<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/19/new-polling-finds-70-support-for-legalizing-medical-cannabis/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — New polling found that 70% of respondents are ready to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska and that a majority of those responding want to approve a novel alternative to property, sales and income taxes.

The poll, conducted for Neilan Strategy Group, mirrors polling done by a group seeking to place the medical cannabis issue on the 2024 ballot. The Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said their polling in 2022 showed that 80% of registered voters were in favor of legalization.

“Nebraskans are clearly ready to legalize medical marijuana,” said Perre Neilan of Neilan Strategy Group.

Crista Eggers of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said Monday that she’s not surprised “whatsoever” by the poll results in that it mirrors what they’ve seen in recent years.

“Nebraskans are obviously ready to legalize medicinal cannabis,” she said.

This year marks the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/after-eight-years-of-failed-efforts-advocates-for-legalizing-medical-cannabis-try-again-in-the-legislature/">third time the medical marijuana group</a>&nbsp;has tried to get the issue before voters, after failing to find favor with the issue in the Nebraska Legislature.

In 2020, the group collected more than enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, but the Nebraska Supreme Court disqualified it, ruling that the initiative language violated the constitutional requirement that such matters contain only a single subject.

Two years ago, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/22/medical-marijuana-petitions-fail-to-qualify-for-november-ballot/">fell short</a>&nbsp;of gathering the necessary signatures after a major financial backer of the petition drive died. This year, the group is<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/medical-marijuana-advocates-file-petition-to-place-issue-on-2024-ballot/">&nbsp;circulating two petitions.</a>

To qualify for the ballot, an initiative seeking a law change must gather the signatures of about 86,000 registered voters and get signers from at least 5% of voters from 38 of state’s 93 counties.

Eggers said that as of Monday, her organization had gathered more than 32,000 signatures and believes it has already qualified in 24 counties, which is “much farther ahead” than in 2020 or 2022.

“We’re very excited about where we’re at,” she said. “This time, we’re going to get it done or it is not going to happen.”

Also seeking a spot on the 2024 ballot is a proposed constitutional amendment to enact the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/20/backers-of-consumption-tax-ballot-initiative-seek-funds-to-finance-paid-circulators/">EPIC Option Consumption Tax</a>, which would replace all state sales and income taxes along with local property taxes. Because it is a proposal to amend the Nebraska Constitution, that drive will need more than 124,000 valid signatures, as well as qualifying in 38 counties.

Of the respondents to the Neilan poll, 54% supported the EPIC tax, with 30% “definitely” in support of it.

That prompted Neilan to say that “is not a strong position.”

“Ballot issues tend to only lose support when the opposition starts spending money to educate voters,” he said.

The EPIC tax is opposed by many Nebraska business groups, which have labeled the idea “dangerous” and “too good to be true.”

State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, a leading proponent of the consumption tax, said Neilan is misreading the tea leaves.

Erdman said Nebraskans who have come to EPIC tax meetings have been solidly in favor of it.

They understand, he said, that “unless we make a dramatic change” in state taxes, they will continue to see efforts that just “decrease the increase” instead of actually providing a tax break.

Erdman added that he has seen very little support in his western Nebraska district for Gov. Jim Pillen’s property tax relief plan, which involves raising sales taxes and removing tax exemptions for things like farm machinery repairs.

“That plan is a pipe dream,” the senator said.

The poll was conducted by Data Targeting Inc. of Gainesville, Florida. The group polled 2,198 likely general election voters on Feb. 7-9. Cell phone and landline calls were used, as well as texts. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1%.

Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/19/new-polling-finds-70-support-for-legalizing-medical-cannabis/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — New polling found that 70% of respondents are ready to legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska and that a majority of those responding want to approve a novel alternative to property, sales and income taxes.The poll, conducted for Neilan Strategy Group, mirrors polling done by a group seeking to place the medical cannabis issue on the 2024 ballot. The Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said their polling in 2022 showed that 80% of registered voters were in favor of legalization.“Nebraskans are clearly ready to legalize medical marijuana,” said Perre Neilan of Neilan Strategy Group.Crista Eggers of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said Monday that she’s not surprised “whatsoever” by the poll results in that it mirrors what they’ve seen in recent years.“Nebraskans are obviously ready to legalize medicinal cannabis,” she said.This year marks the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/after-eight-years-of-failed-efforts-advocates-for-legalizing-medical-cannabis-try-again-in-the-legislature/">third time the medical marijuana group</a>&nbsp;has tried to get the issue before voters, after failing to find favor with the issue in the Nebraska Legislature.In 2020, the group collected more than enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, but the Nebraska Supreme Court disqualified it, ruling that the initiative language violated the constitutional requirement that such matters contain only a single subject.Two years ago, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/22/medical-marijuana-petitions-fail-to-qualify-for-november-ballot/">fell short</a>&nbsp;of gathering the necessary signatures after a major financial backer of the petition drive died. This year, the group is<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/medical-marijuana-advocates-file-petition-to-place-issue-on-2024-ballot/">&nbsp;circulating two petitions.</a>To qualify for the ballot, an initiative seeking a law change must gather the signatures of about 86,000 registered voters and get signers from at least 5% of voters from 38 of state’s 93 counties.Eggers said that as of Monday, her organization had gathered more than 32,000 signatures and believes it has already qualified in 24 counties, which is “much farther ahead” than in 2020 or 2022.“We’re very excited about where we’re at,” she said. “This time, we’re going to get it done or it is not going to happen.”Also seeking a spot on the 2024 ballot is a proposed constitutional amendment to enact the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/20/backers-of-consumption-tax-ballot-initiative-seek-funds-to-finance-paid-circulators/">EPIC Option Consumption Tax</a>, which would replace all state sales and income taxes along with local property taxes. Because it is a proposal to amend the Nebraska Constitution, that drive will need more than 124,000 valid signatures, as well as qualifying in 38 counties.Of the respondents to the Neilan poll, 54% supported the EPIC tax, with 30% “definitely” in support of it.That prompted Neilan to say that “is not a strong position.”“Ballot issues tend to only lose support when the opposition starts spending money to educate voters,” he said.The EPIC tax is opposed by many Nebraska business groups, which have labeled the idea “dangerous” and “too good to be true.”State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, a leading proponent of the consumption tax, said Neilan is misreading the tea leaves.Erdman said Nebraskans who have come to EPIC tax meetings have been solidly in favor of it.They understand, he said, that “unless we make a dramatic change” in state taxes, they will continue to see efforts that just “decrease the increase” instead of actually providing a tax break.Erdman added that he has seen very little support in his western Nebraska district for Gov. Jim Pillen’s property tax relief plan, which involves raising sales taxes and removing tax exemptions for things like farm machinery repairs.“That plan is a pipe dream,” the senator said.The poll was conducted by Data Targeting Inc. of Gainesville, Florida. The group polled 2,198 likely general election voters on Feb. 7-9. Cell phone and landline calls were used, as well as texts. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1%.

New polling finds 70% support for legalizing medical cannabis

FEBRUARY 20, 2024 (BLOOMFIELD, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— The Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Bloomfield Police Department, is investigating a double-homicide that occurred this morning in Bloomfield, Nebraska.

Additional details on the deceased are being withheld while officials work to make family notifications. The scene is secure. Multiple persons of interest have been detained as part of the investigation. Law enforcement believes there is no ongoing threat to the public.

NSP crime scene investigators are on scene and troopers are posted around town to ensure community safety. Additional details will be released when possible.

Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolFEBRUARY 20, 2024 (BLOOMFIELD, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— The Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Bloomfield Police Department, is investigating a double-homicide that occurred this morning in Bloomfield, Nebraska.Additional details on the deceased are being withheld while officials work to make family notifications. The scene is secure. Multiple persons of interest have been detained as part of the investigation. Law enforcement believes there is no ongoing threat to the public.NSP crime scene investigators are on scene and troopers are posted around town to ensure community safety. Additional details will be released when possible.The investigation is ongoing.

NSP Investigating Double-Homicide in Bloomfield   

NEW YORK (AP) — Capital One Financial said it will buy Discover Financial Services for $35 billion, in a deal that would bring together two of the nation's credit card companies as well as potentially shake up the payments industry, which is largely dominated by Visa and Mastercard.

Under the terms of the all-stock transaction, Discover Financial shareholders will receive Capital One shares valued at nearly $140. That's a significant premium to the $110.49 that Discover shares closed at Friday.

The deal marries two of the largest credit card companies that aren't banks first, like JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup, with the notable exception of American Express. It also brings together two companies whose customers are largely similar: often Americans who are looking for cash back or modest travel rewards, compared to the premium credit cards dominated by AmEx, Citi and Chase.

“This marketplace that’s dominated by the big players is going to shrink a little bit more now,” said Matt Schulz, chief credit card analyst at LendingTree.

