(FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.) — The body of a 33-year-old woman who was swept away in flash flooding at the Grand Canyon has been discovered, according to the National Park Service.
Chenoa Nickerson of Gilbert, Arizona, had been missing since Thursday afternoon when heavy rain triggered a flash flood that washed her into Havasu Creek in the Grand Canyon, about a half mile from where the creek meets the Colorado River, according to the NPS.
Nickerson’s body was discovered at approximately 11:30 a.m. Sunday by a commercial river trip near river mile 176 in the Colorado River, the park service said in a press release.
Park rangers responded and recovered the body, which was transported to the rim of the canyon by helicopter and transferred to the Coconino County medical examiner.
An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the medical examiner and the NPS, according to the release.
At the time she disappeared, Nickerson was not wearing a life jacket, officials said.
Earlier Sunday, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs activated the National Guard to help in the emergency rescue operations.
The search for Nickerson — described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall, 190 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes — was focused in the Beaver Falls area of the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service said, adding that rescue crews were searching by ground, air and boat. Nickerson was last seen wearing a black tank top, black shorts and blue hiking boots.
The National Park Service said Nickerson had been staying at a campground near the village of Supai on the Havasupai Reservations at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
“We love her very much and are not giving up on her,” Nickerson’s family previously said in a statement to ABC News.
Nickerson was hiking at the time torrential rains hit and washed her into Havasu Creek, officials said.
The National Weather Service said the area received between 1 to 2 inches of rain within 60 to 90 minutes.
Other tourists camping and hiking in the area became trapped by the floodwaters, emergency officials said. The flooding also prompted rescues of residents at the Havasupai Indian Reservation in the Havasu Canyon area of the Grand Canyon.
The Havasupai Tribal Council said in a statement Saturday that all trails leading into and out of the small village of Supai in the Grand Canyon were made unpassable by the storm. The area is a popular tourist destination for its blue-green waterfalls, including Havasu Falls, which features a 100-foot vertical drop.
The Tribal Council said a campground near Supai sustained extensive damage from the flooding and had to be evacuated and closed.
“The Tribal Council’s focus is the health and safety of the tribal members and those that provide services in Supai,” according to the council’s statement.
“My heart is with all of the people impacted by the flooding in Havasupai, including tribal members and visitors to the area,” Hobbs said in a statement. “I am closely monitoring the situation and we have deployed the Arizona National Guard to get people to safety. The safety and security of Arizonans and all those who visit our state is always my top concern, and I’ll continue working closely with leaders on the ground to protect the Havasupai community.”
National Guard officials said it used helicopters to evacuate 104 tourists and residents of the Havasupai Indian Reservation from flooded areas by Saturday afternoon.
Supai resident Rochelle Tilousi told ABC News that at one point she was cut off from her children by the rushing flood waters.
“We could see the children running trying to beat the flood, but they couldn’t,” Tilousi said, adding that the children survived the flooding and are now safe.
She said her family’s pets were washed away by the flood.
“There is part of our village that is still flooded,” Tilousi said Saturday.
Editor’s Note: Chenoa Nickerson was not wearing a life jacket when she was swept away by floodwaters. This story has been updated to reflect that information.
ABC News’ Vanessa Navarrete contributed to this report.
(ATLANTA) — The threat of Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus has prompted several Massachusetts towns to implement targeted mosquito spraying to protect residents.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this virus, often called Triple E, is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito and can cause a “rare but severe illness.” Although the number of annual cases is low, the virus can pose a significant health risk.
The CDC says most people infected don’t have any symptoms, but symptoms can range from a febrile illness to more severe neurological problems.
The disease is particularly dangerous if it leads to encephalitis, or inflammation in the brain, with approximately 30% of people with encephalitis dying.
Many survivors experience long-term neurological issues, according to the CDC, which notes there are no human vaccines or specific treatments available, making prevention crucial.
Earlier this month, Massachusetts officials reported the season’s first human case of Triple E, marking the first occurrence in the state since 2020.
There have been three reported human cases of Triple E this year in three states: Massachusetts, New Jersey and Vermont.
