By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-agrees-to-settlement-with-walmart-in-lawsuit-over-opioid-dispensing/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska has given its OK to a $3 billion settlement with 
Walmart in a lawsuit alleging that the company contributed to the opioid
 addiction crisis by failing to properly oversee the dispensing of the 
highly addictive painkillers.

The settlement, if ratified by 43 states by the end of the year, 
would provide more than $11 million to Nebraska’s Opioid Recovery Fund. 
That fund, administered by the State Department of Health and Human 
Services, must be used for opioid disorder-related treatment and 
prevention.

In a press release on Tuesday, Nebraska Attorney General Doug 
Peterson said that settlement negotiations are also well underway with 
Walgreens and CVS but that Walmart has been the most proactive in trying
 to monitor and prevent abuse of opioid prescriptions.

Peterson said he hopes the opioid settlement funds can help support 
strong opioid addiction treatment programs and “significantly reduce 
opioid use disorder in Nebraska.”

In 2020, 214 Nebraskans died of opioid abuse, according to the 
national Centers for Disease Control. Nebraska’s death rate of 11.3 per 
100,000 people was second-lowest in the nation that year, with only 
South Dakota (at 10.3 per 100,000) having a lower death rate.

The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office was one of 16 states that 
served as lead negotiators with Walmart. The AG’s office expressed 
optimism that the settlement will gain support of the required 43 
states.

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-agrees-to-settlement-with-walmart-in-lawsuit-over-opioid-dispensing/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska has given its OK to a $3 billion settlement with 
Walmart in a lawsuit alleging that the company contributed to the opioid
 addiction crisis by failing to properly oversee the dispensing of the 
highly addictive painkillers.The settlement, if ratified by 43 states by the end of the year, 
would provide more than $11 million to Nebraska’s Opioid Recovery Fund. 
That fund, administered by the State Department of Health and Human 
Services, must be used for opioid disorder-related treatment and 
prevention.In a press release on Tuesday, Nebraska Attorney General Doug 
Peterson said that settlement negotiations are also well underway with 
Walgreens and CVS but that Walmart has been the most proactive in trying
 to monitor and prevent abuse of opioid prescriptions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668537133135.png" alt="Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson (Courtesy of the Attorney General’s Office)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson (Courtesy of the Attorney General’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Peterson said he hopes the opioid settlement funds can help support 
strong opioid addiction treatment programs and “significantly reduce 
opioid use disorder in Nebraska.”In 2020, 214 Nebraskans died of opioid abuse, according to the 
national Centers for Disease Control. Nebraska’s death rate of 11.3 per 
100,000 people was second-lowest in the nation that year, with only 
South Dakota (at 10.3 per 100,000) having a lower death rate.The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office was one of 16 states that 
served as lead negotiators with Walmart. The AG’s office expressed 
optimism that the settlement will gain support of the required 43 
states.

Neb. agrees to settlement with Walmart over opioids

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska public school district that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gender-identity-nebraska-gay-rights-newspapers-censorship-229d12b873a51cfe5f6eb3a4b9b715f5">shuttered a student newspaper</a>&nbsp;following an LGBTQ-focused edition has agreed to bring it back next year in digital form, according to the teacher who advised the publication.

That's not good enough, according to a civil rights organization that has said it could take legal action over the closing earlier this year of The Saga, the newspaper at Northwest High School in Grand Island's Northwest Public Schools.

Kirsten Gilliland, adviser and teacher for the school's newspaper program,&nbsp;<a href="https://theindependent.com/news/grand-island-student-newspaper-returning-digitally-following-controversial-cancellation/article_32a537a0-6231-11ed-b1ac-d7c70ad46ffc.html">told the Grand Island Independent</a>&nbsp;last week that The Saga will return to the school's class offerings in the spring semester, but in a digital format and without her at the helm.

The role of advising the newspaper and teaching journalism in the school “has been offered to another teacher,” she said.

Saga newspaper staff were informed May 19 of the newspaper’s elimination, three days after it had printed its June edition, which included an article titled, “Pride and prejudice: LGBTQIA+,” on the origins of Pride Month and the history of homophobia. It also included an editorial opposing a Florida law that bans some lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity and dubbed by critics as “Don’t Say Gay.”

The elimination of the 54-year-old Saga newspaper also came a month after its staff was reprimanded for publishing students’ pronouns and names. District officials told students they could use only names assigned at birth going forward.

An email May 22 email from a school employee canceling the paper’s printing services said it was “because the school board and superintendent are unhappy with the last issue’s editorial content.” Some school board members publicly stated their objection to the Saga’s LGBTQ content.

The Nebraska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said Monday that it has been unable to confirm whether the student newspaper and a school teaching program associated with it have been reinstated for next school year.

Northwest Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Edwards did not respond to requests for comment from the Independent and did not immediately return a phone message left Monday by The Associated Press seeking comment.

An attorney for the ACLU, Rose Godinez, said the school district must do more than simply reinstate the student newspaper. In a letter sent to Edwards on Aug. 29, the Nebraska ACLU said the district's “attempts to quash student journalism and student opinions violate students’ rights to freedom of speech and equal protection” under both the Nebraska and U.S. Constitutions.

To remedy those violations, Godinez said, the district must also develop and implement policies that protect LGBTQ students and the rights of student journalists. It must also publicly acknowledge its errors and affirm its commitment to LGBTQ inclusivity.

The ACLU's letter warned that it was “exploring all available legal remedies” and issued a notice for the district to preserve all documents, emails, texts and other communications regarding the decision to eliminate the student newspaper program.

The Nebraska ACLU said Monday that the school district delivered within the past few days some public records it had requested.

“We are going through those materials before preparing them for public release and making any decisions on next steps,” the organization said.

By Associated PressGRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska public school district that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gender-identity-nebraska-gay-rights-newspapers-censorship-229d12b873a51cfe5f6eb3a4b9b715f5">shuttered a student newspaper</a>&nbsp;following an LGBTQ-focused edition has agreed to bring it back next year in digital form, according to the teacher who advised the publication.That's not good enough, according to a civil rights organization that has said it could take legal action over the closing earlier this year of The Saga, the newspaper at Northwest High School in Grand Island's Northwest Public Schools.Kirsten Gilliland, adviser and teacher for the school's newspaper program,&nbsp;<a href="https://theindependent.com/news/grand-island-student-newspaper-returning-digitally-following-controversial-cancellation/article_32a537a0-6231-11ed-b1ac-d7c70ad46ffc.html">told the Grand Island Independent</a>&nbsp;last week that The Saga will return to the school's class offerings in the spring semester, but in a digital format and without her at the helm.The role of advising the newspaper and teaching journalism in the school “has been offered to another teacher,” she said.Saga newspaper staff were informed May 19 of the newspaper’s elimination, three days after it had printed its June edition, which included an article titled, “Pride and prejudice: LGBTQIA+,” on the origins of Pride Month and the history of homophobia. It also included an editorial opposing a Florida law that bans some lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity and dubbed by critics as “Don’t Say Gay.”The elimination of the 54-year-old Saga newspaper also came a month after its staff was reprimanded for publishing students’ pronouns and names. District officials told students they could use only names assigned at birth going forward.An email May 22 email from a school employee canceling the paper’s printing services said it was “because the school board and superintendent are unhappy with the last issue’s editorial content.” Some school board members publicly stated their objection to the Saga’s LGBTQ content.The Nebraska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said Monday that it has been unable to confirm whether the student newspaper and a school teaching program associated with it have been reinstated for next school year.Northwest Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Edwards did not respond to requests for comment from the Independent and did not immediately return a phone message left Monday by The Associated Press seeking comment.An attorney for the ACLU, Rose Godinez, said the school district must do more than simply reinstate the student newspaper. In a letter sent to Edwards on Aug. 29, the Nebraska ACLU said the district's “attempts to quash student journalism and student opinions violate students’ rights to freedom of speech and equal protection” under both the Nebraska and U.S. Constitutions.To remedy those violations, Godinez said, the district must also develop and implement policies that protect LGBTQ students and the rights of student journalists. It must also publicly acknowledge its errors and affirm its commitment to LGBTQ inclusivity.The ACLU's letter warned that it was “exploring all available legal remedies” and issued a notice for the district to preserve all documents, emails, texts and other communications regarding the decision to eliminate the student newspaper program.The Nebraska ACLU said Monday that the school district delivered within the past few days some public records it had requested.“We are going through those materials before preparing them for public release and making any decisions on next steps,” the organization said.

District to revive student newspaper axed after LGBTQ issue

NEW YORK (AP) — Sam Bankman-Fried received numerous plaudits as he rapidly achieved superstar status as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-e6ea8dca1140ac41ac6bbbba0af5887b">head of cryptocurrency exchange FTX</a>: the savior of crypto, the newest force in Democratic politics and potentially the world’s first trillionaire.

Now the comments about the 30-year-old Bankman-Fried aren’t so kind after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ftx-crypto-bankruptcy-filing-ed0f06c5db468e285f58af2d8766b51a">FTX filed for bankruptcy protection</a>&nbsp;Friday, leaving his investors and customers feeling duped and many others in the crypto world&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-philanthropy-9617e597560e5d5ee3b322a2c09c2520">fearing the repercussions.</a>&nbsp;Bankman-Fried himself could face civil or criminal charges.

“Sam what have you done?,” tweeted Sean Ryan Evans, host of the cryptocurrency podcast Bankless, after the bankruptcy filing.

Under Bankman-Fried, FTX quickly grew to be the third-largest exchange by volume. The stunning collapse of this nascent empire has sent tsunami-like waves through the cryptocurrency industry, which has seen a fair share of volatility and turmoil this year, including a sharp decline in price for bitcoin and other digital assets. For some, the events are reminiscent of the domino-like failures of Wall Street firms during the 2008 financial crisis, particularly now that supposedly healthy firms like FTX are failing.

One venture capital fund wrote down investments in FTX worth over $200 million. The cryptocurrency lender BlockFi paused client withdrawals Friday after FTX sought bankruptcy protection. The Singapore-based exchange Crypto.com saw withdrawals increase this weekend for internal reasons but some of the action could be attributed to raw nerves from FTX.

Bankman-Fried and his company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-d866be4d1b3b9b88a6e774543a2b6a14">are under investigation</a>&nbsp;by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The investigations likely center on the possibility that the firm may have used customers’ deposits to fund bets at Bankman-Fried’s hedge fund, Alameda Research, a violation of U.S. securities law.

“This is the direct result of a rogue actor breaking every single basic rule of fiscal responsibility,” said Patrick Hillman, chief strategy officer at Binance, FTX’s biggest competitor. Early last week Binance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-eca5ca1c772333f2cde093c98cd26bed">appeared ready to step in</a>&nbsp;to bail out FTX, but backed away after a review of FTX’s books.

