(NEW YORK) — Holiday spending surged in 2024, blowing past expectations and outpacing customer purchases over the gift-buying season last year, according to data released on Thursday by Mastercard SpendingPulse, which gauges in-store and online retail sales.
The end-of-year flex of consumer strength marks the latest indication of resilient U.S. buying power, which has kept the economy humming despite a prolonged stretch of high interest rates.
Retail sales climbed 3.8% from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 compared with the same period last year, Mastercard SpendingPulse data showed. The boost in spending exceeded a Mastercard SpendingPulse estimate of 3.2%, while outperforming last year’s growth of 3.1%. The retail sales data excludes automotive purchases.
“Solid spending during this holiday season underscores the strength we observed from the consumer all year,” Michelle Meyer, chief economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, told ABC News in a statement.
Jewelry sales grew more than any other product category, climbing 4% compared to last year, the data showed. Spending on apparel and electronics also climbed at a solid pace.
The shopping surge was most pronounced online, where spending grew 6.7% compared to the same period last year, the data showed.
While the overall spending reflects the health of U.S. consumers, the pattern of purchases indicates a search for discounts, Meyer said.
“The holiday shopping season revealed a consumer who is willing and able to spend but driven by a search for value as can be seen by concentrated e-commerce spending during the biggest promotional periods,” Meyer added.
The holiday sales growth suggests the U.S. economy has remained robust, even amid high borrowing costs.
Gross domestic product grew at a solid 2.8% annualized rate over three months ending in September, the most recent quarter for which data is available.
The labor market has slowed but proven sturdy. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2%, a historically low figure.
Consumer spending accounts for nearly three-quarters of U.S. economic activity.
The increase in holiday spending coincided with an initial bout of relief for borrowers, as the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a total of one percentage point over the final few months of the year. However, interest rates still stand at a historically high level of between 4.25% and 4.5%.
Lower interest rates typically stimulate economic activity by making it easier for consumers and businesses to borrow, which in turn fuels investment and spending. However, interest rate cuts usually influence the economy after a lag of several months, meaning the recent lowering of rates likely had little impact on holiday spending.
Earlier this month, the central bank predicted fewer rate cuts next year than it had previously indicated, suggesting concern that inflation may prove more difficult to bring under control than policymakers thought just a few months ago.
Speaking at a press conference in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, Federal Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the willingness to keep interest rates high stemmed in part from the health of the U.S. economy and the shoppers propelling it.
“We think the economy is in a really good place,” Powell said, later adding: “Growth of consumer spending has remained resilient.”
Kevin Winter/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
(NEW YORK) — As the world gears up for 2025, it leaves behind a year of war, political shifts, pop culture moments, sporting triumphs, lost stars and more.
ABC News was there to chronicle every moment and will look back at this year’s defining events in a two-hour special, “The Year: 2024,” which airs Thursday, Dec. 26 at 9 p.m. ET, and streams afterwards on Hulu.
“Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts, who hosts the special, will be joined “World News Tonight” anchor and managing editor David Muir, “Good Morning America”‘s Michael Strahan and Lara Spencer, “ABC News Live Prime” and “World News Tonight” Sunday anchor Linsey Davis, “Nightline” co-anchor Juju Chang, “20/20” co-anchor Deborah Roberts and ABC News correspondent Will Reeve.
The special also includes commentary from ABC News anchors, correspondents and contributors, including ABC News’ powerhouse political team, co-hosts from “The View,” and more.
The special, now in its 14th year, also includes interviews with Elton John, Teddy Swims, Lisa Ann Walter, Ilona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscik and more.Here’s a taste of the topics featured in the special.
Obsessions
Taylor Swift was on our minds again this year, having released new album “Tortured Poet’s Department” and embarked on another leg of her record-breaking Eras tour. Charli XCX also dominated the summer when she declared “Kamala is brat” as Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for president.
In addition to the music of the year, the special also features the social and fashion trends of the year, and the films breaking box office records.
Breaking News
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s contentious race for the White House dominated the news for much of 2024. President Joe Biden’s debate performance, the assassination attempt on Trump, and Harris replacing Biden as the Democratic Party’s nominee and Trump’s eventual victory were the stories to watch.