Historically, 2019 saw the highest number of human Triple E cases with 38 reported, according to the CDC.
Currently, 10 communities in Massachusetts are under high or critical risk of the virus, according to the state’s Department of Public Health.
High-risk communities include Plymouth, Carver, Middleborough, Dudley, Uxbridge and Northbridge.
Critical-risk communities include Webster, Oxford, Sutton and Douglas.
In response, aerial spraying will be conducted in parts of Plymouth County, while truck-mounted spraying will target areas in Worcester County. The goal by health officials is to mitigate mosquito populations that are the primary spreaders of the virus.
The pesticide used is Anvil 10+10, an Environmental Protection Agency-registered product “extensively tested and used in both ground-level and aerial spraying in the U.S. to control mosquitoes,” according to the Massachusets DPH.
The agency reports that compounds in Anvil 10+10 have proven to be “highly effective in killing mosquitoes” globally for two over two decades.
“Due to the increased EEE risk and the first human case of the season, the state is taking decisive action to protect public health,” Ashley Randle, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources commissioner, said in a press release Saturday.
“Aerial spraying will target mosquitoes carrying the EEE virus. While these measures are crucial for reducing transmission risk, it’s vital for everyone to stay vigilant and follow personal protection guidelines to safeguard our community,” Randle said.
Additionally, officials in Plymouth County announced that as of Friday, Aug. 23, public parks and fields will be closed from dusk to dawn due to the high-risk status of EEE.
The CDC advises individuals to minimize mosquito exposure by using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants and avoiding outdoor activities during peak mosquito activity times.
Dr. Jade A Cobern, M.D., MPH, a licensed and practicing physician board-certified in pediatrics and preventive medicine, is a medical fellow on the ABC News Medical Unit.
Catherine, Princess of Wales attends day fourteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2024 in London. — Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty Images, FILE
(ABERDEENSHIRE, Scotland) — Kate Middleton was seen in a rare appearance Sunday as she attended service with the royal family amid her treatment for cancer.
The Princess of Wales was joined by her husband, Prince William, as the couple arrived at Crathie Kirk church on the Balmoral Estate on Sunday in photos obtained by the Daily Mail.
During the outing, Kate, 42, donned a light brown trench coat paired with earrings and a feather hat. Meanwhile, William was seen sporting a navy blue suit.
The photos show the couple apparently in high spirits, smiling and chatting while sitting in their vehicle.
Other royal family members who were also seen arriving for the Sunday service included King Charles III and wife Queen Camilla as well as Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie.
Kensington Palace hasn’t commented on the photos.
Kate was most recently seen in public last month when she stepped out to attend the men’s final at Wimbledon. She was seen sporting a purple Safiyaa dress and received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Prior to that, Kate made a public appearance in June at Trooping the Colour, where she wore a white Jenny Packham dress with black trim and a black bow.
At the time, Kate joined William and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, as well as other royal family members at the annual event.
Her appearance at Trooping the Colour also came after she shared a first update on her health since announcing her cancer diagnosis in March. She said at the time she was “making good progress” as she undergoes chemotherapy but was not “out of the woods yet.”
“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” Kate said in a written message shared by Kensington Palace on June 14. “On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”
Kate also said at the time her treatment would continue “for a few more months.”
“On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home,” she added.
(NEW YORK) — As the Israel-Hamas war continues, cease-fire discussions are occurring in the Middle East, with officials hoping to bring an end to the conflict.
The United States and its allies continue to plead for a cease-fire deal, with discussions set for this week.
Here’s how the news is developing:
6:26 PM EDT Hospital in central Gaza under evacuation order after nearby explosion
Last Updated: August 25, 6:26 PM EDT
Israeli forces issued an evacuation order in the vicinity of the Al Aqsa Hospital, Deir Al Balah, in central Gaza, urging people to flee, according to a statement from Doctors Without Borders Sunday.
“An explosion approximately 250 meters away triggered panic with many choosing to leave the hospital,” the organization said.
Of the approximately 650 patients in the hospital prior to the explosion, only 100 remain, with seven in the intensive care unit, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Doctors Without Borders is considering suspending wound care for the time being, while trying to maintain lifesaving treatment, according to the statement.
