(PALM BEACH, FL) Former President Donald Trump hosted controversial figures, Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Tuesday night for dinner, a guest also at the meeting told ABC News.
Trump met with Ye, who recently lost major business deals over antisemitic comments, and Fuentes, along with Florida Republican political operative Karen Giorno, Giorno confirmed with ABC News. The dinner lasted just under two hours.
Fuentes is a white nationalist who has made racist, sexist and antisemitic comments and has been banned on all major social media platforms.
Trump posted about the meeting on his social media platform on Friday, claiming he didn’t know Ye would be bringing other guests, but did not mention Fuentes.
“This past week, Kanye West called me to have dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Shortly thereafter, he unexpectedly showed up with three of his friends, whom I knew nothing about,” Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social. “We had dinner on Tuesday evening with many members present on the back patio. The dinner was quick and uneventful. They then left for the airport.”
A source at the dinner told ABC News that Ye asked Trump to be his vice president during the dinner and that toward the end of the meal the former president “started bad-mouthing Kim Kardashian,” Ye’s ex-wife.
In a statement to ABC News, former President Trump said, “Kanye West very much wanted to visit Mar-a-Lago. Our dinner meeting was intended to be Kanye and me only, but he arrived with a guest whom I had never met and knew nothing about.”
Trump’s dinner with Fuentes and Ye comes just weeks after he announced his 2024 presidential bid.
(NEW YORK) — After years of controversy around its location, the 2022 World Cup is underway in Qatar.
There have been allegations of payoffs to FIFA members to earn the bid, criticism of Qatar’s laws against women and LGBTQ individuals, the deaths of migrants used to build the sparkling new stadiums and even last-second controversy over beer sales. The tournament was also moved from its usual summer timeframe to the holiday season to avoid Qatar’s intensely hot weather.
But on the field, the best players in the world — such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar — are ready to go. And the U.S. is back with a hungry, young team after failing to qualify for the last World Cup.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Nov 25, 4:09 PM EST
US and England tie 0-0
The U.S. and England tied in their match on Friday, ending the game without scoring any goals.
To advance to the next round, the U.S. will need to win its match against Iran on Tuesday.
England won its match against Iran on Monday 6-2.
Nov 25, 12:47 PM EST
Neymar injures right ankle during Brazil’s 1st match
Soccer star Neymar injured his right ankle during Brazil’s match against Serbia Thursday.
The team’s doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said Neymar sprained his ankle and said he is confident Neymar will continue playing at the World Cup, according to the Associated Press.
Nov 25, 12:47 PM EST
China gifts Qatar two pandas tasked with predicting game winners
Thuraya and Suhail are two pandas gifted to Qatar from China to celebrate their hosting the World Cup. Every day, they are tasked with predicting which countries will win that day’s matchups.
Fans of the U.S. men’s soccer team may hope this less-than-stellar rate holds as the pandas predicted this morning that England wins in the team’s group stage match.
Nov 25, 12:37 PM EST
Senegal beats Qatar 3-1
Senegal beat World Cup host Qatar 3-1, in what was the host’s first appearance in the tournament ever.
The two other Group A members, the Netherlands and Ecuador, are set to face off on Friday.
Nov 25, 7:30 AM EST
Wales suffers defeat at the hands of Iran
With two goals allowed in added time, Wales lost a tight match to Iran 2-0.
In the defeat, Wales has one point in Group B and Iran now has three. The United States will play England later today to wrap up the second games for each team in the group at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Nov 25, 6:00 AM EST
Wales and Iran battle to 0-0 at halftime in each squad’s second match
In a closely fought match between the two teams, Wales and Iran have played a tight match so far at halftime at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Ar-Rayyan.
Wales has had possession 54% of the time to Iran’s 30% with the ball contested 16% of the time.
England is leading Group B with three points and they will play the United States who garnered point against Wales in their first match. Wales is tied with the U.S. with one point and Iran yet to put points on the table.
Nov 24, 10:39 PM EST
Brazil wins against Serbia as Neymar suffers ankle injury
Brazil defeated Serbia 2-0 in the opening for Group G at Lusail Stadium courtesy of Brazilian forward Richarlison’s double goals.
Brazil’s Neymar, one of the sport’s most popular players, sprained his ankle, according to Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar.
Now at the top of the Group G standings, Brazil will play Switzerland on Monday, while Serbia will face Cameroon.
Nov 24, 8:43 PM EST
Portugal beats Ghana 3-2 as Ronaldo breaks record
Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo made history today, becoming the first male player to score in five different World Cups after scoring a penalty kick in Portugal’s opening match.
