<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/signatures-being-gathered-seeking-to-stop-nebraskas-revamped-school-choice-law/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The union representing Nebraska’s K-12 public school teachers and its supporters can now gather signatures seeking to stop a new state law that helps some students pay for private schooling.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Bob Evnen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/Petitions/2024/Private%20Education%20Scholarship%20Partial%20Referendum.pdf">released the language</a>&nbsp;that petition gatherers are using to target much of Legislative Bill 1402, the latest version of a scholarship or voucher program for students attending private K-12 schools.&nbsp;

The petition seeks to “repeal section 1 of LB 1402 … which directs $10 million dollars annually for financial grants-in-aid for eligible students to attend a qualifying privately operated elementary or secondary school in Nebraska.”&nbsp;

Support Our Schools had no immediate comment about approval of the petition language. The group has until mid-July to gather about 61,000 signatures from about 5% of registered voters statewide, plus 5% from voters in at least 38 counties.

Its leaders have argued that people who want to spend public dollars on private education revamped the first version of the scholarship program, passed last year, in order to derail Support Our Schools’ first effort to let voters decide on the issue.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha and other scholarship program supporters also had no immediate comment on the language, other than Linehan saying that the state Department of Education approves which schools are eligible.

The scholarship program started as a privately funded effort backed by a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $25 million a year for donors. The program shifted under LB 1402 into a direct appropriation of $10 million to the State Treasurer’s Office to distribute.

Some have questioned the constitutionality of the appropriation and whether there’s enough of a step between state money and private schools. Others have questioned whether a ballot measure can repeal a legislative appropriation.

Program advocates, including Linehan and State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, have said families with kids in public schools that don’t work well for them need options and can’t afford to wait years for school systems to change.&nbsp;

Critics of the school choice push say many other states that have started with small scholarship programs like this one later expanded into costly voucher programs that pull tax dollars out away from other priorities, including public schools.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715262152345.jpeg" alt="Tim Royers of the NSEA answers questions from reporters on Aug. 30, 2023, about the petition drive for Support Our Schools. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Tim Royers of the NSEA answers questions from reporters on Aug. 30, 2023, about the petition drive for Support Our Schools. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/signatures-being-gathered-seeking-to-stop-nebraskas-revamped-school-choice-law/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The union representing Nebraska’s K-12 public school teachers and its supporters can now gather signatures seeking to stop a new state law that helps some students pay for private schooling.On Wednesday, Secretary of State Bob Evnen&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/Petitions/2024/Private%20Education%20Scholarship%20Partial%20Referendum.pdf">released the language</a>&nbsp;that petition gatherers are using to target much of Legislative Bill 1402, the latest version of a scholarship or voucher program for students attending private K-12 schools.&nbsp;The petition seeks to “repeal section 1 of LB 1402 … which directs $10 million dollars annually for financial grants-in-aid for eligible students to attend a qualifying privately operated elementary or secondary school in Nebraska.”&nbsp;Support Our Schools had no immediate comment about approval of the petition language. The group has until mid-July to gather about 61,000 signatures from about 5% of registered voters statewide, plus 5% from voters in at least 38 counties.Its leaders have argued that people who want to spend public dollars on private education revamped the first version of the scholarship program, passed last year, in order to derail Support Our Schools’ first effort to let voters decide on the issue.<h2>Direct appropriation of $10 million</h2>State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha and other scholarship program supporters also had no immediate comment on the language, other than Linehan saying that the state Department of Education approves which schools are eligible.The scholarship program started as a privately funded effort backed by a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $25 million a year for donors. The program shifted under LB 1402 into a direct appropriation of $10 million to the State Treasurer’s Office to distribute.Some have questioned the constitutionality of the appropriation and whether there’s enough of a step between state money and private schools. Others have questioned whether a ballot measure can repeal a legislative appropriation.Program advocates, including Linehan and State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, have said families with kids in public schools that don’t work well for them need options and can’t afford to wait years for school systems to change.&nbsp;Critics of the school choice push say many other states that have started with small scholarship programs like this one later expanded into costly voucher programs that pull tax dollars out away from other priorities, including public schools.

Signatures being gathered seeking to stop Nebraska’s revamped school choice law

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">all-out assault on Rafah</a>&nbsp;— the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.

Biden, in an interview with CNN, said the U.S. was still committed to Israel's defense and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive arms, but that if Israel goes into Rafah, “we’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used.”

&nbsp;On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, " catering to his pro-terrorist, pro-Hamas faction of his party, Joe Biden is blocking aid to Israel. We are demanding answers.

The U.S. has historically provided enormous amounts of military aid to Israel. That has only accelerated in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that killed some 1,200 in Israel and led to about 250 being taken captive by militants. Biden's comments and his decision last week to pause a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel are the most striking manifestations of the growing daylight between his administration and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Biden has said that Israel needs to do far more to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza.

The shipment was supposed to consist of 1,800 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs and 1,700 500-pound (225-kilogram) bombs, according to a senior U.S. administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The focus of U.S. concern was the larger explosives and how they could be used in a dense urban area.

“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers," Biden told CNN. “I made it clear that if they go into Rafah — they haven’t gone in Rafah yet — if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem.”

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier Wednesday confirmed the weapons delay, telling the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense that the U.S. paused “one shipment of high payload munitions.”

“We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said. “But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of unfolding events in Rafah.”

It also comes as the Biden administration is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-leahy-biden-nsm-military-aid-812864bc424b93c886226e33f5c3f0e5">due to deliver a first-of-its-kind formal verdict</a>&nbsp;this week on whether the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">airstrikes on Gaza and restrictions on delivery of aid</a>&nbsp;have violated international and U.S. laws designed to spare civilians from the worst horrors of war. A decision against Israel would further add to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-commencement-protests-gaza-9bb8051253c45947509feb32ced78f8c">pressure on Biden</a>&nbsp;to curb the flow of weapons and money to Israel’s military.

Biden signed off on the pause in an order conveyed last week to the Pentagon, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to comment on the matter. The White House National Security Council sought to keep the decision out of the public eye for several days until it had a better understanding of the scope of Israel’s intensified military operations in Rafah and until Biden could deliver a long-planned speech on Tuesday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Biden’s administration in April began reviewing future transfers of military assistance as Netanyahu’s government appeared to move closer toward an invasion of Rafah, despite months of opposition from the White House. The official said the decision to pause the shipment was made last week and no final decision had been made yet on whether to proceed with the shipment at a later date.

U.S. officials had declined for days to comment on the halted transfer, word of which came as Biden on Tuesday described U.S. support for Israel as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-gaza-israel-jewish-congress-f2f84c9e7c52345c35e5cb4c2d00a417">“ironclad, even when we disagree.”</a>

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, in an interview with Israeli Channel 12 TV news, said the decision to pause the shipment was “a very disappointing decision, even frustrating." He suggested the move stemmed from political pressure on Biden from Congress, the U.S. campus protests and the upcoming election.

The decision also drew a sharp rebuke from House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who said they only learned about the military aid holdup from press reports, despite assurances from the Biden administration that no such pauses were in the works. The Republicans called on Biden in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.speaker.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SMJ-MM-5.8.24-Letter.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;to swiftly end the blockage, saying it “risks emboldening Israel's enemies,” and to brief lawmakers on the nature of the policy reviews.

Biden has faced pressure from some on the left — and condemnation from the critics on the right who say Biden has moderated his support for an essential Mideast ally.

“If we stop weapons necessary to destroy the enemies of the state of Israel at a time of great peril, we will pay a price,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., his voice rising in anger during an exchange with Austin. “This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need to fight the war they can’t afford to lose.”

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a Biden ally, said in a statement the pause on big bombs must be a “first step.”

“Our leverage is clear,” Sanders said. “Over the years, the United States has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Israel. We can no longer be complicit in Netanyahu’s horrific war against the Palestinian people.”

Austin, meanwhile, told lawmakers that "it’s about having the right kinds of weapons for the task at hand.”

"A small diameter bomb, which is a precision weapon, that’s very useful in a dense, built-up environment,” he said, “but maybe not so much a 2,000-pound bomb that could create a lot of collateral damage.” He said the U.S. wants to see Israel do “more precise” operations.

Israeli troops on Tuesday seized control of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-offensive-israel-netanyahu-hamas-palestinians-014b2d850bbe28897b624bc5e5378320">Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing</a>&nbsp;in what the White House described as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">limited operation</a>&nbsp;that stopped short of the full-on Israeli invasion of the city that Biden has repeatedly warned against on humanitarian grounds, most recently in a Monday call with Netanyahu.

Israel has ordered the evacuation of 100,000 Palestinians from the city. Israeli forces have also carried out what it describes as “targeted strikes” on the eastern part of Rafah and captured the Rafah crossing, a critical conduit for the flow of humanitarian aid along the Gaza-Egypt border.

Privately, concern has mounted inside the White House about what’s unfolding in Rafah, but publicly administration officials have stressed that they did not think the operations had defied Biden’s warnings against a widescale operation in the city.

The State Department is separately considering whether to approve the continued transfer of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, which place precision guidance systems onto bombs, to Israel, but the review didn’t pertain to imminent shipments.

Itamar Yaar, former deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council said the U.S. move is largely symbolic, but a sign of trouble and could become more of a problem if it is sustained.

“It’s not some kind of American embargo on American munitions support, but I think its some kind of diplomatic message to Mr. Netanyahu that he needs to take into consideration American interests more than he has over the last few months," he said. "At least for now it will not impact Israeli capability but it’s some kind of a signal, a ‘be careful.’”

The U.S. dropped the 2,000-pound bomb sparingly in its long war against the Islamic State militant group. Israel, by contrast, has used the bomb frequently in the seven-month Gaza war. Experts say the use of the weapon, in part, has helped drive the enormous Palestinian casualty count that the Hamas-run health ministry puts at more than 34,000 dead, though it doesn’t distinguish between militants and civilians.

