WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden notched two years in office on Friday. That represents 730 days since his inauguration — and a whole lot of other numbers as well.

The story of the first half of Biden's term, at least by the numbers, is a mixed bag. It includes a long-sought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">$1 trillion bill to shore up the nation's bridges, roads and other infrastructure,</a>&nbsp;but also the unwelcome milestone of historic inflation. There's been a huge number of COVID-19 vaccinations, but nearly 680,000 people have died of the disease. Biden has visited three dozen states and spent all or part of nearly 200 days in his home state of Delaware.

A look at some revealing data points at the two-year mark for the 46th president:

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/december-2022-inflation-report-72bb938a443ab0500bd72d23f62214ad">6..5%:</a>&nbsp;Annual inflation remains stubbornly high, but is slowly falling after reaching a four-decade high of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-consumer-74e1a5c9bced40460e4079f62e980095">9.1% in June.</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-jobs-and-careers-federal-reserve-system-005ac62672d87fb9f81bd9b97caecfc5">10.46 million:</a>&nbsp;The latest Labor Department figures show more than 10 million job vacancies in the U.S., nearly 1.8 jobs for every unemployed person.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-technology-business-ap-top-news-federal-reserve-system-37ba9ff6b36f73485b8c85e217e99d98">Jobless rate at 3.5%</a>, matching a 53-year low. Zero recessions — so far.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">$31.38 trillion:</a>&nbsp;The federal debt stood at $27.6 trillion when Biden took office.

$24.2 billion:&nbsp;<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jan/06/2003141218/-1/-1/1/UKRAINE-FACT-SHEET-JAN-6.PDF">The amount of U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;since the Russian invasion nearly 11 months ago.

<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jan/06/2003141218/-1/-1/1/UKRAINE-FACT-SHEET-JAN-6.PDF">38:</a>&nbsp;The number of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS, committed to send to Ukraine. A gamechanger, allowing Ukrainian forces to fire at Russian targets from far away, then drive away before artillery can target them.

2.38 million: For the 12 months ending Sept. 30, 2022, Customs and Border Protection reported stopping migrants at the U.S. border&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-us-customs-and-border-protection-cuba-immigration-8fbba5bde9afca3f404eaa96bcfd136a">nearly 2.4 million times, a</a>&nbsp;record surge driven by sharp increases in Venezuelans, Cubans and Nicaraguans. The previous high was 1.66 million in 2021.

97: Confirmation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-biden-politics-wisconsin-state-government-united-states-8e2e4f826096e431fcc7b1605426ec0a">Biden's picks to the federal bench,</a>&nbsp;including Supreme Court Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson, outpacing the president's two immediate predecessors.

89: The president has granted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-statistics">nine pardons and 80 commutations</a>, far more than any of his recent predecessors at this point. Donald Trump had granted 11 by this time, George W. Bush seven. Barack Obama didn't take any clemency action in his first two years.

$3.36:&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">The average price per gallon</a>&nbsp;that American motorists are paying at the pump has fallen since peaking at $5.02 per gallon in June. Motorists were paying a $2.39 per gallon average the week Biden took office.

<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-trends">666 million:</a>&nbsp;The number of COVID-19 vaccines administered to Americans under Biden. T&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-vaccine-mexico-coronavirus-pandemic-united-nations-e1b5b520b4dd255dbc10807989a0f062">wenty million had received the jab</a>&nbsp;before Biden took office. The vaccine was not approved until late in Trump's presidency.

<a href="https://public4.pagefreezer.com/browse/CDC%20Covid%20Pages/18-01-2023T11:29/https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home">15.9%:</a>&nbsp;The percentage of Americans 5 and older who have gotten updated bivalent vaccine.

680,000: The recorded death toll from the coronavirus pandemic during Biden's term. The worst pandemic in more than a century had already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-public-health-tulsa-oklahoma-florida-56b56d4848bbe5b41060e7b3a5e459bb">taken more than 400,000 American lives</a>&nbsp;by Biden’s inauguration and has taken&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/us-map">1.1 million</a>&nbsp;total since March 2020.

36: Biden has spread his travel across the country to promote his agenda, but still needs to cross off Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.

197: There's no place like home. The president spent all or part of 197 days in his home state of Delaware, traveling most weekends to either his home near Wilmington or his vacation home at Rehoboth Beach, according to an AP tally. Beyond the weekend visits, he's also made quick trips for funerals, policy events and to cast his ballot in a Democratic primary.

6: Biden has spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping a half-dozen times since the start of his term. All but one of those were phone or video calls.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-indonesia-xi-jinping-government-and-politics-961bb4680962cc53b4375af3bcbc4927">They met in person on the sidelines of a summit in Indonesia in November.</a>

22: The minimum number of times that Biden has publicly lapsed into a nostalgic recollection of an intimate conversation he had with Xi during a visit to China when Biden was vice president. Biden said Xi asked him to define America and he responded with one word: Possibilities. Biden even managed to squeeze in the anecdote during a celebration this week for the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.

21: Biden held fewer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/presidential-news-conferences">solo or joint news conferences</a>&nbsp;than his three most recent predecessors at the same point in their presidencies.

$1 trillion: The amount allocated for roads, bridges, ports and more in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure legislation</a>, arguably the most significant legislative achievement of his first two years in office.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/04/fact-sheet-president-biden-vice-president-harris-senior-administration-officials-kick-off-2023-implementing-bipartisan-infrastructure-law/#:~:text=The%20Bipartisan%20Infrastructure%20Law%20invests,Eisenhower%2Dera%20Interstate%20Highway%20System.">$40 billion:</a>&nbsp;The amount in the infrastructure bill dedicated to repair and rebuild the nation’s bridges, the single largest dedicated investment in bridges since the construction of the Eisenhower-era interstate highway system.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/01/04/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-on-rebuilding-our-infrastructure-and-creating-good-paying-jobs/">43,000:</a>&nbsp;The number of bridges in the U.S. rated as poor and needing repair, according to the White House.

1: The president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-jill-united-states-macron-state-dinners-73f5a0d51b4058c7b96ec1e43c59a3e1">lone state dinner to date</a>&nbsp;honored French President Emmanuel Macron. Biden held back on some of the the traditional pomp — and partying — at the White House in the early going of his presidency because of COVID-19 concerns.

<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/research/tracking-turnover-in-the-biden-administration/">0:</a>&nbsp;Not one of Biden’s original Cabinet appointees has left the administration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611173242938.png" alt="The story of the first half of Biden's term, at least by the numbers, is a mixed bag.-White House photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The story of the first half of Biden's term, at least by the numbers, is a mixed bag.-White House photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden notched two years in office on Friday. That represents 730 days since his inauguration — and a whole lot of other numbers as well.The story of the first half of Biden's term, at least by the numbers, is a mixed bag. It includes a long-sought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">$1 trillion bill to shore up the nation's bridges, roads and other infrastructure,</a>&nbsp;but also the unwelcome milestone of historic inflation. There's been a huge number of COVID-19 vaccinations, but nearly 680,000 people have died of the disease. Biden has visited three dozen states and spent all or part of nearly 200 days in his home state of Delaware.A look at some revealing data points at the two-year mark for the 46th president:<a href="https://apnews.com/article/december-2022-inflation-report-72bb938a443ab0500bd72d23f62214ad">6..5%:</a>&nbsp;Annual inflation remains stubbornly high, but is slowly falling after reaching a four-decade high of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-consumer-74e1a5c9bced40460e4079f62e980095">9.1% in June.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-jobs-and-careers-federal-reserve-system-005ac62672d87fb9f81bd9b97caecfc5">10.46 million:</a>&nbsp;The latest Labor Department figures show more than 10 million job vacancies in the U.S., nearly 1.8 jobs for every unemployed person.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-technology-business-ap-top-news-federal-reserve-system-37ba9ff6b36f73485b8c85e217e99d98">Jobless rate at 3.5%</a>, matching a 53-year low. Zero recessions — so far.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">$31.38 trillion:</a>&nbsp;The federal debt stood at $27.6 trillion when Biden took office.$24.2 billion:&nbsp;<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jan/06/2003141218/-1/-1/1/UKRAINE-FACT-SHEET-JAN-6.PDF">The amount of U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;since the Russian invasion nearly 11 months ago.<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jan/06/2003141218/-1/-1/1/UKRAINE-FACT-SHEET-JAN-6.PDF">38:</a>&nbsp;The number of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS, committed to send to Ukraine. A gamechanger, allowing Ukrainian forces to fire at Russian targets from far away, then drive away before artillery can target them.2.38 million: For the 12 months ending Sept. 30, 2022, Customs and Border Protection reported stopping migrants at the U.S. border&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-us-customs-and-border-protection-cuba-immigration-8fbba5bde9afca3f404eaa96bcfd136a">nearly 2.4 million times, a</a>&nbsp;record surge driven by sharp increases in Venezuelans, Cubans and Nicaraguans. The previous high was 1.66 million in 2021.97: Confirmation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-biden-politics-wisconsin-state-government-united-states-8e2e4f826096e431fcc7b1605426ec0a">Biden's picks to the federal bench,</a>&nbsp;including Supreme Court Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson, outpacing the president's two immediate predecessors.89: The president has granted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-statistics">nine pardons and 80 commutations</a>, far more than any of his recent predecessors at this point. Donald Trump had granted 11 by this time, George W. Bush seven. Barack Obama didn't take any clemency action in his first two years.$3.36:&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">The average price per gallon</a>&nbsp;that American motorists are paying at the pump has fallen since peaking at $5.02 per gallon in June. Motorists were paying a $2.39 per gallon average the week Biden took office.<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-trends">666 million:</a>&nbsp;The number of COVID-19 vaccines administered to Americans under Biden. T&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-vaccine-mexico-coronavirus-pandemic-united-nations-e1b5b520b4dd255dbc10807989a0f062">wenty million had received the jab</a>&nbsp;before Biden took office. The vaccine was not approved until late in Trump's presidency.<a href="https://public4.pagefreezer.com/browse/CDC%20Covid%20Pages/18-01-2023T11:29/https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home">15.9%:</a>&nbsp;The percentage of Americans 5 and older who have gotten updated bivalent vaccine.680,000: The recorded death toll from the coronavirus pandemic during Biden's term. The worst pandemic in more than a century had already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-public-health-tulsa-oklahoma-florida-56b56d4848bbe5b41060e7b3a5e459bb">taken more than 400,000 American lives</a>&nbsp;by Biden’s inauguration and has taken&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/us-map">1.1 million</a>&nbsp;total since March 2020.36: Biden has spread his travel across the country to promote his agenda, but still needs to cross off Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.197: There's no place like home. The president spent all or part of 197 days in his home state of Delaware, traveling most weekends to either his home near Wilmington or his vacation home at Rehoboth Beach, according to an AP tally. Beyond the weekend visits, he's also made quick trips for funerals, policy events and to cast his ballot in a Democratic primary.6: Biden has spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping a half-dozen times since the start of his term. All but one of those were phone or video calls.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-indonesia-xi-jinping-government-and-politics-961bb4680962cc53b4375af3bcbc4927">They met in person on the sidelines of a summit in Indonesia in November.</a>22: The minimum number of times that Biden has publicly lapsed into a nostalgic recollection of an intimate conversation he had with Xi during a visit to China when Biden was vice president. Biden said Xi asked him to define America and he responded with one word: Possibilities. Biden even managed to squeeze in the anecdote during a celebration this week for the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.21: Biden held fewer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/presidential-news-conferences">solo or joint news conferences</a>&nbsp;than his three most recent predecessors at the same point in their presidencies.$1 trillion: The amount allocated for roads, bridges, ports and more in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure legislation</a>, arguably the most significant legislative achievement of his first two years in office.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/04/fact-sheet-president-biden-vice-president-harris-senior-administration-officials-kick-off-2023-implementing-bipartisan-infrastructure-law/#:~:text=The%20Bipartisan%20Infrastructure%20Law%20invests,Eisenhower%2Dera%20Interstate%20Highway%20System.">$40 billion:</a>&nbsp;The amount in the infrastructure bill dedicated to repair and rebuild the nation’s bridges, the single largest dedicated investment in bridges since the construction of the Eisenhower-era interstate highway system.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/01/04/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-on-rebuilding-our-infrastructure-and-creating-good-paying-jobs/">43,000:</a>&nbsp;The number of bridges in the U.S. rated as poor and needing repair, according to the White House.1: The president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-jill-united-states-macron-state-dinners-73f5a0d51b4058c7b96ec1e43c59a3e1">lone state dinner to date</a>&nbsp;honored French President Emmanuel Macron. Biden held back on some of the the traditional pomp — and partying — at the White House in the early going of his presidency because of COVID-19 concerns.<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/research/tracking-turnover-in-the-biden-administration/">0:</a>&nbsp;Not one of Biden’s original Cabinet appointees has left the administration.