It also will give Discover's payment network a major credit card partner in a way that could make the payment network a major competitor once again. The U.S. credit card industry is dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly with AmEx being a distance third place and Discover an even more distant fourth place. It's unclear whether Capitol One will adopt the Discover payment system or may set up a payment network that allows parallel use of Discover and a second payment network like Visa.

"Our acquisition of Discover is a singular opportunity to bring together two very successful companies with complementary capabilities and franchises, and to build a payments network that can compete with the largest payments networks and payments companies,” said Richard Fairbank, the chairman and CEO of Capital One, in a statement.

With its purchase of Discover, Capital One is betting that Americans’ will continue to increasingly use their credit cards and keep balances on those accounts to collect interest. In the fourth quarter of 2023, Americans held $1.13 trillion on their credit cards, and aggregate household debt balances increased by $212 billion, up 1.2%, according to the latest data from the New York Federal Reserve.

As they run up their card balances, consumers are also paying higher interest rates. The average interest rate on a bank credit card is roughly 21.5%, the highest it’s been since the Federal Reserve started tracking the data in 1994.

Capital One has long has a business model looking for customers who will keep a balance on their cards, aiming for customers with lower credit scores than American Express or even Discover.

At the same time, the two lenders have had to boost their reserves against the possibility of rising borrower defaults. After battling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-biden-federal-reserve-539b662f32a3cea4a514407ae4389174">inflation</a>&nbsp;for more than two years, many lower- and middle-income Americans have run through their savings and are increasingly running up their credit card balances and taking on personal loans.

The additional reserves have weighed on both banks’ profits. Last year, Capital One’s net income available to common shareholders slumped 35% versus 2022, as its provisions for loan losses soared 78% to $10.4 billion. Discover’s full-year profit sank 33.6% versus its 2022 results as its provisions for credit losses more than doubled to $6.02 billion.

Discover’s customers are carrying $102 billion in balances on their credit cards, up 13% from a year earlier. Meanwhile, the charge-off rates and 30-day delinquency rates have climbed.

Beyond boosting bank deposits and loan accounts, the acquisition would give Capital One access to the Discover payment processing network. While smaller than industry giants Visa and Mastercard, the Discover network will enable Capital One to get revenue from fees charged for every merchant transaction that runs on the network.

Discover has been operating under heightened scrutiny from regulators. Last summer, the company disclosed that beginning around mid-2007, it incorrectly classified certain card accounts into its highest merchant pricing tiers. The company also received an unrelated consent order from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation over its customer compliance management.

Analysts at Citigroup say the regulatory issues may have prompted the sale.

“We are surprised that DFS would sell, but suppose that its regulatory challenges such as its recent October FDIC consent order and the card product misclassification issue may have opened the door for the board to consider strategic alternatives that it may not have in the past,” wrote analysts Arren Cyganovich and Kaili Wang in a note to clients.

It's unclear whether the deal will pass regulatory scrutiny. Nearly every bank issues a credit card to customers but few companies are credit card companies first, and banks second. Both Discover — which was long ago the Sears Card — and Capital One started off as credit card companies that expanded into other financial offerings like checking and savings accounts.

Consumer groups are expected to put heavy pressure on the Biden Administration to make sure the deal is good for consumers as well as shareholders.

“The deal also poses massive anti-trust concerns, given the vertical integration of Capital One’s credit card lending with Discover’s credit card network,” said Jesse Van Tol, president and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708395738700.png" alt="Image courtesy Capitol One" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Capitol One</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Capital One Financial said it will buy Discover Financial Services for $35 billion, in a deal that would bring together two of the nation's credit card companies as well as potentially shake up the payments industry, which is largely dominated by Visa and Mastercard.Under the terms of the all-stock transaction, Discover Financial shareholders will receive Capital One shares valued at nearly $140. That's a significant premium to the $110.49 that Discover shares closed at Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708426424767.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The deal marries two of the largest credit card companies that aren't banks first, like JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup, with the notable exception of American Express. It also brings together two companies whose customers are largely similar: often Americans who are looking for cash back or modest travel rewards, compared to the premium credit cards dominated by AmEx, Citi and Chase.“This marketplace that’s dominated by the big players is going to shrink a little bit more now,” said Matt Schulz, chief credit card analyst at LendingTree.It also will give Discover's payment network a major credit card partner in a way that could make the payment network a major competitor once again. The U.S. credit card industry is dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly with AmEx being a distance third place and Discover an even more distant fourth place. It's unclear whether Capitol One will adopt the Discover payment system or may set up a payment network that allows parallel use of Discover and a second payment network like Visa.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708395916016.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"Our acquisition of Discover is a singular opportunity to bring together two very successful companies with complementary capabilities and franchises, and to build a payments network that can compete with the largest payments networks and payments companies,” said Richard Fairbank, the chairman and CEO of Capital One, in a statement.With its purchase of Discover, Capital One is betting that Americans’ will continue to increasingly use their credit cards and keep balances on those accounts to collect interest. In the fourth quarter of 2023, Americans held $1.13 trillion on their credit cards, and aggregate household debt balances increased by $212 billion, up 1.2%, according to the latest data from the New York Federal Reserve.As they run up their card balances, consumers are also paying higher interest rates. The average interest rate on a bank credit card is roughly 21.5%, the highest it’s been since the Federal Reserve started tracking the data in 1994.Capital One has long has a business model looking for customers who will keep a balance on their cards, aiming for customers with lower credit scores than American Express or even Discover.At the same time, the two lenders have had to boost their reserves against the possibility of rising borrower defaults. After battling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-biden-federal-reserve-539b662f32a3cea4a514407ae4389174">inflation</a>&nbsp;for more than two years, many lower- and middle-income Americans have run through their savings and are increasingly running up their credit card balances and taking on personal loans.The additional reserves have weighed on both banks’ profits. Last year, Capital One’s net income available to common shareholders slumped 35% versus 2022, as its provisions for loan losses soared 78% to $10.4 billion. Discover’s full-year profit sank 33.6% versus its 2022 results as its provisions for credit losses more than doubled to $6.02 billion.Discover’s customers are carrying $102 billion in balances on their credit cards, up 13% from a year earlier. Meanwhile, the charge-off rates and 30-day delinquency rates have climbed.Beyond boosting bank deposits and loan accounts, the acquisition would give Capital One access to the Discover payment processing network. While smaller than industry giants Visa and Mastercard, the Discover network will enable Capital One to get revenue from fees charged for every merchant transaction that runs on the network.Discover has been operating under heightened scrutiny from regulators. Last summer, the company disclosed that beginning around mid-2007, it incorrectly classified certain card accounts into its highest merchant pricing tiers. The company also received an unrelated consent order from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation over its customer compliance management.Analysts at Citigroup say the regulatory issues may have prompted the sale.“We are surprised that DFS would sell, but suppose that its regulatory challenges such as its recent October FDIC consent order and the card product misclassification issue may have opened the door for the board to consider strategic alternatives that it may not have in the past,” wrote analysts Arren Cyganovich and Kaili Wang in a note to clients.It's unclear whether the deal will pass regulatory scrutiny. Nearly every bank issues a credit card to customers but few companies are credit card companies first, and banks second. Both Discover — which was long ago the Sears Card — and Capital One started off as credit card companies that expanded into other financial offerings like checking and savings accounts.Consumer groups are expected to put heavy pressure on the Biden Administration to make sure the deal is good for consumers as well as shareholders.“The deal also poses massive anti-trust concerns, given the vertical integration of Capital One’s credit card lending with Discover’s credit card network,” said Jesse Van Tol, president and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

$35 billion deal: 2 of the largest credit card companies to merge

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels that damaged a Belize-flagged ship traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden has forced the crew to abandon the vessel, authorities said Monday. Another ship reportedly came twice under attack in the Gulf of Aden.

The Iran-backed Houthis also claimed they shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, something not immediately acknowledged by U.S. forces in the region. However, the Houthis have downed U.S. drones before.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military said it was conducting new airstrikes targeting the rebels, including one that targeted the first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthis-red-sea-eisenhower-carrier-yemen-ad3a711299759de23627f6daa17f45d6">Houthi underwater drone</a>&nbsp;seen since they began launching attacks on international shipping in November.

The ship targeted in the Houthi attack on Sunday reported sustaining damage after “an explosion in close proximity to the vessel,” the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported.

“Military authorities report crew have abandoned the vessel,” the UKMTO said. “Vessel at anchor and all crew are safe.”

Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree issued a statement claiming the attack, saying the vessel later sunk.

There was no independent confirmation the vessel sank.

“The ship suffered catastrophic damages and came to a complete halt,” Saree said. “During the operation, we made sure that the ship’s crew exited safely.”

The private security firm Ambrey reported the British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo ship had been on its way to Bulgaria after leaving Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates.

Ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic.com analyzed by The Associated Press identified the vessel targeted as the Rubymar. Its Beirut-based manager could not be reached for comment.

The Houthis later also identified the ship as the Rubymar, as did the U.S. military's Central Command.

