Nebraska Department of Transporation

&nbsp;(Lincoln, Neb.) – Today, Governor Jim Pillen proclaimed May as General Aviation Month in Nebraska, celebrating the significant contributions of aviation from its beginnings to the thriving industry it is today.

Since 1939, General Aviation has played an important role in our society. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Civilian Pilot Training Act, training 20,000 college students annually. He also established National Aviation Day to honor Orville Wright's birthday, marking aviation's growing significance.

The influence of aviation is as powerful today as ever. The United States boasts over 200,000 aircraft and 650,000 registered pilots, contributing a staggering $247 billion to the economy and supporting 1.2 million jobs. Aviation is vital for disaster relief, humanitarian aid, law enforcement and agriculture.

Nebraska is proud to be a part of this aviation legacy. Our state is home to 1,951 registered General Aviation aircraft and 4,639 licensed pilots. With 79 public-use airports and 164 private-use airfields, aviation is an important part of Nebraska’s infrastructure. According to a 2019 study, Nebraska’s airports generated $8.6 billion in economic impact annually, supporting 90,000 jobs.

As we celebrate General Aviation Month, we recognize and honor the profound contributions of aviation to our state and nation. 

Nebraska Department of Transporation&nbsp;(Lincoln, Neb.) – Today, Governor Jim Pillen proclaimed May as General Aviation Month in Nebraska, celebrating the significant contributions of aviation from its beginnings to the thriving industry it is today.Since 1939, General Aviation has played an important role in our society. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Civilian Pilot Training Act, training 20,000 college students annually. He also established National Aviation Day to honor Orville Wright's birthday, marking aviation's growing significance.The influence of aviation is as powerful today as ever. The United States boasts over 200,000 aircraft and 650,000 registered pilots, contributing a staggering $247 billion to the economy and supporting 1.2 million jobs. Aviation is vital for disaster relief, humanitarian aid, law enforcement and agriculture.Nebraska is proud to be a part of this aviation legacy. Our state is home to 1,951 registered General Aviation aircraft and 4,639 licensed pilots. With 79 public-use airports and 164 private-use airfields, aviation is an important part of Nebraska’s infrastructure. According to a 2019 study, Nebraska’s airports generated $8.6 billion in economic impact annually, supporting 90,000 jobs.As we celebrate General Aviation Month, we recognize and honor the profound contributions of aviation to our state and nation.

Governor Pillen Declares May as General Aviation Month 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Cyberattacks against water utilities across the country are becoming more frequent and more severe, the Environmental Protection Agency warned Monday as it issued an enforcement alert urging water systems to take immediate actions to protect the nation's drinking water.

About 70% of utilities inspected by federal officials over the last year violated standards meant to prevent breaches or other intrusions, the agency said. Officials urged even small water systems to improve protections against hacks. Recent cyberattacks by groups affiliated with Russia and Iran have targeted smaller communities.

Some water systems are falling short in basic ways, the alert said, including failure to change default passwords or cut off system access to former employees. Because water utilities often rely on computer software to operate treatment plants and distribution systems, protecting information technology and process controls is crucial, the EPA said. Possible impacts of cyberattacks include interruptions to water treatment and storage; damage to pumps and valves; and alteration of chemical levels to hazardous amounts, the agency said.

“In many cases, systems are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, which is to have completed a risk assessment of their vulnerabilities that includes cybersecurity and to make sure that plan is available and informing the way they do business,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe.

Attempts by private groups or individuals to get into a water provider’s network and take down or deface websites aren’t new. More recently, however, attackers haven’t just gone after websites, they’ve targeted utilities’ operations instead.

Recent attacks are not just by private entities. Some recent hacks of water utilities are linked to geopolitical rivals, and could lead to the disruption of the supply of safe water to homes and businesses.

McCabe named China, Russia and Iran as the countries that are “actively seeking the capability to disable U.S. critical infrastructure, including water and wastewater.”

Late last year, an Iranian-linked group called “Cyber Av3ngers”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/water-utilities-hackers-cybersecurity-1c475f5d2ef3b5d52410c93bdeab3aad">targeted multiple organizations including a small Pennsylvania town's water provider</a>, forcing it to switch from a remote pump to manual operations. They were going after an Israeli-made device used by the utility in the wake of Israel's war against Hamas.

Earlier this year, a Russian-linked “hacktivist”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-muleshoe-water-systems-cyberattacks-russia-5f388bf0d581fc8eb94b1190a7f29c3a#:~:text=A%20hack%20that%20caused%20a,in%20the%20rural%20Texas%20Panhandle.">tried to disrupt operations at several Texas utilities</a>.

A cyber group linked to China and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-china-hacking-us-infrastructure-d4a4faefcc5d4d3c9f72e9acc24a71f9">known as Volt Typhoon has compromised information technology of multiple critical infrastructure systems,</a>&nbsp;including drinking water, in the United States and its territories, U.S. officials said. Cybersecurity experts believe the China-aligned group is positioning itself for potential cyberattacks in the event of armed conflict or rising geopolitical tensions.

“By working behind the scenes with these hacktivist groups, now these (nation states) have plausible deniability and they can let these groups carry out destructive attacks. And that to me is a game-changer,” said Dawn Cappelli, a cybersecurity expert with the industrial cybersecurity firm Dragos Inc.

The world’s cyberpowers are believed to have been infiltrating rivals’ critical infrastructure for years planting malware that could be triggered to disrupt basic services.

The enforcement alert is meant to emphasize the seriousness of cyberthreats and inform utilities the EPA will continue its inspections and pursue civil or criminal penalties if they find serious problems.

“We want to make sure that we get the word out to people that ‘Hey, we are finding a lot of problems here,’” McCabe said.

EPA did not say how many cyber incidents have occurred in recent years, and the number of attacks known to be successful so far is few. The agency has issued nearly 100 enforcement actions since 2020 regarding risk assessments and emergency response, but said that’s a small snapshot of the threats water systems face.

Preventing attacks against water providers is part of the Biden administration's broader effort to combat threats against critical infrastructure. In February, President Joe Biden signed an executive order&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/port-security-cyber-attack-e3da323aebc80c553663e43b77d430e2">to protect U.S. ports</a>. Health care systems&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cyberattack-hospital-system-ambulances-diverted-ascension-728ab2a0e5afaf7c344e46a5ce5ca42c">have been attacked</a>. The White House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-technology-business-government-and-politics-669f8ae9bb78ff5f5c93cfcb58ae0dfa">has pushed electric utilities to increase their defenses</a>, too. EPA Administrator Michael Regan and White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan have asked states to come up with a plan to combat cyberattacks on drinking water systems.

"Drinking water and wastewater systems are an attractive target for cyberattacks because they are a lifeline critical infrastructure sector but often lack the resources and technical capacity to adopt rigorous cybersecurity practices,'' Regan and Sullivan wrote in a March 18 letter to all 50 U.S. governors.

Some of the fixes are straightforward, McCabe said. Water providers, for example, shouldn't use default passwords. They need to develop a risk assessment plan that addresses cybersecurity and set up backup systems. The EPA says they will train water utilities that need help for free. Larger utilities usually have more resources and the expertise to defend against attacks.

“In an ideal world ... we would like everybody to have a baseline level of cybersecurity and be able to confirm that they have that,” said Alan Roberson, executive director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators. “But that's a long ways away.”

Some barriers are foundational. The water sector is highly fragmented. There are roughly 50,000 community water providers, most of which serve small towns. Modest staffing and anemic budgets in many places make it hard enough to maintain the basics — providing clean water and keeping up with the latest regulations.

“Certainly, cybersecurity is part of that, but that's never been their primary expertise. So, now you're asking a water utility to develop this whole new sort of department" to handle cyberthreats, said Amy Hardberger, a water expert at Texas Tech University.

The EPA has faced setbacks. States periodically review the performance of water providers. In March 2023, the EPA instructed states to add cybersecurity evaluations to those reviews. If they found problems, the state was supposed to force improvements.

But Missouri, Arkansas and Iowa, joined by the American Water Works Association and another water industry group, challenged the instructions in court on the grounds that EPA didn’t have the authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act. After a court setback, the EPA withdrew its requirements but urged states to take voluntary actions anyway.

The Safe Drinking Water Act requires certain water providers to develop plans for some threats and certify they’ve done so. But its power is limited.

“There's just no authority for (cybersecurity) in the law,” Roberson said.

Kevin Morley, manager of federal relations with the American Water Works Association, said some water utilities have components that are connected to the internet — a common, but significant vulnerability. Overhauling those systems can be a significant and costly job. And without substantial federal funding, water systems struggle to find resources.

The industry group has published guidance for utilities and advocates for establishing a new organization of cybersecurity and water experts that would develop new policies and enforce them, in partnership with the EPA.

