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Trump kicks off week of DNC counterprogramming with economy remarks in Pennsylvania

August 19, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Former President Donald Trump will spend the week traveling to battleground states — a way of counterprogramming the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off on Monday — starting with remarks on the economy and energy in York, Pennsylvania, just a few hours before key speakers take the stage at the DNC.

On Monday, Trump will further highlight his economic proposal, following dueling remarks on the topic from both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris last week.

Trump spoke about the economy at two separate events — one in North Carolina followed by one in Pennsylvania — during which he went back and forth between on-topic messaging, non sequiturs and personal attacks aimed at Harris and former President Joe Biden.

The former president and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance will continue to hold issue-centered campaign events throughout the week in states including Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada and Georgia. The Trump campaign suggests that they are “dividing and conquering” with their ticket spread across the nation in the highly-contested states.

Each campaign stop will focus on a key election issue, Trump’s campaign said.

After economy-centered events in Pennsylvania on Monday, the campaign will focus on crime and safety on Tuesday, national security on Wednesday, immigration on Thursday — when the former president is expected to visit the southern border — and then will round out the week with “no tax on tips” events on Friday to highlight the policy Trump has advocated for.

The campaign’s schedule uptick comes as the Harris campaign criticized Trump’s lack of swing-state events in recent weeks. Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz barnstormed key swing states earlier this month.

As Trump’s campaign continues to accuse Harris of dodging the press, it has offered the media several opportunities to talk with Trump’s surrogates — with the presumed expectation that either Trump or Vance will take questions too.

Harris has not sat down for an official interview since the evening of the first presidential debate with Biden.

Trump allies including Sen. Ron Johnson, Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Byron Donalds will travel to the convention host city of Chicago to host press conferences every day of the convention. In addition, the Trump campaign has teased a “special guest” on Thursday ahead of Harris accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination at the DNC.

“As they meet Americans where they are in battleground states across the country, President Trump and Senator Vance will remind voters that under their leadership, we can end inflation, protect our communities from violent criminals, secure the border, and Make America Great Again,” Trump Campaign Senior Advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement.

The campaign suggests their strategy is being with everyday Americans and telling their stories — whereas they claim Harris and Democrats will roll out big names at the Democratic National Convention from “yesteryear,” including former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden.

In the evening, during the DNC’s primetime programming, Trump is scheduled to participate in fundraisers and media engagements, according to the campaign.

“Our goal and message that we’re trying to send other than continuing to define Kamala Harris and Tim Walz is a very clear signal that there’ll be no free shots on goal,” a campaign official said, pivoting to suggest that Harris’ “honeymoon” period is over.

“We believe that we have the winning message. We believe that the Democrats have the losing message,” the campaign official said.

WHO records 1,940 health care attacks in Ukraine since war with Russia began

August 19, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(KYIV, Ukraine) — The World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday it has confirmed 1,940 attacks on health care in Ukraine since the war with Russia began in February 2022.

This is the highest number of attacks the WHO has ever recorded in any humanitarian emergency to date, according to the agency.

During the course of the war, 86% of these attacks have targeted health care facilities, usually with heavy weapons, according to the WHO. The agency said attacks on health facilities have “intensified significantly” since December 2023 and are now occurring nearly every day.

“In 2024, we are observing a lot of double-tap attacks,” Dr. Jarno Habicht, the WHO representative in Ukraine, said in a statement. “Now we have more shelling of civilian infrastructure than before. We are losing colleagues — health-care workers, nurses, doctors, paramedics.”

“This year, many more health-care workers have also been injured than before. According to WHO data, first responders and health transportation are 3 times more likely to suffer harm from attacks compared to other health-care personnel,” the statement continued.

The WHO said so far this year, 34 health care workers and patients have been killed in health care attacks compared to 24 deaths in 2023.

Additionally, 229 people have been injured in health care attacks so far this year, which is higher than the figures reported in both 2022 and 2023. According to the WHO, every fourth attack on health care this year has resulted in injuries.