“This situation is unacceptable,” the organization said. “Al Aqsa has been operating well beyond capacity for weeks due to the lack of alternatives for patients. All warring parties must respect the hospital, as well as patients’ access to medical care.”
Aug 26, 2024, 4:56 PM EDT Sirens sound in Tel Aviv as Hamas fires rocket from Gaza
Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv Sunday night for the first time since January as Hamas launched a single rocket toward central Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces said the Hamas rocket fell into an “open area” in Rishon LeTsiyon, south of Tel Aviv.
Israeli emergency services officials said no one was injured by the rocket, but a 26-year-old woman was hurt going to a shelter.
Hamas confirmed it fired an “M90” rocket at Tel Aviv.
-ABC News Victoria Beaule
4:37 PM EDT Hezbollah leader says missile barrage on Israeli base ‘has ended’
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said missile and drone strikes targeting a “base for military intelligence” near Tel Aviv, Israel, “has ended” for now.
Nasrallah said the strikes carried out Sunday constituted the first and second phases of Hezbollah’s response to Israeli missile strikes in Lebanon. He said Hezbollah reserves the right to “respond” if it learns its strikes on Israel are not “sufficient.”
Nasrallah said Hezbollah’s missile and drone strikes targeted the Glilot military base near Tel Aviv, alleging it is a “base for military intelligence.”
“It contains a large number of officers and soldiers and it manages many of the assassination operations that take place in the region, as well as the sedition and deception operations,” Nasrallah alleged.
Hezbollah believes “a number of drones” reached their target. Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said most of the Hezbollah missiles and drones were intercepted and denied that the Glilot military base was hit.
Hagari also confirmed that the soldier who was killed in the Hezbollah missile strike was hit by a fragment of an Iron Dome interceptor.
Nasrallah said a total of 340 missiles were fired at the Glilot military base.
A “preemptive strike” by Israel failed to cause any significant damage, according to Nasrallah.
“What happened was aggression, not a preemptive action,” Nasrallah said.
-ABC News Victoria Beaule
3:33 PM EDT Hamas rejects latest cease-fire deal
Hamas leader Osama Hamdan has released a statement indicating Hamas does not accept the latest iteration of the cease-fire proposal as written.
Hamas insists that changes added by Israel since July 2 are non-starters for them, specifically, Israel Defense Forces positions in the Philadelphi corridor, an eight-and-a-half-mile long demilitarized buffer zone running along the border between Egypt and Gaza. Hamas also objected to a proposal for non-Palestinian control of the Rafah border crossing.
Hamdan said Hamas will not return to the cease-fire talks as long as the new conditions stay in the proposal.
“The occupation set new conditions for accepting the agreement and backed away from what it had previously agreed to,” Hamdan said in a statement. “The delegation informed the mediators today of our opinion.”
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaule
1:16 PM EDT Soldier killed, 2 others injured in ‘combat’ in Northern Israel, says IDF
An Israeli soldier was killed and two others were injured Sunday “in combat in northern Israel,” the Israel Defense Forces announced.
The circumstances of what led to the death and injuries of the soldiers were not immediately disclosed by the IDF.
The soldier who was killed was identified by the IDF as Petty Officer 1st Class David Moshe Ben Shitrit, 21, of Geva Binyamin, Israel. The soldier was a member of the Israeli Navy’s 914th Fleet, according to the IDF.
The two soldiers who suffered light to moderate injuries are also members of the 914th Fleet, according to the IDF. Their names were not immediately released.
-ABC News’ Anna Burd and Jordana Miller
US not involved in Israel’s pre-emptive strike on Lebanon, official says
A U.S. official reaffirmed Sunday that the United States was not involved in Israel’s pre-emptive strike Saturday night on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon but had provided Israel some intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information believed to have been used in the mission.
The U.S. had provided some “ISR support in terms of tracking incoming Lebanese Hezbollah attacks but did not conduct any kinetic operations as they were not required,” the official said.