“Let's bring everybody along in a reasonable manner,” Morley said, adding that small and large utilities have different needs and resources.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636114877089.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Cyberattacks against water utilities across the country are becoming more frequent and more severe, the Environmental Protection Agency warned Monday as it issued an enforcement alert urging water systems to take immediate actions to protect the nation's drinking water.About 70% of utilities inspected by federal officials over the last year violated standards meant to prevent breaches or other intrusions, the agency said. Officials urged even small water systems to improve protections against hacks. Recent cyberattacks by groups affiliated with Russia and Iran have targeted smaller communities.Some water systems are falling short in basic ways, the alert said, including failure to change default passwords or cut off system access to former employees. Because water utilities often rely on computer software to operate treatment plants and distribution systems, protecting information technology and process controls is crucial, the EPA said. Possible impacts of cyberattacks include interruptions to water treatment and storage; damage to pumps and valves; and alteration of chemical levels to hazardous amounts, the agency said.“In many cases, systems are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, which is to have completed a risk assessment of their vulnerabilities that includes cybersecurity and to make sure that plan is available and informing the way they do business,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe.Attempts by private groups or individuals to get into a water provider’s network and take down or deface websites aren’t new. More recently, however, attackers haven’t just gone after websites, they’ve targeted utilities’ operations instead.Recent attacks are not just by private entities. Some recent hacks of water utilities are linked to geopolitical rivals, and could lead to the disruption of the supply of safe water to homes and businesses.McCabe named China, Russia and Iran as the countries that are “actively seeking the capability to disable U.S. critical infrastructure, including water and wastewater.”Late last year, an Iranian-linked group called “Cyber Av3ngers”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/water-utilities-hackers-cybersecurity-1c475f5d2ef3b5d52410c93bdeab3aad">targeted multiple organizations including a small Pennsylvania town's water provider</a>, forcing it to switch from a remote pump to manual operations. They were going after an Israeli-made device used by the utility in the wake of Israel's war against Hamas.Earlier this year, a Russian-linked “hacktivist”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-muleshoe-water-systems-cyberattacks-russia-5f388bf0d581fc8eb94b1190a7f29c3a#:~:text=A%20hack%20that%20caused%20a,in%20the%20rural%20Texas%20Panhandle.">tried to disrupt operations at several Texas utilities</a>.A cyber group linked to China and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-china-hacking-us-infrastructure-d4a4faefcc5d4d3c9f72e9acc24a71f9">known as Volt Typhoon has compromised information technology of multiple critical infrastructure systems,</a>&nbsp;including drinking water, in the United States and its territories, U.S. officials said. Cybersecurity experts believe the China-aligned group is positioning itself for potential cyberattacks in the event of armed conflict or rising geopolitical tensions.“By working behind the scenes with these hacktivist groups, now these (nation states) have plausible deniability and they can let these groups carry out destructive attacks. And that to me is a game-changer,” said Dawn Cappelli, a cybersecurity expert with the industrial cybersecurity firm Dragos Inc.The world’s cyberpowers are believed to have been infiltrating rivals’ critical infrastructure for years planting malware that could be triggered to disrupt basic services.The enforcement alert is meant to emphasize the seriousness of cyberthreats and inform utilities the EPA will continue its inspections and pursue civil or criminal penalties if they find serious problems.“We want to make sure that we get the word out to people that ‘Hey, we are finding a lot of problems here,’” McCabe said.EPA did not say how many cyber incidents have occurred in recent years, and the number of attacks known to be successful so far is few. The agency has issued nearly 100 enforcement actions since 2020 regarding risk assessments and emergency response, but said that’s a small snapshot of the threats water systems face.Preventing attacks against water providers is part of the Biden administration's broader effort to combat threats against critical infrastructure. In February, President Joe Biden signed an executive order&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/port-security-cyber-attack-e3da323aebc80c553663e43b77d430e2">to protect U.S. ports</a>. Health care systems&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cyberattack-hospital-system-ambulances-diverted-ascension-728ab2a0e5afaf7c344e46a5ce5ca42c">have been attacked</a>. The White House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-technology-business-government-and-politics-669f8ae9bb78ff5f5c93cfcb58ae0dfa">has pushed electric utilities to increase their defenses</a>, too. EPA Administrator Michael Regan and White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan have asked states to come up with a plan to combat cyberattacks on drinking water systems."Drinking water and wastewater systems are an attractive target for cyberattacks because they are a lifeline critical infrastructure sector but often lack the resources and technical capacity to adopt rigorous cybersecurity practices,'' Regan and Sullivan wrote in a March 18 letter to all 50 U.S. governors.Some of the fixes are straightforward, McCabe said. Water providers, for example, shouldn't use default passwords. They need to develop a risk assessment plan that addresses cybersecurity and set up backup systems. The EPA says they will train water utilities that need help for free. Larger utilities usually have more resources and the expertise to defend against attacks.“In an ideal world ... we would like everybody to have a baseline level of cybersecurity and be able to confirm that they have that,” said Alan Roberson, executive director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators. “But that's a long ways away.”Some barriers are foundational. The water sector is highly fragmented. There are roughly 50,000 community water providers, most of which serve small towns. Modest staffing and anemic budgets in many places make it hard enough to maintain the basics — providing clean water and keeping up with the latest regulations.“Certainly, cybersecurity is part of that, but that's never been their primary expertise. So, now you're asking a water utility to develop this whole new sort of department" to handle cyberthreats, said Amy Hardberger, a water expert at Texas Tech University.The EPA has faced setbacks. States periodically review the performance of water providers. In March 2023, the EPA instructed states to add cybersecurity evaluations to those reviews. If they found problems, the state was supposed to force improvements.But Missouri, Arkansas and Iowa, joined by the American Water Works Association and another water industry group, challenged the instructions in court on the grounds that EPA didn’t have the authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act. After a court setback, the EPA withdrew its requirements but urged states to take voluntary actions anyway.The Safe Drinking Water Act requires certain water providers to develop plans for some threats and certify they’ve done so. But its power is limited.“There's just no authority for (cybersecurity) in the law,” Roberson said.Kevin Morley, manager of federal relations with the American Water Works Association, said some water utilities have components that are connected to the internet — a common, but significant vulnerability. Overhauling those systems can be a significant and costly job. And without substantial federal funding, water systems struggle to find resources.The industry group has published guidance for utilities and advocates for establishing a new organization of cybersecurity and water experts that would develop new policies and enforce them, in partnership with the EPA.“Let's bring everybody along in a reasonable manner,” Morley said, adding that small and large utilities have different needs and resources.

EPA warns US water systems vulnerable to a cyber attack

BEIRUT (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-president-ebrahim-raisi-426c6f4ae2dd1f0801c73875bb696f48">helicopter crash that killed Iran’s president</a>&nbsp;and foreign minister has sent shock waves around the region.

Iranian state media on Monday said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ebrahim-raisi">President Ebrahim Raisi</a>, the country’s foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, and others had been found dead after an hourslong search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest. State TV gave no immediate cause for the crash.

WHO WAS ON BOARD AND WHERE WERE THEY GOING?

The helicopter on Sunday was carrying Raisi, Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province and other officials, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

Raisi was returning after traveling to Iran’s border with Azerbaijan to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev when the crash occurred in the Dizmar forest in East Azerbaijan province.

IRNA said the crash killed eight people including three crew members aboard the Bell helicopter, which Iran purchased in the early 2000s.

Iranian officials said the mountainous, forested terrain and heavy fog impeded search-and-rescue operations, which continued overnight.

The president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, Pir-Hossein Koulivand, said Sunday evening that 40 search teams were on the ground despite “challenging weather conditions.” Because of the bad weather, it was "impossible to conduct aerial searches” via drones, Koulivand said, according to IRNA.

It was not until early Monday that officials announced the helicopter had been found and all of its occupants were dead.

Early Monday, Turkish authorities released what they described as drone footage showing what appeared to be a fire in the wilderness that they “suspected to be wreckage of a helicopter.” The coordinates listed in the footage put the fire about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the Azerbaijan-Iranian border on the side of a steep mountain.

Footage released by IRNA showed what the agency described as the crash site, across a steep valley in a mountain range. Soldiers speaking in the local Azeri language said: “There it is, we found it.” Shortly after that, state TV in an on-screen scrolling text said: “There is no sign of life from people on board.”

Raisi was seen as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-president-raisi-helicopter-a02630b6dca3cac455cacd16690b710f">protege to Iran’s supreme leader</a>&nbsp;Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a potential successor for his position within the country’s Shiite theocracy.

Under the Iranian constitution, if a president dies, the country’s first vice president — in this case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-mohammad-mokhber-raisi-crash-2cf93c2e6fb11f9c2aff13fed133db41">Mohammad Mokhber</a>&nbsp;— would become president. Khamenei has publicly assured Iranians that there would be “no disruption to the operations of the country” as a result of the crash.

After news broke of the search operation, countries including Russia, Iraq and Qatar made statements of concern about Raisi’s fate and offered to assist in the search.

Azerbaijani President Aliyev offered any support necessary. Relations between the two countries have been chilly due to Azerbaijan’s diplomatic relations with Israel, Iran's regional arch-enemy.

Saudi Arabia, traditionally a rival of Iran although the two countries&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-iran-saudi-diplomatic-relations-beijing-d12dc5dc4049052c6228caceaa2a2b9f">recently made a rapprochement</a>, said it stands by "Iran in these difficult circumstances.”

There was no immediate official reaction from Israel. Last month, following an Israeli strike on an Iranian consular building in Damascus that killed two Iranian generals, Tehran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-mideast-consulate-drones-attack-f3c5ba6491d9c01a84456a2ef3faeb6c">launched hundreds of missiles</a>&nbsp;and drones at Israel. They were mostly shot down and tensions have apparently subsided.

The U.S., which has its own history of tensions with Tehran, issued condolences in a State Department statement and added that "we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

