(NEW YORK) — This year, the American Society of Clinical Oncology — the world’s leading oncology organization — recommended palliative care for everyone with advanced cancer at the time of diagnosis and while receiving treatment.
Palliative care clinicians manage cancer-related symptoms and side effects from treatment, while addressing quality of life and stress for patients and families.
By next year, 693,000 people in the United States will have advanced breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, bladder, or skin cancer. Typically, advanced cancers spread to other parts of the body, and may cause symptoms or are difficult to cure.
Oncologists said starting palliative care when a diagnosis is made may make it easier for patients to stay on their treatment course.
“What I’m really excited to see is that these guidelines are taking a step back and thinking about [palliative care] from the time of diagnosis,” Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society and an associate professor at Duke University specializing in oncology and palliative care, told ABC News. “It should particularly be used in areas to help people stay on treatment, such as in clinical trials or hematologic malignancies.”
Here are six things to know about palliative care:
Palliative care can help you live better and longer
“Many people are surprised to hear research shows early palliative care involvement not only improves quality of life but also prolongs survival,” Dr. Allison Chang, an oncologist at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, told ABC News.
Palliative care puts you in control of your care
Palliative care teams work closely with a patient’s oncologist throughout their cancer journey.
Palliative care supports you and those who matter most
“Palliative care is very deliberate in seeing, recognizing and assessing the needs of caregivers… [who] are such an important part of the clinical team,” said Kamal.
Palliative care increases your time at home or where you want to be
Dr. Anthony Back, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington’s Division of Oncology, told ABC News about a patient with breast cancer whose chemotherapy made her too tired to do things her two young kids needed.
Palliative care helped with her fatigue and worry so she could manage and feel like “mom” again, he said.
Palliative care is covered by most insurance companies
Find a palliative care provider near you.
Palliative care isn’t just for people with cancer
Anyone with a serious illness can get palliative care, and it’s recommended for heart and kidney failure.
Kamal recommends asking your doctor “Could the extra support of a palliative care team be helpful to me?” He finds asking is often enough for doctors to make a referral.
Palliative care is no longer something that’s “nice to have. It’s a have to have,” said Kamal.
Lindsey Ulin, MD is an internal medicine resident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
(LONDON) — Kenyans are set on Thursday to take to the streets in protest, as nationwide demonstrations over a controversial tax bill continue.
The controversial bill — known as the Finance Bill 2024 — has sparked discontent across the East African nation since first being presented in parliament in May, the new bill proposing an increase in an array of taxes and levies for Kenyans.
Hundreds took to the streets of Kenya’s capital Nairobi on Tuesday, with armed police lobbing tear gas canisters and firing water cannons at demonstrators who had assembled in Nairobi’s Central Business district.
At least 283 protesters were arrested, including four journalists, Amnesty Kenya told ABC News. The human rights organisation said it is “alarmed and outraged” by the “use of excessive force,” “intimidation of civilians” and arbitrary arrests.
“Police were firing teargas at us and we had to run into a nearby café to seek shelter,” Stella Njoki, 22, a student who took part in the protests, told ABC News in a phone interview. “But it was imperative we made our voice heard as this is our future, our Kenya, and it is us who will be paying this price.”
The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi on Tuesday issued a demonstration alert for U.S. citizens, saying events are “intended to be peaceful” but can “turn violent” at any moment. The embassy called on U.S. citizens to “remain vigilant” and avoid large gatherings.
The Finance Bill was introduced as part of Kenya’s budget for next year, Kenya’s finance minister Njuguna Ndung’u saying the budget is aiming to “revitalize” Kenya’s economy, raise an additional 346.7 billion Kenya shillings in revenue and help alleviate debt.
Kenyans fear the bill — which was proposed to become effective on July 1 — would increase the economic burden for those already struggling with the cost of living.
The Media Council of Kenya in a statement condemned the “arbitrary arrests and attacks on journalists” covering the protests, expressing “dismay” that journalists were harassed despite being well identified in press jackets and badges.
In a statement on Tuesday evening, Kenya’s President’s Office announced they have made amendments to the Finance Bill “in account of the views of the people and other stakeholders during public participation sessions.”
Among amendments are the scrapping of a proposed 16 % VAT on bread, taxes on foreign exchange transactions and financial services, as well as a 2.5 % Motor Vehicle tax.
“We are going to end up with a product in Parliament that came from the Executive and has been interrogated by the Legislature. Through public participation, the people of Kenya have had a say,” said President Ruto.
Tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip are pictured on June 4, 2024 amid the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — As the Israel-Hamas war continues, negotiations are apparently stalled to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, and Israeli forces continue to launch incursions in the southern Gazan town of Rafah ahead of a possible large-scale invasion.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Jun 19, 7:39 PM Temporary pier to resume flow of aid
The temporary pier (JLOTS) off the coast of Gaza has been reattached to the beach, according to two defense officials. Aid should begin flowing soon says one of the officials.
Since the pier first became operational on May 7, more than 3,500 metric tons of humanitarian aid have been transported to that beach for distribution inside Gaza.
But the pier has had two lengthy breaks in service, the first time when rough seas broke off sections of the pier, and this latest preemptive move to the port of Ashdod so it could ride out rough seas to avoid a repetition of the first break in service.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Jun 19, 4:32 PM Top Israeli officials meeting with US on Thursday
Top Israeli advisers Tzachi Hanegbi and Ron Dermer are traveling from Israel to meet with national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House on Thursday, senior administration officials told ABC News.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will also meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in the coming days.
But another high-level meeting focused on Israel’s security, including Iran, has been canceled by the U.S., according to administration officials. The U.S. is looking to reschedule it.
While administration officials said the high-level meeting was never fully finalized on the schedule, other sources inside the White House said there was frustration over Netanyahu’s video claiming the U.S. had paused weapons shipments, which did impact the decision not to hold the meeting.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang
Jun 19, 2:09 PM IDF spokesman: Hamas is an ‘idea,’ can’t be eliminated
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said in an interview with Channel 13 in Israel that “Hamas is an idea,” adding, “Whoever thinks that it can be eliminated is wrong.”