Central Command said the attack involved two anti-ship ballistic missiles, which saw one struck the Rubymar.

Ambrey described the ship as being partially laden with cargo, but it wasn't immediately clear what it had been carrying. The ship had turned off its Automatic Identification System tracker while in the Persian Gulf early this month.

Later Monday, the UKMTO and Ambrey said a second vessel came under attack in the Gulf of Aden. Ambrey described the vessel as a Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier bound for Aden, Yemen, and carrying grain from Argentina. The same ship then came under attack again, later in the day.

Those details, combined with ship-tracking data, identified the vessel as the Sea Champion. Its managers could not be immediately reached. The Houthis later claimed the attack, but instead said it targeted a second vessel other than the Sea Champion in that assault.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>. They have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-missile-houthi-rebels-attack-bab-elmandeb-strait-999b911c916f9266c07a6d29cc020e9e">Those vessels have included at least one with cargo for Iran</a>, its main benefactor.

In a separate attack, Saree also claimed that Houthi forces shot down an MQ-9 drone near Yemen's port city of Hodeida on the Red Sea. He offered no evidence for the claim.

The Houthi “air defenses were able to shoot down an American plane — MQ-9 — with a suitable missile while it was carrying out hostile missions against our country on behalf of the Zionist entity,” Saree said.

The U.S. military did not immediately confirm the loss of any drones in the region. However, the Houthis have surface-to-air missile systems capable of shooting down high-flying American drones. In November, the Pentagon acknowledged the loss of an MQ-9, shot down by the rebels over the Red Sea.

Since Yemen's Houthi rebels seized the country's north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the U.S. military has lost four drones to shootdowns by the rebels — in 2017, 2019 and this year.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military's Central Command reported it carried out five airstrikes targeting Houthi military equipment. Those strikes targeted mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, an explosive-carrying drone boat and an “unmanned underwater vessel,” Central Command said.

“This is the first observed Houthi employment of a UUV since attacks began in Oct. 23,” Central Command said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703248865569.png" alt="photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels that damaged a Belize-flagged ship traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden has forced the crew to abandon the vessel, authorities said Monday. Another ship reportedly came twice under attack in the Gulf of Aden.The Iran-backed Houthis also claimed they shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, something not immediately acknowledged by U.S. forces in the region. However, the Houthis have downed U.S. drones before.Meanwhile, the U.S. military said it was conducting new airstrikes targeting the rebels, including one that targeted the first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthis-red-sea-eisenhower-carrier-yemen-ad3a711299759de23627f6daa17f45d6">Houthi underwater drone</a>&nbsp;seen since they began launching attacks on international shipping in November.The ship targeted in the Houthi attack on Sunday reported sustaining damage after “an explosion in close proximity to the vessel,” the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported.“Military authorities report crew have abandoned the vessel,” the UKMTO said. “Vessel at anchor and all crew are safe.”Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree issued a statement claiming the attack, saying the vessel later sunk.There was no independent confirmation the vessel sank.“The ship suffered catastrophic damages and came to a complete halt,” Saree said. “During the operation, we made sure that the ship’s crew exited safely.”The private security firm Ambrey reported the British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo ship had been on its way to Bulgaria after leaving Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates.Ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic.com analyzed by The Associated Press identified the vessel targeted as the Rubymar. Its Beirut-based manager could not be reached for comment.The Houthis later also identified the ship as the Rubymar, as did the U.S. military's Central Command.Central Command said the attack involved two anti-ship ballistic missiles, which saw one struck the Rubymar.Ambrey described the ship as being partially laden with cargo, but it wasn't immediately clear what it had been carrying. The ship had turned off its Automatic Identification System tracker while in the Persian Gulf early this month.Later Monday, the UKMTO and Ambrey said a second vessel came under attack in the Gulf of Aden. Ambrey described the vessel as a Greek-flagged, U.S.-owned bulk carrier bound for Aden, Yemen, and carrying grain from Argentina. The same ship then came under attack again, later in the day.Those details, combined with ship-tracking data, identified the vessel as the Sea Champion. Its managers could not be immediately reached. The Houthis later claimed the attack, but instead said it targeted a second vessel other than the Sea Champion in that assault.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war targeting Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>. They have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-missile-houthi-rebels-attack-bab-elmandeb-strait-999b911c916f9266c07a6d29cc020e9e">Those vessels have included at least one with cargo for Iran</a>, its main benefactor.In a separate attack, Saree also claimed that Houthi forces shot down an MQ-9 drone near Yemen's port city of Hodeida on the Red Sea. He offered no evidence for the claim.The Houthi “air defenses were able to shoot down an American plane — MQ-9 — with a suitable missile while it was carrying out hostile missions against our country on behalf of the Zionist entity,” Saree said.The U.S. military did not immediately confirm the loss of any drones in the region. However, the Houthis have surface-to-air missile systems capable of shooting down high-flying American drones. In November, the Pentagon acknowledged the loss of an MQ-9, shot down by the rebels over the Red Sea.Since Yemen's Houthi rebels seized the country's north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the U.S. military has lost four drones to shootdowns by the rebels — in 2017, 2019 and this year.Meanwhile, the U.S. military's Central Command reported it carried out five airstrikes targeting Houthi military equipment. Those strikes targeted mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, an explosive-carrying drone boat and an “unmanned underwater vessel,” Central Command said.“This is the first observed Houthi employment of a UUV since attacks began in Oct. 23,” Central Command said.

Iran-backed rebels using new weapon against U.S. warships in Red Sea

LINCOLN, NEB. – U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer has earned the endorsement of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Policitcal Action Committee (NEFB-PAC). Fischer, who is seeking reelection to the U.S. Senate, received the endorsement based on her tireless work on several policy issues of high priority to Nebraska farm and ranch families, according to Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) President Mark McHargue.

“Sen. Fischer truly understands the needs of farmers and ranchers and has worked on several key issues of interest to our members. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Sen. Fischer gives Nebraska a top spot on the main committee focused on the many issues facing farm and ranch families. We are excited to provide our support as she seeks re-election,” said Mark McHargue, NEFB president.

Sen. Fischer has a proven track record of working for agriculture and Nebraska’s rural communities. She helped lead the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill and continues to work on the next Farm Bill. Sen. Fischer has been agriculture’s champion in the fight to reduce the regulatory burdens on farmers and ranchers, protect livestock producers from burdensome air emission reporting requirements, and ensure year-round access to E-15 ethanol.

“We are also thankful to Sen. Fischer for her continued push to provide support for precision agriculture and her commitment to secure funding for the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture research center at Nebraska Innovation Campus. The implementation of precision technologies by farmers and ranchers will result in a more sustainable future for our country's food producers, both in terms of the environment and the economy.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her work on the Senate Appropriations Committee has helped place Nebraska as a global frontrunner in agricultural research,” said McHargue.

Sen. Fischer led the way in working to update cattle marketing regulations and continues to defend Nebraska growers’ access to markets around the world by advocating for trade deals which benefit agriculture. She also remains a steadfast supporter of updating our nation’s transportation and broadband infrastructure including supporting a package that provided needed funding for roads, bridges, and dams, $405 million in broadband funding for Nebraska, and&nbsp;offered a significant regulatory Hours of Service change for livestock and insect haulers.

“Sen. Fischer has proven herself to be an advocate for agriculture and we appreciate her ongoing efforts to serve Nebraska’s farm and ranch families. We look forward to continuing working with Sen. Fischer to enhance Nebraska agriculture and enrich the lives of all Nebraskans,” said McHargue.

Sen. Fischer earned the NEFB-PAC endorsement based on results of NEFB’s grassroots selection process, which involves gathering input from local County Farm Bureaus across the state.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

Nebraska Farm BureauLINCOLN, NEB. – U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer has earned the endorsement of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Policitcal Action Committee (NEFB-PAC). Fischer, who is seeking reelection to the U.S. Senate, received the endorsement based on her tireless work on several policy issues of high priority to Nebraska farm and ranch families, according to Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) President Mark McHargue.“Sen. Fischer truly understands the needs of farmers and ranchers and has worked on several key issues of interest to our members. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Sen. Fischer gives Nebraska a top spot on the main committee focused on the many issues facing farm and ranch families. We are excited to provide our support as she seeks re-election,” said Mark McHargue, NEFB president.Sen. Fischer has a proven track record of working for agriculture and Nebraska’s rural communities. She helped lead the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill and continues to work on the next Farm Bill. Sen. Fischer has been agriculture’s champion in the fight to reduce the regulatory burdens on farmers and ranchers, protect livestock producers from burdensome air emission reporting requirements, and ensure year-round access to E-15 ethanol.“We are also thankful to Sen. Fischer for her continued push to provide support for precision agriculture and her commitment to secure funding for the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture research center at Nebraska Innovation Campus. The implementation of precision technologies by farmers and ranchers will result in a more sustainable future for our country's food producers, both in terms of the environment and the economy.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her work on the Senate Appropriations Committee has helped place Nebraska as a global frontrunner in agricultural research,” said McHargue.Sen. Fischer led the way in working to update cattle marketing regulations and continues to defend Nebraska growers’ access to markets around the world by advocating for trade deals which benefit agriculture. She also remains a steadfast supporter of updating our nation’s transportation and broadband infrastructure including supporting a package that provided needed funding for roads, bridges, and dams, $405 million in broadband funding for Nebraska, and&nbsp;offered a significant regulatory Hours of Service change for livestock and insect haulers.“Sen. Fischer has proven herself to be an advocate for agriculture and we appreciate her ongoing efforts to serve Nebraska’s farm and ranch families. We look forward to continuing working with Sen. Fischer to enhance Nebraska agriculture and enrich the lives of all Nebraskans,” said McHargue.Sen. Fischer earned the NEFB-PAC endorsement based on results of NEFB’s grassroots selection process, which involves gathering input from local County Farm Bureaus across the state.The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

U.S. Sen. Fischer Earns Nebraska Farm Bureau Endorsement

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-lawmaker-seeks-to-expand-medicaid-coverage-to-include-obesity/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;A Nebraska lawmaker looks to expand Medicaid coverage to include obesity, an effort he described Thursday as seeking to tackle the “root cause” of other ailments.