The ultimate impact of FTX’s bankruptcy is uncertain, but its failure will likely result in the destruction of billions of dollars of wealth and even more skepticism for cryptocurrencies at a time when the industry could use a vote of confidence.

“I care because it’s retail investors who suffer the most, and because too many people still wrongly associate bitcoin with the scammy ‘crypto’ space,” said Cory Klippsten, CEO of Swan Bitcoin, who for months raised concerns about FTX’s business model. Klippsten is publicly enthusiastic about bitcoin but has long had deep skepticism about other parts of the crypto universe.

Bankman-Fried founded FTX in 2019, and it grew rapidly — it was recently valued at $32 billion. The son of Stanford University professors, who was known to play the video game “League of Legends” during meetings, Bankman-Fried attracted investments from the highest echelons of Silicon Valley.

Sequoia Capital, which invested in Apple, Cisco, Google, Airbnb and YouTube, described their meeting with Bankman-Fried as likely “talking to the world’s first trillionaire.” Several of Sequoia’s partners became enthusiastic about Bankman-Fried following a Zoom meeting in 2021. After several more meetings, Sequoia decided to invest in the company.

“I don’t know how I know, I just do. SBF is a winner,” wrote Adam Fisher, a business journalist who wrote a profile of Bankman-Fried for the firm, referring to Bankman-Fried by his popular online moniker. The article, published in late September, was removed from Sequoia’s website.

Sequoia has written down its $213 million in investments to zero. A pension fund in Ontario, Canada wrote down its investment to zero as well.

In a terse statement, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Fund said, “Naturally, not all of the investments in this early-stage asset class perform to expectations.”

But up until last week, Bankman-Fried was seen as a white knight for the industry. Whenever the crypto industry had one of its crises, Bankman-Fried was the person likely to fly in with a rescue plan. When online trading platform Robinhood was in financial straits earlier this year — collateral damage from the decline in stock and crypto prices — Bankman-Fried jumped in to buy a stake in the company as a sign of support.

When Bankman-Fried bought up the assets of bankrupt crypto firm Voyager Digital for $1.4 billion this summer, it brought a sense of relief to Voyager account holders, whose assets has been frozen since its own failure. That rescue is now in question.

As king of crypto, his influence was starting to pour into political and popular culture. FTX bought prominent sports sponsorships&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-auto-racing-formula-one-e328e64d7931d2b8e9b8715e2c2ec616">with Formula Racing</a>&nbsp;and bought the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-nba-sports-business-f9667d11f7f4063c8eebb96ee1fbaf40">naming rights to an arena</a>&nbsp;in Miami. He pledged to donate $1 billion toward Democrats this election cycle — his actual donations were in the tens of millions — and prominent politicians like Bill Clinton were invited to speak at FTX conferences. Football star Tom Brady invested in FTX.

Bankman-Fried had been the subject of some criticism before FTX collapsed. While he largely operated FTX out of U.S. jurisdiction from his headquarters in The Bahamas, Bankman-Fried was increasingly vocal about the need for more regulation of the cryptocurrency industry. Many supporters of crypto oppose government oversight. Now, FTX’s collapse may have helped make the case for stricter regulation.

One of those critics was Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao. The feud between the two billionaires spilled out onto Twitter, where Zhao and Bankman-Fried collectively commanded millions of followers. Zhao helped kickstart the withdrawals that doomed FTX when he said Binance would sell its holdings in FTX’s crypto token FTT.

“What a s(asterisk)(asterisk)t show ... and it’s going to be crypto’s fault (instead of one guys’s fault),” Zhao wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668439258946.png" alt="FTX Arena, where the Miami Heat basketball team plays -Google image" />
 <figcaption>FTX Arena, where the Miami Heat basketball team plays -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Sam Bankman-Fried received numerous plaudits as he rapidly achieved superstar status as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-e6ea8dca1140ac41ac6bbbba0af5887b">head of cryptocurrency exchange FTX</a>: the savior of crypto, the newest force in Democratic politics and potentially the world’s first trillionaire.Now the comments about the 30-year-old Bankman-Fried aren’t so kind after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ftx-crypto-bankruptcy-filing-ed0f06c5db468e285f58af2d8766b51a">FTX filed for bankruptcy protection</a>&nbsp;Friday, leaving his investors and customers feeling duped and many others in the crypto world&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-philanthropy-9617e597560e5d5ee3b322a2c09c2520">fearing the repercussions.</a>&nbsp;Bankman-Fried himself could face civil or criminal charges.“Sam what have you done?,” tweeted Sean Ryan Evans, host of the cryptocurrency podcast Bankless, after the bankruptcy filing.Under Bankman-Fried, FTX quickly grew to be the third-largest exchange by volume. The stunning collapse of this nascent empire has sent tsunami-like waves through the cryptocurrency industry, which has seen a fair share of volatility and turmoil this year, including a sharp decline in price for bitcoin and other digital assets. For some, the events are reminiscent of the domino-like failures of Wall Street firms during the 2008 financial crisis, particularly now that supposedly healthy firms like FTX are failing.One venture capital fund wrote down investments in FTX worth over $200 million. The cryptocurrency lender BlockFi paused client withdrawals Friday after FTX sought bankruptcy protection. The Singapore-based exchange Crypto.com saw withdrawals increase this weekend for internal reasons but some of the action could be attributed to raw nerves from FTX.Bankman-Fried and his company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-d866be4d1b3b9b88a6e774543a2b6a14">are under investigation</a>&nbsp;by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The investigations likely center on the possibility that the firm may have used customers’ deposits to fund bets at Bankman-Fried’s hedge fund, Alameda Research, a violation of U.S. securities law.“This is the direct result of a rogue actor breaking every single basic rule of fiscal responsibility,” said Patrick Hillman, chief strategy officer at Binance, FTX’s biggest competitor. Early last week Binance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-eca5ca1c772333f2cde093c98cd26bed">appeared ready to step in</a>&nbsp;to bail out FTX, but backed away after a review of FTX’s books.The ultimate impact of FTX’s bankruptcy is uncertain, but its failure will likely result in the destruction of billions of dollars of wealth and even more skepticism for cryptocurrencies at a time when the industry could use a vote of confidence.“I care because it’s retail investors who suffer the most, and because too many people still wrongly associate bitcoin with the scammy ‘crypto’ space,” said Cory Klippsten, CEO of Swan Bitcoin, who for months raised concerns about FTX’s business model. Klippsten is publicly enthusiastic about bitcoin but has long had deep skepticism about other parts of the crypto universe.Bankman-Fried founded FTX in 2019, and it grew rapidly — it was recently valued at $32 billion. The son of Stanford University professors, who was known to play the video game “League of Legends” during meetings, Bankman-Fried attracted investments from the highest echelons of Silicon Valley.Sequoia Capital, which invested in Apple, Cisco, Google, Airbnb and YouTube, described their meeting with Bankman-Fried as likely “talking to the world’s first trillionaire.” Several of Sequoia’s partners became enthusiastic about Bankman-Fried following a Zoom meeting in 2021. After several more meetings, Sequoia decided to invest in the company.“I don’t know how I know, I just do. SBF is a winner,” wrote Adam Fisher, a business journalist who wrote a profile of Bankman-Fried for the firm, referring to Bankman-Fried by his popular online moniker. The article, published in late September, was removed from Sequoia’s website.Sequoia has written down its $213 million in investments to zero. A pension fund in Ontario, Canada wrote down its investment to zero as well.In a terse statement, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Fund said, “Naturally, not all of the investments in this early-stage asset class perform to expectations.”But up until last week, Bankman-Fried was seen as a white knight for the industry. Whenever the crypto industry had one of its crises, Bankman-Fried was the person likely to fly in with a rescue plan. When online trading platform Robinhood was in financial straits earlier this year — collateral damage from the decline in stock and crypto prices — Bankman-Fried jumped in to buy a stake in the company as a sign of support.When Bankman-Fried bought up the assets of bankrupt crypto firm Voyager Digital for $1.4 billion this summer, it brought a sense of relief to Voyager account holders, whose assets has been frozen since its own failure. That rescue is now in question.As king of crypto, his influence was starting to pour into political and popular culture. FTX bought prominent sports sponsorships&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-auto-racing-formula-one-e328e64d7931d2b8e9b8715e2c2ec616">with Formula Racing</a>&nbsp;and bought the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-nba-sports-business-f9667d11f7f4063c8eebb96ee1fbaf40">naming rights to an arena</a>&nbsp;in Miami. He pledged to donate $1 billion toward Democrats this election cycle — his actual donations were in the tens of millions — and prominent politicians like Bill Clinton were invited to speak at FTX conferences. Football star Tom Brady invested in FTX.Bankman-Fried had been the subject of some criticism before FTX collapsed. While he largely operated FTX out of U.S. jurisdiction from his headquarters in The Bahamas, Bankman-Fried was increasingly vocal about the need for more regulation of the cryptocurrency industry. Many supporters of crypto oppose government oversight. Now, FTX’s collapse may have helped make the case for stricter regulation.One of those critics was Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao. The feud between the two billionaires spilled out onto Twitter, where Zhao and Bankman-Fried collectively commanded millions of followers. Zhao helped kickstart the withdrawals that doomed FTX when he said Binance would sell its holdings in FTX’s crypto token FTT.“What a s(asterisk)(asterisk)t show ... and it’s going to be crypto’s fault (instead of one guys’s fault),” Zhao wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

Billion dollar bankruptcy sends shockwaves through crypto world

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/14/nebraskas-first-casino-has-already-sent-nearly-800000-to-property-tax-relief/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s first gambling casino has contributed nearly 
$800,000 to a state property tax relief fund so far, including $597,854 
during the month of October, a state report indicated Monday.

And officials with the WarHorse Casino expect that gaming tax 
revenues will steadily grow as they begin advertising and marketing the 
temporary facility at the Lincoln Race Course on the southwest edge of 
Lincoln.

“We’re really pleased at the way it’s been received,” said Lynne 
McNally, the CEO of the state’s horsemen’s association. “It was very 
important to us to start contributing to that property tax relief fund.”

Lance Morgan, the president and CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc., which operates 
the WarHorse Casino, said Monday he thinks that gaming revenue for 
property tax relief will exceed initial estimates and be around $100 
million a year.

Lincoln, for instance, doesn’t have the casino gaming tradition of 
Omaha, which has had legalized casinos in nearby Council Bluffs for 
years, so the opportunity for growth in the Capital City is much 
greater, according to Morgan.

“Lincoln has incredible potential,” he said. “And we’ve just scratched the surface.”

Reducing Nebraska’s long-griped-about property taxes was one of the 
leading selling points for legalizing gambling casinos, which voters 
approved &nbsp;in 2020.