The U.S.-Israel relationship has been close through both Democratic and Republican administrations. But there have been other moments of deep tension since Israel's founding in which U.S. leaders have threatened to hold up aid in attempt to sway Israeli leadership.

President Dwight Eisenhower pressured Israel with the threat of sanctions into withdrawing from the Sinai in 1957 in the midst of the Suez Crisis. Ronald Reagan delayed the delivery of F16 fighter jets to Israel at a time of escalating violence in the Middle East. President George H.W. Bush held up $10 billion in loan guarantees to force the cessation of Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As it targets Hamas’ underground tunnels in Gaza, Israel has relied on powerful 2,000-pound bombs provided by the United States. But now those deliveries are on hold.

The U.S. is pausing a shipment of 1,800 of the bombs, as well as 1,700 500-pound bombs, U.S. officials said. The decision comes as Israel is planning an assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah in an attempt to root out the final elements of Hamas.

With more than 1 million refugees sheltering in Rafah, U.S. officials are concerned the bombs could inflict massive casualties. Human rights groups have long said that Israel’s use of powerful bombs has caused the indiscriminate killings of civilians.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4">told a Senate panel Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that smaller, more precise weapons are needed for a densely populated area like Rafah.

Still, he made clear the decision wasn’t final.

“We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said. “But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">unfolding events in Rafah</a>.”

A look at the 2,000-pound bomb and why there’s so much concern about its use in Rafah.

While the U.S. has dropped 2,000-pound bombs off its aircraft since World War II, current versions date back to the Vietnam War. It's an air-dropped munition, one that can carry a higher payload because it doesn't have an engine. It's one of the larger munitions in the U.S. inventory, said Ryan Brobst, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies' Center on Military and Political Power.

The 2,000-pound bomb has multiple variants — some are designed to penetrate deep, underground targets while others detonate above ground and cause widespread damage. Depending on the variant, and whether the munition is dropped in an open or urban area, its blast radius can be as far as a quarter mile away or a much more confined area.

The bombs are “dumb” or unguided bombs but can be turned into more precise weapons with the addition of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, or JDAM kits which add a tail fin and navigation.

That added kit enables troops to guide the munition to a target, rather than simply dropping it from a fighter jet onto the ground. The kits make the weapons more precise, but in a densely populated urban environment, a JDAM kit is not going to make much of a difference — a precise hit will still have the reach to kill unintended bystanders.

U.S. fighter jets, bombers and drones can all fire the JDAMs, and the U.S. began providing the munitions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-e48cceaba41f1ec55e35f9dec099fe44">to Ukraine in 2022,</a>&nbsp;a slightly modified version that could be launched from Ukrainian aircraft. After the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, the U.S. provided 2,000-pound munitions to Israel to assist in its defense.

And unlike other types of munitions in the U.S. inventory, the military has an ample supply of them, so providing them doesn’t involve the same type of stockpile pressures the U.S. has with other more limited munitions like the 155mm artillery rounds.

The Israeli military has said little about what kinds of bombs and artillery it is using in Gaza. But from blast fragments found on-site and analyses of strike footage, experts are confident that the vast majority of bombs dropped on the besieged enclave are U.S.-made. They say the 2,000-pound bombs have killed hundreds in densely populated areas.

Brobst said the 2,000-pound bombs are still needed to assist Israel in striking Hamas' tunnel network in Rafah.

Wes Bryant, a weapons expert and retired American Air Force master sergeant who served on an independent task force for the State and Defense Departments on Israel's use of weapons in Gaza, said that the pause would be a “huge hit” to the Israeli arsenal.

The 2,000- and 500-pound bombs are some of the main munitions used by Israel in its seven-month war campaign, Bryant said.

“They have been burning right through them,” said Bryant. He said the munitions are made by major American weapons manufacturers like Raytheon, Northrop, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and General Atomics.

A report compiled by the independent task force for the State and Defense Departments last month said U.S. sources informed one of its members that 300,000 munitions had been dropped on or fired in Gaza during the first six months of the war.

It cited “credible” media investigations that in the first month of the Israeli campaign alone, there were at least 500 craters in Gaza consistent with the use of 2,000-pound bombs.

The potential use of 2,000-pound bombs in Rafah, where more than 1 million people have sheltered because they have nowhere else to go, has drawn significant administration concern.

At the hearing, Austin questioned whether the 2,000-pound bomb was the right tool for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-hamas-latest-05-08-2024-385416e25c74f57c4286fbc2eb93ebc1">Rafah operation.</a>

“It’s about having the right kinds of weapons for the task at hand. And a small diameter bomb, which is a precision weapon, that’s very useful in a dense, built-up environment,” said Austin, “but maybe not so much a 2,000-pound bomb that could create a lot of collateral damage.” He said the U.S. wants to see Israel do “more precise” operations.

