593632">U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday approved selling naloxone without a prescription, setting the overdose-reversing drug on course to become the first opioid treatment drug to be sold over the counter.

It’s a move that some advocates have long sought as a way to improve access to a life-saving drug, though the exact impact will not be clear immediately.

The approved branded nasal spray from Gaithersburg, Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions is the best-known form of naloxone.

It can reverse overdoses of opioids, including street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl and prescription versions including oxycodone.

Making naloxone available more widely is seen as a key strategy to control the nationwide overdose crisis, which has been linked to more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-opioids-death-rates-ba8af16246240aae4b044238ce19e6b6">100,000 U.S. deaths a year</a>. The majority of those deaths are tied to opioids, primarily potent synthetic versions such as fentanyl that can take multiple doses of naloxone to reverse.

Advocates believe it's important to get naloxone to the people who are most likely to be around overdoses, including people who use drugs and their relatives.

Police and other first responders also often carry it.

Narcan will become available over-the-counter by late summer, the company said.

Other brands of naloxone and injectable forms will not yet be available over the counter, but they could be soon.

The nonprofit Harm Reduction Therapeutics Inc., which has funding from OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, has an application before the FDA to distribute its version of spray naloxone without a prescription.

Even before the FDA's action, pharmacies could sell naloxone without a prescription because officials in every state have allowed it.

But not every pharmacy carries it. And buyers have to pay for the medication — either with an insurance co-pay or for the full retail price. The cost varies, but two doses of Narcan often go for around $50.

The drug is also distributed by community organizations that serve people who use drugs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/naloxone-narcan-overdose-availability-ec12f62eef12ebc67de77afdbb6f11b9">though it's not easily accessible</a>&nbsp;to everyone who needs it.

Emergent has not announced its price and it's not clear yet whether insurers will continue to cover it as a prescription drug if it's available over the counter.

DOES MAKING NALOXONE OVER-THE-COUNTER IMPROVE ACCESS?

It clears the way for Narcan to be made available in places without pharmacies — convenience stores, supermarkets and online retailers, for instance.

Jose Benitez, the lead executive officer at Prevention Point Philadelphia, an organization that tries to reduce risk for people who use drugs with services including handing out free naloxone, said it could help a lot for people who don't seek services — or who live in places where they're not available.

Now, he said, some people are concerned about getting naloxone at pharmacies because their insurers will know they're getting it.

“Putting it out of the shelves is going to allows people just to pick it up, not have stigma attached to it and readily access this life-saving drug,” he said.

But it remains to be seen how many stores will carry it and what the prices will be. The U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, which now cover prescription naloxone for people on the government insurance programs, says that coverage of over-the-counter naloxone would depend on the insurance program. The centers have not given any official guidance.

Maya Doe-Simkins, a co-director of Remedy Alliance/For The People, which launched last year to provide low-cost — and sometimes free — naloxone to community organizations, said her group will continue to distribute injectable naloxone.

ARE THERE DRAWBACKS TO OVER-THE-COUNTER SALES?

One concern is whether people who buy Narcan over-the-counter will know how to use it properly, said Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University addiction expert, though the manufacturer is responsible for clear directions and online videos on that.

One benefit of having pharmacists involved, he said, is that they can show buyers how to use it. One key thing people need to be reminded of: Call an ambulance for the person receiving naloxone after it's been administered.

He also said there are fears that if the drug isn't profitable as an over-the-counter option, the drugmaker could stop producing it.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680097865791.png" alt="Narcan-photo FDA" />
 <figcaption>Narcan-photo FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-medication-opioids-health-38ae986009788501bc418fe108593632">U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday approved selling naloxone without a prescription, setting the overdose-reversing drug on course to become the first opioid treatment drug to be sold over the counter.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Proud to see the FDA stepping up to make NARCAN more widely available over-the-counter. I’ve been a huge advocate for making NARCAN more easily accessible for years and proud of this breakthrough. There’s still work to do in the fight against illicit fentanyl - but this is a win. <a href="https://t.co/pIezbdbJLs">https://t.co/pIezbdbJLs</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1641072897295802373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It’s a move that some advocates have long sought as a way to improve access to a life-saving drug, though the exact impact will not be clear immediately.Here’s a look at the issues involved.WHAT IS NARCAN?The approved branded nasal spray from Gaithersburg, Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions is the best-known form of naloxone.It can reverse overdoses of opioids, including street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl and prescription versions including oxycodone.Making naloxone available more widely is seen as a key strategy to control the nationwide overdose crisis, which has been linked to more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-opioids-death-rates-ba8af16246240aae4b044238ce19e6b6">100,000 U.S. deaths a year</a>. The majority of those deaths are tied to opioids, primarily potent synthetic versions such as fentanyl that can take multiple doses of naloxone to reverse.Advocates believe it's important to get naloxone to the people who are most likely to be around overdoses, including people who use drugs and their relatives.Police and other first responders also often carry it.___WHAT DOES THE FDA APPROVAL MEAN?Narcan will become available over-the-counter by late summer, the company said.Other brands of naloxone and injectable forms will not yet be available over the counter, but they could be soon.The nonprofit Harm Reduction Therapeutics Inc., which has funding from OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, has an application before the FDA to distribute its version of spray naloxone without a prescription.___HOW IS NALOXONE DISTRIBUTED NOW?Even before the FDA's action, pharmacies could sell naloxone without a prescription because officials in every state have allowed it.But not every pharmacy carries it. And buyers have to pay for the medication — either with an insurance co-pay or for the full retail price. The cost varies, but two doses of Narcan often go for around $50.The drug is also distributed by community organizations that serve people who use drugs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/naloxone-narcan-overdose-availability-ec12f62eef12ebc67de77afdbb6f11b9">though it's not easily accessible</a>&nbsp;to everyone who needs it.Emergent has not announced its price and it's not clear yet whether insurers will continue to cover it as a prescription drug if it's available over the counter.___DOES MAKING NALOXONE OVER-THE-COUNTER IMPROVE ACCESS?It clears the way for Narcan to be made available in places without pharmacies — convenience stores, supermarkets and online retailers, for instance.Jose Benitez, the lead executive officer at Prevention Point Philadelphia, an organization that tries to reduce risk for people who use drugs with services including handing out free naloxone, said it could help a lot for people who don't seek services — or who live in places where they're not available.Now, he said, some people are concerned about getting naloxone at pharmacies because their insurers will know they're getting it.“Putting it out of the shelves is going to allows people just to pick it up, not have stigma attached to it and readily access this life-saving drug,” he said.But it remains to be seen how many stores will carry it and what the prices will be. The U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, which now cover prescription naloxone for people on the government insurance programs, says that coverage of over-the-counter naloxone would depend on the insurance program. The centers have not given any official guidance.Maya Doe-Simkins, a co-director of Remedy Alliance/For The People, which launched last year to provide low-cost — and sometimes free — naloxone to community organizations, said her group will continue to distribute injectable naloxone.___ARE THERE DRAWBACKS TO OVER-THE-COUNTER SALES?One concern is whether people who buy Narcan over-the-counter will know how to use it properly, said Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University addiction expert, though the manufacturer is responsible for clear directions and online videos on that.One benefit of having pharmacists involved, he said, is that they can show buyers how to use it. One key thing people need to be reminded of: Call an ambulance for the person receiving naloxone after it's been administered.He also said there are fears that if the drug isn't profitable as an over-the-counter option, the drugmaker could stop producing it.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

FDA approves over-the-counter Narcan. Here's what it means

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Billionaire Warren Buffett's company bought more than $200 million worth of Occidental Petroleum's shares over the past week, giving it control of 23.6% of the oil producer's stock.

Berkshire Hathaway disclosed its latest purchases of 3.67 million shares in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission late Monday. Berkshire has been steadily buying Occidental shares since last February when the price dipped below $60 apiece.

Occidental shares gained more than 3% Tuesday to sell for $61.61 after Berkshire's latest purchases were revealed. Many investors follow Buffett's actions because he is regarded as one of the greatest investors ever.

Berkshire now owns nearly $13 billion worth of Occidental's common shares outright. It also holds $10 billion worth of preferred Occidental shares that pay an $800 million annual dividend and warrants to buy another 83.9 million shares at $59.62 each. Berkshire picked up those warrants and preferred shares in 2019 for helping finance Occidental's acquisition of Anadarko.

Buffett doesn't routinely comment on Berkshire's stock purchases beyond what he is required to disclose, and he didn't immediately respond to questions about this Occidental investment Tuesday morning.

Regulators gave Berkshire approval last summer to buy up to 50% of Occidental’s shares, but Buffett hasn’t offered any indication about how many shares he might be interested in buying. He didn’t address Berkshire’s investment in the Houston-based company in his annual letter to shareholders last month.

In addition to investments, Berkshire owns dozens of companies outright including BNSF railroad, Geico insurance, several major utilities and an eclectic assortment of other companies such as Dairy Queen, NetJets and Precision Castparts.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Billionaire Warren Buffett's company bought more than $200 million worth of Occidental Petroleum's shares over the past week, giving it control of 23.6% of the oil producer's stock.Berkshire Hathaway disclosed its latest purchases of 3.67 million shares in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission late Monday. Berkshire has been steadily buying Occidental shares since last February when the price dipped below $60 apiece.Occidental shares gained more than 3% Tuesday to sell for $61.61 after Berkshire's latest purchases were revealed. Many investors follow Buffett's actions because he is regarded as one of the greatest investors ever.Berkshire now owns nearly $13 billion worth of Occidental's common shares outright. It also holds $10 billion worth of preferred Occidental shares that pay an $800 million annual dividend and warrants to buy another 83.9 million shares at $59.62 each. Berkshire picked up those warrants and preferred shares in 2019 for helping finance Occidental's acquisition of Anadarko.Buffett doesn't routinely comment on Berkshire's stock purchases beyond what he is required to disclose, and he didn't immediately respond to questions about this Occidental investment Tuesday morning.Regulators gave Berkshire approval last summer to buy up to 50% of Occidental’s shares, but Buffett hasn’t offered any indication about how many shares he might be interested in buying. He didn’t address Berkshire’s investment in the Houston-based company in his annual letter to shareholders last month.In addition to investments, Berkshire owns dozens of companies outright including BNSF railroad, Geico insurance, several major utilities and an eclectic assortment of other companies such as Dairy Queen, NetJets and Precision Castparts.

Buffett's company owns nearly 24% of Occidental Petroleum

DOVER, Del. (AP) — A $2.4 billion bankruptcy plan for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boy-scouts-of-america">Boy Scouts of America</a>&nbsp;has been upheld by a federal judge, clearing an important hurdle in the legal challenge by certain insurance companies and dissenting sex abuse survivors.

The plan would let the Texas-based organization keep operating while it compensates tens of thousands of men who say they were sexually abused as children while involved in Scouting.

The ruling released Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Delaware rejected arguments that the bankruptcy plan wasn't proposed in good faith and improperly strips insurers and survivors of their rights.

More than 80,000 men have filed claims saying they were abused as children by troop leaders around the country. Plan opponents say the staggering number of claims, when combined with other factors, suggest the bankruptcy process was manipulated.

Judge Richard Andrews said he found no fault with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-abuse-boy-scouts-of-america-c52a60cd7b0b3df5b6e9c6247837611c">the plan's initial approval</a>&nbsp;by a federal bankruptcy judge in September, although he agreed with the previous judge that it was “an extraordinary case by any measure.”

“The appellants have failed to put forth evidence that would demonstrate clear error in the bankruptcy court’s careful findings of facts,” the judge wrote.

A spokesperson for lawyers representing several non-settling insurance companies had no immediate comment, but attorneys have previously suggested the case could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Boy Scouts issued a statement describing the ruling as “a pivotal milestone” that “solidifies a path forward for both survivors and Scouting.”

“We look forward to the organization’s exit from bankruptcy in the near future and firmly believe that the mission of Scouting will be preserved for future generations,” the statement said.

Under the plan — which the Boy Scouts describe as a “carefully calibrated compromise” — the organization itself would contribute less than 10% of the proposed settlement fund. The local Boy Scout councils, which run day-to-day operations for troops, offered to contribute at least $515 million in cash and property, conditioned on certain protections for local troop sponsoring organizations, including religious entities, civic associations and community groups.

The bulk of the compensation fund would come from the Boy Scouts' two largest insurers, Century Indemnity and The Hartford, which reached settlements calling for them to contribute $800 million and $787 million, respectively. Other insurers agreed to contribute about $69 million.

The Boy Scouts' largest insurers negotiated settlements for a fraction of the billions of dollars in potential liability exposure they faced.

Other insurers, many of which provided excess coverage above the liability limits of the underlying primary policies, refused to settle. They argued that the procedures for distributing funds from a proposed compensation trust would violate their contractual rights to contest claims, set a dangerous precedent for mass tort litigation, and result in grossly inflated payments.

They also noted that a plaintiffs’ attorney had acknowledged that some 58,000 claims probably couldn't be pursued in civil lawsuits because of the passage of time.

When it sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020, the Boy Scouts had been named in about 275 lawsuits and told insurers it was aware of another 1,400 claims. According to plan opponents, the huge number of claims filed in the bankruptcy was the result of a nationwide marketing effort by personal injury lawyers working with for-profit claims aggregators to drum up clients.

Insurers opposing the plan contend that Boy Scouts of America is contractually obligated to assist them in investigating, defending and settling claims, as it did before the bankruptcy. They say the organization, desperate to escape bankruptcy, colluded with claimants’ lawyers to inflate both the volume and value of claims in order to pressure insurers for large settlements, then transferred its insurance rights to the settlement trust. The insurers argue that if the Boy Scouts transfers its rights under insurance policies to the settlement trustee, it must also transfer its obligations under those policies.

Under the Boy Scouts' plan, insurance companies, local Scout councils and troop sponsoring organizations would receive broad liability releases protecting them from future sex abuse lawsuits in exchange for contributing to the victims’ compensation fund – or even for just not objecting to the plan.

Some abuse survivors argued that releasing their claims against non-debtor third parties without their consent would violate their due process rights. The U.S. bankruptcy trustee, the government’s “watchdog” in Chapter 11 bankruptcies, argued that such releases are not allowed under the bankruptcy code, and that the scope of the proposed releases in the Boy Scout plan was unprecedented because it potentially extends to tens of thousands of entities.