State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, through&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55135">Legislative Bill 907</a>, seeks to expand coverage for intensive behavioral therapy and anti-obesity medications. The medications, prescribed in conjunction with diet and exercise changes, would be part of a tiered approach in addressing a chronic disease that affects more than 30% of Nebraskans.

“It’s just one more tool in the toolbox,” Riepe told the Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday.

Anti-obesity medications&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-medication-chronic-weight-management#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Food%20and,weight%2Drelated%20condition%20(such%20as">approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;are eligible for use by patients with obesity who have body mass indexes of 30 or greater, or those with a BMI of 27 or greater and at least one or more comorbidity.

Dr. Brianna Johnson-Rabbett, board certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes, metabolism and obesity medicine, was one of two representatives of the Nebraska Medical Association to testify in support.&nbsp;

Obesity has more than 200 comorbidities and is related to many other diseases, including:

She said excess weight is not due to a failure of will power for the chronic disease but due to “clear biological underpinnings.”

Annual obesity-related medical costs nationwide were estimated at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html">almost $173 billion</a>&nbsp;in 2019. Johnson-Rabbett said this does not account for costly productivity losses, estimated at additional billions of dollars.

“Excluding anti-obesity medications for Medicaid coverage only serves to widen health care disparities that already exist,” Johnson-Rabbett testified.

Samantha Pederson, a physician assistant whose patient population is almost exclusively adults with weight-related diseases, suggested LB 907 should be amended to clarify and define obesity as a documented BMI equal to or greater than 30.&nbsp;

She also encouraged lawmakers to work with economists to determine an appropriate value to negotiate with drug manufacturers for newer, more expensive therapies.

“I believe an investment in obesity treatment would benefit patients, taxpayers and society in the long run,” Pederson said.

LB 907 includes a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_fiscal.php?DocumentID=55135">fiscal note</a>&nbsp;from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services of about $300 million in the first two years, though a high-end estimate, without best practices in providing care or determining Medicaid eligibility, could cost up to $500 million annually.

Riepe, using federal mandated rebates and an “ambitious” estimate of 33% of eligible Nebraskans using the coverage, said he believes that his bill would cost $3.6 million annually.

The Nebraska Obesity Society “emphatically” endorsed LB 907 in a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/LB907-NOS-Letter.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;joined by 67 health care providers, including Pederson. It states expanded Medicaid coverage would be a “proactive and necessary step” in addressing obesity, a public health crisis.

“Not every patient needs every tool in the obesity treatment toolbox,” the letter from the Nebraska Obesity Society states, “but when patients don’t have access to them, our hands as providers are effectively tied, and we are left to watch as more health complications of obesity develop.”&nbsp;

No one testified in opposition to LB 907. The committee took no immediate action.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708352075765.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston. May 25, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston. May 25, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-lawmaker-seeks-to-expand-medicaid-coverage-to-include-obesity/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;A Nebraska lawmaker looks to expand Medicaid coverage to include obesity, an effort he described Thursday as seeking to tackle the “root cause” of other ailments.State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, through&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55135">Legislative Bill 907</a>, seeks to expand coverage for intensive behavioral therapy and anti-obesity medications. The medications, prescribed in conjunction with diet and exercise changes, would be part of a tiered approach in addressing a chronic disease that affects more than 30% of Nebraskans.“It’s just one more tool in the toolbox,” Riepe told the Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday.Anti-obesity medications&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-medication-chronic-weight-management#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Food%20and,weight%2Drelated%20condition%20(such%20as">approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;are eligible for use by patients with obesity who have body mass indexes of 30 or greater, or those with a BMI of 27 or greater and at least one or more comorbidity.<h2>A costly, chronic disease</h2>Dr. Brianna Johnson-Rabbett, board certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes, metabolism and obesity medicine, was one of two representatives of the Nebraska Medical Association to testify in support.&nbsp;<h2>Obesity-related diseases</h2>Obesity has more than 200 comorbidities and is related to many other diseases, including:<ul>
 <li>Diabetes.</li><li>Heart disease, failure or hypertension.</li><li>More than 15 cancers, such as ovarian, thyroid and pancreatic.</li><li>Osteoarthritis or osteoporosis.</li><li>Hernias.</li><li>Yeast infections.</li><li>Carpal tunnel syndrome.</li><li>Depression or anxiety.</li><li>Asthma.</li><li>Recurrent miscarriage.</li><li>Preterm births.</li><li>Congenital abnormalities in newborns, such as spina bifida and neural tube defects.</li><li>Low birth weights or childhood obesity.</li>
 </ul>Source: Nebraska Obesity SocietyShe said excess weight is not due to a failure of will power for the chronic disease but due to “clear biological underpinnings.”Annual obesity-related medical costs nationwide were estimated at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html">almost $173 billion</a>&nbsp;in 2019. Johnson-Rabbett said this does not account for costly productivity losses, estimated at additional billions of dollars.“Excluding anti-obesity medications for Medicaid coverage only serves to widen health care disparities that already exist,” Johnson-Rabbett testified.<h2>Long-run benefits</h2>Samantha Pederson, a physician assistant whose patient population is almost exclusively adults with weight-related diseases, suggested LB 907 should be amended to clarify and define obesity as a documented BMI equal to or greater than 30.&nbsp;She also encouraged lawmakers to work with economists to determine an appropriate value to negotiate with drug manufacturers for newer, more expensive therapies.“I believe an investment in obesity treatment would benefit patients, taxpayers and society in the long run,” Pederson said.<h2>‘Proactive and necessary step’</h2>LB 907 includes a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_fiscal.php?DocumentID=55135">fiscal note</a>&nbsp;from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services of about $300 million in the first two years, though a high-end estimate, without best practices in providing care or determining Medicaid eligibility, could cost up to $500 million annually.Riepe, using federal mandated rebates and an “ambitious” estimate of 33% of eligible Nebraskans using the coverage, said he believes that his bill would cost $3.6 million annually.The Nebraska Obesity Society “emphatically” endorsed LB 907 in a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/LB907-NOS-Letter.pdf">letter</a>&nbsp;joined by 67 health care providers, including Pederson. It states expanded Medicaid coverage would be a “proactive and necessary step” in addressing obesity, a public health crisis.“Not every patient needs every tool in the obesity treatment toolbox,” the letter from the Nebraska Obesity Society states, “but when patients don’t have access to them, our hands as providers are effectively tied, and we are left to watch as more health complications of obesity develop.”&nbsp;No one testified in opposition to LB 907. The committee took no immediate action.

Nebraska lawmaker seeks to expand Medicaid coverage to include obesity

LINCOLN, NEB. – U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts has received the official endorsement by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Political Action Committee (NEFB-PAC). Ricketts is seeking election to the U.S. Senate and earned the endorsement based on his long record of delivering for Nebraska’s agricultural producers, according to Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.

“Sen. Pete Ricketts is a leader who understands the importance of agriculture to our state’s economy and the importance of keeping farmers and ranchers on their land. We’re supporting Sen. Ricketts because of his record of leadership and results,” said Mark McHargue, NEFB president.

Sen. Ricketts strongly supports growing markets for Nebraska’s agricultural products by expanding agricultural trade, working tirelessly to open new markets during his time as governor of Nebraska. He currently sits on the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee, which holds authority over the EPA. This role places Sen. Ricketts in a significant position to oppose onerous EPA regulations, such as Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, new regulations on pesticides, and new climate regulations.

Sen. Ricketts has led the fight against the Biden administration’s 30x30 initiative and has consistently worked to lower the tax burden on Nebraska farm and ranch families.