Israel reacted strongly to the U.S. decision. Its U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the pause “a very disappointing decision, even frustrating,” in an interview with Israeli Channel 12 TV news. He suggested that the move stemmed from political pressure on Biden from Congress, campus protests and the upcoming election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697623511291.png" alt="File -President Biden greets Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last fall- White House photo" />
 <figcaption>File -President Biden greets Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last fall- White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">all-out assault on Rafah</a>&nbsp;— the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.Biden, in an interview with CNN, said the U.S. was still committed to Israel's defense and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive arms, but that if Israel goes into Rafah, “we’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used.”&nbsp;On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, " catering to his pro-terrorist, pro-Hamas faction of his party, Joe Biden is blocking aid to Israel. We are demanding answers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715134220290.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;If we stop weapons necessary to destroy the enemies of state of Israel at a time of great peril, we will pay a price. This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need to fight the war they can&#39;t afford to lose. This is Hiroshima &amp; Nagasaki on steroids&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LindseyGrahamSC</a> <a href="https://t.co/YU8w3346Cd">pic.twitter.com/YU8w3346Cd</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1788240461922009549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. has historically provided enormous amounts of military aid to Israel. That has only accelerated in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that killed some 1,200 in Israel and led to about 250 being taken captive by militants. Biden's comments and his decision last week to pause a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel are the most striking manifestations of the growing daylight between his administration and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Biden has said that Israel needs to do far more to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza.The shipment was supposed to consist of 1,800 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs and 1,700 500-pound (225-kilogram) bombs, according to a senior U.S. administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The focus of U.S. concern was the larger explosives and how they could be used in a dense urban area.“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers," Biden told CNN. “I made it clear that if they go into Rafah — they haven’t gone in Rafah yet — if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem.”Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier Wednesday confirmed the weapons delay, telling the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense that the U.S. paused “one shipment of high payload munitions.”“We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said. “But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of unfolding events in Rafah.”It also comes as the Biden administration is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-leahy-biden-nsm-military-aid-812864bc424b93c886226e33f5c3f0e5">due to deliver a first-of-its-kind formal verdict</a>&nbsp;this week on whether the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">airstrikes on Gaza and restrictions on delivery of aid</a>&nbsp;have violated international and U.S. laws designed to spare civilians from the worst horrors of war. A decision against Israel would further add to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-commencement-protests-gaza-9bb8051253c45947509feb32ced78f8c">pressure on Biden</a>&nbsp;to curb the flow of weapons and money to Israel’s military.Biden signed off on the pause in an order conveyed last week to the Pentagon, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to comment on the matter. The White House National Security Council sought to keep the decision out of the public eye for several days until it had a better understanding of the scope of Israel’s intensified military operations in Rafah and until Biden could deliver a long-planned speech on Tuesday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day.Biden’s administration in April began reviewing future transfers of military assistance as Netanyahu’s government appeared to move closer toward an invasion of Rafah, despite months of opposition from the White House. The official said the decision to pause the shipment was made last week and no final decision had been made yet on whether to proceed with the shipment at a later date.U.S. officials had declined for days to comment on the halted transfer, word of which came as Biden on Tuesday described U.S. support for Israel as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-gaza-israel-jewish-congress-f2f84c9e7c52345c35e5cb4c2d00a417">“ironclad, even when we disagree.”</a>Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, in an interview with Israeli Channel 12 TV news, said the decision to pause the shipment was “a very disappointing decision, even frustrating." He suggested the move stemmed from political pressure on Biden from Congress, the U.S. campus protests and the upcoming election.The decision also drew a sharp rebuke from House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who said they only learned about the military aid holdup from press reports, despite assurances from the Biden administration that no such pauses were in the works. The Republicans called on Biden in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.speaker.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SMJ-MM-5.8.24-Letter.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;to swiftly end the blockage, saying it “risks emboldening Israel's enemies,” and to brief lawmakers on the nature of the policy reviews.Biden has faced pressure from some on the left — and condemnation from the critics on the right who say Biden has moderated his support for an essential Mideast ally.“If we stop weapons necessary to destroy the enemies of the state of Israel at a time of great peril, we will pay a price,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., his voice rising in anger during an exchange with Austin. “This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need to fight the war they can’t afford to lose.”Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a Biden ally, said in a statement the pause on big bombs must be a “first step.”“Our leverage is clear,” Sanders said. “Over the years, the United States has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Israel. We can no longer be complicit in Netanyahu’s horrific war against the Palestinian people.”Austin, meanwhile, told lawmakers that "it’s about having the right kinds of weapons for the task at hand.”"A small diameter bomb, which is a precision weapon, that’s very useful in a dense, built-up environment,” he said, “but maybe not so much a 2,000-pound bomb that could create a lot of collateral damage.” He said the U.S. wants to see Israel do “more precise” operations.Israeli troops on Tuesday seized control of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-offensive-israel-netanyahu-hamas-palestinians-014b2d850bbe28897b624bc5e5378320">Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing</a>&nbsp;in what the White House described as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">limited operation</a>&nbsp;that stopped short of the full-on Israeli invasion of the city that Biden has repeatedly warned against on humanitarian grounds, most recently in a Monday call with Netanyahu.Israel has ordered the evacuation of 100,000 Palestinians from the city. Israeli forces have also carried out what it describes as “targeted strikes” on the eastern part of Rafah and captured the Rafah crossing, a critical conduit for the flow of humanitarian aid along the Gaza-Egypt border.Privately, concern has mounted inside the White House about what’s unfolding in Rafah, but publicly administration officials have stressed that they did not think the operations had defied Biden’s warnings against a widescale operation in the city.The State Department is separately considering whether to approve the continued transfer of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, which place precision guidance systems onto bombs, to Israel, but the review didn’t pertain to imminent shipments.Itamar Yaar, former deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council said the U.S. move is largely symbolic, but a sign of trouble and could become more of a problem if it is sustained.“It’s not some kind of American embargo on American munitions support, but I think its some kind of diplomatic message to Mr. Netanyahu that he needs to take into consideration American interests more than he has over the last few months," he said. "At least for now it will not impact Israeli capability but it’s some kind of a signal, a ‘be careful.’”The U.S. dropped the 2,000-pound bomb sparingly in its long war against the Islamic State militant group. Israel, by contrast, has used the bomb frequently in the seven-month Gaza war. Experts say the use of the weapon, in part, has helped drive the enormous Palestinian casualty count that the Hamas-run health ministry puts at more than 34,000 dead, though it doesn’t distinguish between militants and civilians.The U.S.-Israel relationship has been close through both Democratic and Republican administrations. But there have been other moments of deep tension since Israel's founding in which U.S. leaders have threatened to hold up aid in attempt to sway Israeli leadership.President Dwight Eisenhower pressured Israel with the threat of sanctions into withdrawing from the Sinai in 1957 in the midst of the Suez Crisis. Ronald Reagan delayed the delivery of F16 fighter jets to Israel at a time of escalating violence in the Middle East. President George H.W. Bush held up $10 billion in loan guarantees to force the cessation of Israeli settlement activity in the occupied territories.----------------WASHINGTON (AP) — As it targets Hamas’ underground tunnels in Gaza, Israel has relied on powerful 2,000-pound bombs provided by the United States. But now those deliveries are on hold.The U.S. is pausing a shipment of 1,800 of the bombs, as well as 1,700 500-pound bombs, U.S. officials said. The decision comes as Israel is planning an assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah in an attempt to root out the final elements of Hamas.With more than 1 million refugees sheltering in Rafah, U.S. officials are concerned the bombs could inflict massive casualties. Human rights groups have long said that Israel’s use of powerful bombs has caused the indiscriminate killings of civilians.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4">told a Senate panel Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that smaller, more precise weapons are needed for a densely populated area like Rafah.Still, he made clear the decision wasn’t final.“We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin said. “But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">unfolding events in Rafah</a>.”A look at the 2,000-pound bomb and why there’s so much concern about its use in Rafah.2,000-POUND BOMBSWhile the U.S. has dropped 2,000-pound bombs off its aircraft since World War II, current versions date back to the Vietnam War. It's an air-dropped munition, one that can carry a higher payload because it doesn't have an engine. It's one of the larger munitions in the U.S. inventory, said Ryan Brobst, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies' Center on Military and Political Power.The 2,000-pound bomb has multiple variants — some are designed to penetrate deep, underground targets while others detonate above ground and cause widespread damage. Depending on the variant, and whether the munition is dropped in an open or urban area, its blast radius can be as far as a quarter mile away or a much more confined area.The bombs are “dumb” or unguided bombs but can be turned into more precise weapons with the addition of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, or JDAM kits which add a tail fin and navigation.That added kit enables troops to guide the munition to a target, rather than simply dropping it from a fighter jet onto the ground. The kits make the weapons more precise, but in a densely populated urban environment, a JDAM kit is not going to make much of a difference — a precise hit will still have the reach to kill unintended bystanders.U.S. fighter jets, bombers and drones can all fire the JDAMs, and the U.S. began providing the munitions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-e48cceaba41f1ec55e35f9dec099fe44">to Ukraine in 2022,</a>&nbsp;a slightly modified version that could be launched from Ukrainian aircraft. After the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, the U.S. provided 2,000-pound munitions to Israel to assist in its defense.And unlike other types of munitions in the U.S. inventory, the military has an ample supply of them, so providing them doesn’t involve the same type of stockpile pressures the U.S. has with other more limited munitions like the 155mm artillery rounds.USE IN GAZAThe Israeli military has said little about what kinds of bombs and artillery it is using in Gaza. But from blast fragments found on-site and analyses of strike footage, experts are confident that the vast majority of bombs dropped on the besieged enclave are U.S.-made. They say the 2,000-pound bombs have killed hundreds in densely populated areas.Brobst said the 2,000-pound bombs are still needed to assist Israel in striking Hamas' tunnel network in Rafah.Wes Bryant, a weapons expert and retired American Air Force master sergeant who served on an independent task force for the State and Defense Departments on Israel's use of weapons in Gaza, said that the pause would be a “huge hit” to the Israeli arsenal.The 2,000- and 500-pound bombs are some of the main munitions used by Israel in its seven-month war campaign, Bryant said.“They have been burning right through them,” said Bryant. He said the munitions are made by major American weapons manufacturers like Raytheon, Northrop, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and General Atomics.THE PERIL FOR RAFAHA report compiled by the independent task force for the State and Defense Departments last month said U.S. sources informed one of its members that 300,000 munitions had been dropped on or fired in Gaza during the first six months of the war.It cited “credible” media investigations that in the first month of the Israeli campaign alone, there were at least 500 craters in Gaza consistent with the use of 2,000-pound bombs.The potential use of 2,000-pound bombs in Rafah, where more than 1 million people have sheltered because they have nowhere else to go, has drawn significant administration concern.At the hearing, Austin questioned whether the 2,000-pound bomb was the right tool for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-hamas-latest-05-08-2024-385416e25c74f57c4286fbc2eb93ebc1">Rafah operation.</a>“It’s about having the right kinds of weapons for the task at hand. And a small diameter bomb, which is a precision weapon, that’s very useful in a dense, built-up environment,” said Austin, “but maybe not so much a 2,000-pound bomb that could create a lot of collateral damage.” He said the U.S. wants to see Israel do “more precise” operations.Israel reacted strongly to the U.S. decision. Its U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the pause “a very disappointing decision, even frustrating,” in an interview with Israeli Channel 12 TV news. He suggested that the move stemmed from political pressure on Biden from Congress, campus protests and the upcoming election.

U.S. bomb shipment to Israel remains on hold in dispute over attack

JERUSALEM (AP) — Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Thursday claimed responsibility for two missile attacks in the Gulf of Aden on two Panama-flagged container ships that caused no damage. Meanwhile, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader again threatened that Tehran could build a nuclear weapon if it chose to pursue atomic armaments.

The comments by Yemeni military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree and former Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi come as the allies of Hamas continue to pressure Israel over its continuing war on the militant group in the Gaza Strip.

The Houthis insist their assaults on shipping through the crucial waterway leading to the Suez Canal and onward to the Mediterranean Sea will continue as long as the war goes on. Meanwhile, Iran already has launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel amid the war, bringing a yearslong shadow conflict between the two nations out into the light.

Saree in a prerecorded statement claimed attacks on the MSC Diego and MSC Gina. The Joint Maritime Information Center, a U.S.-led coalition of nations operating in the Mideast, said those two missile attacks happened early Tuesday.

"Neither were hit and all crew on board are safe," the center said. “The vessels were last reported proceeding to next port of call.”

The center added that the vessels were “likely targeted due to perceived Israeli affiliation.”

Both vessels were operating for Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Co., which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Saree did not say why it took the rebels two day to claim the attacks. He also claimed the Houthis targeted the MSC Vittoria, another container ship, in the Indian Ocean. An attack on that vessel, however, has not been reported or acknowledged by any authorities.

The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">war against Hamas in Gaza</a>, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there, according to local health officials. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

The Houthis have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebel-attack-israel-hamas-war-bf077f026a9f177ec87f4131d695cafc">launched more than 50 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat.

Meanwhile Thursday, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency carried the comments made by Kharrazi, a former foreign minister under reformist President Mohammad Khatami.

Speaking to the Al Jazeera news network in an interview that appeared not to have been immediately aired, Kharrazi elaborated on an atomic bomb threat he made to the channel back in 2022 amid tensions with the West over Iran's tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

“If Iran’s existence is threatened, we will have to change our nuclear doctrine,” Kharrazi said, according to IRNA. "Recently, the military officials also announced that if Israel wants to attack nuclear facilities, it is possible and imaginable to revise Iran’s nuclear doctrine and policies and divert from the previous declaration considerations.”

