game online game online As AI gets real, slow and steady wins the racePotiskum APC Youth Movement Reiterates Support For Buni, Cautions Youths On 2027LINCOLN — For Lincoln mother Sierra Shouse, there was no other option but to send her oldest son, Sammy, to Christ Lincoln Schools for kindergarten, even if it was a financial burden. Shouse went to school there herself, and Sammy was enrolled in the school’s day care program at age 4, helping him build friendships and familiarity with the school staff. “It’s the only school he’s ever known,” Shouse said. Shouse was aided in paying for the private school through an opportunity scholarship provided by Legislative Bill 1402, which passed the Legislature earlier this year, appropriating $10 million per year for scholarships to private schools. Shouse said she intends to keep Sammy enrolled at Christ Lincoln no matter what, but after LB 1402’s program was repealed through a voter referendum, the future of her two younger children is still up in the air. There are plenty of unanswered questions left in the wake of the referendum’s success, which passed comfortably in Nebraska’s general election by just over 14 percentage points. Supporters of LB 1402 in the Nebraska Legislature are working out the best way to approach “school choice” policies, while families who benefited from the scholarships are left in a state of limbo, unsure if they will continue seeing the same support. Meanwhile, a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling from September could impact future moves to provide public money for private school students. For the last eight years, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of the Omaha area has championed “school choice” legislation. Most of her proposals came up short, until LB 753 passed in 2023, allocating $25 million annually in tax credits for private donations to the private school scholarship funds. That bill also faced a repeal through a voter referendum, led by Support Our Schools Nebraska. Opponents to LB 753 and LB 1402 argued the bills would deplete state funding available for public schools, which could lead to budget cuts and property tax increases. The first Support Our Schools referendum qualified for the ballot, but to get around the referendum, Linehan introduced LB 1402 in 2024, which repealed LB 753 upon its passage. Linehan acknowledged LB 1402 was an “ end run “ bill intended to circumvent the referendum. In response, Support Our Schools launched a new ballot initiative campaign to partially repeal LB 1402, getting rid of the underlying program, but retaining the LB 753 repeal. Once again, supporters gathered enough signatures in their petition drive to qualify for the ballot. The second referendum faced attempts to remove it from the ballot, several of which came directly from Linehan. It also survived a challenge in the Nebraska Supreme Court in September, and Support Our Schools leader Tim Royers said he expected more opposition in the months leading up to November. Linehan, who did host one press conference days before the election to combat a Support Our Schools ad, said the reason she didn’t try harder to oppose the referendum was simply because she felt it didn’t make sense to sink a ton of funds to protect a program that only appropriated $10 million each year. “We’re not going to spend $10 million to save $10 million,” Linehan said. Royers noted, however, that in 2023 Keep Kids First, a group with which Linehan was affiliated, raised over $1.4 million to oppose the first Support Our Schools referendum. Support Our Schools raised about $1.7 million that year, and raised an additional $4.6 million so far this year. The landscape for “school choice” policy is sure to look different in the 2025 session, if only because Linehan is term-limited and will not be returning. Royers said he can’t imagine another lawmaker emerging with the same level of commitment that Linehan brought. But Linehan says she’s not worried. She said there’s “more than a handful” of current senators willing to take up the mantle, and she was also optimistic about several incoming lawmakers who will be starting their first terms next year. She mentioned Omaha Sens. Brad von Gillern and Christy Armendariz, both of whom told The World-Herald they were interested in school choice policy, though neither confirmed that they were planning any bills for next session. Possibly the biggest hurdle for “school choice” advocates next year comes from the Nebraska Supreme Court ruling that allowed this year’s referendum to stay on the ballot. Plaintiffs argued the measure didn’t qualify for the ballot because it violated a provision of the Nebraska Constitution that prohibits voter referendums from impacting direct appropriations. But the high court ruled that since the ballot initiative only sought to repeal a section of LB 1402 that didn’t include an appropriation, it could be subject to a referendum. The ruling noted that LB 1402 had a separate appropriation bill that accompanied it. Linehan said the ruling threatened any and all legislation that came with appropriations, and it could lead to the “death of the A bill,” using the legislative shorthand for an appropriations bill. Neither von Gillern nor Armendariz gave specifics on how lawmakers could approach school choice legislation that would be shielded from a referendum in the wake of the ruling. Linehan argued that appropriation bills aren’t even necessary for legislation that allocates funds, describing them as more of a “counting mechanism” than anything else. But Fiscal Analyst Scott Danigole said appropriation bills are necessary for most measures that appropriate state funds, with the only exception he could think of being a bill that shifted funding that had already been appropriated. While it is theoretically possible for lawmakers to do away with appropriation bills, it would require them to get creative, and would likely bring a lot of ripple effects. Although Royers said he would be shocked if no “school choice” policies are introduced in 2025, he believes the overall appetite to debate the issue has lessened in the aftermath of the referendum. Like Linehan, Royers also found encouragement in the the outcome of several legislative races. He said the Legislature will become more “public school friendly” than it was in 2024. “I think everybody is trying to take a break from the ‘school choice’ fight,” Royers said. Royers said the primary concern for lawmakers should be addressing the educator shortage in Nebraska, which leads to issues like larger class sizes that can affect academic performance. Royers said special education teacher vacancies were 10 times higher last school year than they were in 2013, citing data from the State Department of Education, and Nebraska’s colleges aren’t producing enough new teachers to fill the gap. Meanwhile, the people directly