BEIRUT (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-president-ebrahim-raisi-426c6f4ae2dd1f0801c73875bb696f48">helicopter crash that killed Iran’s president</a>&nbsp;and foreign minister has sent shock waves around the region.Iranian state media on Monday said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ebrahim-raisi">President Ebrahim Raisi</a>, the country’s foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, and others had been found dead after an hourslong search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest. State TV gave no immediate cause for the crash.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Are you concerned that Iran is going to try and blame Israel or even the United States for the crash that killed the president yesterday? .<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> Austin: &quot;The United States had no part to play in that crash and that&#39;s a fact, plain and simple.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/eU7ew3NTeS">pic.twitter.com/eU7ew3NTeS</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1792603940665565386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Here’s what we know so far.WHO WAS ON BOARD AND WHERE WERE THEY GOING?The helicopter on Sunday was carrying Raisi, Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province and other officials, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.Raisi was returning after traveling to Iran’s border with Azerbaijan to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev when the crash occurred in the Dizmar forest in East Azerbaijan province.IRNA said the crash killed eight people including three crew members aboard the Bell helicopter, which Iran purchased in the early 2000s.HOW DID THE SEARCH OPERATION GO?Iranian officials said the mountainous, forested terrain and heavy fog impeded search-and-rescue operations, which continued overnight.The president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, Pir-Hossein Koulivand, said Sunday evening that 40 search teams were on the ground despite “challenging weather conditions.” Because of the bad weather, it was "impossible to conduct aerial searches” via drones, Koulivand said, according to IRNA.It was not until early Monday that officials announced the helicopter had been found and all of its occupants were dead.HOW WAS THE CRASH SITE FOUND?Early Monday, Turkish authorities released what they described as drone footage showing what appeared to be a fire in the wilderness that they “suspected to be wreckage of a helicopter.” The coordinates listed in the footage put the fire about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the Azerbaijan-Iranian border on the side of a steep mountain.Footage released by IRNA showed what the agency described as the crash site, across a steep valley in a mountain range. Soldiers speaking in the local Azeri language said: “There it is, we found it.” Shortly after that, state TV in an on-screen scrolling text said: “There is no sign of life from people on board.”HOW WILL RAISI'S DEATH IMPACT IRAN?Raisi was seen as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-president-raisi-helicopter-a02630b6dca3cac455cacd16690b710f">protege to Iran’s supreme leader</a>&nbsp;Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a potential successor for his position within the country’s Shiite theocracy.Under the Iranian constitution, if a president dies, the country’s first vice president — in this case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-mohammad-mokhber-raisi-crash-2cf93c2e6fb11f9c2aff13fed133db41">Mohammad Mokhber</a>&nbsp;— would become president. Khamenei has publicly assured Iranians that there would be “no disruption to the operations of the country” as a result of the crash.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/StateDeptSpox?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StateDeptSpox</a> on death of Iranian President Raisi: &quot;We regret any loss of life, we don&#39;t want to see anyone die in a helicopter crash, but that doesn&#39;t change the reality of his record both as a judge and as the president of Iran, the fact that he has blood on his hands...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/EbLIS2vqeq">pic.twitter.com/EbLIS2vqeq</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1792620008419233979?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>WHAT HAS INTERNATIONAL REACTION BEEN?After news broke of the search operation, countries including Russia, Iraq and Qatar made statements of concern about Raisi’s fate and offered to assist in the search.Azerbaijani President Aliyev offered any support necessary. Relations between the two countries have been chilly due to Azerbaijan’s diplomatic relations with Israel, Iran's regional arch-enemy.Saudi Arabia, traditionally a rival of Iran although the two countries&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-iran-saudi-diplomatic-relations-beijing-d12dc5dc4049052c6228caceaa2a2b9f">recently made a rapprochement</a>, said it stands by "Iran in these difficult circumstances.”There was no immediate official reaction from Israel. Last month, following an Israeli strike on an Iranian consular building in Damascus that killed two Iranian generals, Tehran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-mideast-consulate-drones-attack-f3c5ba6491d9c01a84456a2ef3faeb6c">launched hundreds of missiles</a>&nbsp;and drones at Israel. They were mostly shot down and tensions have apparently subsided.The U.S., which has its own history of tensions with Tehran, issued condolences in a State Department statement and added that "we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

🎥 U.S. denies involvment in crash that killed Iran's president

May 20, 2024 (Omaha, Neb.) — The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) is pitching suggested routes and traffic reminders for visiting baseball fans and local area commuters during the 2024 Big Ten Baseball Tournament presented by IFS.AI in Omaha this week.

This year’s tournament starts tomorrow, May 21, and runs through May 26. It is expected to draw attendees from all over the country. Throughout the tournament, significant event traffic is anticipated near Charles Schwab Field Omaha in north downtown. Please be patient and cautious when heading to and from the event.

The Omaha Police Department, in partnership with NDOT and the City of Omaha, will be present to direct motorists to take the following recommended routes to the game:

• For drivers arriving in Omaha on I-80 from the west: Travel Interstate 80 (I-80) eastbound to I-480 northbound, exiting on Leavenworth Street (Exit 1B) or Harney Street (Exit 2A), then use city streets to navigate to parking options near Charles Schwab Field Omaha.

• For drivers arriving in Omaha from the east: Travel I-80 westbound and exit on 13th Street (Exit 454), then use city streets to navigate to parking options near Charles Schwab Field Omaha.

After each game, exiting traffic will be directed to 13th Street or Cuming Street to alleviate congestion and create a smoother departure for all. 

Nebraska Department of TransporationMay 20, 2024 (Omaha, Neb.) — The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) is pitching suggested routes and traffic reminders for visiting baseball fans and local area commuters during the 2024 Big Ten Baseball Tournament presented by IFS.AI in Omaha this week.This year’s tournament starts tomorrow, May 21, and runs through May 26. It is expected to draw attendees from all over the country. Throughout the tournament, significant event traffic is anticipated near Charles Schwab Field Omaha in north downtown. Please be patient and cautious when heading to and from the event.The Omaha Police Department, in partnership with NDOT and the City of Omaha, will be present to direct motorists to take the following recommended routes to the game:• For drivers arriving in Omaha on I-80 from the west: Travel Interstate 80 (I-80) eastbound to I-480 northbound, exiting on Leavenworth Street (Exit 1B) or Harney Street (Exit 2A), then use city streets to navigate to parking options near Charles Schwab Field Omaha.• For drivers arriving in Omaha from the east: Travel I-80 westbound and exit on 13th Street (Exit 454), then use city streets to navigate to parking options near Charles Schwab Field Omaha.After each game, exiting traffic will be directed to 13th Street or Cuming Street to alleviate congestion and create a smoother departure for all.

Reminder: Use our recommended routes for the Big Ten  Baseball Tournament

NEW YORK (AP) —A former OpenAI leader who resigned from the company earlier this week said Friday that safety has “taken a backseat to shiny products” at the influential artificial intelligence company.

Jan Leike, who ran OpenAI’s “Superalignment” team alongside a company co-founder who also resigned this week, wrote in a series of posts on the social media platform X that he joined the San Francisco-based company because he thought it would be the best place to do AI research.

“However, I have been disagreeing with OpenAI leadership about the company’s core priorities for quite some time, until we finally reached a breaking point,” wrote Leike, whose last day was Thursday.

An AI researcher by training, Leike said he believes there should be more focus on preparing for the next generation of AI models, including on things like safety and analyzing the societal impacts of such technologies. He said building “smarter-than-human machines is an inherently dangerous endeavor” and that the company “is shouldering an enormous responsibility on behalf of all of humanity.”

“OpenAI must become a safety-first AGI company,” wrote Leike, using the abbreviated version of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/agi-artificial-general-intelligence-existential-risk-meta-openai-deepmind-science-ff5662a056d3cf3c5889a73e929e5a34">artificial general intelligence</a>, a futuristic vision of machines that are as broadly smart as humans or at least can do many things as well as people can.

Open AI CEO Sam Altman wrote in a reply to Leike’s posts that he was “super appreciative” of Leike’s contributions to the company was “very sad to see him leave.”

Leike is “right we have a lot more to do; we are committed to doing it,” Altman said, pledging to write a longer post on the subject in the coming days.

The company also confirmed Friday that it had disbanded Leike’s&nbsp;<a href="https://openai.com/index/introducing-superalignment/" target="_blank">Superalignment team</a>, which was launched last year to focus on AI risks, and is integrating the team’s members across its research efforts.

Leike’s resignation came after OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever said Tuesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/openai-ilya-sutskever-leaving-chatgpt-cofounder-419276b50007ad41adfd27764da3188c">he was leaving the company</a>&nbsp;after nearly a decade. Sutskever was one of four board members last fall who voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/altman-ai-chatgpt-murati-893e4a460c10eb3a8f1afefa6156eca3">push out Altman</a>&nbsp;— only to quickly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/altman-openai-chatgpt-31187f7f6eca8ff9d0eef7585aac6ace">reinstate him</a>. It was Sutskever who told Altman last November that he was being fired, but he later said he regretted doing so.

Sutskever said he is working on a new project that’s meaningful to him without offering additional details. He will be replaced by&nbsp;<a href="https://openai.com/index/jakub-pachocki-announced-as-chief-scientist/" target="_blank">Jakub Pachocki&nbsp;</a>as chief scientist. Altman called Pachocki “also easily one of the greatest minds of our generation” and said he is “very confident he will lead us to make rapid and safe progress towards our mission of ensuring that AGI benefits everyone.”

On Monday, OpenAI showed off the latest update to its artificial intelligence model, which can mimic human cadences in its verbal responses and can even try to detect people’s moods.

NEW YORK (AP) —A former OpenAI leader who resigned from the company earlier this week said Friday that safety has “taken a backseat to shiny products” at the influential artificial intelligence company.Jan Leike, who ran OpenAI’s “Superalignment” team alongside a company co-founder who also resigned this week, wrote in a series of posts on the social media platform X that he joined the San Francisco-based company because he thought it would be the best place to do AI research.“However, I have been disagreeing with OpenAI leadership about the company’s core priorities for quite some time, until we finally reached a breaking point,” wrote Leike, whose last day was Thursday.An AI researcher by training, Leike said he believes there should be more focus on preparing for the next generation of AI models, including on things like safety and analyzing the societal impacts of such technologies. He said building “smarter-than-human machines is an inherently dangerous endeavor” and that the company “is shouldering an enormous responsibility on behalf of all of humanity.”“OpenAI must become a safety-first AGI company,” wrote Leike, using the abbreviated version of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/agi-artificial-general-intelligence-existential-risk-meta-openai-deepmind-science-ff5662a056d3cf3c5889a73e929e5a34">artificial general intelligence</a>, a futuristic vision of machines that are as broadly smart as humans or at least can do many things as well as people can.Open AI CEO Sam Altman wrote in a reply to Leike’s posts that he was “super appreciative” of Leike’s contributions to the company was “very sad to see him leave.”Leike is “right we have a lot more to do; we are committed to doing it,” Altman said, pledging to write a longer post on the subject in the coming days.The company also confirmed Friday that it had disbanded Leike’s&nbsp;<a href="https://openai.com/index/introducing-superalignment/" target="_blank">Superalignment team</a>, which was launched last year to focus on AI risks, and is integrating the team’s members across its research efforts.Leike’s resignation came after OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever said Tuesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/openai-ilya-sutskever-leaving-chatgpt-cofounder-419276b50007ad41adfd27764da3188c">he was leaving the company</a>&nbsp;after nearly a decade. Sutskever was one of four board members last fall who voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/altman-ai-chatgpt-murati-893e4a460c10eb3a8f1afefa6156eca3">push out Altman</a>&nbsp;— only to quickly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/altman-openai-chatgpt-31187f7f6eca8ff9d0eef7585aac6ace">reinstate him</a>. It was Sutskever who told Altman last November that he was being fired, but he later said he regretted doing so.Sutskever said he is working on a new project that’s meaningful to him without offering additional details. He will be replaced by&nbsp;<a href="https://openai.com/index/jakub-pachocki-announced-as-chief-scientist/" target="_blank">Jakub Pachocki&nbsp;</a>as chief scientist. Altman called Pachocki “also easily one of the greatest minds of our generation” and said he is “very confident he will lead us to make rapid and safe progress towards our mission of ensuring that AGI benefits everyone.”On Monday, OpenAI showed off the latest update to its artificial intelligence model, which can mimic human cadences in its verbal responses and can even try to detect people’s moods.——

No safeguards: OpenAI disbands high-profile safety team

GRAND ISLAND - The Board of Trustees for the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation appointed a new member to serve a three-year term on its Board of Directors. The Board of Trustees for the 1868 Foundation unanimously appointed Steve Wehrbein of Plattsmouth to serve a three-year term on the 1868 Foundation Board of Directors and reappointed Terry Galloway of Elwood, and Jill Staab of Grand Island.