Tensions have grown between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency since 2018, when then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from Tehran’s nuclear deal. Since then, Iran has abandoned all limits the deal put on its program and enriches uranium to up to 60% purity — near weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have hit a new high. Tehran launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-of-hormuz-vessel-33fcffde2d867380e98c89403776a8ac">drone-and-missile attack on Israel last month</a>&nbsp;after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">Israel’s apparent attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria</a>&nbsp;killed two Iranian generals and others.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-s300-radar-hit-isfahan-attack-ce6719d3df8ebf5af08b035427ee215c">The Iranian city of Isfahan then apparently came under Israeli fire</a>&nbsp;in recent weeks, despite being surrounded by sensitive nuclear sites.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Thursday claimed responsibility for two missile attacks in the Gulf of Aden on two Panama-flagged container ships that caused no damage. Meanwhile, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader again threatened that Tehran could build a nuclear weapon if it chose to pursue atomic armaments.The comments by Yemeni military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree and former Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi come as the allies of Hamas continue to pressure Israel over its continuing war on the militant group in the Gaza Strip.The Houthis insist their assaults on shipping through the crucial waterway leading to the Suez Canal and onward to the Mediterranean Sea will continue as long as the war goes on. Meanwhile, Iran already has launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel amid the war, bringing a yearslong shadow conflict between the two nations out into the light.Saree in a prerecorded statement claimed attacks on the MSC Diego and MSC Gina. The Joint Maritime Information Center, a U.S.-led coalition of nations operating in the Mideast, said those two missile attacks happened early Tuesday."Neither were hit and all crew on board are safe," the center said. “The vessels were last reported proceeding to next port of call.”The center added that the vessels were “likely targeted due to perceived Israeli affiliation.”Both vessels were operating for Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Co., which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Saree did not say why it took the rebels two day to claim the attacks. He also claimed the Houthis targeted the MSC Vittoria, another container ship, in the Indian Ocean. An attack on that vessel, however, has not been reported or acknowledged by any authorities.The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">war against Hamas in Gaza</a>, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there, according to local health officials. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.The Houthis have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebel-attack-israel-hamas-war-bf077f026a9f177ec87f4131d695cafc">launched more than 50 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat.Meanwhile Thursday, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency carried the comments made by Kharrazi, a former foreign minister under reformist President Mohammad Khatami.Speaking to the Al Jazeera news network in an interview that appeared not to have been immediately aired, Kharrazi elaborated on an atomic bomb threat he made to the channel back in 2022 amid tensions with the West over Iran's tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.“If Iran’s existence is threatened, we will have to change our nuclear doctrine,” Kharrazi said, according to IRNA. "Recently, the military officials also announced that if Israel wants to attack nuclear facilities, it is possible and imaginable to revise Iran’s nuclear doctrine and policies and divert from the previous declaration considerations.”Tensions have grown between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency since 2018, when then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from Tehran’s nuclear deal. Since then, Iran has abandoned all limits the deal put on its program and enriches uranium to up to 60% purity — near weapons-grade levels of 90%.Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have hit a new high. Tehran launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-of-hormuz-vessel-33fcffde2d867380e98c89403776a8ac">drone-and-missile attack on Israel last month</a>&nbsp;after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">Israel’s apparent attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria</a>&nbsp;killed two Iranian generals and others.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-s300-radar-hit-isfahan-attack-ce6719d3df8ebf5af08b035427ee215c">The Iranian city of Isfahan then apparently came under Israeli fire</a>&nbsp;in recent weeks, despite being surrounded by sensitive nuclear sites.

Iran backed terrorist claim 2 attacks as official renews nuclear bomb threats

NEW YORK (AP) — Porn actor Stormy Daniels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-trial-updates-day-13">took the witness stand</a>&nbsp;Tuesday in the hush money case against Donald Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/manhattan-new-york-new-york-city-michael-cohen-courts-73d00a3a59fa49489358d5120a2688cc">looked on</a>&nbsp;as she detailed their alleged sexual encounter and the payment she got to keep it quiet.

<a href="https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/5-7-2024/00054.html">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the full transcript of Stormy Daniels testimony

Prosecutors allege Trump paid Daniels to keep quiet about the claims as he ran for president in 2016. Her testimony aired them very publicly as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee seeks to win the White House again.

Trump denies having sex with Daniels, and his lawyers unsuccessfully pushed for a mistrial midway through her testimony.

It's the biggest spectacle yet in the first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-criminal-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-5fdc819697a76536ed83cbf28d4a523c">criminal trial</a>&nbsp;of a former American president, now in its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-gag-order-d853768fff5fafbdee55623579889140">third week of testimony</a>&nbsp;in Manhattan.

Here are some takeaways from Daniels' testimony:

The case centers on a $130,000 payment to Daniels from Trump's then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, in the final weeks of Trump’s 2016 campaign. Prosecutors say it was part of a scheme to illegally influence the campaign by burying negative stories about him.

His lawyers have sought to show that Trump was trying to protect his reputation and family — not his campaign — by shielding them from embarrassing stories about his personal life.

Daniels, whose real name is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/stephanie-clifford">Stephanie Clifford</a>, told jurors that she started exotic dancing in high school and appearing in adult films at age 23, eventually moving on to direct more than 150 films and winning a roster of porn industry awards.

Daniels testified she first met and chatted with Trump at a 2006 Lake Tahoe celebrity golf outing where her studio was a sponsor.

He referred to her as “the smart one” and asked her if she wanted to go to dinner, she said. Daniels testified that she accepted Trump’s invitation because she wanted to avoid dinner with her co-workers and thought it might help her career. Trump had his bodyguard get her number, she said.

When they met up later in his penthouse, she appreciated that he seemed interested in the business aspects of the industry rather than the “sexy stuff." He also suggested putting her on his TV show, “The Apprentice,” a possibility she hoped could help establish her as a writer and director.

She left to use the bathroom and was startled to find Trump in his underwear when she returned, she said. She didn’t feel physically or verbally threatened but realized that he was “bigger and blocking the way,” she testified.

“The next thing I know was: I was on the bed,” and they were having sex, Daniels recalled. The encounter was brief but left her “shaking,” she said. “I just wanted to leave,” she testified.

Daniels was asked if Trump ever told her to keep things between them confidential and said, “Absolutely not.” She said she learned in 2011 that a magazine had learned the story of their encounter and she agreed to do an interview for $15,000 to make money and “control the narrative.” The story never ran.

In 2016, when Trump was running for president, Daniels said she authorized her manager to shop the story around but did not initially receive interest from news outlets. She said that changed in October with the release of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-access-hollywood-hush-money-new-york-2c52279a45ede2a111ff1fe447d2fdac">“Access Hollywood” tape</a>&nbsp;in which Trump bragged about grabbing women sexually without asking permission. She said she learned that Cohen wanted to buy her silence.

Midway through her testimony, Trump's lawyers moved for a mistrial.

Defense lawyer Todd Blanche argued that Daniels' testimony about the alleged encounter and other meetings with him had “nothing to do with this case,” and would unfairly prejudice the jury.

The judge rejected it, and he faulted defense attorneys for not raising more of their objections while she was testifying.

Before Daniels took the stand, Trump’s lawyers had tried to stop her from testifying about the encounter's details, saying it was irrelevant in “a case about books and records.”

Prosecutors countered that Daniels’ testimony gets at what Trump was trying to hide and they were “very mindful” not to draw too much graphic detail. Before Daniels took the stand, they told the judge the testimony would be “really basic,” and would not “involve any details of genitalia.”

While the judge didn’t side with Trump’s lawyers, he acknowledged that some details were excessive. The objections could potentially be used by Trump’s lawyers if he is convicted and they file an appeal.

Trump's lawyers tried to attack Daniels' credibility, suggesting she was motivated by money and that her account has shifted over the years.

“Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” Defense lawyer Susan Necheles asked Daniels at one point. Daniels acknowledged she did.

“And you want him to go to jail?” the lawyer asked.

“I want him to be held accountable,” Daniels said. Pressed again whether that meant going to jail, she said, “If he’s convicted.”

The defense pressed Daniels on the fact that she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stormy-daniels-trump-defamation-lawsuit-0ee5623fc8965ad3d2fc77a7126d24c7">owes Trump hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees</a>&nbsp;stemming from an unsuccessful defamation lawsuit and on a 2022 tweet in which she said she “will go to jail before I pay a penny.” Daniels dug in at times in the face of pointed questions, forcefully denying the idea that she had tried to extort Trump.

Trump whispered frequently to his attorney during Daniels’ testimony, and his expression seemed to be pained at one point as she recounted details about the dinner she says they shared. He shook his head and appeared to say something under his breath as Daniels testified that Trump told her he didn’t sleep in the same room as his wife.

At one point, the judge told defense lawyers during a sidebar conversation — out of earshot of the jury and the public — that he could hear Trump “cursing audibly" and see him shaking his head, according to a transcript of the proceedings.

“I am speaking to you here at the bench because I don’t want to embarrass him,” Judge Juan Merchan told Blanche, Trump's lawyer. Blanche assured the judge he would talk to his client.

“You need to speak to him. I won’t tolerate that,” the judge said.

On the way out of the courthouse, Trump called it “a very revealing day." He didn't address Daniels' testimony explicitly but claimed the prosecutors' case was “totally falling apart.”

Trump’s appearance in court Tuesday, like all other days he’s stuck in the courtroom, means he can’t be out on the campaign trail as he runs for president a third time. It’s a frequent source of his complaints, but Daniels' testimony in particular might underscore how much of a distraction the trial is from the business of running for president.