The horrific, ongoing war between Israel and Gaza stretched into its second year, drawing in Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The war in Ukraine also passed 1,000 days, with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signaling it’s time for peace talks with Russia.
Celebrity Romance
I do or I don’t? The special also explores how the love lives of some of our favorite stars evolved this year. Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck after two years of marriage, ending their kindled relationship. Natalie Portman also split from Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millipied after 12 years.
t wasn’t all bad news on the celebrity relationship front though — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship captivated the world, Hailey and Justin Bieber had a baby boy and “Golden Bachelorette” Joan Vassos got engaged to Chock Chapple.
Law & Justice
The once and future president wasn’t the only prominent figure in court this year. ABC News’ experts explore music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’ not guilty plea on sex trafficking and other charges, the Menendez brothers’ infamous 1989 murder case coming back in front of a judge and doomsday author Chad Daybell being sentenced to death for the triple murder of his family.
Can’t Miss Moments
Did you try the “Dancing with the Stars” viral leg lift? This was just one of the moments that had everyone talking this year. Other moments include the stunning solar eclipse, the tweet from Elmo sparking a conversation on mental health and the woman rescued after her semi-truck was left dangling over the Clark Memorial Bridge in Kentucky.
Breakout Stars
Actor Glen Powell was in the spotlight for much of 2024, earning critical acclaim for his performances in “Anyone But You,” “Hitman” and “Twisters.” On the TV front, Anna Sawai’s performance in Hulu’s historical drama “Shogun” earned her a Lead Actress Emmy. Co-star Hiroyuki Sanada netted the Lead Actor award, while the series took the win for Outstanding Drama.
Musically, Chappell Roan got us all dancing at the Pink Pony Club, while Sabrina Carpenter had the world craving a (certified platinum) Espresso. Shaboozey also announced that there’s a party downtown near 5th St., and got five Grammy nominations in the process.
Politics
In an election year, politics was at the center of many conversations. ABC’s correspondents look at how Republican Donald Trump overcame legal woes and an assassination attempt to win a second presidential term.
His Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, may have had superstar celebrity endorsements from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, but it wasn’t enough to beat a resurgent Trump.
AI
The rise of artificial intelligence inspired fear in 2023, but 2024 saw the tech being integrated into the devices that we already have — the update likely added it into your phone, your laptop or your smart home.
AI has been used in myriad ways, from breakup texts to medical exploration and even driverless cars. The ABC team dives into them all.
In Memoriam
The world lost some of its shining stars this year. ABC News will celebrate the lives and legacies of Maggie Smith, Teri Garr, Carl Weathers. Donald Sutherland, Shelly Duvall, James Earl Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Quincy Jones, Liam Payne and more.
Champions
The 2024 Paris Olympics dominated sports over the summer. Swimmer Katie Ledecky became the most successful female Olympian in U.S. history and gymnast Simone Biles’ launched a comeback amid the other major successes of this year’s Games.
The special also highlights the triumphant story of the Hunter Woodhall and Tara Davis-Woodhall, the married couple taking home gold and capturing our hearts.
Beyond the Olympics, the Kansas City Chiefs won back-to-back Super Bowls, the New York Liberty took home its first championship title and the LA Dodgers became Major League Baseball’s World Series champions.
(NEW YORK) — Nine states are on alert for wind, snow, avalanches and high surf as new storms hit the west.
Parts of Oregon and Northern California could see 4 to 8 inches of rain over the next four days.
A high wind alert is in effect for the Pacific Northwest, where winds could gust near 70 mph.
A high surf warning was issued in Oregon, where waves could reach 35 feet, and a high surf advisory was issued as far south as Southern California, where waves could reach 15 feet.
Snow is also on the way.
A winter storm warning is in effect from Utah to Washington, where some areas could see up to 3 feet of snow. An avalanche warning was issued in Washington and Oregon.
These storms will continue to bring heavy rain and snow to the West Coast and the Rockies into the weekend. The West will get a break from the stormy weather early next week.
Meanwhile, in the South, a new storm system is bringing damaging winds, large hail and possibly tornadoes Thursday afternoon and evening.
The highest threat for severe weather will be in Texas, Louisiana and into Arkansas, including Dallas, Houston, Austin and Shreveport, Louisiana.
Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — This year was full of first-of-its-kind stories that got Americans talking.