Steve Wehrbein successfully served nine years on the Nebraska State Fair Board of Directors. As chairman of the Events Committee, he helped to bring excitement and enthusiasm to daily fair activities. Lindsey Koepke, Executive Director said, “For the past three years, Steve has served as the Fair Board’s representative to the 1868 Foundation on the Board of Directors. Steve and his wife Marlene have been long-time friends and avid supporters of the State Fair.” 

“We are delighted to retain Terry Galloway and Jill Stabb for another term on the Board of Directors. Outstanding community leaders like Terry and Jill bring a great deal of perspective and valuable insight to assist us with our mission,” said Koepke. “They bring tremendous expertise and skills that will help 1868 Foundation reach its goal of raising funds and resources for the State Fair.”

Mr. Galloway shared, “I am so proud to be a part of the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation. The 1868 Foundation works hard to generate funds that support the Nebraska State Fair. These efforts would not be possible without the determination of loyal individuals, corporations, and foundations to keep our state fair on the cutting edge.” 

Galloway is originally from Bladen, Nebraska, and has served as both Treasurer and most recently as Chairman of the 1868 Foundation Board since 2018. His guidance and direction proved invaluable, and why he was selected and honored with the Lifetime Friend of the Fair Award in 2021.

Jill Staab was born and raised in St. Paul and has a long history of supporting the various efforts of the community of Grand Island. Jill was first appointed to the board in 2021. Ms. Staab, along with her family, have been supportive of the fair long before the fair moved to Grand Island. She has served on several committees including Grand Island Central Catholic, St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary and is excited to help create long-term growth and stability for her fair by serving on the 1868 Foundation Board of Directors.

The Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation also honored Jay Vavricek of Grand Island with the 2024 Lifetime Friend of the Fair Award. “Jay brought solid ideas, stability, courage and strength in leadership in a challenging time for the fair,” said Galloway. “He was instrumental in supporting and carrying the fair through the transition to Grand Island. Vavricek focused his efforts on aligning the relocated State Fair in the community and with community members. We would not be where we are today without his dedication to the state fair and his commitment to seeing it succeed.”

Additionally, the 1868 Foundation presented Dawn Werner of Grand Island with the 2024 Excellence in 1868 Society Award for her incredible dedication to the 1868 Foundation, by volunteer commitments to the Fair. “Dawn is the epitome of all things good and right about the fair. Each year she gives so much of her time and talents to better the fair. We couldn’t be more honored to present Dawn with this award,” said Koepke.

“We are so fortunate to have such a talented group of individuals serving on the board of directors,” said Koepke. “As we continue to strengthen our efforts and look to future for opportunities for growth, we will rely greatly on these individuals to keep the positive moment and growth of our Nebraska State Fair.”&nbsp;

The purpose of the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation is to raise funds and resources for improvements, renovations, and revitalizations for the Nebraska State Fair. The Foundation is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization. For more information about the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.1868foundation.org/" target="_blank">www.1868foundation.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716219373924.jpeg" alt="Terry Galloway (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Terry Galloway (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Nebraska State FairGRAND ISLAND - The Board of Trustees for the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation appointed a new member to serve a three-year term on its Board of Directors. The Board of Trustees for the 1868 Foundation unanimously appointed Steve Wehrbein of Plattsmouth to serve a three-year term on the 1868 Foundation Board of Directors and reappointed Terry Galloway of Elwood, and Jill Staab of Grand Island.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716219444743.jpeg" alt="Steve Wehrbein (Courtesy Photo)" />
 <figcaption>Steve Wehrbein (Courtesy Photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Steve Wehrbein successfully served nine years on the Nebraska State Fair Board of Directors. As chairman of the Events Committee, he helped to bring excitement and enthusiasm to daily fair activities. Lindsey Koepke, Executive Director said, “For the past three years, Steve has served as the Fair Board’s representative to the 1868 Foundation on the Board of Directors. Steve and his wife Marlene have been long-time friends and avid supporters of the State Fair.” “We are delighted to retain Terry Galloway and Jill Stabb for another term on the Board of Directors. Outstanding community leaders like Terry and Jill bring a great deal of perspective and valuable insight to assist us with our mission,” said Koepke. “They bring tremendous expertise and skills that will help 1868 Foundation reach its goal of raising funds and resources for the State Fair.”Mr. Galloway shared, “I am so proud to be a part of the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation. The 1868 Foundation works hard to generate funds that support the Nebraska State Fair. These efforts would not be possible without the determination of loyal individuals, corporations, and foundations to keep our state fair on the cutting edge.” Galloway is originally from Bladen, Nebraska, and has served as both Treasurer and most recently as Chairman of the 1868 Foundation Board since 2018. His guidance and direction proved invaluable, and why he was selected and honored with the Lifetime Friend of the Fair Award in 2021.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716219471928.jpeg" alt="Jill Staab (Courtesy Photo)" />
 <figcaption>Jill Staab (Courtesy Photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Jill Staab was born and raised in St. Paul and has a long history of supporting the various efforts of the community of Grand Island. Jill was first appointed to the board in 2021. Ms. Staab, along with her family, have been supportive of the fair long before the fair moved to Grand Island. She has served on several committees including Grand Island Central Catholic, St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary and is excited to help create long-term growth and stability for her fair by serving on the 1868 Foundation Board of Directors.The Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation also honored Jay Vavricek of Grand Island with the 2024 Lifetime Friend of the Fair Award. “Jay brought solid ideas, stability, courage and strength in leadership in a challenging time for the fair,” said Galloway. “He was instrumental in supporting and carrying the fair through the transition to Grand Island. Vavricek focused his efforts on aligning the relocated State Fair in the community and with community members. We would not be where we are today without his dedication to the state fair and his commitment to seeing it succeed.”Additionally, the 1868 Foundation presented Dawn Werner of Grand Island with the 2024 Excellence in 1868 Society Award for her incredible dedication to the 1868 Foundation, by volunteer commitments to the Fair. “Dawn is the epitome of all things good and right about the fair. Each year she gives so much of her time and talents to better the fair. We couldn’t be more honored to present Dawn with this award,” said Koepke.“We are so fortunate to have such a talented group of individuals serving on the board of directors,” said Koepke. “As we continue to strengthen our efforts and look to future for opportunities for growth, we will rely greatly on these individuals to keep the positive moment and growth of our Nebraska State Fair.”&nbsp;The purpose of the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation is to raise funds and resources for improvements, renovations, and revitalizations for the Nebraska State Fair. The Foundation is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization. For more information about the Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.1868foundation.org/" target="_blank">www.1868foundation.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation announces new board member, honors award winners

LINCOLN, NEB. – From show pigs and cattle, to gardening and beekeeping, the passion of the winners of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Student Project Grants shines through in each of their projects.

Nebraska Farm Bureau Student Project Grants, supported by the Charles Marshall Fund at the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, were awarded to nine deserving student Farm Bureau members from across the state. Nebraska Farm Bureau awards $4,000 in grants for students to begin or expand their 4-H project or FFA Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE) project. The grants are in the amounts of $250, $500, $750, and $1,000 until funds are exhausted.

“Our student members embrace the entrepreneurial spirit, and we are so proud of their commitment to their projects,” said Audrey Schipporeit, director of generational engagement. "Nebraska Farm Bureau is excited to support these students and we hope these funds will be able to help them reach their goals. We look forward to seeing Nebraska Farm Bureau students continue to bring new ideas and opportunities to their communities for many years to come."

The grants are awarded to Nebraska Farm Bureau student members each year, including those under the age of 15. Those applicants’ parent(s) must be Farm Bureau members. Applicants who are age 16 or older must be student Farm Bureau members. If selected, the student must share how they have used the grant towards starting or growing their 4-H or SAE projects. Winners were selected by a Nebraska Farm Bureau committee.

Those interested in applying for the Student Project Grants must meet certain requirements. Applicants (or their parents) must hold a current Nebraska Farm Bureau membership. To join Nebraska Farm Bureau and learn more, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

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. – From show pigs and cattle, to gardening and beekeeping, the passion of the winners of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Student Project Grants shines through in each of their projects.Nebraska Farm Bureau Student Project Grants, supported by the Charles Marshall Fund at the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, were awarded to nine deserving student Farm Bureau members from across the state. Nebraska Farm Bureau awards $4,000 in grants for students to begin or expand their 4-H project or FFA Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE) project. The grants are in the amounts of $250, $500, $750, and $1,000 until funds are exhausted.“Our student members embrace the entrepreneurial spirit, and we are so proud of their commitment to their projects,” said Audrey Schipporeit, director of generational engagement. "Nebraska Farm Bureau is excited to support these students and we hope these funds will be able to help them reach their goals. We look forward to seeing Nebraska Farm Bureau students continue to bring new ideas and opportunities to their communities for many years to come."The grants are awarded to Nebraska Farm Bureau student members each year, including those under the age of 15. Those applicants’ parent(s) must be Farm Bureau members. Applicants who are age 16 or older must be student Farm Bureau members. If selected, the student must share how they have used the grant towards starting or growing their 4-H or SAE projects. Winners were selected by a Nebraska Farm Bureau committee.Grant recipients are as follows:<ol>
 <li>Kenzie Bartling is a Polk County Farm Bureau member and received $750 for her SAE project. The grant will help Bartling utilize a portion of school farmland to grow pumpkins, sweet corn, and Indian corn. The garden will bring access of fresh sweet corn to her community, and she plans to sell the pumpkins and Indian corn, working towards her goal to earn a FFA State Degree.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Parker Person is a Jefferson County Farm Bureau member and received $750 to grow his ground maintenance project at a local rural church and cemetery. With this grant, Person plans to purchase a Mammotion Luba 2 Mower, an autonomous mower, as well as the needed cellular connection for the mower and the off-grid power system. His goal is to make his project sustainable and efficient.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Emma Dux is&nbsp;a member of Jefferson County Farm Bureau and received $500 for her show pig project. Dux will be showing three purebred Hampshire pigs: two barrows and one gilt at her local county fair, the Nebraska State Fair, and the National Barrow Show in Minnesota. She also co-owns a purebred Duroc sow and a purebred Hampshire sow with her sister. Her goal is to become a better feeder, improve her skills in conditioning her pig’s skin and hair, and participate in the Nebraska Swine Circuit. The grant money will help her cover the expenses of her project while working towards her goals.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Olivia Haack is a Kearney/Franklin County Farm Bureau member and received $500 for her project. She will use the grant money to begin a gardening SAE project in her FFA chapter. Haack plans to grow a variety of fruits and vegetable and, once they are grown, package and sell them at a farmer’s market, roadside stand, and online. The grant money will help her buy seeds, packaging supplies, and a strawberry tower, among other items needed for her business.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Levi Webb is a Merrick County Farm Bureau member and received $500 to expand his show pig business. He has a diversified operation of purebred hogs, including five hogs he will be breeding this summer. Webb shows pigs at his local county fair, the Nebraska State Fair, Aksarben, the Nebraska Swin Circuit, and other national shows. He plans to grow his herd to 20-30 sows. The grant money will be used to cover costs associated with growing his project.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Lexi Arbogast is a Clay County Farm Bureau member and received $250 for her project. She raises call ducks to show and plans on using the grant money to purchase additional call ducks to breed. The grant money will help her build a duck pen and grow her flock larger to be able to sell call ducks to other 4-H members.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Eldon Haack is a member of Kearney/Franklin County Farm Bureau and was awarded $250 to expand his cattle operation. Currently, Haack has a small cow herd made up of six breeding cows. The grant money will help him purchase six purebred Hereford embryos which will be used to clave two of his breeding cows. Using the embryos to grow his herd will allow him to bring in more high-quality genetics, improving the herd quality and size.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Monroe Klingman is a Deuel County Farm Bureau member and received $250 to expand her market swine project. Klingman shows two market pigs at her local county fair and sells them following the show.&nbsp; With this grant,she will be able to cover the cost of feeding her pigs, as well as other items needed to keep the pigs healthy and prepare them for the show.</li>
 </ol><ol>
 <li>Mackenzie Person is a Jefferson County Farm Bureau member and received $250 to expand her beekeeping and honey business. With this grant, Person plans to purchase additional hives and equipment. Her goal is to grow her apiary from two hives to more than five hives and extract over 100 pounds of honey. The revenue generated from honey sales is used to continue growing her project.</li>
 </ol>Those interested in applying for the Student Project Grants must meet certain requirements. Applicants (or their parents) must hold a current Nebraska Farm Bureau membership. To join Nebraska Farm Bureau and learn more, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.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 Awards Student Project Grants to 4-H and FFA Students Across the State   

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Agriculture Committee Friday released the draft bill text of the long-awaited $1.5 trillion farm bill, which is likely to face opposition in the Senate from Democrats because of disagreements over federal anti-hunger programs and climate change requirements.

The chair of the committee, GOP Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson of Pennsylvania, said in a statement that the bill, which will set farm, nutrition, commodity and conservation policy for the next five years, is a “product of extensive feedback from stakeholders and all Members of the House, and is responsive to the needs of farm country through the incorporation of hundreds of bipartisan policies.”

The legislation funds programs across 12 titles for five years.

It would boost rural farming, promote a new global market for farmers to sell their products abroad, require new reporting requirements for the foreign purchase of farmland, increase funding for specialty crops and expand eligibility for disaster assistance, among other initiatives.

“The markup is one step in a greater House process, that should not be compromised by misleading arguments, false narratives, or edicts from the Senate,” Thompson said.

The House Agriculture Committee plans to mark up the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://agriculture.house.gov/uploadedfiles/discussion_draft_ffns.pdf">942-page bill</a>&nbsp;on Thursday. It is expected to cost $1.5 trillion over 10 years. A title-by-title summary can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://agriculture.house.gov/uploadedfiles/detailed_summary_final.pdf">here</a>.

In a statement, the top Democrat on the committee, Rep. David Scott of Georgia, slammed the draft bill for “taking food out of the mouths of America’s hungry children, restricting farmers from receiving the climate-smart conservation funding they so desperately need, and barring the USDA from providing financial assistance to farmers in times of crisis.”

Scott warned that the current draft bill is unlikely to pass the House. Although Republicans have a slim majority, any piece of legislation will have to be bipartisan in order to make it through the Senate, which Democrats control.

The current farm bill extension expires Sept. 30.

On the Senate side, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat who leads the Committee on Agriculture, released Democrats’&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/newsroom/dem/press/release/chairwoman-stabenow-unveils-the-rural-prosperity-and-food-security-act">own proposal</a>&nbsp;in early May. Among other things, it would boost eligibility for nutrition programs for low-income people like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Stabenow made public a summary of the bill, but not legislative text.

Scott and Stabenow released a joint statement Tuesday following a meeting with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democrats on the House Agriculture committee. They advocated for Republicans to craft a bipartisan farm bill.

“House Republicans are undermining this goal by proposing policies that split the broad, bipartisan coalition that has always been the foundation of a successful farm bill,” they wrote.

“We need a farm bill that holds the coalition together and upholds the historic tradition of providing food assistance to our most vulnerable Americans while keeping our commitment to our farmers battling the effects of the climate crisis every day,” they continued.

The House bill has a few provisions that Democrats oppose.

One would remove climate-smart policy requirements for about $13 billion in conservation projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. Another&nbsp; would limit future updates to the Thrifty Food Plan, the formula that calculates benefits for SNAP. “The economic impact of the SNAP cuts alone would be staggering,” Scott said.

A freeze in the Thrifty Food Plan would result in a roughly $30 billion SNAP cut over the next decade,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/chair-thompsons-plan-would-cut-snap-benefits-and-ignore-scientific">according</a>&nbsp;to the liberal-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. There are more than 41 million people who use SNAP benefits,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research/#:~:text=The%20Supplemental%20Nutrition%20Assistance%20Program,fiscal%20year%20(FY)%202022.&amp;text=Download%20chart%20data%20in%20Excel,41.2%20million%20participants%20per%20month.">according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;</a>

However, the House farm bill would remove the ban on low-income Americans who have a drug conviction felony from obtaining SNAP benefits.

Environmental groups are also opposing the draft of the farm bill, raising concerns about reallocating IRA money and including a bill relating to how states regulate animal practices.

A watchdog group that focuses on government and corporate accountability in water, food and corporate overreach, Food &amp; Water Watch Managing Director of Policy and Litigation Mitch Jones said in a statement that the draft bill would gut important climate-smart provisions.

“Some of leadership’s more dangerous proposals would take us backwards on animal welfare, and climate-smart agriculture,” Jones said. “It’s time Congress put the culture wars aside and got back to work on a Farm Bill that puts consumers, farmers, and the environment above politicking and Big Ag handouts.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716210763832.png" alt=" Doug Goyings, a fifth-generation farmer in northwestern Ohio, received a USDA Rural Energy for America Program grant in 2023 to install a 288-panel solar array (seen at left) at his family grain farm, meeting 100 percent of the farm’s energy needs and saving money that he can re-invest back into the operation. (Mark McCann/USDA)" />
 <figcaption> Doug Goyings, a fifth-generation farmer in northwestern Ohio, received a USDA Rural Energy for America Program grant in 2023 to install a 288-panel solar array (seen at left) at his family grain farm, meeting 100 percent of the farm’s energy needs and saving money that he can re-invest back into the operation. (Mark McCann/USDA)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Agriculture Committee Friday released the draft bill text of the long-awaited $1.5 trillion farm bill, which is likely to face opposition in the Senate from Democrats because of disagreements over federal anti-hunger programs and climate change requirements.The chair of the committee, GOP Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson of Pennsylvania, said in a statement that the bill, which will set farm, nutrition, commodity and conservation policy for the next five years, is a “product of extensive feedback from stakeholders and all Members of the House, and is responsive to the needs of farm country through the incorporation of hundreds of bipartisan policies.”The legislation funds programs across 12 titles for five years.It would boost rural farming, promote a new global market for farmers to sell their products abroad, require new reporting requirements for the foreign purchase of farmland, increase funding for specialty crops and expand eligibility for disaster assistance, among other initiatives.“The markup is one step in a greater House process, that should not be compromised by misleading arguments, false narratives, or edicts from the Senate,” Thompson said.The House Agriculture Committee plans to mark up the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://agriculture.house.gov/uploadedfiles/discussion_draft_ffns.pdf">942-page bill</a>&nbsp;on Thursday. It is expected to cost $1.5 trillion over 10 years. A title-by-title summary can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://agriculture.house.gov/uploadedfiles/detailed_summary_final.pdf">here</a>.In a statement, the top Democrat on the committee, Rep. David Scott of Georgia, slammed the draft bill for “taking food out of the mouths of America’s hungry children, restricting farmers from receiving the climate-smart conservation funding they so desperately need, and barring the USDA from providing financial assistance to farmers in times of crisis.”Scott warned that the current draft bill is unlikely to pass the House. Although Republicans have a slim majority, any piece of legislation will have to be bipartisan in order to make it through the Senate, which Democrats control.The current farm bill extension expires Sept. 30.On the Senate side, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat who leads the Committee on Agriculture, released Democrats’&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/newsroom/dem/press/release/chairwoman-stabenow-unveils-the-rural-prosperity-and-food-security-act">own proposal</a>&nbsp;in early May. Among other things, it would boost eligibility for nutrition programs for low-income people like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Stabenow made public a summary of the bill, but not legislative text.Scott and Stabenow released a joint statement Tuesday following a meeting with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democrats on the House Agriculture committee. They advocated for Republicans to craft a bipartisan farm bill.“House Republicans are undermining this goal by proposing policies that split the broad, bipartisan coalition that has always been the foundation of a successful farm bill,” they wrote.“We need a farm bill that holds the coalition together and upholds the historic tradition of providing food assistance to our most vulnerable Americans while keeping our commitment to our farmers battling the effects of the climate crisis every day,” they continued.The House bill has a few provisions that Democrats oppose.One would remove climate-smart policy requirements for about $13 billion in conservation projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. Another&nbsp; would limit future updates to the Thrifty Food Plan, the formula that calculates benefits for SNAP. “The economic impact of the SNAP cuts alone would be staggering,” Scott said.A freeze in the Thrifty Food Plan would result in a roughly $30 billion SNAP cut over the next decade,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/chair-thompsons-plan-would-cut-snap-benefits-and-ignore-scientific">according</a>&nbsp;to the liberal-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. There are more than 41 million people who use SNAP benefits,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research/#:~:text=The%20Supplemental%20Nutrition%20Assistance%20Program,fiscal%20year%20(FY)%202022.&amp;text=Download%20chart%20data%20in%20Excel,41.2%20million%20participants%20per%20month.">according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;</a>However, the House farm bill would remove the ban on low-income Americans who have a drug conviction felony from obtaining SNAP benefits.Environmental groups are also opposing the draft of the farm bill, raising concerns about reallocating IRA money and including a bill relating to how states regulate animal practices.A watchdog group that focuses on government and corporate accountability in water, food and corporate overreach, Food &amp; Water Watch Managing Director of Policy and Litigation Mitch Jones said in a statement that the draft bill would gut important climate-smart provisions.“Some of leadership’s more dangerous proposals would take us backwards on animal welfare, and climate-smart agriculture,” Jones said. “It’s time Congress put the culture wars aside and got back to work on a Farm Bill that puts consumers, farmers, and the environment above politicking and Big Ag handouts.”