“Sen. Ricketts has demonstrated his support for agriculture time and time again, and we value his dedication to serving the farm and ranch families of Nebraska. We’re proud to endorse Sen. Ricketts and look forward to continued work with him the Senate,” said McHargue.

Sen. Ricketts earned the NEFB-PAC endorsement based on results of NEFB’s grassroots selection process, which involves gathering input from local County Farm Bureaus across the state.

Nebraska Farm BureauLINCOLN, NEB. – U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts has received the official endorsement by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Political Action Committee (NEFB-PAC). Ricketts is seeking election to the U.S. Senate and earned the endorsement based on his long record of delivering for Nebraska’s agricultural producers, according to Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.“Sen. Pete Ricketts is a leader who understands the importance of agriculture to our state’s economy and the importance of keeping farmers and ranchers on their land. We’re supporting Sen. Ricketts because of his record of leadership and results,” said Mark McHargue, NEFB president.Sen. Ricketts strongly supports growing markets for Nebraska’s agricultural products by expanding agricultural trade, working tirelessly to open new markets during his time as governor of Nebraska. He currently sits on the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee, which holds authority over the EPA. This role places Sen. Ricketts in a significant position to oppose onerous EPA regulations, such as Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, new regulations on pesticides, and new climate regulations.Sen. Ricketts has led the fight against the Biden administration’s 30x30 initiative and has consistently worked to lower the tax burden on Nebraska farm and ranch families.“Sen. Ricketts has demonstrated his support for agriculture time and time again, and we value his dedication to serving the farm and ranch families of Nebraska. We’re proud to endorse Sen. Ricketts and look forward to continued work with him the Senate,” said McHargue.Sen. Ricketts earned the NEFB-PAC endorsement based on results of NEFB’s grassroots selection process, which involves gathering input from local County Farm Bureaus across the state.The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

Nebraska Farm Bureau Endorses Pete Ricketts for U.S. Senate   

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration redesignation of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen as specially designated global terrorists went into effect over the weekend, according to the U.S. Department of State.

The move was announced by the White House 30 day ago and comes as the Houthis continue to launch attacks.&nbsp; Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s offensive in Gaza</a>. They have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe.

&nbsp;According to a statement from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan:

"These attacks fit the textbook definition of terrorism.&nbsp; They have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized global trade, and threatened freedom of navigation."

"The United States and the international community have been united in our response and in condemning these attacks in the strongest terms."

"The designation was delayed 30 days, to allow us to ensure robust humanitarian carve outs are in place so our action targets the Houthis and not the people of Yemen. We are rolling out unprecedented carve outs and licenses to help prevent adverse impacts on the Yemeni people," according to Sullivan.

Meanwhile, between 3 and 8:00 p.m. (Sanaa time), Saturday U.S. forces successfully conducted five self-defense strikes against three mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, one unmanned underwater vessel (UUV), and one unmanned surface vessel (USV) in Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. This is the first observed Houthi employment of a UUV since attacks began in Oct. 23.

CENTCOM identified the anti-ship cruise missiles, unmanned underwater vessel, and the unmanned surface vessel in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698021282699.png" alt="File Sec. of State Antony Blinken and President Biden -photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File Sec. of State Antony Blinken and President Biden -photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The Biden administration redesignation of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen as specially designated global terrorists went into effect over the weekend, according to the U.S. Department of State.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708226450978.png" alt="The official designation was delayed 30 days for humanitarian reasons." />
 <figcaption>The official designation was delayed 30 days for humanitarian reasons.</figcaption>
 </figure>The move was announced by the White House 30 day ago and comes as the Houthis continue to launch attacks.&nbsp; Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s offensive in Gaza</a>. They have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe.&nbsp;According to a statement from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan:"These attacks fit the textbook definition of terrorism.&nbsp; They have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized global trade, and threatened freedom of navigation.""The United States and the international community have been united in our response and in condemning these attacks in the strongest terms.""The designation was delayed 30 days, to allow us to ensure robust humanitarian carve outs are in place so our action targets the Houthis and not the people of Yemen. We are rolling out unprecedented carve outs and licenses to help prevent adverse impacts on the Yemeni people," according to Sullivan.Meanwhile, between 3 and 8:00 p.m. (Sanaa time), Saturday U.S. forces successfully conducted five self-defense strikes against three mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, one unmanned underwater vessel (UUV), and one unmanned surface vessel (USV) in Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. This is the first observed Houthi employment of a UUV since attacks began in Oct. 23.CENTCOM identified the anti-ship cruise missiles, unmanned underwater vessel, and the unmanned surface vessel in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.&nbsp;

US designation of Houthis as terror group now in effect  

KANSAS CITY (AP) — How much choice is too much?

Apparently for Coca-Cola, it's about 400 different types of drinks.

That's why the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/coca-cola-laying-off-2-200-workers-as-it-pares-brands-e3364940775d662b92f78fb97c8af5da">beverage company recently decided to discontinue half of them</a>, shedding brands like Tab, Zico coconut water, Diet Coke Feisty Cherry and Odwalla juices but still leaving about 200 others to choose from.

It's a move that other businesses are making as well, reducing the variety of offerings from mayonnaise to cereals to cars and instead focusing on what they think will sell best.

Stew Leonard’s, a supermarket chain that operates stores in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, now has 24 cereal flavors or types, down from 49 in 2019. Edgewell Personal Care Co., the maker of Schick razors and Banana Boat suntan lotion, has trimmed certain varieties of its anti-bacteria wipes Wet Ones, among others. And Dollar General, based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, used to stock six different kinds of mayonnaise on its shelves and is now looking to drop a couple of them.

“The consumer is not going to know the difference,” Todd J. Vasos, CEO of Dollar General, told analysts in December. “Actually, it’s going to make her life a little simpler when she goes to the shelf.”

Just a year ago, Kohl's store in Clifton, New Jersey had tables stacked high with sweaters and shirts in a rainbow of colors as well as dress racks crammed with a wide assortment of styles. Now, it boasts a more edited approach — tables have slim piles of knit shirts that focus on fewer colors, and many dress racks have been reduced to just three or four styles.

Under its new CEO Tom Kingsbury, Kohl's has been cutting back on the colors and variations of sweaters, jeans and other items, while sending their buyers into the New York market more frequently to bring in fresh trendy merchandise.

“We would go out, and we would buy a lot of goods and it would come in 12, 14 months later, and it didn’t perform very well,” Kingsbury told analysts in a call in November. “We're going to be using the marketplace, so that we can react to the business quickly, getting into trends.”

“It’s pretty organized,” said Kimberly Ribeiro, 30, who was at the Kohl's store on a recent Friday. “If it’s not so cluttered, then you don’t get overwhelmed.”

Even in the auto world, shoppers are finding fewer choices. Both General Motors and Ford have been touting how they are limiting the number of option combinations customers can get on their vehicles to reduce manufacturing and purchasing complexity.

That's a reversal from a few years ago when there was an explosion of choices, encouraged in part by online shopping that paid no mind to space constraints. But that didn't always lead to sales so companies started pruning selections a year or two before the pandemic.

During the pandemic, the pruning only accelerated, with companies focusing on necessities as they wrestled with supply chain clogs. But even after the pandemic, when goods began moving freely again, many businesses decided less was better and justified the limited selection by asserting shoppers don't want so much choice. It's also more profitable for companies because they're not carrying over as many leftovers that need to be discounted.

Overall, new items accounted for about 2% of products in stores in 2023 across categories such as beauty, footwear, technology and toys, down from 5% of items in 2019, says market-research firm Circana.

Eric O’Toole, president of Edgewell’s North America division, noted the pandemic presented “a really valuable stimulus” for reassessing assortment.

“We avoid jumping on fads, as the supply chain and retailer costs required to support getting to shelf typically don’t generate a return in the end," O'Toole said. "A tighter, more curated portfolio supports healthy profit management. ”

Many think they're also doing shoppers a favor, with studies showing that fewer choices, not lots of variety, actually encourage shoppers to buy more.

In 2000, psychologists Sheena Lyengar and Mark Lepper published a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMCOlPLXb9s">study</a>&nbsp;that showed limited selection is better for the shopper. In their experiment, Lyengar and Lepper found consumers were 10 times more likely to purchase jam on display when the number of jams available was cut down from 24 to 6 even though they were more likely to stop at the display offering more selection. Subsequent studies have confirmed this phenomenon.

“Retailers are recognizing that they have to be respectful of shoppers' time,” said Paco Underhill whose company, Envirosell, studies consumer behavior.

Still, retailers can't just slash products willy-nilly, said David Berliner, who leads the business restructuring and turnaround practice at BDO.

“You want to make these cuts so they’re not even aware of it, and you want the store to still look full," Berliner said. “If you do it too much, you might scare some away."

Berliner also believes reducing variety may also hurt smaller brands who relied on retailers to offer different products — and will send shoppers like Bob Friedland to other competitors.

