Pentagon accepts luxury jet from Qatar for use as Air Force One The $400M plane will need costly renovations for security reasons. By ABIGAIL HAUSLOHNER and ALEX HORTON

​ The Washington Post
The Pentagon on Wednesday took possession of a Qatari luxury jet sought by President Donald Trump for use as Air Force One, despite vocal pushback from lawmakers, national security experts and legal scholars alarmed by the arrangement.

Trump has praised Qatar for offering the $400 million plane to his administration. But members of Congress, among other critics, have warned the president's pursuit of the Boeing 747 marks a clear violation of the Constitution, which prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without lawmakers' approval.

A raft of national security experts, including veteran Pentagon officials, also have panned the idea, saying the plane would require a costly and time-consuming renovation to meet the security and technical standards required to transport a U.S. president.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted the massive jet, which Trump has called a "flying palace," from the Persian Gulf monarchy "in accordance with all federal rules and regulations."

He did not elaborate.

"The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional mission requirements are considered,"
Parnell said .

The Air Force said in a statement that it was "preparing to award a contract to modify a Boeing 747 aircraft for executive airlift. Details related to the contract are classified."

Air Force officials did not specify whether there would be a bidding process for that contract, how much the work could cost, or how long the project would take. Earlier this month, the Air Force told lawmakers that Boeing's ongoing construction of a new presidential aircraft could be complete by 2027.

Trump has indicated repeatedly that he is unwilling to wait.
He told reporters last week that the "gift" from Qatar announced during his recent visit to the country might be transferred to his presidential library for his continued personal use after he leaves office.

The plans have provoked a fierce backlash from Democrats and more muted concern from some Republicans.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who appeared on Capitol Hill this week to defend the administration's dramatic cuts to foreign assistance and restructuring of the State Department, also faced a barrage of questions about the legality of accepting the plane from Qatar and the projected cost of retrofitting it for the president's use.

"I'm not aware of any plane that's been given. I know the media reports about it," he told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Wednesday, about an hour before the Pentagon's announcement.
​

Storms kill 27 over wide swath of U.S. Death toll likely to rise after severe weather in Midwest, South. By MICHAEL PHILLIS, COREY WILLIAMS and JOHN HANNA ​The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS -
Storm systems sweeping across parts of the U.S. Midwest and South have left at least 27 people dead, many of them in Kentucky, where what appeared to be a devastating tornado pulverized homes and flipped over a car on an interstate.

In Kentucky, some 18 people were killed by severe weather, and the death toll is likely to rise, according to Gov. Andy Beshear. Local authorities in Laurel County, in the state's southeast, said nine people were killed after a tornado touched down. Authorities announced Saturday afternoon that a firefighter with the Laurel County Fire Department had died after being injured while responding to the deadly weather. The Fire Department did not immediately say how Maj. Roger Leslie Leatherman, a 39-year veteran, was injured or when he died.

Kayla Patterson, her husband and their five children huddled in a tub in their basement in London, the county seat, as the tornado raged around them.

"You could literally hear just things ripping in the distance, glass shattering everywhere, just roaring like a freight train," she recalled Saturday. "It was terrible."

The family eventually emerged to the sounds of sirens and panicked neighbors. While the family's own home was spared, others right behind it were demolished, Patterson said as the sound of power tools buzzed in the background. The neighborhood was dotted with piles of lumber, metal sheeting, insulation and stray belongings — a suitcase, a sofa.

Rescuers were searching for survivors all night and into the morning, the Sheriff's Office said. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school and donations of food and other necessities were arriving.
The latest Kentucky storms were part of a weather system Friday that killed seven in Missouri and two in northern Virginia, authorities said. The system also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, brought a punishing heat wave to Texas and temporarily enveloped parts of Illinois — including Chicago — in a pall of dust on an otherwise sunny day.

In Missouri, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer said five people died, 38 were injured and more than 5,000 homes were affected in her city.
"The devastation is truly heartbreaking," she said at a news conference Saturday. An overnight curfew was to continue in the most damaged neighborhoods.

Weather Service radar indicated a likely tornado touched down between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in Clayton, Mo., in the St. Louis area. The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World's Fair and Olympic Games the same year.

Three people needed aid after part of the Centennial Christian Church crumbled, said St. Louis Fire Battalion Chief William Pollihan.