“The notion that it is possible to destroy Hamas, to make Hamas disappear, is simply to mislead the public,” Hagari said.
This contradicts statements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has said destroying Hamas is the war’s key objective.
Following Hagari’s interview, the IDF said in a statement that it’s “committed to achieving the goals of the war as defined by the cabinet, has been working in this way throughout the war day and night and will continue to do so.”
“The commanders of the IDF and those who serve fight with determination and persistence to destroy the military capabilities and the governmental and organizational infrastructure of Hamas in Gaza, a distinct military goal,” the IDF said. “In his words, the IDF spokesman referred to the destruction of Hamas as an ideology and an idea, and the words were said by him in a clear and explicit manner. Any other claim is taking things out of context.”
In response to Hagari’s comments, the prime minister’s office said, “The political and security cabinet headed by Prime Minister Netanyahu defined as one of the goals of the war the destruction of Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities. The IDF is of course committed to this.”
Jun 19, 11:42 AM Hezbollah leader says they’re not ruling out sending forces into Israel
As tensions between Israel and Lebanon escalate, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah once again threatened to enter Israel with Hezbollah forces.
Speaking at a memorial service for a Hezbollah commander who was killed by the Israeli military, he said entering Galilee in northern Israel “remains on the table if the confrontation develops.”
Nasrallah also claimed Hezbollah has obtained new weapons.
Jun 19, 11:36 AM Biden’s team enraged, frustrated by Netanyahu’s video: US official
President Joe Biden’s team is enraged and frustrated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s video that criticized the U.S. for withholding certain weapons, a U.S. official told ABC News.
U.S. officials have made clear to the Israelis that Netanyahu’s video is inaccurate and out of line, the official said.
Jun 19, 11:32 AM US-Israel meeting canceled after Netanyahu criticizes US
A meeting between U.S. and Israeli officials set for Thursday to discuss Iran has been canceled in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement on Tuesday that criticized the U.S. for withholding certain weapons, according to an Israeli source familiar with the discussions.
A specific time had not been finalized for the meeting at the time of the cancellation, two U.S. officials told ABC News.
One official said national security adviser Jake Sullivan had been traveling and was looking to reschedule. The U.S. is working with Israeli counterparts to find a different time for the meeting.
Netanyahu said when he met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Israel recently, he told Blinken, “It’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel.”
“Israel, America’s closest ally, fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks. I certainly hope that’s the case. It should be the case.”
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew told Netanyahu Tuesday that the ammunition and weapons that he referred to are in the process of being delivered to Israel, according to the prime minister’s office.
“With the exception of ongoing discussion regarding large diameter munitions, other items are either delivered or in the process of being delivered, or in the normal review process,” the embassy said.
Two U.S. officials involved in approving arms transfers to Israel told ABC News Tuesday that shipments continue to be greenlit as the administration executes on both longstanding orders in the pipeline as well as new requests made after the onset of the war.
The sole exception, the officials said, is the frozen shipment of the 2,000-pound bombs. The officials said the decision to pause that delivery was made by the White House and that, if it’s ultimately lifted, they expect that order will come from the White House, too.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang and Michelle Stoddart
Jun 19, 11:06 AM Netanyahu tells coalition partners to ‘get a hold of themselves’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is criticizing members of his coalition in a new statement. There have been reports of increased infighting since the war cabinet’s dissolution on Monday.
“We are fighting on several fronts and face great challenges and difficult decisions. Therefore, I demand that all coalition partners get a hold of themselves and rise to the importance of the hour,” Netanyahu said.
“This is not the time for petty politics or for legislation that endangers the coalition, which is fighting for victory over our enemies,” he said. “We must all focus solely on the tasks at hand: Defeating Hamas, returning all of our hostages and returning our residents securely to their homes, both in the north and the south.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Jun 19, 10:35 AM US-Israel meeting canceled after Netanyahu criticizes US
A meeting between U.S. and Israeli officials set for Thursday to discuss Iran has been canceled in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement on Tuesday that criticized the U.S. for withholding certain weapons, according to an Israeli source familiar with the discussions.
Netanyahu said when he met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Israel recently, he told Blinken, “It’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel.”
“Israel, America’s closest ally, fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks. I certainly hope that’s the case. It should be the case.”
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew told Netanyahu Tuesday that the ammunition and weapons that he referred to are in the process of being delivered to Israel, according to the prime minister’s office.
“With the exception of ongoing discussion regarding large diameter munitions, other items are either delivered or in the process of being delivered, or in the normal review process,” the embassy said.
Two U.S. officials involved in approving arms transfers to Israel told ABC News Tuesday that shipments continue to be greenlit as the administration executes on both longstanding orders in the pipeline as well as new requests made after the onset of the war.
The sole exception, the officials said, is the frozen shipment of the 2,000-pound bombs. The officials said the decision to pause that delivery was made by the White House and that, if it’s ultimately lifted, they expect that order will come from the White House, too.
Jun 18, 4:59 PM Pentagon says US withheld 1 shipment to Israel, defensive security assistance will continue
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday that the U.S. continues to withhold a single shipment of heavy bombs to Israel and that a final decision on that shipment hasn’t been made.
Ryder declined to address Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusation that the U.S. is slowing weapon shipments to Israel in general.
“We are absolutely committed to Israel’s inherent right to defend itself,” Ryder said. “Since Hamas’ vicious attack on Oct. 7, we’ve rushed billions of dollars in security assistance to Israel to enable them to defend themselves. And we are going to continue to provide them the security assistance they need for defense.”
Two U.S. officials involved in approving arms transfers to Israel told ABC News that shipments continue to be greenlit as the administration executes on both longstanding orders in the pipeline as well as new requests made after the onset of the war.
The sole exception, the officials said, is the frozen shipment of the 2,000-pound bombs. The officials said the decision to pause that delivery was made by the White House and that, if it’s ultimately lifted, they expect that order will come from the White House, too.
While the process of actually delivering approved transfers happens across a wide network, including the Department of Defense and private companies, the officials said they weren’t aware of any other holdups that might be perceived as a bottleneck.