The 48-year-old communications consultant from Little Falls, New Jersey said that for years, his go-to barbecue sauce has been Open Pit. But Friedland noticed that over the past few years, his local grocers hadn't been carrying it, and he's since turned to Amazon to buy it. That means those local stores not only lost out on Open Pit sales to Friedland. but all the other purchases he used to make while shopping for his favorite barbecue sauce.

“I really don’t love the idea of a retailer telling me what I should and should not be interested in,” Friedland said. “I like variety. I like specific brands.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) — How much choice is too much?Apparently for Coca-Cola, it's about 400 different types of drinks.That's why the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/coca-cola-laying-off-2-200-workers-as-it-pares-brands-e3364940775d662b92f78fb97c8af5da">beverage company recently decided to discontinue half of them</a>, shedding brands like Tab, Zico coconut water, Diet Coke Feisty Cherry and Odwalla juices but still leaving about 200 others to choose from.It's a move that other businesses are making as well, reducing the variety of offerings from mayonnaise to cereals to cars and instead focusing on what they think will sell best.Stew Leonard’s, a supermarket chain that operates stores in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, now has 24 cereal flavors or types, down from 49 in 2019. Edgewell Personal Care Co., the maker of Schick razors and Banana Boat suntan lotion, has trimmed certain varieties of its anti-bacteria wipes Wet Ones, among others. And Dollar General, based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, used to stock six different kinds of mayonnaise on its shelves and is now looking to drop a couple of them.“The consumer is not going to know the difference,” Todd J. Vasos, CEO of Dollar General, told analysts in December. “Actually, it’s going to make her life a little simpler when she goes to the shelf.”Just a year ago, Kohl's store in Clifton, New Jersey had tables stacked high with sweaters and shirts in a rainbow of colors as well as dress racks crammed with a wide assortment of styles. Now, it boasts a more edited approach — tables have slim piles of knit shirts that focus on fewer colors, and many dress racks have been reduced to just three or four styles.Under its new CEO Tom Kingsbury, Kohl's has been cutting back on the colors and variations of sweaters, jeans and other items, while sending their buyers into the New York market more frequently to bring in fresh trendy merchandise.“We would go out, and we would buy a lot of goods and it would come in 12, 14 months later, and it didn’t perform very well,” Kingsbury told analysts in a call in November. “We're going to be using the marketplace, so that we can react to the business quickly, getting into trends.”Some customers like the changes so far.“It’s pretty organized,” said Kimberly Ribeiro, 30, who was at the Kohl's store on a recent Friday. “If it’s not so cluttered, then you don’t get overwhelmed.”Even in the auto world, shoppers are finding fewer choices. Both General Motors and Ford have been touting how they are limiting the number of option combinations customers can get on their vehicles to reduce manufacturing and purchasing complexity.That's a reversal from a few years ago when there was an explosion of choices, encouraged in part by online shopping that paid no mind to space constraints. But that didn't always lead to sales so companies started pruning selections a year or two before the pandemic.During the pandemic, the pruning only accelerated, with companies focusing on necessities as they wrestled with supply chain clogs. But even after the pandemic, when goods began moving freely again, many businesses decided less was better and justified the limited selection by asserting shoppers don't want so much choice. It's also more profitable for companies because they're not carrying over as many leftovers that need to be discounted.Overall, new items accounted for about 2% of products in stores in 2023 across categories such as beauty, footwear, technology and toys, down from 5% of items in 2019, says market-research firm Circana.Eric O’Toole, president of Edgewell’s North America division, noted the pandemic presented “a really valuable stimulus” for reassessing assortment.“We avoid jumping on fads, as the supply chain and retailer costs required to support getting to shelf typically don’t generate a return in the end," O'Toole said. "A tighter, more curated portfolio supports healthy profit management. ”Many think they're also doing shoppers a favor, with studies showing that fewer choices, not lots of variety, actually encourage shoppers to buy more.In 2000, psychologists Sheena Lyengar and Mark Lepper published a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMCOlPLXb9s">study</a>&nbsp;that showed limited selection is better for the shopper. In their experiment, Lyengar and Lepper found consumers were 10 times more likely to purchase jam on display when the number of jams available was cut down from 24 to 6 even though they were more likely to stop at the display offering more selection. Subsequent studies have confirmed this phenomenon.“Retailers are recognizing that they have to be respectful of shoppers' time,” said Paco Underhill whose company, Envirosell, studies consumer behavior.Still, retailers can't just slash products willy-nilly, said David Berliner, who leads the business restructuring and turnaround practice at BDO.“You want to make these cuts so they’re not even aware of it, and you want the store to still look full," Berliner said. “If you do it too much, you might scare some away."Berliner also believes reducing variety may also hurt smaller brands who relied on retailers to offer different products — and will send shoppers like Bob Friedland to other competitors.The 48-year-old communications consultant from Little Falls, New Jersey said that for years, his go-to barbecue sauce has been Open Pit. But Friedland noticed that over the past few years, his local grocers hadn't been carrying it, and he's since turned to Amazon to buy it. That means those local stores not only lost out on Open Pit sales to Friedland. but all the other purchases he used to make while shopping for his favorite barbecue sauce.“I really don’t love the idea of a retailer telling me what I should and should not be interested in,” Friedland said. “I like variety. I like specific brands.”

Less is more? Consumers have fewer choices as brands prune their offerings

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — As he closes in on the Republican presidential nomination,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" target="_blank">former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;made a highly unusual stop Saturday, hawking new Trump-branded sneakers at “Sneaker Con,” a gathering that bills itself as the “The Greatest Sneaker Show on Earth.”

Trump was met with loud boos as well as cheers at the Philadelphia Convention Center as he introduced what he called the first official <a href="https://gettrumpsneakers.com/">Trump footwear.</a>

The shoes, shiny gold high tops with an American flag detail on the back, are being sold as “Never Surrender High-Tops” for $399 on a new <a href="https://gettrumpsneakers.com/">website </a>that also sells other Trump-branded shoes and “Victory47” cologne and perfume for $99 a bottle. He’d be the 47th president if elected again.

<a href="https://gettrumpsneakers.com/">The website says</a> it has no connection to Trump’s campaign, though Trump campaign officials promoted the appearance in online posts.

The unannounced launch came a day after a judge in New York&nbsp;ordered Trump and his company to pay a whopping $355 million in penalties, finding that the former president lied about his wealth for years, scheming to dupe banks, insurers and others by inflating his wealth on financial statements.

<a href="https://thehill.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/452564_2022_PEOPLE_OF_THE_STATE_OF_v_PEOPLE_OF_THE_STATE_OF_DECISION_AFTER_TRIAL_1688-1.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the Judge's ruling

That penalty came after Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-defamation-trial-e4ea8b93cdeb29857864ffd8d14be888" target="_blank">ordered to pay an additional $83.3 million</a>&nbsp;to the writer E. Jean Carroll for damaging her reputation after she accused him of sexual assault. With interest payments,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-carroll-fines-82d423b8e7a7f9a32470729c5f4410e5" target="_blank">Trump’s legal debts might now exceed a half-billion dollars</a>&nbsp;— an amount it is unclear he can afford to pay.

Trump’s appearance was met with clashing boos from his detractors and chants of “USA!” from supporters who arrived at the sneaker event decked out in Trump gear. The dueling chants made it difficult, at times, to hear Trump speak.

Some had been given signs that read “SNEAKERHEADS LOVE TRUMP.”

“There’s a lot of emotion in this room,” Trump said of the reaction, after holding up and showing off a pair of gold shoes, then placing one on each side of his podium.

“This is something that I’ve been talking about for 12 years, 13 years. And I think it’s going to be a big success,” he said.

As he spoke, the smell of weed occasionally wafted through the room.

Some of those who attended said they were unaware Trump would be there, and continued to shop as a crowd gathered around the stage. Many in the audience said they were not from the city and instead hailed from nearby states and Washington, D.C.

The attendees skewed younger and more diverse than Trump’s usual rally crowds. Trump’s campaign is hoping he will be able to win over more young and minority voters, particularly young Black men, in a likely rematch against President Joe Biden in November.

This isn’t the first money-making venture Trump has announced since launching his third campaign for the White House in 2022. Trump last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-financial-disclosure-filing-social-media-de11cc60d72365b01cc58f790c6005a8" target="_blank">reported making between $100,000 and $1 million from a series of digital trading cards</a>&nbsp;that portrayed him, through photo editing, in a series of cartoon-like images, including as an astronaut, a cowboy and a superhero. He has also released books featuring photos of his time in office and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-book-letters-oprah-bolsonaro-17e857db2d7c5f620ce5860f56d93fa0" target="_blank">letters written to him</a>&nbsp;through the years.

Before he ran for office, Trump hawked everything from steaks to vodka to a venture he called “Trump University.”

The new sneaker website says it is run by CIC Ventures LLC, a company that Trump reported owning in his 2023 financial disclosure. The website states the new venture “is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign.”