“We continue to closely monitor the situation and remain well-postured and ready to support the defense of Israel from attacks by Iran and any of its proxies, to include Lebanese Hezbollah,” the official said.
At least three people were killed overnight in the Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said Sunday. The casualties included two people who were killed in the village of At Tiri and one in the town of Khiam, the ministry said, adding that two additional people were injured and required hospitalization.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
IDF issues new evacuation order in central Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces announced a new evacuation order Sunday for a small strip of land in a humanitarian area of central Gaza.
The new evacuation order for an area of Deir al-Balah came just days after the IDF ordered the evacuation of two refugee camps in the same area as the Israeli military prepared for a new ground offensive in the humanitarian zone.
The IDF suspects that Hamas terrorists are hiding in the area and using Palestinian refugees as human shields.
Sunday’s evacuation order affected those living in a relatively small area of Deir al-Balah that includes five schools sheltering displaced people and tent camps around them. The area is near the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, one of the largest remaining functional hospitals in Gaza, servicing all of central Gaza.
-ABC News’ Bictoria Beaule
Hezbollah planned to strike Israeli intelligence, sources tell ABC News
Israel believes the Hezbollah targets in central Israel were meant to be a complex of intelligence bases and the headquarters of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, just north of Tel Aviv, two Israeli security sources told ABC News.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir and Bruno Nota
3 killed, 2 injured in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, officials say
At least three people were killed overnight in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said Sunday.
Two were killed in the village of At Tiri and one in the town of Khiam, the ministry said, adding that two additional people were injured and required hospitalization.
The United Nations agency in charge of peacekeeping in southern Lebanon called on Sunday for a cease-fire and for all sides to “refrain from further escalatory action.”
“In light of worrying developments across the Blue Line since the early morning, UNSCOL and UNIFIL call on all to cease fire and refrain from further escalatory action,” the agency said in a statement, referring to a demarcation line separating Israel from Lebanon.
There have been no reports of injuries on the Israeli side, according to emergency services in Israel.
-ABC News’ Ghazi Balkiz, Jordana Miller and Victoria Beaule
Israel continues strikes in southern Lebanon, IDF says
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday said the military was targeting Hezbollah with additional strikes in southern Lebanon.
“In the last hour, the IDF struck Hezbollah launchers in several areas in southern Lebanon to remove threats,” the IDF said in a statement. “In addition, the IDF identified a terrorist cell operating in the area of Khiam in southern Lebanon. The IAF swiftly struck the terrorists.”
-ABC News’ Anna Burd and Victoria Beaule
‘Whoever harms us — we will harm them,’ Netanyahu says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday described his country’s preemptive strikes within Lebanon as a “strong action to foil the threats” raised by a potential attack by Hezbollah.
“It has eliminated thousands of rockets that were aimed at northern Israel,” Netanyahu said as he convened his Security Cabinet for a meeting at 7 a.m. local time. “It is thwarting many other threats and is taking very strong action — both defensively and offensively.”
Netanyahu had earlier in the morning been managing the situation with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant from the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, his office said. The prime minister’s office released photos of the pair meeting with military officials.
“We are determined to do everything to defend our country, to return the residents of the north securely to their homes and to continue upholding a simple rule: Whoever harms us — we will harm them,” Netanyahu said.
-ABC News’ Kevin Shalvey
‘Thousands’ of Hezbollah rocket launchers destroyed, IDF says
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday said it had destroyed “thousands” of Hezbollah rocket launchers.
“Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets, directed by IDF intelligence, struck and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels that were located and embedded in southern Lebanon,” the military said in a statement.
The statement added, “Most of these launchers were aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel. More than 40 launches areas in Lebanon were struck during the strikes.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky and Kevin Shalvey
Israel warns Lebanese citizens of danger as it strikes Hezbollah
The Israeli Air Force launched “dozens” of planes to attack locations throughout southern Lebanon, saying it was continuing “to remove threats, to vigorously attack the terrorist organization Hezbollah.”
“Israel’s air defense systems, navy ships and Air Force planes are on a defense mission above the country’s skies, identifying, intercepting threats and attacking wherever in Lebanon it is required in order to remove threats and harm Hezbollah,” Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.