Stacy Clark said his motherin-law, Patricia Penelton, died in the church. He described her as a very active church volunteer who had many roles, including being part of the choir.

John Randle said he and his girlfriend were at the St. Louis Art Museum during the storm and were hustled into the basement with about 150 other people.

"You could see the doors flying open, tree branches flying by and people running," said Randle, 19.

At the St. Louis Zoo, falling trees severely damaged the roof of a butterfly facility. Staffers quickly corralled most of the butterflies, the zoo said on social media, and a conservatory in suburban Chesterfield is caring for the displaced creatures.
​
A tornado struck in Scott County, about 130 miles south of St. Louis, killing two people, injuring several others and destroying multiple homes, Sheriff Derick Wheetley wrote on social media.

Republicans could keep millions from voting

SAVE ACT
Trump order present array of hurdles.
By JANET MOORE The Minnesota Star Tribune

When the U.S. House passed a bill in April that would overhaul the way Americans register to vote, a narrative emerged that it could bar millions of married women from voting.

The same conversation circulated after President Donald Trump signed a similar executive order in March.

The House bill, called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, and the executive order would require every American to provide "documentary" proof of citizenship — in person — when registering or re-registering to vote in federal elections.

Documentary proof refers to documents that establish a person's status as a citizen, such as a U.S. passport, a birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship or naturalization papers.

The Trump administration has maintained the change is needed to prevent voter fraud, but the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice said the SAVE Act would be an "operational nightmare, an unfunded mandate, and put election officials at legal risk — all for an unnecessary requirement. There are already multiple protections in place to ensure that only eligible U.S. citizens can vote."

How would it affect married women?
The bill (should it become law) and the executive order could affect some 69 million married women across the country who changed their names when they wed — women who don't have birth certificates that match their current names, according to the Center for American Progress, a Washington, D.C.-based progressive think tank.
These women would likely need additional documentation to vote.

How many married Minnesota women could be affected?
The Minnesota Secretary of State's Offi ce said it doesn't know for sure, but we tried to unearth that number. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey says there are 1.2 million married women in Minnesota. Since the Pew Research Center estimates 79% of married women change their names, that would make for 948,000 Minnesota women who may find it difficult to vote in federal elections under the Republican-led overhaul.

Anyone else potentially affected?
Yes, but again, we don't have exact numbers. It could include transgender people who have changed their names. All told, about 26,000 people identify as transgender in Minnesota, or 0.6% of the state's adult population, according to the Williams Institute, an LGBTQ+ think tank at UCLA.

And then there is 5% of the male population nationwide who took their wife's last name when they married, and men who hyphenated their surnames when they wed, less than 1% of the married population, according to Pew.

This list goes on, including rural residents who live far from the government offices where they would have register, as well as students, homeless people and members of the military who move frequently.

What is the current situation for voter registration?
The federal voter registration form asks people to swear under penalty of perjury — that they are U.S. citizens and provide a driver's license number, state ID number or Social Security number.

Can't these people just use their U.S. passports to register to vote?

Yes, but 44.6% of Minnesotans, about 2.4 million people, do not have a passport, according to Center for American Progress.
What about Real ID?

In a letter to Congress, more than two dozen secretaries of state said Real IDs that have already been issued would not meet the SAVE Act's requirements for documentary proof of citizenship because they do not indicate citizenship status. That means the nearly 140 million Real IDs that have been issued over the past decade could not be used as proof of citizenship.

However, a handful of states, including Minnesota, offer a citizen-only Real ID alternative that might meet SAVE Act requirements, according to the Associated Press.

Why would a longstanding voter need to re-register?
Because they've moved, even if only to a town in the same state.

What's the official line from Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon?
Simon recently noted that the few states that have tried to do this in the past have regretted it, including Kansas, where a similar law blocked tens of thousands of citizens from registering although they were otherwise eligible to vote. The federal courts ultimately declared the law unconstitutional.

"I understand and agree with making sure that only citizens are voting, but this is a flawed and chaotic way to do it," Simon said.

Simon and 14 other secretaries of state sent a letter to the chair of the House Administration Committee expressing their concerns about the SAVE Act.

Is voter fraud a problem in Minnesota?
Simon points to a recent study by a University of St. Thomas professor who looked at every prosecution related to noncitizen voting in Minnesota since 2015. He found just three convictions out of more than 13 million votes cast.

