(NEW YORK) — In her second move since resuming control over Donald Trump’s federal election interference case, Judge Tanya Chutkan denied the former president’s motion to dismiss the case based on selective and vindictive prosecution.
Chutkan found “no evidence” that prosecutors abused their authority or behaved vindictively when bringing their case against the former president.
In denying Trump’s motion, Chutkan criticized what she called Trump’s “improper framing” that the allegations against him are a “theory…that it is illegal to dispute the outcome of an election and work with others to propose alternate electors.”
“At this stage, the court cannot accept Defendant’s alternate narrative,” Chutkan wrote.
Before the federal case was frozen for more than half a year, defense attorneys attempted to have the case thrown out by arguing that Trump was selectively prosecuted and unfairly targeted “to prevent him from becoming ‘the next President again.'”
“After reviewing Defendant’s evidence and arguments, the court cannot conclude that he has carried his burden to establish either actual vindictiveness or the presumption of it, and so finds no basis for dismissing this case on those grounds,” Chutkan wrote in a 16-page order.
Chutkan found that Trump failed to provide evidence for either prong of the two-part test to prove selective prosecution – that he was singled out for prosecution or that the case was motivated by a discriminatory purpose.
“Finding no evidence of discriminatory purpose in the sources Defendant cites, the court is left only with his unsupported assertions that this prosecution must be politically motivated because it coexists with his campaign for the Presidency,” Chutkan wrote.
Earlier in the day, Chutkan set a hearing for Aug. 16 at 10 a.m., which Trump is not required to attend.
This will be the first time in seven months the parties will appear in Chutkan’s courtroom. Chutkan also denied Trump’s motion to dismiss the case on statutory grounds.
Trump last year pleaded not guilty to charges of undertaking a “criminal scheme” to overturn the results of the 2020 election by enlisting a slate of so-called “fake electors,” using the Justice Department to conduct “sham election crime investigations,” trying to enlist the vice president to “alter the election results,” and promoting false claims of a stolen election as the Jan. 6 riot raged — all in an effort to subvert democracy and remain in power.
The former president has denied all wrongdoing.
Trump originally faced a March 4 trial date before his appeal effectively paused the proceedings.
(NEW YORK) — Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., a prominent ally of Donald Trump, on Sunday dismissed the recent controversy over the former president’s comments on Vice President Kamala Harris’ race.
Donalds engaged in a testy interview with “This Week” anchor George Stephanopoulos over comments Trump made at the National Association of Black Journalists conference last week in which he falsely said that Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican descent, only recently began to identify as Black.
“She is biracial. She has a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, she’s always identified as both. Why are you questioning that?” Stephanopoulos asked Donalds on Sunday.
“Well, George, first of all, this is something that’s actually a conversation throughout social media right now. There were a lot of people who are trying to figure this out. But again, that’s a side issue, not the main issue,” Donalds said, pivoting to Harris’ record in President Joe Biden’s administration.
The back-and-forth went on for several minutes, with Stephanopoulos pressing Donalds on why Republicans were having the conversation about Harris’ race in the first place.
“Why do you insist on questioning her racial identity?” Stephanopoulos asked.
“He talked about it on stage yesterday in Atlanta for what, two minutes? He spent more than 35, 40 minutes going after her record talking about how radical of a senator that she was,” Donalds said. “He talked about the job that she did as vice president of the United States.”
Donalds also defended Trump for saying he’d pardon rioters who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
The former president raised eyebrows when he said at last week’s conference that he’d pardon those who assaulted police officers if they were found “innocent” — prompting ABC News’ Rachel Scott to point out that many had, in fact, been convicted.
Donalds grappled with Stephanopoulos over the wording of Trump’s answer but insisted that the former president would not pardon people who attacked law enforcement officers.
“Of course, if somebody was beating up a police officer at Jan. 6, he’s [Trump] not going to do that. But if you had people who were just walking through the Capitol, which did occur on January 6, because the security protocols had changed because of that riot at the Capitol, then what he would do is not allow them to be held in jail with these massively increased charges,” Donalds said.
“My question is on those rioters who assaulted officers, would you pardon those people,” Stephanopoulos responded. “They are not innocent. They are convicted. He said he would pardon them.”
“George, what I’m telling you is he’s gonna go back and look at these cases because it is without a doubt, and look, Jan. 6 is a very painful memory in our country. But it is without a doubt that the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia was super-charging these people because of political viewpoints,” Donalds said.
Donalds claimed that Trump has been treated differently than Biden or other Democrats by the Department of Justice, leading Stephanopoulos to point out that Hunter Biden, the president’s son, was also charged by the DOJ.
(NEW YORK) — Tropical Depression Four strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby late Saturday afternoon – and could reach near hurricane strength as it heads north over the weekend.
Over 10 million people along the Florida Gulf Coast are under tropical alerts. A Hurricane Warning was issued across the Big Bend region of Florida, with Tropical Storm Warnings still in effect from south of Yankeetown down to East Cape Sable, and for portions of the Florida Keys west of the Seven Mile Bridge.
The tropical storm entered the Gulf of Mexico off the southwest coast of Florida later on Saturday afternoon and is forecast to make landfall late Sunday night or early Monday morning along Florida’s Big Bend region.
Strengthening is expected as the storm feeds off the warm water in the Gulf of Mexico, where water temperatures are averaging around 85 degrees.
The main impact from this storm will be flooding due to rainfall. While the highest rain totals will be dependent on the storm’s path, much of Florida will be getting drenched from this system.
Widespread rain totals of 2 to 5 inches are likely in northern Florida, with localized areas possibly seeing 5 to 15 inches of rainfall over the next four days.
Storm surge may also be an issue, with 2 to 4 feet of potential surge from Bonita Beach to the Suwannee River area. Up to 3 to 5 feet of surge is in the forecast from the Chassahowitzka to Aucilla River.
Damaging winds are possible as well, and will be dependent on the strength of this storm at landfall.
Tropical storm-force winds are likely, ranging between 39 to 73 mph, in central and northern Florida. Hurricane-force winds are possible in the Big Bend region on Sunday night into Monday morning.
As of now, the National Hurricane Center forecasts that the storm will make its way into the Big Bend region of Florida as a strong tropical storm late Sunday night or early Monday morning.
The storm then passes across northern Florida and is expected to reemerge on the Atlantic side. While its track remains questionable thereafter, some projections keep it drifting off the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas long enough to drench coastal areas with several more inches of rain.
(NEW YORK) — As the Israel-Hamas war continues, efforts to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization are ongoing, and Israeli forces have launched an assault in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Hamas in process of selecting new leader
After the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas said it is in the process of selecting a new leader, saying the assassination “will only increase the strength of the Hamas movement and the Palestinian resistance,” in a statement.
Hamas said it has convened urgent meetings following the assassination and will announce the new president once they are chosen.
-ABC News’ Nasser Atta
Death toll from Israeli attack on school increases to 16
At least 16 people have been killed in the Israeli strike on the Hamama School, according to the Gaza civil defense.
Israel has claimed that the school was being used as a “command and control” center by Hamas.
US hits Houthi target in Yemen The U.S. Central Command Forces said it struck and destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi land attack cruise missile in Yemen.
“It was determined the LACM presented an imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure,” CENTCOM said in a statement Saturday.
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston
US tells Americans in Lebanon to ‘book any ticket available’ to leave
The U.S. embassy in Beirut has issued a warning to U.S. citizens in Lebanon “who wish to depart Lebanon to book any ticket available to them.” The embassy warned those who choose not to leave to “prepare contingency plans for emergency situations and be prepared to shelter in place for an extended period of time.”
“The U.S. Embassy notes several airlines have suspended or cancelled flights, and many flights have sold out; however, commercial transportation options to leave Lebanon remain available. Please see available flight options at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport,” the embassy said.
“U.S. citizens who lack funds to return to the United States may contact the embassy for financial assistance via repatriation loans,” the embassy said.
10 dead in Israeli strike on school in Gaza City
At least 10 Palestinians have been killed after the Israeli Defense Forces conducted an airstrike on a school in Gaza City on Saturday, claiming it was being used as a “command and control” center by Hamas.
Gaza civil defense said they are having trouble reaching victims because of continuing bombardment of the school.
US to direct ‘multiple’ force posture changes in Middle East
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will direct “multiple” force posture changes in the Middle East to protect U.S. troops and help defend Israel, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said during a briefing Friday.
“As we’ve demonstrated since October and again in April, the United States’ global defense is dynamic, and the department retains the capability to deploy on short notice to meet evolving national security threats,” Singh said.
“As a result, the secretary will be directing multiple forthcoming force posture moves to bolster force protection for U.S. forces region wide, to provide elevated support to the defense of Israel, and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to this evolving crisis. In terms of what specifics that means, I don’t have that for you right now,” Singh said.
When asked for details on when and what types of forces would be moved where, Singh said these will be decided by Austin, implying that specific orders have not yet been issued.
-ABC News’ Matt Seyler
40,000 cases of hepatitis in Gaza in outbreak: UNRWA
An outbreak of 40,000 cases of hepatitis A have been recorded in the Gaza Strip amid the collapse of the waste management system as Israel continues its offensive there, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
The outbreak is a surge in cases — which include children — compared to only 85 recorded cases of hepatitis before the war began.
Hepatitis A is a disease of the liver that usually causes a mild, short-term illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The hepatitis virus is contagious and spreads through close person-to-person contact and eating contaminated food or drink.
Vaccination is the best way to prevent infection, according to the CDC.
Biden had ‘very direct’ meeting with Netanyahu, killing of Hamas leader has ‘not helped’ cease-fire
President Joe Biden said his conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “very direct.”
“I’m very concerned about it. I had a very direct meeting with the prime minister today and – very direct,” Biden said. “We have the basis for a cease-fire, he should move on it and he should move on it now.”
Biden was asked how the Israel Defense Forces operation that killed top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh might ruin negotiations for a deal.
“It’s not helped. That’s all I’m going to say right now,” Biden said.
Israel summons Turkey’s envoy over half-mast salute for slain Hamas leader
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoned Turkey’s deputy ambassador for a reprimand on Friday, after the Turkish embassy in Tel Aviv lowered its flag to half mast in response to the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
“If the representatives of the embassy want to mourn, let them go to Turkey and mourn together with their master Erdogan, who embraces the terrorist organization Hamas and supports its acts of murder and atrocities,” Katz said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir
Biden speaks to Netanyahu on de-escalating tensions
President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, White House officials said. Vice President Kamala Harris also joined the call.
During the call, Biden “stressed the importance of ongoing efforts to de-escalate broader tensions in the region,” according to a press release. He also “reaffirmed his commitment to Israel’s security against all threats from Iran, including its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.”
“The President discussed efforts to support Israel’s defense against threats, including against ballistic missiles and drones, to include new defensive U.S. military deployments,” the release stated.
The call between Biden and Netanyahu comes after an IDF operation that killed a top Hamas leader and also after Israel conducted retaliatory strikes targeting Hezbollah.
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
Al Jazeera ‘strongly refutes’ Israeli accusations against assassinated correspondent
Al Jazeera released a statement saying it “strongly refutes” allegations made by Israel against a correspondent the IDF admitted to targeting and killing. The news outlet calling for an independent review and warned it reserves the right to pursue legal action against Israel.
The IDF has accused journalist Ismail Al Ghoul of taking part in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
“Al Jazeera Media Network strongly refutes the baseless allegations made by the Israeli occupation forces in an attempt to justify its deliberate killing of our colleague, journalist Ismail Al Ghoul, and his companion, cameraman Rami Al Rifi. Furthermore, the Israeli occupation forces had previously abducted Ismail on March 18, 2024, during their raid on Al-Shifa Hospital, detaining him for a period of time before his release, which debunks and refutes their false claim of his affiliation with any organisation,” Al Jazeera said in a statement.
Al Jazeera also called for an international investigation into “crimes committed” by the IDF “against its journalists and staff since the beginning of the war on Gaza.”
“The Network condemns the accusations against its correspondent, Ismail Al Ghoul, without providing any proof, documentation or video, and highlights Israel’s long history of fabrications and false evidence used to cover up its heinous crimes, while also denying journalists from around the world access to the Gaza Strip to report on the deteriorating humanitarian conditions and the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza,” Al Jazeera added.
Hamas leader assassinated by explosive device stashed in room
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated using an explosive device stashed in his room, according to three Middle Eastern sources who spoke with ABC News on the condition of anonymity. The details of the assassination were first reported in The New York Times.
One source told ABC the explosive device was smuggled into the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps guest house in Tehran about two months ago. It is unclear when the device was moved into the room itself.
The bomb was detonated remotely sometime before 2 a.m. local time after receiving confirmation of Haniyeh’s presence in the room.
Israel briefed U.S. officials and other Western officials on the details of the assassination afterward, according to one source. Israel had been plotting to assassinate Haniyeh for some time since Oct. 7 but was reluctant to do while he was in Qatar where he lived, according to the source.
IDF confirms they targeted Al Jazeera journalist killed in Gaza
Israel has confirmed it targeted an Al Jazeera journalist Ismail al-Ghoul who was killed in a direct strike near Gaza City. Al-Ghoul and cameraman Rami Al-Refee were killed on Wednesday.
“The IDF and ISA are operating in order to eliminate terrorists who participated in the October 7th Massacre and will continue to do so,” the IDF said in a statement.
The Israel Defense Forces accused al-Ghoul of participating in the Oct. 7 attack due to his recording and publication of attacks against the IDF.
The Society to Protect Journalists has condemned the attack and said journalists are civilians who should never be attacked.
“Ismail was known for his professionalism and dedication, highlighting the suffering and atrocities in Gaza, particularly at Al-Shifa Hospital and in the northern region. He was detained and tortured by Israel while covering the Al Shifa Hospital siege, yet he continued reporting after his release,” Al Jazeera said in a statement Tuesday.
“Without Ismail, the harrowing images of these massacres would remain unseen. He was a resolute journalist who overcame hunger, illness, and the death of his brother. He tirelessly reported on Gaza’s events through Al Jazeera, fulfilling his mission for his people and homeland. May they rest in peace,” Al Jazeera said.
Hamas calls for prayers, day of rage to protest Haniyeh’s death
Hamas is calling for a day of marches of rage around the world on Friday in condemnation of the Israeli assassination of political leader Ismail Haniyeh and the ongoing killing of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas also called for absentee funeral prayers for Haniyeh.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take part in the day of rage.
Thousands gather for Shukr funeral as Hezbollah promises retaliation
Thousands of people gathered for Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr’s funeral, including the top leader of Hamas in Lebanon. Hezbollah’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, appearing via video, told the crowd that a response to Shukr’s killing is coming. He said there is no discussion about the retaliation — adding that it will be big.
The main streets of Dahiya are lined with photos of Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut Tuesday evening.
In the hours leading up to Thursday’s ceremony, the growing crowd often chanted “Death to Israel,” “America is the great Satan” and “Death to America!”
“It’s not the death of the citizens. It’s not the death of the innocents. It’s the death of the hypocrisy. Of the arrogance. And of the oppression,” an unidentified man in the audience shouted at reporters.
After Nasrallah’s speech, Shukr’s yellow flag-draped casket was carried through the streets of Dahiya and to a burial site. Many people lined either side to pay their respects.
Israel has crossed a red line, must expect rage and revenge, Nasrallah says
Speaking at the funeral of Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Israel has crossed a line, warning there will be rage and revenge.
Thousands of people lined the streets of Beirut to mourn Shukr.
Nasrallah said Hezbollah entered the battle believing its morality, legitimacy and importance, adding they are now in an open battle on all fronts that has entered a new phase.
Nasrallah denied responsibility for the Majdal Shams attack, which Israel and the U.S. have said came from Hezbollah. He also commented on the Israeli assassination of Hamas’ political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran, Iran, hours after Shukr was targeted in a strike on Beirut warning Iran will likely respond.
Crowds mourn slain Hamas leader in Tehran funeral procession
Throngs of people flooded the streets of Tehran on Thursday for the funeral procession of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas political leader who was assassinated early Wednesday.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, led funeral prayers over the bodies of Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard, who was also killed.
Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, the Iranian capital. His remains are expected to be transferred to Qatar, where he had lived in exile since 2019, for burial on Thursday.
No country or organization has yet taken credit for the assassination, but Khamenei appeared on Tuesday to place the blame on Israel. He said it was Iran’s “duty to take revenge.”
Israel says it killed Hamas military leader last month
Israeli officials said Thursday they had killed Mohammed Deif, commander of Hamas’ military wing.
Deif was killed in “precise, targeted strike” in Khan Yunis on July 13, according to a joint statement by the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Securities Authority.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced the death in a post on social media, calling Deif the “Osama bin Laden of Gaza.”
Gallant said his killing was “a significant milestone in the process of dismantling Hamas as a military and governing authority in Gaza, and in the achievement of the goals of this war.”
Israeli Air Force fighter jets conducted the airstrike on a compound in the southern Gazan city, the joint statement said. The strike also killed Rafa’a Salameh, the commander of Hamas’ Khan Yunis Brigade, the military said.
“Over the years, Deif directed, planned, and carried out numerous terrorist attacks against the State of Israel,” the joint statement said.
The statement continued, “Deif operated side-by-side with Yahya Sinwar, and during the war, he commanded Hamas’ terrorist activity in the Gaza Strip by issuing commands and instructions to senior members of Hamas’ Military Wing.”
Gaza’s Ministry of Health said last month that at least 90 people, half of whom were children and women, were killed and 300 others were injured in the attack.
Hamas officials have not confirmed Deif’s death.
Delta suspends flights to Tel Aviv
Delta Air lines has suspended all flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Tel Aviv through Friday, Aug. 2, due to ongoing conflict in the region.
“Delta is continuously monitoring the evolving security environment and assessing our operations based on security guidance and intelligence reports and will communicate any updates as needed,” Delta said in a statement.
CPJ ‘dismayed’ by deaths of Al Jazeera journalists in ‘direct strike’ on vehicle near Gaza city
Al Jazeera Arabic journalists Ismail Al-Ghoul and cameraman Rami Al-Refee have been killed in whilst reporting in Gaza, the network has announced.
The journalists were reporting on the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. Al-Ghoul’s last post on social media was of him at the ruins of the Hamas leader’s home in Gaza.
A vehicle carrying the two journalists was targeted by what the CPJ says appears to be a “direct strike” in Al Shafi camp, west of Gaza city.
“Ismail was known for his professionalism and dedication, highlighting the suffering and atrocities in Gaza, particularly at Al-Shifa Hospital and in the northern region. He was detained and tortured by Israel while covering the Al Shifa Hospital siege, yet he continued reporting after his release,” Al Jazeera said in a statement.
Without Ismail, the harrowing images of these massacres would remain unseen. He was a resolute journalist who overcame hunger, illness, and the death of his brother. He tirelessly reported on Gaza’s events through Al Jazeera, fulfilling his mission for his people and homeland. May they rest in peace,” Al Jazeera said.
United cancels Tel Aviv flights
As tensions continue to rise after Israel assassinated top Hamas and Hezbollah officials, United Airlines has canceled its daily flights to Tel Aviv.
“Beginning with this evening’s flight from Newark Liberty to Tel Aviv, we are suspending for security reasons our daily Tel Aviv service as we evaluate our next steps. We continue to closely monitor the situation and will make decisions on resuming service with a focus on the safety of our customers and crews,” United said in a statement to ABC News.
-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney
US raises Lebanon travel advisory to highest warning level
In the wake of recent escalations in the Middle East, the U.S. State Department has raised its advisory for Lebanon to level four: “Do Not Travel,” up from a level three: “reconsider travel.”
“Do Not Travel to Lebanon due to rising tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. If you are in Lebanon, be prepared to shelter in place should the situation deteriorate. The U.S. Embassy strongly encourages U.S. citizens who are already in Southern Lebanon, near the borders with Syria, and/or in refugee settlements to depart,” the updated advisory reads.
“U.S. citizens in Lebanon should be aware that consular officers from the U.S. Embassy are not always able to travel to assist them. The Department of State considers the threat to U.S. government personnel in Beirut serious enough to require them to live and work under strict security. The internal security policies of the U.S. Embassy may be adjusted at any time and without advance notice,” it said.
Even before Tuesday’s strike in Beirut, State Department officials have been advising Americans in Lebanon to put together a “crisis plan of action” and “leave before a crisis begins.” Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Reena Bitter said in a video message earlier this week that those remaining in Lebanon should be prepared to shelter in place “for a long period of time.”
While some commercial flights from Lebanon have been disrupted, an official said earlier Wednesday that the State Department assesses that the transportation situation for U.S. citizens is still tenable enough that the department is not considering launching any evacuation efforts at this time, but that those plans are constantly being augmented in case they become necessary.
Level four is the State Department’s most severe classification. Other countries at that rank include North Korea, Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Syria and South Sudan.
US officials warn Israeli assassinations are not good for cease-fire negotiations
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other officials have held back from publicly speculating whether the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh will derail cease-fire negotiations, but several U.S. officials familiar with the talks say it certainly isn’t good for the prospects of a deal.
The two assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders in the last 24 hours could have a chilling effect on the mediators, and what appears to be a recommitment to wartime mentality from both Israel and Hamas.
Blinken and others have recently said that an agreement is close, but always with the important caveat that the final gaps are the hardest to bridge.
Israel has also hardened some of its positions in recent weeks and the U.S. has never had full confidence in Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s desire to achieve a cease-fire or its insight into his thinking, officials say.
At the State Department briefing Wednesday, its deputy spokesperson, Vedant Patel, declined to speculate whether the assassinations would impact the talks and asserted that the department did not anticipate even a temporary pause in negotiations at this point.
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston
Hezbollah confirms Fouad Shukr was killed in Israeli strike on Beirut
Hezbollah has confirmed that military commander Fouad Shukr, also known as Hajj Mohsen, was killed in an Israeli strike on a building in Beirut, calling it a “heinous attack and the major crime.”
Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah will speak about the attack at a funeral procession on Thursday, according to Hezbollah.
Netanyahu issues warning after Israel kills top Hamas, Hezbollah officials
In his first public statements since Israel killed top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned it would retaliate strongly “against any aggression.”
“Challenging days are ahead of us. Since the attack in the Beirut, threats have been heard from all sides. We are ready for any scenario and will stand united and determined against any threat. Israel will charge a price, a very heavy price, for any aggression against us from any arena,” Netanyahu said Wednesday.
Hamas says talks with Israel ‘meaningless’ and a ‘deal was close’
Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said Tuesday that the talks with Israel are “meaningless” and that they were “close” to a deal but that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn’t want one.
“The negotiation is meaningless despite the bloodshed. We had a paper [agreement] and the deal was close. They do not want to stop being usurper. Netanyahu does not want a deal. Hence, we had dedicated all we could. Our path is not the path of surrendering,” al-Hayya said during a press conference Wednesday.
Egypt also warned that the Israeli assassinations undermine truce talks and warned against dangerous security consequences.
Egypt condemned the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military leader Fouad Shukr in Beirut as a “dangerous escalation” by Israel that could fuel conflict in the region, according to a statement issued Wednesday.
The Egyptian foreign ministry said the assassinations “undermine the strenuous efforts made by Egypt and its partners to stop the war in the Gaza Strip” and “indicate the absence of Israeli political will to calm the situation.”
-ABC News’ Hami Hamedi and Ayat Al-Tawy
Hamas claims Haniyeh was assassinated by rocket that entered his room
Hamas claimed that its political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed by a rocket that entered the room where he was staying, Khalil al-Hayya, a high ranking Hamas official said in a press conference Wednesday. He warned that Israel will pay the price for Haniyeh’s death
Al-Hayya also slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for hampering cease-fire talks.
-ABC News’ Hami Hamedi
Blinken calls Jordanian counterpart, discusses hostage deal and preventing escalation
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called his Jordanian counterpart Wednesday to discuss “the urgency of efforts to reach a ceasefire to the conflict in Gaza” and “the importance of preventing further escalation of the conflict,” according to a statement from the State Department.
The statement doesn’t specifically mention the Israeli strike in Lebanon or the killing of Hamas’ political leader, but Jordan is viewed as a key strategic partner for maintaining stability in the Middle East by U.S. officials.
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston
‘Time for a deal,’ families of hostages say
A group representing the families of hostages held in the war-torn Gaza Strip, who were abducted from southern Israel during the Oct. 7 attacks, released a statement on Wednesday urging “the Israeli government and global leaders to decisively advance negotiations.”
“This is the time for a deal,” the statement said.
The statement comes amid rising tensions in the region after Hamas’ political leader was killed by a predawn airstrike in the Iranian capital Tehran — and only hours after Israel targeted a top commander for Iran’s ally Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital Beirut.
Iran has ‘duty to take revenge,’ supreme leader says
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said his country had a “duty to take revenge” after Hamas’ political leader was killed in Tehran.
“However, following this bitter, tragic event which has taken place within the borders of the Islamic Republic, we believe it is our duty to take revenge,” Khamenei said Wednesday.
No country or organization has yet taken credit for the assassination, but Khamenei appeared in his statement to blame Israel, saying the “criminal, terrorist Zionist regime martyred our dear guest in our territory.”
Global reactions rolling in following Haniyeh killing
As news of the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, begins to spread on Wednesday morning, global leaders have started to react, condemning his death and calling it a “heinous assassination.”
In a statement, Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs “condemned in the strongest terms Israel’s assassination of the head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement in Palestine (Hamas), Ismail Haniyeh, may God have mercy on him, in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and an escalatory crime that will push towards more tension and chaos in the region.”
Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned Haniyeh’s death, calling it a “heinous assassination” and reiterated the need to stop Israel from escalating regional tensions.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told state-owned RIA news agency that the killing of Haniyeh “is an absolutely unacceptable political murder, and it will lead to further escalation of tensions.”
The Israeli Government Press Office posted a photo of Ismail Haniyeh with the word “eliminated” over the Hamas political leader’s head. The post, which had been live for more than an hour, was then removed Wednesday morning.
“Eliminated: Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas highest- ranking leader, was killed in a precise strike in Tehran, Iran,” the office said in a post on its official Facebook page.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the assassination.
Killing will strengthen Iranian-Palestinian bond, minister says
The death of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas political leader, in Iran “will strengthen the deep and unbreakable bond between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the beloved Palestine and the resistance,” an Iranian state spokesperson said.
“The pure blood of Martyr Haniyeh will never be wasted,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said, according to Iranian state media.
Iranian authorities were investigating the assassination, he said.
Kanaani praised Haniyeh for spending his life in the “honorable struggle against the usurping Zionist regime” and for seeking the “the liberation of the oppressed Palestinian nation.”
Hamas, allies react to Haniyeh killing, calling it a ‘cowardly act’
Reaction from Hamas and its allies was swift, with Musa Abu Marzouq, a member of the Hamas political office, saying in a statement, “The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, is a cowardly act and will certainly not go unanswered.”
Islamic Jihad also issued a statement, saying the death of Haniyeh will not deter them.
Mahmoud Abbas, president of the state of Palestine, said he strongly condemned the assassination of Haniyeh, calling the attack “a cowardly act.”
Political leader of Hamas has been killed in Tehran, Iran says
Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, has been killed in Tehran along with his bodyguard, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has said in a statement.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack at this stage.
Haniyeh was killed in his home in Tehran after participating in the inauguration of the new Iranian president, according to Hamas.
IDF says it targeted senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut
The Israel Defense Forces said it targeted a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut, Lebanon. The IDF said the commander is responsible for Saturday’s strike that killed children playing soccer in Majdal Shams in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on social media that Hezbollah “crossed the red line.”
The Lebanese Red Cross said the strike hit a residential building, killing at least two and injuring 20.
The target of Israel’s strike was Fouad Shukr, also known as Al-Hajj Mohsen, according to three security sources familiar with the operation.
The United States was given advanced notice ahead of Israel’s strike, according to a U.S. official familiar with matter. The message was communicated via security channels and limited operational detail was shared, the official said. It’s not clear whether the strike successfully eliminated its target.
Vice President Kamala Harris said Tuesday that “Israel has the right to defend itself against a terrorist organization, which is exactly what Hezbollah is.”
“But all of that being said, we still must work on a diplomatic solution to end these attacks and we will continue to do that work,” she added.
State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters he didn’t have “any updates on any specific activity,” but added, “We have been in continuous discussions with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts since the incident over the weekend, and the United States is going to continue to support efforts to reach a diplomatic solution along the blue line.”
“Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad, and it’s unwavering, especially as it defends itself against Iran-backed threats, including threats from Hezbollah,” Patel said.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir and Shannon Kingston
85 sick and injured evacuated from Gaza in largest medical evacuation in 9 months
Eighty-five sick and severely injured people, including 35 children, have been evacuated from Gaza to get care in Abu Dhabi, said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization.
This was Gaza’s largest medical evacuation since October 2023, according to the WHO.
The evacuees’ illnesses include cancer, neurological conditions, cardiac disease and liver disease, Tedros said.
Sixty-three family members and caregivers accompanied the patients, the WHO said.
“We hope this paves the way for the establishment of evacuation corridors via all possible routes. Thousands of sick people are suffering needlessly,” Tedros said. “Above all, and as always, we call for a cease-fire.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
IDF says it targeted senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut
The Israel Defense Forces said it targeted a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut, Lebanon. The IDF said the commander is responsible for Saturday’s strike that killed children playing soccer in Majdal Shams in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on social media that Hezbollah “crossed the red line.”
The target of Israel’s strike was Fouad Shukr, also known as Al-Hajj Mohsen, according to three security sources familiar with the operation.
The United States was given advanced notice ahead of Israel’s strike, according to a U.S. official familiar with matter. The message was communicated via security channels and limited operational detail was shared, the official said.
State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters he didn’t have “any updates on any specific activity,” but added, “We have been in continuous discussions with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts since the incident over the weekend, and the United States is going to continue to support efforts to reach a diplomatic solution along the blue line.”
“Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad, and it’s unwavering, especially as it defends itself against Iran-backed threats, including threats from Hezbollah,” Patel said.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir and Shannon Kingston
IDF withdraws from Khan Younis after weeklong raid killing 226
The Israel Defense Forces announced that it has “completed operational activity in the area of Khan Younis” in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, more than a week after it began bombarding the eastern part of the city — a designated humanitarian zone.
At least 226 people have been killed by Israeli forces in and around Khan Younis since the IDF raid began early on July 22, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
-ABC News’ Diaa Ostaz, Jordana Miller and Samy Zyara
One dead in Israel, one dead in Lebanon amid rising tensions
At least one person is dead in northern Israel following a rocket salvo from Lebanon this afternoon, according to Israel’s national emergency service. One person was also killed in southern Lebanon following a drone strike targeting a house in the town of Beit Lif early Tuesday, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency.
The Israel Defense Forces said its fighter jets conducted strikes in southern Lebanon earlier Tuesday.
Approximately 10 projectiles crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory, with the majority of the projectiles being intercepted, according to the IDF. A direct hit was identified in the area of HaGoshrim in northern Israel.
12:34 PM EDT US meetings with Netanyahu were ‘very constructive,’ Kirby says
U.S. officials’ meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington, D.C., last week were “very constructive and certainly nothing that discouraged us in terms of trying to close the remaining gaps” while trying to secure the hostage deal, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Monday.
“We still believe those gaps can be narrowed … and we can move forward. But obviously, as I said earlier, it’s going to take compromise, it’s going to take leadership,” he said.
“There’s no indication that we see, at this point in time, the weekend strike by Hezbollah into the Golan [Heights] area is going to negatively affect those discussions,” Kirby added.
Kirby also pushed back on the suggestion that Vice President Kamala Harris had a different message for Netanyahu from President Joe Biden, saying there was “no daylight” between their messages, and that reporting suggesting otherwise was “unfortunate and inaccurate.”
“There was no daylight between anything, the president, the vice president told the prime minister. Same points, same emphasis — the commitment and reaffirmation to help Israel continue to defend itself against these threats. Same reaffirmation by both the president and the vice president, that we want to see the cease-fire deal get enacted because of what it can do to improve the humanitarian situation. And of course, getting those hostages home with their families,” Kirby said.
Pressed on why Harris had her own meeting if their message was the same, Kirby defended Harris.
“The vice president couldn’t be in town for the meeting in the Oval [Office], and as she has been a full partner in all our foreign policy, but certainly in particular, the policy that this administration has pursued with respect to the Middle East, she felt it was important to also sit down with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Kirby said.
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
12:21 PM EDT White House condemns ‘horrific’ attack on Golan Heights
The United States “absolutely condemn this weekend’s horrific attack” that killed children playing soccer in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Monday.
At least 12 people were killed, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Hezbollah has denied involvement in the rocket attack but Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that “every indication” points to Hezbollah as responsible for the strike.
Kirby also assigned blame to Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying “it was their rocket launched from an area that they control.”
“The United States will continue to support efforts to reach a diplomatic solution along that blue line that will, No. 1, end these terrible attacks once and for all, and No. 2, allow Israeli and Lebanese citizens on both sides of the border to safely return to their homes,” Kirby said.
Kirby stressed that U.S. support for Israeli security remains “ironclad” against all Iran-backed threats, adding, “We believe that there is still time and space for a diplomatic solution.”
Asked if the administration was urging Israel to show restraint in any response, Kirby said that Hezbollah made the first strike on Israel back in October and that “Israel has every right to respond,” but he said he was confident that a broader conflict could be avoided.
“Nobody wants a broader war and I’m confident that we’ll be able to avoid such an outcome. I’ll let the Israelis really speak to whatever their response is going to be,” Kirby said.
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
4:43 PM EDT Netanyahu and Gallant to decide how to retaliate for Golan Heights attack
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were granted the authority Sunday to decide the manner and timing of a response to the alleged attack by Hezbollah on the town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, according to the prime minister’s office.
During a meeting in Tel Aviv, members of Israel’s political-security cabinet gave Netanyahu and Gallant the authority to devise a plan to retaliate for the strike that killed 12 people, including children playing soccer, according to the statement from the prime minister’s office.
“The members of the cabinet authorized the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense to decide on the manner of response against the terrorist organization Hezbollah, and when,” according to the statement.
Hezbollah has denied involvement in the rocket attack. The Israel Defense Forces and the White House both blamed Hezbollah for the attack.
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
1:41 PM EDT White House blames Hezbollah for deadly rocket attack on Golan Heights
The White House on Sunday blamed Hezbollah for the rocket strike Saturday on Golan Heights that it said killed children playing soccer.
At least 12 people were killed in the weekend attack in Majdal Shams, a town in the Golan Heights, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
“We have been in continuous discussions with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts since the horrific attack yesterday in northern Israel that killed a number of children playing soccer,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement. “This attack was conducted by Lebanese Hezbollah. It was their rocket, and launched from an area they control. It should be universally condemned.”
Hezbollah has denied involvement in the rocket attack in Majdal Shams. But the IDF said a Hezbollah rocket was used in the attack, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier Sunday that “every indication” points to Hezbollah as responsible for the strike.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
July 28, 2024, 12:35 PM EDT Middle East Airlines delays flights following Israeli strike on Lebanon
Lebanon’s flagship air carrier, Middle East Airlines, delayed departures of several inbound flights to Beirut on Sunday, the airline announced.
The decision by Middle East Airlines came after the Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday that the military struck targets “deep inside” Lebonnon overnight. The IDF attack in Lebanon unfolded a day after a rocket strike killed 12 people in Majdal Shams, a town in Golan Heights.
Hezbollah denied involvement in the rocket attack in Majdal Shams, but IDF officials claim it was a Hezbollah rocket that hit a sports field, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “every indication” points to Hezbollah as being responsible for the strike.
Middle East Airlines said it delayed the departures of six inbound flights to Beruit that would normally land at night. The flights are now scheduled to land during the day on Monday, the airline said.
Meanwhile, Royal Jordanian Airlines also told ABC News it is considering rescheduling a flight from Amman to Beirut to early Monday morning.
(NEW YORK) — Tropical Depression Four is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Debby later on Saturday – and could reach near hurricane strength as it heads north over the weekend.
Hurricane Watches and Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for the west coast of Florida as this system makes its way into the region this weekend.
On Saturday morning, Tropical Depression Four was over Cuba, with winds of 35 mph. The storm is forecast to enter the Gulf of Mexico off the southwest coast of Florida Saturday afternoon and is forecast to make landfall late Sunday night or early Monday morning along Florida’s Big Bend region.
A Hurricane Watch has been issued from the Aucilla River to Yankeetown, Florida. Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings are in effect for much of the west coast of Florida, with more alerts expected to be issued as this storm gets closer.
Strengthening is expected as the storm feeds off the warm water in the Gulf of Mexico, where water temperatures are averaging around 85 degrees.
The main impact from this storm will be flooding due to rainfall. While the highest rain totals will be dependent on the storm’s path, much of Florida will be getting drenched from this system.
Widespread rain totals of 2 to 5 inches are likely in northern Florida, with localized areas possibly seeing 5 to 15 inches of rainfall over the next four days.
Storm surge may also be an issue, with 2 to 4 feet of potential surge from Bonita Beach to the Suwannee River area. Up to 3 to 5 feet of surge is in the forecast from the Chassahowitzka to Aucilla River.
Damaging winds are possible as well, and will be dependent on the strength of this storm at landfall.
Tropical storm-force winds are likely, ranging between 39 to 73 mph, in central and northern Florida. Hurricane-force winds are possible in the Big Bend region on Sunday night into Monday morning.
As of now, the National Hurricane Center forecasts that the storm will make its way into the Big Bend region of Florida as a strong tropical storm late Sunday night or early Monday morning.
The storm then passes across northern Florida and is expected to reemerge on the Atlantic side. While its track remains questionable thereafter, some projections keep it drifting off the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas long enough to drench coastal areas with several more inches of rain.
(TAVARES, Fla.) — Three Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were shot, one fatally, while they were responding to a report of disturbance in a Florida home.
One deputy is dead. Another deputy was struck in the shoulder and is now in stable condition. The third deputy was struck in the armpit, the groin and the stomach area multiple times, has undergone surgery and is in serious critical condition, Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said during a press conference.
Deputies responded to a call about a disturbance that was in progress and while they were conducting their investigation, they learned there was an issue at a home a few houses down from where they were, Grinnell said.
The deputies then responded there and saw what appeared to be the back door kicked in and they heard a disturbance inside the house. When the deputies entered the home, there was “a lot of gunfire” and one of the deputies was struck, Grinnell said.
The backup deputy with him was able to retreat out of the home but the first deputy was trapped inside the home.
Multiple deputies responded to the scene and formed a “rescue team” to go back into the house and attempt to get the deputy inside the home and they were met with a “hail of gunfire” and another deputy sheriff was struck, but they were able to retreat from the house, Grinnell said.
“It was a very violent scene,” Grinnell said.
“They were ambushed,” he said.
Law enforcement then mobilized the SWAT team as they were dealing with “a lot of firepower,” Grinnell said.
Of the people inside the home, two are dead and one was transported and their condition is unknown, according to Grinnell. They found multiple firearms in the home.
There is no longer a threat to the public, according to Grinnell.
(NEW YORK) — The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s federal election interference case has set a hearing for Aug. 16 at 10 a.m. Trump is not required to attend.
This will be the first time in seven months the parties will appear in Judge Tanya Chutkan’s courtroom. Chutkan also denied Trump’s motion to dismiss the case on statutory grounds. She says they may refile the motion once issues of presidential immunity are resolved.
The case has been stayed as Trump’s legal team appealed presidential immunity all the way to the Supreme Court.
In a 6-3 ruling last month authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court found that a president has absolute immunity for acts within their core constitutional powers and a presumption of immunity for “acts within the outer perimeter of his official responsibility.”
Judge Chutkan will be responsible for applying the Supreme Court’s decision to the allegations in Trump’s criminal case, including whether Trump’s actions were “official acts” or private conduct that can be prosecuted.
Trump last year pleaded not guilty to charges of undertaking a “criminal scheme” to overturn the results of the 2020 election by enlisting a slate of so-called “fake electors,” using the Justice Department to conduct “sham election crime investigations,” trying to enlist the vice president to “alter the election results,” and promoting false claims of a stolen election as the Jan. 6 riot raged — all in an effort to subvert democracy and remain in power.
The former president has denied all wrongdoing.
Trump originally faced a March 4 trial date before his appeal effectively paused the proceedings.
(LOS ANGELES) — Los Angeles County is choosing to continue with the “care first, jails last” approach when addressing the more than 75,000 individuals experiencing homelessness in the county, despite recent pressure from California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“We can’t arrest our way out of what’s going on in the streets,” said L.A. Board Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who is one of five board members who unanimously voted this week against Newsom’s executive order on dismantling homeless encampments across the state.
In his executive order on July 25, Newsom announced $24 billion in funding given to local governments across the state to address widespread homeless encampments, saying in a statement there are “simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part.”
The governor’s order follows the Supreme Court’s landmark City of Grants Pass, Oregon, v. Johnson decision in June that gave localities the justification to fine and arrest people for sleeping outdoors on public property.
Barger maintained that she’s not at odds with Newsom’s order but rather supporting the ongoing work the board and its partners have been doing to solve the homelessness crisis in the county.
“The concern we have is if we’re not all on the same page, as it relates to how the Grants Pass decision impacts the ability to clean up encampments, we are going to be just moving people from one city to another,” Barger said of the 88 municipalities within Los Angeles County.
Showing a united front with the board of supervisors, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said during the meeting Tuesday, “Being homeless is not a crime, and we will maintain our focus on criminal behavior rather than an individual’s status.”
Barger believes the pathway to permanent results for the county’s unhoused population is paved with outreach, mental health services and job training, which she says “gets lost” in the conversation.
The “Care First, Jails Last” investment is the Measure J ballot initiative approved by voters in 2020 to set aside at least 10% of existing locally controlled, unrestricted revenues to be directed to community investment and alternatives to incarceration.
Within the measure is the Care First Community Investment (CFCI), which has received $88.3 million in annual allocation from the Board of Supervisors.
Additionally, the Sheriff’s Department’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) is a group of law enforcement officers who work with homeless services agencies to help people experiencing homelessness.
Supervisor Hilda Solis told ABC News the law enforcement partnership “has been an integral partner in our Care First approach.”
“Since their establishment, HOST has never resorted to arrests to address encampments in the public’s right of way or that pose a public health concern,” Solis said.
Despite pressure at the state level, Los Angeles City has in fact seen fewer people living on the streets in the last year.
The L.A. City Controller’s office confirmed to ABC News the city saw a 10,000-person decrease in the unhoused population between 2023 and 2024.
This month, the nonprofit policy organization RAND released a 2023 study that showed that in areas with frequent encampment clearings, those encampments returned within two to three months.
After mass clearings of the homeless encampments in the Venice Beach area of Los Angeles, the share of unhoused people jumped from 20% to 46%, according to the study.
In a report released in June 2024, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) found that LA Municipal Code 41.18, which allows for encampment removal in certain areas, isn’t effective at reducing encampments or helping to house people — while costing over $3 million in two years, not including enforcement costs.
“I’ve never seen incarceration work to end homelessness, I’ve only seen that extend homelessness,” Downtown Women’s Center CEO Amy Turk told ABC News.
The Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) is a nonprofit organization in Los Angeles focused on serving women and gender-diverse individuals experiencing homelessness.
Turk has worked directly with the unhoused population in Los Angeles for two decades, providing trauma-informed outreach, shelter and helping people towards permanent housing.
“When I’ve seen people move toward criminalization, dismantling an encampment and offering no place for people to go, then what you see is people move from one plot of land to another plot of land, and you’re not solving anything.”
However, others say the county and local organizations’ efforts to keep people off the streets are not noticeable on the ground floor, where encampments, they say, continue to impede the lives of other residents.
“I think it’s very clear that the programs and policies both at the city level and the county level, have failed to reduce the number of people on the streets in a significant and sustainable way,” Paul Webster, executive director of the Los Angeles Alliance for Human Rights (LAAHR), told ABC News.
“Residents, business owners and even people experiencing homelessness themselves, have for years have been told that things are improving and that the city and the county have enacted programs that would end homelessness in Los Angeles, and for years, that has not come to pass,” Webster added.
In 2020, LAAHR sued the City and County of Los Angeles, claiming that the city’s leaders were not doing enough to address the homelessness crisis.
Webster said the lawsuit demanded an increased number of shelter beds, increased access to mental health and drug abuse treatment and a return to the intended uses of public rights of way and public spaces.
In 2022, the lawsuit was settled with the county agreeing to pay $236 million to fund increased services, outreach, and interim housing.
“We’ve seen some progress,” Webster said two years after the suit, adding, “We’re still working to actively monitor and actively hold the city and the county accountable for these commitments.”
(PARIS) — Eight Palestinians from across the globe say they are competing in honor of their ancestral roots on the Palestine Olympic Team for this year’s Games in Paris.
But as athletes join in the international competition, conflict continues to rage on in Gaza.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas, reports that more than 39,000 people have been killed in Gaza and more than 89,000 injured since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 — killing more than 1,200 — and Israel began its military operations on the Gaza Strip. Some of the Gazans killed in connection with Israel’s ongoing retaliation were Olympic athletes and coaches — including the reported deaths of soccer coach Hani Al-Masdar and the first man to hold the Palestinian flag at the Olympics in 1996, Majed Abu Marahee.
The growing death toll is front and center in the minds of several Palestinian athletes, who say they are using their international platform to bring awareness to the violence and dire humanitarian crisis facing civilians in Gaza.
For many of these athletes, it is their first time competing at the Olympics.
“While I prepare to swim in Paris, I’m racing to compete. I watch the news, and I see people swimming to receive packages from the sea,” said swimmer Valerie Tarazi, an American with ancestral roots in Gaza competing on the Palestinian team.
She traveled to the West Bank in July ahead of the Olympic Games, saying in an Instagram post that it reminded her “how proud I am to be Palestinian and what an honor it is to compete with the flag on my cap.”
“I love you Palestine. You have my heart,” she said in an Instagram post.
In April, the International Olympic Committee held a meeting with the National Olympic Committee of Palestine, where NOC President Jibril Rajoub asked the IOC for support in coordinating the rebuilding of destroyed sporting facilities in Palestinian territories amid the Israel-Hamas war.
The IOC said at the time that its “thoughts are with the many innocent victims of the current conflict in the region and their families” but have not offered any further comment on the request.
Yazan Al Bawwab, a swimmer who has family in the West Bank, has also competed in this year’s games. His activism spans beyond his Olympic platform as the founder of SwimHope Palestine, an organization aimed at empowering “underprivileged and refugee communities in Palestine by providing access to essential swimming education and life-saving water skills,” according to the International Olympic Committee.
Meanwhile, Omar Ismail, an 18-year-old taekwondo prodigy, made history as the first Palestinian taekwondo athlete to ever qualify for the Olympics, according to the IOC.
In an online post, he thanked the Palestinian Taekwondo Federation “for being the best support system anyone can have.”
He continued, “Together, we will show the world the strength and spirit of our nation.”
Runner Layla Al-Masri will be competing in the women’s 800-meter track event for the 2024 Palestinian Olympic team.
Al-Masri has used her platform to continue to shed light on what she has called a “brutal occupation” of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
“While the world’s eyes are on the screen watching the Olympics, we want to use our unique platform as athletes to keep eyes on what’s going on in Palestine,” said Al-Masri in an online post.
In her posts, she urges Olympic viewers to continue talking about Gaza.
“I run for Palestine to represent something bigger than myself, the resilience of the Palestinian people, to bring voices to the voiceless,” she continued.
Among the other Palestinian team members are boxer Wasim Abusal, judoka Fares Badawi, Mohammed Dwedar who will run in the men’s 800-meter race and skeet shooter Jorge Antonio Salhe.
(MAUI, Hawaii.) — Hawaii Gov. Josh Green announced a historic $4.037 billion settlement Friday to resolve claims arising from the tragic Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires that left more than 100 people dead, thousands of others displaced and homes and businesses destroyed.
The settlement addresses roughly 450 lawsuits filed by individuals, businesses, and insurance companies in both state and federal courts in connection with the fires in Lahaina and Upcountry on the island of Maui.
The settlement agreement remains subject to final documentation and court approval, according to Green’s office. Once a final settlement agreement is signed and approved following judicial and legislative review, payments are expected to start as early as mid-2025.
As of now, the governor’s office states that the agreement is conditional “on the resolution of the insurance companies’ claims that have already been paid for property loss and other damages, with no additional payments from the defendants.”
“My priority as Governor was to expedite the agreement and to avoid protracted and painful lawsuits so as many resources as possible would go to those affected by the wildfires as quickly as possible,” said Green in a Friday statement. “Settling a matter like this within a year is unprecedented, and it will be good that our people don’t have to wait to rebuild their lives as long as others have in many places that have suffered similar tragedies.”
As the community prepares to mourn those who’ve been lost one year later, the community is also still in the midst of its rebuilding, with building permits newly being issued, debris removal ongoing and some families still displaced.
The destruction from the wildfires forced Maui local officials and its residents to reckon with a slate of issues that had been plaguing the community.
The impact of tourism, climate change, lack of affordable housing and more became pivotal points in the community’s recovery effort.
“In light of the recent settlement, the County will continue working with wildfire victims and their representatives to provide services and resources throughout the recovery period,” the County of Maui said in a press release Friday evening.
“The agreement is an important first step and represents the commitment of the signatories towards reaching a final settlement that would provide compensation to those impacted by the tragic fires,” said County Corporation Counsel Victoria Takayesu. “The County remains steadfast in its commitment to rebuild Lahaina and support its community.”