Still, it describes the sneakers as a limited-edition, numbered “true collector’s item” that is “Bold, gold, and tough, just like President Trump.”

“The Never Surrender sneakers are your rally cry in shoe form,” the description reads. “Lace-up and step out ready to conquer.”

A Trump spokesman did not respond to questions about the event, including whether Trump was paid to attend.

Among those in the crowd were Jonathen Santiago, 21, and Danea Mitchell, 20, Trump supporters who drove from Monroe County in the northeastern part of the state for the sneaker event. They said they were excited to see the former president and praised how he interacted with the crowd. They also had kind words for the sneakers.

“The red bottoms were a really nice touch,” Mitchell said.

She shrugged when asked about Trump’s legal troubles. “I think it’ll be an interesting four years if he’s found guilty, but I have no doubt he’ll be president,” she said.

Also in attendance was a group of “cheer moms” from New Jersey who said they were in town for a cheerleading event and decided to stop by for a chance to see Trump.

Karla Burke, 48, said she heard some people booing and making noise, but that most people around her had been supporters. “At the front was a different vibe,” she said.

As for Friday’s penalty in Trump’s civil fraud trial, Burke said it doesn’t change her support. “I think it was unfair,” she said. “They’re just going after him so he’s not the Republican candidate.”

Biden-Harris 2024 Communications Director Michael Tyler slammed the appearance, saying: “Donald Trump showing up to hawk bootleg Off-Whites is the closest he’ll get to any Air Force Ones ever again for the rest of his life.”

Trump flew from Philadelphia to Michigan, where he held a rally in the suburbs of Detroit and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-michigan-2024-campaign-fraud-ruling-f264eac7cbba97c4e83919642d42bc97" target="_blank">railed against Friday’s judgment</a>, which he has vowed to appeal. Both Pennsylvania and Michigan are expected to be critical battleground states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708263577122.png" alt="Photo by Margo Martin, Donald Trump for President Deputy Director of Communications" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Margo Martin, Donald Trump for President Deputy Director of Communications</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — As he closes in on the Republican presidential nomination,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" target="_blank">former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;made a highly unusual stop Saturday, hawking new Trump-branded sneakers at “Sneaker Con,” a gathering that bills itself as the “The Greatest Sneaker Show on Earth.”Trump was met with loud boos as well as cheers at the Philadelphia Convention Center as he introduced what he called the first official <a href="https://gettrumpsneakers.com/">Trump footwear.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump takes the stage at <a href="https://twitter.com/SneakerCon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SneakerCon</a> with GOLD sneakers in hand!! <a href="https://t.co/XUrrmpmxio">pic.twitter.com/XUrrmpmxio</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@margommartin) <a href="https://twitter.com/margommartin/status/1758958014080438720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The shoes, shiny gold high tops with an American flag detail on the back, are being sold as “Never Surrender High-Tops” for $399 on a new <a href="https://gettrumpsneakers.com/">website </a>that also sells other Trump-branded shoes and “Victory47” cologne and perfume for $99 a bottle. He’d be the 47th president if elected again.<a href="https://gettrumpsneakers.com/">The website says</a> it has no connection to Trump’s campaign, though Trump campaign officials promoted the appearance in online posts.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">SOLD OUT. The Never Surrender High-Tops are Officially Sold Out. Thank You!<a href="https://t.co/RkMRexkS7w">https://t.co/RkMRexkS7w</a> <a href="https://t.co/vNixKu61R8">pic.twitter.com/vNixKu61R8</a>&mdash; GetTrumpSneakers (@TrumpSneakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpSneakers/status/1758986524702429189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The unannounced launch came a day after a judge in New York&nbsp;ordered Trump and his company to pay a whopping $355 million in penalties, finding that the former president lied about his wealth for years, scheming to dupe banks, insurers and others by inflating his wealth on financial statements.<a href="https://thehill.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/452564_2022_PEOPLE_OF_THE_STATE_OF_v_PEOPLE_OF_THE_STATE_OF_DECISION_AFTER_TRIAL_1688-1.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the Judge's rulingThat penalty came after Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-defamation-trial-e4ea8b93cdeb29857864ffd8d14be888" target="_blank">ordered to pay an additional $83.3 million</a>&nbsp;to the writer E. Jean Carroll for damaging her reputation after she accused him of sexual assault. With interest payments,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-carroll-fines-82d423b8e7a7f9a32470729c5f4410e5" target="_blank">Trump’s legal debts might now exceed a half-billion dollars</a>&nbsp;— an amount it is unclear he can afford to pay.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708263707417.png" alt="Photo by Margo Martin, Donald Trump for President Deputy Director of Communications" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Margo Martin, Donald Trump for President Deputy Director of Communications</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump’s appearance was met with clashing boos from his detractors and chants of “USA!” from supporters who arrived at the sneaker event decked out in Trump gear. The dueling chants made it difficult, at times, to hear Trump speak.Some had been given signs that read “SNEAKERHEADS LOVE TRUMP.”“There’s a lot of emotion in this room,” Trump said of the reaction, after holding up and showing off a pair of gold shoes, then placing one on each side of his podium.“This is something that I’ve been talking about for 12 years, 13 years. And I think it’s going to be a big success,” he said.As he spoke, the smell of weed occasionally wafted through the room.Some of those who attended said they were unaware Trump would be there, and continued to shop as a crowd gathered around the stage. Many in the audience said they were not from the city and instead hailed from nearby states and Washington, D.C.The attendees skewed younger and more diverse than Trump’s usual rally crowds. Trump’s campaign is hoping he will be able to win over more young and minority voters, particularly young Black men, in a likely rematch against President Joe Biden in November.This isn’t the first money-making venture Trump has announced since launching his third campaign for the White House in 2022. Trump last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-financial-disclosure-filing-social-media-de11cc60d72365b01cc58f790c6005a8" target="_blank">reported making between $100,000 and $1 million from a series of digital trading cards</a>&nbsp;that portrayed him, through photo editing, in a series of cartoon-like images, including as an astronaut, a cowboy and a superhero. He has also released books featuring photos of his time in office and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-book-letters-oprah-bolsonaro-17e857db2d7c5f620ce5860f56d93fa0" target="_blank">letters written to him</a>&nbsp;through the years.Before he ran for office, Trump hawked everything from steaks to vodka to a venture he called “Trump University.”The new sneaker website says it is run by CIC Ventures LLC, a company that Trump reported owning in his 2023 financial disclosure. The website states the new venture “is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign.”Still, it describes the sneakers as a limited-edition, numbered “true collector’s item” that is “Bold, gold, and tough, just like President Trump.”“The Never Surrender sneakers are your rally cry in shoe form,” the description reads. “Lace-up and step out ready to conquer.”A Trump spokesman did not respond to questions about the event, including whether Trump was paid to attend.Among those in the crowd were Jonathen Santiago, 21, and Danea Mitchell, 20, Trump supporters who drove from Monroe County in the northeastern part of the state for the sneaker event. They said they were excited to see the former president and praised how he interacted with the crowd. They also had kind words for the sneakers.“The red bottoms were a really nice touch,” Mitchell said.She shrugged when asked about Trump’s legal troubles. “I think it’ll be an interesting four years if he’s found guilty, but I have no doubt he’ll be president,” she said.Also in attendance was a group of “cheer moms” from New Jersey who said they were in town for a cheerleading event and decided to stop by for a chance to see Trump.Karla Burke, 48, said she heard some people booing and making noise, but that most people around her had been supporters. “At the front was a different vibe,” she said.As for Friday’s penalty in Trump’s civil fraud trial, Burke said it doesn’t change her support. “I think it was unfair,” she said. “They’re just going after him so he’s not the Republican candidate.”Biden-Harris 2024 Communications Director Michael Tyler slammed the appearance, saying: “Donald Trump showing up to hawk bootleg Off-Whites is the closest he’ll get to any Air Force Ones ever again for the rest of his life.”Trump flew from Philadelphia to Michigan, where he held a rally in the suburbs of Detroit and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-michigan-2024-campaign-fraud-ruling-f264eac7cbba97c4e83919642d42bc97" target="_blank">railed against Friday’s judgment</a>, which he has vowed to appeal. Both Pennsylvania and Michigan are expected to be critical battleground states.<h2>___</h2>

Trump hawks $399 shoes after a $355M ruling against him

JERUSALEM (AP) — The families of two Palestinian-American teenagers killed in separate but eerily similar incidents in the West Bank say investigators from the American Embassy have visited their homes to look into the shootings.

Launching American probes into the killings of Mohammad Khdour and Tawfic Abdel Jabbar reflects what appears to be a lack of confidence in the Israeli justice system to properly investigate the cases. Rights groups have long said that Israeli investigations into killings of Palestinians rarely lead to prosecutions, and the State Department has previously called for an “expeditious" and "thorough” Israeli investigation into Abdel Jabbar's killing.

Both shootings happened as the Biden administration signals a desire to crack down on settler violence in the volatile territory.