Supporters projected that $45.5 million a year would be generated for
 property tax relief, according to the Omaha World-Herald. An estimate 
from the fiscal office of the Nebraska Legislature was higher, 
projecting the property tax relief take at $91 million by 2022-23 if six
 casinos were open.

Casinos are required to pay 20% of their gross gambling revenue in 
state gaming taxes, with 70% of that money going to the state’s 
long-running Property Tax Credit Fund. That fund reduces a portion of 
local property tax bills.

Another 25% of gaming taxes are split evenly between the host county and host city for a casino.

In the gaming revenue report released Monday by the Nebraska Racing 
and Gaming Commission, Lancaster County and the City of Lincoln received
 about $143,000 each since the WarHorse Casino opened Sept. 24.

Tom Sage, the executive director of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming 
Commission, said he had no expectation of how much the new casino would 
generate. But, he said, the total gaming taxes paid so far have held 
steady at between $150,000 and $200,000 per week.

Revenue has been limited, Sage said, by space. Warhorse could fit only 433
 slot machines in its temporary casino, inside a former simulcast 
facility, and it has no blackjack tables or other table games.

That number won’t change for nearly two years, when a new, $200 million casino complex is opened in Lincoln.

A temporary casino at Omaha’s Horsemen’s Park racetrack, with 800 slot machines, isn’t expected to be open for a year.

Nebraska’s next casino to open will probably be at Grand Island’s Fonner Park, Sage said, by the end of this year.

Both Morgan and McNally said there was no advertising when WarHorse 
first opened in Lincoln due to concerns about overloading the facility.

No revenues have yet to be directed to increase purses for 
Thoroughbred horse races — another selling pitch for legalizing casino 
gambling. McNally said that was because some expensive upgrades were 
needed at the Lincoln Race Course track.

They include buying 155 acres of additional property, building more 
barns for horses, and completing a $2.5 million renovation of the 
racetrack’s surface. McNally said the base of the track had large stones
 in it.

The board of directors of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and 
Protective Association, she said, will ultimately determine how much 
money is directed to bolster purses, which is intended to attract more 
horses by more richly rewarding trainers and owners.

Monday’s report is the first to contain a full month’s worth of gaming tax revenue.It indicated total gaming tax revenue of $854,077.44 for the month 
of October, with 70%, or $597,854, going into the Nebraska Property Tax 
Relief Fund. The Nebraska General Fund and the Compulsive Gaming 
Assistance Fund each got 2.5% each, or $21,352.

Sage said the report provides “a more complete picture” of gaming tax revenue that will help us gauge future tax revenues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668521889294.png" alt=" Nebraska’s first licensed casino, the WarHorse casino, opened Sept. 24 near Lincoln. (Courtesy of WarHorse Gaming)" />
 <figcaption> Nebraska’s first licensed casino, the WarHorse casino, opened Sept. 24 near Lincoln. (Courtesy of WarHorse Gaming)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/14/nebraskas-first-casino-has-already-sent-nearly-800000-to-property-tax-relief/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska’s first gambling casino has contributed nearly 
$800,000 to a state property tax relief fund so far, including $597,854 
during the month of October, a state report indicated Monday.And officials with the WarHorse Casino expect that gaming tax 
revenues will steadily grow as they begin advertising and marketing the 
temporary facility at the Lincoln Race Course on the southwest edge of 
Lincoln.“We’re really pleased at the way it’s been received,” said Lynne 
McNally, the CEO of the state’s horsemen’s association. “It was very 
important to us to start contributing to that property tax relief fund.”<h2>Revenue projected higher</h2>Lance Morgan, the president and CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc., which operates 
the WarHorse Casino, said Monday he thinks that gaming revenue for 
property tax relief will exceed initial estimates and be around $100 
million a year.Lincoln, for instance, doesn’t have the casino gaming tradition of 
Omaha, which has had legalized casinos in nearby Council Bluffs for 
years, so the opportunity for growth in the Capital City is much 
greater, according to Morgan.“Lincoln has incredible potential,” he said. “And we’ve just scratched the surface.”Reducing Nebraska’s long-griped-about property taxes was one of the 
leading selling points for legalizing gambling casinos, which voters 
approved &nbsp;in 2020.Supporters projected that $45.5 million a year would be generated for
 property tax relief, according to the Omaha World-Herald. An estimate 
from the fiscal office of the Nebraska Legislature was higher, 
projecting the property tax relief take at $91 million by 2022-23 if six
 casinos were open.<h2>70% to property tax relief</h2>Casinos are required to pay 20% of their gross gambling revenue in 
state gaming taxes, with 70% of that money going to the state’s 
long-running Property Tax Credit Fund. That fund reduces a portion of 
local property tax bills.Another 25% of gaming taxes are split evenly between the host county and host city for a casino.In the gaming revenue report released Monday by the Nebraska Racing 
and Gaming Commission, Lancaster County and the City of Lincoln received
 about $143,000 each since the WarHorse Casino opened Sept. 24.<h2>Gaming tax has been steady</h2>Tom Sage, the executive director of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming 
Commission, said he had no expectation of how much the new casino would 
generate. But, he said, the total gaming taxes paid so far have held 
steady at between $150,000 and $200,000 per week.Revenue has been limited, Sage said, by space. Warhorse could fit only 433
 slot machines in its temporary casino, inside a former simulcast 
facility, and it has no blackjack tables or other table games.That number won’t change for nearly two years, when a new, $200 million casino complex is opened in Lincoln.A temporary casino at Omaha’s Horsemen’s Park racetrack, with 800 slot machines, isn’t expected to be open for a year.Nebraska’s next casino to open will probably be at Grand Island’s Fonner Park, Sage said, by the end of this year.Both Morgan and McNally said there was no advertising when WarHorse 
first opened in Lincoln due to concerns about overloading the facility.<h2>No money for purses yet</h2>No revenues have yet to be directed to increase purses for 
Thoroughbred horse races — another selling pitch for legalizing casino 
gambling. McNally said that was because some expensive upgrades were 
needed at the Lincoln Race Course track.They include buying 155 acres of additional property, building more 
barns for horses, and completing a $2.5 million renovation of the 
racetrack’s surface. McNally said the base of the track had large stones
 in it.The board of directors of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and 
Protective Association, she said, will ultimately determine how much 
money is directed to bolster purses, which is intended to attract more 
horses by more richly rewarding trainers and owners.Monday’s report is the first to contain a full month’s worth of gaming tax revenue.It indicated total gaming tax revenue of $854,077.44 for the month 
of October, with 70%, or $597,854, going into the Nebraska Property Tax 
Relief Fund. The Nebraska General Fund and the Compulsive Gaming 
Assistance Fund each got 2.5% each, or $21,352.Sage said the report provides “a more complete picture” of gaming tax revenue that will help us gauge future tax revenues.

Nebraska’s first casino has already sent $800K to property tax relief

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is preparing to launch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">his third campaign for the White House</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">move on from disappointing midterm defeats</a>&nbsp;and defy history amid signs that his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">grip on the Republican Party</a>&nbsp;is waning.

Trump had hoped to use the GOP's expected gains in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">last week's elections</a>&nbsp;as a springboard to vault himself to his party's nomination. Instead, he finds himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">being blamed for backing</a>&nbsp;a series of losing candidates after Republicans failed to take control of the Senate. While the party was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-nov15-0608a0c22be510cec983f605e6a305b3?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_02">on the cusp of retaking control of the House</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, it could end up with its narrowest majority in decades.

“Hopefully, tomorrow will turn out to be one of the most important days in the history of our Country!” Trump wrote on his social media network on Monday. An announcement was expected at 9 p.m. EST Tuesday from his club in Palm Beach.

Another campaign is a remarkable turn for any former president, much less one who made history as the first to be impeached twice and whose term ended with his supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violently storming the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;in a deadly bid to halt the peaceful transition of power on Jan. 6, 2021. Just one president in U.S. history has been elected to two nonconsecutive terms: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892.

Trump is also facing a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trump-investigations">intensifying criminal investigations</a>, including a Justice Department probe into the hundreds of documents with classified markings that were discovered in boxes and drawers at his Mar-a-Lago club.

Aides and allies had urged Trump to wait until after the midterms were over — and then until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">after a Dec. 6 Senate runoff election in Georgia</a>&nbsp;— to announce his plans. But Trump, eager to return to the spotlight, is also hoping to stave off a long list of potential challengers, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>, who cruised to reelection last week and is now being urged by many in his party to run for president a well.

Trump has tried to blame Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for the GOP’s performance — and McConnell allies have criticized Rick Scott, the Florida senator who heads the Senate Republicans’ campaign committee.

However, Trump has received the brunt of criticism for elevating candidates in states like Pennsylvania and Arizona who were unappealing to general election voters because they embraced his lies about the 2020 election or held hard-line views on issues like abortion that were out of step with the mainstream.

While Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elise-stefanik-a6db4f53af168be7f8483f29495eaba1">has the backing</a>&nbsp;of the No. 3 House Republican, Rep. Elise Stefanik, others were already moving on.

Asked whether she would endorse Trump in 2024, Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming told reporters Monday: “I don’t think that’s the right question. I think the question is, who is the current leader of the Republican Party?”

Her answer to that question: “Ron DeSantis.”

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, a longtime Trump critic, compared Trump to a pitcher who keeps losing after GOP disappointments in 2018, 2020 and now 2022.

“He’s been on the mound and lost three straight games. If we want to start winning, we need someone else on the mound. And we’ve got a very strong bench that can come out," Romney said. "I know, there’s some fans that love him. Just like, you know, an aging pitcher, they’re always fans that want to keep them there forever. But if you keep losing games, try to put some new players on the field.”

Others expressed concern that Trump’s announcement would be a distraction from the Georgia race and urged potential candidates to focus there.

“What’s really important for anybody who wants to be a 2024 candidate is to help us right now in 2022 to finish the cycle by winning the state of Georgia," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.

“We obviously had higher expectation in the Senate, which didn’t pan out. I think there are a lot of different things that contribute to that," Thune added. “But I do think that, you know, folks who were unduly focused on the 2020 election, that’s not a winning strategy with independent voices.”

Even the former president’s right-flank allies in the House Freedom Caucus kept their distance ahead of Trump's announcement.

“I am focused on what’s happening here,” said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the Freedom Caucus chairman, as lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill on Monday. “I’m just not paying attention to any of those things, so I don’t want to comment on that.”

Meanwhile, in Utah, 86 Republican lawmakers on Monday sent out a news release urging DeSantis to run, reflecting dissatisfaction with having Trump as their party’s standard-bearer. The state’s Mormon majority has long been skeptical of Trump’s isolationism and foul language.