The aerial strikes within Lebanon were coming as Israeli defenses were dealing with “different types of threats,” including scores of rockets and drones launched into Israeli airspace, he said.
“We have already intercepted a number of rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles that approached the territory of the State of Israel,” Hagari said.He added, “We warn the Lebanese citizens in South Lebanon. We recognize that Hezbollah is firing in a large area near your homes. You are in danger. We attack and remove Hezbollah threats.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky and Kevin Shalvey
Hezbollah claims hundreds of rockets launched at Israel
Hezbollah claimed early on Sunday to have launched more than 320 rockets toward 11 military locations within Israel and Golan Heights.
The “enemy sites” that had been targeted were detailed in a statement. They included military bases in Meron, Ein Zeytim and Al-Sahl.
Barracks in Naveh Ziv, Ramot Naftali and Zaoura were also among the sites targeted, Hezbollah said.
The group described those launches as a “first stage,” saying they were “targeting Israeli barracks and sites to facilitate the passage of offensive drones towards their desired target deep inside” Israel.
(PATERSON, N.J.) — As the search continued Sunday for a relative accused of stabbing a 4-year-old girl multiple times at the child’s New Jersey home, the father of the young victim said she’s fighting for her life and the attack left him “dumbfounded.”
The child remains in stable condition at Saint Joseph’s University Medical Center, where she is being treated for puncture wounds to her lung and liver and an injured diaphragm, according to her family.
“She couldn’t respond because she had tubes and everything down her, but she opened her eyes and when she heard my voice she started making eye contact trying to see me. That brought joy to me that she was responsive,” the girl’s father, Faherem LaSane, told ABC New York station WABC outside the hospital on Saturday afternoon.
LaShane said his daughter’s name is Amber, and described her as a happy girl with a big smile and an appetite to match.
The stabbing unfolded just after 4 p.m. on Friday in Paterson, New Jersey, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office. Officers were called to the home for a domestic dispute and found the child stabbed multiple times, prosecutors said.
Police did not immediately identify the suspect, but Paterson council member Luis Velez told WABC that police are looking for the child’s aunt in connection with the incident.
The aunt was babysitting Amber while the girl’s mother was at the home caring for another child, relatives said.
Neighbor Keema James said she saw the mother emerge from the home holding the child, both covered in blood.
“She had a big gash on her forehead and she had her wrapped up,” James said of the victim in an interview with WABC.
LaShan said he was stunned when he received word of the stabbing and immediately rushed to the hospital to be at his daughter’s side.
“I was totally dumbfounded, and I was shocked because I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to believe it at all,” LaShan said.
A motive for the stabbing remains under investigation.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asked anyone with information about the incident to contact its office.
Two-time presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders predicted the campaign ahead will be “rough” but said he believes Vice President Kamala Harris “has a very good chance to win” the presidential election.
“She’s certainly going to win the popular vote by millions of votes, and I think she has a great chance to win many of the battleground states,” Sanders told “This Week” co-anchor Jon Karl on Sunday. “I think people are growing tired and fatigued with Trump’s consistent and outrageous lies and I think no matter what people may think of Kamala Harris, I think they want stability in the White House.”
The interview came just days after Democrats wrapped a lively convention where the party highlighted “freedom” as their overarching message for the campaign.
Asked about comments Harris made in her acceptance speech about ensuring the nation’s military strength, Sanders cautioned against increased spending.
“The United States is now spending more than the next 10 nations combined on defense,” he said. “I agree with the vice president. We want the strongest defense in the world, but I do think enough is enough. You’re seeing military contractors profits soaring, and I think we can have the strongest defense in the world without spending a trillion dollars a year.”
Sanders said Harris should focus her messaging on the economy and welfare of voters.
“We have more income and wealth inequality than we have ever had in the history of this country,” he said. “So I happen to believe it’s important that we end the embarrassment of having the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on earth.”
Karl also asked Sanders if not giving the “Uncommitted” movement a platform at the convention was a mistake for Harris. Pro-Palestinian protesters and activists with the Uncommitted movement had repeatedly requested a speaking slot during the Democratic National Convention. The request, however, was denied by party officials.