Portugal now leads Group H after defeating Ghana 3-2.
Ronaldo left Manchester United earlier this week after an explosive TV interview in which he criticized the club and manager Erik ten Hag.
Nov 24, 2:04 PM EST
Portugal beats Ghana 3-2 as Ronaldo breaks record
Soccer star Christiano Ronaldo made history today, becoming the first male player to score in five different World Cups after scoring a penalty kick in Portugal’s opening match.
Portugal now leads Group H after defeating Ghana 3-2.
Ronaldo left Manchester United earlier this week after an explosive TV interview in which he criticized the club and manager Erik ten Hag.
Nov 24, 11:39 AM EST
Uruguay and South Korea draw 0-0
Uruguay and South Korea did not score any goals in their first appearance in the 2022 World Cup, ending the game with a 0-0 draw.
The two other teams in the group, Portugal and Ghana, are also facing off today.
Nov 24, 8:10 AM EST
Uruguay takes on South Korea
The match between Uruguay and South Korea has kicked off in Al Rayyan, Qatar.
This match is the first one featuring teams from Group H, the last group not to have played yet in Qatar 2022. The other two teams, Ghana and Portugal, will play later today.
Nov 24, 7:07 AM EST
Switzerland defeats Cameroon 1-0
Cameroon-born Swiss star Breel Embolo scored the only goal of the match in the 48th minute shortly after the half as Switzerland defeated Cameroon in the first game of the World Cup for each squad in Group G.
Embolo, who plays for Ligue 1 club Monaco in France, refused to celebrate in what would be the only goal of the match and held up his hands after scoring before he was mobbed by his teammates in celebration.
Switzerland will next play Brazil on Monday while Cameroon will take on Serbia the same day.
Nov 23, 1:02 PM EST
Spain looks like Cup contender with rout of Costa Rica
Spain, one of the oddsmakers’ favorites to hoist the World Cup trophy next month, did nothing to dissuade those picking the 2010 champs to win another title.
Spain defeated Costa Rica 7-0 in the most lopsided game of the tournament so far. Costa Rica had zero shots on goal in the match.
Ferran Torres had two goals, while Dani Olmo, Marco Asensio, Gavi, Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata each had one.
It was the most goals scored by Spain in a World Cup game, topping the six they scored against Bulgaria in 1998. Spain next plays Germany on Sunday, with the German side facing elimination with a loss.
Nov 23, 10:16 AM EST
Japan shocks Germany with 2 goals in final 15 minutes
Germany controlled possession throughout the first half and appeared ready to cruise to a opening game victory. Then Japan turned it on in a shocking final 15 minutes to steal the win.
German Ilkay Gundogan scored on a penalty kick in the 33rd minute, and thought they had added a second late in the first half before a review took it off the board.
In the second, Ritsu Doan tied the game at 1-1 in the 75th minute after coming on the pitch just four minutes earlier. Eight minutes later, Takuma Asano gave Japan the 2-1 lead and held on for the win.
Nov 23, 10:14 AM EST
German players cover mouths in protest
The starting 11 for Germany posed for photos covering their mouths before the match with Japan in a sign of protest.
Several European team captains had planned to wear “OneLove” armbands during the tournament as a protest against Qatar’s anti-LGBTQ laws. However, FIFA cracked down on the teams’ decision and promised to immediately hand out yellow cards to any player violating the rules on uniform.
Also, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser was pictured wearing the armband while watching in the stands, alongside embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino. She had previously said she might not even attend the World Cup due to concerns over human rights.
Nov 23, 7:04 AM EST
Croatia and Morocco draw 0-0
Croatia and Morocco failed to score in their match, which ended up being the third 0-0 draw in the 2022 World Cup so far.
The other two teams in the group, Canada and Belgium, will face off later today at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium — popularly known as the Al-Rayyan Stadium — in Al Rayyan, Qatar. It will be Canada’s first World Cup match in 36 years and only their second ever appearance at the tournament.
Nov 23, 6:57 AM EST
Morocco and Croatia battle to 0-0 draw at halftime
Croatia controlled possession of the ball 51% of the time to Morocco’s 36% in the first half of the Group F match at Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.
Croatia had two corner kick opportunities but were unable to capitalize on those opportunities to score while Morocco had one less foul in the first half than the European side.
Nov 23, 5:08 AM EST
Match between 2018 World Cup runners-up and Morocco kicks off
Croatia, runners-up to France in the 2018 World Cup, has taken the field against the second-best team in Africa, Morocco, in Group F’s first match of the tournament.