DOVER, Del. (AP) — A $2.4 billion bankruptcy plan for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boy-scouts-of-america">Boy Scouts of America</a>&nbsp;has been upheld by a federal judge, clearing an important hurdle in the legal challenge by certain insurance companies and dissenting sex abuse survivors.The plan would let the Texas-based organization keep operating while it compensates tens of thousands of men who say they were sexually abused as children while involved in Scouting.The ruling released Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Delaware rejected arguments that the bankruptcy plan wasn't proposed in good faith and improperly strips insurers and survivors of their rights.More than 80,000 men have filed claims saying they were abused as children by troop leaders around the country. Plan opponents say the staggering number of claims, when combined with other factors, suggest the bankruptcy process was manipulated.Judge Richard Andrews said he found no fault with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-abuse-boy-scouts-of-america-c52a60cd7b0b3df5b6e9c6247837611c">the plan's initial approval</a>&nbsp;by a federal bankruptcy judge in September, although he agreed with the previous judge that it was “an extraordinary case by any measure.”“The appellants have failed to put forth evidence that would demonstrate clear error in the bankruptcy court’s careful findings of facts,” the judge wrote.A spokesperson for lawyers representing several non-settling insurance companies had no immediate comment, but attorneys have previously suggested the case could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court.The Boy Scouts issued a statement describing the ruling as “a pivotal milestone” that “solidifies a path forward for both survivors and Scouting.”“We look forward to the organization’s exit from bankruptcy in the near future and firmly believe that the mission of Scouting will be preserved for future generations,” the statement said.Under the plan — which the Boy Scouts describe as a “carefully calibrated compromise” — the organization itself would contribute less than 10% of the proposed settlement fund. The local Boy Scout councils, which run day-to-day operations for troops, offered to contribute at least $515 million in cash and property, conditioned on certain protections for local troop sponsoring organizations, including religious entities, civic associations and community groups.The bulk of the compensation fund would come from the Boy Scouts' two largest insurers, Century Indemnity and The Hartford, which reached settlements calling for them to contribute $800 million and $787 million, respectively. Other insurers agreed to contribute about $69 million.The Boy Scouts' largest insurers negotiated settlements for a fraction of the billions of dollars in potential liability exposure they faced.Other insurers, many of which provided excess coverage above the liability limits of the underlying primary policies, refused to settle. They argued that the procedures for distributing funds from a proposed compensation trust would violate their contractual rights to contest claims, set a dangerous precedent for mass tort litigation, and result in grossly inflated payments.They also noted that a plaintiffs’ attorney had acknowledged that some 58,000 claims probably couldn't be pursued in civil lawsuits because of the passage of time.When it sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020, the Boy Scouts had been named in about 275 lawsuits and told insurers it was aware of another 1,400 claims. According to plan opponents, the huge number of claims filed in the bankruptcy was the result of a nationwide marketing effort by personal injury lawyers working with for-profit claims aggregators to drum up clients.Insurers opposing the plan contend that Boy Scouts of America is contractually obligated to assist them in investigating, defending and settling claims, as it did before the bankruptcy. They say the organization, desperate to escape bankruptcy, colluded with claimants’ lawyers to inflate both the volume and value of claims in order to pressure insurers for large settlements, then transferred its insurance rights to the settlement trust. The insurers argue that if the Boy Scouts transfers its rights under insurance policies to the settlement trustee, it must also transfer its obligations under those policies.Under the Boy Scouts' plan, insurance companies, local Scout councils and troop sponsoring organizations would receive broad liability releases protecting them from future sex abuse lawsuits in exchange for contributing to the victims’ compensation fund – or even for just not objecting to the plan.Some abuse survivors argued that releasing their claims against non-debtor third parties without their consent would violate their due process rights. The U.S. bankruptcy trustee, the government’s “watchdog” in Chapter 11 bankruptcies, argued that such releases are not allowed under the bankruptcy code, and that the scope of the proposed releases in the Boy Scout plan was unprecedented because it potentially extends to tens of thousands of entities.]

Sex abuse settlement: Judge approves Boy Scouts bankruptcy plan 

NEW YORK (AP) — On the one side are dozens of lawmakers on Capitol Hill issuing dire warnings about security breaches and possible Chinese surveillance.

On the other are some 150 million TikTok users in the U.S. who just want to be able to keep making and watching short, fun videos offering makeup tutorials and cooking lessons, among other things.

The disconnect illustrates the uphill battle that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle face in trying to convince the public that China could use TikTok as a weapon against the American people. But many users on the platform are more concerned about the possibility of the government taking away their favorite app.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-shou-zi-chew-testify-7927b1915db270aac67ca6f4ca31d6f3">TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew</a>&nbsp;said during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">nearly six-hour congressional hearing Thursday</a>&nbsp;that the platform has never turned over user data to the Chinese government, and wouldn’t do so if asked.

Nevertheless, lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies continue to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">raise alarms that Chinese law</a>&nbsp;compels Chinese companies like TikTok's parent company ByteDance to fork over data to the government for whatever purposes it deems to involve national security. There’s also concern Beijing might try to push pro-China narratives or misinformation through the platform.

“I want to say this to all the teenagers out there, and TikTok influencers who think we’re just old and out of touch and don’t know what we’re talking about, trying to take your favorite app,” said Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw during the hearing. “You may not care that your data is being accessed now, but you will be one day.”

Many TikTok users reacted to the hearing by posting videos critical of lawmakers who grilled Chew and frequently cut him off from speaking. Some called a potential TikTok ban, as some lawmakers and the Biden administration has reportedly threatened, the “biggest scam” of the year. And others blamed the surge of scrutiny on the platform on another tech rival, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

But few expressed fear of possible Chinese surveillance or security breaches that lawmakers continue to amplify as they look to rein in TikTok.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., whose district is in the heart of Silicon Valley, said he is mindful of the value that platforms like TikTok provide to young people as an outlet for creative expression and building community. “But there’s absolutely no reason that an American technology company can’t do that,” said Khanna, the top Democrat on the cyber subcommittee on House Armed Service. “America has the most innovative technology companies in the world.”

He added that Congress should move forward with a proposal that would force platform’s sale to an American company for continued access for its millions of users while “ensuring that the platform isn’t subject to Chinese propaganda or compromises people’s privacy.”

According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, two-thirds of Americans aged 13 to 17 use TikTok, and 16% of all teens say they use it almost constantly. It's because of TikTok's large user base that Lindsay Gorman, a former tech adviser for the Biden administration who now works as a senior fellow for emerging technologies at the German Marshall Fund, says the Biden administration will likely pursue every option short of a ban first. That would include the option for the app's Chinese owners to divest, which the Biden administration is reportedly demanding from TikTok if it wants to avoid a nationwide ban.

TikTok itself has been trying to leverage its popularity. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-62ebef6be3c10e66d7f69f7f6d254700">it sent dozens of influencers to Congress</a>&nbsp;to lobby against a ban. It has also ramped up a broader public relations campaign, plastering ads all over Washington that tout its promises of securing users’ data and privacy and creating a safe platform for its young users.

Some popular TikTokers who speak out against a ban are concerned — and angered — about how it might impact their personal lives. Many earn income from their videos and have inked brand partnerships to market products to their audiences — another stream of revenue that could be wiped away if the platform disappears. They would also lose the social capital that comes from having a large following on the trend-setting app.

Demetrius Fields, a standup comedian who amassed 2.8 million followers on TikTok from posting comedy sketches, said he spent a long time building his career and followership on the platform. He has one active deal with the fast fashion retailer Fashion Nova, which allows him to earn an income along with the videos he posts on TikTok.

If the app is taken away, he said building an audience on another platform would be challenging for him due to the competition to grab user attention.

“The financial implications for me would be pretty terrible,” Fields said. “I would probably have to go back to working a desk job.”

Sarah Pikhit, an 18-year-old student at Penn State University, said she used to use TikTok a lot, but started cutting back when she realized how much time she spent scrolling through videos on the app. She still uses it, but mostly to post her own content, which she says she can do on other platforms. She said she wouldn’t care if TikTok gets banned — but her friends would.

“They like the excessive scrolling,” Pikhit said.

NEW YORK (AP) — On the one side are dozens of lawmakers on Capitol Hill issuing dire warnings about security breaches and possible Chinese surveillance.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It&#39;s very concerning that the CEO of TikTok can&#39;t be honest and admit what we already know to be true—China has access to TikTok user data. The House will be moving forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party.&mdash; Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/1639980623539445760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On the other are some 150 million TikTok users in the U.S. who just want to be able to keep making and watching short, fun videos offering makeup tutorials and cooking lessons, among other things.The disconnect illustrates the uphill battle that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle face in trying to convince the public that China could use TikTok as a weapon against the American people. But many users on the platform are more concerned about the possibility of the government taking away their favorite app.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679581245218.png" alt="Shou Zi Chew during Thursday's hearing-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Shou Zi Chew during Thursday's hearing-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-shou-zi-chew-testify-7927b1915db270aac67ca6f4ca31d6f3">TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew</a>&nbsp;said during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">nearly six-hour congressional hearing Thursday</a>&nbsp;that the platform has never turned over user data to the Chinese government, and wouldn’t do so if asked.Nevertheless, lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies continue to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">raise alarms that Chinese law</a>&nbsp;compels Chinese companies like TikTok's parent company ByteDance to fork over data to the government for whatever purposes it deems to involve national security. There’s also concern Beijing might try to push pro-China narratives or misinformation through the platform.“I want to say this to all the teenagers out there, and TikTok influencers who think we’re just old and out of touch and don’t know what we’re talking about, trying to take your favorite app,” said Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw during the hearing. “You may not care that your data is being accessed now, but you will be one day.”Many TikTok users reacted to the hearing by posting videos critical of lawmakers who grilled Chew and frequently cut him off from speaking. Some called a potential TikTok ban, as some lawmakers and the Biden administration has reportedly threatened, the “biggest scam” of the year. And others blamed the surge of scrutiny on the platform on another tech rival, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.But few expressed fear of possible Chinese surveillance or security breaches that lawmakers continue to amplify as they look to rein in TikTok.Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., whose district is in the heart of Silicon Valley, said he is mindful of the value that platforms like TikTok provide to young people as an outlet for creative expression and building community. “But there’s absolutely no reason that an American technology company can’t do that,” said Khanna, the top Democrat on the cyber subcommittee on House Armed Service. “America has the most innovative technology companies in the world.”He added that Congress should move forward with a proposal that would force platform’s sale to an American company for continued access for its millions of users while “ensuring that the platform isn’t subject to Chinese propaganda or compromises people’s privacy.”According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, two-thirds of Americans aged 13 to 17 use TikTok, and 16% of all teens say they use it almost constantly. It's because of TikTok's large user base that Lindsay Gorman, a former tech adviser for the Biden administration who now works as a senior fellow for emerging technologies at the German Marshall Fund, says the Biden administration will likely pursue every option short of a ban first. That would include the option for the app's Chinese owners to divest, which the Biden administration is reportedly demanding from TikTok if it wants to avoid a nationwide ban.TikTok itself has been trying to leverage its popularity. On Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-62ebef6be3c10e66d7f69f7f6d254700">it sent dozens of influencers to Congress</a>&nbsp;to lobby against a ban. It has also ramped up a broader public relations campaign, plastering ads all over Washington that tout its promises of securing users’ data and privacy and creating a safe platform for its young users.Some popular TikTokers who speak out against a ban are concerned — and angered — about how it might impact their personal lives. Many earn income from their videos and have inked brand partnerships to market products to their audiences — another stream of revenue that could be wiped away if the platform disappears. They would also lose the social capital that comes from having a large following on the trend-setting app.Demetrius Fields, a standup comedian who amassed 2.8 million followers on TikTok from posting comedy sketches, said he spent a long time building his career and followership on the platform. He has one active deal with the fast fashion retailer Fashion Nova, which allows him to earn an income along with the videos he posts on TikTok.If the app is taken away, he said building an audience on another platform would be challenging for him due to the competition to grab user attention.“The financial implications for me would be pretty terrible,” Fields said. “I would probably have to go back to working a desk job.”Sarah Pikhit, an 18-year-old student at Penn State University, said she used to use TikTok a lot, but started cutting back when she realized how much time she spent scrolling through videos on the app. She still uses it, but mostly to post her own content, which she says she can do on other platforms. She said she wouldn’t care if TikTok gets banned — but her friends would.“They like the excessive scrolling,” Pikhit said.—-

Gap grows between TikTok users, lawmakers on potential ban

NEW YORK (AP) — FTX founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/manhattan-legal-proceedings-indictments-business-fraud-120cf18510ce329d759e2370f958a87c">Sam Bankman-Fried</a>&nbsp;was charged with directing $40 million in bribes to one or more Chinese officials to unfreeze assets relating to his cryptocurrency business in a newly rewritten indictment unsealed Tuesday.

The charge of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act raises to 13 the number of charges Bankman-Fried faces after he was arrested in the Bahamas in December and brought to the United States soon afterward.

<a href="https://apnews.com/ed0f06c5db468e285f58af2d8766b51a">FTX filed for bankruptcy</a>&nbsp;on Nov. 11, when it ran out of money after the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run. He has remained free on a $250 million personal recognizance bond that lets him stay with his parents in Palo Alto, California.

He has pleaded not guilty to charges that he cheated investors out of billions of dollars before his business collapsed.

The alleged bribes stemmed from the operation of Alameda Research, which is affiliated with FTX, Bankman-Fried's global cryptocurrency exchange.

The indictment said Chinese law enforcement authorities in early 2021 froze certain Alameda cryptocurrency trading accounts on two of China's largest cryptocurrency exchanges. The accounts, it said, contained about $1 billion in cryptocurrency.

Bankman-Fried understood that the accounts had been frozen by Chinese authoritIes as part of an ongoing probe of a particular Alameda trading counterparty, the indictment said.

After Bankman-Fried failed several attempts to unfreeze the accounts through the use of lawyers and lobbying, Bankman-Fried ultimately agreed to direct a multimillion dollar bribe to try to unfreeze the accounts, the indictment said.

The bribe payment of cryptocurrency then worth about $40 million was moved from Alameda's main trading account to a private cryptocurrency wallet in November 2021 and the frozen accounts were unfrozen at about the same time, the indictment said.

Meanwhile Tuesday, Bankman-Fried’s lawyers also sent Judge Lewis A. Kaplan a new to limit him to a laptop and a phone and block him from using any other cellphones, tablets, computers, video games or “smart” devices with internet access other than electronic devices owned by his lawyers that he might need to prepare for trial.

Kaplan set a Thursday hearing in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680015507609.png" alt=" FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried leaves Manhattan federal court in New York, Feb. 16, 2023. On Tuesday, Bankman-Fried is accused in new indictment of paying $40 million bribe to unlock frozen crypto in China. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)" />
 <figcaption> FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried leaves Manhattan federal court in New York, Feb. 16, 2023. On Tuesday, Bankman-Fried is accused in new indictment of paying $40 million bribe to unlock frozen crypto in China. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — FTX founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/manhattan-legal-proceedings-indictments-business-fraud-120cf18510ce329d759e2370f958a87c">Sam Bankman-Fried</a>&nbsp;was charged with directing $40 million in bribes to one or more Chinese officials to unfreeze assets relating to his cryptocurrency business in a newly rewritten indictment unsealed Tuesday.The charge of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act raises to 13 the number of charges Bankman-Fried faces after he was arrested in the Bahamas in December and brought to the United States soon afterward.<a href="https://apnews.com/ed0f06c5db468e285f58af2d8766b51a">FTX filed for bankruptcy</a>&nbsp;on Nov. 11, when it ran out of money after the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run. He has remained free on a $250 million personal recognizance bond that lets him stay with his parents in Palo Alto, California.He has pleaded not guilty to charges that he cheated investors out of billions of dollars before his business collapsed.The alleged bribes stemmed from the operation of Alameda Research, which is affiliated with FTX, Bankman-Fried's global cryptocurrency exchange.The indictment said Chinese law enforcement authorities in early 2021 froze certain Alameda cryptocurrency trading accounts on two of China's largest cryptocurrency exchanges. The accounts, it said, contained about $1 billion in cryptocurrency.Bankman-Fried understood that the accounts had been frozen by Chinese authoritIes as part of an ongoing probe of a particular Alameda trading counterparty, the indictment said.After Bankman-Fried failed several attempts to unfreeze the accounts through the use of lawyers and lobbying, Bankman-Fried ultimately agreed to direct a multimillion dollar bribe to try to unfreeze the accounts, the indictment said.The bribe payment of cryptocurrency then worth about $40 million was moved from Alameda's main trading account to a private cryptocurrency wallet in November 2021 and the frozen accounts were unfrozen at about the same time, the indictment said.Meanwhile Tuesday, Bankman-Fried’s lawyers also sent Judge Lewis A. Kaplan a new to limit him to a laptop and a phone and block him from using any other cellphones, tablets, computers, video games or “smart” devices with internet access other than electronic devices owned by his lawyers that he might need to prepare for trial.Kaplan set a Thursday hearing in the case.