involved in LB 1402’s program are also trying to figure out their next steps. Jeremy Ekeler, executive director of Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska, said the organization is currently tying up loose ends and trying to see if it can continue operating as an organization that operates based on private donations. OSN worked with Odyssey, a national technology vendor that works with five other states to implement similar programs. OSN provided Odyssey with local information, while Odyssey ran the technology that processed the applications and distributed the scholarships directly to eligible schools based on LB 1402’s guidelines. According to Ekeler, between LB 753 and LB 1402, roughly 5,500 scholarships were issued, averaging about $2,300 per student. For LB 1402’s program, about $9.2 million overall was distributed in scholarships. Those scholarships are still good through the end of this academic year, but they will not continue into the 2025-26 school year. That will make the budget tighter for Omaha Street School, where Principal Anthony Williams said 12 of the school’s 35 students received scholarships this year through LB 1402. The average cost to educate each student is roughly $23,000 per year, Williams said. All of their families use some form of financial aid, and Williams said the school tailors its tuition to the financial needs of each family, ranging from $30 to $550 per month. Without outside support, he said the school has to eat the remaining costs. “Sometimes, we got to pinch pennies,” Williams said. Williams said LB 1402’s program expiring will not mean any of the current students will not be able to continue learning at the school. In fact, he said the school may be able to stretch the scholarship funds through the following school year. For Shouse, she intends to keep Sammy enrolled at Christ Lincoln, but she is not sure about her younger two children, which she said is a “heartbreaking” dilemma. Her younger children, 3 and 1, respectively, are already enrolled in Christ Lincoln’s day care and preschool programs. Shouse is a single mother, and provides the sole income for her family. During Sammy’s first year of kindergarten, he did not have a scholarship, which Shouse said placed a heavy financial burden on her. That took the form of multiple small sacrifices, from having breakfast for dinner because it was cheaper, to telling Sammy he couldn’t attend a friend’s birthday party because she couldn’t afford to buy a present. “There was a lot of tears,” Shouse said. “There’s always been a lot of tears.” There are several reasons why Shouse hasn’t considered public school an option for any of her children. Primarily, she said Christ Lincoln best aligns with her family values. She’s also concerned that the larger class sizes would mean her children wouldn’t get the individualized care they need. Two of her children, including Sammy, have IEPs. When it was first recommended to Shouse that Sammy repeat kindergarten based on his speech therapy needs and emerging academic concerns, she said she sought out summer school options for him through the Lincoln Public Schools but was denied because his needs weren’t severe enough. She said LPS officials told her there was no reason to delay his advancement to first grade, which she said exemplified that they were not properly attuned to her son’s needs. “It’s not a school board’s decision what’s best for my child,” Shouse said. Norfolk Catholic players celebrate after winning the fifth and final set of a Class C2 first round state volleyball tournament match against Yutan at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. Thayer Central players celebrate after winning the fourth and final set of a Class C2 first round state volleyball tournament match against Freeman at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. With results still too close to call, State Sen. Tony Vargas stands with his mother, Lidia Vargas, left, and his wife, Lauren Vargas, right, after speaking to supporters during an election night watch party at the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel in Omaha on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Louise LaFramboise holds white roses given to her by the Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard’ during their Living Tribute Ceremony for LaFramboise at the Center of Nursing Science at UNMC in Omaha on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Deb Zobel, right, honors Louise LaFramboise during the Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard’s Living Tribute Ceremony at the Center of Nursing Science at UNMC in Omaha on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Deb Zobel, right, holds the hand of Louise LaFramboise as she honors her during the Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard’s Living Tribute Ceremony at the Center of Nursing Science at UNMC in Omaha on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Milford's Sarah Reynolds (15) serves the ball during the first set of a Class C1 first round state volleyball tournament match at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. Gothenburg, bottom and Minden warm-up before the first set of a Class C1 first round state volleyball tournament match at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. Waverly celebrates their win over Bennington during the first set of a Class B first round state volleyball tournament match at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. Elkhorn North's Kaitlyn Huff (15) lifts up Elkhorn North's Ava Thompson (3) to celebrate during the first set of a Class B first round state volleyball tournament match at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. A pass bounces off Nebraska's Jacory Barney Jr. (17) before being intercepted by UCLA's Kaylin Moore (9) during the second half of a college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. Nebraska's Dante Dowdell (23) hurdles UCLA's Ramon Henderson (11) during the second half of a college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. UCLA's Oluwafemi Oladejo (2) hits Nebraska's Dylan Raiola (15) as throws a pass during the first half of a college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. The line for early voting at the Douglas County Election Commission in Omaha extends out of the parking lot on 122nd Avenue on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. The line for early voting at the Douglas County Election Commission in Omaha extends out of the parking lot on 122nd Avenue on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. The ball bounces off of the knee of Nebraska's Jacory Barney Jr. (17) before UCLA recovered the ball during the second half of a college football game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. Nebraska's Rollie Worster (24) goes up for a layup against Texas Rio