Morocco has not won a World Cup match since 1998 and has only ever emerged from the qualifying rounds in the tournament once, 36 years ago in 1986.
Nov 22, 4:23 PM EST
Soccer powers take the stage on Wednesday
Germany, Spain and Belgium take to the field on Wednesday as they each look to open the tournament with a win — and deliver a message that they are in World Cup-winning form. Germany and Spain won the World Cup in 2014 and 2010, respectively, while Belgium is No. 2 in the FIFA world rankings.
Our neighbors to the north, Canada, also get their World Cup underway. This is just the second time Canada has appeared in the World Cup and certainly want to do better than that appearance in 1986 when they went 0-3 in the group stage.
Here’s the schedule for Wednesday:
Morocco vs. Croatia, 5 a.m., FS1
Germany vs. Japan, 8 a.m., FS1
Spain vs. Costa Rica, 11 a.m., Fox
Belgium vs. Canada, 2 p.m., Fox
Nov 22, 4:07 PM EST
Defending champion France routs Australia
Just nine minutes into France’s opening round match with Australia they trailed 1-0 behind a goal from Craig Goodwin.
But any thoughts of the defending World Cup champions stumbling to a loss in their opener — like Argentina earlier in the day — were erased by Adrien Rabiot in the 28th minute. Five minutes later, Olivier Giroud banged one home to take the lead.
The rout was on in the second half when 23-year-old French star Kylian Mbappe headed one home in the 68th minute. Giroud scored a brace with his second goal in the 71st minute. The goal tied him with legend Thierry Henry for the most international goals in French history.
France finished with 23 shots to Australia’s four. The Aussies had just one shot on goal.
Nov 22, 1:11 PM EST
Mexico, Poland go scoreless after Lewandowski misses penalty
Mexico and Poland, both teams hoping to advance to the knockout stage, finished 0-0 in their opening match after Polish star Robert Lewandowski missed a penalty kick in the second half.
Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa came up with a big stop in the 58th minute Tuesday. Mexico, meanwhile, dominated possession — 61% to 39% — and had 11 shots but couldn’t break through.
Lewandowski, one of his generation’s great forwards, has not scored a World Cup goal in four matches.
Nov 22, 11:12 AM EST
Fans show off team pride with crazy costumes
Win or lose, you can always count on fans to show up — often in the most outlandish outfits.
-ABC News’ Moe Zoyari
Nov 22, 10:04 AM EST
Denmark, Tunisia settle for scoreless draw
Denmark, one of the sleeper picks to win the tournament, settled for a 0-0 draw with Tunisia in their first game in Group D. It was the first scoreless draw of the tournament and only the second draw — after the U.S.-Wales on Monday.
The Danes are ranked 10th in the world, while Tunisia is ranked 30th.
Denmark held its collective breath in the 93rd minute when the referee was called over to look at VAR for a hand ball, but the ruling came back with no penalty.
Nov 22, 9:35 AM EST
World Cup’s New High-Tech Ball Will Change Soccer Forever: FiveThirtyEight
When the 2022 World Cup made its debut on Sunday, it kicked off one of the most significant in-game uses of technology in sports history.
All tournament long, match balls will contain a sensor that collects spatial positioning data in real time — the first World Cup to employ such a ball-tracking mechanism. This, combined with existing optical tracking tools, will make VAR (video assistant referees) and programs like offside reviews more accurate and streamlined than they’ve ever been.
Combining these two forms of tracking has long been a holy grail of sorts in technology circles, and FIFA’s use of the ball sensor in particular will serve as a highly public test case over the next four weeks.
Nov 22, 9:16 AM EST
Budweiser plans celebration with unused beer
With millions of dollars in unused beer sitting in Qatar, the company AB InBev says it will be bringing the beer to the winning country for an “ultimate” celebration.
“Where there is a celebration, there is always a Budweiser. In that spirit, Budweiser wants to bring this celebration from the FIFA World Cup stadiums to the winning country’s fans,” the company said in a statement. “We will host the ultimate championship celebration for the winning country. Because, for the winning fans, they’ve taken the world. More details will be shared when we get closer to the finals.”
Nov 22, 9:03 AM EST
Saudi Arabia stuns Argentina
Lionel Messi and Argentina were stunned by Saudi Arabia on Tuesday as the Saudis rallied to beat one of the tournament’s favorites, 2-1.