Crypto exchange CEO charged with paying $40M bribe to China

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-secretary-of-state-to-testify-about-election-security-before-senate-committee/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska Secretary of 
State Bob Evnen is scheduled to testify Tuesday about election security 
before a U.S. Senate committee.

The U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee, of which U.S. 
Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., is the ranking member, will take testimony 
from five election officials beginning at 2 p.m. CDT. The session will 
be<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rules.senate.gov/hearings/state-and-local-perspectives-on-election-administration"> livestreamed via the committee’s website.</a>

Evnen, according to a press release from his office, will discuss the <a target="_blank" href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/sos.nebraska.gov/files/doc/news-releases/Media%20Release%20Nebraska%27s%202022%20General%20Election%20Recap.pdf">audit</a> Nebraska election officials conducted following November’s election, along with challenges to election security.

The voter ID initiative approved by Nebraska voters is also expected to come up.

Evnen has <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/16/hand-counted-election-audit-finds-low-error-rate-with-nebraskas-voting-machines/">pushed back on criticism</a>
 from some fellow Republicans about the vote-counting machines used by 
the state, saying that a post-election audit found they were “reliable 
and accurate.” The audit, which utilized hand counts, found an error 
rate of roughly 0.02%.

Others invited to testify are New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie 
Toulouse Oliver, South Carolina State Election Commission Executive 
Director Howard Knapp, Durham County (North Carolina) Director of 
Elections Derek Bowens and Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights 
Co-Director Marcia Johnson-Blanco.

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-secretary-of-state-to-testify-about-election-security-before-senate-committee/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska Secretary of 
State Bob Evnen is scheduled to testify Tuesday about election security 
before a U.S. Senate committee.The U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee, of which U.S. 
Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., is the ranking member, will take testimony 
from five election officials beginning at 2 p.m. CDT. The session will 
be<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rules.senate.gov/hearings/state-and-local-perspectives-on-election-administration"> livestreamed via the committee’s website.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644245366799.jpeg" alt="Secretary of State Robert Evnen (Courtesy of Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office)" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of State Robert Evnen (Courtesy of Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Evnen, according to a press release from his office, will discuss the <a target="_blank" href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/sos.nebraska.gov/files/doc/news-releases/Media%20Release%20Nebraska%27s%202022%20General%20Election%20Recap.pdf">audit</a> Nebraska election officials conducted following November’s election, along with challenges to election security.The voter ID initiative approved by Nebraska voters is also expected to come up.Evnen has <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/16/hand-counted-election-audit-finds-low-error-rate-with-nebraskas-voting-machines/">pushed back on criticism</a>
 from some fellow Republicans about the vote-counting machines used by 
the state, saying that a post-election audit found they were “reliable 
and accurate.” The audit, which utilized hand counts, found an error 
rate of roughly 0.02%.Others invited to testify are New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie 
Toulouse Oliver, South Carolina State Election Commission Executive 
Director Howard Knapp, Durham County (North Carolina) Director of 
Elections Derek Bowens and Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights 
Co-Director Marcia Johnson-Blanco.

Nebraska Secretary of State to testify about election security

WASHINGTON (AP) —Honda is recalling more than 330,000 vehicles because heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, which could lead to the mirror glass falling out and increase the risk of a crash.

Vehicles included in the recall are 2020-2022 Odyssey, 2020-2022 Passport, 2020-2021 Pilot and 2020-2021 Ridgeline.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the vehicles don't comply with the necessary rear visibility requirements.

Honda dealers will replace the side-view mirrors on impacted vehicles free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be sent out on May 8. Vehicle owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

WASHINGTON (AP) —Honda is recalling more than 330,000 vehicles because heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, which could lead to the mirror glass falling out and increase the risk of a crash.Vehicles included in the recall are 2020-2022 Odyssey, 2020-2022 Passport, 2020-2021 Pilot and 2020-2021 Ridgeline.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the vehicles don't comply with the necessary rear visibility requirements.Honda dealers will replace the side-view mirrors on impacted vehicles free of charge.Owner notification letters are expected to be sent out on May 8. Vehicle owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

Honda recalls vehicles due to mirror issue

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The former student who shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school in Nashville and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre.

Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake did not say exactly what drove the shooter to open fire Monday morning at The Covenant School before being killed by police. But he provided chilling examples of the shooter’s elaborate planning for the targeted attack, the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country that has grown increasingly unnerved by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-mass-school-shooting-database-columbine-uvalde-1c82749f7236752a2e621f402489b357">bloodshed in schools</a>.

“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date, the actual incident,” he told reporters. “We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place.”

He said in an interview with NBC News that investigators believe the shooter had “some resentment for having to go to that school.”

Rachel Dibble, who was at a nearby church where children were taken to be reunited with their parents, described the scene as everyone being in “complete shock.”

“People were involuntarily trembling,” she said. “The children … started their morning in their cute little uniforms, they probably had some Froot Loops and now their whole lives changed today.”

Police initially gave unclear information on the gender of the shooter. For hours, police identified the shooter as a 28-year-old woman and eventually identified the person as Audrey Elizabeth Hale. Then at a late afternoon press conference, the police chief said that Hale was transgender. After the news conference, police spokesperson Don Aaron declined to elaborate on how Hale currently identified.

Authorities said Hale was armed with two “assault-style” weapons as well as a handgun. At least two of them were believed to have been obtained legally in the Nashville area, according to the chief. Police said a search of Hale’s home turned up a sawed-off shotgun, a second shotgun and other unspecified evidence.

The victims were identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all 9 years old, and adults Cynthia Peak, 61; Katherine Koonce, 60; and Mike Hill, 61.

The website of The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001, lists a Katherine Koonce as the head of the school. Her LinkedIn profile says she has led the school since July 2016. Peak was a substitute teacher and Hill was a custodian, according to investigators.

Founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, The Covenant School is located in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville that is home to the famed Bluebird Café – a spot typically beloved by musicians and songwriters.

The school has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade, as well as roughly 50 staff members.

“Our community is heartbroken,” a statement from the school said. “We are grieving tremendous loss and are in shock coming out of the terror that shattered our school and church. We are focused on loving our students, our families, our faculty and staff and beginning the process of healing.”

Before Monday’s violence in Nashville, there had been seven mass killings at K-12 schools since 2006 in which four or more people were killed within a 24-hour period, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://cssh.northeastern.edu/sccj/mass-killing-database/">database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University</a>. In all of them, the shooters were males.

The database does not include school shootings in which fewer than four people were killed, which have become far more common in recent years. Just last week alone, for example, school shootings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">happened in Denver</a>&nbsp;and the Dallas-area within two days of each other.

Monday’s tragedy unfolded over roughly 14 minutes. Police received the initial call about an active shooter at 10:13 a.m.

Officers began clearing the first story of the school when they heard gunshots coming from the second level, Aaron said. Police later said the shooter fired at arriving officers from a second-story window and had come armed with significant ammunition.

Two officers from a five-member team opened fire in response, killing the suspect at 10:27 a.m., Aaron said.

Late Monday night, police released approximately two minutes of edited surveillance video showing the shooter’s car driving up to the school from multiple angles, including one in which children can be seen playing on swings in the background. Next an interior view shows glass doors to the school being shot out and the shooter ducking through one of the shattered doors.

More footage from inside shows the shooter walking through a school corridor holding a gun with a long barrel and walking into a room labeled “church office,” then coming back out. In the final part of the footage, the shooter can be seen walking down another long corridor with the gun drawn. The shooter is not seen interacting with anyone else on the video, which has no sound.

Aaron said there were no police officers present or assigned to the school at the time of the shooting because it is a church-run school.

President Joe Biden, speaking at the White House on Monday, called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.

A reeling city mourned during multiple vigils Monday evening. At Belmont United Methodist Church, teary sniffling filled the background as vigil attendees sang, knelt in prayer and lit candles. They lamented the national cycle of violent and deadly shootings.

“We need to step back. We need to breathe. We need to grieve,” said Paul Purdue, the church’s senior pastor. “We need to remember. We need to make space for others who are grieving. We need to hear the cries of our neighbors.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679962479830.png" alt="Dr. Katherine Koonce, the school's administrator, died on Monday- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Katherine Koonce, the school's administrator, died on Monday- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The former student who shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school in Nashville and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre.Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake did not say exactly what drove the shooter to open fire Monday morning at The Covenant School before being killed by police. But he provided chilling examples of the shooter’s elaborate planning for the targeted attack, the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country that has grown increasingly unnerved by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-mass-school-shooting-database-columbine-uvalde-1c82749f7236752a2e621f402489b357">bloodshed in schools</a>.“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date, the actual incident,” he told reporters. “We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place.”He said in an interview with NBC News that investigators believe the shooter had “some resentment for having to go to that school.”Rachel Dibble, who was at a nearby church where children were taken to be reunited with their parents, described the scene as everyone being in “complete shock.”“People were involuntarily trembling,” she said. “The children … started their morning in their cute little uniforms, they probably had some Froot Loops and now their whole lives changed today.”Police initially gave unclear information on the gender of the shooter. For hours, police identified the shooter as a 28-year-old woman and eventually identified the person as Audrey Elizabeth Hale. Then at a late afternoon press conference, the police chief said that Hale was transgender. After the news conference, police spokesperson Don Aaron declined to elaborate on how Hale currently identified.Authorities said Hale was armed with two “assault-style” weapons as well as a handgun. At least two of them were believed to have been obtained legally in the Nashville area, according to the chief. Police said a search of Hale’s home turned up a sawed-off shotgun, a second shotgun and other unspecified evidence.The victims were identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all 9 years old, and adults Cynthia Peak, 61; Katherine Koonce, 60; and Mike Hill, 61.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679998313873.png" alt="In a 2018 photo, Hallie Scruggs (center) who died in the shooting, is shown with her family. Her father was PCA minister Rev. Chad Scruggs, the senior minister at Covenant Presbyterian Church, the overseeing church of Covenant School. -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>In a 2018 photo, Hallie Scruggs (center) who died in the shooting, is shown with her family. Her father was PCA minister Rev. Chad Scruggs, the senior minister at Covenant Presbyterian Church, the overseeing church of Covenant School. -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The website of The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001, lists a Katherine Koonce as the head of the school. Her LinkedIn profile says she has led the school since July 2016. Peak was a substitute teacher and Hill was a custodian, according to investigators.Founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, The Covenant School is located in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville that is home to the famed Bluebird Café – a spot typically beloved by musicians and songwriters.The school has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade, as well as roughly 50 staff members.“Our community is heartbroken,” a statement from the school said. “We are grieving tremendous loss and are in shock coming out of the terror that shattered our school and church. We are focused on loving our students, our families, our faculty and staff and beginning the process of healing.”Before Monday’s violence in Nashville, there had been seven mass killings at K-12 schools since 2006 in which four or more people were killed within a 24-hour period, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://cssh.northeastern.edu/sccj/mass-killing-database/">database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University</a>. In all of them, the shooters were males.The database does not include school shootings in which fewer than four people were killed, which have become far more common in recent years. Just last week alone, for example, school shootings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">happened in Denver</a>&nbsp;and the Dallas-area within two days of each other.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679935165685.png" alt="Photo courtesy Metro Nashville Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Metro Nashville Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Monday’s tragedy unfolded over roughly 14 minutes. Police received the initial call about an active shooter at 10:13 a.m.Officers began clearing the first story of the school when they heard gunshots coming from the second level, Aaron said. Police later said the shooter fired at arriving officers from a second-story window and had come armed with significant ammunition.Two officers from a five-member team opened fire in response, killing the suspect at 10:27 a.m., Aaron said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Active shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale drove to Covenant Church/School in her Honda Fit this morning, parked, and shot her way into the building. She was armed with 2 assault-type guns and a 9 millimeter pistol. <a href="https://t.co/mIk2pDmCwQ">pic.twitter.com/mIk2pDmCwQ</a>&mdash; Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) <a href="https://twitter.com/MNPDNashville/status/1640545519511404546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Late Monday night, police released approximately two minutes of edited surveillance video showing the shooter’s car driving up to the school from multiple angles, including one in which children can be seen playing on swings in the background. Next an interior view shows glass doors to the school being shot out and the shooter ducking through one of the shattered doors.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679998977060.png" alt="Image from security cameras provided by Metro Nashville PD" />
 <figcaption>Image from security cameras provided by Metro Nashville PD</figcaption>
 </figure>More footage from inside shows the shooter walking through a school corridor holding a gun with a long barrel and walking into a room labeled “church office,” then coming back out. In the final part of the footage, the shooter can be seen walking down another long corridor with the gun drawn. The shooter is not seen interacting with anyone else on the video, which has no sound.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Hale fired a number of rounds inside the Covenant Church/School building. She was armed with these 3 guns and significant ammunition. <a href="https://t.co/3LYOU2r0sh">pic.twitter.com/3LYOU2r0sh</a>&mdash; Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) <a href="https://twitter.com/MNPDNashville/status/1640521034594918400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Aaron said there were no police officers present or assigned to the school at the time of the shooting because it is a church-run school.President Joe Biden, speaking at the White House on Monday, called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.A reeling city mourned during multiple vigils Monday evening. At Belmont United Methodist Church, teary sniffling filled the background as vigil attendees sang, knelt in prayer and lit candles. They lamented the national cycle of violent and deadly shootings.“We need to step back. We need to breathe. We need to grieve,” said Paul Purdue, the church’s senior pastor. “We need to remember. We need to make space for others who are grieving. We need to hear the cries of our neighbors.”-------

School administrator among victims in Nashville school tragedy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A female shooter wielding two “assault-style” rifles and a pistol killed three students and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville on Monday in the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country growing increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.

(Click below to watch the President's comments)

Police said they believe the 28-year-old female shooter was a former student at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001. Police shot and killed her. Investigators were searching her Nashville-area home.

The attack at The Covenant School — which has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade, as well as roughly 50 staff members — comes as communities around the nation are reeling from a spate of school violence, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-mass-shootings-texas-police-9f38cce8fb09d3b88de3f41cdad96bd9">massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas</a>, last year; a first grader who shot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-shoots-teacher-newport-news-ebba31cb2d9064e9475c49f7fe7452df">his teacher in Virginia</a>; and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">shooting last week in Denver</a>&nbsp;that wounded two administrators.

“I was literally moved to tears to see this and the kids as they were being ushered out of the building,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake said at an afternoon news conference.

The identities of the deceased and the suspect have not been released. The shooter's motive was also not immediately clear.

President Joe Biden, speaking at an unrelated event at the White House on Monday, called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.

“It’s ripping at the soul of this nation, ripping at the very soul of this nation,” Biden said.

The suspect’s identity as a woman surprised experts on mass shootings. Female shooters make up only about 5% to 8% of all mass shooters, said Adam Lankford, a criminal justice professor at the University of Alabama who has closely studied the psychology and behavior of mass shooters.

Researchers believe there are three main explanations for why men commit more shootings than women, according to Jonathan Metzl, a professor of sociology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University who has studied mass shootings for more than a decade.

Metzl listed those explanations as: Men have more testosterone, are socialized to be engaged in violence and own more guns than women.

“There is some story we don’t know here,” Metzl said of the suspected female shooter in Nashville. “From school shootings historically, very often we think that people have some historical connection or emotional connection to the school. There’s an untold story here.”

Monday's tragedy unfolded over roughly 14 minutes. Police received the initial call about an active shooter at 10:13 a.m.

Officers began clearing the first story of the school when they heard gunshots coming from the second level, police spokesperson Don Aaron said during a news briefing.

Two officers from a five-member team opened fire in response, fatally shooting the suspect at 10:27 a.m., Aaron said. He said there were no police officers present or assigned to the school at the time of the shooting because it is a church-run school.

The Covenant School's victims were pronounced dead at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One officer had a hand wound from cut glass.