While this year saw Donald Trump’s historic conviction and election to a non-consecutive second term, here’s a look back at some of the most talked about stories of 2024 outside of politics, from Diddy’s arrest to the Menendez brothers’ fight for freedom.
Alaska door plug incident
Minutes after Alaska Airlines flight 1282 took off from Portland International Airport on Jan. 5, a door plug blew out, sparking chaos on the plane.
The flight was nearly full with the exception of a few seats; the two seats next to the missing door plug happened to be empty.
The Boeing 737 Max 9 safely made an emergency landing. No one was seriously injured.
An NTSB preliminary report found that, before the flight, four bolts designed to prevent the door plug from falling off the plane were missing.
A Boeing executive told ABC News this summer that the fuselage came to Boeing damaged from the supplier, and to fix the fuselage, the door plug needed to come off. Before they could get the plug back on, the plane needed to be moved; the overnight team put the door plug back on to seal the plane from the outdoor elements, but didn’t install the bolts because it wasn’t their job, the executive said. The first team never filled out the paperwork when they removed the door, so the next team didn’t know to put the bolts back on, the executive said.
The incident sparked intense scrutiny for Boeing that led to changes in the company, including a new CEO, the government mandating that Boeing slow down production, and increased oversight of the company’s safety and quality management systems.
Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse
On March 26, a container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, collapsing the bridge and killing six construction workers who were filling potholes on the span. Two workers survived.
The crash affected entry into the Port of Baltimore for weeks, with the debris blocking entry for other ships. Crews worked to remove about 50,000 tons of steel, concrete and asphalt from the channel and from the container ship, the Department of Justice said.
The collapse is considered “one of the worst transportation disasters in recent memory,” Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer said.
In October, the operators of the vessel that destroyed the bridge agreed to pay nearly $102 million for costs stemming from the federal response.
According to the cost estimates provided by the Maryland government, the bridge’s reconstruction will cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion, Shailen Bhatt, administrator for the Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, said in May.
School shooter’s parents convicted
Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of Michigan high school shooter Ethan Crumbley, were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison in April after each was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in separate trials.
The trials were a rare case of parents facing criminal charges over their role in a shooting carried out by their child.
Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 years old at the time of the 2021 shooting, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing four students at Oxford High School.
Prosecutors said Jennifer and James Crumbley ignored several warning signs in the days leading up to the shooting. The parents also bought their son the gun used in the shooting and failed to secure the weapon and limit their son’s access to it, prosecutors argued.
Alec Baldwin’s ‘Rust’ case dismissed, armorer convicted
A judge dismissed Alec Baldwin’s “Rust” case in July, on day three of his involuntary manslaughter trial for the fatal on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The defense said in its argument for dismissal that live ammunition that came into the hands of local law enforcement related to the investigation was “concealed” from them.
The judge agreed to dismiss, saying the state’s discovery violation regarding the late disclosure of a supplemental report on the ammunition evidence “injected needless delay into the proceedings,” approached “bad faith” and was “highly prejudicial to the defendant.”
Meanwhile, “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March. She was found not guilty of tampering with evidence.
Prosecutors said Gutierrez repeatedly failed to maintain proper firearm safety, arguing her negligence led to Hutchins’ death.
Gutierrez was sentenced in April to 18 months in prison.
5 charged in Matthew Perry’s ketamine death
Five people were charged in August 2024 in connection with last year’s ketamine death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry.
Erik Fleming, who admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry, and the actor’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who admitted in court documents to administering the ketamine on the day Perry died, pleaded guilty.
Iwamasa and Fleming face up to 15 years and 25 years, respectively.
Two doctors are among those charged: Dr. Mark Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a licensed medical doctor he has known for at least 20 years, with the understanding it would be sold to Perry, who was struggling with a ketamine addiction, according to prosecutors.
Chavez has pleaded guilty and faces up to 10 years in prison.
Two defendants pleaded not guilty: Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, a woman allegedly known as “The Ketamine Queen,” who is accused of selling Perry the batch of ketamine that killed him, the Department of Justice said.
Sangha and Plasencia face charges including conspiracy to distribute ketamine and are set to go on trial in March 2025. If convicted of all charges, Sangha would face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. Plasencia would face up to 10 years for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years for each records falsification count, according to prosecutors.
Georgia high school shooting
A 14-year-old student, Colt Gray, is accused of opening fire at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Sept. 4, killing two students and two teachers and injuring several others.
The suspect’s father, Colin Gray, is also facing charges for allegedly knowingly allowing his son to possess the weapon used in the shooting, according to the GBI.
Investigators believe the teen received the AR-style gun used in the shooting as a Christmas present from his father, according to sources.
The father and son have both pleaded not guilty.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton
On Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a powerful Category 4 storm.
As Helene moved north, it wreaked havoc in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.
Helene destroyed homes and roads, stranded residents without phone service and water, and claimed the lives of nearly 250 people throughout the Southeast.
Helene is now the deadliest storm in North Carolina’s history. Western North Carolina, including the city of Asheville, was especially hard hit.
Weeks later, on Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm, bringing tornadoes, powerful winds and flooding rains. Hurricane Milton killed at least 23 people in Florida.
Diddy arrested
Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in New York City in September and charged with sex trafficking by force, transportation to engage in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy.
Prosecutors allege he ran an “enterprise that he engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor or, kidnapping, arson and other crimes.”
Combs is accused of using violence, threats and coercion to force women to engage in sex acts with male prostitutes, sometimes lasting days and often recorded. Combs allegedly called the activity “freak offs.”
Federal prosecutors said Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
Combs has pleaded not guilty. His trial is set for May 2025.
The music mogul is also facing numerous civil lawsuits with claims mirroring the criminal allegations.
Menendez brothers’ fight for freedom
The notorious Menendez brothers case came back into the spotlight this year when Netflix released a scripted series and a documentary, both of which added momentum to Erik and Lyle Menendez’s push to be released from prison.
The brothers — who were convicted in the 1990s for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez — have three possible paths to freedom.
One path is through resentencing. The Los Angeles County district attorney announced in October that he was recommending the brothers’ sentence of life without the possibility of parole be removed, and they should instead be sentenced for murder, which would be a sentence of 50 years to life. Because both brothers were under 26 at the time of the crimes, with the new sentence, they would be eligible for parole immediately.
The DA’s office said its resentencing recommendations take into account factors including the defendants’ ages, psychological trauma or physical abuse that contributed to carrying out the crime and their rehabilitation in prison.
The second path is their habeas corpus petition, which was filed last year for a review of new evidence not presented at trial: a letter Erik Menendez wrote before the murders detailing his allegations that his father sexually abused him; and a new victim who has come forward alleging he was also sexually assaulted by Jose Menendez.
The third path is the brothers’ request for clemency, which they’ve submitted to California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The brothers’ next court hearing is in January 2025.
Delphi trial
In November, Delphi, Indiana, resident Richard Allen was found guilty in the murders of two teenage girls, Abby Williams and Libby German, who were killed on a local hiking trail in 2017.
The mysterious case captivated the nation for years. As police searched for answers, they released a clip of the unknown suspect’s voice — a recording of him saying “down the hill” — which was recovered from Libby’s phone. Police also released a grainy image of the suspect on the trail found on Libby’s phone.
Allen was arrested in 2022. He admitted to police he was on the trail that day, but he denied any involvement in the crime.
A major focus of Allen’s trial was his multiple confessions in jail to corrections officers, a psychologist and his wife. The defense argued Allen was in a psychotic state when he made the numerous confessions.
Allen was sentenced on Dec. 20 to 130 years in prison.
UnitedHealthcare CEO killing
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4 while he was on his way to an investors conference.
Thompson’s murder ignited online anger at the health insurance industry and some people online celebrated the suspect.
The slaying also sparked a massive manhunt for the masked gunman, with the NYPD releasing images of the suspect found via surveillance cameras.
On Dec. 9, suspect Luigi Mangione was apprehended after he was spotted at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
The ghost gun allegedly in his possession when he was arrested was matched to three shell casings recovered at the scene of the murder, the NYPD said. Fingerprints recovered from a water bottle and a Kind bar near the crime scene were also been matched to Mangione, police said.
Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, allegedly had a spiral notebook detailing plans about how to eventually kill the CEO, according to law enforcement officials.
One passage allegedly said, “What do you do? You whack the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention,” the officials said.
Mangione is in custody in New York City where he’s facing state and federal charges. The federal charges make him eligible for the death penalty.