Farm bill text released in U.S. House, setting up fight with Senate

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-unemployment-rate-remains-steady-at-2-5-compared-to-the-nations-3-9/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s unemployment rate has remained steady for the past eight months, again coming in at 2.5% in April, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dol.nebraska.gov/infolink">preliminary data</a>&nbsp;released Friday by the Nebraska Department of Labor.

That compares to 3.9% for the nation, which has seen its preliminary and seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rise from 3.8% a month earlier and 3.4% a year ago.

Nebraska’s unemployment rate is the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm">fourth lowest</a>&nbsp;in the nation, with North Dakota, South Dakota and Vermont recording lower rates in April.

(While Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate earlier was reported to have dipped lower than 2.5% in the later months of 2023, rates were revised upward a bit in the Labor Department’s annual benchmarking process, which explains the eight-month “unchanged” streak reported Friday.)

Also notable this month, said Labor Commissioner John Albin, is that the number of filled jobs in Nebraska’s nonfarm sector reached an all-time high last month of 1,063,738 — up about 0.7% from a month earlier and 1.8% up from a year earlier.

“This was driven by record highs in Omaha and Lincoln of 516,399 and 198,570, respectively,”&nbsp; he said of the nonseasonally adjusted data.

Private industries reporting the most growth since last year were private education and health services.

The number of employed and unemployed persons in the labor force is based on surveying by the Census Bureau on employment status. Individuals who are claiming unemployment benefits and those who are not claiming unemployment benefits both can be counted as unemployed, depending on their response to the survey.&nbsp;

Those who are not working and not seeking work are not considered part of the labor force and are not included in the unemployment rate calculation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716211247239.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-unemployment-rate-remains-steady-at-2-5-compared-to-the-nations-3-9/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska’s unemployment rate has remained steady for the past eight months, again coming in at 2.5% in April, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dol.nebraska.gov/infolink">preliminary data</a>&nbsp;released Friday by the Nebraska Department of Labor.That compares to 3.9% for the nation, which has seen its preliminary and seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rise from 3.8% a month earlier and 3.4% a year ago.Nebraska’s unemployment rate is the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm">fourth lowest</a>&nbsp;in the nation, with North Dakota, South Dakota and Vermont recording lower rates in April.(While Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate earlier was reported to have dipped lower than 2.5% in the later months of 2023, rates were revised upward a bit in the Labor Department’s annual benchmarking process, which explains the eight-month “unchanged” streak reported Friday.)Also notable this month, said Labor Commissioner John Albin, is that the number of filled jobs in Nebraska’s nonfarm sector reached an all-time high last month of 1,063,738 — up about 0.7% from a month earlier and 1.8% up from a year earlier.“This was driven by record highs in Omaha and Lincoln of 516,399 and 198,570, respectively,”&nbsp; he said of the nonseasonally adjusted data.Private industries reporting the most growth since last year were private education and health services.The number of employed and unemployed persons in the labor force is based on surveying by the Census Bureau on employment status. Individuals who are claiming unemployment benefits and those who are not claiming unemployment benefits both can be counted as unemployed, depending on their response to the survey.&nbsp;Those who are not working and not seeking work are not considered part of the labor force and are not included in the unemployment rate calculation.

Nebraska unemployment rate remains steady at 2.5%, compared to the nation’s 3.9%

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection days after shuttering dozens of restaurants.

The seafood chain has been struggling with rising lease and labor costs in recent years and also promotions like its iconic all-you-can-eat shrimp deal that backfired.

Demand for one such recent promotion overwhelmed restaurants,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2023/11/27/red-lobster-endless-shrimp-earnings-report/71723659007/">reportedly</a>&nbsp;contributing to millions in losses.

The seafood restaurant chain said in a court filing late Sunday that it has more than 100,000 creditors and estimated assets between $1 billion and $10 billion. The company's estimated liabilities are between $1 billion and $10 billion.

The bankruptcy petition is signed by CEO Jonathan Tibus, a corporate restructuring specialist who took the top post at Red Lobster in March.

Restaurant liquidator TAGeX Brands announced last week that it would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-lobster-closures-endless-shrimp-bankruptcy-c0cad9fde7d39e479674ea497ac9a36f">auctioning</a>&nbsp;off the equipment of over 50 Red Lobster locations that were recently closed. The store closures span across more than 20 states — reducing Red Lobster’s presence in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tagexbrands.com/red-lobster/">cities like</a>&nbsp;Denver, San Antonio, Indianapolis and Sacramento, California.

Maintaining stability at the Florida chain has been problematic due to multiple ownership changes over its 56-year history. Earlier this year, Red Lobster co-owner Thai Union Group, one of the world’s largest seafood suppliers, announced its intention to exit its minority investment in the dining chain.

Thai Union first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6e252dbd4ff84eb1b44ba97809ca49ee">invested in Red Lobster in 2016</a>&nbsp;and upped its stake in 2020. At the time of the January announcement on its plans to divest, CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said the COVID-19 pandemic, industry headwinds and rising operating costs had hit the dining chain hard and caused “prolonged negative financial contributions to Thai Union and its shareholders.”

For the first nine months of 2023, the Thailand company reported a $19 million share of loss from Red Lobster.

Red Lobster’s roots date back to 1968, when the first restaurant <a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-9b65b21164c445ac89e134f2165efecf">opened</a>&nbsp;in Lakeland, Florida. The chain expanded rapidly since then and runs more than 700 locations worldwide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715638363133.jpeg" alt="Sign on the entrance to the Red Lobster Restaurant in Salina, Kansas-photo by Nathan King" />
 <figcaption>Sign on the entrance to the Red Lobster Restaurant in Salina, Kansas-photo by Nathan King</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection days after shuttering dozens of restaurants.The seafood chain has been struggling with rising lease and labor costs in recent years and also promotions like its iconic all-you-can-eat shrimp deal that backfired.Demand for one such recent promotion overwhelmed restaurants,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2023/11/27/red-lobster-endless-shrimp-earnings-report/71723659007/">reportedly</a>&nbsp;contributing to millions in losses.The seafood restaurant chain said in a court filing late Sunday that it has more than 100,000 creditors and estimated assets between $1 billion and $10 billion. The company's estimated liabilities are between $1 billion and $10 billion.The bankruptcy petition is signed by CEO Jonathan Tibus, a corporate restructuring specialist who took the top post at Red Lobster in March.Restaurant liquidator TAGeX Brands announced last week that it would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-lobster-closures-endless-shrimp-bankruptcy-c0cad9fde7d39e479674ea497ac9a36f">auctioning</a>&nbsp;off the equipment of over 50 Red Lobster locations that were recently closed. The store closures span across more than 20 states — reducing Red Lobster’s presence in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tagexbrands.com/red-lobster/">cities like</a>&nbsp;Denver, San Antonio, Indianapolis and Sacramento, California.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715638338504.jpeg" alt="Red Lobster in Salina, Kansas -photo by Nathan King" />
 <figcaption>Red Lobster in Salina, Kansas -photo by Nathan King</figcaption>
 </figure>Maintaining stability at the Florida chain has been problematic due to multiple ownership changes over its 56-year history. Earlier this year, Red Lobster co-owner Thai Union Group, one of the world’s largest seafood suppliers, announced its intention to exit its minority investment in the dining chain.Thai Union first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6e252dbd4ff84eb1b44ba97809ca49ee">invested in Red Lobster in 2016</a>&nbsp;and upped its stake in 2020. At the time of the January announcement on its plans to divest, CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said the COVID-19 pandemic, industry headwinds and rising operating costs had hit the dining chain hard and caused “prolonged negative financial contributions to Thai Union and its shareholders.”For the first nine months of 2023, the Thailand company reported a $19 million share of loss from Red Lobster.Red Lobster’s roots date back to 1968, when the first restaurant <a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-9b65b21164c445ac89e134f2165efecf">opened</a>&nbsp;in Lakeland, Florida. The chain expanded rapidly since then and runs more than 700 locations worldwide.

Red Lobster files for bankruptcy days after unlimited shrimp deal

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Joe Biden's national security adviser met early Sunday with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss what the kingdom described as the “semi-final” version of a wide-ranging security agreement between the countries.

The announcement by the state-run Saudi Press Agency comes as the strategic deal had been upended after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel</a>&nbsp;that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage back to the Gaza Strip.

In the time since, a punishing Israeli airstrike campaign and ground offensive there has killed over 35,000 Palestinians, endangering the security deal that had included Saudi Arabia diplomatically recognizing Israel for the first time since its founding in 1948.

Saudi state media released no images of Jake Sullivan and Prince Mohammed meeting in Dhahran, a city in the kingdom's far east that's home to its state-run oil giant, the Saudi Arabian Oil Co. known as Saudi Aramco.