By the numbers: President Biden at the two-year mark

It's ‘taxation without representation,’ said one reformed felon

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/20/advocates-say-restoring-voting-rights-for-felons-would-improve-public-safety/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Advocates for restoring voting rights of convicted felons 
said Friday that such a step would remove a “punitive” stigma and 
improve public safety.

“People who are engaged are less likely to reoffend,” said State Sen.
 Justin Wayne of Omaha, at a press conference sponsored by the Voting 
Rights Restoration Coalition.

About 20,000 Nebraskans cannot vote because they are serving time in 
prison, are on parole for a felony crime or have not completed the 
current two-year waiting period to regain their rights to vote, serve on
 a jury or run for public office.

Wayne, who chairs the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, has 
introduced a measure this year, Legislative Bill 20, that would restore 
felons’ voting rights as soon as they complete their prison or parole 
sentence.

Felons who have completed their sentences said at Friday’s press 
conference that the loss of voting rights disproportionately affects 
communities of color and leaves reformed felons, who now have jobs and 
own homes, “marginalized.”

“It’s taxation without representation,” said Demetrius Gatson of the ACLU of Nebraska.

The voting restoration coalition maintains that making felons wait 
two years after paying their debt to society is like rubbing salt into a
 wound.

Also introduced this year was a proposed constitutional amendment, LR 4CA, from Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh.

It would do away with the clause that requires convicted felons to 
lose their voting rights at any time. Only those convicted of treason 
would lose their right to vote under the proposal, which would require 
voter approval.

Two states, Vermont and Maine, and the District of Columbia currently
 do not take away voting rights of someone convicted of a felony crime.

Cavanaugh, who has introduced similar measures in the past, called removing voting rights “a penalty without a purpose.”

Nicole Porter, senior director of advocacy for The Sentencing 
Project, said that 4.6 million people nationally, including 20,000 in 
Nebraska, are denied the right to vote because they are in prison for a 
felony or still on parole.

Porter said denying the right to vote is an aspect of the nation’s problem with over-incarceration.

A<a target="_blank" href="http://users.cla.umn.edu/~uggen/Preview.pdf"> 2003 study done</a>
 for the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University suggested 
that there is a link between civic engagement, &nbsp;voting, and a lower rate
 of repeat crime.

The Voting Rights Restoration Coalition is a group of 28 
organizations, including the ACLU, Black Votes Matter, the NAACP and 
Civic Nebraska.

Jasmine Harris, director of public policy and advocacy for RISE, a 
Nebraska prison reentry program, said that with voting rights issues 
such as voter ID being debated this year, it’s an ideal time to address 
the voting rights of felons.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674250310526.png" alt="Demetrius Gatson said that despite completing her felony sentence, getting a job and buying a home, she had to wait two years before getting to vote again, which she called ‘taxation without representation.’ (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Demetrius Gatson said that despite completing her felony sentence, getting a job and buying a home, she had to wait two years before getting to vote again, which she called ‘taxation without representation.’ (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>It's ‘taxation without representation,’ said one reformed felon</h2>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/20/advocates-say-restoring-voting-rights-for-felons-would-improve-public-safety/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Advocates for restoring voting rights of convicted felons 
said Friday that such a step would remove a “punitive” stigma and 
improve public safety.“People who are engaged are less likely to reoffend,” said State Sen.
 Justin Wayne of Omaha, at a press conference sponsored by the Voting 
Rights Restoration Coalition.About 20,000 Nebraskans cannot vote because they are serving time in 
prison, are on parole for a felony crime or have not completed the 
current two-year waiting period to regain their rights to vote, serve on
 a jury or run for public office.<h2>Bill would restore rights upon release</h2>Wayne, who chairs the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, has 
introduced a measure this year, Legislative Bill 20, that would restore 
felons’ voting rights as soon as they complete their prison or parole 
sentence.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674250368592.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Justin Wayne (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Justin Wayne (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner).</figcaption>
 </figure>Felons who have completed their sentences said at Friday’s press 
conference that the loss of voting rights disproportionately affects 
communities of color and leaves reformed felons, who now have jobs and 
own homes, “marginalized.”“It’s taxation without representation,” said Demetrius Gatson of the ACLU of Nebraska.The voting restoration coalition maintains that making felons wait 
two years after paying their debt to society is like rubbing salt into a
 wound.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662042112970.png" alt="Nebraska Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh (Nebraska Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh (Nebraska Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Also introduced this year was a proposed constitutional amendment, LR 4CA, from Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh.It would do away with the clause that requires convicted felons to 
lose their voting rights at any time. Only those convicted of treason 
would lose their right to vote under the proposal, which would require 
voter approval.Two states, Vermont and Maine, and the District of Columbia currently
 do not take away voting rights of someone convicted of a felony crime.Cavanaugh, who has introduced similar measures in the past, called removing voting rights “a penalty without a purpose.”<h2>20,000 affected in Nebraska</h2>Nicole Porter, senior director of advocacy for The Sentencing 
Project, said that 4.6 million people nationally, including 20,000 in 
Nebraska, are denied the right to vote because they are in prison for a 
felony or still on parole.Porter said denying the right to vote is an aspect of the nation’s problem with over-incarceration.A<a target="_blank" href="http://users.cla.umn.edu/~uggen/Preview.pdf"> 2003 study done</a>
 for the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University suggested 
that there is a link between civic engagement, &nbsp;voting, and a lower rate
 of repeat crime.The Voting Rights Restoration Coalition is a group of 28 
organizations, including the ACLU, Black Votes Matter, the NAACP and 
Civic Nebraska.Jasmine Harris, director of public policy and advocacy for RISE, a 
Nebraska prison reentry program, said that with voting rights issues 
such as voter ID being debated this year, it’s an ideal time to address 
the voting rights of felons.

Advocates say restoring voting rights for felons would improve public safety

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) — Defense leaders meeting at a U.S. air base in Germany on Friday failed to resolve divisions over providing advanced battle tanks to Ukraine after more than five hours of discussions about sending more military aid to the embattled country in its war with Russia.

The defense minister of Poland, which has pledged a company of 14 Leopard tanks on condition that other countries also supply them, said 15 countries that have the German-made Leopards discussed the issue but no decisions were made.

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak called the meeting a “good discussion among allies” and said the matter would be discussed again at future talks.

Germany would need to consent for the tanks to be given to Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO. Despite pleas from Ukrainian officials, Germany has so far resisted mounting pressure to quickly supply Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv, or at least clear the way for other countries, such as Poland, to deliver them from their own stocks.