“We are witnessing a blatant disregard for the fundamental principles of humanitarian law,” Dr Emanuele Bruni, World Health Emergencies lead at the WHO Country Office in Ukraine, said in a statement. “The widespread attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure have made access to electricity, water and heating an urgent priority. This war is affecting every person across Ukraine — including health-care professionals and providers — in diverse and profound ways.”

Last month, Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv — one of the most well-respected children’s hospitals in the country — was damaged when five Ukrainian cities fell under attack. At least two people were killed in the attack on the hospital, including one female physician, and at least seven children were injured, according to officials.

In November 2022, a newborn baby was killed when a missile strike hit a maternity hospital in the town of Vilniansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the local mayor told ABC News at the time.

For communities that are near the frontlines, access to health care has been severely impacted, increasing the risk of severe illness and death among residents. Since February 2022, an average of 200 ambulances have been damaged or destroyed every year in shelling attacks, according to the WHO.

The WHO noted that Ukrainian health authorities have been responding to areas that are facing health needs and challenges but there are still gaps to fill. The WHO said it has distributed approximately 3,750 tons of medical supplies, including ambulances, medicines and generators, throughout the country.

“Ultimately, the healthcare workforce of Ukraine are genuine heroes,” Habicht said. “Despite ongoing attacks, despite all the challenges, they continue saving people’s lives.”

4 children found shot in stolen car in Minneapolis

August 19, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(MINNEAPOLIS) — Four children, ages 11 to 14, driving around Minneapolis in a stolen car were shot and wounded, one critically, when an assailant chasing them unleashed a barrage of gunfire on the vehicle, police said.

The shooting unfolded around 1 a.m. Sunday in northwest Minneapolis, setting off ShotSpotter gunfire detection activations and prompting multiple 911 calls, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

Two boys and two girls were shot in the incidents, and an 11-year-old boy driving the stolen car was taken into custody, O’Hara said. One of the wounded girls was shot in the head and was in critical but stable condition at Hennepin Medical Center, O’Hara said. The other three juveniles were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, O’Hara said.

The names of those injured were not released.

“Four kids shot between [the ages] 11 and 14 is outrageous and everyone should be up in arms over it. The police are doing everything that we can in response to this, but we can’t keep responding after the fact,” O’Hara said Sunday.

The assailant who opened fire on the stolen white Kia has not been caught or identified and a motive for the shooting remains under investigation.

“The preliminary investigation indicates that five minors were inside of a stolen Kia driving in this area when a dark-colored sedan began following them and firing at them with fully automatic gunfire,” O’Hara said at a news conference Sunday near the crime scene.

At least 30 shell casings were collected at the scene, O’Hara said.

“We believe even more rounds were fired because some of those casings may have been inside the suspect vehicle,” O’Hara said.

The chief said the driver of the stolen car, an 11-year-old boy who was not injured in the shooting, was detained at the scene but was later released to his parents.

O’Hara said two of the juveniles in the stolen car were arrested less than two weeks ago for being in a stolen vehicle.

“We are failing to deter this behavior and, with that being said, we are failing these kids as well,” O’Hara said.

O’Hara said the shooting came during an uptick that Minneapolis police noticed this month in the theft of Kias and Hyundais after the number of those types of stolen vehicles had gone down in the past year.

“What’s most notable over the course of the year is that while there’s fewer of these cars being stolen, the activity that these juveniles are involved with has become more and more brazen,” O’Hara said. “There have been more aggravated assaults, more robberies, more hit and runs, more serious crimes more frequently committed by those individuals who were involved in the theft of these cars. So it’s very, very concerning.”

He said Sunday’s shooting is an example of the escalating boldness of the perpetrators.

“It just shows really brazen, callous behavior,” O’Hara said. “They don’t care about their own lives let alone the lives of other people.”

Prosecutors defer to judge on delaying Donald Trump’s sentencing date in hush money case

August 19, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Prosecutors in New York are taking no position on former President Donald Trump’s request to delay sentencing of his “hush money” conviction until after the November election.

Instead, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said in a letter Monday it would defer to Judge Juan Merchan.

Trump is currently scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18 after a jury convicted him of all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

Trump had originally been scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, but Merchan said last month he would rule on Trump’s immunity claim on Sept. 16 and impose sentencing two days later.

Trump has argued the recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity should render some evidence inadmissible and, therefore, throw out the conviction.

Prosecutors said they would leave it to the judge to decide whether Trump should be allowed to exhaust his appeals prior to sentencing.

“The People are prepared to appear for sentencing on any future date the Court sets,” the letter said. “The People are also mindful that significant public safety and logistical steps by multiple agencies are necessary to prepare for court appearances in this matter.”

In asking for a delay last week, Trump’s lawyers questioned whether sentencing should take place after the start of early voting, arguing that the timing harms the integrity of the proceedings.

“Finally, setting aside naked election-interference objectives, there is no valid countervailing reason for the Court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar. There is no basis for continuing to rush,” defense lawyers wrote.

‘Sober curious’ lifestyle rises in popularity with younger generations: Where to begin the booze-free landscape

August 19, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The catalyst for drinking less, or not at all, is unique for each individual but can range from physical health reasons to mental clarity. But whatever the motivation, the ‘sober curious’ movement is becoming more mainstream, especially among young adults.

The topic and trend was recently highlighted on the newest season of Emily in Paris, in which the title character explains that mostly Gen Z and millennials who adopt a wellness approach to their relationship with alcohol, though perhaps not fully sober, have started to explore not drinking.

“You might not be 100% sober, but you are interested in drinking less,” Hilary Sheinbaum, author of the Going Dry workbook and guide to drinking less, told Good Morning America.

A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2020 found that alcohol abstinence is becoming increasingly common among Gen Z, with 28% of college students reporting in 2018 that they did not drink alcohol, compared to 20% of respondents in 2002.

Alcohol-free alternatives have become even more accessible in recent years, as GMA first reported in 2022 as we emerged from the pandemic and the market was booming with new options, from nonalcoholic spiritless retail shops to more accommodating high-quality booze-free options outside of the traditional sugary mocktails.

“There are nonalcoholic beers, wines, and [non-alcoholic] spirits on restaurant and bar menus, even at hotels and resorts, and now in airplanes and even airline lounges. They are everywhere,” Sheinbaum said.

One Dallas-based content creator, Avon Nguyen, told GMA that cutting back on alcohol has also helped her financially.

“If I’m going to choose between drinking a $22 drink or paying rent, I’m probably gonna pay rent,” she explained.

Fitness influencer Kendall Toole, a former Peloton instructor turned podcast host, told GMA she’s seen positive improvements in her physical and mental health since she departed from drinking.

“The most notable shifts that I’ve seen on my health were one, the ability to get deep, restful sleep – [and two], my anxiety was not as profound and as adamant as it was previous.”

Unlike celebrities or athletes bottling tequilas, whiskey or other booze, Toole – who’s been open about her passion for wellness and mental health – opted to plant her flag in a clean energy and protein beverage, Don’t Quit, that better reflects her own journey and values.

For others looking to switch up what they sip and start dipping their toe into the sober curious journey, Sheinbaum emphasized how easy it is to do at home.

“One household item that is easy to mix with for a mocktail is orange juice,” she said. “You can make non-alcoholic mimosas with orange juice and non-alcoholic sparkling wine. It’s as easy as that.”

Check out these bartender-approved recipes to make more delicious, spirit-free sips for your next night in or sober soiree.

Biden to have his DNC moment with opening night speech

August 19, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(CHICAGO) — For much of the 2024 campaign, President Joe Biden could easily see himself taking the stage at the Democratic National Convention to accept the party’s nomination — a victory lap as he sought a second term in the White House.

But now, Biden’s prime-time speech in Chicago on Monday night will mark a bittersweet moment for his legacy and for the party.

It comes after a rapid shuffle catapulted Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of the ticket as Biden exited the race amid Democrats’ concerns about his age and ability to campaign reached a boiling point.

“This is extraordinary in a lot of ways in politics because sitting presidents don’t often turn over the reins,” said Jim Kessler, co-founder of the center-left think tank Third Way.

The scene will be a study in political contrasts, he says.

“In a way, it feels like a Hall of Fame athlete that’s making the tour to stadiums in the final season. But it’s also a torch passing and the Harris campaign is about the future,” Kessler said. “The needle I expect Biden will thread is celebrating the past and focusing on the future.”

Biden is slated to speak on the opening night of what will be a four-day gathering of prominent Democrats from across the nation culminating in Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz celebrating her history-making rise to become the party’s nominee.

Asked by a reporter on Sunday how he was feeling about his Monday night keynote, he responded, “Good, real good.”

The White House said last week Biden was looking forward to addressing not only Democrats but the nation about what’s at stake this election and to call for unity.

“He understands this is an incredibly important moment,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. “He’s still very much the leader of the party, right? And he takes that very seriously. And he’s also very proud of his vice president.”

First lady Jill Biden, his strongest advocate, will speak before him, and afterward the couple heads to California, not planning to stay for Harris’ speech Thursday night.

Biden endorsed Harris minutes after he announced he would no longer run for reelection. At their first joint appearance since then, an event last Thursday to tout lower prescription drug prices, Biden said she would make “one hell of a president” as he was met by the crowd with chants of “Thank you, Joe!” — a rallying call that could very well emerge at the DNC.

But the road from his poor debate performance against Donald Trump in late June to his bowing out of the race was rocky, as he initially remained defiant against calls for him to step aside. With a growing drumbeat of Democratic lawmakers publicly urging him to drop out, private pressure from Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and polls showing the gap between he and Trump widening, Biden officially withdrew on July 21.

“All signs pointed to him wanting to have delivered that acceptance speech but the road was closed by funders, by the public, by the media, by key power brokers within the party, and so he’s having to switch up and it’s awkward,” said William Howell, an American politics professor at the University of Chicago.

Still, observers expect Biden to receive a resounding hero’s welcome at the convention.

“There will certainly be some callouts to his accomplishments, which aren’t trivial,” Howell said.

Biden is likely to tout some of his policy achievements, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which led to Medicare price negotiations and climate change investments; the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first major piece of federal gun reform in decades; and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included $550 billion in new spending for highways, bridges, public transit and more.

“He will paint himself as a unique president that served at a time when the nation needed someone who could stabilize the important institutions and who was able to get things done inside these institutions that are often strained because of partisanship,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor of political science at the University of Houston who focuses on the presidency.

“He has a record that would reelect an incumbent,” said Kessler. “What stood in the way was voters concerned about his age.”

Kessler added, “There’s a luxury to giving a speech when you don’t have to convince voters to vote for you. So there’s an aspect to his address on Monday that’s freeing.”

But much of Biden’s legacy may rest on what happens with the Democratic Party going forward, starting with Harris’ candidacy.

In an Oval Office address explaining his 2024 decision, Biden said that personal ambition couldn’t get in the way of saving democracy and that it was time to usher in the next generation.

“In 2024, he stepped aside so that she and the party could succeed. That magnanimous act is only complete if it’s fully successful,” Rottinghaus said. “Harris winning would be a legacy-defining moment for a president who said that he was going to be a bridge between the past and the future.”

McCarthy-aligned group hopes it hurt Gaetz’s future gubernatorial chances despite his likely primary victory

August 19, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A group with ties to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which has spent millions targeting Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz ahead of his congressional primary this week, concedes that the MAGA firebrand will likely win big on Tuesday — but those close to the group say their efforts will extend beyond that race and claim they have put a dent in Gaetz’s long-rumored plans to run for statewide office.

The effort marks the latest chapter in the ongoing feud between the Florida congressman and the former speaker, whose allies at the Freedom Patriots PAC have spent $3 million supporting Gaetz’s Republican primary opponent, former Navy pilot Aaron Dimmock, by attacking Gaetz — saturating his district with ads that revive past allegations, including accusations that Gaetz paid a minor for sex, and highlighting his past friendship with former Florida tax collector Joel Greenberg, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for sex trafficking and other crimes.

Gaetz, who has denied all accusations, was informed by the Justice Department in 2023 that they would not bring charges against him following a yearslong investigation.

Tuesday’s primary is also another test in McCarthy’s so-called “revenge tour” against the group of eight far-right members of Congress, led by Gaetz, who played a key role in ousting McCarthy as House speaker in October — a clash that plunged Capitol Hill into weeks of chaos as Republican members scrambled to elect a new leader.

So far, McCarthy has only had one big win from his efforts to target the so-called “Gaetz eight,” helping defeat House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good in one of the most closely watched and expensive Republican primaries of the 2024 election cycle. Meanwhile, has failed to unseat others, including South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who won her primary decisively.

And while those close to the McCarthy-aligned group anticipate that Gaetz will decisively defeat his primary challenger, who Gaetz has dismissed as a carpetbagger, they believe their campaign has already impacted Gaetz’s future political prospects — particularly his long-rumored gubernatorial run in 2026, which they say they will continue to fight against.

“We’ve actually hurt him … it’s not over,” a source familiar with the McCarthy-backed campaign told ABC News.

In a memo circulated by the McCarthy-aligned group, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News, polling commissioned by the group shows Gaetz running third in a hypothetical Republican gubernatorial primary with 14% of the vote, behind Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody at 17% and Rep. Byron Donalds at 23%, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unable to run due to term limits.

The survey, which was conducted in July by Republican-aligned American Viewpoint, also shows Gaetz with a higher unfavorability rating among primary voters, compared to Moody and Donalds.

Gaetz blasted McCarthy’s efforts in a statement to ABC News and appeared to tease a potential 2026 run.

“Kevin spent $3 million and all he has to show for it is a memo and a stack of canceled checks. We hope he continues listening to those who told him Aaron Dimmock was viable. Floridians will teach the California former Speaker a lesson Tuesday. And another in 2026 if he likes,” Gaetz said.

Gaetz, as he’s campaigned for reelection to Congress, has swatted down rumors he is eyeing statewide office in 2026.

“Kevin McCarthy explicitly said that the reason he’s spending millions to trash me here was to impair some future run for governor,” Gaetz said at a recent campaign stop. “I’ve said many times, I’m not making any plans to run for governor. I like the job I have.”

But some close to Gaetz told ABC News that the Florida congressman is indeed likely to run for governor in 2026, and that McCarthy’s efforts will not deter that decision — and might even motivate Gaetz to run.

“McCarthy did not do a single f—ing thing to dissuade Matt from running for governor,” a source close to Gaetz told ABC News. “If that was the effort, it’s been a piss-poor one.”

The memo also gives credit to McCarthy allies for Gaetz being the only potential Republican gubernatorial candidate among the three who is not leading the polling in their own region, with Gaetz tied with Donalds in the Florida Panhandle, while Moody leads in Tampa and Donalds dominates Fort Myers and West Palm Beach.

“The advertising against Gaetz in his own district has clearly damaged his ability to win a Governor’s race,” the memo reads. The memo states that the allegation of sexual misconduct poses a threat to Gatz’s potential gubernatorial bid, with his favorability dropping — including among the MAGA base — after respondents were informed of the accusations.

Gaetz has long denied all of the allegations, including paying for sex, and has dismissed them by claiming “someone is trying to recategorize my generosity to ex-girlfriends as something more untoward.” The Justice Department informed Gaetz in 2023 that it was declining to bring charges against him.

However, Gaetz continues to face an ongoing House Ethics investigation into the allegations. In June, the House Ethics Committee provided an rare update on its investigation into Gaetz, detailing in a statement that after speaking with over a dozen witnesses, issuing 25 subpoenas, and reviewing thousands of documents, the bipartisan panel will continue to review allegations, including that the Florida congressman “engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use” and that he “sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.”

McCarthy has blamed his ouster as speaker on Gaetz, claiming it was because he refused to stop the ongoing House Ethics probe into the Florida congressman. Gaetz has blasted the House Ethics Committee, calling it “Soviet” and saying that “every investigation into me ends the same way: my exoneration.”

While some early signs pointed to McCarthy allies hoping they’d have a shot against Gaetz in this week’s primary, a source familiar with the McCarthy-backed campaign told ABC News that defeating him in the primary was ultimately unrealistic, and that the campaign focused its efforts on hindering Gaetz’s chances at a gubernatorial run — testing anti-Gaetz messaging that included the allegations against him while forcing Gaetz to use more of his resources in the primary.