In the first weeks and months of the conflict, the Biden administration worked to speed up deliveries to Israel. On two occasions in December, Secretary Antony Blinken invoked an emergency authority to expedite arms sales to Israel, bypassing congressional approval.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty and Shannon Crawford
Jun 18, 3:02 PM Biden’s special envoy calls Hezbollah-Israel conflict ‘urgent’
The Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday that “operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved and validated, and decisions were taken on the continuation of increasing the readiness of troops in the field.”
White House officials are worried about a second war front opening between Israel and Lebanon at Israel’s northern border, dispatching a top aide to President Joe Biden to the region.
Amos Hochstein, a special envoy and deputy assistant at the White House, met Tuesday with Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament.
“It’s in everyone’s interest to resolve it quickly and diplomatically. That is both achievable and it is urgent,” Hochstein said, according to a transcript provided by the White House.
When asked if the two countries are on the brink of war, Hochstein said he believes a diplomatic solution is possible, adding, “But this is a very serious situation that we are in.”
This meeting followed Hochstein’s in-person meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials on Monday.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby confirmed on Monday that the administration was concerned about the war in Gaza widening to Lebanon.
“If we weren’t concerned about the possibility of escalation and a full blown, second front there, to the north, we wouldn’t still be involved in such intense diplomacy that Mr. Hochstein is over there right now,” Kirby told reporters in a press call.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty
Jun 18, 2:21 PM Netanyahu criticizes US for withholding certain weapons
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement Tuesday criticized the U.S. for withholding certain weapons.
Netanyahu said when he met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Israel recently, he told Blinken, “It’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel.”
“Israel, America’s closest ally, fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks. I certainly hope that’s the case. It should be the case.”
Netanyahu then quoted former U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
“During World War II, Churchill told the United States, ‘Give us the tools, we’ll do the job,'” Netanyahu said. “And I say, give us the tools and we’ll finish the job a lot faster.”
At a news conference Tuesday, Blinken declined to relate exactly what was said in private diplomatic conversations and did not deny that he had assured Netanyahu that the U.S. was working to remove bottlenecks inhibiting the supply of American arms and ammunition to Israel.
Blinken did repeatedly underscore the Biden administration’s commitment to Israel’s defense.
“It’s very important to remember that our security relationship with Israel goes well beyond Gaza. Israel is facing a multiplicity of threats and challenges including in the north, from Hezbollah, from Iran, from the Houthis in the Red Sea, from various groups that are aligned against Israel and in many cases beholden to Iran,” Blinken said.
President Joe Biden “will do everything he can to make sure that Israel has what it needs to effectively defend itself against these threats,” Blinken said. “And a big part of that, as well, is making sure that in providing that assistance to Israel, it has a strong deterrent, which is the best way to avoid more conflict, to avoid more war, to avoid what we’re already seeing in Gaza spreading to other areas.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration is surprised by Netanyahu’s claim of the U.S. withholding weapons.
“We generally do not know what he’s talking about,” she said Tuesday.
Jun 18, 11:12 AM Netanyahu criticizes US for withholding certain weapons
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement Tuesday criticized the U.S. for withholding certain weapons.
Netanyahu said when he met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Israel recently, he told Blinken, “It’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel.”
“Israel, America’s closest ally, fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks. I certainly hope that’s the case. It should be the case.”
Netanyahu then quoted former U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
“During World War II, Churchill told the United States, ‘Give us the tools, we’ll do the job,'” Netanyahu said. “And I say, give us the tools and we’ll finish the job a lot faster.”
Jun 17, 2:58 PM End of Rafah operation weeks away: IDF
The Israeli military is “weeks” away from wrapping up the main part of its controversial ground invasion in and around Rafah in southern Gaza, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told ABC News.
“We are there to dismantle the military framework of the [Hamas’] Rafah Brigade,” Hagari said on Monday.
“We are weeks now just from achieving this goal,” he said.
The Israeli military now controls over 60% of the Rafah area, Israeli defense officials told ABC News on Monday.
-ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge, Hugo Leenhardt and Dana Savir
Jun 17, 1:49 PM Israeli forces kill ‘key’ Hezbollah operative in southern Lebanon
The Israel Defense Forces said Monday that its soldiers have killed Muhammad Mustafa Ayoub, describing him as a “key operative” in Hezbollah’s rocket and missile department in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah confirmed Ayoub’s death in a brief statement.
Jun 17, 8:54 AM Israeli war cabinet disbanded, official says
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has disbanded his war cabinet, the small group of government officials who had been tasked with overseeing decisions about the war against Hamas, a spokesperson said.
The prime minister said there was “no more need for an extra branch of government,” the spokesperson said.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Jun 17, 6:37 AM Netanyahu’s security cabinet to handle war decisions, Israeli official says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government’s security cabinet will now make decisions about the war against Hamas, an Israel official told ABC News.
Netanyahu is now expected to make critical decisions on the war during small ad hoc meetings while seeking final approval from the wider security cabinet.
The decision came about a week after one of three core members of Netanyahu’s war cabinet’s said he would resign from the influential body.
Israeli minister Benny Gantz on Sunday, June 9, said he would resign from both the coalition government led by Netanyahu and the prime minister’s war cabinet.
The war cabinet had been formed on Oct. 11, in the days following the Oct. 7 surprise terrorist attack by Hamas militants.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Kevin Shalvey
Jun 16, 6:41 PM Israeli security cabinet discusses steps to ‘strengthen’ West Bank settlements
The Israeli political security cabinet “discussed steps to strengthen settlements in the West Bank, among other things, in response to countries that unilaterally recognized a Palestinian state after October 7,” in a meeting on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Spain, Ireland and Norway recognized Palestine as a state at the end of May. Separately, 143 of the 193 members in the UN General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution stating that Palestinians qualify for full-member status at the United Nations at the beginning of May, according to the New York Times.
The cabinet also discussed “a series of reactions against the Palestinian Authority following its actions against Israel in international bodies,” the statement added.
The Israeli minister of defense and the deputy prime minister “requested an additional period of time to make their comments,” the statement says, and then the prime minister will “bring all the proposals to a vote at the next cabinet meeting.”
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
Jun 16, 4:35 PM Biden cites pain of Muslims in Gaza in Eid al-Adha holiday statement
President Joe Biden issued a statement Sunday commemorating the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Adha in which he acknowledged the pain and suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza.
“In Gaza, innocent civilians are suffering the horrors of the war between Hamas and Israel.,” Biden said. “Too many innocent people have been killed, including thousands of children. Families have fled their homes and seen their communities destroyed. Their pain is immense.”
Biden added that his administration is working to end the war and make progress toward a two-state solution.
“And I strongly believe that the three-phase ceasefire proposal Israel has made to Hamas and that the U.N. Security Council has endorsed is the best way to end the violence in Gaza and ultimately end the war,” Biden said.
Biden also cited the conflict in Sudan as well as the targeting of Muslim communities in Burma and China.
He used the holiday to celebrate the contributions of the Muslim community in America and also to say that he is committed to fighting Islamophobia in the United States.
“Hate has no place in America, whether it is targeted at American Muslims, Arab Americans including Palestinians, or anyone else,” Biden said.
He added, “In the spirit of Eid al-Adha, let us all renew our commitment to values that unite us — compassion, empathy, and mutual respect — which are both American and Islamic.”
ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
Jun 16, 5:49 AM Netanyahu not briefed before ‘tactical pause’ announcement, Israeli official tells ABC News
When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heard the reports on Sunday about a daily “tactical pause” along an aid route, he contacted his military secretary and made it clear that this was unacceptable to him, an Israeli official told ABC News.
After an inquiry, the prime minister was informed that there was no change in Isreal Defense Forces policy and that the fighting in Rafah would continue as planned, the official said.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari released a statement in Hebrew shortly after announcement saying the pause will affect a single aid route.
“There is no cessation of fighting in the southern Gaza Strip, and the fighting in Rafah continues,” Hagari said. “Also, there is no change in the introduction of goods into the Gaza Strip.”
-ABC News Jordana Miller, Victoria Beaule and Kevin Shalvey
(NEW YORK) — Senior administration officials tell ABC News that top Netanyahu advisers — Israel’s national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer — were traveling from Israel to Washington to meet with national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House on Thursday.
The move comes amid new tensions between the Biden administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a video he made in which he complains that the U.S is blocking arms shipments amid Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza — a claim the U.S. denies
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will also meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in the coming days.
But another high-level meeting focused on Israel’s security, including the threat from Iran, has been canceled by the U.S., according to administration officials. The U.S. is looking to reschedule it. That is a formal meeting with many people led by Sullivan and Hanegbi.
While Biden administration officials are saying that that high-level meeting was never fully finalized on the schedule, other sources inside the White House say there was frustration over Netanyahu’s video and it did affect the decision not to hold the meeting.
Administration officials said that what Netanyahu said in his video is “beyond the pale,” no other country is supporting Israel more than the U.S. and the U.S. only pausing one shipment of 2,000 pound bombs over concerns the imprecise weapons could cause extensive civilian deaths but that everything else is still flowing.
ABC News’ Shannon Crawford contributed to this report.
(BATON ROUGE, La.) — Louisiana public schools and colleges will be required to post an image of the Ten Commandments next year after a controversial bill was signed into law Wednesday.
Under H.B. 71 public classrooms starting from kindergarten to the collegiate level must have a poster of the Commandments up at the start of 2025.
Civil rights groups have already questioned the law that passed in Louisiana’s Republican-controlled state legislature on May 28, contending it violates the separation of church and state in public buildings. The American Civil Liberties Union has threatened to sue.
The bill was signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, along with a package of others he said were designed to “expand faith in public schools.”
“If you want to respect the rule of law, you’ve got to start from the original law-giver, which was Moses,” Landry said at a news conference where he signed the bill.
The bill’s authors contend that the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance. No other state currently has such a mandate for display of the Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments are described in the law’s text as “foundational documents of our state and national government.”
“History records that James Madison, the fourth President of the United States of America, stated that “(w)e have staked the whole future of our new nation … upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments,” the text of the law read.
The displays, which will be paid for by private donations and not state dollars, will be “displayed on a poster or framed document,” the law says. The legislation’s text also calls for it to be printed in large, easily readable font.
The displays will also be paired with a four-paragraph “context statement” describing how the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries.”
The Louisiana ACLU, however, contended that the law’s language is blatantly unconstitutional and said in a statement it plans to sue the state.
The ACLU cited the 1980, U.S. Supreme Court decision Stone v. Graham, which ruled that a similar law passed in Kentucky for its public school system violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution.
“The displays mandated by H.B. 71 will result in unconstitutional religious coercion of students, who are legally required to attend school and are thus a captive audience for school-sponsored religious messages,” the Louisiana ACLU said in a statement.
“They will also send a chilling message to students and families who do not follow the state’s preferred version of the Ten Commandments that they do not belong, and are not welcome, in our public schools,” the ACLU of Louisiana added.
Landry’s education package also includes laws that would authorize the hiring of chaplains in schools, restrict teachers from mentioning sexual orientation or gender identity, and prevent schools from using a transgender student’s preferred name or pronouns unless granted permission by parents.
Families of those killed in the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610 at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Investigations Subcommittee hearing on Boeing on June 18, 2024 Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Justice should impose a more than $24 billion fine on Boeing, according to the families of the 346 victims of two 737 Max 8 crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia.
The families’ attorney, Paul Cassell, stated in a letter Wednesday to the Fraud Section of the Justice Department that a “maximum possible fine” is “legally justified and clearly appropriate” for what has been called “the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history.”
The letter from the families came in response to a request from the Justice Department for their views on how the department should proceed, now that the government has deemed Boeing to be in breach of a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement that followed the crashes.
Some 189 people died when a Boeing 737 Max 8 plunged into the Java Sea off Indonesia on Oct. 29, 2018. Black box data from the Lion Air jet revealed the pilots struggled to fight the plane’s malfunctioning safety system from takeoff to the moment it nose-dived into the water.
Just five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 — another Boeing 737 Max 8 — crashed near Addis Ababa airport just six minutes after takeoff, killing all 157 people on board.
Many of the family members showed up on Capitol Hill Tuesday during Senate subcommittee testimony by outgoing Boeing CEO David Calhoun. They held signs and shouted at Calhoun, who attempted to apologize for the failures of Boeing’s safety culture that led to the crashes.
He turned to the families in the hearing room, saying, “I apologize for the grief we have caused. We are focused on safety.”
In the final days of the Trump administration, the DOJ charged Boeing in a criminal information with one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. for allegedly misleading the Federal Aviation Administration during the agency’s evaluation of the new Max 8 aircraft.
The DOJ agreed to defer criminal prosecution for three years, but informed the company last month that it had allegedly failed to live up to its obligations under the deferred prosecution agreement. The Justice Department has indicated it is deliberating over whether to proceed with a prosecution of the company, and has said a decision will come on or before July 7.
ABC News has reached out to Boeing for comment.
Boeing has previously disputed the DOJ’s finding of a breach.
“We believe that we have honored the terms of that agreement, and look forward to the opportunity to respond to the Department on this issue,” the company said in a statement in May.
The families argue in the letter to the Justice Department that the “appropriate action now is an aggressive criminal prosecution of The Boeing Company” in a jury trial. If the government enters plea negotiations with Boeing, the families contend the company should be offered no concessions.
“A single conspiracy charge for fraud in a case revolving around 346 deaths is already extremely lenient treatment for such an extraordinarily serious crime. Against that backdrop, any further leniency through plea concessions would be utterly inappropriate,” the letter reads.
The families also advocate for criminal prosecutions of the responsible corporate officials at Boeing at the time of the two crashes.
The families further recommend:
a portion of the fine should be devoted to appropriate safety and related measures;
the court appoint an independent corporate monitor;
the company remain on probation for five years;
Boeing’s Board of Directors should meet with families;
the DOJ continues investigation of other possible crimes
“The salient fact in this case is not complicated: Boeing lied, people died,” Cassell wrote. “That staggering loss should be reflected in the sentence in this case — including in the fine. Indeed, it would be morally reprehensible if the criminal justice system was incapable of capturing the enormous human costs of Boeing’s crime.”
The letter notes the families will “vehemently and appropriately object to any resolution that does not acknowledge Boeing’s responsibility for criminally killing their loved ones.”
The families’ letter also indicates they reached the $24 billion figure by calculating the total pecuniary value of the 346 lives lost and the total economic loss to Boeing’s customers, and then doubling it, in accordance with an alternative fines provision of the U.S. criminal code.
(WASHINGTON) — In a new projection from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the federal budget deficit – the gap between government revenue vs. spending – will be $1.9 trillion for the 2024 fiscal year.
The deficit forecast is $400 billion higher than the CBO’s last estimate in February, an increase of 27%. The CBO cites a handful of reasons, including recent legislation to provide $95 billion of aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region, which Congress passed in April after months of delay, increasing Medicaid spending and $70 billion attributed to the 2023 bank failures because of a slower-than-expected recovery of payments by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
But one of the chief reasons for the projection increase was President Joe Biden’s student loan policies, including cancelling loans, adjusting loan balances and implementing a new repayment plan that offers more subsidies to borrowers. The policies have added $145 billion to the deficit, the CBO said.
Biden has so far cancelled $167 billion in loans for 4.75 million borrowers, with a plan on the way to increase that reach to nearly 30 million borrowers in total. The debt relief has mostly focused on people who were already enrolled in repayment plans that pledged eventual debt forgiveness, like income-driven repayment plans that offer relief after 20-25 years of payment, or the public service loan forgiveness program which offers relief after 10 years. Both programs were poorly coordinated and often left people unable to access their debt relief at the end of their payment plans. About $119 billion of the total debt relief has so far targeted those two programs. The administration has made the case that the debt relief could boost short-term consumer spending and have positive effects on borrowers’ homeownership and entrepreneurship capabilities, but critics have raised concerns about the cost to the federal government.
Other factors have also increased the deficit over the last few months, including higher interest rates – which make it more expensive for the government to pay its debt.
And there’s a looming 2024 election issue at play, too: The continuing impact of the 2017 Trump tax cut legislation, which has added trillions to the deficit. If former president Trump wins office, he says he will extend the legislation, which the CBO predicted could end up costing about $5 trillion over 10 years.
The White House sought to home in on that tax legislation to explain the deficit increase, particularly as the 2025 expiration date for the legislation nears.
“After the prior administration added $8 trillion to the debt, new CBO numbers show that the Trump tax windfalls for billionaires and corporations continue to come at the expense of the American people by driving up deficits,” Andrew Bates, White House spokesperson, said in a statement.
“Republican officials are already plotting to grow the deficit even more in 2025 with tax handouts to the corporations who are keeping prices high even as inflation falls,” Bates said.
Total U.S. national debt is on track to top $56 trillion by 2034, the CBO said.
For deficit hawks, the latest increase is yet another warning that the nation’s debt requires congressional reform.
“With debt growing out of control, we need leadership now more than ever. This should be domestic issue number one in the presidential campaign. It’s time for Presidents Biden and Trump to put forward plans to fix our debt. And it’s long past time for Congress to act,” Maya MacGuineas, president of the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said in a statement.
(NEW YORK) — An “armed and dangerous” suspect connected to three murders and a slew of other crimes across the country is on the loose in Arkansas, according to authorities.
Stacy Lee Drake, 50, is wanted in connection with three homicides in Oklahoma, stemming from two separate carjackings, according to Arkansas State Police.
“Drake is separately wanted on multiple felony warrants from multiple jurisdictions, with charges including aggravated robbery, carjacking, and murder,” investigators said in a statement.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation gave more details Wednesday about two of the homicides that took place in Sequoyah County. Officers discovered a man and woman dead inside a business Tuesday.
The victims’ identities were not immediately released.
Although the victims’ causes of death are still being determined by the medical examiner, Oklahoma investigators said, “both sustained injuries consistent with homicide.”
Drake was last seen on foot outside a motel in Morrilton, Arkansas, roughly 53 miles northwest of Little Rock, according to police. Oklahoma investigators said a car he had allegedly stolen was found in Morrilton, which is roughly 130 miles east of where the bodies were found in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, on Tuesday night.
Drake, a Birmingham, Alabama, resident, was described as having brown hair and brown eyes, standing about 5 feet, 11 inches tall and and weighing 185 pounds, according to state police.
“Anyone who sees Drake should not approach him and should call 911 immediately,” Arkansas State Police said in a statement.
Tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip are pictured on June 4, 2024 amid the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — As the Israel-Hamas war continues, negotiations are apparently stalled to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, and Israeli forces continue to launch incursions in the southern Gazan town of Rafah ahead of a possible large-scale invasion.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Jun 19, 1:35 PM IDF spokesman: Hamas is an ‘idea,’ can’t be eliminated
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said in an interview with Channel 13 in Israel that “Hamas is an idea,” adding, “Whoever thinks that it can be eliminated is wrong.”
“The notion that it is possible to destroy Hamas, to make Hamas disappear, is simply to mislead the public,” Hagari said.
This contradicts statements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has said destroying Hamas is the war’s key objective.
In response to Hagari’s comments, the prime minister’s office said Tuesday, “The political and security cabinet headed by Prime Minister Netanyahu defined as one of the goals of the war the destruction of Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities. The IDF is of course committed to this.”
Jun 19, 11:42 AM Hezbollah leader says they’re not ruling out sending forces into Israel
As tensions between Israel and Lebanon escalate, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah once again threatened to enter Israel with Hezbollah forces.
Speaking at a memorial service for a Hezbollah commander who was killed by the Israeli military, he said entering Galilee in northern Israel “remains on the table if the confrontation develops.”
Nasrallah also claimed Hezbollah has obtained new weapons.
Jun 19, 11:36 AM Biden’s team enraged, frustrated by Netanyahu’s video: US official
President Joe Biden’s team is enraged and frustrated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s video that criticized the U.S. for withholding certain weapons, a U.S. official told ABC News.
U.S. officials have made clear to the Israelis that Netanyahu’s video is inaccurate and out of line, the official said.
Jun 19, 11:32 AM US-Israel meeting canceled after Netanyahu criticizes US
A meeting between U.S. and Israeli officials set for Thursday to discuss Iran has been canceled in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement on Tuesday that criticized the U.S. for withholding certain weapons, according to an Israeli source familiar with the discussions.
A specific time had not been finalized for the meeting at the time of the cancellation, two U.S. officials told ABC News.
One official said national security adviser Jake Sullivan had been traveling and was looking to reschedule. The U.S. is working with Israeli counterparts to find a different time for the meeting.
Netanyahu said when he met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Israel recently, he told Blinken, “It’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel.”
“Israel, America’s closest ally, fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks. I certainly hope that’s the case. It should be the case.”
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew told Netanyahu Tuesday that the ammunition and weapons that he referred to are in the process of being delivered to Israel, according to the prime minister’s office.
“With the exception of ongoing discussion regarding large diameter munitions, other items are either delivered or in the process of being delivered, or in the normal review process,” the embassy said.
Two U.S. officials involved in approving arms transfers to Israel told ABC News Tuesday that shipments continue to be greenlit as the administration executes on both longstanding orders in the pipeline as well as new requests made after the onset of the war.
The sole exception, the officials said, is the frozen shipment of the 2,000-pound bombs. The officials said the decision to pause that delivery was made by the White House and that, if it’s ultimately lifted, they expect that order will come from the White House, too.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang and Michelle Stoddart
Jun 19, 11:06 AM Netanyahu tells coalition partners to ‘get a hold of themselves’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is criticizing members of his coalition in a new statement. There have been reports of increased infighting since the war cabinet’s dissolution on Monday.
“We are fighting on several fronts and face great challenges and difficult decisions. Therefore, I demand that all coalition partners get a hold of themselves and rise to the importance of the hour,” Netanyahu said.
“This is not the time for petty politics or for legislation that endangers the coalition, which is fighting for victory over our enemies,” he said. “We must all focus solely on the tasks at hand: Defeating Hamas, returning all of our hostages and returning our residents securely to their homes, both in the north and the south.”
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Jun 19, 10:35 AM US-Israel meeting canceled after Netanyahu criticizes US
A meeting between U.S. and Israeli officials set for Thursday to discuss Iran has been canceled in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement on Tuesday that criticized the U.S. for withholding certain weapons, according to an Israeli source familiar with the discussions.
Netanyahu said when he met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Israel recently, he told Blinken, “It’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel.”
“Israel, America’s closest ally, fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks. I certainly hope that’s the case. It should be the case.”
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew told Netanyahu Tuesday that the ammunition and weapons that he referred to are in the process of being delivered to Israel, according to the prime minister’s office.
“With the exception of ongoing discussion regarding large diameter munitions, other items are either delivered or in the process of being delivered, or in the normal review process,” the embassy said.
Two U.S. officials involved in approving arms transfers to Israel told ABC News Tuesday that shipments continue to be greenlit as the administration executes on both longstanding orders in the pipeline as well as new requests made after the onset of the war.
The sole exception, the officials said, is the frozen shipment of the 2,000-pound bombs. The officials said the decision to pause that delivery was made by the White House and that, if it’s ultimately lifted, they expect that order will come from the White House, too.
Jun 18, 4:59 PM Pentagon says US withheld 1 shipment to Israel, defensive security assistance will continue
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday that the U.S. continues to withhold a single shipment of heavy bombs to Israel and that a final decision on that shipment hasn’t been made.
Ryder declined to address Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusation that the U.S. is slowing weapon shipments to Israel in general.
“We are absolutely committed to Israel’s inherent right to defend itself,” Ryder said. “Since Hamas’ vicious attack on Oct. 7, we’ve rushed billions of dollars in security assistance to Israel to enable them to defend themselves. And we are going to continue to provide them the security assistance they need for defense.”
Two U.S. officials involved in approving arms transfers to Israel told ABC News that shipments continue to be greenlit as the administration executes on both longstanding orders in the pipeline as well as new requests made after the onset of the war.
The sole exception, the officials said, is the frozen shipment of the 2,000-pound bombs. The officials said the decision to pause that delivery was made by the White House and that, if it’s ultimately lifted, they expect that order will come from the White House, too.
While the process of actually delivering approved transfers happens across a wide network, including the Department of Defense and private companies, the officials said they weren’t aware of any other holdups that might be perceived as a bottleneck.
In the first weeks and months of the conflict, the Biden administration worked to speed up deliveries to Israel. On two occasions in December, Secretary Antony Blinken invoked an emergency authority to expedite arms sales to Israel, bypassing congressional approval.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty and Shannon Crawford
Jun 18, 3:02 PM Biden’s special envoy calls Hezbollah-Israel conflict ‘urgent’
The Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday that “operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved and validated, and decisions were taken on the continuation of increasing the readiness of troops in the field.”
White House officials are worried about a second war front opening between Israel and Lebanon at Israel’s northern border, dispatching a top aide to President Joe Biden to the region.
Amos Hochstein, a special envoy and deputy assistant at the White House, met Tuesday with Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament.
“It’s in everyone’s interest to resolve it quickly and diplomatically. That is both achievable and it is urgent,” Hochstein said, according to a transcript provided by the White House.
When asked if the two countries are on the brink of war, Hochstein said he believes a diplomatic solution is possible, adding, “But this is a very serious situation that we are in.”
This meeting followed Hochstein’s in-person meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials on Monday.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby confirmed on Monday that the administration was concerned about the war in Gaza widening to Lebanon.
“If we weren’t concerned about the possibility of escalation and a full blown, second front there, to the north, we wouldn’t still be involved in such intense diplomacy that Mr. Hochstein is over there right now,” Kirby told reporters in a press call.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty
Jun 18, 2:21 PM Netanyahu criticizes US for withholding certain weapons
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement Tuesday criticized the U.S. for withholding certain weapons.
Netanyahu said when he met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Israel recently, he told Blinken, “It’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel.”
“Israel, America’s closest ally, fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks. I certainly hope that’s the case. It should be the case.”
Netanyahu then quoted former U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
“During World War II, Churchill told the United States, ‘Give us the tools, we’ll do the job,'” Netanyahu said. “And I say, give us the tools and we’ll finish the job a lot faster.”
At a news conference Tuesday, Blinken declined to relate exactly what was said in private diplomatic conversations and did not deny that he had assured Netanyahu that the U.S. was working to remove bottlenecks inhibiting the supply of American arms and ammunition to Israel.
Blinken did repeatedly underscore the Biden administration’s commitment to Israel’s defense.
“It’s very important to remember that our security relationship with Israel goes well beyond Gaza. Israel is facing a multiplicity of threats and challenges including in the north, from Hezbollah, from Iran, from the Houthis in the Red Sea, from various groups that are aligned against Israel and in many cases beholden to Iran,” Blinken said.
President Joe Biden “will do everything he can to make sure that Israel has what it needs to effectively defend itself against these threats,” Blinken said. “And a big part of that, as well, is making sure that in providing that assistance to Israel, it has a strong deterrent, which is the best way to avoid more conflict, to avoid more war, to avoid what we’re already seeing in Gaza spreading to other areas.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration is surprised by Netanyahu’s claim of the U.S. withholding weapons.
“We generally do not know what he’s talking about,” she said Tuesday.
Jun 18, 11:12 AM Netanyahu criticizes US for withholding certain weapons
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement Tuesday criticized the U.S. for withholding certain weapons.
Netanyahu said when he met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Israel recently, he told Blinken, “It’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel.”
“Israel, America’s closest ally, fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks. I certainly hope that’s the case. It should be the case.”
Netanyahu then quoted former U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
“During World War II, Churchill told the United States, ‘Give us the tools, we’ll do the job,'” Netanyahu said. “And I say, give us the tools and we’ll finish the job a lot faster.”
Jun 17, 2:58 PM End of Rafah operation weeks away: IDF
The Israeli military is “weeks” away from wrapping up the main part of its controversial ground invasion in and around Rafah in southern Gaza, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told ABC News.
“We are there to dismantle the military framework of the [Hamas’] Rafah Brigade,” Hagari said on Monday.
“We are weeks now just from achieving this goal,” he said.
The Israeli military now controls over 60% of the Rafah area, Israeli defense officials told ABC News on Monday.
-ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge, Hugo Leenhardt and Dana Savir
Jun 17, 1:49 PM Israeli forces kill ‘key’ Hezbollah operative in southern Lebanon
The Israel Defense Forces said Monday that its soldiers have killed Muhammad Mustafa Ayoub, describing him as a “key operative” in Hezbollah’s rocket and missile department in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah confirmed Ayoub’s death in a brief statement.
Jun 17, 8:54 AM Israeli war cabinet disbanded, official says
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has disbanded his war cabinet, the small group of government officials who had been tasked with overseeing decisions about the war against Hamas, a spokesperson said.
The prime minister said there was “no more need for an extra branch of government,” the spokesperson said.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Jun 17, 6:37 AM Netanyahu’s security cabinet to handle war decisions, Israeli official says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government’s security cabinet will now make decisions about the war against Hamas, an Israel official told ABC News.
Netanyahu is now expected to make critical decisions on the war during small ad hoc meetings while seeking final approval from the wider security cabinet.
The decision came about a week after one of three core members of Netanyahu’s war cabinet’s said he would resign from the influential body.
Israeli minister Benny Gantz on Sunday, June 9, said he would resign from both the coalition government led by Netanyahu and the prime minister’s war cabinet.
The war cabinet had been formed on Oct. 11, in the days following the Oct. 7 surprise terrorist attack by Hamas militants.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Kevin Shalvey
Jun 16, 6:41 PM Israeli security cabinet discusses steps to ‘strengthen’ West Bank settlements
The Israeli political security cabinet “discussed steps to strengthen settlements in the West Bank, among other things, in response to countries that unilaterally recognized a Palestinian state after October 7,” in a meeting on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Spain, Ireland and Norway recognized Palestine as a state at the end of May. Separately, 143 of the 193 members in the UN General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution stating that Palestinians qualify for full-member status at the United Nations at the beginning of May, according to the New York Times.
The cabinet also discussed “a series of reactions against the Palestinian Authority following its actions against Israel in international bodies,” the statement added.
The Israeli minister of defense and the deputy prime minister “requested an additional period of time to make their comments,” the statement says, and then the prime minister will “bring all the proposals to a vote at the next cabinet meeting.”
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
Jun 16, 4:35 PM Biden cites pain of Muslims in Gaza in Eid al-Adha holiday statement
President Joe Biden issued a statement Sunday commemorating the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Adha in which he acknowledged the pain and suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza.
“In Gaza, innocent civilians are suffering the horrors of the war between Hamas and Israel.,” Biden said. “Too many innocent people have been killed, including thousands of children. Families have fled their homes and seen their communities destroyed. Their pain is immense.”
Biden added that his administration is working to end the war and make progress toward a two-state solution.
“And I strongly believe that the three-phase ceasefire proposal Israel has made to Hamas and that the U.N. Security Council has endorsed is the best way to end the violence in Gaza and ultimately end the war,” Biden said.
Biden also cited the conflict in Sudan as well as the targeting of Muslim communities in Burma and China.
He used the holiday to celebrate the contributions of the Muslim community in America and also to say that he is committed to fighting Islamophobia in the United States.
“Hate has no place in America, whether it is targeted at American Muslims, Arab Americans including Palestinians, or anyone else,” Biden said.
He added, “In the spirit of Eid al-Adha, let us all renew our commitment to values that unite us — compassion, empathy, and mutual respect — which are both American and Islamic.”
ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
Jun 16, 5:49 AM Netanyahu not briefed before ‘tactical pause’ announcement, Israeli official tells ABC News
When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heard the reports on Sunday about a daily “tactical pause” along an aid route, he contacted his military secretary and made it clear that this was unacceptable to him, an Israeli official told ABC News.
After an inquiry, the prime minister was informed that there was no change in Isreal Defense Forces policy and that the fighting in Rafah would continue as planned, the official said.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari released a statement in Hebrew shortly after announcement saying the pause will affect a single aid route.
“There is no cessation of fighting in the southern Gaza Strip, and the fighting in Rafah continues,” Hagari said. “Also, there is no change in the introduction of goods into the Gaza Strip.”
-ABC News Jordana Miller, Victoria Beaule and Kevin Shalvey
Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., meets with supporters at a primary night election party, June 18, 2024, in Lynchburg, Va.. Via ABC News
(RICHMOND, Va.) — A contentious and closely watched Republican U.S. House primary in Virginia remains too close for any projection, as House Freedom Caucus chair Rep. Bob Good attempts to fend off a challenge from state Sen. John McGuire, who received endorsements from former President Donald Trump. The outcome of the race could signal the power of Trump’s endorsement.
Good, who was first elected to the House in 2020, had antagonized the former president by initially endorsing his presidential primary opponent, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump then attacked Good — an effort to take down the candidate he once endorsed, too.
“If he’s reelected, Bob Good will stab Virginia in the back, sort of like he did with me,” Trump said at a rally for McGuire earlier this week.
In an election year, many are looking at the close race to see the power of Trump’s influence and how his endorsement affected the race.
As of Wednesday morning, it’s not yet clear if Trump’s plan to replace Good with McGuire has panned out. McGuire, who was also endorsed by former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, has a slim lead over Good by a margin of about 300 votes, according to unofficial election results.
Good has not conceded. In a post on X late Tuesday night, Good thanked supporters, saying, “The entire DC Swamp was aligned against us with over $10 million in attack ads, but with your help we were able to make this race too close to call.”
Good said the campaign will aim to closely follow the vote count “to ensure all the votes are properly counted in the coming days.”
“No matter the outcome, you’ve shown the DC Swamp that you won’t back down from standing for what’s right. Keep the faith and don’t stop fighting now,” Good wrote.
But McGuire has declared victory in the race, striking a different tone than Good.
“My life is a testament to the fact that America is the greatest country on this planet and I’m so honored to have the chance to serve her again… Folks in the 5th can rest assured that should they elect me in Nov., they will have an effective fighter in Congress who will get the job done for them,” McGuire wrote in a thread on X.
“I look forward to working with Trump to beat Joe Biden in November & pass Trump’s agenda in Congress. Trump & McGuire will Make America Great Again!”
Earlier this week, McGuire implied that he thought Good might cheat to win the election or that there could be issues with the election.
“Let’s make this too big to rig tomorrow, so we can lock arms, and make it too big to rig, so we win Virginia for President Trump in November so we can get him back in there and make America great again,” McGuire said at his rally on Monday.
In a phone interview with ABC News on Tuesday, McGuire said it would be “healthy” to question election results in general when asked about the “too big to rig” comments.
When pressed to share any specific concerns about the primary, McGuire pointed to confusion among voters about who Trump endorsed.
“I was at a Food Lion parking lot the other day, and a woman said, ‘Well, who did Trump endorse…[you] or Bob Good?’ And I said, ‘He’s endorsed me,'” McGuire said, adding that Good is trying to “trick” voters — a reference to messaging on Good’s website that created some confusion about Trump’s endorsement.
Before Trump made his official endorsement of McGuire, Good was touting Trump’s endorsement of him in 2022 on his campaign website. The website was then updated to reflect the caveat that Trump hadn’t endorsed Good in his 2024 race.
On Tuesday night, Good eschewed the trappings of a fancy election night hotel ballroom soiree for a gathering with supporters at an Italian restaurant in a strip-mall filled stretch of Lynchburg, Virginia. Inside La Villa, it was subdued, with the restaurant’s normal activity blending with the watch party.
When he entered the restaurant over half an hour after polls closed, Good spent his time glad-handing supporters, greeting each table. He hugged and kissed his family, before picking up a family member’s baby in a “Babies for Bob” bib to continue the tour.
He spent time sitting, thinking and quietly conferring with his wife. He later left the party without speaking to reporters.
It is possible that the candidate who ends up trailing could request a recount. Virginia does not have automatic recounts. According to Virginia state law, the losing candidate can request a recount if the vote margin is less than 1% of the votes cast. The state pays if the margin is less than 0.5%; the requester pays if it is more than that.