Other students walked to safety Monday, holding hands as they left their school surrounded by police cars, to a nearby church to be reunited with their parents.

Rachel Dibble, who was at the church as families reunited in the nearby church, described the scene as everyone being in “complete shock.”

“People were involuntarily trembling,” said Dibble, whose children attend a different private school in Nashville. “The children … started their morning in their cute little uniforms they probably had some Froot Loops and now their whole lives changed today.”

Dr. Shamendar Talwar, a social psychologist from the United Kingdom who is working on an unrelated mental health project in Nashville, raced to the church as soon as he heard news of the shooting to offer help. He said he was one of several chaplains, psychologists, life coaches and clergy inside supporting the families.

“All you can show is that the human spirit that basically that we are all hear together … and hold their hand more than anything else,” he said.

Jozen Reodica heard the police sirens and fire trucks blaring from outside her office building nearby. As her building was placed under lockdown, she took out her phone and recorded the chaos.

“I thought I would just see this on TV,” she said. “And right now, it’s real.”

The Covenant School was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, according to the school’s website. The school is located in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville, situated close to the city's top universities and home to the famed Bluebird Café – a beloved spot for musicians and song writers.

Top legislative leaders announced Monday that the GOP-dominant Statehouse would meet briefly later in the evening and delay taking up any legislation.

“In a tragic morning, Nashville joined the dreaded, long list of communities to experience a school shooting,” Mayor John Cooper wrote on Twitter.

Nashville has seen its share of mass violence in recent years, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tn-state-wire-nashville-bombings-lifestyle-2d5ebd11211a2dc93ed48c0de46507a3">Christmas Day 2020</a>&nbsp;attack where a recreational vehicle was intentionally detonated in the heart of Music City’s historic downtown, killing the bomber, injuring three others and forcing more than 60 businesses to close.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679948973192.png" alt="President Biden called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons." />
 <figcaption>President Biden called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A female shooter wielding two “assault-style” rifles and a pistol killed three students and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville on Monday in the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country growing increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.(Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F235714862148090%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=573" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Police said they believe the 28-year-old female shooter was a former student at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001. Police shot and killed her. Investigators were searching her Nashville-area home.The attack at The Covenant School — which has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade, as well as roughly 50 staff members — comes as communities around the nation are reeling from a spate of school violence, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-mass-shootings-texas-police-9f38cce8fb09d3b88de3f41cdad96bd9">massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas</a>, last year; a first grader who shot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-shoots-teacher-newport-news-ebba31cb2d9064e9475c49f7fe7452df">his teacher in Virginia</a>; and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">shooting last week in Denver</a>&nbsp;that wounded two administrators.“I was literally moved to tears to see this and the kids as they were being ushered out of the building,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake said at an afternoon news conference.The identities of the deceased and the suspect have not been released. The shooter's motive was also not immediately clear.President Joe Biden, speaking at an unrelated event at the White House on Monday, called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.“It’s ripping at the soul of this nation, ripping at the very soul of this nation,” Biden said.The suspect’s identity as a woman surprised experts on mass shootings. Female shooters make up only about 5% to 8% of all mass shooters, said Adam Lankford, a criminal justice professor at the University of Alabama who has closely studied the psychology and behavior of mass shooters.Researchers believe there are three main explanations for why men commit more shootings than women, according to Jonathan Metzl, a professor of sociology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University who has studied mass shootings for more than a decade.Metzl listed those explanations as: Men have more testosterone, are socialized to be engaged in violence and own more guns than women.“There is some story we don’t know here,” Metzl said of the suspected female shooter in Nashville. “From school shootings historically, very often we think that people have some historical connection or emotional connection to the school. There’s an untold story here.”Monday's tragedy unfolded over roughly 14 minutes. Police received the initial call about an active shooter at 10:13 a.m.Officers began clearing the first story of the school when they heard gunshots coming from the second level, police spokesperson Don Aaron said during a news briefing.Two officers from a five-member team opened fire in response, fatally shooting the suspect at 10:27 a.m., Aaron said. He said there were no police officers present or assigned to the school at the time of the shooting because it is a church-run school.The Covenant School's victims were pronounced dead at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One officer had a hand wound from cut glass.Other students walked to safety Monday, holding hands as they left their school surrounded by police cars, to a nearby church to be reunited with their parents.Rachel Dibble, who was at the church as families reunited in the nearby church, described the scene as everyone being in “complete shock.”“People were involuntarily trembling,” said Dibble, whose children attend a different private school in Nashville. “The children … started their morning in their cute little uniforms they probably had some Froot Loops and now their whole lives changed today.”Dr. Shamendar Talwar, a social psychologist from the United Kingdom who is working on an unrelated mental health project in Nashville, raced to the church as soon as he heard news of the shooting to offer help. He said he was one of several chaplains, psychologists, life coaches and clergy inside supporting the families.“All you can show is that the human spirit that basically that we are all hear together … and hold their hand more than anything else,” he said.Jozen Reodica heard the police sirens and fire trucks blaring from outside her office building nearby. As her building was placed under lockdown, she took out her phone and recorded the chaos.“I thought I would just see this on TV,” she said. “And right now, it’s real.”The Covenant School was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, according to the school’s website. The school is located in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville, situated close to the city's top universities and home to the famed Bluebird Café – a beloved spot for musicians and song writers.Top legislative leaders announced Monday that the GOP-dominant Statehouse would meet briefly later in the evening and delay taking up any legislation.“In a tragic morning, Nashville joined the dreaded, long list of communities to experience a school shooting,” Mayor John Cooper wrote on Twitter.Nashville has seen its share of mass violence in recent years, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tn-state-wire-nashville-bombings-lifestyle-2d5ebd11211a2dc93ed48c0de46507a3">Christmas Day 2020</a>&nbsp;attack where a recreational vehicle was intentionally detonated in the heart of Music City’s historic downtown, killing the bomber, injuring three others and forcing more than 60 businesses to close.

🎥Biden addresses deadly school shooting in Nashville

WASHINGTON –&nbsp; U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, John Cornyn (R-TX), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are set to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn President Biden’s student loan cancelation scheme, according to a media release from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.&nbsp; Kansas Senator Roger Marshall is also a member of the committee.

Biden's forgiveness plan would transfer up to $20,000 in student loan debt per borrower onto taxpayers, costing an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/58494">estimated $400 billion</a>. This comes after the Government Accountability Office (GAO)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/b-334644">confirmed</a>&nbsp;that the student loan policy is classified as a rule and can be overturned under the CRA.

Recently, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the cases&nbsp;Biden v. Nebraska&nbsp;and&nbsp;Department of Education v. Brown&nbsp;on whether the student cancelation program is unconstitutional and violates President Biden’s executive authority. The Supreme Court is expected to issue an opinion on the policy this summer.

“President Biden’s student loan scheme does not ‘forgive’ debt, it just transfers the burden from those who willingly took out loans to those who never went to college, or sacrificed to pay their loans off,”&nbsp;said Dr. Cassidy. “Where is the relief for the man who skipped college but is paying off his work truck, or the woman who paid off her loans and is now struggling to afford her mortgage? This resolution prevents these Americans, whose debts look different from the favored group the Biden administration has selected, from picking up the bill for this irresponsible and unfair policy.”

“The Biden administration’s tuition bailout is bad public policy, and it's unfair to people who've paid their college debt off by working multiple jobs or consciously meeting their obligations,”&nbsp;said Senator Cornyn.&nbsp;“This would block President Biden’s political gambit from driving up inflation, incentivizing universities to raise tuition, and forcing hardworking Texans to pay off the debts of wealthy graduates.”

“President Biden’s unfair attempt to transfer nearly half a trillion dollars in student debt to American taxpayers only helps the wealthy and hurts working families. Why should Iowans who chose to go straight into the workforce or pay for their own education foot the bill? Despite the administration’s attempts at avoiding Congressional oversight, we’re working to protect hardworking Americans and put a stop to the president’s reckless actions,”&nbsp;said Senator Ernst.

Last month, Cassidy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/ranking-member-cassidy-colleagues-file-amicus-brief-rebuking-bidens-student-loan-forgiveness">joined</a>&nbsp;U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and 41 other senators in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court challenging the Biden administration’s student loan cancelation program, which they say circumvents the authority of Congress.

Additionally, Cassidy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/cassidy-foxx-colleagues-urge-biden-administration-to-revoke-their-reckless-student-loan-scheme">called out</a>&nbsp;President Biden’s reckless&nbsp;<a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2023-OPE-0004-0001">income-driven repayment (IDR) rule</a>, which would result in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/Few%20College%20Students%20Will%20Repay%20Student%20Loans%20under%20the%20Biden%20Administrations%20Proposal.pdf">majority of bachelor’s degree holders</a>&nbsp;not having to repay their loans and will cost taxpayers an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/cbo-bidens-backup-student-loan-scheme-will-cost-taxpayers-__">$230 billion</a>. Cassidy also joined U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD) in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/ranking-member-cassidy-thune-colleagues-reintroduce-bill-to-end-bidens-student-loan-pause">introducing</a>&nbsp;the Stop Reckless Student Loan Actions Act, which would end President Biden’s current student loan pause that has cost Americans $195 billion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673377040107.png" alt="White House image" />
 <figcaption>White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON –&nbsp; U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, John Cornyn (R-TX), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are set to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn President Biden’s student loan cancelation scheme, according to a media release from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.&nbsp; Kansas Senator Roger Marshall is also a member of the committee.Biden's forgiveness plan would transfer up to $20,000 in student loan debt per borrower onto taxpayers, costing an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/58494">estimated $400 billion</a>. This comes after the Government Accountability Office (GAO)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/b-334644">confirmed</a>&nbsp;that the student loan policy is classified as a rule and can be overturned under the CRA.Recently, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the cases&nbsp;Biden v. Nebraska&nbsp;and&nbsp;Department of Education v. Brown&nbsp;on whether the student cancelation program is unconstitutional and violates President Biden’s executive authority. The Supreme Court is expected to issue an opinion on the policy this summer.“President Biden’s student loan scheme does not ‘forgive’ debt, it just transfers the burden from those who willingly took out loans to those who never went to college, or sacrificed to pay their loans off,”&nbsp;said Dr. Cassidy. “Where is the relief for the man who skipped college but is paying off his work truck, or the woman who paid off her loans and is now struggling to afford her mortgage? This resolution prevents these Americans, whose debts look different from the favored group the Biden administration has selected, from picking up the bill for this irresponsible and unfair policy.”“The Biden administration’s tuition bailout is bad public policy, and it's unfair to people who've paid their college debt off by working multiple jobs or consciously meeting their obligations,”&nbsp;said Senator Cornyn.&nbsp;“This would block President Biden’s political gambit from driving up inflation, incentivizing universities to raise tuition, and forcing hardworking Texans to pay off the debts of wealthy graduates.”“President Biden’s unfair attempt to transfer nearly half a trillion dollars in student debt to American taxpayers only helps the wealthy and hurts working families. Why should Iowans who chose to go straight into the workforce or pay for their own education foot the bill? Despite the administration’s attempts at avoiding Congressional oversight, we’re working to protect hardworking Americans and put a stop to the president’s reckless actions,”&nbsp;said Senator Ernst.Last month, Cassidy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/ranking-member-cassidy-colleagues-file-amicus-brief-rebuking-bidens-student-loan-forgiveness">joined</a>&nbsp;U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and 41 other senators in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court challenging the Biden administration’s student loan cancelation program, which they say circumvents the authority of Congress.Additionally, Cassidy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/cassidy-foxx-colleagues-urge-biden-administration-to-revoke-their-reckless-student-loan-scheme">called out</a>&nbsp;President Biden’s reckless&nbsp;<a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2023-OPE-0004-0001">income-driven repayment (IDR) rule</a>, which would result in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/Few%20College%20Students%20Will%20Repay%20Student%20Loans%20under%20the%20Biden%20Administrations%20Proposal.pdf">majority of bachelor’s degree holders</a>&nbsp;not having to repay their loans and will cost taxpayers an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/cbo-bidens-backup-student-loan-scheme-will-cost-taxpayers-__">$230 billion</a>. Cassidy also joined U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD) in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/ranking-member-cassidy-thune-colleagues-reintroduce-bill-to-end-bidens-student-loan-pause">introducing</a>&nbsp;the Stop Reckless Student Loan Actions Act, which would end President Biden’s current student loan pause that has cost Americans $195 billion.

Student loan forgiveness program faces new threat 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A woman wielding two “assault-style” rifles and a pistol killed three students and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville on Monday in the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country growing increasingly unnerved by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-mass-school-shooting-database-columbine-uvalde-1c82749f7236752a2e621f402489b357">bloodshed in schools.</a>

Police said they believe the 28-year-old shooter was a former student at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001. Police shot and killed her. Investigators were searching her Nashville-area home.

The identities of the deceased and the suspect have not been released. The shooter’s motive was also not immediately clear.

The Covenant School was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church. The affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville, where the Covenant School is located, is home to the famed Bluebird Café – a beloved spot for musicians and song writers.

There have been seven mass killings at U.S. schools since 2006, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://cssh.northeastern.edu/sccj/mass-killing-database/">database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University</a>. In all of them, the shooters were males who killed four or more people within a 24-hour time frame at K-12 school.

“From school shootings historically, very often we think that people have some historical connection or emotional connection to the school," he said, calling the Nashville shooting “an untold story.”

Two officers from a five-member team opened fire in response, fatally shooting the suspect at 10:27 a.m., Aaron said. One officer had a hand wound from cut glass.

Rachel Dibble, who was at the church as families found their children, described the scene as everyone being in “complete shock.”

“All you can show is that the human spirit that basically that we are all here together … and hold their hand more than anything else,” he said.

Police said they believe the 28-year-old female shooter was a former student at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001. She also died after being shot by police.

The violence at the school — which has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade — comes as communities around the nation are reeling from a spate of school violence, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-mass-shootings-texas-police-9f38cce8fb09d3b88de3f41cdad96bd9">massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas</a>, last year; a first grader who shot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-shoots-teacher-newport-news-ebba31cb2d9064e9475c49f7fe7452df">his teacher in Virginia</a>; and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">shooting last week in Denver</a>&nbsp;that wounded two administrators.

Authorities said the suspect was from the Nashville area, but her name has not been released and her motive in the attack has not been determined.

The Covenant School was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church in 2001, according to the school’s website. The school is located in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville, situated close to the city's top universities and home to the famed Bluebird Café – a beloved spot for musicians and song writers.

The grade school has roughly 50 staff members. The school’s website features the motto “Shepherding Hearts, Empowering Minds, Celebrating Childhood.”

Nashville has seen its share of mass violence in recent years.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tn-state-wire-nashville-bombings-lifestyle-2d5ebd11211a2dc93ed48c0de46507a3">On Christmas Day 2020</a>, a recreational vehicle was intentionally detonated in the heart of Music City’s historic downtown, killing the bomber, injuring three others and forcing more than 60 businesses to close.

A man shot and killed four people at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-travis-reinking-6839ec09d4c4a743bc5c31c54b918290">Nashville Waffle House in April 2018.</a>&nbsp;He was sentenced in February 2022 to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-us-news-religion-tennessee-nashville-f56b445a4e54468caff28c1844c55aa4">In September 2017, a masked gunman opened fire</a>&nbsp;at the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, walking silently down the aisle as he shot unsuspecting congregants. One person was killed and seven others were wounded. The gunman was sentenced in 2019 to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A female shooter wielding two “assault-style” rifles and a pistol killed three students and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville on Monday in what marks the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country growing increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.

The suspect also died after being shot by police following the violence at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school for about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade. Police said the shooter was a 28-year-old woman from Nashville, after initially saying she appeared to be in her teens.

Authorities were working to identify her and whether she had a connection to the school.