Messi, one of the sport’s all-time greats, scored in the 10th minute on a penalty kick. But Saudi Arabia came out strong in the second half with goals in the 48th minute by Saleh Al-Shehri and in the 53rd minute by Salem Al-Dawsari.
(ATLANTA) — Three employees at a McDonald’s in Atlanta, Georgia, helped deliver a baby girl after a pregnant mother went into labor there.
Sha’querria Kaigler, Keisha Blue-Murray and Tunisia Woodward heard a piercing scream from the bathroom of the McDonald’s branch on Wednesday, only to find a customer in active labor.
A customer came out of the bathroom and told Woodward there was a customer in labor. When Woodward went in to check on the customer, she found her laid down on the floor, heavily breathing and screaming, Woodward told ABC News in an interview.
The pregnant customer and her husband had stopped by the local branch to eat and use the bathroom. When in the restroom, the customer realized that her water had broken and she was in active labor.
Other employees and the customer’s husband then rushed into the bathroom to help. Kaigler called 9-1-1 and the operator walked them through the delivery, Woodward said.
Woodward sat on the right side of the woman and the customer’s husband sat on the left side and they both held her hand as she delivered the baby. Woodward said at one point, the customer bit her arm because of how much pain she was in.
When the customer told Woodward she didn’t want to give birth in a bathroom, Woodward said she told her, “It’s okay you’re going to have a little nugget today.”
Woodward said the labor was moving fast and about 15 minutes later, the baby had arrived, even before paramedics had arrived on the scene.
The local McDonald’s owner, Steve Akinboro, rewarded the three employees with $250 gift cards toward their Thanksgiving celebrations. Woodward said she plans on spending all the money on the baby.
Woodward said she has been texting with the mother since the unexpected birth and said both mother and daughter are in good health. The employees are planning a baby shower for her at the Atlanta location next week.
(WASHINGTON) — The 2022 midterm cycle is not even done yet, with Georgia’s runoff next month leaving the U.S. Senate’s margin in question, and speculation over the 2024 presidential race is swallowing up media coverage. But already, Democrats and Republicans are positioning themselves for congressional runs in key races two years from now.
Democrats face a daunting Senate map in 2024, though a surprisingly strong midterm cycle that saw them lose the House by a smaller-than-expected margin has them optimistic about flipping it back.
Much of how the 2024 cycle plays out will be affected by the presidential race, including whether former President Donald Trump is the GOP nominee for a third time in a row and if President Joe Biden makes good on his intention to run for reelection. Still, early vulnerabilities for both parties in down-ballot races are beginning to come into sharper relief, with candidates starting to throw their hats into the rings.
Here’s how the early battles for congressional seats are shaping up.
Senate
For 2024, Democrats will find themselves largely on defense in the fight for the Senate, which they’ll control with either 50 or 51 seats depending on Georgia’s results.
Their only two possible offensive opportunities are seats in Florida and Texas — two Democratic long-sought “white whales” that had strong showings for the GOP this month. Meanwhile, they’re defending seats in three red states, Montana, Ohio and West Virginia, and several purple states, including Arizona, Minnesota, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — a stark imbalance that has even Democrats conceding how rough the map is.
“The plain math is difficult, puts Democrats almost purely on defense. I do think that even though there’s nothing easy about Democrats breaking through in either Texas or Florida, I do think Democrats are going to have to find a way to put one or both of those seats on the map, frankly,” said Democratic pollster Zac McCrary.
Already, Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., has said he’ll run for the Senate seat held by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who has not said if he intends to run for reelection. Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, has also said he would make a decision next year on whether he will run again.
Rounding out the three toughest holds, Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown has announced that he will run again. He could face a sprawling field of Republicans looking to take him on.
Democrats are eagerly awaiting announcements from Manchin and Tester, saying that their candidacies would make the difference between having a fighting chance of holding their seats and facing significant headwinds to hold serve in states Trump handily carried twice.
“There’s no bigger recruits for [Senate Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer, D-N.Y., for the [Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee] than to get Manchin and Tester to sign the dotted line,” McCrary said. “That’s an imperative … to keep those seats on the map.”
With Brown’s confirmation of another run, both parties are gearing up for a bare-knuckle brawl in Ohio.
Brown has proven to be a unique Democrat who can withstand the state’s jolt to the right, winning reelection in 2018 by nearly 7 points two years after Trump won it by 8 points.
Brown’s camp is projecting confidence, noting Brown’s continued electoral success in a tough state and broad name recognition after decades in public office, with adviser Justin Barasky telling ABC News Brown “is well positioned to win re-election in 2024 and continue waking up every day and doing everything he can to make life better for Ohio families.”