Sanders has been one of the leading voices on Capitol Hill calling for a change in U.S. policy toward Israel as its war against Hamas in Gaza approaches its 11th month. He also has been outspoken against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I happen to think that we should not be giving another nickel to Netanyahu’s right-wing extremist government,” he said. “They certainly had a right to defend themselves against the atrocious Hamas attack. They never had the right, do not have the right to go to war against the entire Palestinian people, kill 40,000, injure 80,000 and destroy the health care system, the educational system and the civilian infrastructure.”
He added, “American taxpayer dollars should not go to starve children in Gaza.”
Karl then asked Sanders about the nation’s immigration struggles and how Harris’ views on the southern border have shifted.
“When Harris ran for the Democratic nomination against you and others in 2020, she said she favored decriminalizing illegal border crossings. She even suggested she was she would be in favor of abolishing [Immigration and Customs Enforcement],” Karl said.
“We have a crisis at the border. We’ve got to make sure that fentanyl does not get into this country. We have to crack down on illegal immigration,” Sanders replied. “But we need comprehensive immigration reform. And I suspect that’s what the vice president supports.”
Republicans have attacked Harris by tying her to the high level of migrant encounters and apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border over President Joe Biden’s term. Harris has tried to counter that by highlighting her time as a prosecutor and support for the failed bipartisan border policy reform bill. Harris previously supported decriminalizing illegal border crossings and said she believed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “mission … is very much in question and has to be reexamined.”
ABC News’ Fritz Farrow, Will McDuffie and Gabriella Abdul-Hakim contributed to this report.
Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, an ally of Donald Trump, said the presidential race will be a close one and the former president will put in the work to win in November.
When pressed by “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl on whether or not Trump has to pivot his messaging to focus more on Vice President Kamala Harris’ policies, Cotton replied that Trump’s “campaign has known all along, and they’ve said all along that this race is going to be a close race,” though Trump himself has also predicted a wide margin of victory for himself.
“We know the race will probably come down to a few hundred thousand votes in a few states. President Trump has been campaigning hard and vigorously now for months. Obviously, that’s going to increase in its pace as we get closer to the election, and President Trump is going to draw a sharp contrast with Kamala Harris,” Cotton said.
Cotton’s remarks come as Republicans urge Trump to focus more on his messaging. While he has consistently noted voters’ frustrations on inflation and immigration, he has also thrown personal jabs that some in his party consider distractions, including saying he’s better looking than Harris.
The lack of messaging discipline comes as polling shows Harris significantly improving on President Joe Biden’s standing nationally and in key swing states. 538’s national polling average now shows Harris up by 3.6 points nationally.
Republicans are also frustrated by what they claim is a lack of policy transparency by Harris.
The vice president recently released details of her economic plan, including fighting price gouging and expanding assistance for new parents and first-time homebuyers. She has not said much else, aside from disavowing policies she proposed in 2020 like banning fracking.
“[S]he’s taking these efforts not to change her positions, but to hide her positions. Jon, the American people are totally justified to conclude that Kamala Harris is a dangerous San Francisco liberal based on what she campaigned on the last time she ran for president and what this administration has done the last four years,” Cotton said.
“If she has changed her position, she owes it to the American people to come out and say to her own words when she changed and why she changed,” he added.
Cotton also dismissed any momentum Harris could have coming out of the Democrats’ convention in Chicago, which included several Republican supporters who cast Trump as a threat to democracy.
“Well, in every election Jon, you have some members of one party endorsing the candidate of the other party. That’s a very traditional aspect of American politics,” Cotton said. “I mean, look at what just happened this week. The Democratic Party under Kamala Harris has gone so far to the left that you actually had a Kennedy endorse a Republican,” Cotton said, referring to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent endorsement of Trump.
Hurricane Hone was moving late Saturday south of the Big Island of Hawaii as a weak Category 1 storm, with winds of 75 mph.
The storm was expected to remain at about the same status, walking the tight line between tropical storm and hurricane on Sunday and into Monday. Hurricanes have winds of 74 mph or greater.