And in Michigan, Paul Cordes, chief of staff of the Michigan Republican Party, penned a four-page internal memo that criticized Trump-backed candidates for “statewide sweeps” that will give Democrats full control of the state's government for the first time in 40 years. That includes Tudor Dixon, who lost the governor’s race to Democratic incumbent Gretchen Whitmer by double digits.

Trump, Cordes wrote, was “popular amongst our grassroots and a motivating factor for his supporters, but provided challenges on a statewide ballot, especially with independents and women in the midterm election.”

Rep. Liz Cheney, another Trump critic who is considering her own run in 2024, highlighted losses by Trump-backed candidates while speaking Tuesday morning at The Washington Post’s Global Women’s Summit.

“This is certainly not the rollout I’m sure Donald Trump wanted for his announcement tonight. But it’s also not the first time he’s been totally detached from reality,” Cheney said. “There’s no question he’s unfit for office. And I feel confident he will never be president again.”

Meanwhile, Josh Holmes, a Republican consultant close to McConnell, said Trump remains “far and away the favorite" as he enters the race. But Holmes also said that a third presidential bid will be considerably different for Trump.

“There’s never once been a primary victory by a presidential nominee that is waged in a backward-looking fashion. Everything is about the future,” Holmes said.

As for DeSantis, Holmes said: “His national profile right now is undeniable. ... We’re going to find out” whether he can maintain that strength.

Trump had hoped to use the GOP's expected gains in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">last week's elections</a>&nbsp;as a springboard to vault himself to his party's nomination by locking in early support to keep potential challengers at bay. Instead, he now finds himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">being blamed for backing</a>&nbsp;a series of losing candidates after disappointing results in which Democrats retained control of the Senate and House control remains too early to call.

Another campaign is a remarkable turn for any former president, much less one who made history as the first to be impeached twice and whose term ended with his supporters violently storming the U.S. Capitol in a deadly bid to halt the peaceful transition of power on Jan. 6, 2021. Just one president in U.S. history has been elected to two nonconsecutive terms: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892.

Aides and allies had urged Trump to wait until after the midterms were over — and then until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">after a Dec. 6 Senate runoff election in Georgia</a>&nbsp;— to announce his plans. But Trump, eager to return to the spotlight, is also hoping to stave off a long list of potential challengers, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cruised to reelection last week and is now being urged by many in his party to run for president a well.

However, Trump has received the brunt of criticism for elevating candidates in states like Pennsylvania and Arizona who were unappealing to general election voters because they embraced his lies about 2020 election or held hard-line views on issues like abortion that were out of step with the mainstream.

Asked who that was, she replied: “Ron DeSantis.”

“What’s really important for anybody who wants to be a 2024 candidate is to help us right now in 2020 to finish the cycle by winning the state of Georgia," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667837327526.png" alt="Former President Trump during a campaign rally last month -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former President Trump during a campaign rally last month -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is preparing to launch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">his third campaign for the White House</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">move on from disappointing midterm defeats</a>&nbsp;and defy history amid signs that his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">grip on the Republican Party</a>&nbsp;is waning.Trump had hoped to use the GOP's expected gains in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">last week's elections</a>&nbsp;as a springboard to vault himself to his party's nomination. Instead, he finds himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">being blamed for backing</a>&nbsp;a series of losing candidates after Republicans failed to take control of the Senate. While the party was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-nov15-0608a0c22be510cec983f605e6a305b3?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_02">on the cusp of retaking control of the House</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, it could end up with its narrowest majority in decades.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668513352113.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Hopefully, tomorrow will turn out to be one of the most important days in the history of our Country!” Trump wrote on his social media network on Monday. An announcement was expected at 9 p.m. EST Tuesday from his club in Palm Beach.Another campaign is a remarkable turn for any former president, much less one who made history as the first to be impeached twice and whose term ended with his supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violently storming the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;in a deadly bid to halt the peaceful transition of power on Jan. 6, 2021. Just one president in U.S. history has been elected to two nonconsecutive terms: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892.Trump is also facing a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trump-investigations">intensifying criminal investigations</a>, including a Justice Department probe into the hundreds of documents with classified markings that were discovered in boxes and drawers at his Mar-a-Lago club.Aides and allies had urged Trump to wait until after the midterms were over — and then until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">after a Dec. 6 Senate runoff election in Georgia</a>&nbsp;— to announce his plans. But Trump, eager to return to the spotlight, is also hoping to stave off a long list of potential challengers, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>, who cruised to reelection last week and is now being urged by many in his party to run for president a well.Trump has tried to blame Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for the GOP’s performance — and McConnell allies have criticized Rick Scott, the Florida senator who heads the Senate Republicans’ campaign committee.However, Trump has received the brunt of criticism for elevating candidates in states like Pennsylvania and Arizona who were unappealing to general election voters because they embraced his lies about the 2020 election or held hard-line views on issues like abortion that were out of step with the mainstream.While Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elise-stefanik-a6db4f53af168be7f8483f29495eaba1">has the backing</a>&nbsp;of the No. 3 House Republican, Rep. Elise Stefanik, others were already moving on.Asked whether she would endorse Trump in 2024, Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming told reporters Monday: “I don’t think that’s the right question. I think the question is, who is the current leader of the Republican Party?”Her answer to that question: “Ron DeSantis.”Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, a longtime Trump critic, compared Trump to a pitcher who keeps losing after GOP disappointments in 2018, 2020 and now 2022.“He’s been on the mound and lost three straight games. If we want to start winning, we need someone else on the mound. And we’ve got a very strong bench that can come out," Romney said. "I know, there’s some fans that love him. Just like, you know, an aging pitcher, they’re always fans that want to keep them there forever. But if you keep losing games, try to put some new players on the field.”Others expressed concern that Trump’s announcement would be a distraction from the Georgia race and urged potential candidates to focus there.“What’s really important for anybody who wants to be a 2024 candidate is to help us right now in 2022 to finish the cycle by winning the state of Georgia," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.“We obviously had higher expectation in the Senate, which didn’t pan out. I think there are a lot of different things that contribute to that," Thune added. “But I do think that, you know, folks who were unduly focused on the 2020 election, that’s not a winning strategy with independent voices.”Even the former president’s right-flank allies in the House Freedom Caucus kept their distance ahead of Trump's announcement.“I am focused on what’s happening here,” said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the Freedom Caucus chairman, as lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill on Monday. “I’m just not paying attention to any of those things, so I don’t want to comment on that.”Meanwhile, in Utah, 86 Republican lawmakers on Monday sent out a news release urging DeSantis to run, reflecting dissatisfaction with having Trump as their party’s standard-bearer. The state’s Mormon majority has long been skeptical of Trump’s isolationism and foul language.And in Michigan, Paul Cordes, chief of staff of the Michigan Republican Party, penned a four-page internal memo that criticized Trump-backed candidates for “statewide sweeps” that will give Democrats full control of the state's government for the first time in 40 years. That includes Tudor Dixon, who lost the governor’s race to Democratic incumbent Gretchen Whitmer by double digits.Trump, Cordes wrote, was “popular amongst our grassroots and a motivating factor for his supporters, but provided challenges on a statewide ballot, especially with independents and women in the midterm election.”Rep. Liz Cheney, another Trump critic who is considering her own run in 2024, highlighted losses by Trump-backed candidates while speaking Tuesday morning at The Washington Post’s Global Women’s Summit.“This is certainly not the rollout I’m sure Donald Trump wanted for his announcement tonight. But it’s also not the first time he’s been totally detached from reality,” Cheney said. “There’s no question he’s unfit for office. And I feel confident he will never be president again.”Meanwhile, Josh Holmes, a Republican consultant close to McConnell, said Trump remains “far and away the favorite" as he enters the race. But Holmes also said that a third presidential bid will be considerably different for Trump.“There’s never once been a primary victory by a presidential nominee that is waged in a backward-looking fashion. Everything is about the future,” Holmes said.As for DeSantis, Holmes said: “His national profile right now is undeniable. ... We’re going to find out” whether he can maintain that strength.--------------PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is preparing to launch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">his third campaign for the White House</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, looking to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">move on from disappointing midterm defeats</a>&nbsp;and defy history amid signs that his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">grip on the Republican Party</a>&nbsp;is waning.Trump had hoped to use the GOP's expected gains in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">last week's elections</a>&nbsp;as a springboard to vault himself to his party's nomination by locking in early support to keep potential challengers at bay. Instead, he now finds himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">being blamed for backing</a>&nbsp;a series of losing candidates after disappointing results in which Democrats retained control of the Senate and House control remains too early to call.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668513352113.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Hopefully, tomorrow will turn out to be one of the most important days in the history of our Country!” Trump wrote on his social media network on Monday. An announcement was expected at 9 p.m. EST Tuesday from his club in Palm Beach.Another campaign is a remarkable turn for any former president, much less one who made history as the first to be impeached twice and whose term ended with his supporters violently storming the U.S. Capitol in a deadly bid to halt the peaceful transition of power on Jan. 6, 2021. Just one president in U.S. history has been elected to two nonconsecutive terms: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892.Trump is also facing a series of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trump-investigations">intensifying criminal investigations</a>, including a Justice Department probe into the hundreds of documents with classified markings that were discovered in boxes and drawers at his Mar-a-Lago club.Aides and allies had urged Trump to wait until after the midterms were over — and then until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-republicans-midterms-43d088c71c2984a66fdbd5c2296f48fc">after a Dec. 6 Senate runoff election in Georgia</a>&nbsp;— to announce his plans. But Trump, eager to return to the spotlight, is also hoping to stave off a long list of potential challengers, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cruised to reelection last week and is now being urged by many in his party to run for president a well.Trump has tried to blame Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for the GOP’s performance — and McConnell allies have criticized Rick Scott, the Florida senator who heads the Senate Republicans’ campaign committee.However, Trump has received the brunt of criticism for elevating candidates in states like Pennsylvania and Arizona who were unappealing to general election voters because they embraced his lies about 2020 election or held hard-line views on issues like abortion that were out of step with the mainstream.While Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elise-stefanik-a6db4f53af168be7f8483f29495eaba1">has the backing</a>&nbsp;of the No. 3 House Republican, Rep. Elise Stefanik, others were already moving on.Asked whether she would endorse Trump in 2024, Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming told reporters Monday: “I don’t think that’s the right question. I think the question is, who is the current leader of the Republican Party?”Asked who that was, she replied: “Ron DeSantis.”Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, a longtime Trump critic, compared Trump to a pitcher who keeps losing after GOP disappointments in 2018, 2020 and now 2022.“He’s been on the mound and lost three straight games. If we want to start winning, we need someone else on the mound. And we’ve got a very strong bench that can come out," Romney said. "I know, there’s some fans that love him. Just like, you know, an aging pitcher, they’re always fans that want to keep them there forever. But if you keep losing games, try to put some new players on the field.”Others expressed concern that Trump’s announcement would be a distraction from the Georgia race and urged potential candidates to focus there.“What’s really important for anybody who wants to be a 2024 candidate is to help us right now in 2020 to finish the cycle by winning the state of Georgia," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.“We obviously had higher expectation in the Senate, which didn’t pan out. I think there are a lot of different things that contribute to that," Thune added. “But I do think that, you know, folks who were unduly focused on the 2020 election, that’s not a winning strategy with independent voices.”Even the former president’s right-flank allies in the House Freedom Caucus kept their distance ahead of Trump's announcement.“I am focused on what’s happening here,” said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the Freedom Caucus chairman, as lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill on Monday. “I’m just not paying attention to any of those things, so I don’t want to comment on that.”Meanwhile, in Utah, 86 Republican lawmakers on Monday sent out a news release urging DeSantis to run, reflecting dissatisfaction with having Trump as their party’s standard-bearer. The state’s Mormon majority has long been skeptical of Trump’s isolationism and foul language.And in Michigan, Paul Cordes, chief of staff of the Michigan Republican Party, penned a four-page internal memo that criticized Trump-backed candidates for “statewide sweeps” that will give Democrats full control of the state's government for the first time in 40 years. That includes Tudor Dixon, who lost the governor’s race to Democratic incumbent Gretchen Whitmer by double digits.Trump, Cordes wrote, was “popular amongst our grassroots and a motivating factor for his supporters, but provided challenges on a statewide ballot, especially with independents and women in the midterm election.”