While Trump was stuck in a Manhattan courthouse away from voters and unable to speak for much of the day, his rival, Democratic President Joe Biden, was attending a Holocaust remembrance ceremony and condemning antisemitism.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715113495617.png" alt="-Photo of Trump and Stormy Daniels entered into evidence released by the New York State Court System&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>-Photo of Trump and Stormy Daniels entered into evidence released by the New York State Court System&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Porn actor Stormy Daniels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-trial-updates-day-13">took the witness stand</a>&nbsp;Tuesday in the hush money case against Donald Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/manhattan-new-york-new-york-city-michael-cohen-courts-73d00a3a59fa49489358d5120a2688cc">looked on</a>&nbsp;as she detailed their alleged sexual encounter and the payment she got to keep it quiet.<a href="https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/5-7-2024/00054.html">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the full transcript of Stormy Daniels testimony<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715221476288.png" alt="On Wednesday night, the New York Courts released Stormy Daniels' testimony from the historic trump trial&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>On Wednesday night, the New York Courts released Stormy Daniels' testimony from the historic trump trial&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Prosecutors allege Trump paid Daniels to keep quiet about the claims as he ran for president in 2016. Her testimony aired them very publicly as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee seeks to win the White House again.Trump denies having sex with Daniels, and his lawyers unsuccessfully pushed for a mistrial midway through her testimony.It's the biggest spectacle yet in the first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-criminal-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-5fdc819697a76536ed83cbf28d4a523c">criminal trial</a>&nbsp;of a former American president, now in its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-gag-order-d853768fff5fafbdee55623579889140">third week of testimony</a>&nbsp;in Manhattan.Here are some takeaways from Daniels' testimony:WHO IS STORMY DANIELS?The case centers on a $130,000 payment to Daniels from Trump's then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, in the final weeks of Trump’s 2016 campaign. Prosecutors say it was part of a scheme to illegally influence the campaign by burying negative stories about him.His lawyers have sought to show that Trump was trying to protect his reputation and family — not his campaign — by shielding them from embarrassing stories about his personal life.Daniels, whose real name is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/stephanie-clifford">Stephanie Clifford</a>, told jurors that she started exotic dancing in high school and appearing in adult films at age 23, eventually moving on to direct more than 150 films and winning a roster of porn industry awards.MEETING TRUMPDaniels testified she first met and chatted with Trump at a 2006 Lake Tahoe celebrity golf outing where her studio was a sponsor.He referred to her as “the smart one” and asked her if she wanted to go to dinner, she said. Daniels testified that she accepted Trump’s invitation because she wanted to avoid dinner with her co-workers and thought it might help her career. Trump had his bodyguard get her number, she said.When they met up later in his penthouse, she appreciated that he seemed interested in the business aspects of the industry rather than the “sexy stuff." He also suggested putting her on his TV show, “The Apprentice,” a possibility she hoped could help establish her as a writer and director.She left to use the bathroom and was startled to find Trump in his underwear when she returned, she said. She didn’t feel physically or verbally threatened but realized that he was “bigger and blocking the way,” she testified.“The next thing I know was: I was on the bed,” and they were having sex, Daniels recalled. The encounter was brief but left her “shaking,” she said. “I just wanted to leave,” she testified.PAYMENTS FOR SILENCEDaniels was asked if Trump ever told her to keep things between them confidential and said, “Absolutely not.” She said she learned in 2011 that a magazine had learned the story of their encounter and she agreed to do an interview for $15,000 to make money and “control the narrative.” The story never ran.In 2016, when Trump was running for president, Daniels said she authorized her manager to shop the story around but did not initially receive interest from news outlets. She said that changed in October with the release of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-access-hollywood-hush-money-new-york-2c52279a45ede2a111ff1fe447d2fdac">“Access Hollywood” tape</a>&nbsp;in which Trump bragged about grabbing women sexually without asking permission. She said she learned that Cohen wanted to buy her silence.MISTRIAL PUSHMidway through her testimony, Trump's lawyers moved for a mistrial.Defense lawyer Todd Blanche argued that Daniels' testimony about the alleged encounter and other meetings with him had “nothing to do with this case,” and would unfairly prejudice the jury.The judge rejected it, and he faulted defense attorneys for not raising more of their objections while she was testifying.Before Daniels took the stand, Trump’s lawyers had tried to stop her from testifying about the encounter's details, saying it was irrelevant in “a case about books and records.”Prosecutors countered that Daniels’ testimony gets at what Trump was trying to hide and they were “very mindful” not to draw too much graphic detail. Before Daniels took the stand, they told the judge the testimony would be “really basic,” and would not “involve any details of genitalia.”While the judge didn’t side with Trump’s lawyers, he acknowledged that some details were excessive. The objections could potentially be used by Trump’s lawyers if he is convicted and they file an appeal.CROSS-EXAMINATIONTrump's lawyers tried to attack Daniels' credibility, suggesting she was motivated by money and that her account has shifted over the years.“Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” Defense lawyer Susan Necheles asked Daniels at one point. Daniels acknowledged she did.“And you want him to go to jail?” the lawyer asked.“I want him to be held accountable,” Daniels said. Pressed again whether that meant going to jail, she said, “If he’s convicted.”The defense pressed Daniels on the fact that she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stormy-daniels-trump-defamation-lawsuit-0ee5623fc8965ad3d2fc77a7126d24c7">owes Trump hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees</a>&nbsp;stemming from an unsuccessful defamation lawsuit and on a 2022 tweet in which she said she “will go to jail before I pay a penny.” Daniels dug in at times in the face of pointed questions, forcefully denying the idea that she had tried to extort Trump.TRUMP IN COURTTrump whispered frequently to his attorney during Daniels’ testimony, and his expression seemed to be pained at one point as she recounted details about the dinner she says they shared. He shook his head and appeared to say something under his breath as Daniels testified that Trump told her he didn’t sleep in the same room as his wife.At one point, the judge told defense lawyers during a sidebar conversation — out of earshot of the jury and the public — that he could hear Trump “cursing audibly" and see him shaking his head, according to a transcript of the proceedings.“I am speaking to you here at the bench because I don’t want to embarrass him,” Judge Juan Merchan told Blanche, Trump's lawyer. Blanche assured the judge he would talk to his client.“You need to speak to him. I won’t tolerate that,” the judge said.On the way out of the courthouse, Trump called it “a very revealing day." He didn't address Daniels' testimony explicitly but claimed the prosecutors' case was “totally falling apart.”A JARRING SPLIT SCREENTrump’s appearance in court Tuesday, like all other days he’s stuck in the courtroom, means he can’t be out on the campaign trail as he runs for president a third time. It’s a frequent source of his complaints, but Daniels' testimony in particular might underscore how much of a distraction the trial is from the business of running for president.While Trump was stuck in a Manhattan courthouse away from voters and unable to speak for much of the day, his rival, Democratic President Joe Biden, was attending a Holocaust remembrance ceremony and condemning antisemitism.

Read transcript of Stormy Daniels testimony in historic Trump trial

MAY 8, 2024 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested two people following an investigation into reported sexual assault of a child in Jefferson County.

The investigation began in April, when the Nebraska State Patrol received a report of a sexual assault of a child. On Thursday, May 2, investigators arrested Brandon Myers, 40, of Fairbury, for 3rd&nbsp;degree assault, 3rd&nbsp;degree sexual assault of a child, and child abuse. Myers,&nbsp;an employee of the Jefferson County Jail,&nbsp;was lodged in Thayer County Jail.

After further investigation, Bobbi Myers, 44, of Fairbury, Brandon Myers’ spouse, was arrested on Monday, May 7, for child abuse and failure to report child abuse. Bobbi Myers was lodged in Jefferson County Jail.

The investigation remains ongoing. Further details are being withheld at this time to protect the victim. If anyone has additional information regarding this investigation, please call the Nebraska State Patrol Investigative Services Division at 402-471-0112

Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolMAY 8, 2024 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested two people following an investigation into reported sexual assault of a child in Jefferson County.The investigation began in April, when the Nebraska State Patrol received a report of a sexual assault of a child. On Thursday, May 2, investigators arrested Brandon Myers, 40, of Fairbury, for 3rd&nbsp;degree assault, 3rd&nbsp;degree sexual assault of a child, and child abuse. Myers,&nbsp;an employee of the Jefferson County Jail,&nbsp;was lodged in Thayer County Jail.After further investigation, Bobbi Myers, 44, of Fairbury, Brandon Myers’ spouse, was arrested on Monday, May 7, for child abuse and failure to report child abuse. Bobbi Myers was lodged in Jefferson County Jail.The investigation remains ongoing. Further details are being withheld at this time to protect the victim. If anyone has additional information regarding this investigation, please call the Nebraska State Patrol Investigative Services Division at 402-471-0112

Two Arrested Jefferson County Following Child Sexual Assault Investigation

LONDON (AP) — The pharma giant AstraZeneca has requested that the European authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine be pulled, according to the EU medicines regulator.

In an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/vaxzevria-previously-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca" target="_blank">update</a>&nbsp;on the European Medicines Agency’s website Wednesday, the regulator said that the approval for AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria had been withdrawn “at the request of the marketing authorization holder.”

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine was first given the nod by the EMA in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-authorizes-astrazeneca-vaccine-adults-18b545dd51ea56f422ff28cdeb2dd08b">January 2021</a>. Within weeks, however, concerns grew about the vaccine’s safety, when dozens of countries suspended the vaccine’s use after unusual but rare blood clots were detected in a small number of immunized people. The EU regulator concluded AstraZeneca’s shot didn’t raise the overall risk of clots, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/astrazeneca-vaccine-reputation-missteps-01332124d4c18aba556a53b1a57bcc84">doubts remained.</a>

Partial results from its first major trial — which Britain used to authorize the vaccine — were clouded by a manufacturing mistake that researchers didn’t immediately acknowledge. Insufficient data about how well the vaccine protected older people led some countries to initially restrict its use to younger populations before reversing course.

Billions of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were distributed to poorer countries through a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poorer-countries-coronavirus-vaccine-0980fa905b6e1ce2f14a149cd2c438cd">U.N.-coordinated program,</a>&nbsp;as it was cheaper and easier to produce and distribute. But studies later suggested that the pricier messenger RNA vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna provided better protection against COVID-19 and its many variants, and most countries switched to those shots.

The U.K.'s national coronavirus immunization program in 2021 heavily relied on AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which was largely developed by scientists at Oxford University with significant financial government support. But even Britain later resorted to buying the mRNA vaccines for its COVID booster vaccination programs and the AstraZeneca vaccine is now rarely used globally.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616409995625.png" alt="Photo courtesy AstraZeneca" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy AstraZeneca</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — The pharma giant AstraZeneca has requested that the European authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine be pulled, according to the EU medicines regulator.In an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/vaxzevria-previously-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca" target="_blank">update</a>&nbsp;on the European Medicines Agency’s website Wednesday, the regulator said that the approval for AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria had been withdrawn “at the request of the marketing authorization holder.”AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine was first given the nod by the EMA in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-authorizes-astrazeneca-vaccine-adults-18b545dd51ea56f422ff28cdeb2dd08b">January 2021</a>. Within weeks, however, concerns grew about the vaccine’s safety, when dozens of countries suspended the vaccine’s use after unusual but rare blood clots were detected in a small number of immunized people. The EU regulator concluded AstraZeneca’s shot didn’t raise the overall risk of clots, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/astrazeneca-vaccine-reputation-missteps-01332124d4c18aba556a53b1a57bcc84">doubts remained.</a>Partial results from its first major trial — which Britain used to authorize the vaccine — were clouded by a manufacturing mistake that researchers didn’t immediately acknowledge. Insufficient data about how well the vaccine protected older people led some countries to initially restrict its use to younger populations before reversing course.Billions of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were distributed to poorer countries through a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poorer-countries-coronavirus-vaccine-0980fa905b6e1ce2f14a149cd2c438cd">U.N.-coordinated program,</a>&nbsp;as it was cheaper and easier to produce and distribute. But studies later suggested that the pricier messenger RNA vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna provided better protection against COVID-19 and its many variants, and most countries switched to those shots.The U.K.'s national coronavirus immunization program in 2021 heavily relied on AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which was largely developed by scientists at Oxford University with significant financial government support. But even Britain later resorted to buying the mRNA vaccines for its COVID booster vaccination programs and the AstraZeneca vaccine is now rarely used globally.