ABC News’ Meredith Deliso, Clara McMichael and Nadine El-Bawab contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Three people were hospitalized after a New York City taxi cab jumped the curb and struck multiple pedestrians in Herald Square on Christmas Day.
The incident occurred on the Midtown Manhattan sidewalk at 4:03 p.m. as the taxi driver was northbound on Sixth Avenue, a New York City Police Department spokesperson confirmed to ABC News.
There were six pedestrians struck by the cab, and the three individuals that were transported to area hospitals included a 9-year-old boy, and two women aged 41 and 49, according to officials.
All of the impacted pedestrians suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Officials say the driver suffered a possible medical episode, but the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet near the western Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25, 2024. (Photo by Issa Tazhenbayev / AFP via Getty Images)
(LONDON) — At least 38 people are dead and 29 others injured after an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger aircraft crashed near Kazakhstan’s Aktau Airport close to the Caspian Sea on Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations told ABC News.
The aircraft was was flying from Baku in Azerbaijan to Grozny in Russia, the Transport Ministry said in a post to its official Telegram channel. It was rerouted to Aktau in Kazakhstan due to fog in Grozny, Russian news agencies reported.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations told ABC News that the plane was carrying 69 people — 64 passengers and five crew members. The ministry said 29 people survived the crash, with many hospitalized, including two children.
Kazakhstan’s deputy health minister told ABC News that some of those taken to hospital are in critical condition.
“The list of dead and injured is being finalized,” the Ministry of Emergency Situations wrote earlier Wednesday in a Telegram post.
Preliminary reports suggest that the crash may have been caused by a bird strike leading to engine failure, which necessitated an emergency landing attempt, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Emergency Situations said.
Among the passengers were 37 Azerbaijani citizens, six from Kazakhstan, three from Kyrgyzstan and 16 from Russia, the Transport Ministry said in a statement, citing “preliminary data.”
“The investigation team is being provided with the necessary assistance by the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan at the scene of the incident,” Maj. Gen. Chingis Arinov, Kazakhstan minister of emergency situations, said.
Emergency response teams, including 432 workers and 79 vehicles, and 10 canine units were deployed to the crash site. Canine teams are involved in the search operations. Rescuers are working around the clock, using special equipment, the spokesperson said.
Investigations are underway, with aviation authorities from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia are collaborating to determine the exact cause of the crash, the spokesperson added.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev canceled his planned attendance of Wednesday’s Commonwealth of Independent States meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, following the crash, according to a readout of a phone call between Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin published by the former’s office.
“The heads of state expressed condolences to each other, to the family members and loved ones of those killed in the plane crash, among whom were citizens of Azerbaijan, Russia and other countries, and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded,” the readout said.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg meeting, Putin told attendees he had dispatched a team from Russia’s own Emergencies Ministry to Aktau “with medical personnel and the necessary additional equipment on board.”
ABC News’ Tomek Rolski and Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.
Jamaican born African American nationalist Marcus Garvey, circa, 1920. Image via Library of Congress.
(WASHINGTON) — A group of 21 House Democrats signed a letter urging the president to exonerate former civil rights leader Marcus Garvey, according to a statement sent by the lawmakers to ABC News on Monday.
Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) led the panel of lawmakers — mostly from the Congressional Black Caucus — to exonerate Garvey on the heels of President Joe Biden’s commutation of 37 sentences from federal death row on Monday.
Garvey, one of the earliest internationally-known Black civil rights leaders, was convicted of mail fraud in 1923 and was given a five-year sentence, according to a letter sent to Biden from the Congress members, obtained by ABC News. President Calvin Coolidge pardoned Garvey two years into his sentence. Garvey was immediately deported to his birth country of Jamaica.
“Exonerating Mr. Garvey would honor his work for the Black community, remove the shadow of an unjust conviction, and further this administration’s promise to advance racial justice,” the lawmakers said in the letter to the president. “At a time when Black history faces the existential threat of erasure by radical state legislatures, a presidential pardon for Mr. Garvey would correct the historical record and restore the legacy of an American hero.”
Congress members have been trying for decades to clear Garvey’s name, according to the congress members. Congressman John Conyers led hearings in 1987 for the House Judiciary Committee on Garvey’s exoneration. Congressman Charles Rangel introduced resolutions, highlighting alleged injustices against the former civil rights leader in 2004.