“We feel great that we forced Matt to spend a bunch of money, and hurt him in his geographic base,” the source said.

If Gaetz does run for the governorship, he can expect continued resistance from McCarthy-aligned groups, who are already briefing donors interested in working to block his path to the governor’s mansion should he announce a campaign, according to a source familiar with the situation.

But Gaetz, who in recent days has made congressional campaign stops with Reps. Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, and Lauren Boebert, says that hasn’t made a dent in his reelection efforts.

“I’ve faced an unprecedented barrage of negative advertising funded by Kevin McCarthy,” Gaetz said recently. “I’ll be outspent more than three-to-one, but I’m going to win it better than two-to-one because the folks in Washington and California and Missouri don’t quite understand the connection I have with the people of Northwest Florida.”

Ukraine destroys third key bridge, threatening to cut off Russian troops, amid incursion, Russian military bloggers say

August 19, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(SUMY REGION, Ukraine) — Ukraine has reportedly destroyed a third and last key bridge in an area of Russia’s Kursk region, according to Russian military bloggers, inflicting a potentially significant blow on Moscow’s struggling efforts to push back Ukraine’s incursion there.

Ukraine and Russia have not officially confirmed the bridge has been destroyed.

The destruction of the third bridge over the Seym river at Karyzh would mean Russian troops on a broad stretch of the border beyond the river would now largely cut off, according to military analysts tracking the conflict.

Russian troops would be unable to receive significant re-supply or reinforcements, as Ukrainian troops move from the east, increasingly encircling them.

The reports of the destruction of the third bridge come almost two weeks after Ukrainian troops began a ground incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, marking the largest invasion of Russian territory since World War II. Hundreds of thousands of Russians have been ordered to evacuate the area, according to Russian outlets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday night hinted more clearly at the operation’s goals, saying in his nightly address that Ukraine sought to create a “buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory.”

Zelenskyy’s reference to a “buffer zone” mirrored President Vladimir Putin’s public justifications for Russia’s own offensive into Ukraine’s Kharkiv region earlier this summer, and indicated Kyiv hopes to hold Russian territory both to shield its own land and perhaps to trade in any future peace negotiations.

Zelenskyy described Ukraine’s “primary task” in its defensive operations was “to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions.”

The area that has been cut off by the destruction of the bridges is estimated to be several hundred square miles wide and may contain hundreds of Russian troops.

Ukraine methodically took out the two other bridges in the last few days, according to its Air Force.

Russian military bloggers reported that pontoon bridges were now being used to supply their forces in the area, claiming they would be sufficient, something many military analysts doubt.

The targeting of the bridges suggests that after two weeks Ukraine is still continuing to try to broaden its incursion and appears intent on digging in to hold the territory it is seizing. One goal is to potentially trade such Russian territory in any future peace talks.

One killed, six missing as superyacht sinks off Sicilian coast, Italian officials say

August 19, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(ROME) — A 183-foot sailboat carrying 22 people sank early on Monday off the coast of the Italian island of Sicily following stormy weather in the area, killing at least one passenger, according to Italian officials.

Members of the coast guard have rescued 15 passengers, but six are still missing, according to the coast guard and a local port authority. At least one American is believed to be among those still missing, with British and Canadian citizens also unaccounted for, the coast guard said in a statement. Of those recovered, eight have been transported to local hospitals, officials said.

The U.K.-flagged vessel — named the Bayesian — sank off Porticello, near the coastal city of Palermo, the statement said. The ship is currently located at a depth of around 164 feet, with firefighter divers now attempting to reach it, the statement said.

One body was recovered and six people were missing, an authority from the Palermo Port Authorities told ABC News. Divers reached the hull of the ship early on Monday and were still searching the water, the official said.

The port official was unable to confirm whether any Americans were among the missing, as the coast guard’s statement had said, but added that authorities were still working to verify the nationalities of those who had been on board. The official said the initial investigation into the passenger list appeared to show it was incomplete.

Four coast guard vessels, one helicopter and a team of fire brigade divers are involved in the search, which is being coordinated by the Palermo Coast Guard, the statement said.