Trump set to launch third campaign for the White House

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police have identified a woman killed in a shooting at a northeast Omaha party that injured seven others.

The shooting happened around 4 a.m. Sunday during a confrontation at the party, police said. Officers who responded to reports of gunfire in the area found 20-year-old Karly Wood and another person with gunshot wounds, police said Monday in a news release. Both were rushed to an Omaha hospital, where Wood died.

Police have said six other people injured in the shooting were taken to hospitals in private vehicles. All of those injured ranged in age from 25 to 34.

Police have not announced any arrests in the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650584487950.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police have identified a woman killed in a shooting at a northeast Omaha party that injured seven others.The shooting happened around 4 a.m. Sunday during a confrontation at the party, police said. Officers who responded to reports of gunfire in the area found 20-year-old Karly Wood and another person with gunshot wounds, police said Monday in a news release. Both were rushed to an Omaha hospital, where Wood died.Police have said six other people injured in the shooting were taken to hospitals in private vehicles. All of those injured ranged in age from 25 to 34.Police have not announced any arrests in the shooting.

Police ID woman killed in Omaha shooting that injured 7

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to cajole the world's largest economies to further isolate Russia diplomatically and economically over its invasion of Ukraine despite a souring global outlook that has tested other nations' resolve.

(Click below to watch President Biden's news conference)

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/11/14/readout-of-president-joe-bidens-meeting-with-president-xi-jinping-of-the-peoples-republic-of-china/">Click here to read</a> a transcript of the Biden, Ki Jinping meeting

In meetings Tuesday at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-biden-business-indonesia-china-026ceb20b07d3630345c7e7a1945a49e">Group of 20 summit</a>&nbsp;in Indonesia, the U.S. leader is to continue a global tour pressing nations to stand up to Russia and in defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty in both symbolic and substantive ways. The effort comes as global inflation and slowing economies have put new pressures on countries that imposed penalties on Russia for the nine-month war that has sent food and energy prices soaring.

A senior U.S. administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the summit discussions, said Tuesday that the summit’s final communique will make clear that “most” of the nations condemn Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, as well the toll it has taken on global food and energy supplies.

It remained to be seen how many nations would embrace the tough language or whether the document would refer to Russia’s actions as a “war” — a phrase Moscow has sought to avoid, despite the devastating losses sustained by its military.

U.S. officials have said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-southeast-asia-trip-china-ukraine-election-f71ee52a79a2bcbd029a9c9cbba32437">Biden's trip</a>&nbsp;has demonstrated that countries large and small are willing to condemn Russian aggression. Indonesian President Joko Widodo invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to virtually address the G-20 summit. It comes days after Ukraine's foreign minister was invited to participate in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-inflation-british-politics-biden-health-96fece8e82b94cd836923747198c14c6">Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit</a>&nbsp;in Cambodia, where it became the latest signatory to the group's treaty of amity and cooperation.

After his&nbsp; nearly three-hour meeting<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-indonesia-xi-jinping-government-and-politics-961bb4680962cc53b4375af3bcbc4927">&nbsp;with President Xi Jinping</a>&nbsp;on Monday, Biden said he and the Chinese leader discussed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and “reaffirmed our shared belief” that the use or even the threat of nuclear weapons is “totally unacceptable” — a reference to Moscow’s thinly veiled threats to use atomic weapons as its invasion of Ukraine has faltered. Chinese officials had previously largely refrained from public criticism of Russia’s war, although Beijing has avoided direct support of the Russians, such as supplying arms.

The summit schedule does not include a “family photo” of leaders, which would avoid a potentially awkward moment of interaction with the Russian representative, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. It remained to be seen how Biden and U.S. allies would react when Lavrov is recognized to speak during the summit's closed sessions. Some Europeans have discussed potentially walking out of the meeting in a display of protest of Russia's invasion.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said no one in the U.S. delegation had plans to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, often known as MBS, after Biden accused Saudi Arabia of siding with Russia by leading the OPEC+ cartel to cut oil production last month in a bid to sustain the elevated energy prices that Russia uses to fund its war in Ukraine.

It also was not clear whether anyone from the U.S. delegation would meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi or other leaders whose cooperation would be essential to securing a price cap on Russian oil to limit the profits Moscow uses to invest in its defense base.

At the summit, Biden will have his first opportunities to meet with two critical new partners in that effort: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni.

Sunak, who took office last month after the disastrously short tenure of Liz Truss, has promised to continue his conservative predecessors’ steadfast support for Ukraine. He and Biden are set to strategize during their Wednesday meeting on new ways to bolster Ukraine’s defenses for the long haul.

Meloni has pledged to continue to provide arms and aid for Ukraine, but questions remain over her far-right coalition’s commitment to stand up to Russia. She will meet with Biden privately on Tuesday afternoon.

The nearly three-hour meeting was the highlight of Biden’s weeklong, round-the-world trip to the Middle East and Asia, and came at a critical juncture for the two countries amid increasing economic and security tensions. Speaking at a news conference afterward, Biden said that when it comes to China, the U.S. would “compete vigorously, but I’m not looking for conflict.”

He added: “I absolutely believe there need not be a new Cold War” between America and the rising Asian power.

Biden reiterated U.S. support for its longstanding “One China” policy, which recognizes the government in Beijing — while allowing for informal American relations and defense ties with Taipei, and “strategic ambiguity” over whether the U.S. would respond militarily if the island were attacked. He also said that despite China's recent saber rattling, he does not believe "there’s any imminent attempt on the part of China to invade Taiwan.”

Xi, according to the Chinese government’s account of the meeting, “stressed that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.”

Biden said he and Xi also discussed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and “reaffirmed our shared belief” that the use or even the threat of nuclear weapons is "totally unacceptable.” That was a reference to Moscow's thinly veiled threats to use atomic weapons as its nearly nine-month invasion of Ukraine has faltered.

Chinese officials have largely refrained from public criticism of Russia’s war, although Beijing has avoided direct support of the Russians, such as supplying arms.

While there were no watershed breakthroughs, the Biden-Xi meeting brought each side long-sought, if modest, gains. In addition to the shared condemnation of Russian nuclear threats, Biden appeared to secure from Xi the resumption of lower-level cooperation from China on a range of shared global challenges. Meanwhile, Xi, who has aimed to establish China as a geopolitical peer of the U.S., got symbolic home turf for the meeting as well as Biden’s forceful One China policy commitment.

The White House said Biden and Xi agreed to “empower key senior officials" to work on areas of potential cooperation, including tackling climate change and maintaining global financial, health and food stability. Beijing had cut off such contacts with the U.S. in protest of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan in August.

China and the U.S. are the world’s worst climate polluters, and their one-on-one climate contacts are seen as vital to staving off some of the most dire scenarios of climate change. Biden's first stop on his long overseas trip was in Egypt for a major climate conference.

The two leaders agreed to have U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken travel to Beijing to continue discussions.

Xi and Biden warmly greeted each other with a handshake at a luxury resort hotel in Indonesia, where they are attending the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-inflation-british-politics-biden-health-96fece8e82b94cd836923747198c14c6">Group of 20 summit</a>&nbsp;of large economies.

“As the leaders of our two nations, we share responsibility, in my view, to show that China and the United States can manage our differences, prevent competition from becoming anything ever near conflict, and to find ways to work together on urgent global issues that require our mutual cooperation," Biden said to open the meeting.

Xi called on Biden to “chart the right course" and “elevate the relationship” between China and the U.S. He said he wanted a “candid and in-depth exchange of views."

Both men entered the highly anticipated meeting with bolstered political standing at home. Democrats triumphantly held onto&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;endDate=2020-08-19T23:20:17.269Z&amp;sourceType=ap&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=100&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20election&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;startDate=2020-03-01T05:00:00.000Z&amp;pagenumber=0">control of the U.S. Senate,</a>&nbsp;with a chance to boost their ranks by one in a runoff election in Georgia next month, while Xi was&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;endDate=2020-08-19T23:20:17.269Z&amp;sourceType=ap&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=100&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20xi%20AND%20communist&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;startDate=2020-03-01T05:00:00.000Z&amp;pagenumber=0">awarded a third five-year term</a>&nbsp;in October by the Communist Party's national congress, a break with tradition.

But relations between the two powers have grown more strained under successive American administrations, with economic, trade, human rights and security differences at the fore.

As president, Biden has repeatedly taken China to task for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-japan-crime-geneva-72426c36d1a4c0ae83d9520d2f19d840">human rights abuses against the Uyghur people</a>&nbsp;and other ethnic minorities, crackdowns on democracy activists in Hong Kong, coercive trade practices, military provocations against self-ruled Taiwan and differences over Russia and Ukraine.

The White House said Biden specifically mentioned U.S. concerns about China's actions in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and the plight of Americans it considers “wrongfully detained” or subject to exit bans in China.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taiwan">Taiwan</a>&nbsp;has emerged as one of the most contentious issues. Multiple times in his presidency,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-biden-china-nancy-pelosi-government-and-politics-abe8b7b0c6600e5fa869effae0d76ef2">Biden has said the U.S. would defend the island</a>&nbsp;— which China has eyed for eventual unification — in case of a Beijing-led invasion. But administration officials have stressed each time that the U.S. China policy has not changed.

Pelosi's trip prompted China, officially the People's Republic of China, to retaliate with military drills and the firing of ballistic missiles into nearby waters.

The White House said Biden “raised U.S. objections to the PRC’s coercive and increasingly aggressive actions toward Taiwan, which undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the broader region, and jeopardize global prosperity.”

In the meeting, Biden said China's economic practices “harm American workers and families, and workers and families around the world," the White House said.

The meeting came just weeks after the Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-technology-china-asia-xi-jinping-cfd6fc9f04cc7ea47f61ee6f04383b57">blocked exports of advanced computer chips</a>&nbsp;to China — a national security move that bolsters U.S. competition against Beijing.

Xi's government said he condemned such moves, saying, “Starting a trade war or a technology war, building walls and barriers, and pushing for decoupling and severing supply chains run counter to the principles of market economy and undermine international trade rules.”

Although the two men have held five phone or video calls during Biden's presidency, White House officials said those encounters were no substitute for an in-person meeting. They said sitting down with Xi was all the more important after the Chinese leader strengthened his grip on power with a third term and because lower-level Chinese officials have been unable or unwilling to speak for their leader.

White House officials and their Chinese counterparts spent weeks negotiating details of the meeting, which was held at Xi’s hotel with translators providing simultaneous interpretation through headsets. Each leader was flanked by nine N-95 mask-wearing aides, and in the case of Xi, at least one official newly elevated in the recent Congress to its top leadership.

U.S. officials were eager to see how Xi approached the meeting after consolidating his position as the unquestioned leader of the state — whether that made him more or less likely to seek out areas of cooperation.

“I didn’t find him more confrontational or more conciliatory,” Biden said. "I found him the way he’s always been, direct and straightforward."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668431755776.png" alt="Biden and Xi, the two without masks just ahead of Monday's meeting-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Biden and Xi, the two without masks just ahead of Monday's meeting-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to cajole the world's largest economies to further isolate Russia diplomatically and economically over its invasion of Ukraine despite a souring global outlook that has tested other nations' resolve.(Click below to watch President Biden's news conference)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1406765220151820%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=30" 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><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/11/14/readout-of-president-joe-bidens-meeting-with-president-xi-jinping-of-the-peoples-republic-of-china/">Click here to read</a> a transcript of the Biden, Ki Jinping meetingIn meetings Tuesday at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-biden-business-indonesia-china-026ceb20b07d3630345c7e7a1945a49e">Group of 20 summit</a>&nbsp;in Indonesia, the U.S. leader is to continue a global tour pressing nations to stand up to Russia and in defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty in both symbolic and substantive ways. The effort comes as global inflation and slowing economies have put new pressures on countries that imposed penalties on Russia for the nine-month war that has sent food and energy prices soaring.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668436660078.png" alt="Xi and Biden greeted each other with a handshake at a luxury resort hotel in Indonesia, where they are attending the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-inflation-british-politics-biden-health-96fece8e82b94cd836923747198c14c6">Group of 20 summit</a>&nbsp;of large economies.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Xi and Biden greeted each other with a handshake at a luxury resort hotel in Indonesia, where they are attending the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-inflation-british-politics-biden-health-96fece8e82b94cd836923747198c14c6">Group of 20 summit</a>&nbsp;of large economies.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>A senior U.S. administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the summit discussions, said Tuesday that the summit’s final communique will make clear that “most” of the nations condemn Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, as well the toll it has taken on global food and energy supplies.It remained to be seen how many nations would embrace the tough language or whether the document would refer to Russia’s actions as a “war” — a phrase Moscow has sought to avoid, despite the devastating losses sustained by its military.U.S. officials have said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-southeast-asia-trip-china-ukraine-election-f71ee52a79a2bcbd029a9c9cbba32437">Biden's trip</a>&nbsp;has demonstrated that countries large and small are willing to condemn Russian aggression. Indonesian President Joko Widodo invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to virtually address the G-20 summit. It comes days after Ukraine's foreign minister was invited to participate in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-inflation-british-politics-biden-health-96fece8e82b94cd836923747198c14c6">Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit</a>&nbsp;in Cambodia, where it became the latest signatory to the group's treaty of amity and cooperation.After his&nbsp; nearly three-hour meeting<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-indonesia-xi-jinping-government-and-politics-961bb4680962cc53b4375af3bcbc4927">&nbsp;with President Xi Jinping</a>&nbsp;on Monday, Biden said he and the Chinese leader discussed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and “reaffirmed our shared belief” that the use or even the threat of nuclear weapons is “totally unacceptable” — a reference to Moscow’s thinly veiled threats to use atomic weapons as its invasion of Ukraine has faltered. Chinese officials had previously largely refrained from public criticism of Russia’s war, although Beijing has avoided direct support of the Russians, such as supplying arms.The summit schedule does not include a “family photo” of leaders, which would avoid a potentially awkward moment of interaction with the Russian representative, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. It remained to be seen how Biden and U.S. allies would react when Lavrov is recognized to speak during the summit's closed sessions. Some Europeans have discussed potentially walking out of the meeting in a display of protest of Russia's invasion.U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said no one in the U.S. delegation had plans to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, often known as MBS, after Biden accused Saudi Arabia of siding with Russia by leading the OPEC+ cartel to cut oil production last month in a bid to sustain the elevated energy prices that Russia uses to fund its war in Ukraine.It also was not clear whether anyone from the U.S. delegation would meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi or other leaders whose cooperation would be essential to securing a price cap on Russian oil to limit the profits Moscow uses to invest in its defense base.At the summit, Biden will have his first opportunities to meet with two critical new partners in that effort: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni.Sunak, who took office last month after the disastrously short tenure of Liz Truss, has promised to continue his conservative predecessors’ steadfast support for Ukraine. He and Biden are set to strategize during their Wednesday meeting on new ways to bolster Ukraine’s defenses for the long haul.Meloni has pledged to continue to provide arms and aid for Ukraine, but questions remain over her far-right coalition’s commitment to stand up to Russia. She will meet with Biden privately on Tuesday afternoon.---The nearly three-hour meeting was the highlight of Biden’s weeklong, round-the-world trip to the Middle East and Asia, and came at a critical juncture for the two countries amid increasing economic and security tensions. Speaking at a news conference afterward, Biden said that when it comes to China, the U.S. would “compete vigorously, but I’m not looking for conflict.”He added: “I absolutely believe there need not be a new Cold War” between America and the rising Asian power.Biden reiterated U.S. support for its longstanding “One China” policy, which recognizes the government in Beijing — while allowing for informal American relations and defense ties with Taipei, and “strategic ambiguity” over whether the U.S. would respond militarily if the island were attacked. He also said that despite China's recent saber rattling, he does not believe "there’s any imminent attempt on the part of China to invade Taiwan.”Xi, according to the Chinese government’s account of the meeting, “stressed that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668436660078.png" alt="Xi and Biden greeted each other with a handshake at a luxury resort hotel in Indonesia, where they are attending the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-inflation-british-politics-biden-health-96fece8e82b94cd836923747198c14c6">Group of 20 summit</a>&nbsp;of large economies.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Xi and Biden greeted each other with a handshake at a luxury resort hotel in Indonesia, where they are attending the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-inflation-british-politics-biden-health-96fece8e82b94cd836923747198c14c6">Group of 20 summit</a>&nbsp;of large economies.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Biden said he and Xi also discussed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and “reaffirmed our shared belief” that the use or even the threat of nuclear weapons is "totally unacceptable.” That was a reference to Moscow's thinly veiled threats to use atomic weapons as its nearly nine-month invasion of Ukraine has faltered.Chinese officials have largely refrained from public criticism of Russia’s war, although Beijing has avoided direct support of the Russians, such as supplying arms.While there were no watershed breakthroughs, the Biden-Xi meeting brought each side long-sought, if modest, gains. In addition to the shared condemnation of Russian nuclear threats, Biden appeared to secure from Xi the resumption of lower-level cooperation from China on a range of shared global challenges. Meanwhile, Xi, who has aimed to establish China as a geopolitical peer of the U.S., got symbolic home turf for the meeting as well as Biden’s forceful One China policy commitment.The White House said Biden and Xi agreed to “empower key senior officials" to work on areas of potential cooperation, including tackling climate change and maintaining global financial, health and food stability. Beijing had cut off such contacts with the U.S. in protest of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan in August.China and the U.S. are the world’s worst climate polluters, and their one-on-one climate contacts are seen as vital to staving off some of the most dire scenarios of climate change. Biden's first stop on his long overseas trip was in Egypt for a major climate conference.The two leaders agreed to have U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken travel to Beijing to continue discussions.Xi and Biden warmly greeted each other with a handshake at a luxury resort hotel in Indonesia, where they are attending the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-inflation-british-politics-biden-health-96fece8e82b94cd836923747198c14c6">Group of 20 summit</a>&nbsp;of large economies.“As the leaders of our two nations, we share responsibility, in my view, to show that China and the United States can manage our differences, prevent competition from becoming anything ever near conflict, and to find ways to work together on urgent global issues that require our mutual cooperation," Biden said to open the meeting.Xi called on Biden to “chart the right course" and “elevate the relationship” between China and the U.S. He said he wanted a “candid and in-depth exchange of views."Both men entered the highly anticipated meeting with bolstered political standing at home. Democrats triumphantly held onto&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;endDate=2020-08-19T23:20:17.269Z&amp;sourceType=ap&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=100&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20election&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;startDate=2020-03-01T05:00:00.000Z&amp;pagenumber=0">control of the U.S. Senate,</a>&nbsp;with a chance to boost their ranks by one in a runoff election in Georgia next month, while Xi was&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;endDate=2020-08-19T23:20:17.269Z&amp;sourceType=ap&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=100&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20xi%20AND%20communist&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;startDate=2020-03-01T05:00:00.000Z&amp;pagenumber=0">awarded a third five-year term</a>&nbsp;in October by the Communist Party's national congress, a break with tradition.But relations between the two powers have grown more strained under successive American administrations, with economic, trade, human rights and security differences at the fore.As president, Biden has repeatedly taken China to task for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-japan-crime-geneva-72426c36d1a4c0ae83d9520d2f19d840">human rights abuses against the Uyghur people</a>&nbsp;and other ethnic minorities, crackdowns on democracy activists in Hong Kong, coercive trade practices, military provocations against self-ruled Taiwan and differences over Russia and Ukraine.The White House said Biden specifically mentioned U.S. concerns about China's actions in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and the plight of Americans it considers “wrongfully detained” or subject to exit bans in China.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taiwan">Taiwan</a>&nbsp;has emerged as one of the most contentious issues. Multiple times in his presidency,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-biden-china-nancy-pelosi-government-and-politics-abe8b7b0c6600e5fa869effae0d76ef2">Biden has said the U.S. would defend the island</a>&nbsp;— which China has eyed for eventual unification — in case of a Beijing-led invasion. But administration officials have stressed each time that the U.S. China policy has not changed.Pelosi's trip prompted China, officially the People's Republic of China, to retaliate with military drills and the firing of ballistic missiles into nearby waters.The White House said Biden “raised U.S. objections to the PRC’s coercive and increasingly aggressive actions toward Taiwan, which undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the broader region, and jeopardize global prosperity.”In the meeting, Biden said China's economic practices “harm American workers and families, and workers and families around the world," the White House said.The meeting came just weeks after the Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-technology-china-asia-xi-jinping-cfd6fc9f04cc7ea47f61ee6f04383b57">blocked exports of advanced computer chips</a>&nbsp;to China — a national security move that bolsters U.S. competition against Beijing.Xi's government said he condemned such moves, saying, “Starting a trade war or a technology war, building walls and barriers, and pushing for decoupling and severing supply chains run counter to the principles of market economy and undermine international trade rules.”Although the two men have held five phone or video calls during Biden's presidency, White House officials said those encounters were no substitute for an in-person meeting. They said sitting down with Xi was all the more important after the Chinese leader strengthened his grip on power with a third term and because lower-level Chinese officials have been unable or unwilling to speak for their leader.White House officials and their Chinese counterparts spent weeks negotiating details of the meeting, which was held at Xi’s hotel with translators providing simultaneous interpretation through headsets. Each leader was flanked by nine N-95 mask-wearing aides, and in the case of Xi, at least one official newly elevated in the recent Congress to its top leadership.U.S. officials were eager to see how Xi approached the meeting after consolidating his position as the unquestioned leader of the state — whether that made him more or less likely to seek out areas of cooperation.Biden said Xi was as he's always been.“I didn’t find him more confrontational or more conciliatory,” Biden said. "I found him the way he’s always been, direct and straightforward."___

🎥 Biden, China's Xi talk Russia, nuclear weapons in 3-hour meeting 

By PETER SMITH and DAVID CRARY Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Military Services,
 who oversees Catholic ministries to the U.S. armed forces, was elected 
Tuesday as the new president of the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-81eacc2fc6d53f81eacdcadc459b500a">U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops</a>.

Broglio,
 70, was elected from a field of 10 candidates. He will succeed 
Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, who assumed the post in 2019.

The archbishop of Baltimore, William Lori, was elected as vice president.

Usually
 the election of a new USCCB leaders is a formality, with the bishops 
elevating the conference’s vice president to the post. But this year’s 
election was wide open because the incumbent VP — Detroit Archbishop 
Allen Vigneron — will turn 75 soon, making him ineligible to serve.

The <a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/us-bishops-elect-new-leadership-their-episcopal-conference-fall-general-assembly-november">10 candidates</a>
 ranged from the relatively moderate Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle 
to San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, a staunch 
conservative. Cordileone made headlines this year by barring House 
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a San Franciscan, from receiving Communion in the 
archdiocese because of her support for abortion rights.

The 
candidates were nominated by their fellow bishops, who bypassed several 
of their colleagues who have been elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis.

The
 bishops’ annual fall meeting will conclude its public sessions on 
Wednesday. During the course of the meeting, there are expected to be 
discussions about the church’s efforts to prevent clergy sex abuse and 
the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June striking down the 
nationwide right to abortion.

Broglio has extensive experience 
outside U.S. borders, having studied in Rome and serving in the 
Vatican's diplomatic corps. And his current archdiocese is based in 
Washington, D.C, which also is home to the USCCB's head office.

Broglio
 grew up in the Cleveland area, attending Catholic schools there before 
attending Boston College and then earning a doctorate in canon law from 
the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

He was ordained to the priesthood, for the diocese of Cleveland, in May 1977 at a chapel in Rome.

In
 addition to serving as an associate parish pastor and as a college 
lecturer, Broglio engaged extensively in the Vatican's diplomatic 
service. He served as secretary of the apostolic nunciatures in Ivory 
Coast and Paraguay, and from 1990 to 2001 served as Chief of Cabinet to 
Angelo Cardinal Sodano, secretary of state to Saint Pope John Paul II 
and desk officer for Central America.

Broglio was ordained as an 
archbishop by St. John Paul II in March 2001. In 2007, he was named the 
fourth archbishop of the Military Services USA.

As a member of the
 USCCB, Broglio currently serves as secretary of the conference. In the 
past he has served as chairman of the Committee on International Justice
 and Peace and chairman of the Canonical Affairs and Church Governance 
Committee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668548283876.jpeg" alt="Archbishop Timothy Broglio conducts an Easter Sunday Mass in an empty sanctuary at Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, Sunday, April 12, 2020. Broglio of the Military Services, who oversees Catholic ministries to the U.S. armed forces, was elected Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, as the new president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)" />
 <figcaption>Archbishop Timothy Broglio conducts an Easter Sunday Mass in an empty sanctuary at Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, Sunday, April 12, 2020. Broglio of the Military Services, who oversees Catholic ministries to the U.S. armed forces, was elected Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, as the new president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PETER SMITH and DAVID CRARY Associated PressBALTIMORE (AP) — Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Military Services,
 who oversees Catholic ministries to the U.S. armed forces, was elected 
Tuesday as the new president of the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-81eacc2fc6d53f81eacdcadc459b500a">U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops</a>.Broglio,
 70, was elected from a field of 10 candidates. He will succeed 
Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, who assumed the post in 2019.The archbishop of Baltimore, William Lori, was elected as vice president.Usually
 the election of a new USCCB leaders is a formality, with the bishops 
elevating the conference’s vice president to the post. But this year’s 
election was wide open because the incumbent VP — Detroit Archbishop 
Allen Vigneron — will turn 75 soon, making him ineligible to serve.The <a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/us-bishops-elect-new-leadership-their-episcopal-conference-fall-general-assembly-november">10 candidates</a>
 ranged from the relatively moderate Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle 
to San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, a staunch 
conservative. Cordileone made headlines this year by barring House 
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a San Franciscan, from receiving Communion in the 
archdiocese because of her support for abortion rights.The 
candidates were nominated by their fellow bishops, who bypassed several 
of their colleagues who have been elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis.The
 bishops’ annual fall meeting will conclude its public sessions on 
Wednesday. During the course of the meeting, there are expected to be 
discussions about the church’s efforts to prevent clergy sex abuse and 
the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June striking down the 
nationwide right to abortion.Broglio has extensive experience 
outside U.S. borders, having studied in Rome and serving in the 
Vatican's diplomatic corps. And his current archdiocese is based in 
Washington, D.C, which also is home to the USCCB's head office.Broglio
 grew up in the Cleveland area, attending Catholic schools there before 
attending Boston College and then earning a doctorate in canon law from 
the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.He was ordained to the priesthood, for the diocese of Cleveland, in May 1977 at a chapel in Rome.In
 addition to serving as an associate parish pastor and as a college 
lecturer, Broglio engaged extensively in the Vatican's diplomatic 
service. He served as secretary of the apostolic nunciatures in Ivory 
Coast and Paraguay, and from 1990 to 2001 served as Chief of Cabinet to 
Angelo Cardinal Sodano, secretary of state to Saint Pope John Paul II 
and desk officer for Central America.Broglio was ordained as an 
archbishop by St. John Paul II in March 2001. In 2007, he was named the 
fourth archbishop of the Military Services USA.As a member of the
 USCCB, Broglio currently serves as secretary of the conference. In the 
past he has served as chairman of the Committee on International Justice
 and Peace and chairman of the Canonical Affairs and Church Governance 
Committee.

Armed forces leader named Catholic bishop council president

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded those who still need to file their 2021 tax returns that <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a> remains open until November 17 and can help those who qualify claim the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">Child Tax Credit</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc">Earned Income Tax Credit</a>.

These and other tax benefits were expanded under last year's American
 Rescue Plan Act and other recent legislation. The only way to get these
 valuable benefits, however, is to file a 2021 tax return.

Last month, the Internal Revenue Service sent letters to more than 9 
million individuals and families who appeared to qualify for a variety 
of key tax benefits but had not yet claimed them by filing a 2021 
federal income tax return.

Many in this group may be eligible to claim some or all of the 2021 
Recovery Rebate Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax 
Credit and other tax credits, depending on their personal and family 
situation. The letter, printed in both English and Spanish, provided a 
brief overview of each of these credits.

Often, individuals and families <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents">can get these expanded tax benefits</a>,
 even if they have little or no income from a job, business or other 
source. This means that many people who don't normally need to file a 
tax return should do so this year, even if they haven't been required to
 file in recent years.

There's no penalty for a refund claimed on a tax return filed after 
the regular April 2022 tax deadline. The fastest and easiest way to get a
 refund is to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file an accurate return electronically</a> and choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.

To help people claim these benefits without charge, IRS Free File 
will remain open this year, until November 17, 2022. Available only at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS.gov/freefile</a>, IRS Free File lets people whose incomes are $73,000 or less to file a return online for free using brand-name software.

IRS Free File is sponsored by the Free File Alliance, a partnership 
between the IRS and the tax software industry, a public-private 
partnership that provides their brand-name products for free.

IRS Free File provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their 2021 federal income tax return online for free:

Prior year returns can be filed electronically only by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/understanding-tax-return-preparer-credentials-and-qualifications">registered tax preparers</a>&nbsp;for the two previous tax years. Otherwise, taxpayers must print, sign and mail prior year returns.