“Exactly 101 years ago, Mr. Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in a case that was marred by prosecutorial and governmental misconduct,” The congress members said in the letter. “The evidence paints an abundantly clear narrative that the charges against Mr. Garvey were not only fabricated but also targeted to criminalize, discredit, and silence him as a civil rights leader.”
The White House did not immediately reply to ABC News’ request for a response.
Garvey, who was born in Jamaica in 1887, was a notable Pan-Africanist, believing that people of African descent around the world should be unified because of their alleged common interests.
Garvey was the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) which was created to challenge racial inequality, according to the lawmakers. The organization championed self-determination and economic independence for Black people at a time when Jim Crow laws oppressed African Americans and colonization subjugated Africans on their own continent.
Garvey also established the Black Star Line, one of the first Black-owned shipping companies in the Western Hemisphere, connecting Black businesses across the Americas, according to the lawmakers. The civil rights leader eventually wanted to route the vessels to Africa for a redemption program, according to the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. He wanted to establish a nation for those who were born into slavery or were the descendants of enslaved people, according to The Washington Post.
Garvey also created the Negro World Newspaper which, at its peak, reached a circulation of 200,000 readers weekly, according to the congressmembers.
Garvey shared the segregationist views of the Ku Klux Klan as he sought a separate state for those of the African diaspora, according to The Washington Post.
“I regard the Klan the Anglo Saxon clubs and white American societies as far as the Negro is concerned, as better friends of the race than all other groups of hypocritical whites put together,” Garvey said according to The New York Times.
Other Black civil rights activists were outraged. W. E. B. Du Bois said Garvey was the most dangerous enemy of the Negro race and was either “a lunatic or a traitor,” according to PBS. Du Bois also said Garvey “suffered from serious defects of temperament and training.”
The newly formed Bureau of Investigation, later becoming the FBI, and the director of its intelligence division, a-young J. Edgar Hoover, brought mail fraud proceedings against Garvey in connection to the sale of Black Star Line shipping stock, according to The Washington Post. He was sentenced to five years in prison and served two years before his pardon and eventual deportation by Coolidge.
The FBI declined ABC News’ request for a comment.
Garvey never returned to the U.S. again, according to the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
“As we approach the conclusion of your administration, this moment provides a chance to leave an indelible mark on history,” the lawmakers told Biden in their letter.
ABC News’ John Parkinson contributed to this report.
Rescuers of the State Emergency Service work to put out a fire in a private house after a drone strike in Kharkiv, on December 25, 2024, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (Photo by SERGEY BOBOK/AFP via Getty Images)
(LONDON) — Ukrainians faced fresh Russian drone and missile strikes on energy infrastructure nationwide on Tuesday night into Christmas Day morning, with the energy minister in Kyiv warning of immediate power cuts.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, “Every Russian massive strike takes time to prepare. It is never a spontaneous decision. It is a conscious choice not only of targets, but also of time and date.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelenskyy said, “deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhuman? More than 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, and more than a hundred strike drones. The targets are our energy sector. They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”
“According to preliminary data, our defenders managed to shoot down more than 50 missiles and a significant part of the drones,” Zelenskyy said. “Unfortunately, there are hits. As of now, there are outages in several regions. Energy workers are working to restore the power supply as soon as possible.”
Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 78 missiles of various types into the country, of which 59 were shot down. Russia also launched 106 strike drones, of which 54 were shot down and 52 were lost in flight, the air force added.
“The enemy attacks energy again massively,” Energy Minister German Galushchenko wrote in a statement posted to Facebook early Wednesday. Grid operators, he added, were implementing “necessary consumption restriction measures to minimize negative consequences for the energy system.”
When the security situation allows, “the power companies will specify the damage caused,” Galushchenko added. “Stay tuned for official announcements. While the danger lasts — stay in shelters!”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a statement posted to X, “This Christmas terror is Putin’s response to those who spoke about illusionary ‘Christmas ceasefire’.”
“One Russian missile passed Moldovan and Romanian airspace, reminding that Russia threatens not only Ukraine,” Sybiha added.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement posted to Telegram that it “carried out a massive strike with long-range precision weapons and strike drones on critical energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine that ensure the operation of the military-industrial complex.”