The U.S. has resisted providing its own M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, citing extensive and complex maintenance and logistical challenges with the high-tech vehicle. Washington believes it would be more productive to send German Leopards since many allies have them and Ukrainian troops would need less training than on the more difficult Abrams.

U.S. and German officials have given mixed signals about whether Germany is hesitant to provide the Leopards unless the U.S. provides Abrams tanks. A U.S. official familiar with White House thinking reiterated that Germany has expressed hesitance to providing its tanks without the U.S. sending Abrams. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the Biden administration deliberations, added that there was some bewilderment in the administration over the German position, since Britain, another NATO ally, has already agreed to provide tanks.

But Steffen Hebestreit, a spokesman for the German government, denied that Berlin demanded that the U.S. supply Abrams tanks alongside any shipment of Leopards.

At a news conference Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted Germany's denial that it had linked one type of tank to the other. “This notion of our locking, you know, in my mind, it's not an issue, he said.”

Ukrainian leaders and supporters of Kyiv have repeatedly criticized Germany for what they see as holding back critical assistance in the war. U.S. Defense chief Austin defended German leaders after Friday’s meeting. Asked by a reporter if Germany was doing enough to show “real leadership” in Europe, Austin replied, “Yes, but we can all do more.”

“They are a reliable ally and they’ve been that way for for a very, very long time,” he said. “And I truly believe that they’ll continue to be a reliable ally going forward.”

Austin also downplayed the immediate importance of tanks, noting that Stryker combat vehicles and Bradley armored vehicles being sent for the first time would give Ukraine new capabilities in the war. “This isn’t really about one single platform,” he said.

Speaking to reporters outside the conference hall at midday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that while there was no resolution yet, “we will make our decisions as soon as possible.”

He said he had ordered the ministry to look into the tank stocks Germany has so he can be prepared for a possible green light and be able to “act immediately.” Pistorius added that Germany will “balance all the pros and contras before we decide things like that. … I am very sure that there will be a decision in the short term but … I don’t know how the decision will look.”

The defense leaders opened their day hearing an impassioned plea for more military aid from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Speaking live via video link, he told the gathering that “terror does not allow for discussion.” He said “the war started by Russia does not allow delays.”

Meanwhile, a Kremlin spokesman said the deployment of Western tanks would trigger “unambiguously negative” consequences.

“All these tanks will require both maintenance and repairs, and so on, so (sending them) will add to Ukraine’s problems, but will not change anything with regard to the Russian side achieving its goals,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a media briefing Friday.

Austin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-politics-government-united-states-56bf9dc96a24f62c91903c8861ae7af7">U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley</a>, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were expected to discuss the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-1f7c78eb5fb9e758413385f36a37aef2">latest massive package of aid</a>&nbsp;the U.S. is sending, which totals $2.5 billion and includes Stryker armored vehicles for the first time.

The United Kingdom announced last week that it would send&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-vitali-klitschko-explosions-401d8116d95d67e3afbe8de8eb8cf65a">Challenger 2</a>&nbsp;tanks, describing that move as a natural progression of military aid to Ukraine.

The latest package of U.S. aid includes eight Avenger air defense systems, 350 Humvees, 53 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, more than 100,000 rounds of artillery ammunition and rockets, and missiles for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. It was announced Thursday by the Pentagon.

Other pledges announced ahead of the Ramstein meeting included S-60 anti-aircraft guns from Poland with 70,000 rounds of ammunition, additional Stinger air-defense systems and two M-17 helicopters from Latvia, and two Russian-made Mi-8 helicopters and dozens of L-70 anti-aircraft guns with ammunition from Lithuania.

Nearly 11 months into the Russian invasion, Zelenskyy has expressed frustration about not obtaining enough weaponry from the Western allies. Speaking by video link on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, he bemoaned a “lack of specific weaponry."

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who took office Thursday just an hour before he met with Austin, said that opinions among allies were mixed on the tank issue, and added that “the impression that has occasionally arisen that there is a united coalition and Germany is standing in the way is wrong.”

Milley told reporters traveling with him this week that new U.S. training of Ukrainian troops, combined with an array of new weapons and armored vehicles heading to Ukraine, will be key to helping the country’s forces take back territory that has been captured by Russia in the nearly 11-month-old war.

The goal, he said, is to deliver needed weapons and equipment to Ukraine so the newly trained forces will be able to use it “sometime before the spring rains show up. That would be ideal.”

The influx of new weapons, tanks and armored carriers comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-apartment-strike-death-toll-1b518f84fc4e70708d56e1a1ea708929">Ukraine faces intense combat</a>&nbsp;in the country's east around the city of Bakhmut and the nearby salt mining town of Soledar. The battles are expected to intensify in the spring.

Milley said Friday that the number of Russian dead and wounded is now “significantly over” 100,000 people, a figure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-europe-army-joint-chiefs-of-staff-688e99d37f25ac8340b6a96a79a89abf">he gave in November</a>.

“This is a very, very bloody war and there’s significant casualties on both sides,” he said. “Sooner or later, this is going to have to get to a negotiating table at some point in order to bring this to a conclusion.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674242205040.png" alt="Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and&nbsp;U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during Friday's meeting of the Ukraine Defense contact group- photo Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and&nbsp;U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during Friday's meeting of the Ukraine Defense contact group- photo Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) — Defense leaders meeting at a U.S. air base in Germany on Friday failed to resolve divisions over providing advanced battle tanks to Ukraine after more than five hours of discussions about sending more military aid to the embattled country in its war with Russia.The defense minister of Poland, which has pledged a company of 14 Leopard tanks on condition that other countries also supply them, said 15 countries that have the German-made Leopards discussed the issue but no decisions were made.Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak called the meeting a “good discussion among allies” and said the matter would be discussed again at future talks.Germany would need to consent for the tanks to be given to Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO. Despite pleas from Ukrainian officials, Germany has so far resisted mounting pressure to quickly supply Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv, or at least clear the way for other countries, such as Poland, to deliver them from their own stocks.The U.S. has resisted providing its own M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, citing extensive and complex maintenance and logistical challenges with the high-tech vehicle. Washington believes it would be more productive to send German Leopards since many allies have them and Ukrainian troops would need less training than on the more difficult Abrams.U.S. and German officials have given mixed signals about whether Germany is hesitant to provide the Leopards unless the U.S. provides Abrams tanks. A U.S. official familiar with White House thinking reiterated that Germany has expressed hesitance to providing its tanks without the U.S. sending Abrams. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the Biden administration deliberations, added that there was some bewilderment in the administration over the German position, since Britain, another NATO ally, has already agreed to provide tanks.But Steffen Hebestreit, a spokesman for the German government, denied that Berlin demanded that the U.S. supply Abrams tanks alongside any shipment of Leopards.At a news conference Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted Germany's denial that it had linked one type of tank to the other. “This notion of our locking, you know, in my mind, it's not an issue, he said.”Ukrainian leaders and supporters of Kyiv have repeatedly criticized Germany for what they see as holding back critical assistance in the war. U.S. Defense chief Austin defended German leaders after Friday’s meeting. Asked by a reporter if Germany was doing enough to show “real leadership” in Europe, Austin replied, “Yes, but we can all do more.”“They are a reliable ally and they’ve been that way for for a very, very long time,” he said. “And I truly believe that they’ll continue to be a reliable ally going forward.”Austin also downplayed the immediate importance of tanks, noting that Stryker combat vehicles and Bradley armored vehicles being sent for the first time would give Ukraine new capabilities in the war. “This isn’t really about one single platform,” he said.Speaking to reporters outside the conference hall at midday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that while there was no resolution yet, “we will make our decisions as soon as possible.”He said he had ordered the ministry to look into the tank stocks Germany has so he can be prepared for a possible green light and be able to “act immediately.” Pistorius added that Germany will “balance all the pros and contras before we decide things like that. … I am very sure that there will be a decision in the short term but … I don’t know how the decision will look.”The defense leaders opened their day hearing an impassioned plea for more military aid from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Speaking live via video link, he told the gathering that “terror does not allow for discussion.” He said “the war started by Russia does not allow delays.”Meanwhile, a Kremlin spokesman said the deployment of Western tanks would trigger “unambiguously negative” consequences.“All these tanks will require both maintenance and repairs, and so on, so (sending them) will add to Ukraine’s problems, but will not change anything with regard to the Russian side achieving its goals,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a media briefing Friday.Austin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-politics-government-united-states-56bf9dc96a24f62c91903c8861ae7af7">U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley</a>, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were expected to discuss the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-1f7c78eb5fb9e758413385f36a37aef2">latest massive package of aid</a>&nbsp;the U.S. is sending, which totals $2.5 billion and includes Stryker armored vehicles for the first time.The United Kingdom announced last week that it would send&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-vitali-klitschko-explosions-401d8116d95d67e3afbe8de8eb8cf65a">Challenger 2</a>&nbsp;tanks, describing that move as a natural progression of military aid to Ukraine.The latest package of U.S. aid includes eight Avenger air defense systems, 350 Humvees, 53 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, more than 100,000 rounds of artillery ammunition and rockets, and missiles for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. It was announced Thursday by the Pentagon.Other pledges announced ahead of the Ramstein meeting included S-60 anti-aircraft guns from Poland with 70,000 rounds of ammunition, additional Stinger air-defense systems and two M-17 helicopters from Latvia, and two Russian-made Mi-8 helicopters and dozens of L-70 anti-aircraft guns with ammunition from Lithuania.Nearly 11 months into the Russian invasion, Zelenskyy has expressed frustration about not obtaining enough weaponry from the Western allies. Speaking by video link on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, he bemoaned a “lack of specific weaponry."German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who took office Thursday just an hour before he met with Austin, said that opinions among allies were mixed on the tank issue, and added that “the impression that has occasionally arisen that there is a united coalition and Germany is standing in the way is wrong.”Milley told reporters traveling with him this week that new U.S. training of Ukrainian troops, combined with an array of new weapons and armored vehicles heading to Ukraine, will be key to helping the country’s forces take back territory that has been captured by Russia in the nearly 11-month-old war.The goal, he said, is to deliver needed weapons and equipment to Ukraine so the newly trained forces will be able to use it “sometime before the spring rains show up. That would be ideal.”The influx of new weapons, tanks and armored carriers comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-apartment-strike-death-toll-1b518f84fc4e70708d56e1a1ea708929">Ukraine faces intense combat</a>&nbsp;in the country's east around the city of Bakhmut and the nearby salt mining town of Soledar. The battles are expected to intensify in the spring.Milley said Friday that the number of Russian dead and wounded is now “significantly over” 100,000 people, a figure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-europe-army-joint-chiefs-of-staff-688e99d37f25ac8340b6a96a79a89abf">he gave in November</a>.“This is a very, very bloody war and there’s significant casualties on both sides,” he said. “Sooner or later, this is going to have to get to a negotiating table at some point in order to bring this to a conclusion.”