However, Republicans are feeling their oats there after the midterms, when GOP Gov. Mike DeWine won reelection by 25 points and J.D. Vance defeated Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan in the Senate race by over 5 points even after Ryan ran a widely lauded campaign.
Already, Republicans are starting to test the waters, with state Sen. Matt Dolan, who lost the Senate primary this year, eyeing another bid. Other names being tossed around include former Senate candidate Bernie Moreno and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
Brown is anticipated to put up a stiff fight, though experts project one of the toughest elections of his political career, particularly after winning in 2018 against a candidate not considered particularly strong.
“You never want to write Sherrod Brown off because he will outwork anybody, and he has been relentless in defining himself … around the concerns of working families, and that has proven to be one way, and really the only way, a Democrat can win Ohio,” said David Niven, a political scientist at the University of Cincinnati.
Still, “he’s obviously not going to get another freebie like that,” Niven said of Brown’s 2018 race.
Democrats are hopeful that they can be competitive in several of the more purple states given that candidates were able to win statewide races there this year despite being bogged down by Biden’s low approval ratings.
Meanwhile, Republicans are bullish, boasting that the Senate majority could easily be within reach given that Democrats will control a maximum of 51 seats heading into 2024.
“You got three Democrats running in states where Trump won in 2016 and 2020. Those ought to be three states where we can run a very strong candidate, have a great chance of a takeaway. And just the overall numbers, you got 21 Democrats in seats and only 10 Republicans,” said GOP strategist Bob Heckman. “The 2024 map is definitely a good map for Republicans.”
House
Democrats are much better situated in the House, where their surprisingly strong showing this month could see Republicans hold just a single-digit majority.
Already, candidates have started making moves. West Virginia State Treasurer Riley Moore, a Republican, is running for Mooney’s House seat, outgoing GOP Rep. Yvette Herrell already filed paperwork to run for the New Mexico House seat she narrowly lost this year, and North Carolina Republican Bo Hines also filed paperwork to run for the swing seat he just missed out on.
Of the races that have been called thus far, over a dozen Republicans will represent districts that Biden won in 2020. And House Majority PAC, House Democrats’ top campaign super PAC, released a memo Tuesday outlining 19 seats it intends to target in two years.
“The path to retaking the Majority is clear as day. HMP will be prepared to take back the House in 2024, and Republicans should start planning to hand back the gavel,” the group wrote.
Many of Democrats top targets, though, are expected to be in New York, where there will be six Republicans holding seats Biden won in 2020.
New York Democrats are facing an internal reckoning over what led to the party’s underwhelming performance in House races, with debates raging over a bungled redistricting process, inadequate responses to GOP attacks on crime and more. But with the party expecting a boost in turnout in a presidential year, Democrats are boasting that they’ll prove that the incoming Republican lawmakers are merely renting the seats.
“I think there are five seats that conceivably could come back. Definitely three, and possibly five,” Westchester County Democratic Party Chairwoman Suzanne Berger said. If Democrats are able to flip five seats in 2024, that alone could make up the possible House margin.
Meanwhile, Republicans’ top targets will likely echo several of their main foils from this cycle, including Reps. Matt Cartwright in Pennsylvania, Jared Golden in Maine, Marcy Kaptur in Ohio, Abigail Spanberger in Virginia and more.
Yet much of the low hanging fruit in the House for Republicans was picked this year and in 2022, leaving few Democrats representing districts Trump won in 2020.
Many swing-seat Democratic incumbents are now battle tested, with some of them fending off their first challenges as incumbents this month, while the new GOP members will be waging their first reelection bid, though Republicans are still cautiously optimistic they’ll be able to net some gains in the House in 2024.
“Hopefully the [Republican National Committee] and the congressional committee will both work closely with these candidates to raise enough money and to make sure that they’re ready for what’s going to be coming at them because the Democrats are never short on money in these kinds of seats,” Heckman said. “So, I’m concerned, but I think we can get the job done.”
(NEW YORK) — Shoppers spent a record $5.29B this Thanksgiving, according to Adobe Analytics — a figure up 2.9% year-over-year.
Adobe Analytics’s report on record spending may be surprising to some, as the economy is at an inflation level not seen in the last 40 years, and ongoing fears of a recession.
Big discounts on toys and electronics enticed shoppers, according to Adobe Analytics. Mobile shopping — purchases made through smartphones — accounted for 55% of online sales, an all-time record for Thanksgiving Day since 2012.
Black Friday, which occurs the day after Thanksgiving and is considered the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, is expected to bring in $9M online Friday.
Deep discounts on toys, computers and electronics are expected. Notable discounts are expected for clothing, appliances and TVs, but Adobe predicts the best deals for these categories will be over the weekend.
Top-selling items in the 2022 holiday season
The top-selling toys so far include Squishmallows, Roblox, Paw Patrol, Hot Wheels, Cocomelon and L.O.L. Surprise Dolls.
The top gaming consoles sold so far include the Nintendo Switch, the Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5.
And the most popular video games include God of War Ragnarök, FIFA 23, Madden 23, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.
Other hot sellers are mostly technology: Apple Airpods, Instapots, smart televisions, digital cameras and gift cards.
Holiday spending despite economic uncertainty
Days before the 2022 midterm elections, roughly half of Americans said either the economy or inflation was the most important issue in their vote for Congress, making bread-and-butter financial issues by far the most dominant, according to an ABC News/Ipsos survey.
Although there has been a slew of recent layoffs at tech companies, the labor market remains fairly robust. While the jobs added each month have fallen over the second half of this year, they remain strong, keeping the unemployment rate below 4%.
(SPRINGDALE, UTAH) — A 31-year-old woman was found dead at Zion National Park in Utah after her husband reported the couple experienced symptoms of hypothermia while camping in the park.
The husband told authorities the couple were on a permitted 16-mile hike in the park’s Narrows section on Tuesday when they became “dangerously cold” overnight, the national park said in a statement Thursday.
The 33-year-old man went to look for help Wednesday morning, but search and rescue teams determined the woman was deceased after park visitors and first responders attempted to administer first aid, the statement said.
The injured man was taken to the Zion Emergency Operations Center.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Office of the Medical Examiner and the National Park Service are investigating the cause of the woman’s death.
(UVALDE, Texas) — Last week, nearly six months after the mass shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the Uvalde Together We Rise Fund began distributing more than $22 million directly to survivors, families and others affected by the tragedy.
The nonprofit National Compassion Fund, which has distributed donations in more than 50 other similar circumstances — most recently following the mass shooting that killed 10 people and injured three others in Buffalo, New York — did the difficult work of pooling resources from more than 13,000 donors, including local charities, online fundraisers and individuals, and determining who deserves money and how much.
“Donors say, ‘I don’t want to pick and choose,'” Jeffrey Dion, executive director of the National Compassion Fund, which manages the largest pool of Uvalde donations from public and private donors across the country, told ABC News. “‘Why should I help this family and not that family?’ Or ‘I don’t know all the families,’ or ‘Other families don’t have their own GoFundMe. But if I get this, I know I can help everybody.'”
The National Compassion Fund is a partnership between the National Center for Victims of Crime and the survivors and families of others mass shootings — including Columbine, 9/11 and Sandy Hook. The group provides administration, accountability and transparency for money raised in the wake of such tragedies.
Five tiers
The Uvalde Together We Rise Fund began disbursements to its 448 eligible applicants on Nov. 15, the culmination of a months-long process that included two public hearings and multiple closed-door meetings led by a steering committee of 10 community members.
It was ultimately determined that eligibility for compensation would be separated into five tiers and based not on financial need but rather on the level of impact caused by the school massacre, determined by factors like proximity to the event and resulting psychological trauma.
“We have simply been stewards of these funds committed to honoring the intent of more than 13,000 gracious donors to help those directly impacted by this tragedy,” steering committee chair Mickey Gerdes wrote in a statement. “Although these donations could never make the survivors whole, we are hopeful these donations provide the recipients with some comfort knowing that there are many people who wanted to give something to help them in whatever way possible.”
Legal heirs of the 19 students and two teachers killed will receive the highest payments, followed by individuals with physical injuries based upon the number of days hospitalized and the amount of outpatient emergency and non-emergency medical treatment received in the month following the Robb Elementary shooting.
Other categories eligible for compensation include students and school workers who came under gunfire during the shooting and others who were present on campus that day who might be experiencing psychological trauma.
The National Compassion Fund will not disclose the exact monetary amount paid to each family or individual in order to protect victims’ privacy and safety. The group is also working with pro bono legal services to ensure that families who receive public assistance can accept payments without jeopardizing benefits available through government agencies.
One group that will not be receiving any funds: first responders.
It is standard practice, Dion explained, for the National Compassion Fund to exclude first responders because there are often local ordinances that prohibit public employees from receiving compensation or private gifts that arise from their public duties. He also noted that the fund is intended to help those who were there when the shooting started, not those who arrived at the scene later.
“The nature of trauma is that it catches a person unaware, without warning,” Dion told ABC News. “People who have any preparation for what they will encounter, even just a minute or two, are impacted differently.”
Other funds
As survivors and families awaited the distribution of money from the Uvalde Together We Rise Fund, many sought assistance from other, smaller funds in the interim, including the Hope for Uvalde fund administered by the Uvalde Ministerial Alliance, the crisis relief fund organized by Uvalde’s city government, and, most notably, the state-funded Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Program.
The latter, however, has been seemingly mired in controversy.
Immediately after the shooting, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton urged victims’ families and survivors to apply for the state compensation program, which the state says is designed to “reimburse innocent victims for certain costs related to the crime.” The program reimburses anyone in Texas who’s been a victim of a crime, or is an authorized guardian of a crime victim, an amount up to $50,000.
But according to the Texas Attorney General’s Office, only $76,000 in total compensation has been reimbursed to 332 eligible applicants so far. Much of that sum — roughly $66,000 — was requested for loss of earnings, while roughly $7,300 was reimbursed for replacement of property seized as evidence of a crime scene, and roughly $3,000 was reimbursed for travel costs for families.
Texas Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat whose district includes Uvalde, told ABC News that multiple families and survivors have reported to him that they’ve faced difficulties filing claims and getting reimbursed through the state program.
He criticized the state’s evaluation process for being unnecessarily slow and onerous, and accused its leaders of placing “unreasonable obstacles” in front of grieving families.
“You’re dealing with poor people here,” Gutierrez said. “It shouldn’t have to be a situation where you’re out there demanding to get bills from people or to have people go through this paper, email process.”
Christina Mitchell Busbee, the local district attorney who has been helping families and survivors file claims, acknowledged some difficulties, but said her office has helped as many families as possible.
“There have been people that have had difficulty filling it out, but we have assisted as much as we can,” Busbee said. “Once it goes to the attorney general’s office, they then send a packet to these families or to the victims saying we need this from your employer, we need this from you, you may need additional documents … and some people have had difficulty in getting that, but a lot of people that have problems call my office, and we help them as much as we can or they can talk to the AGs office directly.”
In response to questions from ABC News, a representative for the attorney general’s office said the program is “committed to the long-term recovery of victims and families.” Under state law, victims have up to three years to submit receipts or claims for compensation, but can request a waiver to extend the deadline for good cause, especially regarding child victims, the attorney general office’s said. The office added that “many applications for compensation are inactive for long periods of time, but may be reopened upon any new request.”
The attorney general’s office also told ABC News that officials are still reviewing 29 pending cases, and to this point no applicant has been denied victim status.
However the office was unable to answer whether any specific claims or requests for reimbursement have been denied, saying the information is not tracked internally and would “require staff research and analysis.”
Representatives of the attorney general’s office did not comment on other specific questions regarding alleged difficulties with the compensation program.
(NEW YORK) — A guest aboard a Carnival cruise ship has been rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after being reported missing around noon on Thursday.
The missing guest, according to a representative with Carnival Cruise Line, was at a bar with his sister and left to use the bathroom at around 11 p.m. Wednesday night. He never returned, and his sister reported him missing the following day.
Carnival crew searched the ship Thursday but were unsuccessful, later deciding to retrace the ship’s route to find the missing guest.
The U.S. Coast Guard assisted the Carnival crew with search and rescue and confirmed to ABC News that they rescued the man that was overboard the Carnival Valor. His condition has not been disclosed at this time.
The ship was on its way to Cozumel, a Mexican island in the Caribbean, and was released by the Coast Guard to continue to its destination.
The Coast Guard said it will release more information Friday.
(NEW YORK) — Before making a sandwich out of leftovers or a turkey pot pie, be sure to know the fridge life of your favorite Thanksgiving eats.
Here’s how long your leftovers will last in the fridge, freezer or both, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
How long turkey lasts after Thanksgiving
The star protein will last four days in the fridge. In the freezer, it can last four months for best quality — after that span it will dry out and lose flavor.
How to store leftover turkey
Cut the leftover turkey into small pieces and store separately in small, air-tight containers.
How long gravy will last after Thanksgiving
Gravy can last up to four days in fridge and up to four months in freezer.
To easily reheat gravy, add to a sauce pan and bringing to a rolling boil. Cover with a lid to heat all the way through.
How long homemade cranberry sauce stays fresh
The sweet and tart side stays good for a week to 10 days in the fridge. Freezing is not recommended.
Canned cranberry sauce
Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate after opening to keep for up to two weeks. Like fresh cranberry sauce, freezing is not recommended.
How long potatoes and yams stay good after Thanksgiving
The two starches can be stored for four days in the fridge and up to two months in the freezer.
How long stuffing keeps after Thanksgiving
Up to four days in the fridge and two to three months months in the freezer in properly stored containers.
How long pies can last after Thanksgiving
Fruit pies can be kept at room temperature for two days, according to Bettycrocker.com. They can then be stored in the fridge, loosely covered, for up to two more days. An unbaked crust will keep for two months in the freezer, while a baked crust will keep for four months.
More tips for Thanksgiving leftovers
Refrigerate all leftovers within two hours at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.
Leftovers should always be reheated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
(NEW YORK) — As the holidays approach, experts estimate that roughly 60% of consumers plan on purchasing gift cards this December, making it one of the most popular gift-giving options. As a $173 billion business, gift cards have come a long way since they were first introduced in 1994.
More than 3.4 billion gift cards were sold in the United States in 2021 and 47% of U.S. adults said they have one or more unused gift cards in their possession, according to Research and Markets. But as environmentally conscious consumers demand more sustainable products, plastic gift cards have often flown under the radar, despite frequently ending up as plastic waste.
“As someone who works everyday trying to reduce plastic pollution, even I did not appreciate how many plastic gift cards are sold in the United States,” Judith Enck, founder of the advocacy group Beyond Plastics, which is working to eliminate single-use plastics and plastic pollution around the globe, told ABC News.
Most of those billions of gift cards are made from plastic, but some retailers, like Starbucks, Apple, and Amazon, have begun to sell paper or cardboard cards, which come from a renewable source and are easier to recycle. The best sustainable option is an electronic gift card, which has zero waste, but the majority are still produced in plastic.
“Seventy percent of them are made from polyvinyl chloride plastic,” Enck said. “The reason we’re so concerned about polyvinyl chloride plastic, or PVC, is because it’s poisonous to produce.”
The Environmental Protection Agency classified vinyl chloride, a key component in the production of PVC, as a hazardous pollutant and human carcinogen. The production and disposal of PVC plastic puts a variety of people at risk of exposure to toxic chemicals.
“I don’t think there’s a risk from handling the PVC cards, but there definitely is a risk from manufacturing them,” Enck told ABC News. “If these cards are being burned, or even going to a permitted municipal waste incinerator in the United States, they pose a problem.”
The EPA is currently weighing whether to classify PVC plastic as hazardous waste, which would force entities to properly discard PVC in a responsible way.
Because it’s so difficult to dispose of, the bulk of PVC waste, including gift cards and bales of cut-out PVC from the production of gift cards, often end up overseas and illegally dumped in countries like Turkey, Malaysia, and Indonesia, experts said.
“The reality is it’s not recyclable and it ends up here, in an agricultural field,” Sedat Gündoğdu, a biologist and professor at Cukurova University in Turkey, who focuses on plastic pollution, told ABC News.
Gündoğdu has collected heaps of discarded gift cards from U.S. and U.K. retailers that have been illegally dumped and buried in agricultural areas across Turkey.
“Users in the United States are throwing out these cards, thinking they’re being recycled, but they’re really being sold to places like Turkey where they get shipped over and they’re just getting dumped,” Gündoğdu said.
Some of the discarded cards Gündoğdu finds are new and unused. Chanda Wicker, a senior vice president at InComm Payments, a payments technology company, told ABC News that the gift card industry is working towards forecasting consumer demand to “prevent over-production of cards and reduce industry waste.”
Wicker said paper cards are typically less expensive than PVC cards to manufacture and that 70% of the cards InComm Payments have purchased from contracted printers are made from paper.
Although plastic continues to remain popular, the Retail Gift Card Association Sustainability Task Force told ABC News it is “working on publishing a Sustainability Best Practice guide” to help retailers “make decisions that drive us towards a more sustainable future.”
If you do want to purchase gift cards this year, both Gündoğdu and Enck recommend e-cards or paper alternatives, and they urge popular gift card retailers and grocery stores to tell companies to stop producing PVC cards.
“PVC cards should be banned because we have paper alternatives, which are less toxic than plastic,” Gündoğdu said.
If you do have old plastic gift cards and want to dispose of them safely, Enck recommends throwing them away in the trash.
“Definitely don’t put it in your recycling bin, and contact companies and tell them to stop making PVC gift cards as soon as possible.”