Hone is moving westerly at 12 mph and is currently 105 miles south of Hilo, Hawaii, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane force winds were only extending about 15 miles from the eye of the storm, meaning the Big Island is only experiencing tropical storm conditions, and is only expected to. Tropical storm force winds were extending up to 125 miles.
A Tropical Storm Warning had been issued as Hone approached Hawaii. That warning remained in effect for Hawaii County at about 11 p.m. on Saturday, weather officials said.
While the storm isn’t expected to make a direct hit on the islands, it is still close enough to deliver some potentially dangerous impacts. Tropical Storm conditions are likely occurring on the Big Island overnight and early Sunday, especially at higher terrains and through passes.
About 6 to 12 inches of rainfall are expected on the Big Island — especially near the windward and southeast-facing slopes — and there is a Flash Flood Watch there. For the smaller islands, about 2 to 4 inches of rain are expected.
Life-threatening surf and rip currents are also impacting Hawaii.
(LONDON) — As the Israel-Hamas war continues, cease-fire discussions are occurring in the Middle East, with officials hoping to bring an end to the conflict.
The United States and its allies continue to plead for a cease-fire deal, with discussions set for this week.
US not involved in Israel’s pre-emptive strike on Lebanon, official says
Last Updated: August 25, 1:00 PM ET
A U.S. official reaffirmed Sunday that the United States was not involved in Israel’s pre-emptive strike Saturday night on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon but had provided Israel some intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information believed to have been used in the mission.
The U.S. had provided some “ISR support in terms of tracking incoming Lebanese Hezbollah attacks but did not conduct any kinetic operations as they were not required,” the official said.
“We continue to closely monitor the situation and remain well-postured and ready to support the defense of Israel from attacks by Iran and any of its proxies, to include Lebanese Hezbollah,” the official said.
At least three people were killed overnight in the Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said Sunday. The casualties included two people who were killed in the village of At Tiri and one in the town of Khiam, the ministry said, adding that two additional people were injured and required hospitalization.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
IDF issues new evacuation order in central Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces announced a new evacuation order Sunday for a small strip of land in a humanitarian area of central Gaza.
The new evacuation order for an area of Deir al-Balah came just days after the IDF ordered the evacuation of two refugee camps in the same area as the Israeli military prepared for a new ground offensive in the humanitarian zone.
The IDF suspects that Hamas terrorists are hiding in the area and using Palestinian refugees as human shields.
Sunday’s evacuation order affected those living in a relatively small area of Deir al-Balah that includes five schools sheltering displaced people and tent camps around them. The area is near the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, one of the largest remaining functional hospitals in Gaza, servicing all of central Gaza.
-ABC News’ Bictoria Beaule
Hezbollah planned to strike Israeli intelligence, sources tell ABC News
Israel believes the Hezbollah targets in central Israel were meant to be a complex of intelligence bases and the headquarters of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, just north of Tel Aviv, two Israeli security sources told ABC News.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir and Bruno Nota
3 killed, 2 injured in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, officials say
At least three people were killed overnight in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said Sunday.
Two were killed in the village of At Tiri and one in the town of Khiam, the ministry said, adding that two additional people were injured and required hospitalization.
The United Nations agency in charge of peacekeeping in southern Lebanon called on Sunday for a cease-fire and for all sides to “refrain from further escalatory action.”
“In light of worrying developments across the Blue Line since the early morning, UNSCOL and UNIFIL call on all to cease fire and refrain from further escalatory action,” the agency said in a statement, referring to a demarcation line separating Israel from Lebanon.
There have been no reports of injuries on the Israeli side, according to emergency services in Israel.
-ABC News’ Ghazi Balkiz, Jordana Miller and Victoria Beaule
Israel continues strikes in southern Lebanon, IDF says
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday said the military was targeting Hezbollah with additional strikes in southern Lebanon.
“In the last hour, the IDF struck Hezbollah launchers in several areas in southern Lebanon to remove threats,” the IDF said in a statement. “In addition, the IDF identified a terrorist cell operating in the area of Khiam in southern Lebanon. The IAF swiftly struck the terrorists.”