"Even though I believe it's a clumsy attempt at a federal takeover of aspects of our election system, one that is likely going to be struck down, we have to take seriously what he [Trump] is trying to do," Simon said.

What are others saying?
A spokesperson for the feminist group Women's March Minnesota said the SAVE Act "discourages voters whose current legal name doesn't match their birth certificate, including people who have changed their name due to marriage, gender affirmation or other reasons.

There may be ways to waive this exclusion with additional paperwork, but it sets up barriers."

What are supporters saying?
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Democrats "have been fearmongering about this bill, have been saying if married women change their name, they would not be able to vote. That is complete fallacy."

How did the Minnesota delegation in the House vote on the SAVE Act?
Along party lines, with Republicans supporting the measure, and Democrats opposing it.

Here's a sampling of what our lawmakers said after the vote:
On social media, Minneapolis DFL Rep. Ilhan Omar called the SAVE Act a "suppression bill" that will "disenfranchise millions of voters, especially married women."

Rep. Pete Stauber, a Republican representing much of northern Minnesota, said in a news release that immigrants entering the country illegally during the Biden administration increased the threat of fraud in elections.

Rep. Michelle Fischbach, a Republican representing parts of western Minnesota, took a swipe at Gov. Tim Walz in her SAVE Act news release, claiming he "has done nothing about the noncitizens that are appearing on voter rolls and receiving election ballots."

What's next?
Republicans in the Senate failed to pass a similar measure last year, and pundits say it's unlikely to fare any better this time around.
Briana Bierschbach of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.
​[email protected]

Retailers fear toy shortages for Christmas By DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI The New York Times

SEOUL - President Donald Trump's China tariffs are threatening Christmas.

Toy makers, children's shops and specialty retailers are pausing orders for the winter holidays as the import taxes cascade through supply chains.

Factories in China produce nearly 80% of all toys and 90% of Christmas goods sold in the United States.  The production of toys, Christmas trees and decorations is usually in full swing by now.  It takes four to five months to manufacture, package and ship products to the United States.

Trump's 145% tariffs have caused a drastic markup in costs for American companies.

Most of the entrepreneurs who have shared their plans with the New York Times have not yet canceled their orders. They hope the president will back away from the tariff brinkmanship.

But the alarm in the industry is palpable, with companies predicting product shortages and higher prices. Some business owners, citing how crucial holiday sales are to their bottom lines, are consulting bankruptcy lawyers.

"We have a frozen supply chain that is putting Christmas at risk," said Greg Ahearn, CEO of the Toy Association, a U.S. industry group representing 850 toy manufacturers. "If we don't start production soon, there's a high probability of a toy shortage this holiday season."

For America's Christmas industry, Chinese manufacturing is unmatched in its production speed and capability.

Toy makers overhaul large portions of their product lines every year to adapt to changing preferences . From materials to machinery, China's factories are one-stop shops for importers.

Kara Dyer, founder of Storytime Toys, usually places a big holiday order with her Chinese factory in the first two weeks of April to have enough inventory by mid-July. The Christmas holidays account for about twothirds of her annual revenue.

Dyer placed a small order of $30,000 worth of products before the latest tariffs, never expecting they would surge to such high levels. That shipment is en route to the United States.

When it arrives, she said, she expects to owe $45,000 in tariffs.
The shipment will provide the company with enough inventory for a few months, and she said she would probably raise prices at least 20% to cover the tariff costs. But she is waiting to make a big holiday purchase.
"I'm going to hold out hope for another two weeks that the tariffs will be removed and I'll be able to place the order," she said. "But if not, I will have to put my business on pause. I will definitely not place an order if the tariffs are in effect. It wouldn't make any sense."

In a Toy Association survey of 410 toy manufacturers with annual sales of less than $100 million, more than 60% said they had canceled orders, and about 50% said they would go out of business within weeks or months if the tariffs remained.

T rump has in recent days struck a conciliatory tone toward China and the tariffs, fueling some hope among business owners that he may exempt industries that do not pose a national security threat.
But even if Trump grants importers temporary relief, significant disruptions will occur as companies rush to fulfill orders.

Shipping costs are expected to surge, similar to the frenzy during the COVID pandemic, when a shortage of shipping containers led in some cases to a tenfold increase in freight prices.