While Ukraine burns, U.S. in dispute over supplying tanks

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/state-employee-labor-union-wins-court-ruling-upholds-wearing-of-blue-jeans/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — In a battle over wearing blue jeans, a state employees union has prevailed.

On Friday, the Nebraska Supreme Court upheld a ruling that the State 
Department of Health and Human Services had overstepped its bounds by 
changing the dress code — and banning blue jeans and other casual dress —
 in violation of its labor contract.

The case grew out of a decision by DHHS in 2020 to change its 
long-standing dress code for employees, requiring “business casual” 
dress on Mondays through Thursdays, and allowing blue jeans, sweatshirts
 and tennis shoes on “Casual Fridays” only.

The Nebraska Association of Public Employees, on behalf of its members,<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/battle-over-bluejeans-to-be-heard-by-nebraskas-highest-court/"> filed a grievance</a>
 over the change, pointing out that its labor contract with the state 
requires than any change in the conditions of employment requires notice
 and bargaining with the union.

NAPE also argued that the dress code change didn’t make sense because
 many DHHS employees don’t deal directly with the public and that it 
would cost workers extra &nbsp;money to buy new clothing.

The Nebraska Supreme Court, in a 22-page ruling, upheld decisions by a
 lower court and an arbitrator that DHHS had violated the labor 
contract.

“This case was about basic contract enforcement and we are thankful 
the court affirmed our rights,” said NAPE President Melissa Haynes in a 
press release. “We always want to work collaboratively with DHHS 
management to solve disputes, but we will never hesitate to defend our 
rights.”

Justin Hubly, NAPE’s executive director, said it was disappointing 
that the state spent taxpayer money to appeal the arbitrator’s ruling 
all the way to the state’s highest court.

He said NAPE members plan to continue to provide public services “even in blue jeans when appropriate.”

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/state-employee-labor-union-wins-court-ruling-upholds-wearing-of-blue-jeans/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — In a battle over wearing blue jeans, a state employees union has prevailed.On Friday, the Nebraska Supreme Court upheld a ruling that the State 
Department of Health and Human Services had overstepped its bounds by 
changing the dress code — and banning blue jeans and other casual dress —
 in violation of its labor contract.The case grew out of a decision by DHHS in 2020 to change its 
long-standing dress code for employees, requiring “business casual” 
dress on Mondays through Thursdays, and allowing blue jeans, sweatshirts
 and tennis shoes on “Casual Fridays” only.The Nebraska Association of Public Employees, on behalf of its members,<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/battle-over-bluejeans-to-be-heard-by-nebraskas-highest-court/"> filed a grievance</a>
 over the change, pointing out that its labor contract with the state 
requires than any change in the conditions of employment requires notice
 and bargaining with the union.NAPE also argued that the dress code change didn’t make sense because
 many DHHS employees don’t deal directly with the public and that it 
would cost workers extra &nbsp;money to buy new clothing.The Nebraska Supreme Court, in a 22-page ruling, upheld decisions by a
 lower court and an arbitrator that DHHS had violated the labor 
contract.“This case was about basic contract enforcement and we are thankful 
the court affirmed our rights,” said NAPE President Melissa Haynes in a 
press release. “We always want to work collaboratively with DHHS 
management to solve disputes, but we will never hesitate to defend our 
rights.”Justin Hubly, NAPE’s executive director, said it was disappointing 
that the state spent taxpayer money to appeal the arbitrator’s ruling 
all the way to the state’s highest court.He said NAPE members plan to continue to provide public services “even in blue jeans when appropriate.”

Neb. state employee union wins right to wear blue jeans

WASHINGTON —The Department of Defense (DoD) announced late Thursday, the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs, according to a statement from the DoD.

This authorization, which is valued at up to $2.5 billion, is the Biden Administration’s thirtieth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. It contains hundreds of armored vehicles, critical support for Ukraine’s air defense, and other important capabilities including:

The Kremlin’s most recent air attacks against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure again demonstrate the devastating impact of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine. This package provides additional NASAMS munitions and Avenger air defense systems to help Ukraine counter a range of short and medium range threats and bolster Ukraine’s layered air defense. The 59 Bradley IFVs included in this package, together with the 50 Bradleys previously committed on January 6, and the 90 Stryker APCs will provide Ukraine with two brigades of armored capability. &nbsp; In total, the United States has committed more than $27.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $29.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine and more than $26.7 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24, 2022.

WASHINGTON —The Department of Defense (DoD) announced late Thursday, the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs, according to a statement from the DoD.This authorization, which is valued at up to $2.5 billion, is the Biden Administration’s thirtieth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. It contains hundreds of armored vehicles, critical support for Ukraine’s air defense, and other important capabilities including:<ul>
 <li>Additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS);</li><li>Eight Avenger air defense systems; &nbsp;</li><li>59 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) with 590 TOW anti-tank missiles and 295,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition;</li><li>90 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) with 20 mine rollers;</li><li>53 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs);</li><li>350 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs);</li><li>20,000 155mm artillery rounds;&nbsp;</li><li>Approximately 600 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds;</li><li>95,000 105mm artillery rounds;</li><li>Approximately 11,800 120mm mortar rounds;</li><li>Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);</li><li>12 ammunition support vehicles;</li><li>6 command post vehicles;</li><li>22 tactical vehicles to tow weapons;</li><li>High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);</li><li>Approximately 2,000 anti-armor rockets;</li><li>Over 3,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition;</li><li>Demolition equipment for obstacle clearing;</li><li>Claymore anti-personnel munitions;</li><li>Night vision devices;</li><li>Spare parts and other field equipment.</li>
 </ul>The Kremlin’s most recent air attacks against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure again demonstrate the devastating impact of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine. This package provides additional NASAMS munitions and Avenger air defense systems to help Ukraine counter a range of short and medium range threats and bolster Ukraine’s layered air defense. The 59 Bradley IFVs included in this package, together with the 50 Bradleys previously committed on January 6, and the 90 Stryker APCs will provide Ukraine with two brigades of armored capability. &nbsp; In total, the United States has committed more than $27.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $29.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine and more than $26.7 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24, 2022.

U.S. spending another $2.5 billion for Ukraine war effort

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/senator-says-bill-luring-semiconductor-plant-to-nebraska-would-have-biggest-economic-impact-since-corn/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska needs to tap 
into the federal push to increase domestic manufacturing of 
semiconductors, an effort that could create more than 4,700 jobs paying 
an average of $84,500 per year, State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha said 
Thursday.

This week, McDonnell introduced Legislative Bill 616, which would 
authorize the state to match any federal funds that semiconductor 
manufacturers locating in Nebraska obtain under the federal CHIPS for 
America Act.

“This legislation has the potential to have the biggest economic impact to the State of Nebraska since corn,” McDonnell said.

That would be a big impact — Nebraska is traditionally the 
third-largest corn-producing state in the union, generating an estimated
 $10 billion from corn production in 2021.

The federal CHIPS act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 
August, allocated $54.2 billion to help build chip plants in the U.S., 
to rebuild an industry that had fled overseas.

Already, some plants are in the works, including a $40 billion 
facility in upstate New York planned by Micron Technologies, a company 
pursued by Nebraska in the mid-1990s until it decided to locate in Utah.

In response, several states, including Michigan, Tennessee and Ohio, 
have passed, or are in the process of passing, financial incentives to 
lure factories to their states.

Passing incentives here, McDonnell said, would position Nebraska as a
 potential site for a semiconductor plant and related businesses.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Business 
Administration estimated that such a facility would generate up to 4,735
 high-paying jobs.

UNO projected that nine companies would locate in the state, investing $5.5
 billion in new facilities and in the production and operation of 
semiconductor manufacturing. The ongoing impact of such manufacturing 
would add $2.7 billion to Nebraska’s gross domestic product, the 
university estimated.

LB 617, dubbed the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act, calls for the <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB617.pdf">allocation of $20 million</a> in state funds to help train workers for the semiconductor industry in a collaboration between Metro Community College and UNO.

McDonnell has been working with a Woburn, Massachusetts, company, 
Nantero Inc., that is interested in situating a plant in Nebraska. That 
company’s director has ties to Nebraska but was not immediately 
available for comment Thursday evening.