The IRS <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>&nbsp;lists qualified local preparers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded those who still need to file their 2021 tax returns that <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS Free File</a> remains open until November 17 and can help those who qualify claim the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">Child Tax Credit</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc">Earned Income Tax Credit</a>.These and other tax benefits were expanded under last year's American
 Rescue Plan Act and other recent legislation. The only way to get these
 valuable benefits, however, is to file a 2021 tax return.Last month, the Internal Revenue Service sent letters to more than 9 
million individuals and families who appeared to qualify for a variety 
of key tax benefits but had not yet claimed them by filing a 2021 
federal income tax return.Many in this group may be eligible to claim some or all of the 2021 
Recovery Rebate Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax 
Credit and other tax credits, depending on their personal and family 
situation. The letter, printed in both English and Spanish, provided a 
brief overview of each of these credits.Often, individuals and families <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents">can get these expanded tax benefits</a>,
 even if they have little or no income from a job, business or other 
source. This means that many people who don't normally need to file a 
tax return should do so this year, even if they haven't been required to
 file in recent years.There's no penalty for a refund claimed on a tax return filed after 
the regular April 2022 tax deadline. The fastest and easiest way to get a
 refund is to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">file an accurate return electronically</a> and choose <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/get-your-refund-faster-tell-irs-to-direct-deposit-your-refund-to-one-two-or-three-accounts">direct deposit</a>.To help people claim these benefits without charge, IRS Free File 
will remain open this year, until November 17, 2022. Available only at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">IRS.gov/freefile</a>, IRS Free File lets people whose incomes are $73,000 or less to file a return online for free using brand-name software.IRS Free File is sponsored by the Free File Alliance, a partnership 
between the IRS and the tax software industry, a public-private 
partnership that provides their brand-name products for free.IRS Free File provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their 2021 federal income tax return online for free:<ul>
 <li>IRS Partner Sites. Traditional IRS Free File 
provides free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner 
sites. Individual taxpayers whose adjusted gross income (AGI) is $73,000
 or less qualify for any IRS Free File partner offers. Free File lets 
individuals electronically prepare and file their federal income tax 
online using guided tax preparation.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Free Fillable Forms. For taxpayers whose AGI is greater than $73,000, there's the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-forms">Free File Fillable Forms</a>
 option. It provides electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out
 and filed online for free. To use this option, taxpayers should know 
how to prepare their own tax return.</li>
 </ul><h2>Always start at&nbsp;IRS.gov:</h2><ul>
 <li>From the homepage, select <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">File Your Taxes for Free</a>.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Use the <a href="https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/general/">IRS Free File Lookup Tool</a> to narrow the list of providers or the <a href="https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/browse-all-offers/">Browse All Offers</a> page to see a full list of providers.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Follow the link to the chosen IRS Free File provider's website.</li>
 </ul>Prior year returns can be filed electronically only by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/understanding-tax-return-preparer-credentials-and-qualifications">registered tax preparers</a>&nbsp;for the two previous tax years. Otherwise, taxpayers must print, sign and mail prior year returns.The IRS <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>&nbsp;lists qualified local preparers.

IRS: Free File remains open until Nov. 17

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea vowed a unified, coordinated response to North Korea's threatening nuclear and ballistic missile programs, with Biden declaring that the three-way partnership is “even more important than it's ever been” when North Korea is stepping up its provocations.

Biden met separately with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol before all three sat down together on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Cambodia.

The U.S. president began by offering condolences for a crowd surge during Halloween festivities in Seoul that killed more than 150 people, saying the U.S. had grieved with South Korea. The meeting was heavily focused on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's recent escalations, although Biden said the three leaders would also discuss strengthening supply chains and preserving peace across the Taiwan strait, while building on the countries' support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

Biden had also planned to seek input from Kishida and Yoon on managing China’s assertive posture in the Pacific region on the eve of his face-to-face with President Xi Jinping.

“We face real challenges, but our countries are more aligned than ever, more prepared to take on those challenges than ever,” Biden said. “So I look forward to deepening the bonds of cooperation between our three countries.”

Both Yoon and Kishida discussed the ongoing displays of aggression by North Korea, which has fired dozens of missiles in recent weeks. The launches include an intercontinental ballistic missile 10 days ago that triggered evacuation alerts in northern Japan, and as the allies warn of a looming risk of the isolated country conducting its seventh nuclear test in the coming weeks.

Referring to the crowd surge that occurred in the Itaewon neighborhood in Seoul, Yoon said, through an interpreter: “At a time when South Koreans are grieving in deep sorrow, North Korea pushed ahead with such provocations which lays bare the Kim Jong Un regime's true inclinations.”

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Saturday that Biden would use the meetings to strengthen the three countries' joint response to the dangers posed by North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

“What we would really like to see is enhanced trilateral security cooperation where the three countries are all coming together,” he said. “That’s acutely true with respect to the DPRK because of the common threat and challenge we all face, but it’s also true, more broadly, about our capacity to work together to enhance overall peace and stability in the region.”

Tensions on the Korean peninsula have skyrocketed in recent months as the North continues its weapons demonstrations and the U.S. and South Korea launched stepped-up joint defense exercises.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5d8f0935f50d013d7e9c375cc27456e5">Earlier this month</a>, the South Korean military said two B-1B bombers trained with four U.S. F-16 fighter jets and four South Korean F-35 jets during the last day of “Vigilant Storm” joint air force drills. It was the first time since December 2017 that the bombers were deployed to the Korean Peninsula. The exercise involved a total of roughly 240 warplanes, including advanced F-35 fighter jets from both countries.

North Korea responded with its own display of force, flying large numbers of warplanes inside its territory.

The Biden administration has said it has sent repeated requests to negotiate with North Korea without preconditions on constraining its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but that Kim Jong Un's government has not responded.

Biden has said he plans to press Xi to use China's unique sway over North Korea to curtail its aggressive behavior, as part of what is expected to be a wide-ranging meeting between the leaders on the margins of the Group of 20 gathering in Bali, Indonesia.

China "has an interest in playing a constructive role in restraining North Korea’s worst tendencies,” Sullivan said Saturday. “Whether they choose to do so or not is, of course, up to them.”

Biden told reporters on Sunday that he’s “always had straightforward discussions” with Xi, and that has prevented either of them from “miscalculations” of their intentions. Their meeting comes weeks after Xi cemented his grip on China’s political system with the conclusion of the Community Party congress in Beijing that gave him a norm-breaking third term as leader.

“His circumstances changed, to state the obvious, at home,” Biden said of Xi. Biden maintained that his own have as well, saying that after Democrats retained control of the Senate in the midterm elections, “I know I’m coming in stronger."

Monday's meeting will be the first in-person sit-down between the leaders since Biden was elected. U.S. officials in the past have expressed frustration that lower-level Chinese officials have proven unable or unwilling to speak for Xi, and are hoping the face-to-face summit will enable progress on areas of mutual concern — and, even more critically, a shared understanding of each others' limitations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667483523229.png" alt="A TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage is seen at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. North Korea continued its barrage of weapons tests, firing at least three missiles including a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile that forced the Japanese government to issue evacuation alerts and temporarily halt trains. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)" />
 <figcaption>A TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage is seen at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. North Korea continued its barrage of weapons tests, firing at least three missiles including a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile that forced the Japanese government to issue evacuation alerts and temporarily halt trains. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)</figcaption>
 </figure>PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea vowed a unified, coordinated response to North Korea's threatening nuclear and ballistic missile programs, with Biden declaring that the three-way partnership is “even more important than it's ever been” when North Korea is stepping up its provocations.Biden met separately with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol before all three sat down together on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Cambodia.The U.S. president began by offering condolences for a crowd surge during Halloween festivities in Seoul that killed more than 150 people, saying the U.S. had grieved with South Korea. The meeting was heavily focused on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's recent escalations, although Biden said the three leaders would also discuss strengthening supply chains and preserving peace across the Taiwan strait, while building on the countries' support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.Biden had also planned to seek input from Kishida and Yoon on managing China’s assertive posture in the Pacific region on the eve of his face-to-face with President Xi Jinping.“We face real challenges, but our countries are more aligned than ever, more prepared to take on those challenges than ever,” Biden said. “So I look forward to deepening the bonds of cooperation between our three countries.”Both Yoon and Kishida discussed the ongoing displays of aggression by North Korea, which has fired dozens of missiles in recent weeks. The launches include an intercontinental ballistic missile 10 days ago that triggered evacuation alerts in northern Japan, and as the allies warn of a looming risk of the isolated country conducting its seventh nuclear test in the coming weeks.Referring to the crowd surge that occurred in the Itaewon neighborhood in Seoul, Yoon said, through an interpreter: “At a time when South Koreans are grieving in deep sorrow, North Korea pushed ahead with such provocations which lays bare the Kim Jong Un regime's true inclinations.”U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Saturday that Biden would use the meetings to strengthen the three countries' joint response to the dangers posed by North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.“What we would really like to see is enhanced trilateral security cooperation where the three countries are all coming together,” he said. “That’s acutely true with respect to the DPRK because of the common threat and challenge we all face, but it’s also true, more broadly, about our capacity to work together to enhance overall peace and stability in the region.”Tensions on the Korean peninsula have skyrocketed in recent months as the North continues its weapons demonstrations and the U.S. and South Korea launched stepped-up joint defense exercises.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5d8f0935f50d013d7e9c375cc27456e5">Earlier this month</a>, the South Korean military said two B-1B bombers trained with four U.S. F-16 fighter jets and four South Korean F-35 jets during the last day of “Vigilant Storm” joint air force drills. It was the first time since December 2017 that the bombers were deployed to the Korean Peninsula. The exercise involved a total of roughly 240 warplanes, including advanced F-35 fighter jets from both countries.North Korea responded with its own display of force, flying large numbers of warplanes inside its territory.The Biden administration has said it has sent repeated requests to negotiate with North Korea without preconditions on constraining its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but that Kim Jong Un's government has not responded.Biden has said he plans to press Xi to use China's unique sway over North Korea to curtail its aggressive behavior, as part of what is expected to be a wide-ranging meeting between the leaders on the margins of the Group of 20 gathering in Bali, Indonesia.China "has an interest in playing a constructive role in restraining North Korea’s worst tendencies,” Sullivan said Saturday. “Whether they choose to do so or not is, of course, up to them.”Biden told reporters on Sunday that he’s “always had straightforward discussions” with Xi, and that has prevented either of them from “miscalculations” of their intentions. Their meeting comes weeks after Xi cemented his grip on China’s political system with the conclusion of the Community Party congress in Beijing that gave him a norm-breaking third term as leader.“His circumstances changed, to state the obvious, at home,” Biden said of Xi. Biden maintained that his own have as well, saying that after Democrats retained control of the Senate in the midterm elections, “I know I’m coming in stronger."Monday's meeting will be the first in-person sit-down between the leaders since Biden was elected. U.S. officials in the past have expressed frustration that lower-level Chinese officials have proven unable or unwilling to speak for Xi, and are hoping the face-to-face summit will enable progress on areas of mutual concern — and, even more critically, a shared understanding of each others' limitations.“I know him well, he knows me,” Biden said. “We’ve just got to figure out where the red lines are and what are the most important things to each of us, going into the next two years.”As president, Biden has repeatedly taken China to task for human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other ethnic minorities, Beijing’s crackdowns on democracy activists in Hong Kong, coercive trade practices, military provocations against self-ruled Taiwan and differences over Russia’s prosecution of its war against Ukraine.Xi’s government has criticized the Biden administration’s posture toward Taiwan — which Beijing looks eventually to unify with the communist mainland — as undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Chinese president also has suggested that Washington wants to stifle Beijing’s growing clout as it tries to overtake the U.S. as the world’s largest economy.Biden also spoke briefly with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has sought out his own meeting with Xi this week in an effort to ease Chinese sanctions against his country.—-