Khdour, who was born in Hollywood, Florida, was shot last Saturday while driving with a cousin on a hillside in Biddu, the town just outside of Jerusalem where Khdour had lived since the age of 2, relatives said.

Seeking some fresh air after studying, Khdour joined the cousin on a drive to the forested hillside where villagers often barbecued, his brother Hamed Khdour said.

In videos and photos taken before the shooting and seen by The Associated Press, the boys joked around, taking photos of each other for social media and eating chocolate-covered waffles.

The boys were returning to the village, Hamed said, when they heard gunfire. At least one shot came through the car window, hitting Mohammad squarely in the head.

Hamed said his cousin told the family that the shots came from a white Mitsubishi with an Israeli license plate parked on a road below the hill, a vehicle that villagers said they had seen before. Hamed said the car was across the security fence separating Biddu from Israeli territory. The cousin then managed to escape and run back to the village.

A video taken directly after the incident and seen by The Associated Press showed a group of men pulling a body out of the car, littered with shattered glass and stained with blood. Hamed said Mohammad was pronounced dead at a Ramallah hospital late Saturday night.

Ahmad Khdour, Mohammad's father, said he did not know if Israel had begun investigating the case and had heard nothing from Israeli officials.

The Israeli military referred questions to the Shin Bet internal security service, which did not respond to requests for comment.

But U.S. Embassy officials visited the home and the scene of the shooting Thursday, taking pictures of the car Khdour was driving and the scene around it, Mohammad's father said. He said the officials told the family they are preparing a report on the incident.

The U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that it was “devastated” by the killing and called for “a quick, thorough, and transparent investigation, including full accountability.”

Khdour lived in Biddu with his mother and four brothers. He hoped to go back to the U.S. to study law once he finished his final year of high school, Hamed said.

“Mohammad was a simple kid, like any other kid. He had dreams. He loved cars,” said Hamed. “He never fought with anyone. Everyone liked him.”

The shooting came nearly a month after the killing of Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, also a 17-year-old Palestinian-American shot while driving down a dirt road close to his village in the northern West Bank.

The sole passenger in the vehicle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-teen-shooting-death-west-bank-violence-1783ff3a7fa5f65f5b792372fd093445">said the shooting was unprovoked</a>, describing apparent Israeli fire hitting the back of the vehicle before it overturned several times. The incident prompted an expression of concern from the White House and an uncommonly quick pledge from the Israeli police to investigate.

But Israeli police have still not released any new findings in the case.

A video shared with the AP by Abdel Jabbar’s father raised new questions of the police’s original theory, which never mentioned that the teen had been shot while driving.

Instead, the police said that a civilian, an off-duty police officer and a soldier had targeted people “purportedly engaged in rock-throwing activities” along a main West Bank thoroughfare.

The video, which the father said was taken moments after the shooting, shows two Israeli soldiers standing about 20 meters (yards) from the vehicle, guns cocked — indicating that soldiers were in the vicinity that day.

Abdel Jabbar's father said that Israeli investigators took the vehicle into custody for under a week before returning it.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The families of two Palestinian-American teenagers killed in separate but eerily similar incidents in the West Bank say investigators from the American Embassy have visited their homes to look into the shootings.Launching American probes into the killings of Mohammad Khdour and Tawfic Abdel Jabbar reflects what appears to be a lack of confidence in the Israeli justice system to properly investigate the cases. Rights groups have long said that Israeli investigations into killings of Palestinians rarely lead to prosecutions, and the State Department has previously called for an “expeditious" and "thorough” Israeli investigation into Abdel Jabbar's killing.Both shootings happened as the Biden administration signals a desire to crack down on settler violence in the volatile territory.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are devastated by the killing of 17-year-old U.S. citizen Mohammad Ahmad Khdour. The United States has no greater priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens. We urgently call for a quick, thorough, and transparent investigation, including full accountability. <a href="https://t.co/RqIXdWG3sj">pic.twitter.com/RqIXdWG3sj</a>&mdash; U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs (@USPalAffairs) <a href="https://twitter.com/USPalAffairs/status/1757841809235984635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Khdour, who was born in Hollywood, Florida, was shot last Saturday while driving with a cousin on a hillside in Biddu, the town just outside of Jerusalem where Khdour had lived since the age of 2, relatives said.Seeking some fresh air after studying, Khdour joined the cousin on a drive to the forested hillside where villagers often barbecued, his brother Hamed Khdour said.In videos and photos taken before the shooting and seen by The Associated Press, the boys joked around, taking photos of each other for social media and eating chocolate-covered waffles.The boys were returning to the village, Hamed said, when they heard gunfire. At least one shot came through the car window, hitting Mohammad squarely in the head.Hamed said his cousin told the family that the shots came from a white Mitsubishi with an Israeli license plate parked on a road below the hill, a vehicle that villagers said they had seen before. Hamed said the car was across the security fence separating Biddu from Israeli territory. The cousin then managed to escape and run back to the village.A video taken directly after the incident and seen by The Associated Press showed a group of men pulling a body out of the car, littered with shattered glass and stained with blood. Hamed said Mohammad was pronounced dead at a Ramallah hospital late Saturday night.Ahmad Khdour, Mohammad's father, said he did not know if Israel had begun investigating the case and had heard nothing from Israeli officials.The Israeli military referred questions to the Shin Bet internal security service, which did not respond to requests for comment.But U.S. Embassy officials visited the home and the scene of the shooting Thursday, taking pictures of the car Khdour was driving and the scene around it, Mohammad's father said. He said the officials told the family they are preparing a report on the incident.The U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that it was “devastated” by the killing and called for “a quick, thorough, and transparent investigation, including full accountability.”Khdour lived in Biddu with his mother and four brothers. He hoped to go back to the U.S. to study law once he finished his final year of high school, Hamed said.“Mohammad was a simple kid, like any other kid. He had dreams. He loved cars,” said Hamed. “He never fought with anyone. Everyone liked him.”The shooting came nearly a month after the killing of Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, also a 17-year-old Palestinian-American shot while driving down a dirt road close to his village in the northern West Bank.The sole passenger in the vehicle&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-teen-shooting-death-west-bank-violence-1783ff3a7fa5f65f5b792372fd093445">said the shooting was unprovoked</a>, describing apparent Israeli fire hitting the back of the vehicle before it overturned several times. The incident prompted an expression of concern from the White House and an uncommonly quick pledge from the Israeli police to investigate.But Israeli police have still not released any new findings in the case.A video shared with the AP by Abdel Jabbar’s father raised new questions of the police’s original theory, which never mentioned that the teen had been shot while driving.Instead, the police said that a civilian, an off-duty police officer and a soldier had targeted people “purportedly engaged in rock-throwing activities” along a main West Bank thoroughfare.The video, which the father said was taken moments after the shooting, shows two Israeli soldiers standing about 20 meters (yards) from the vehicle, guns cocked — indicating that soldiers were in the vicinity that day.Abdel Jabbar's father said that Israeli investigators took the vehicle into custody for under a week before returning it.He said that last week U.S. Embassy investigators collected medical and legal reports issued by the Ramallah prosecutor's office and the hospital that treated Abdel Jabbar.The reports indicated that the cause of Tawfic's death was a gunshot wound to the right side of the head.Tawfic was from Gretna, Louisiana, and had been in the West Bank for under a year. Like Khdour, he was planning to return to the U.S. for college.In an unrelated incident, Israel arrested a 46-year-old Palestinian-American woman, also from Gretna, last week for alleged incitement in posts on social media. The woman's family says they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-west-bank-us-louisiana-ec8eb1c057217f40483e66e69fef7499">have not seen or heard from her</a>&nbsp;since.National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said a week ago that he was “confident” that Ambassador Jack Lew was looking into Samaher Esmail's case, as well as circumstances around the detention of two Palestinian-Americans in Gaza that Israel says are affiliated with Hamas.“Obviously, this is the kind of thing we take very seriously, so we’ll be talking to our Israeli counterparts and trying to get information, more context here about what happened,” he said.The deaths come as violence surges across the occupied territory. Since the shock attack by Hamas militants on Oct. 7 from Gaza into southern Israel, Israel has held the West Bank in a tight grip.Biden’s administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-middle-east-criticism-ea5685fc1ed577d3bf1b5a3aa4acf0db">provided military and diplomatic support</a>&nbsp;for Israel’s war against Hamas. Still, the administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-bank-palestinians-israel-military-raid-3deed25c4c14a5e3048778cbc79523c5">condemned rising violence by Israeli settlers</a>&nbsp;against Palestinians in the West Bank, most recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-west-bank-israeli-settlers-palestinians-80f9e6be6f6a7bb75dc86360ac2fa6ce">releasing sanctions targeting four settlers</a>.Since Oct. 7, 395 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli fire, according to Palestinian health officials. Most have been killed in clashes during near nightly Israeli army raids aimed at suspected militants.