-ABC News’ Anna Burd and Victoria Beaule
‘Whoever harms us — we will harm them,’ Netanyahu says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday described his country’s preemptive strikes within Lebanon as a “strong action to foil the threats” raised by a potential attack by Hezbollah.
“It has eliminated thousands of rockets that were aimed at northern Israel,” Netanyahu said as he convened his Security Cabinet for a meeting at 7 a.m. local time. “It is thwarting many other threats and is taking very strong action — both defensively and offensively.”
Netanyahu had earlier in the morning been managing the situation with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant from the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, his office said. The prime minister’s office released photos of the pair meeting with military officials.
“We are determined to do everything to defend our country, to return the residents of the north securely to their homes and to continue upholding a simple rule: Whoever harms us — we will harm them,” Netanyahu said.
-ABC News’ Kevin Shalvey
‘Thousands’ of Hezbollah rocket launchers destroyed, IDF says
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday said it had destroyed “thousands” of Hezbollah rocket launchers.
“Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets, directed by IDF intelligence, struck and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels that were located and embedded in southern Lebanon,” the military said in a statement.
The statement added, “Most of these launchers were aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel. More than 40 launches areas in Lebanon were struck during the strikes.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky and Kevin Shalvey
Israel warns Lebanese citizens of danger as it strikes Hezbollah
The Israeli Air Force launched “dozens” of planes to attack locations throughout southern Lebanon, saying it was continuing “to remove threats, to vigorously attack the terrorist organization Hezbollah.”
“Israel’s air defense systems, navy ships and Air Force planes are on a defense mission above the country’s skies, identifying, intercepting threats and attacking wherever in Lebanon it is required in order to remove threats and harm Hezbollah,” Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.
The aerial strikes within Lebanon were coming as Israeli defenses were dealing with “different types of threats,” including scores of rockets and drones launched into Israeli airspace, he said.
“We have already intercepted a number of rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles that approached the territory of the State of Israel,” Hagari said.He added, “We warn the Lebanese citizens in South Lebanon. We recognize that Hezbollah is firing in a large area near your homes. You are in danger. We attack and remove Hezbollah threats.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky and Kevin Shalvey
Hezbollah claims hundreds of rockets launched at Israel
Hezbollah claimed early on Sunday to have launched more than 320 rockets toward 11 military locations within Israel and Golan Heights.
The “enemy sites” that had been targeted were detailed in a statement. They included military bases in Meron, Ein Zeytim and Al-Sahl.
Barracks in Naveh Ziv, Ramot Naftali and Zaoura were also among the sites targeted, Hezbollah said.
The group described those launches as a “first stage,” saying they were “targeting Israeli barracks and sites to facilitate the passage of offensive drones towards their desired target deep inside” Israel.
(CHICAGO) — Vice President Kamala Harris raised $82 million the week of the Democratic National Convention, bringing her total haul since launching her candidacy last month to $540 million, her campaign said.
The sum is buttressed by nearly $40 million raked in during and after Harris delivered her acceptance speech at the convention on Thursday night, campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement, which noted the campaign crossed the half-billion-dollar mark moments before she took the stage.
The hour after the vice president’s remarks was the campaign’s best fundraising hour, O’Malley Dillon said.
The total reflects what was raised between the campaign, the Democratic National Committee and their joint fundraising committees.
In addition to growing its financial war chest, a third of which was from new donors last week, the Harris campaign also saw its foot soldiers sign up for nearly 200,000 volunteer shifts during the convention—more than any other week, O’Malley Dillon said, with 90,000 shift sign-ups coming Thursday and Friday.
“We head into September with a virtual army of volunteers ready to do the hard work of talking to their neighbors, friends and colleagues,” O’Malley Dillon wrote in the memo. “Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s battleground infrastructure remains incredibly sparse.”
“The Convention was a galvanizing moment for the Harris-Walz coalition throughout the country, energizing and mobilizing volunteer and grassroots donors alike,” she later added, saying they will use the resources to reach voters “while Trump is focused on very little beyond online tantrums and attacking the voters critical to winning 270 electoral votes.”