AstraZeneca withdraws  COVID-19 vaccine from global market

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of State announced Tuesday a&nbsp;reward of up to $10,000,000&nbsp;for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction in any country of 31-year-old Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev for participating in, conspiring to participate in, or attempting to participate in LockBit ransomware activities, according to a media release.

Since January 2020, the LockBit ransomware variant has executed attacks against over 2,500 victims around the world, to include approximately 1,800 in the United States, issuing hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in ransom demands and receiving at least as much as $150 million in actual ransom payments made in the form of digital currency.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that prevents a user from accessing computer files, systems, or networks until a ransom is paid for their return.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ransomware incidents can cause costly disruptions to operations and the loss of critical information and data.

In addition, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed charges Tuesday against Khoroshev for his alleged role as the creator, developer, and administrator of the LockBit ransomware group from its inception in September 2019 through the present. At times, LockBit was the most prolific ransomware group in the world.

Khoroshev also known as LockBitSupp, LockBit, and putinkrab, Voronezh, Russia, is charged by a 26-count indictment returned by a grand jury in the District of New Jersey.

The indictment against Khoroshev unsealed Tuesday follows a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-and-uk-disrupt-lockbit-ransomware-variant">disruption</a>&nbsp;of LockBit ransomware in February by the U.K. National Crime Agency’s (NCA) Cyber Division, which worked in cooperation with the Justice Department, FBI, and other international law enforcement partners. As previously announced by the Department, authorities disrupted LockBit by seizing numerous public-facing websites used by LockBit to connect to the organization’s infrastructure and by seizing control of servers used by LockBit administrators, thereby disrupting the ability of LockBit actors to attack and encrypt networks and extort victims by threatening to publish stolen data. That disruption succeeded in greatly diminishing LockBit’s reputation and its ability to attack further victims, as alleged by the indictment unsealed today.

“Dmitry Khoroshev conceived, developed, and administered Lockbit, the most prolific ransomware variant and group in the world, enabling himself and his affiliates to wreak havoc and cause billions of dollars in damage to thousands of victims around the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “He thought he could do so hidden by his notorious moniker ‘LockBitSupp,’ anonymous and free of any consequence, while he personally pocketed $100 million extorted from Lockbit’s victims. Through relentless investigation and coordination with our partners at the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the FBI and abroad, we have proven him and his coconspirators wrong. Today’s indictment marks a significant milestone in the investigation and prosecution of LockBit, which has already led to charges against five other LockBit affiliates—two of whom are in custody awaiting trial—and a major disruption of the now discredited LockBit operation.”

In addition, as previously announced, law enforcement developed decryption capabilities that may enable hundreds of victims around the world to restore systems encrypted using the LockBit ransomware variant. Victims targeted by this malware are encouraged to contact the FBI at&nbsp;<a href="https://lockbitvictims.ic3.gov/" target="_blank">https://lockbitvictims.ic3.gov/</a>&nbsp;to enable law enforcement to determine whether affected systems can be successfully decrypted.

The FBI does not support the payment of a ransom in response to a ransomware attack.&nbsp;&nbsp;Paying ransom demands encourages more ransomware incidents and provides an incentive to become involved in this type of illegal activity.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you are the victim of a ransomware incident, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://stopransomware.gov/">stopransomware.gov</a>.

Please direct information in response to the reward offer to the FBI via Signal at @FBISupp.01, via Telegram at @LockbitRewards, or by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:fbisupp@fbi.gov">fbisupp@fbi.gov</a>.

ALL IDENTITIES ARE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715178127363.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of State announced Tuesday a&nbsp;reward of up to $10,000,000&nbsp;for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction in any country of 31-year-old Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev for participating in, conspiring to participate in, or attempting to participate in LockBit ransomware activities, according to a media release.Since January 2020, the LockBit ransomware variant has executed attacks against over 2,500 victims around the world, to include approximately 1,800 in the United States, issuing hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in ransom demands and receiving at least as much as $150 million in actual ransom payments made in the form of digital currency.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that prevents a user from accessing computer files, systems, or networks until a ransom is paid for their return.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ransomware incidents can cause costly disruptions to operations and the loss of critical information and data.In addition, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed charges Tuesday against Khoroshev for his alleged role as the creator, developer, and administrator of the LockBit ransomware group from its inception in September 2019 through the present. At times, LockBit was the most prolific ransomware group in the world.Khoroshev also known as LockBitSupp, LockBit, and putinkrab, Voronezh, Russia, is charged by a 26-count indictment returned by a grand jury in the District of New Jersey.The indictment against Khoroshev unsealed Tuesday follows a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-and-uk-disrupt-lockbit-ransomware-variant">disruption</a>&nbsp;of LockBit ransomware in February by the U.K. National Crime Agency’s (NCA) Cyber Division, which worked in cooperation with the Justice Department, FBI, and other international law enforcement partners. As previously announced by the Department, authorities disrupted LockBit by seizing numerous public-facing websites used by LockBit to connect to the organization’s infrastructure and by seizing control of servers used by LockBit administrators, thereby disrupting the ability of LockBit actors to attack and encrypt networks and extort victims by threatening to publish stolen data. That disruption succeeded in greatly diminishing LockBit’s reputation and its ability to attack further victims, as alleged by the indictment unsealed today.“Dmitry Khoroshev conceived, developed, and administered Lockbit, the most prolific ransomware variant and group in the world, enabling himself and his affiliates to wreak havoc and cause billions of dollars in damage to thousands of victims around the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “He thought he could do so hidden by his notorious moniker ‘LockBitSupp,’ anonymous and free of any consequence, while he personally pocketed $100 million extorted from Lockbit’s victims. Through relentless investigation and coordination with our partners at the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the FBI and abroad, we have proven him and his coconspirators wrong. Today’s indictment marks a significant milestone in the investigation and prosecution of LockBit, which has already led to charges against five other LockBit affiliates—two of whom are in custody awaiting trial—and a major disruption of the now discredited LockBit operation.”In addition, as previously announced, law enforcement developed decryption capabilities that may enable hundreds of victims around the world to restore systems encrypted using the LockBit ransomware variant. Victims targeted by this malware are encouraged to contact the FBI at&nbsp;<a href="https://lockbitvictims.ic3.gov/" target="_blank">https://lockbitvictims.ic3.gov/</a>&nbsp;to enable law enforcement to determine whether affected systems can be successfully decrypted.The FBI does not support the payment of a ransom in response to a ransomware attack.&nbsp;&nbsp;Paying ransom demands encourages more ransomware incidents and provides an incentive to become involved in this type of illegal activity.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you are the victim of a ransomware incident, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://stopransomware.gov/">stopransomware.gov</a>.Please direct information in response to the reward offer to the FBI via Signal at @FBISupp.01, via Telegram at @LockbitRewards, or by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:fbisupp@fbi.gov">fbisupp@fbi.gov</a>.ALL IDENTITIES ARE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

U.S. identifies senior leader of ransomware gang

The Nebraska Library Commission recently awarded $37,495 in grants for Excellence in Youth service. Of the grants awarded to thirty-nine Nebraska libraries, several addressed the need for educational programs, Summer Reading programing, and materials like LEGO®, STEAM, and other activities to encourage creativity in young people. 

The Nebraska Library Commission congratulates all the libraries who received grants as they develop new and innovative programs to ensure excellence in library service for Nebraska young people. You can find the full list of grant recipients on the&nbsp;<a href="https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/grants/Database/grantsdb.asp?grantnamedropdown=Youth+Grants+for+Excellence&amp;YearDropdown=2024&amp;libraryDropdown=blank&amp;cityDropdown=blank&amp;B1=Submit" target="_blank">Nebraska Library Commission grants database</a>.&nbsp;

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Adventure Backpacks

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;STEAM programing and materials

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Book Club activities

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tween Makerspace Camp

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Summer Reading programs

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Music and movement class

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Creative Coding for Kids

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Makerspace items for children/youth

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Builders' Club with Lego

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1000 Books Before Kindergarten

The following 39 Nebraska public libraries were awarded 2024 Youth Grants for Excellence funding:

Youth Grants for Excellence are made available by the Nebraska Library Commission with funding from the State of Nebraska. As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”

Nebraska Library CommissionThe Nebraska Library Commission recently awarded $37,495 in grants for Excellence in Youth service. Of the grants awarded to thirty-nine Nebraska libraries, several addressed the need for educational programs, Summer Reading programing, and materials like LEGO®, STEAM, and other activities to encourage creativity in young people. The Nebraska Library Commission congratulates all the libraries who received grants as they develop new and innovative programs to ensure excellence in library service for Nebraska young people. You can find the full list of grant recipients on the&nbsp;<a href="https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/grants/Database/grantsdb.asp?grantnamedropdown=Youth+Grants+for+Excellence&amp;YearDropdown=2024&amp;libraryDropdown=blank&amp;cityDropdown=blank&amp;B1=Submit" target="_blank">Nebraska Library Commission grants database</a>.&nbsp;Proposals include:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Adventure Backpacks·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;STEAM programing and materials·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Book Club activities·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tween Makerspace Camp·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Summer Reading programs·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Music and movement class·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Creative Coding for Kids·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Makerspace items for children/youth·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Builders' Club with Lego·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1000 Books Before KindergartenThe following 39 Nebraska public libraries were awarded 2024 Youth Grants for Excellence funding:Bancroft Public LibraryBayard Public LibraryBeatrice Public LibraryBellevue Public LibraryBroken Bow Public LibraryCentral City Public LibraryClearwater Public LibraryColumbus Public LibraryHruska Public Library, David CityElmwood Public LibraryFalls City Library and Arts CenterFullerton Public LibraryGenoa Public LibraryGrand Island Public LibraryHastings Memorial Library, GrantLincoln City LibrariesLouisville Public LibraryMadison Public LibraryMead Public LibraryJensen Memorial Library, MindenNorfolk Public LibraryNorth Bend Public LibraryCB Preston Memorial Library, OrleansOsmond Public LibraryPapillion Public LibraryPlainview Public LibraryRavenna Public LibrarySt. Edward Public LibrarySargent Township LibraryShelton Public LibraryMaxine White-Sutherland Public LibraryLied Tekamah Public LibraryValley Public LibraryValparaiso Public LibraryVerdigre Public LibraryLied Lincoln Township Library, WausaMaltman Memorial Library, Wood RiverKilgore Memorial Library, YorkYutan Public LibraryYouth Grants for Excellence are made available by the Nebraska Library Commission with funding from the State of Nebraska. As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”

Nebraska Library Commission Awards Grants for Youth Library Service

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Seven more Republican-led states sued Tuesday to challenge a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-sexual-assault-transgender-sports-d0fc0ab7515de02b8e4403d0481dc1e7">new federal regulation</a>&nbsp;that seeks to protect the rights of transgender students in the nation's schools. Republican plaintiffs call the effort to fold protection for transgender students under the 1972 Title IX law unconstitutional.