“The semi-final version of the draft strategic agreements between the kingdom and the United States of America, which are almost being finalized — and what is being worked on between the two sides in the Palestinian issue to find a credible path — were discussed,” the statement released after the talks said.

That included “a two-state solution that meets the aspirations and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people” and “the situation in Gaza and the need to stop the war there and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid,” the statement added.

Saudi Arabia has long called for an independent Palestinian state to be created along Israel's 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital. However, that likely may be untenable for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government hinges on support from hard-liners who oppose a two-state solution and support Israeli settlements on lands Palestinians want for that state.

The White House issued a statement early Monday after Sullivan traveled to Israel and met with Netanyahu, saying the Saudi talks “focused on a comprehensive vision for an integrated Middle East region.” The statement did not elaborate, other than to call the talks “constructive.”

Saudi Arabia has long relied — like other Gulf Arab nations — on the U.S. to be the security guarantor for the wider Middle East as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-tanker-seizures-us-uk-navy-revolutionary-guard-a8996a3dccccc82f8fa8d8bf263c9cfb">tensions over Iran’s nuclear program in recent years have spilled over into a series of attacks.</a>&nbsp;The proposal now being discussed likely would deepen that, and also reportedly includes access to advanced weapons and possibly trade deals as well.

Saudi Arabia has also pushed for nuclear cooperation in the deal that includes America allowing it to enrich uranium in the kingdom — something that worries nonproliferation experts, as spinning centrifuges opens the door to a possible weapons program. Prince Mohammed has said the kingdom would pursue a nuclear weapon if Iran had one.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iaea-nuclear-program-143e3e3c015dbf9c17316ad60ff989da">Iran in recent weeks has increasingly threatened it could do so</a>.

Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York meanwhile confirmed that Tehran held indirect talks with U.S. officials in Oman last week. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted the mission as describing the talks as “an ongoing process.”

“The negotiations have not been the first and will not be the last of their kind,” the mission said, according to IRNA.

Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has been the site of U.S.-Iran talks in the past, including under Biden despite the tensions between the two nations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716170126757.png" alt="File photo Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from a meeting with Sec. of State Blinken in 2023-photo U.S. Dept. of State" />
 <figcaption>File photo Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from a meeting with Sec. of State Blinken in 2023-photo U.S. Dept. of State</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Joe Biden's national security adviser met early Sunday with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss what the kingdom described as the “semi-final” version of a wide-ranging security agreement between the countries.The announcement by the state-run Saudi Press Agency comes as the strategic deal had been upended after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel</a>&nbsp;that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage back to the Gaza Strip.In the time since, a punishing Israeli airstrike campaign and ground offensive there has killed over 35,000 Palestinians, endangering the security deal that had included Saudi Arabia diplomatically recognizing Israel for the first time since its founding in 1948.Saudi state media released no images of Jake Sullivan and Prince Mohammed meeting in Dhahran, a city in the kingdom's far east that's home to its state-run oil giant, the Saudi Arabian Oil Co. known as Saudi Aramco.“The semi-final version of the draft strategic agreements between the kingdom and the United States of America, which are almost being finalized — and what is being worked on between the two sides in the Palestinian issue to find a credible path — were discussed,” the statement released after the talks said.That included “a two-state solution that meets the aspirations and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people” and “the situation in Gaza and the need to stop the war there and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid,” the statement added.Saudi Arabia has long called for an independent Palestinian state to be created along Israel's 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital. However, that likely may be untenable for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government hinges on support from hard-liners who oppose a two-state solution and support Israeli settlements on lands Palestinians want for that state.The White House issued a statement early Monday after Sullivan traveled to Israel and met with Netanyahu, saying the Saudi talks “focused on a comprehensive vision for an integrated Middle East region.” The statement did not elaborate, other than to call the talks “constructive.”Saudi Arabia has long relied — like other Gulf Arab nations — on the U.S. to be the security guarantor for the wider Middle East as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-tanker-seizures-us-uk-navy-revolutionary-guard-a8996a3dccccc82f8fa8d8bf263c9cfb">tensions over Iran’s nuclear program in recent years have spilled over into a series of attacks.</a>&nbsp;The proposal now being discussed likely would deepen that, and also reportedly includes access to advanced weapons and possibly trade deals as well.Saudi Arabia has also pushed for nuclear cooperation in the deal that includes America allowing it to enrich uranium in the kingdom — something that worries nonproliferation experts, as spinning centrifuges opens the door to a possible weapons program. Prince Mohammed has said the kingdom would pursue a nuclear weapon if Iran had one.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iaea-nuclear-program-143e3e3c015dbf9c17316ad60ff989da">Iran in recent weeks has increasingly threatened it could do so</a>.Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York meanwhile confirmed that Tehran held indirect talks with U.S. officials in Oman last week. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted the mission as describing the talks as “an ongoing process.”“The negotiations have not been the first and will not be the last of their kind,” the mission said, according to IRNA.Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has been the site of U.S.-Iran talks in the past, including under Biden despite the tensions between the two nations.

US meets with Saudi Crown Prince to discuss peace in Middle East 

Kansas Republican Jerry Moran among top 10 bipartisan senators

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp; State's Newsroom

WASHINGTON — Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick were the most bipartisan members of Congress last year, according to a newly released analysis from the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.

The least bipartisan House lawmaker was Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, while Alabama’s Katie Britt, a Republican freshman, placed last among senators.

The latest&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thelugarcenter.org/ourwork-Bipartisan-Index.html">ranking</a>&nbsp;of the most bipartisan lawmakers comes amid one of the least productive Congresses in the nation’s history and just months before nearly all House lawmakers and about one-third of the Senate face voters at the polls in November.

Maria Cancian, dean of the McCourt School of Public Policy, wrote in a statement announcing the new rankings that “while there is much room for improvement, I am encouraged to see some progress on cross-party collaboration.”

“In these deeply divided times, and with an increasing amount of misleading information online, we need tools like the Bipartisan Index more than ever — an evidence-based and nonpartisan approach for measuring how well policymakers work across the aisle to get things done,” Cancian wrote.

Lugar Center Policy Director Dan Diller wrote that it was “especially disheartening that all eight new Senators who took office in January 2023 ranked in the bottom 30 percent of Senate scores.”

“Bipartisan cooperation on legislation in 2023 was deficient by historical standards, though there were some marginal improvements in scores from the previous Congress,” Diller wrote.

The website with the rankings states that the “Bipartisan Index is intended to fill a hole in the information available to the public about the performance of Members of Congress.”

The Lugar Center, founded by the late U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, a Republican from Indiana, “is a platform for informed debate and analysis of global issues, including nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, global food security, foreign assistance effectiveness and global development, energy security, and enhancing bipartisan governance,” according to its website.

The rankings take into consideration “the frequency with which a member of Congress sponsors bills that are co-sponsored by at least one member of the opposing party” and “the frequency with which a member co-sponsors bills introduced by members of the opposite Party.”

The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University wrote on their website that their “aim in publishing this Index is not to promote a specific legislative agenda, as is the case for many indexes, but solely the promotion of a bipartisan approach to governance.”

“The credibility of the Index is derived from the objectivity of its methodology; Index scores are computed formulaically from publically available data,” it states. “The Index requires no subjective assessment of specific legislative items.”

The least bipartisan House lawmakers following Jordan were New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Missouri Democrat Cori Bush, New York Democrat Jamaal Bowman and Missouri Republican Eric Burlison.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, ranked 423, but will likely be excluded from future scores since he has now occupied one of the top two leadership posts for at least six months.

The least bipartisan senators following Britt were Missouri Republican Eric Schmitt, Washington state Democrat Patty Murray, Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson and Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton.

Sean Ross, spokesperson for Britt, wrote in a statement that the ranking is “absurd.”

“Senator Britt has cosponsored 68 pieces of legislation sponsored by Democrats, as well as dozens and dozens of bipartisan pieces of legislation led by Republican sponsors,” Ross wrote.

“The bipartisan efforts she is helping lead span a wide range of important topics to Alabamians, including maternal mortality research and maternal care; youth mental health and social media usage; the fentanyl crisis; affordable insulin access; affordable rural housing; telehealth services; agriculture; domestic manufacturing and supply chains; fair trade; work force development; wildlife conservation; supporting law enforcement; and consumer protections.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716140421905.png" alt="-Senator Moran questioning Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on May 15" />
 <figcaption>-Senator Moran questioning Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on May 15</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas Republican Jerry Moran among top 10 bipartisan senators</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp; State's NewsroomWASHINGTON — Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick were the most bipartisan members of Congress last year, according to a newly released analysis from the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.The least bipartisan House lawmaker was Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, while Alabama’s Katie Britt, a Republican freshman, placed last among senators.The latest&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thelugarcenter.org/ourwork-Bipartisan-Index.html">ranking</a>&nbsp;of the most bipartisan lawmakers comes amid one of the least productive Congresses in the nation’s history and just months before nearly all House lawmakers and about one-third of the Senate face voters at the polls in November.Maria Cancian, dean of the McCourt School of Public Policy, wrote in a statement announcing the new rankings that “while there is much room for improvement, I am encouraged to see some progress on cross-party collaboration.”“In these deeply divided times, and with an increasing amount of misleading information online, we need tools like the Bipartisan Index more than ever — an evidence-based and nonpartisan approach for measuring how well policymakers work across the aisle to get things done,” Cancian wrote.Lugar Center Policy Director Dan Diller wrote that it was “especially disheartening that all eight new Senators who took office in January 2023 ranked in the bottom 30 percent of Senate scores.”“Bipartisan cooperation on legislation in 2023 was deficient by historical standards, though there were some marginal improvements in scores from the previous Congress,” Diller wrote.The website with the rankings states that the “Bipartisan Index is intended to fill a hole in the information available to the public about the performance of Members of Congress.”The Lugar Center, founded by the late U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, a Republican from Indiana, “is a platform for informed debate and analysis of global issues, including nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, global food security, foreign assistance effectiveness and global development, energy security, and enhancing bipartisan governance,” according to its website.The rankings take into consideration “the frequency with which a member of Congress sponsors bills that are co-sponsored by at least one member of the opposing party” and “the frequency with which a member co-sponsors bills introduced by members of the opposite Party.”<h2>Who is the most bipartisan?</h2>The top 10 senators were:<ul>
 <li>Collins</li><li>Michigan Democrat Gary Peters</li><li>New Hampshire Democrat Maggie Hassan</li><li>West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin</li><li>Texas Republican John Cornyn</li><li>Nevada Democrat Jacky Rosen</li><li>Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski</li><li>Kansas Republican Jerry Moran</li><li>Indiana Republican Todd Young</li><li>Montana Democrat Jon Tester</li>
 </ul>The top 10 House lawmakers were:<ul>
 <li>Fitzpatrick</li><li>New York Republican Marcus Molinaro</li><li>New Hampshire Democrat Chris Pappas</li><li>New York Republican Mike Lawler</li><li>North Carolina Democrat Don Davis</li><li>Puerto Rico Republican Delegate Jenniffer González-Colón</li><li>Nevada Democrat Susie Lee</li><li>Nebraska Republican Don Bacon</li><li>New Jersey Democrat Josh Gottheimer</li><li>Iowa Republican Zach Nunn</li>
 </ul>The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University wrote on their website that their “aim in publishing this Index is not to promote a specific legislative agenda, as is the case for many indexes, but solely the promotion of a bipartisan approach to governance.”“The credibility of the Index is derived from the objectivity of its methodology; Index scores are computed formulaically from publically available data,” it states. “The Index requires no subjective assessment of specific legislative items.”The least bipartisan House lawmakers following Jordan were New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Missouri Democrat Cori Bush, New York Democrat Jamaal Bowman and Missouri Republican Eric Burlison.House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, ranked 423, but will likely be excluded from future scores since he has now occupied one of the top two leadership posts for at least six months.The least bipartisan senators following Britt were Missouri Republican Eric Schmitt, Washington state Democrat Patty Murray, Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson and Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton.Sean Ross, spokesperson for Britt, wrote in a statement that the ranking is “absurd.”“Senator Britt has cosponsored 68 pieces of legislation sponsored by Democrats, as well as dozens and dozens of bipartisan pieces of legislation led by Republican sponsors,” Ross wrote.“The bipartisan efforts she is helping lead span a wide range of important topics to Alabamians, including maternal mortality research and maternal care; youth mental health and social media usage; the fentanyl crisis; affordable insulin access; affordable rural housing; telehealth services; agriculture; domestic manufacturing and supply chains; fair trade; work force development; wildlife conservation; supporting law enforcement; and consumer protections.”