“The strike’s goal was achieved,” the ministry said. “All facilities were hit.”
The ministry said its forces also shot down 59 Ukrainian drones overnight.
This year is the second in which Ukraine will officially celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25. Previously, many Ukrainians celebrated Christmas in January per the Orthodox calendar, as Russian Orthodox adherents still do.
“For the second time, we celebrate Christmas on the same date as one big family, one country,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram on Tuesday. “For the second time in modern history, Christmas unites all Ukrainians.”
“Today, we stand side by side, and we will not be lost,” Zelenskyy added. “In person, from afar, or in our hearts — Ukrainians are together today. And as long as we do this, evil has no chance.”
(NEW YORK) — Three states — Louisiana, Kentucky and New Hampshire — are reporting high levels of respiratory illness, including common cold, flu, RSV and COVID, according to the CDC. In addition, children under four are currently experiencing the highest levels of RSV hospitalizations.
Dr. Neil C. Bhavsar, an emergency medicine resident at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit, said that those illnesses come out “roaring” at this time of year because people are staying indoors, coming from all over and spending time with family.
He wants people to know the severity of their illness and where to go so it’s best treated, he said.
“Urgent Care is a quick fix,” Bhavsar said. Typically, it’s best for non-life-threatening conditions that are addressed within 30 minutes to a few hours.
“The ER or the emergency department is for serious injuries, life-threatening illness or something that can become very serious,” he said.
He explains that respiratory illnesses may take a few days to figure out.
“When we’re talking about respiratory illnesses, I would say, if you’re not feeling too well for like two to three days, have a low grade fever, a cough that’s been lingering for a little bit longer than you want, some facial pressure, sinus pressure, congestion, urgent care is your friend,” Bhavsar said.
But he warns that if “your fingertips are blue, your lips are blue, you’re feeling short of breath and you have chest pain” to go to the emergency department. Any child with these symptoms, especially trouble breathing, should be evaluated in an emergency room.
For upper respiratory illnesses, Bhavsar urges people to stay hydrated.
“Drink warm fluids, soup, broths, hot teas, you can try a nasal spray for congestion and honey is a big thing we’ve been doing for a sore throat or a cough,” Bhavsar said. But he warns honey should never be given to infants or anyone less than a year old due to the risk of a severe illness called botulism.
He also recommends steam inhalation and over-the-counter decongestants for respiratory illnesses, but these should not be used for more than 3-5 days in a row.
In addition, Bhavsar said ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help with body aches and chills. Always follow dosing instructions, ages for use, and consult with a physician if uncertain on how to take any these medications.
Handsome Brook Farms is voluntarily recalling 10,800 retail units of the Organic Pasture Raised 24-Count Eggs sold under the Kirkland Signature brand name because these eggs have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, according to the FDA. Image via FDA.
(NEW YORK) — In the days leading up to Christmas, the Food and Drug Administration has further raised the red flag on some eggs distributed to Costco locations linked to possible salmonella exposure.
The agency reclassified the affected eggs to the highest Class 1 alert level, reporting that there’s a “reasonable probability” that consuming the eggs will “cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
Health officials identified the eggs as Handsome Brook Farms Kirkland brand of Signature Organic Pasture Raised 24-Count Eggs, which were distributed to Costco locations in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
There were approximately 10,800 retail units distributed to 25 Costco stores beginning on Nov. 22.
The eggs were originally recalled just five days after distribution on Nov. 27, however, the FDA redesignated the product to a Class 1 recall on Dec. 20.
“The recall was initiated after the company determined that eggs not intended for retail distribution were instead packaged and distributed in retail packaging,” Handsome Brook Farms said in its announcement on Nov. 27. “Additional supply chain controls and retraining are being put in place to prevent recurrence.”
The cartons in question have a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 9661910680 with a use-by date of Jan 5, 2025.
The FDA noted that impacted consumers should not consume this product and can return the eggs to Costco for a full refund or dispose of it.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, symptoms of salmonella infection include severe stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches and loss of appetite.
Symptoms usually start between six hours to six days after infection and usually last four to seven days, according to the CDC.
However, some people, particularly children younger than 5 and adults 65 years and older, or people with weakened immune systems, may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization, the CDC states.
Costco did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