The lawsuits filed in federal courts in Missouri and Oklahoma are the latest GOP attempts to halt the new regulation seeking to clarify Title IX, a landmark 1972 sex discrimination law originally passed to address women’s rights and applied to schools and colleges receiving federal money. The rules spell out that Title IX bars discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, too.

Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota joined as plaintiffs in the Missouri lawsuit.

The cases come as many Republicans seek to limit the rights of transgender youth, including restricting which bathrooms or pronouns they can use in school. Such prohibitions that could be invalidated by the new federal regulation. The GOP states suing argue that the new federal rules goes beyond the intent of Title IX and that the Biden administration doesn't have the authority to implement them.

“The interpretation of the Biden administration is completely inconsistent with the statute and the way it's been interpreted for decades,” Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said at a news conference with Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

The federal regulation applies to all schools that receive federal funding. The latest filings bring to at least 21 the number of GOP states&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-lawsuit-states-bathrooms-lawsuit-f731ff2f1afd24a1f246443f12053bcc">challenging</a>&nbsp;the new rules. Officials in several states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-title-ix-transgender-huckabee-sanders-bf44e0e7c6dc8f1e03149a790be3d2ef">including Arkansas</a>, have said they don’t plan to comply with the regulation.

The U.S. Department of Education said it does not comment on pending litigation.

An Arkansas high school athlete, Amelia Ford, also joined the Missouri case, saying she doesn't believe transgender women should be allowed to compete on women's sports teams.

The Biden administration’s new rules broadly protect against discrimination based on sex, but they don’t offer guidance around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trans-athletes-sports-ban-2f6cf412d306e73e68efa2377fb5081a">transgender athletes</a>. Most of the states challenging the regulation have laws restricting what teams transgender athletes can play on.

Lawsuits also have been filed in federal courts in Texas, Alabama, Louisiana and Kentucky. The multiple challenges give the states suing a better chance that one of the cases will put the rule on hold nationally.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715174701704.jpeg" alt="Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin speaks at a news conference at the attorney general's office in Little Rock, Ark., Tuesday, May 7, 2024, about a lawsuit challenging a new regulation aimed at protecting the rights of transgender students in schools. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, right, and Arkansas Solicitor General Nicholas Bronni and high school athlete Amelia Ford, left, listen. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo)" />
 <figcaption>Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin speaks at a news conference at the attorney general's office in Little Rock, Ark., Tuesday, May 7, 2024, about a lawsuit challenging a new regulation aimed at protecting the rights of transgender students in schools. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, right, and Arkansas Solicitor General Nicholas Bronni and high school athlete Amelia Ford, left, listen. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo)</figcaption>
 </figure>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Seven more Republican-led states sued Tuesday to challenge a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-sexual-assault-transgender-sports-d0fc0ab7515de02b8e4403d0481dc1e7">new federal regulation</a>&nbsp;that seeks to protect the rights of transgender students in the nation's schools. Republican plaintiffs call the effort to fold protection for transgender students under the 1972 Title IX law unconstitutional.The lawsuits filed in federal courts in Missouri and Oklahoma are the latest GOP attempts to halt the new regulation seeking to clarify Title IX, a landmark 1972 sex discrimination law originally passed to address women’s rights and applied to schools and colleges receiving federal money. The rules spell out that Title IX bars discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, too.Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota joined as plaintiffs in the Missouri lawsuit.The cases come as many Republicans seek to limit the rights of transgender youth, including restricting which bathrooms or pronouns they can use in school. Such prohibitions that could be invalidated by the new federal regulation. The GOP states suing argue that the new federal rules goes beyond the intent of Title IX and that the Biden administration doesn't have the authority to implement them.“The interpretation of the Biden administration is completely inconsistent with the statute and the way it's been interpreted for decades,” Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said at a news conference with Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.The federal regulation applies to all schools that receive federal funding. The latest filings bring to at least 21 the number of GOP states&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-lawsuit-states-bathrooms-lawsuit-f731ff2f1afd24a1f246443f12053bcc">challenging</a>&nbsp;the new rules. Officials in several states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-title-ix-transgender-huckabee-sanders-bf44e0e7c6dc8f1e03149a790be3d2ef">including Arkansas</a>, have said they don’t plan to comply with the regulation.The U.S. Department of Education said it does not comment on pending litigation.An Arkansas high school athlete, Amelia Ford, also joined the Missouri case, saying she doesn't believe transgender women should be allowed to compete on women's sports teams.The Biden administration’s new rules broadly protect against discrimination based on sex, but they don’t offer guidance around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trans-athletes-sports-ban-2f6cf412d306e73e68efa2377fb5081a">transgender athletes</a>. Most of the states challenging the regulation have laws restricting what teams transgender athletes can play on.Lawsuits also have been filed in federal courts in Texas, Alabama, Louisiana and Kentucky. The multiple challenges give the states suing a better chance that one of the cases will put the rule on hold nationally.

More GOP states challenge federal rules protecting transgender students

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has finished construction of a temporary pier and causeway that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-aid-gaza-us-port-pier-d4d9ea94550aed2d24a258dfd98d866e">will be used to deliver aid to Gaza</a>&nbsp;through a maritime system, but plans to move it into place on the shore are on hold due to weather and other logistics.

Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters on Tuesday that U.S. military ships and the assembled pier are at Israel’s Ashdod port. High winds and sea swells are making it too dangerous for the U.S. military to install the pier at the Gaza beach.

Singh says the U.S. hopes to install the pier and causeway later this week, if the weather permits.

Meanwhile, humanitarian aid is being loaded onto a large container ship, the Sagamore, in Cyprus, for eventual delivery to Gaza, Singh said.

The U.S. hopes the pier can be used to bring more humanitarian aid into Gaza, where the U.N. says there is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-famine-world-food-program-israel-hamas-war-476941bf2dc259f85a706408b2a665ff">a full-blown famine</a>&nbsp;in the north.

Meanwhile, a&nbsp;White House spokesman on Tuesday expressed guarded optimism that Israel and Hamas “should be able to close the remaining gaps” to complete an agreement that would lead to release of hostages and pave the way for an extended truce in the seven-month war in Gaza.

“It’s based on our understanding of where the text is right now,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said of the administration’s optimism. “Again, Hamas responded yesterday and there were amendments offered. Again, that’s the task of negotiating. That’s what negotiations are all about. It’s our understanding from looking at the text that we feel it suggests that we should be able to close these gaps.”

Talks are to continue on Tuesday in Cairo. Kirby declined to put a timeline on when Americans officials believe a deal can be sealed.

“Everybody’s coming. Qatar is coming. The Israelis are coming. Obviously, the Egyptians will be there of course, and Bill Burns will be there,” Kirby said. “That’s not insignificant. Everybody is coming to the table.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714471004272.png" alt="File Photos U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File Photos U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has finished construction of a temporary pier and causeway that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-aid-gaza-us-port-pier-d4d9ea94550aed2d24a258dfd98d866e">will be used to deliver aid to Gaza</a>&nbsp;through a maritime system, but plans to move it into place on the shore are on hold due to weather and other logistics.Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters on Tuesday that U.S. military ships and the assembled pier are at Israel’s Ashdod port. High winds and sea swells are making it too dangerous for the U.S. military to install the pier at the Gaza beach.Singh says the U.S. hopes to install the pier and causeway later this week, if the weather permits.Meanwhile, humanitarian aid is being loaded onto a large container ship, the Sagamore, in Cyprus, for eventual delivery to Gaza, Singh said.The U.S. hopes the pier can be used to bring more humanitarian aid into Gaza, where the U.N. says there is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-famine-world-food-program-israel-hamas-war-476941bf2dc259f85a706408b2a665ff">a full-blown famine</a>&nbsp;in the north.Meanwhile, a&nbsp;White House spokesman on Tuesday expressed guarded optimism that Israel and Hamas “should be able to close the remaining gaps” to complete an agreement that would lead to release of hostages and pave the way for an extended truce in the seven-month war in Gaza.“It’s based on our understanding of where the text is right now,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said of the administration’s optimism. “Again, Hamas responded yesterday and there were amendments offered. Again, that’s the task of negotiating. That’s what negotiations are all about. It’s our understanding from looking at the text that we feel it suggests that we should be able to close these gaps.”Talks are to continue on Tuesday in Cairo. Kirby declined to put a timeline on when Americans officials believe a deal can be sealed.“Everybody’s coming. Qatar is coming. The Israelis are coming. Obviously, the Egyptians will be there of course, and Bill Burns will be there,” Kirby said. “That’s not insignificant. Everybody is coming to the table.”