Fabio La Bianca, who owns the local BAIA Santa Nicolicchia restaurant, told ABC News that he noticed the moored vessel had disappeared when he went to check on storm damage to his business.

“After half an hour with the other guys we realized that it was no longer there and immediately the rescuers were going around to look for the missing, they had also launched two distress rockets in the air before,” La Bianca said.

Local Mayor Giuseppe D’Agostino wrote on Facebook that the “tragedy that struck our community is unparalleled in history.”

“The administration has activated all channels with the police and is taking care of the people recovered alive so far,” D’Agostino said, adding that local authorities are gathering clothes and finding accommodation for the survivors.

“The search continues at sea and all we can do is pray and hope to find someone alive.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.

DNC convention to focus on ‘lowering health care costs’ with Bernie Sanders speech

August 19, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(CHICAGO) — Lowering health care costs will be a central theme at the Democratic National Convention this week, campaign and convention officials said on Monday, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), confirmed as one notable program speaker set to focus upon the issue — specifically on “lowering Rx drug prices” and “taking on Big Pharma.”

The DNC convention runs for four nights starting on Monday, with nightly programming airing from the United Center in Chicago. Each night “will bring the story of the Democratic party and our nominees to the American people,” convention officials have said, and will help to further introduce Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and their agenda to the nation.

Speakers throughout the week like Sanders, California Rep. Robert Garcia, Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will highlight the Harris-Walz campaign’s support for strengthening the Affordable Care Act, convention officials shared first with ABC News.

The remarks are also expected to contrast those health care proposals with “Donald Trump’s toxic Project 2025 agenda, which would repeal the Affordable Care Act and drive up the cost of care,” officials said, and highlight Trump’s “disastrous mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic” during the end of his term in 2020. Trump has said he no longer plans to repeal the ACA, saying he would make it “much better than it is right now.”

The speakers were each selected for their unique backgrounds on the topic of health care. Garcia, who lost two parents to COVID-19, will talk about Trump’s mismanagement of the pandemic. Underwood, who has a background as a nurse, will talk about preserving and strengthening the ACA. Lujan Grisham, who was formerly the New Mexico Secretary of Health and whose mother was a breast cancer researcher who was later diagnosed with breast cancer, “will talk about preserving access to care through the ACA as well as cancer research,” officials said.

On Sunday, the Democratic National Convention Committee announced the daily themes for the convention.

Monday’s theme is “For the People.” As it’s the day when President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak, the programming will highlight “the accomplishments and results President Biden delivered for people,” — “with [Harris] by his side.”

Tuesday’s theme is “A Bold Vision for America’s Future,” which will contrast the Harris-Walz agenda with that of Trump and Vance. The day’s speakers will emphasize the notion that the former ticket “presents a brighter vision where everyone will have a chance not just to get by, but to get ahead,” according to convention officials.

Wednesday’s theme is “A Fight for Our Freedoms.” On the day Walz is set to speak, the programming is expected to expand upon the reasons Harris chose him as her running mate — because he is a “staunch defender” of freedoms and is a “champion for America’s working families.”

And Thursday’s theme is “For Our Future,” which sets up the marquee nomination acceptance speech slated to be delivered by Harris. The programming will center around the fact that the nation “can’t afford” to put Trump back in the White House, raising the stakes for the November election.

Health care will be a convention focal point days after as Harris unveiled on Friday a string of new economic proposals during the first major policy rollout of her campaign in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In that speech, she pledged to “lower the cost of insulin and prescription drugs for everyone.” She also said she’d “demand transparency from the middlemen who operate between Big Pharma and the insurance companies, who use opaque practices to raise your drug prices and profit off your need for medicine.”

“Building on her years of work as vice president, U.S. senator, and California attorney general, taking on corporations that rip off consumers and fighting to keep prices low for Americans, VP Harris made two major announcements last week — one with President Biden on Thursday regarding drug prices and one on Friday regarding her plan to bring down costs for the middle class,” the officials said in a statement to ABC News.

“Now, with those accomplishments secured and a forward-looking plan, lowering health care costs will be a central theme at this week’s convention,” they added.

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