LINCOLN — U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts is bankrolling a conservative ballot effort to ban abortions in the Nebraska constitution after the first trimester, or 13 weeks of pregnancy.

Ricketts, R-Neb., gave $500,000 to the effort. He was the only donor named in the first campaign finance report of the group Protect Women and Children filed with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission.

Boeing was the subject of dual Senate hearings Wednesday as Congress examined allegations of major safety failures at the embattled aircraft manufacturer, which has been pushed into crisis mode since a door-plug panel blew off a 737 Max jetliner during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands more firearms dealers across the United States will have to run background checks on buyers when selling at gun shows or other places outside brick-and-mortar stores, according to a Biden administration rule that will soon go into effect.