US military finishes Gaza pier, plans to move it into place on hold

By MICHAEL R. SISAK, JENNIFER PELTZ, ERIC TUCKER and JAKE OFFENHARTZ&nbsp;

NEW YORK (AP) — With Donald Trump sitting just feet away,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stormy-daniels-donald-trump-d3dce88566bafb714dbb5c1acd3e4a83">Stormy Daniels</a>&nbsp;testified Tuesday at the former president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-cohen-9be06e3d33c25af7060552a44001cc1a">hush money trial</a>&nbsp;about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.

Jurors appeared riveted as Daniels offered a detailed and at times graphic account of the encounter Trump has denied. Trump stared straight ahead when Daniels entered the courtroom, later whispering to his lawyers and shaking his head as she testified.

The testimony was by far the most-awaited spectacle in a trial that has toggled between tabloidesque elements and dry record-keeping details. A courtroom appearance by a porn actor who says she had an intimate encounter with a former American president added to the long list of historic firsts in a landmark case laden with claims of sex, payoffs and cover-ups and unfolding as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-primary-georgia-washington-mississippi-hawaii-15bb0084ad656903ffef14cfae822abd">presumptive Republican nominee</a>&nbsp;makes another bid for the White House.

Daniels veered into salacious details despite the repeated objections of defense lawyers, who demanded a mistrial over what they said were prejudicial and irrelevant comments.

“This is the kind of testimony that makes it impossible to come back from,” attorney Todd Blanche said. “How can we come back from this in a way that’s fair to President Trump?”

The judge rejected the request and said defense lawyers should have raised more objections during the testimony. The Trump team later in the day used its opportunity to question Daniels to paint her as motivated by personal animus and profiting off her claims against Trump.

"Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” defense lawyer Susan Necheles asked Daniels.

Daniels' statements are central to the case because in the final weeks of Trump’s 2016 Republican presidential campaign, his then-lawyer and personal fixer, Michael Cohen,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cohen-stormy-daniels-grand-jury-d48153fc2d3fe7a656e8a24ad1acd082">paid her $130,000 to keep quiet</a>&nbsp;about what she says was an awkward and unexpected sexual encounter with Trump in July 2006 at a celebrity golf outing in Lake Tahoe. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

Led by a prosecutor's questioning, Daniels described how an initial meeting at a golf tournament, where they discussed the adult film industry, progressed to a “brief” sexual encounter that she said Trump initiated after inviting her to dinner and back to his hotel suite.

She said she didn’t feel physically or verbally threatened, though she knew his bodyguard was outside the suite. There was also what she perceived as an imbalance of power: Trump “was bigger and blocking the way," she said.

At the time, Trump was married to his wife, Melania, who has not been in court for the trial. Daniels said Trump told her they did not sleep in the same room, prompting him to shake his head at the defense table.

After it ended, Daniels said, “It was really hard to get my shoes because my hands were shaking so hard.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715113495617.png" alt="Photo of Trump and Stormy Daniels entered into evidence released by the New York State Court System&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo of Trump and Stormy Daniels entered into evidence released by the New York State Court System&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHAEL R. SISAK, JENNIFER PELTZ, ERIC TUCKER and JAKE OFFENHARTZ&nbsp;NEW YORK (AP) — With Donald Trump sitting just feet away,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stormy-daniels-donald-trump-d3dce88566bafb714dbb5c1acd3e4a83">Stormy Daniels</a>&nbsp;testified Tuesday at the former president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-cohen-9be06e3d33c25af7060552a44001cc1a">hush money trial</a>&nbsp;about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.Jurors appeared riveted as Daniels offered a detailed and at times graphic account of the encounter Trump has denied. Trump stared straight ahead when Daniels entered the courtroom, later whispering to his lawyers and shaking his head as she testified.The testimony was by far the most-awaited spectacle in a trial that has toggled between tabloidesque elements and dry record-keeping details. A courtroom appearance by a porn actor who says she had an intimate encounter with a former American president added to the long list of historic firsts in a landmark case laden with claims of sex, payoffs and cover-ups and unfolding as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-primary-georgia-washington-mississippi-hawaii-15bb0084ad656903ffef14cfae822abd">presumptive Republican nominee</a>&nbsp;makes another bid for the White House.Daniels veered into salacious details despite the repeated objections of defense lawyers, who demanded a mistrial over what they said were prejudicial and irrelevant comments.“This is the kind of testimony that makes it impossible to come back from,” attorney Todd Blanche said. “How can we come back from this in a way that’s fair to President Trump?”The judge rejected the request and said defense lawyers should have raised more objections during the testimony. The Trump team later in the day used its opportunity to question Daniels to paint her as motivated by personal animus and profiting off her claims against Trump."Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” defense lawyer Susan Necheles asked Daniels.“Yes,” she acknowledged.Daniels' statements are central to the case because in the final weeks of Trump’s 2016 Republican presidential campaign, his then-lawyer and personal fixer, Michael Cohen,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cohen-stormy-daniels-grand-jury-d48153fc2d3fe7a656e8a24ad1acd082">paid her $130,000 to keep quiet</a>&nbsp;about what she says was an awkward and unexpected sexual encounter with Trump in July 2006 at a celebrity golf outing in Lake Tahoe. Trump has pleaded not guilty.Led by a prosecutor's questioning, Daniels described how an initial meeting at a golf tournament, where they discussed the adult film industry, progressed to a “brief” sexual encounter that she said Trump initiated after inviting her to dinner and back to his hotel suite.She said she didn’t feel physically or verbally threatened, though she knew his bodyguard was outside the suite. There was also what she perceived as an imbalance of power: Trump “was bigger and blocking the way," she said.At the time, Trump was married to his wife, Melania, who has not been in court for the trial. Daniels said Trump told her they did not sleep in the same room, prompting him to shake his head at the defense table.After it ended, Daniels said, “It was really hard to get my shoes because my hands were shaking so hard.”“He said, ‘Oh, it was great. Let’s get together again, honey bunch,’” Daniels said. “I just wanted to leave.”In the years since the encounter was disclosed, Daniels has emerged as a vocal Trump antagonist, sharing her story innumerable times and criticizing the former president with mocking and pejorative jabs. But there was no precedent for Tuesday's testimony, when she came face-to-face with Trump and was asked under oath in an austere courtroom to describe her experiences to a jury weighing whether to convict a former American president of felony crimes for the first time in history.She told jurors how she met Trump because the adult film studio she worked for at the time sponsored one of the holes on the golf course. She said they had a brief conversation when Trump's group passed through, chatting about the adult film industry and her directing abilities. The celebrity real estate developer remarked that she must be “the smart one” if she was making films, Daniels recalled.Later, in an area known as the “gift room,” where celebrity golfers collected gift bags and swag, Trump remembered her as “the smart one” and asked her to dinner, Daniels said.She said her then-publicist suggested in a phone call that Trump’s invitation was a good excuse to skip a work dinner and would “make a great story” and perhaps help her career.“What could possibly go wrong?” she recalled the publicist saying.The two saw each other periodically in the ensuing years, when she said she spurned Trump's advances.In 2011, several years after she and Trump were last in touch, she said she learned from her agent that the story of her encounter with Trump had made its way to a magazine.She said she agreed to an interview for $15,000 because “I’d rather make the money than somebody make money off of me, and at least I could control the narrative.” The story never ran, but later that year, she was alarmed when an item turned up on a website.Perhaps seeking to preempt defense claims that she was in urgent need of a massive payout, Daniels testified that she was in the best financial shape of her life when she authorized her manager to shop her story during the 2016 presidential campaign.She said she had no intent of approaching Cohen or Trump to have them pay her.“My motivation wasn’t money," she said. "It was to get the story out,” she testified.But Necheles zeroed in on that point, pressing Daniels on the fact that she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stormy-daniels-trump-defamation-lawsuit-0ee5623fc8965ad3d2fc77a7126d24c7">owes Trump hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees</a>&nbsp;stemming from an unsuccessful defamation lawsuit and that she tweeted in 2022 that she “will go to jail before I pay a penny.”“That was me saying, ‘I will not pay for telling the truth,’” Daniels testified Tuesday.She later forcefully denied that she was trying to squeeze Trump for money."You were looking to extort money from President Trump,” Necheles said.“False,” Daniels responded.“Well, that’s what you did,” the lawyer said.“False,” Daniels answered.Daniels was expected to return to the witness stand Thursday, when the trial resumes.Testimony so far has made clear that at the time of the payment to Daniels, Trump and his campaign were reeling from the October 2016 publication of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-access-hollywood-hush-money-new-york-2c52279a45ede2a111ff1fe447d2fdac">never-before-seen 2005 “Access Hollywood” footage</a>&nbsp;in which he boasted about grabbing women’s genitals without their permission.Before that video was made public, "there was very little if any interest” in Daniels' claims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stormy-daniels-hush-money-election-2024-d2f9badee0b28a60d32bc98c0d4e783f">according to testimony earlier in the trial</a>&nbsp;from her then-lawyer, Keith Davidson. A deal was reached with the National Enquirer for Daniels’ story, but the tabloid backed out. Davidson began negotiating with Cohen directly, hiked up the price to $130,000, and reached a deal.After the deadline for the $130,000 payment from Cohen came and went, she authorized Davidson to cancel the deal. He did, by email, according to documents shown in court. But about two weeks later, the deal was revived.Daniels testified that she ended up with about $96,000 of the $130,000 payment, after her lawyer and agent got their cuts.She also said she was steadfast in abiding by her nondisclosure agreement with Cohen, declining to comment to The Wall Street Journal for a November 2016 story that reported she had been in discussions to tell her story on “Good Morning America” but that nothing had come of it. She also declined to comment for the newspaper before it broke the news of her hush money arrangement in 2018.After that story was published, her life turned into “chaos,” she testified.“I was front and foremost everywhere,” she recalled.Prosecutors are building toward their star witness,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">Cohen</a>, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-michael-cohen-74aaf72511d64fceb1d64529207bde64">pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the hush money payments</a>.Trump is charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;in connection with the payments. The trial is the first of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">his four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;to reach a jury.