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/senator-says-bill-luring-semiconductor-plant-to-nebraska-would-have-biggest-economic-impact-since-corn/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska needs to tap 
into the federal push to increase domestic manufacturing of 
semiconductors, an effort that could create more than 4,700 jobs paying 
an average of $84,500 per year, State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha said 
Thursday.This week, McDonnell introduced Legislative Bill 616, which would 
authorize the state to match any federal funds that semiconductor 
manufacturers locating in Nebraska obtain under the federal CHIPS for 
America Act.“This legislation has the potential to have the biggest economic impact to the State of Nebraska since corn,” McDonnell said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674233093146.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>That would be a big impact — Nebraska is traditionally the 
third-largest corn-producing state in the union, generating an estimated
 $10 billion from corn production in 2021.The federal CHIPS act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 
August, allocated $54.2 billion to help build chip plants in the U.S., 
to rebuild an industry that had fled overseas.Already, some plants are in the works, including a $40 billion 
facility in upstate New York planned by Micron Technologies, a company 
pursued by Nebraska in the mid-1990s until it decided to locate in Utah.In response, several states, including Michigan, Tennessee and Ohio, 
have passed, or are in the process of passing, financial incentives to 
lure factories to their states.Passing incentives here, McDonnell said, would position Nebraska as a
 potential site for a semiconductor plant and related businesses.The University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Business 
Administration estimated that such a facility would generate up to 4,735
 high-paying jobs.UNO projected that nine companies would locate in the state, investing $5.5
 billion in new facilities and in the production and operation of 
semiconductor manufacturing. The ongoing impact of such manufacturing 
would add $2.7 billion to Nebraska’s gross domestic product, the 
university estimated.LB 617, dubbed the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act, calls for the <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB617.pdf">allocation of $20 million</a> in state funds to help train workers for the semiconductor industry in a collaboration between Metro Community College and UNO.McDonnell has been working with a Woburn, Massachusetts, company, 
Nantero Inc., that is interested in situating a plant in Nebraska. That 
company’s director has ties to Nebraska but was not immediately 
available for comment Thursday evening.

Senator: Semiconductor plant would have biggest impact 'since corn'

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/20/watchdog-group-says-state-capitol-bible-study-leader-should-register-as-lobbyist/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Every Wednesday morning during Nebraska legislative 
sessions, a group of about a dozen state senators gather over breakfast 
for a Bible study led by a former pastor who used to be a county 
Republican Party chairman.

Later in the day, over a provided lunch, Arin Hess, the chaplain and 
president of Capitol Studies, holds a Bible study for legislative staff 
at the State Capitol or a nearby state building.

But while Hess maintains that he’s merely maintaining a 
four-decade-long tradition of “serving civil servants with Scripture” at
 the State Capitol, some watchdogs of the Legislature, along with at 
least one state senator, contend that what happens at those studies 
amounts to lobbying and that Hess should register as one.

On Thursday, Common Cause Nebraska called on Hess to “immediately” 
register as a lobbyist, saying his teachings have led to the 
introduction of bills. The government watchdog group also said Hess’ 
work fits the definition of a lobbyist, which is one “who attempts to 
affect matters before the Nebraska Legislature on behalf of another.”

“While Hess and Capitol Studies are within their rights to advocate 
for policy related to their faith, lobbyists and their principals should
 not escape regulation,” said Gavin Geis, the executive director of 
Common Cause Nebraska.

Hess, during interviews last fall with the Nebraska Examiner and again on Thursday, said he doesn’t see a reason to register.

“About the only thing I can be guilty
 of is lobbying for Jesus,” said Hess, who is a former minister at 
Community Bible Church in Norfolk, where he once served as a county GOP 
chairman.

The call to register comes as concern is rising about the growing 
influence of “Christian nationalism” on state and federal policies. 
Christian nationalism is a belief that the United States is a “Christian
 nation” and for Christians alone.

It has led to concerns about how people with other religious beliefs 
and atheists are treated, the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community and how 
it is influencing the introduction of some bills.

For instance, State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, who has praised Hess
 as “great encouragement” and someone “sent by God,” has introduced a 
bill the past two years calling for the posting of the national motto, 
“In God We Trust,” in prominent places in each school building.

Such proposals have been among the national initiatives of 
WallBuilders, a Texas-based group that emphasizes “the moral, religious,
 and constitutional foundation on which America was built.”

Two other bills introduced in the past two years, involving medical 
ethics and the protection of religious rights, appear to be inspired by 
WallBuilders, according to Geis. The purpose of that group, he said, is 
clearly to influence legislation.

Hess said that his Bible studies do utilize WallBuilders videos and 
that he and some state senators attended a recent WallBuilders 
convention, but he said his group is not affiliated with WallBuilders.

&nbsp;“They’re just another reference for us,” he said. 

Hess said he does not help draft legislation, as WallBuilders does. “That’s not my place.”

Erdman and Glenvil Sen. Dave Murman, another regular attendee at 
Capital Studies meetings, rejected the idea that Hess was engaged in 
lobbying and needed to register as one.

Murman said the country would fall apart without a moral code to live by.

“They provide Christian morals and values. I guess if you call that influencing legislation, that’s a good thing,” he said.

Bellevue Sen. Carol Blood said she is uncomfortable with the Bible 
study group’s use of state facilities for meetings, the use of state 
email to promote the meetings and the access to legislative offices by 
Hess during the pandemic.

Would other religious groups, she asked, get the same accommodation?

Patrick O’Donnell, the recently retired Clerk of the Legislature, 
said he was careful about the appearance of “a religious organization 
doing business in a public building.”

Because of that, the Bible studies had been held in the Capitol’s 
cafeteria, which was considered publicly available space because the 
food service there had been closed.

More recently, after the cafeteria reopened, Capitol Studies has been
 meeting outside the State Capitol, in a meeting room in a state office 
building across the street. At other times, Bible studies have been held
 in a senator’s office. O’Donnell said lawmakers are free to choose what
 meetings they have in their own offices.

Hess, who served 40 years as a pastor in Norfolk, took over as 
chaplain and president of Capital Studies in May 2021 after the death of
 the previous director, Perry Gauthier. It is funded by donations and 
billed as nondenominational and nonpartisan.

Up to 900 people a day visit the State Capitol, Hess said, and his job is to “serve the officials and their staff members by providing prayer, Bible study and spiritual support in their daily lives.”

“I’m coming in as an under shepherd for Jesus Christ to pastor for these people,” he said.

The Bible studies focus on topics such as “Christian Ancestry” and “Select Psalms for Civil Servants.”

Hess said if the Bible study topic touches on legislation that is 
being being debated, he will make reference to it, though he feels he is
 only pointing out what the Gospels say.

“I am not going to change their viewpoint,” he said. Rather, it’s “Let’s look at what the Bible has to say.”

“When the Bible doesn’t speak 
specifically on an issue, I pray that God will clearly show the path 
they should take,” Hess added.

He said he doesn’t feel that Capitol Studies gets any preferential 
treatment because other religious group could set up similar meetings if
 they chose to.

Geis, of Common Cause, said what is taught at the Bible studies is 
not the point, it’s that what is taught is influencing senators and 
leading to legislation, which means that lobbying is occurring.

Kate High, a Common Cause board member from Lincoln, first raised concerns about Capitol Studies.

She said that, on her own behalf, she filed a complaint with the 
Internal Revenue Service this fall about the group’s 501(C)(3) status, 
arguing that Capitol Studies violates the prohibition of&nbsp;excessive 
lobbying.

High said she thinks Hess needs to register as a lobbyist.

“I do believe that people have a 
right to their own religious ideas,” High said. “But you just need to 
touch the bases and follow the rules like everyone else.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661523699684.png" alt="The Nebraska State Capitol Building. (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The Nebraska State Capitol Building. (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/20/watchdog-group-says-state-capitol-bible-study-leader-should-register-as-lobbyist/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Every Wednesday morning during Nebraska legislative 
sessions, a group of about a dozen state senators gather over breakfast 
for a Bible study led by a former pastor who used to be a county 
Republican Party chairman.Later in the day, over a provided lunch, Arin Hess, the chaplain and 
president of Capitol Studies, holds a Bible study for legislative staff 
at the State Capitol or a nearby state building.But while Hess maintains that he’s merely maintaining a 
four-decade-long tradition of “serving civil servants with Scripture” at
 the State Capitol, some watchdogs of the Legislature, along with at 
least one state senator, contend that what happens at those studies 
amounts to lobbying and that Hess should register as one.On Thursday, Common Cause Nebraska called on Hess to “immediately” 
register as a lobbyist, saying his teachings have led to the 
introduction of bills. The government watchdog group also said Hess’ 
work fits the definition of a lobbyist, which is one “who attempts to 
affect matters before the Nebraska Legislature on behalf of another.”“While Hess and Capitol Studies are within their rights to advocate 
for policy related to their faith, lobbyists and their principals should
 not escape regulation,” said Gavin Geis, the executive director of 
Common Cause Nebraska.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674232977963.jpeg" alt="Arin Hess, a former pastor in Norfolk, ministers to state senators and State Capitol staffers through a nonprofit called Capitol Studies. (Courtesy of Arin Hess)" />
 <figcaption>Arin Hess, a former pastor in Norfolk, ministers to state senators and State Capitol staffers through a nonprofit called Capitol Studies. (Courtesy of Arin Hess)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hess, during interviews last fall with the Nebraska Examiner and again on Thursday, said he doesn’t see a reason to register.<h2>‘Lobbying for Jesus’</h2>“About the only thing I can be guilty
 of is lobbying for Jesus,” said Hess, who is a former minister at 
Community Bible Church in Norfolk, where he once served as a county GOP 
chairman.The call to register comes as concern is rising about the growing 
influence of “Christian nationalism” on state and federal policies. 
Christian nationalism is a belief that the United States is a “Christian
 nation” and for Christians alone.It has led to concerns about how people with other religious beliefs 
and atheists are treated, the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community and how 
it is influencing the introduction of some bills.For instance, State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, who has praised Hess
 as “great encouragement” and someone “sent by God,” has introduced a 
bill the past two years calling for the posting of the national motto, 
“In God We Trust,” in prominent places in each school building.<h2>Bills promoted by WallBuilders</h2>Such proposals have been among the national initiatives of 
WallBuilders, a Texas-based group that emphasizes “the moral, religious,
 and constitutional foundation on which America was built.”Two other bills introduced in the past two years, involving medical 
ethics and the protection of religious rights, appear to be inspired by 
WallBuilders, according to Geis. The purpose of that group, he said, is 
clearly to influence legislation.Hess said that his Bible studies do utilize WallBuilders videos and 
that he and some state senators attended a recent WallBuilders 
convention, but he said his group is not affiliated with WallBuilders.&nbsp;“They’re just another reference for us,” he said. Hess said he does not help draft legislation, as WallBuilders does. “That’s not my place.”Erdman and Glenvil Sen. Dave Murman, another regular attendee at 
Capital Studies meetings, rejected the idea that Hess was engaged in 
lobbying and needed to register as one.Murman said the country would fall apart without a moral code to live by.“They provide Christian morals and values. I guess if you call that influencing legislation, that’s a good thing,” he said.But others have concerns.Bellevue Sen. Carol Blood said she is uncomfortable with the Bible 
study group’s use of state facilities for meetings, the use of state 
email to promote the meetings and the access to legislative offices by 
Hess during the pandemic.Would other religious groups, she asked, get the same accommodation?Patrick O’Donnell, the recently retired Clerk of the Legislature, 
said he was careful about the appearance of “a religious organization 
doing business in a public building.”Because of that, the Bible studies had been held in the Capitol’s 
cafeteria, which was considered publicly available space because the 
food service there had been closed.More recently, after the cafeteria reopened, Capitol Studies has been
 meeting outside the State Capitol, in a meeting room in a state office 
building across the street. At other times, Bible studies have been held
 in a senator’s office. O’Donnell said lawmakers are free to choose what
 meetings they have in their own offices.Hess, who served 40 years as a pastor in Norfolk, took over as 
chaplain and president of Capital Studies in May 2021 after the death of
 the previous director, Perry Gauthier. It is funded by donations and 
billed as nondenominational and nonpartisan.Up to 900 people a day visit the State Capitol, Hess said, and his job is to “serve the officials and their staff members by providing prayer, Bible study and spiritual support in their daily lives.”<h2>An ‘under shepherd’</h2>“I’m coming in as an under shepherd for Jesus Christ to pastor for these people,” he said.The Bible studies focus on topics such as “Christian Ancestry” and “Select Psalms for Civil Servants.”Hess said if the Bible study topic touches on legislation that is 
being being debated, he will make reference to it, though he feels he is
 only pointing out what the Gospels say.“I am not going to change their viewpoint,” he said. Rather, it’s “Let’s look at what the Bible has to say.”“When the Bible doesn’t speak 
specifically on an issue, I pray that God will clearly show the path 
they should take,” Hess added.He said he doesn’t feel that Capitol Studies gets any preferential 
treatment because other religious group could set up similar meetings if
 they chose to.Geis, of Common Cause, said what is taught at the Bible studies is 
not the point, it’s that what is taught is influencing senators and 
leading to legislation, which means that lobbying is occurring.Kate High, a Common Cause board member from Lincoln, first raised concerns about Capitol Studies.She said that, on her own behalf, she filed a complaint with the 
Internal Revenue Service this fall about the group’s 501(C)(3) status, 
arguing that Capitol Studies violates the prohibition of&nbsp;excessive 
lobbying.High said she thinks Hess needs to register as a lobbyist.“I do believe that people have a 
right to their own religious ideas,” High said. “But you just need to 
touch the bases and follow the rules like everyone else.”

Watchdog: State Capitol Bible study leader should register as lobbyist

APTOS, Calif. (AP) — A frustrated President Joe Biden said Thursday there is “no there there” when he was persistently questioned about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-hillary-clinton-karine-jean-pierre-58228d94cdcfe4ebe00521b049037868">discovery of classified documents</a>&nbsp;and official records at his home and former office.

(click below to watch the President's comment)

“We found a handful of documents were filed in the wrong place,” Biden said to reporters who questioned him during a tour of the damage from storms in California. “We immediately turned them over to the Archives and the Justice Department.”

Biden said he was “fully cooperating and looking forward to getting this resolved quickly.”

“I think you're going to find there's nothing there,” he said. “There's no there there.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-812ef44a5333f6d93423a67a683fa024">The White House has disclosed</a>&nbsp;that Biden attorneys found classified documents and official records on four occasions in recent months — on Nov. 2 at the offices of the Penn Biden Center in Washington, and then in follow up searches on Dec. 20 in the garage of the president’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, and on Jan. 11 and 12 in the president’s home library.

The discovery complicates a federal probe into former President Donald Trump, who the Justice Department says took hundreds of records marked classified with him upon leaving the White House in early 2021 and resisted months of requests to return them to the government.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-classified-documents-trump-side-by-side-fb2c4ebccdbdbb9039c1c5e227b1da53">The two cases are different</a>&nbsp;— Biden for example, willingly turned over the documents once found. But the issue is wearing on the president and his aides, who have repeatedly said they acted swiftly and appropriately when the documents were discovered, and are working to be as transparent as possible though key questions remain unanswered.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/classified-documents-biden-home-wilmington-33479d12c7cf0a822adb2f44c32b88fd">Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;last week appointed Robert Hur, a former Maryland U.S. attorney, to serve as special counsel to oversee the Justice Department’s inquiry into the documents. Garland said the extraordinary circumstances warranted a special counsel, and he also made the decision in part to show the Justice Department’s “commitment to both independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters.”

Hur is taking over for federal prosecutor John Lausch, who was initially asked to review the documents and whose team has already been interviewing former Biden aides responsible for packing up boxes during his time as vice president. Those interviews include Kathy Chung, who served as an administrative assistant during that time, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

Biden expressed frustration that the documents matter was coming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tours-california-storm-damage-ad4193df692da681ab10dab1aa11fa27">up as he surveyed coastal storm damage,</a>&nbsp;telling reporters that it “bugs me” that he was being asked about the handling of the classified material even as “we have a serious problem here” in California.

"Why you don’t ask me questions about that?" he pressed.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-hillary-clinton-karine-jean-pierre-58228d94cdcfe4ebe00521b049037868">Biden’s team has faced criticism</a>&nbsp;for its fragmented disclosures — the public wasn't notified of the documents until early January and after that the additional findings dripped out slowly. It has occasionally led to heated exchanges between reporters and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in the White House briefing room. She ran into trouble when she suggested last Friday that all documents had been recovered, only to have an additional discovery disclosed over the weekend.

Biden said Thursday he has “no regrets” over how and when the public learned about the documents.

“I’m following what the lawyers have told me they want me to do," he said.

APTOS, Calif. (AP) — A frustrated President Joe Biden said Thursday there is “no there there” when he was persistently questioned about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-hillary-clinton-karine-jean-pierre-58228d94cdcfe4ebe00521b049037868">discovery of classified documents</a>&nbsp;and official records at his home and former office.(click below to watch the President's comment)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F557971022872716%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1186" 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>“We found a handful of documents were filed in the wrong place,” Biden said to reporters who questioned him during a tour of the damage from storms in California. “We immediately turned them over to the Archives and the Justice Department.”Biden said he was “fully cooperating and looking forward to getting this resolved quickly.”“I think you're going to find there's nothing there,” he said. “There's no there there.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-812ef44a5333f6d93423a67a683fa024">The White House has disclosed</a>&nbsp;that Biden attorneys found classified documents and official records on four occasions in recent months — on Nov. 2 at the offices of the Penn Biden Center in Washington, and then in follow up searches on Dec. 20 in the garage of the president’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, and on Jan. 11 and 12 in the president’s home library.The discovery complicates a federal probe into former President Donald Trump, who the Justice Department says took hundreds of records marked classified with him upon leaving the White House in early 2021 and resisted months of requests to return them to the government.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-classified-documents-trump-side-by-side-fb2c4ebccdbdbb9039c1c5e227b1da53">The two cases are different</a>&nbsp;— Biden for example, willingly turned over the documents once found. But the issue is wearing on the president and his aides, who have repeatedly said they acted swiftly and appropriately when the documents were discovered, and are working to be as transparent as possible though key questions remain unanswered.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/classified-documents-biden-home-wilmington-33479d12c7cf0a822adb2f44c32b88fd">Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;last week appointed Robert Hur, a former Maryland U.S. attorney, to serve as special counsel to oversee the Justice Department’s inquiry into the documents. Garland said the extraordinary circumstances warranted a special counsel, and he also made the decision in part to show the Justice Department’s “commitment to both independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters.”Hur is taking over for federal prosecutor John Lausch, who was initially asked to review the documents and whose team has already been interviewing former Biden aides responsible for packing up boxes during his time as vice president. Those interviews include Kathy Chung, who served as an administrative assistant during that time, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.Biden expressed frustration that the documents matter was coming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tours-california-storm-damage-ad4193df692da681ab10dab1aa11fa27">up as he surveyed coastal storm damage,</a>&nbsp;telling reporters that it “bugs me” that he was being asked about the handling of the classified material even as “we have a serious problem here” in California."Why you don’t ask me questions about that?" he pressed.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-hillary-clinton-karine-jean-pierre-58228d94cdcfe4ebe00521b049037868">Biden’s team has faced criticism</a>&nbsp;for its fragmented disclosures — the public wasn't notified of the documents until early January and after that the additional findings dripped out slowly. It has occasionally led to heated exchanges between reporters and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in the White House briefing room. She ran into trouble when she suggested last Friday that all documents had been recovered, only to have an additional discovery disclosed over the weekend.Biden said Thursday he has “no regrets” over how and when the public learned about the documents.“I’m following what the lawyers have told me they want me to do," he said.___

🎥 Biden says he has 'no regrets' on how he handled classified docs

BOSTON (AP) — The U.S. wireless carrier T-Mobile said Thursday that an unidentified malicious intruder breached its network in late November and stole data on 37 million customers, including addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth.

T-Mobile said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that the breach was discovered Jan. 5. It said the data exposed to theft — based on its investigation to date — did not include passwords or PINs, bank account or credit card information, Social Security numbers or other government IDs.

“Our investigation is still ongoing, but the malicious activity appears to be fully contained at this time,” T-Mobile said, with no evidence the intruder was able to breach the company's network. It said the data was first accessed on or around Nov. 25.

T-Mobile said it has notified law enforcement and federal agencies, which it did not name. It did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

The company has been hacked multiple times in recent years. In its filing, T-Mobile said it did not expect the latest breach to have material impact on its operations. But a senior analyst for Moody's Investors Service, Neil Mack, said in a statement that the breach raises questions about management's cyber governance and could alienate customers and attract scrutiny by the Federal Communications Commission and other regulators.

“While these cybersecurity breaches may not be systemic in nature, their frequency of occurrence at T-Mobile is an alarming outlier relative to telecom peers,” Mack said.

In July, T-Mobile agreed&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/8f03e9f76fa75f474f1a2584ce3a55f0">to pay $350 million to customers</a>&nbsp;who filed a class action lawsuit&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/8f03e9f76fa75f474f1a2584ce3a55f0"></a>after the company disclosed in August 2021 that personal data including Social Security numbers and driver's license info had been stolen. Nearly 80 million U.S. residents were affected.

It also said at the time that it would spend $150 million through 2023 to fortify its data security and other technologies.

Prior to the August 2021 intrusion, the company disclosed breaches in January 2021, November 2019 and August 2018 in which customer information was accessed.

T-Mobile, based in Bellevue, Washington, became one of the country’s largest cellphone service carriers in 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1150e4f20d30bc327665da6aca0b1cbd">after buying rival Sprint</a>. It reported having more than 102 million customers after the merger.

BOSTON (AP) — The U.S. wireless carrier T-Mobile said Thursday that an unidentified malicious intruder breached its network in late November and stole data on 37 million customers, including addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth.T-Mobile said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that the breach was discovered Jan. 5. It said the data exposed to theft — based on its investigation to date — did not include passwords or PINs, bank account or credit card information, Social Security numbers or other government IDs.“Our investigation is still ongoing, but the malicious activity appears to be fully contained at this time,” T-Mobile said, with no evidence the intruder was able to breach the company's network. It said the data was first accessed on or around Nov. 25.T-Mobile said it has notified law enforcement and federal agencies, which it did not name. It did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.The company has been hacked multiple times in recent years. In its filing, T-Mobile said it did not expect the latest breach to have material impact on its operations. But a senior analyst for Moody's Investors Service, Neil Mack, said in a statement that the breach raises questions about management's cyber governance and could alienate customers and attract scrutiny by the Federal Communications Commission and other regulators.“While these cybersecurity breaches may not be systemic in nature, their frequency of occurrence at T-Mobile is an alarming outlier relative to telecom peers,” Mack said.In July, T-Mobile agreed&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/8f03e9f76fa75f474f1a2584ce3a55f0">to pay $350 million to customers</a>&nbsp;who filed a class action lawsuit&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/8f03e9f76fa75f474f1a2584ce3a55f0"></a>after the company disclosed in August 2021 that personal data including Social Security numbers and driver's license info had been stolen. Nearly 80 million U.S. residents were affected.It also said at the time that it would spend $150 million through 2023 to fortify its data security and other technologies.Prior to the August 2021 intrusion, the company disclosed breaches in January 2021, November 2019 and August 2018 in which customer information was accessed.T-Mobile, based in Bellevue, Washington, became one of the country’s largest cellphone service carriers in 2020&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1150e4f20d30bc327665da6aca0b1cbd">after buying rival Sprint</a>. It reported having more than 102 million customers after the merger.

37 million T-Mobile customers were hacked

LOS ANGELES (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/DavidCrosby">David Crosby,</a>&nbsp;the brash rock musician who evolved from a baby-faced harmony singer with the Byrds to a mustachioed hippie superstar and an ongoing troubadour in Crosby, Stills, Nash &amp; (sometimes) Young, has died at 81.

The New York Times reported Thursday, based on a text message from Crosby's sister in law, that the musician died Wednesday night. Several media outlets reported Crosby's death citing anonymous sources; The Associated Press was not able to confirm Crosby's death despite calls and messages to multiple representatives and Crosby's widow.

Crosby underwent a liver transplant in 1994 after decades of drug use and survived diabetes, hepatitis C and heart surgery in his 70s.

While he only wrote a handful of widely known songs, the witty and ever opinionated Crosby was on the front lines of the cultural revolution of the ’60s and ’70s — whether triumphing with Stephen Stills,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-bob-dylan-graham-nash-eb296a99ac3078e2eb66215488ac5eac">Graham Nash</a>&nbsp;and Neil Young on stage at Woodstock, testifying on behalf of a hirsute generation in his anthem “Almost Cut My Hair” or mourning the assassination of Robert Kennedy in “Long Time Gone.”

He was a founder and focus of the Los Angeles rock music community from which such performers as the Eagles and Jackson Browne later emerged. He was a twinkly-eyed hippie patriarch, the inspiration for Dennis Hopper’s long-haired stoner in “Easy Rider.” He advocated for peace, but was an unrepentant loudmouth who practiced personal warfare and acknowledged that many of the musicians he worked with no longer spoke to him.

“Crosby was a colorful and unpredictable character, wore a Mandrake the Magician cape, didn’t get along with too many people and had a beautiful voice — an architect of harmony,” Bob Dylan wrote in his 2004 memoir, “Chronicles: Volume One.”

Crosby's drug use left him bloated, broke and alienated. He kicked the addiction in 1985 and 1986&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c794f730038a4ca2c8f119f358a26240">during a year’s prison stretch</a>&nbsp;in Texas on drug and weapons charges. The conviction eventually was overturned.

“I’ve always said that I picked up the guitar as a shortcut to sex and after my first joint I was sure that if everyone smoked dope there’d be an end to war,” Crosby said in his 1988 autobiography, “Long Time Gone,” co-written with Carl Gottlieb. “I was right about the sex. I was wrong when it came to drugs.”

He lived years longer than even he expected and in his 70s enjoyed a creative renaissance, issuing several solo albums while collaborating with others including his son James Raymond, who became a favorite songwriting partner.

“Most guys my age would have done a covers record or duets on old material,” he told Rolling Stone in 2013, shortly before “Croz” was released. “This won’t be a huge hit. It’ll probably sell nineteen copies. I don’t think kids are gonna dig it, but I’m not making it for them. I’m making it for me. I have this stuff that I need to get off my chest.”

In 2019, Crosby was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0766ba0a5b604a428743802049a26939">featured in the documentary “David Crosby: Remember My Name,”</a>&nbsp;produced by Cameron Crowe.

While his solo career thrived, his seemingly lifetime bond with Nash dissolved. Crosby was angered by Nash’s 2013 memoir “Wild Tales” (whiny and dishonest, he called it) and relations between the two spilled into an ugly public feud, with Nash and Crosby agreeing on one thing: Crosby, Stills and Nash was finished. Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president did lead Crosby to suggest that he was open to a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young protest tour, but his old bandmates declined to respond.

Crosby became a star in the mid-1960s with the seminal folk-rock group The Byrds, known for such hits as “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and “Mr. Tambourine Man.” Clean-cut and baby-faced at the time, he contributed harmonies that were a key part of the band’s innovative blend of The Beatles and Dylan. Crosby was among the first American stars to become close to The Beatles, and helped introduce George Harrison to Eastern music.

Troubled relations with bandmates pushed Crosby out of The Byrds and into a new group. Crosby, Stills and Nash's first meeting is part of rock folklore: Stills and Crosby were at Joni Mitchell’s house in 1968 (Stills would contend they were at Mama Cass'), working on the ballad “You Don’t Have to Cry,” when Nash suggested they start over again. Nash’s high harmony added a magical layer to Stills' rough bottom and Crosby’s mellow middle and a supergroup was born.

Their eponymous debut album was an instant success that helped redefine commercial music. The songs were longer and more personal than their individual prior outputs, yet easily relatable for an audience also embracing a more open lifestyle.

Their spirited harmonies and themes of peace and love became emblematic of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their version of the Mitchell song “Woodstock” was the theme for the documentary about the 1969 rock concert during which the group made only its second live appearance together. Crosby had produced Mitchell’s first album, “Song to a Seagull,” in 1968, and for a time was her boyfriend (as was Nash).

Now wearing the drooping, bushy mustache that would define him ever after, Crosby provided harmony and rhythm guitar, and his songs reflected his own volatile personality. They ranged from the misty-eyed romanticism of “Guinevere,” to the spirituality of “Deja Vu,” to the operatic paranoia of “Almost Cut My Hair.”

Some critics panned the group as soft-headed and self-indulgent.

“If you’re into living-room rock, fireplace harmonies and just a taste of good old social consciousness, this is your group,” reported Rolling Stone, which nonetheless rarely missed a chance to write about the band.

But CSN, as they would soon be called, won a best new artist Grammy and remained a worldwide touring act and brand name decades later.

The first album was an easy, happy recording, but the mood darkened during the second album, “Deja Vu.” The band was joined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-bob-dylan-graham-nash-eb296a99ac3078e2eb66215488ac5eac">by Neil Young,</a>&nbsp;who had feuded with Stills while both were in Buffalo Springfield and continued to do so.

Everyone in the band was troubled: Nash and Mitchell were splitting up, and so were Stills and singer Judy Collins. Crosby, meanwhile, was so devastated by the death of girlfriend Christine Hinton in a car accident, that he would lay on the studio floor and sob.

Featuring a rougher, less unified sound, the album released in 1970 and was another commercial smash. Yet within two years, the quartet had broken up, destined to continuously reunite and splinter for the rest of their lives.

They worked in every combination possible — as solo artists, as duos, trios and, occasionally, all four together. They played stadiums and clubs. They&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3331110b71e891d7371e51e74dabf7ad">showed up at the Berlin Wall in 1989</a>&nbsp;as the Cold War was ending and turned up in 2011 for the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York.

In recent years, Crosby toured often, and candidly answered questions on Twitter with a blend of affection and exasperation, whether commenting on rock star peers or assessing the quality of a fan’s marijuana joint. He loved sailing and his greatest regret, besides hard drugs, was selling his 74-foot boat because of money problems. Among the songs completed on the boat was the classic “Wooden Ships,” co-written with Stills and Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner.

LOS ANGELES (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/DavidCrosby">David Crosby,</a>&nbsp;the brash rock musician who evolved from a baby-faced harmony singer with the Byrds to a mustachioed hippie superstar and an ongoing troubadour in Crosby, Stills, Nash &amp; (sometimes) Young, has died at 81.The New York Times reported Thursday, based on a text message from Crosby's sister in law, that the musician died Wednesday night. Several media outlets reported Crosby's death citing anonymous sources; The Associated Press was not able to confirm Crosby's death despite calls and messages to multiple representatives and Crosby's widow.Crosby underwent a liver transplant in 1994 after decades of drug use and survived diabetes, hepatitis C and heart surgery in his 70s.While he only wrote a handful of widely known songs, the witty and ever opinionated Crosby was on the front lines of the cultural revolution of the ’60s and ’70s — whether triumphing with Stephen Stills,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-bob-dylan-graham-nash-eb296a99ac3078e2eb66215488ac5eac">Graham Nash</a>&nbsp;and Neil Young on stage at Woodstock, testifying on behalf of a hirsute generation in his anthem “Almost Cut My Hair” or mourning the assassination of Robert Kennedy in “Long Time Gone.”He was a founder and focus of the Los Angeles rock music community from which such performers as the Eagles and Jackson Browne later emerged. He was a twinkly-eyed hippie patriarch, the inspiration for Dennis Hopper’s long-haired stoner in “Easy Rider.” He advocated for peace, but was an unrepentant loudmouth who practiced personal warfare and acknowledged that many of the musicians he worked with no longer spoke to him.“Crosby was a colorful and unpredictable character, wore a Mandrake the Magician cape, didn’t get along with too many people and had a beautiful voice — an architect of harmony,” Bob Dylan wrote in his 2004 memoir, “Chronicles: Volume One.”Crosby's drug use left him bloated, broke and alienated. He kicked the addiction in 1985 and 1986&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c794f730038a4ca2c8f119f358a26240">during a year’s prison stretch</a>&nbsp;in Texas on drug and weapons charges. The conviction eventually was overturned.“I’ve always said that I picked up the guitar as a shortcut to sex and after my first joint I was sure that if everyone smoked dope there’d be an end to war,” Crosby said in his 1988 autobiography, “Long Time Gone,” co-written with Carl Gottlieb. “I was right about the sex. I was wrong when it came to drugs.”He lived years longer than even he expected and in his 70s enjoyed a creative renaissance, issuing several solo albums while collaborating with others including his son James Raymond, who became a favorite songwriting partner.“Most guys my age would have done a covers record or duets on old material,” he told Rolling Stone in 2013, shortly before “Croz” was released. “This won’t be a huge hit. It’ll probably sell nineteen copies. I don’t think kids are gonna dig it, but I’m not making it for them. I’m making it for me. I have this stuff that I need to get off my chest.”In 2019, Crosby was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0766ba0a5b604a428743802049a26939">featured in the documentary “David Crosby: Remember My Name,”</a>&nbsp;produced by Cameron Crowe.While his solo career thrived, his seemingly lifetime bond with Nash dissolved. Crosby was angered by Nash’s 2013 memoir “Wild Tales” (whiny and dishonest, he called it) and relations between the two spilled into an ugly public feud, with Nash and Crosby agreeing on one thing: Crosby, Stills and Nash was finished. Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president did lead Crosby to suggest that he was open to a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young protest tour, but his old bandmates declined to respond.Crosby became a star in the mid-1960s with the seminal folk-rock group The Byrds, known for such hits as “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and “Mr. Tambourine Man.” Clean-cut and baby-faced at the time, he contributed harmonies that were a key part of the band’s innovative blend of The Beatles and Dylan. Crosby was among the first American stars to become close to The Beatles, and helped introduce George Harrison to Eastern music.Troubled relations with bandmates pushed Crosby out of The Byrds and into a new group. Crosby, Stills and Nash's first meeting is part of rock folklore: Stills and Crosby were at Joni Mitchell’s house in 1968 (Stills would contend they were at Mama Cass'), working on the ballad “You Don’t Have to Cry,” when Nash suggested they start over again. Nash’s high harmony added a magical layer to Stills' rough bottom and Crosby’s mellow middle and a supergroup was born.Their eponymous debut album was an instant success that helped redefine commercial music. The songs were longer and more personal than their individual prior outputs, yet easily relatable for an audience also embracing a more open lifestyle.Their spirited harmonies and themes of peace and love became emblematic of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their version of the Mitchell song “Woodstock” was the theme for the documentary about the 1969 rock concert during which the group made only its second live appearance together. Crosby had produced Mitchell’s first album, “Song to a Seagull,” in 1968, and for a time was her boyfriend (as was Nash).Now wearing the drooping, bushy mustache that would define him ever after, Crosby provided harmony and rhythm guitar, and his songs reflected his own volatile personality. They ranged from the misty-eyed romanticism of “Guinevere,” to the spirituality of “Deja Vu,” to the operatic paranoia of “Almost Cut My Hair.”Some critics panned the group as soft-headed and self-indulgent.“If you’re into living-room rock, fireplace harmonies and just a taste of good old social consciousness, this is your group,” reported Rolling Stone, which nonetheless rarely missed a chance to write about the band.But CSN, as they would soon be called, won a best new artist Grammy and remained a worldwide touring act and brand name decades later.The first album was an easy, happy recording, but the mood darkened during the second album, “Deja Vu.” The band was joined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-bob-dylan-graham-nash-eb296a99ac3078e2eb66215488ac5eac">by Neil Young,</a>&nbsp;who had feuded with Stills while both were in Buffalo Springfield and continued to do so.Everyone in the band was troubled: Nash and Mitchell were splitting up, and so were Stills and singer Judy Collins. Crosby, meanwhile, was so devastated by the death of girlfriend Christine Hinton in a car accident, that he would lay on the studio floor and sob.Featuring a rougher, less unified sound, the album released in 1970 and was another commercial smash. Yet within two years, the quartet had broken up, destined to continuously reunite and splinter for the rest of their lives.They worked in every combination possible — as solo artists, as duos, trios and, occasionally, all four together. They played stadiums and clubs. They&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3331110b71e891d7371e51e74dabf7ad">showed up at the Berlin Wall in 1989</a>&nbsp;as the Cold War was ending and turned up in 2011 for the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York.In recent years, Crosby toured often, and candidly answered questions on Twitter with a blend of affection and exasperation, whether commenting on rock star peers or assessing the quality of a fan’s marijuana joint. He loved sailing and his greatest regret, besides hard drugs, was selling his 74-foot boat because of money problems. Among the songs completed on the boat was the classic “Wooden Ships,” co-written with Stills and Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner.Crosby was born David Van Cortlandt Crosby on Aug. 14, 1941, in Los Angeles. His father was Oscar-winning cinematographer Floyd Crosby of “High Noon” fame. The family, including his mother, Aliph, and brother, Floyd Jr., later moved to Santa Barbara.Crosby was exposed early to classical, folk and jazz music. In his autobiography, Crosby said that as a child he used to harmonize as his mother sang, his father played mandolin and his brother played guitar.“When rock ‘n’ roll came in during that era and the Age of Elvis possessed America, I wasn’t into it,” he recalled.His brother taught him to play guitar and, still in his teens, he began performing in Santa Barbara clubs. He moved to Los Angeles to study acting in 1960 but abandoned the idea and became a folk singer, working around the country before joining The Byrds. Like so many folk performers, Crosby was dazzled by the Beatles’ 1964 movie “A Hard Day’s Night” and decided to become a rock star.Crosby&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/e50f854d5a33237ef46ccaede16436d4">married longtime girlfriend Jan Dance</a>&nbsp;in 1987. The couple had a son, Django, in 1995. Crosby also had a daughter, Donovan, with Debbie Donovan. Shortly after he underwent the liver transplant, Crosby was reunited with Raymond, who had been placed for adoption in 1961. Raymond, Crosby and Jeff Pevar later performed together in a group called CPR.“I regretted losing him many times,” Crosby told the AP of Raymond in 1998. “I was too immature to parent anybody, and too irresponsible.”In 2000, Melissa Etheridge revealed that Crosby was the father of the two children she shared with then-partner Julie Cypher. Cypher carried the children Crosby fathered by artificial insemination, Etheridge told Rolling Stone. One son,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-opioids-julie-cypher-music-0c0c1bfb50bbe51984f77fdbd8c90b2f">Beckett, died in 2020</a>.Crosby didn’t help raise the children but said, “If, you know, in due time, at a distance, they’re proud of who their genetic dad is, that’s great.”___