Grand Valley's Cliff Davis (10) during the second half of a college men's basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. Marcus Hardy fills out his ballot at the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation in Omaha on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Voters walk into Ronald Wilson Reagan Elementary School to vote in Omaha on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Scott Hill fills out his ballot at Metropolitan Community College Elkhorn Valley Campus in Omaha on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) goes up for a shot against Texas Rio Grand Valley's Tommy Gankhuyag (33) during the first half of a men's college basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) dunks the ball above Texas Rio Grand Valley's DK Thorn (3) during the second half of a men's college basketball game at the CHI Health Center in Omaha on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. Veterans salute during the singing of the national anthem during a Veteran's Day ceremony at Memorial Park in Omaha on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Members of the Omaha Benson JROTC prepare for a Veteran's Day ceremony at Memorial Park in Omaha on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Brian Prokop holds his and his fiancee Tracy Bequett’s cat Ballsac at their home in Kennard on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. The cat went missing after an EF-4 tornado destroyed most of the structures on the property, including their and Bequett’s father’s homes, in April. Six months later, Ballsac was found and returned home. Attendees salute at the Veterans Day Parade in Bellevue on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. Shamus Connor, 10, hands American flags to members of the Bellevue fire department at the Veterans Day Parade in Bellevue on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. People watch as Omaha’s official Christmas tree, a 40 foot spruce donated by Mark and Joanie Maszk, is brought in at The Durham Museum in Omaha on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. Ethan McCullough, left, and Michaela Lentsch stand under an umbrella as they look at the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree during it’s stop at the Gene Leahy Mall at The RiverFront in Omaha on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. Makai Hatcher shows his daughter, Mackenzie, how to put a fish hook on a line while fishing at Miller Park in Omaha on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Mackenzie is one. Makai Hatcher spends the afternoon fishing at Miller Park in Omaha on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Makai Hatcher puts a worm on a hook while fishing at Miller Park in Omaha on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Zoo employees and their family members enjoy a preview of Zoolightful at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. ebamer@owh.com Twitter @ErinBamer Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Syria’s prime minister said that most cabinet ministers were back at work on Monday after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad. However, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a United Nations official said the country’s public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt”. Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Mr Assad’s brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant, who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the UN official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali for the first time. Mr Jalali stayed in Syria when Mr Assad fled and has sought to project normalcy since. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Mr Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a UN official said some government services had been paralysed as worried state employees stayed at home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator for Syria, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonised by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Mr Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. “I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” In a video shared on a rebel messaging channel, Mr al-Sharaa said: “You will see there are skills” among the rebels. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Mr Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Mr Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Mr Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets. We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.Back in the game

A thorough security evaluation was conducted at the Shiv Khori shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, following a recent terrorist attack on a pilgrim bus. This stringent review aims to reassure pilgrims and residents about their safety. Following the attack that claimed nine lives and injured 40, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Paramvir Singh led a security overhaul, focusing on enhanced surveillance along the yatra route. He directed heightened vigilance against potential threats and coordinated with local police and CRPF officers to strengthen security protocols. Recognizing attempts to revive militancy, the SSP ordered verification of migrants and workers, monitoring of social media for radicalization, and revisiting terrorist operatives. Inter-agency cooperation was urged to maintain peace and prevent further incidents. (With inputs from agencies.)

However, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a United Nations official said the country’s public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt”. Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Mr Assad’s brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant, who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the UN official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali for the first time. Mr Jalali stayed in Syria when Mr Assad fled and has sought to project normalcy since. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Mr Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a UN official said some government services had been paralysed as worried state employees stayed at home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator for Syria, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonised by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Mr Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. “I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” In a video shared on a rebel messaging channel, Mr al-Sharaa said: “You will see there are skills” among the rebels. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Mr Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Mr Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Mr Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets.