With the Met Gala fast approaching, Katy Perry is looking back at her most iconic looks and revealed which one was her favorite.
Speaking with Vogue, the hitmaker said she loved the outfit she put together for the 2019 gala. Yes, she’s talking about her infamous cheeseburger outfit.
“My favorite Met Ball outfit,” she raved while looking at a photo of her done up in her fast-food glory. Katy also reminded fans that “was my secondary outfit” at the event.
Of course, the outfit she wore when walking the red carpet also generated crazy headlines. “I was a chandelier to arrive. That had tricks to it and it lit up,” she said, adding designer Jeremy Scott created both looks for the night.
“I’ve always had this approach to fashion, which is like, it’s one of two things: it’s either [over-the-top] fun, wacky, humorous or it’s like super glamor, fashion-satire-esque — satirical, actually.”
Katy also recalled she “bumped into, literally, Celine Dion” while she was dressed as the cheeseburger. “She grabbed me and happened to grab me where my meat patty part was … so, Celine has grabbed me by the meat,” she joked.
Speaking of the Met Gala, Katy endured a similar makeup faux pas to the one Selena Gomez infamously had in 2018, where her skin gradually became darker through the course of the evening due to a bad tanning product.
Katy revealed something similar happened to her when filming the music video for “California Gurls.”
“When you get a spray tan the day of the music video, your color changes gradually throughout the day — so I kept on getting oranger, and oranger, and oranger,” she laughed, adding, “We had to spend so much extra money on color-grading this music video.”
Harry Styles and Emily Ratajkowski sparked dating rumors when they were seen locking lips in Tokyo in photos and a video obtained by the Daily Mail.
The photos and video show Harry — dressed in a white shirt with a black jacket and matching pants — and Emily — wearing a pink and black jacket and a long black skirt, sharing several kisses with each other.
The rumored romance between the 31-year-old model/actress and the “As It Was” singer, 29, follows news of his split with Olivia Wilde late last year.
Styles is currently in Japan performing as part of his Love on Tour concert series, which will pick back up in Denmark in May after an extended break.
One person who seems happy about Harry’s alleged new relationship is John Legend. In the video of Harry and Emily kissing, John’s song “Dope” can be heard playing in the background. John posted video of the smooching to his Instagram with the title, “Make out to #Dope. Everybody’s doing it.” In the caption, he added, “Happy to help.”
(NEW YORK) — Communities in the southern United States awoke Monday morning reeling from a deadly tornado outbreak and powerful thunderstorms.
Over the weekend, at least 27 tornadoes were reported across five states — Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. Officials said at least 25 people died in Mississippi, where one long-track twister left a trail of destruction for about 59 miles. There was at least one storm-related death in Alabama, where officials said a man succumbed to his injures after being rescued by first responder.
President Joe Biden approved disaster relief for Mississippi on Sunday.
The latest forecast from the National Weather Service shows the same storm system will linger in the Southeast on Monday with damaging winds, large hail and an isolated tornado threat. Parts of southern Georgia and South Carolina will be in the bullseye, including the cities of Columbus, Savannah and Charleston. Flood watches and warnings have been issued for areas of Alabama and Georgia.
A new storm is set to arrive on the West Coast on Monday night, bringing heavy rain and wind along the shore and heavy snow to the mountains. The heavy rain is expected to reach the San Francisco Bay Area on Tuesday morning, but gusty winds will begin Monday. Parts of northern California could see local rainfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for parts of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, where local snowfall amounts of 2 to 4 feet is possible over the coming days.
This new storm system is forecast to sweep across the country, brining more severe weather to Texas and Oklahoma on Thursday. Areas from Texas to Wisconsin could see a major outbreak of severe weather on Friday, with threats of tornadoes, damaging winds and huge hail.
Meanwhile, a late season winter storm could hit areas further north, from the Dakotas to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
ABC News’ Victoria Arancio, Dan Amarante, Matt Foster, Kenton Gewecke, Rob Marciano, Will McDuffie, Juan Renteria, Jim Scholz and Ben Stein contributed to this report.
Nicholas Lloyd Webber, son of musical composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, died in Basingstoke, England on March 25, after an 18-month-long battle with gastric cancer, Lloyd Webber announced on Saturday. He was 43. “I am shattered to have to announce that my beloved elder son Nick died a few hours ago in Basingstoke Hospital,” the elder Lloyd Webber shared Saturday on Twitter. “His whole family is gathered together and we are all totally bereft.” Nicholas Lloyd Webber followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, becoming a Grammy-nominated composer as well as a record producer. Nick worked on feature films, short films, television and theater projects, most recently the 2021 Bad Cinderella original cast album, along with his father…
Jon Hamm is joining the cast of Paramount+’s Mean Girls Musical in the role of Coach Carr, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He joins previously announced cast members Angourie Rice, Auli’i Cravalho, Jaquel Spivey and Reneé Rapp. Along with original star and writer Tina Fey, Tim Meadows will also be returning to the screen. Jenna Fischer, Busy Philipps, Avantika, Mahi Alam, Christopher Briney, Bebe Wood, Ashley Park and Connor Ratliff also star in the movie, an adaptation the Broadway musical that itself is an adaptation of the original 2004 teen comedy film…
Following Trevor Noah’s exit from The Daily Show back in December, Comedy Central has set dates for the next five guest hosts. Former Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr. will sit in the anchor chair the week of April 3, followed by Jordan Klepper the week of the April 17, Desi Lydic the week of April 24, Dulcé Sloan the week of May 1 and Michael Kosta the week of May 8. Ronny Chieng and Lewis Black are also set to guest host, with their dates to be announced. The Daily Show airs weeknights at 11 p.m. ET on Comedy Central…
Variety reports Grey’s Anatomy, already the longest running primetime medical drama in TV history, has been renewed for season 20 at ABC. After 19 seasons, Grey’s Anatomy ranks as the network’s number-one show among adults 18-49, averaging 10.7 million viewers per episode in Live+35 viewing across all platforms, per ABC. The season 19 finale of Grey’s Anatomy will air on May 18…
Schitt’s Creek alum Eugene Levy has been tapped to star in the upcoming feature comedy Summer Camp, joining Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard, according to Deadline. The movie follows three childhood friends who spent their childhood summers together at sleepaway camp. After drifting apart they attend a camp reunion, where they’re reminded of how much they need each other. The film is set to begin shooting in April…
(WEST READING, Pa.) — Seven people are dead and several others are injured after an explosion at a chocolate factory Friday in West Reading, Pennsylvania, police and city officials said.
Two additional bodies were recovered from the rubble at the site of the factory Sunday night, West Reading Police Chief Wayne Holben said at a press conference. While they still need to identify the victims, it’s believed they’re the two people who were previously considered missing, the chief said.
One person had been found alive overnight in the rubble, officials said earlier.
Tower Heath said earlier its hospital in West Reading received 10 patients from the explosion. Of those, two were admitted and are in good and fair condition and six have been discharged. Two others were transferred to other hospitals, it said.
West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag issued an emergency declaration Saturday to access more resources for emergency responders on the scene.
An investigation to determine the official cause of the fire will be conducted, officials said.
“In the initial incident report from Berks County to PEMA, a reference to a gas leak was included. It is really important to note that incident reports from counties are a snapshot in time of the understanding of the incident at the time the report was made,” Ruth A. Miller, PEMA’s communications director, said in a statement.
The explosion occurred around 4:57 p.m. at the RM Palmer Company in West Reading, located about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. It caused destruction to one building nearby and damaged another.
Kaag, a former volunteer firefighter, called the incident “pretty scary,” adding that it was so strong it pushed a building back 4 feet. The mayor said the factory building was “pretty leveled” and crews will “probably” be working through the weekend to clear the debris.
In a statement Saturday, RM Palmer said it is “devastated by the tragic events.”
“We have lost close friends and colleagues, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all who have been impacted,” the company said. “We are sincerely grateful for the extraordinary efforts of all of the first responders and for the support of our Reading community, which has been home to our business for more than 70 years.”
The company said it will continue to coordinate with local and national agencies to assist in the recovery process. It added that it has been unable to get in touch with the families of impacted employees due to downed communication systems but “will be providing additional information and making contact with employees, impacted families, and the community as soon as possible.”
Images of the scene showed smoke and flames billowing from the factory on Friday evening.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was on site Saturday surveying the damage and “to pledge our support as the community recovers,” he tweeted.
(NEW YORK) — A grand jury is continuing to weigh charges against former President Donald Trump in connection with the Manhattan district attorney’s probe into the 2016 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
No current or former president has ever been indicted for criminal conduct.
Here is how the news is developing. All times Eastern. Check back for updates:
Mar 27, 7:29 AM EDT
Manhattan grand jury expected to reconvene Monday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump is expected to reconvene on Monday, sources tell ABC News.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky
Mar 26, 4:48 PM EDT
GOP oversight chair defends getting involved in NY Trump probe
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Sunday defended taking the escalatory step of getting Congress involved in the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation of Donald Trump by using his position to request answers from the prosecutor, Alvin Bragg.
“If Mr. Bragg wants to come in and explain to us what he what he’s doing, and he makes a good explanation, he makes a good argument and we see that we’re in an area where we shouldn’t belong, such as the Republicans — some of the Republican senators — say, then we will back off,” Comer, R-Ky., said on CNN. But, he added, “I don’t believe that Bragg would be doing this if Donald Trump were not running for president, and that’s something that we would like to ask Mr. Bragg as well.”
Pushed by CNN anchor Jake Tapper, who said Bragg is investigating potential violations of state and not federal crimes, Comer said, “This is about politics. This is a presidential candidate.”
Comer insisted that he would be more accepting of the investigation if it was being brought by the Department of Justice rather than a local district attorney, though he later said he wanted all “meddling” to end.
Bragg’s office has signaled that they may be moving closer to a charging decision — such as for falsifying business records, sources have said — in relation to $130,000 that Trump paid the adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election in order to prevent her from going public with an affair claim.
Trump denies all wrongdoing, including a relationship with Daniels.
He falsely said that he would be arrested last week and has urged protests.
-ABC News’ Adam Carlson and Cheyenne Haslett
Mar 25, 7:46 PM EDT
Republicans urge Alvin Bragg to comply with their request for documents, testimony
In a new letter Saturday, the Republican leaders of three powerful House committees responded to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s rebuff of their request for documents and testimony related to the Trump probe.
Reps. Jim Jordan, James Comer and Brian Steil argued in the 8-page letter they have legislative purpose for demanding such material.
Bragg’s office pushed back against the chairmen’s original request on March 20, stating it would “not be intimidated by attempts to undermine the justice process.”
Leslie Dubeck, Bragg’s general counsel, responded that it was “an unlawful incursion into New York’s sovereignty.”
In a new statement Saturday, Bragg’s office said it is “not appropriate for Congress to interfere with pending local investigations.”
“This unprecedented inquiry by federal elected officials into an ongoing matter serves only to hinder, disrupt and undermine the legitimate work of our dedicated prosecutors,” his office said.
Read more about the GOP request for information on the Trump case here.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Mar 24, 10:30 PM EDT
Mayor Adams’ office condemns threat to DA Bragg
A spokesman for New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement Friday evening condemning the threatening letter sent to District Attorney Alvin Bragg that included powder later deemed non-hazardous.
“While we cannot comment on the specifics of any ongoing investigation, no public official should ever be subject to threats for doing his or her job,” the statement read.
The spokesman added, “I’m confident that every elected official in the City, including Manhattan DA Bragg, will continue to do their work undeterred, and anyone found to be engaging in illegal conduct will be brought to justice.”
Mar 24, 5:35 PM EDT
DA Bragg stresses ‘safety’ for staff after threat sent to him
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg thanked his staff for their “strength and professionalism” in an email sent Friday and reassured them the powder sent to him in a letter discovered earlier in the day was not hazardous.
The email, which was obtained by ABC News, was sent to Bragg’s 1,600-member staff about three hours after the letter was discovered in a basement mail room on Friday.
“I want to reiterate my message from Saturday: your safety is our top priority,” the email said, referring to an earlier message to staff obtained by ABC News that followed former President Donald Trump’s social media call for protest and an inaccurate prediction he would be arrested on Tuesday.
The latest message revealed that some in the office had received “offensive or threatening phone calls or emails” and Bragg apologized for what he called the “distressing disruptions.”
Bragg concluded with his often-repeated vow to apply the law evenly and fairly.
He also mentioned a film shoot occurring this weekend outside the courthouse at 60 Centre St. could include simulated explosions.
Mar 24, 4:33 PM EDT
Letter threatening to kill ‘Alvin’ found at Manhattan DA’s office: Sources
A white powder was discovered in the mailroom at 80 Centre Street, where the Manhattan District Attorney has offices and where a grand jury has been meeting to hear evidence in former President Donald Trump’s case, according to a court official. The powder was determined to be non-hazardous, officials said.
The powder came in an envelope addressed to “Alvin,” an apparent reference to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, according police sources.
Inside the envelope was a letter containing the typewritten message, “Alvin: I am going to kill you,” with 13 exclamation points, according to sources.
This envelope followed a series of unfounded threats that targeted municipal offices in New York this week.
“For three days we got four emails,” Susan Stetzer, district manager at Manhattan Community Board 3, told ABC News on Friday.
At least one of the messages prompted the court to pause a hearing in the New York Attorney General’s civil lawsuit against Trump.
None of the email messages mentioned Trump by name. One included what Stetzer described as a “horrible homophobic rant.”
According to Stetzer, the messages came from @mail.ru domains and some contained Cyrillic characters. The FBI is aware but does not immediately assess that the emails came from Russia, according to a law enforcement official.
“We did not get one today so I’m hoping it stops,” Stetzer said.
New York City courthouses will see increased security, the Office of Court Administration said Friday.
Mar 24, 4:12 PM EDT
White powder addressed to ‘Alvin’ found at Manhattan DA’s office
A white powder was discovered in the mailroom at 80 Centre Street, where the Manhattan District Attorney has offices and where a grand jury has been meeting to hear evidence in former President Donald Trump’s case, according to a court official. The contents of the envelope were determined to be non-hazardous, officials said.
The powder came in an envelope addressed to “Alvin,” an apparent reference to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, according police sources.
This envelope followed a series of unfounded threats that targeted municipal offices in New York this week.
“For three days we got four emails,” Susan Stetzer, district manager at Manhattan Community Board 3, told ABC News on Friday.
At least one of the messages prompted the court to pause a hearing in the New York Attorney General’s civil lawsuit against Trump.
None of the email messages mentioned Trump by name. One included what Stetzer described as a “horrible homophobic rant.”
According to Stetzer, the messages came from @mail.ru domains and some contained Cyrillic characters. The FBI is aware but does not immediately assess that the emails came from Russia, according to a law enforcement official.
“We did not get one today so I’m hoping it stops,” Stetzer said.
New York City courthouses will see increased security, the Office of Court Administration said Friday.
Mar 24, 4:08 PM EDT
Trump escalating attacks on Manhattan DA
Former President Donald Trump has escalated his attacks on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his staff. Overnight, Trump posted on social media that if he were to be indicted it could result in “potential death and destruction.”
Senior administration officials at the Department of Homeland Security are continuing to “watch closely, particularly in the online environment” surrounding a potential indictment against former President Donald Trump, a senior administration official said.
There is nothing “that rises to the level of being credible and specific” or “actionable,” the administration official said. However, the official said that online “there are always things that emerge that will cause people to take note and possibly raise concern.”
As the grand jury continues, the lines of communication with local authorities like the NYPD and Capitol Police have been “wide open.”
“It’s been a several day period of, I’d say, very open and continued information exchange between and among federal and state partners, focused on this issue,” a senior administration official said.
Senior administration officials at the Department of Homeland Security are continuing to “watch closely, particularly in the online environment” surrounding a potential indictment against former President Donald Trump, a senior administration official said.
There is nothing “that rises to the level of being credible and specific” or “actionable,” the administration official said. However, the official said that online “there are always things that emerge that will cause people to take note and possibly raise concern.”
As the grand jury continues, the lines of communication with local authorities like the NYPD and Capitol Police have been “wide open.”
“It’s been a several day period of, I’d say, very open and continued information exchange between and among federal and state partners, focused on this issue,” a senior administration official said.
-ABC News’ Luke Barr
Mar 23, 11:31 AM EDT
DA says compliance with GOP’s requests for information would interfere with investigation
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s general counsel responded to House Republicans Thursday, telling them compliance with their requests for information would interfere with a legitimate law enforcement investigation.
General counsel Leslie Dubeck noted the House inquiry only resulted from former President Donald Trump’s social media post.
“Your letter dated March 20, 2023 (the “Letter”), in contrast, is an unprecedented inquiry into a pending local prosecution,” Dubeck wrote. “The Letter only came after Donald Trump created a false expectation that he would be arrested the next day and his lawyers reportedly urged you to intervene. Neither fact is a legitimate basis for congressional inquiry.”
Mar 23, 9:50 AM EDT
Grand jury won’t meet about Trump case this week
The grand jury hearing evidence of former President Donald Trump’s role in alleged hush money paid to Stormy Daniels will not meet about the case for the remainder of the week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
The grand jury is meeting Thursday to consider a different case, the sources said. The grand jury news was first reported by Business Insider.
The grand jury is expected to reconvene Monday to consider the Trump case, at which time at least one additional witness may be called to testify, the sources said.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment.
It is not uncommon for grand juries to sit in consideration of multiple cases at once.
Mar 23, 7:37 AM EDT
Manhattan grand jury expected to reconvene Thursday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump is expected to reconvene on Thursday, sources tell ABC News.
Mar 23, 5:28 AM EDT
Trump could still be elected president if indicted or convicted, experts say
According to law, former President Donald Trump can be elected president if indicted — or even convicted — in any of the state and federal investigations he is currently facing, experts tell ABC News. But there are practical reasons that could make it a challenge, experts say.
Trump said earlier this month at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that he would “absolutely” run for president even if he were to be criminally indicted.
“I wouldn’t even think about leaving,” Trump told reporters ahead of a speech. “Probably it will enhance my numbers.”
Mar 22, 12:51 PM EDT
Manhattan grand jury to reconvene as early as Thursday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump in connection to the Stormy Daniels hush payment investigation is not meeting on Wednesday, sources told ABC News. The earliest the grand jury would reconvene is Thursday, sources said.
The grand jurors were called Wednesday morning and told they were not needed during the day as scheduled, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The grand jurors were told to be prepared to reconvene on Thursday when it’s possible they will hear from at least one additional witness, the sources said.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment, citing a policy of not discussing grand jury matters.
-ABC News’ John Santucci and Luke Barr
Mar 22, 8:25 AM EDT
With Trump case looming, what is an indictment?
Criminal prosecution proceedings typically start with an arrest and a court appearance, but legal experts say that on many occasions, especially in white collar crimes, suspects aren’t hit with charges or a visit from an officer until long after an official investigation is underway.
Typically, if a crime is being investigated, law enforcement agents will make an arrest, file initial charges and bring a suspect to be arraigned in court, Vincent Southerland, an assistant professor of clinical law and the director of the criminal defense and reentry clinic at NYU School of Law, told ABC News.
After this arraignment, prosecutors would impanel a grand jury for a formal criminal indictment. Southerland, who has been practicing law in New York state for 19 years, said this process includes giving the jury evidence, possible testimony and other exhibits before they can officially charge a person with felonies.
A Manhattan grand jury is currently investigating Trump’s possible role in the hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The former president has denied any wrongdoing and having an affair with Daniels. His attorneys have framed the funds as a response to an extortion plot.
-ABC News’ Ivan Pereira
Mar 21, 6:11 PM EDT
Pence discourages protests if Trump indicted
Former Vice President Mike Pence discouraged any protests should a grand jury indict Donald Trump.
“Every American has the right to let their voice be heard. The Constitution provides the right to peaceably assemble. But I think in this instance, I would discourage Americans from engaging in protests if in fact the former president is indicted,” Pence said Tuesday when asked by ABC News if Americans should protest a possible indictment.
Pence said he understood the “frustration” while calling the case “politically motivated.”
“But I think letting our voices be heard in other ways, and in not engaging in protests, I think is most prudent at this time,” he said.
-ABC News’ Libby Cathey
Mar 21, 11:00 AM EDT
McCarthy grows frustrated as Trump questions persist at House GOP retreat
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy again ripped into Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg when asked about the potential charges against former President Donald Trump at a Tuesday press conference at the House GOP retreat in Orlando.
When McCarthy was asked directly if had concerns about Trump’s alleged conduct regarding the alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, he didn’t answer the question and instead pivoted to talking about Hillary Clinton and Bragg.
“What we see before us is a political game being played by a local. Look, this isn’t New York City, this is just a Manhattan,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy said he hasn’t spoken to Trump in three weeks.
When asked if Trump is still the leader of the Republican Party, McCarthy took a jab at the press: “In the press room, for all of you, he is.”
-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Will Steakin
Mar 21, 10:14 AM EDT
Grand jury to reconvene on Wednesday
A grand jury will reconvene on Wednesday to continue to weigh charges against former President Donald Trump in connection with the Manhattan district attorney’s probe into the 2016 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, paid $130,000 to Daniels in the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign to allegedly keep her from talking about an affair she claimed to have had with Trump.
Trump has denied the affair and his attorneys have framed the funds as an extortion payment.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is mulling whether to charge Trump with falsifying business records, after the Trump Organization allegedly reimbursed Cohen for the payment then logged the reimbursement as a legal expense, sources have told ABC News. Trump has called the payment “a private contract between two parties” and has denied all wrongdoing.
Trump this weekend wrote on his Truth Social platform that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday.
The U.S. Secret Service is coordinating security plans with the NYPD in the event of an indictment and arraignment in an open courtroom in Manhattan, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The two agencies had a call Monday to discuss logistics, including court security and how Trump would potentially surrender for booking and processing, according to sources briefed on the discussions. White collar criminal defendants in New York are typically allowed to negotiate a surrender.
(NEW YORK) — Protesters stormed Israel’s streets overnight, as thousands voiced their opposition to a controversial justice reform bill and the prime minister’s decision to fire the defense secretary who spoke out against it.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday unceremoniously dismissed Yoav Gallant a day after Gallant called for a halt to the planned overhaul of Israel’s judiciary that has fiercely divided the country. Military and business leaders have also spoken out against the plan.
Netanyahu’s office announced Gallant’s firing in a terse statement, saying “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided, this evening, to dismiss Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.” The prime minister’s office did not provide further details.
Gallant, a former army general, is a senior member of Netanyahu’s ruling Likud Party. On Saturday, he called for a pause in the controversial legislation until after next month’s Independence Day holiday, citing the threat to Israel’s national security.
After a night of protests, including police water cannons shot at demonstrators, thousands gathered on Monday morning outside the Knesset, where Israel’s parliament meets. Many more assembled in central Tel Aviv, where a massive rally had been planned.
Ronen Bar, the head of Israeli’s intelligence operations, arrived at Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem just after midnight on Monday as protests continued outside.
Ben Gurion Airport, the country’s main international airport, halted all departures on Monday, as Histadrut, the country’s largest trade union, protested against the planned reforms. Arrivals will continue to land at the airport, although as many as 35,000 people were expected to have their travel disrupted.
Netanyahu crossed all the “red lines” on Sunday night, Histadrut’s leader, Arnon Bar-David, said in a statement posted to Facebook on Monday, according to a translation. He called for an “historic” strike to begin on Monday.
The strike action extended to hospitals, cafes and shopping centers, with many remaining closed on Monday morning.
Washington urged Israeli leaders to find a compromise, with National Security spokesperson Adrienne Watson saying in a statement that the White House was “deeply concerned by today’s developments out of Israel, which further underscore the urgent need for compromise.”
“As the president recently discussed with Prime Minister Netanyahu, democratic values have always been, and must remain, a hallmark of the U.S.-Israel relationship,” Watson said.
Protests have simmered in Israel for months, since the planned changes were rolled out in December. Under Netanyahu’s reforms, Knesset lawmakers would be able to override decisions made by the country’s supreme court, a change that’s seen by many as a move to consolidate power.
The prime minister and President Joe Biden discussed the changes on a March 19 phone call.
Biden at the time told Netanyahu that “democratic societies are strengthened by genuine checks and balances, and that fundamental changes should be pursued with the broadest possible base of popular support,” the White House said.
Two prominent Israeli lawmakers came out against Netanyahu’s judicial reforms as protests continued in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Aryeh Deri, one of the founders of the Shas political party, called on Netanyahu to pause the judicial reforms early Monday morning, according to local media reports.
Miki Zohar, minister of Culture and Sports, said early Monday morning that while the “reform of the judicial system is necessary and essential … when the house is on fire, you don’t ask who is right,” according to a translation.
“If the prime minister decides to stop the legislation in order to prevent the rift created in the nation, we must support his position,” Zohar said.
ABC News’ Joe Simonetti, Edward Szekeres, Ellie Kaufman, Nasser Atta, Bruno Nota and Jordana Miller contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — First Citizens Bank will buy about $72 billion in assets from the failed Silicon Valley Bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said.
Silicon Valley Bank, a regional lender with about $210 billion in assets, collapsed earlier this month. The bank had been the 16th largest bank in the country.
“Today’s transaction included the purchase of about $72 billion of Silicon Valley Bridge Bank, National Association’s assets at a discount of $16.5 billion,” FDIC officials said in a press release.
Seventeen former Silicon Valley Bank branches will open their doors on Monday as First Citizens Bank branches, the FDIC said.
About $90 billion of Silicon Valley Bank’s assets will remain in receivership with the FDIC, the regulator said.
(LITTLE ROCK, Ark.) — Two people were killed and five were injured in a pair of shootings in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Sunday evening, local police said.
Little Rock Police officials said they’d opened a homicide investigation after the shootings, which happened within moments of each other along Asher Avenue. It was initially unclear if the incidents were related, authorities said in a statement posted on Twitter.
Police said they were alerted at about 9:25 p.m. local time that two people were injured in a shooting near the intersection of Asher and University avenues.
“Moments later, near Asher Avenue and Adams Street, multiple people were shot resulting in two homicides,” officials said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — For Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, fatherhood and politics are not mutually exclusive.
Since Buttigieg and his husband Chasten adopted newborn twins in 2021, the Democrat and his family have been repeatedly criticized and mocked by Republicans, including former Vice President Mike Pence. Most recently, Pence made what the White House described as a “homophobic joke” about Buttigieg taking parental leave.
“When Pete’s two children were born, he took two months’ maternity leave whereupon thousands of travelers were stranded in airports, the air traffic system shut down, and airplanes nearly collided on our runways,” Pence reportedly said at the annual Gridiron Dinner for journalists and politicians in Washington, D.C., on March 11. “Pete is the only person in human history to have a child and everyone else gets postpartum depression.”
Pence, who is considering a 2024 presidential run, has since refused to apologize and even doubled down on his controversial remarks.
“The Gridiron Dinner is a roast,” he told reporters at a GOP dinner in New Hampshire on March 17. “I had a lot of jokes directed to me, and I directed a lot of jokes to Republicans and Democrats. The only thing I can figure is Pete Buttigieg not only can’t do his job, but he can’t take a joke.”
In an interview airing Monday on ABC News’ “Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson” podcast, Buttigieg said such “attacks” would bother him more if he wasn’t “being daily reminded of what was so important.”
“Don’t get me wrong, it is galling for people, especially people who go on television talking about family values. And then when your actual family is struggling, they use it as a way to attack you or as a political football,” the secretary said. “Don’t get me wrong, that definitely gets to you at some level. But at another level, you realize that that’s just politics.”
The Buttigiegs’ twin children, Penelope Rose and Joseph August “Gus,” became sick with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as premature infants. Both babies had to be hospitalized and put on oxygen. They have since fully recovered and are now healthy 19-month-olds.
“When you’re face-to-face with a life-or-death struggle involving a child and that comes out OK, it becomes less important to you that the political game comes out OK,” Buttigieg said. “Because if you got to choose between one of those things working out, it’s an easy choice. The things you want and need most to work out is the wellbeing of your family and it allows you to remember that so much of the rest is noise. It doesn’t make it OK and there are different ways in the political and the policy space that so many families are under attack right now and yet, when you can put it in that kind of perspective, at least in our journey in our path, it was one of the many ways that having kids gives you a healthy reality check on what matters most in life.”
The secretary said comments like those made by Pence, who was previously governor of Indiana while Buttigieg was mayor of South Bend, “are a play for attention” and that focusing on his family is “the best answer.”
“Don’t get me wrong, we’ll stick up for our family,” he added. “Chasten has stuck up for our family in amazing ways, but the last thing you want to do is reward that kind of thing with your attention.”
“I think the best answer to a lot of these attacks and a lot of this meanness that’s out there, the best answer is to be a thriving family or to do everything you can to be a thriving family,” he continued. “The best answer to people out there who don’t even think we count as a real family is the love and the beauty of our family itself. It’s not a zinger. It’s not a tweet. It’s something that those critics will maybe never see for themselves and wouldn’t know how to respect if they did, which is the unconditional and enormous love that binds us together in this new family — that gives a different kind of meaning to my life.”