New list rates the most bipartisan members of Congress — and the least

A long-planned series of Catholic pilgrimages has begun across the United States this weekend, with pilgrims embarking on four routes before converging on Indianapolis in two months for a major gathering focusing on Eucharistic rites and devotions.

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is beginning with Masses and other events in California, Connecticut, Minnesota and Texas. A small group of pilgrims plan to walk entire routes, but most participants are expected to take part for smaller segments.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org/">Each route</a>&nbsp;goes along country roads and through city centers, with multiple stops at parishes, shrines and other sites.

Although it was forged amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-religion-maryland-baltimore-9543775a53024d45c818b32062814927">recent debate</a>&nbsp;among bishops over whether to refuse Communion to U.S. politicians who don’t oppose abortion, the pilgrimage is a revival of a historic Catholic tradition that faded by the mid-20th century.

Each procession is being led by a priest holding a monstrance — typically a sunburst-patterned vessel that displays the host, or bread wafer consecrated by a priest at Mass.

The Catholic Church teaches the “whole Christ is truly present — body, blood, soul, and divinity — under the appearances of bread and wine,” according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. As a result, the consecrated host becomes an object of devotion.

“The Eucharist is actually Jesus, so for us to walk with Jesus is actually a witness to our faith in a prayerful action for unity, for peace," said Tim Glemkowski, CEO of the National Eucharistic Congress, the umbrella organization for the events.

The four lengthy pilgrimages appear to be unprecedented, Glemkowski said.

“It’s hard in a 2,000-year-old church to do something for the first time, but a procession this long, with this many people in it, may be the first time this has been attempted in the history of the Catholic Church,” Glemkowski said.

Some pilgrims were embarking Sunday from the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Minnesota. Others planned to embark from a cathedral in Brownsville, Texas, or cross San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

In New Haven, Connecticut, commemorations began with a Saturday night Mass and a mini-procession around St. Mary's Church, which is the burial site of the 19th century founder of the Knights of Columbus fraternal organization, the Rev. Michael McGivney. After an all-night vigil of prayer and adoration, pilgrims were bringing the host to another New Haven church and later to a boat to carry it to the city of Bridgeport and the next leg of the pilgrimage.

The pilgrimage amounts to an effort to revive a type of mass devotion that was once more common in past generations of Catholicism in the U.S. and beyond.

The pilgrimages — and the concluding National Eucharistic Congress, expected to draw tens of thousands to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in July — is being funded by private donors, sponsors and ticket sales, Glemkowski said. The budget for the National Eucharistic Revival — which is actually a three-year process that has included parish activities as well as the pilgrimages and congress — is about $23 million, with $14 million of that for the congress, he said.

There have been nine previous U.S. gatherings under the name of the National Eucharistic Congress — but none since 1941.

“We just kind of lost track of this tradition,” Glemkowski said. “We’re bringing it back in a way that fits this time.”

Glemkowski said the pilgrimage is not a march and would avoid politics. “That message of unity and peace and just focus on Christ is paramount,” he said.

The idea for these pilgrimages sprang from deliberations among U.S. bishops.

Their 2021 document, “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church,” arose amid debate over whether bishops should withhold Communion from Catholic politicians who supported abortion rights. The document ultimately did not directly address that, though it called on Catholics to examine whether they align with church teachings and said bishops have a “special responsibility” to respond to "public actions at variance with the visible Communion of the church and the moral law.”

At the same time, the document reflected bishops’ worries that many Catholics don’t know or accept the church’s teachings about the significance of the sacrament, though surveys have given mixed results on that question.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716140777349.png" alt="&nbsp;Map shows each of the four unique routes of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Map shows each of the four unique routes of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By PETER SMITH Associated PressA long-planned series of Catholic pilgrimages has begun across the United States this weekend, with pilgrims embarking on four routes before converging on Indianapolis in two months for a major gathering focusing on Eucharistic rites and devotions.The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is beginning with Masses and other events in California, Connecticut, Minnesota and Texas. A small group of pilgrims plan to walk entire routes, but most participants are expected to take part for smaller segments.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org/">Each route</a>&nbsp;goes along country roads and through city centers, with multiple stops at parishes, shrines and other sites.Although it was forged amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-religion-maryland-baltimore-9543775a53024d45c818b32062814927">recent debate</a>&nbsp;among bishops over whether to refuse Communion to U.S. politicians who don’t oppose abortion, the pilgrimage is a revival of a historic Catholic tradition that faded by the mid-20th century.Each procession is being led by a priest holding a monstrance — typically a sunburst-patterned vessel that displays the host, or bread wafer consecrated by a priest at Mass.The Catholic Church teaches the “whole Christ is truly present — body, blood, soul, and divinity — under the appearances of bread and wine,” according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. As a result, the consecrated host becomes an object of devotion.“The Eucharist is actually Jesus, so for us to walk with Jesus is actually a witness to our faith in a prayerful action for unity, for peace," said Tim Glemkowski, CEO of the National Eucharistic Congress, the umbrella organization for the events.The four lengthy pilgrimages appear to be unprecedented, Glemkowski said.“It’s hard in a 2,000-year-old church to do something for the first time, but a procession this long, with this many people in it, may be the first time this has been attempted in the history of the Catholic Church,” Glemkowski said.Some pilgrims were embarking Sunday from the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Minnesota. Others planned to embark from a cathedral in Brownsville, Texas, or cross San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.In New Haven, Connecticut, commemorations began with a Saturday night Mass and a mini-procession around St. Mary's Church, which is the burial site of the 19th century founder of the Knights of Columbus fraternal organization, the Rev. Michael McGivney. After an all-night vigil of prayer and adoration, pilgrims were bringing the host to another New Haven church and later to a boat to carry it to the city of Bridgeport and the next leg of the pilgrimage.The pilgrimage amounts to an effort to revive a type of mass devotion that was once more common in past generations of Catholicism in the U.S. and beyond.The pilgrimages — and the concluding National Eucharistic Congress, expected to draw tens of thousands to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in July — is being funded by private donors, sponsors and ticket sales, Glemkowski said. The budget for the National Eucharistic Revival — which is actually a three-year process that has included parish activities as well as the pilgrimages and congress — is about $23 million, with $14 million of that for the congress, he said.There have been nine previous U.S. gatherings under the name of the National Eucharistic Congress — but none since 1941.“We just kind of lost track of this tradition,” Glemkowski said. “We’re bringing it back in a way that fits this time.”Glemkowski said the pilgrimage is not a march and would avoid politics. “That message of unity and peace and just focus on Christ is paramount,” he said.The idea for these pilgrimages sprang from deliberations among U.S. bishops.Their 2021 document, “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church,” arose amid debate over whether bishops should withhold Communion from Catholic politicians who supported abortion rights. The document ultimately did not directly address that, though it called on Catholics to examine whether they align with church teachings and said bishops have a “special responsibility” to respond to "public actions at variance with the visible Communion of the church and the moral law.”At the same time, the document reflected bishops’ worries that many Catholics don’t know or accept the church’s teachings about the significance of the sacrament, though surveys have given mixed results on that question.Timothy Kelly, professor of history at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, said it's an open question how many participants the pilgrimage will draw. His 2009 book, “The Transformation of American Catholicism," documents the rise and decline of stadium-sized devotional activities such as Eucharistic adoration in 20th century Pittsburgh.Many early 20th century Catholics were from immigrant communities, and they often gathered at times of flood, war or other crises. “A lot of times in the older demonstrations, the message seemed to be outward toward the broader community — the Catholics bearing witness to their presence and their faith, but also saying, ‘We’re here and we matter.’”But participation began dropping sharply by the 1950s. “What happened was the laity stopped being interested in it,” Kelly said.The Eucharistic pilgrimage, he said, appears to be attracting the most interest in Catholic media sympathetic with other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-church-shift-orthodoxy-tradition-7638fa2013a593f8cb07483ffc8ed487">efforts to revive older traditions</a>, such as the Latin Mass.“Which makes me curious, how well does this resonate within the broader Catholic community?” he said.