(SURFSIDE, Fla.) — First lady Jill Biden spoke Friday morning at the site of the Champlain Towers South condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida, on the one-year anniversary of the tragedy.
Joining Biden at the event were Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, local officials, and religious leaders.
“We honor the light you found in each other,” she said, recognizing the communal strength of the grieving families.
In the early morning hours of June 24, 2021, the Surfside condominium collapsed, killing 98 people.
Biden offered her personal experience with grief, while speaking to community members and loved ones of those lost in the disaster.
She spoke about a “fellowship of loss” she said she recognizes in society. “To the uninitiated we look normal, average, whole,” said Biden, who lost her stepson, Beau, to brain cancer in 2015. “But like a secret handshake, I can spot them by the sadness that rests at the corner of their smile …”
Biden noted the “moments of grace” that come along with grief. “We find a fortitude that we didn’t know we had and we reach out for help,” she said.
The first lady thanked first responders and said she and President Joe Biden continue to stand with the south Florida community.
She concluded on a positive note, telling grieving loved ones, “Take it one breath at a time. We are praying for you and we are grieving with you. God bless you.”
DeSantis, who sat just to the right of the first lady, followed her remarks with his own account of the collapse one year ago to the day.
He announced the designation of the portion of Collins Avenue where the tower once stood as “98 Points of Light Road” and held a street sign with the newly assigned name.
During a court hearing in May, it was announced that a settlement for the victims now tops $1 billion.
(NOTE LANGUAGE) Friday’s Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade reverberated through Hollywood, with many stars taking to social media to vent their frustrations.
Here are some of those who posted:
Cher: TODAY, TRUMPS RADICAL (REPUBLICAN) SUPREME COURT,BECAME RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN WOMEN.THEY CAN’T BE PROSECUTED, BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE…“THEY ARE GUILTY”‼️ WHAT OTHER RIGHTS (WE TAKE 4 GRANTED) ARE NEXT!? BE AFRAID BE VERY AFRAID‼️
Rachel Zegler: “Why the f*** don’t you care about us? why the f*** do you think you have any say over our bodies?”
Rob Reiner: “Don’t despair. Fight back!! Hold the House, add 2 seats to the Senate, kill the filibuster, codify Roe, and add seats to SCOTUS. 2022 will determine it all. VOTE!!!”
Ariana DeBose: “I have nothing nice to say at this moment in time.”
Al Franken: “Today’s decision is the culmination of a 50 year project by GOP operatives, religious fundamentalists, billionaire oligarchs, & right-wing media. Work, donate, vote!!! #RoeVsWade #Dobbs
Padma Lakshmi: “People will still get abortions. These procedures won’t stop just because Roe v. Wade is overturned. This will only prevent safe, legal abortions from taking place. People who have the money, time, and resources will still find avenues for their procedures. But the most vulnerable of our community? What choices are those individuals, who are mostly BIPOC, left with? This is the catalyst for a public health crisis. The right to decide when to start a family or not is a choice every individual should be able to make on their terms when the time is right for them. This freedom and dignity is something we should all fight to preserve.”
Bill Gates: “This is a sad day. Reversing Roe v. Wade is an unjust and unacceptable setback. And it puts women’s lives at risk, especially the most disadvantaged.”
(NEW YORK) — Major U.S. companies, including Meta and JPMorgan Chase, on Friday said they will cover travel costs for employees who seek legal abortions outside their home state after the Supreme Court released a ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.
Several corporations in recent weeks, including Amazon and Starbucks, had announced expanded health benefits to pay for travel fees incurred by workers seeking an abortion if the procedure is unavailable near where they live.
JPMorgan Chase, one of the nation’s largest banks, informed U.S. employees that it will cover the costs of travel for those seeking an abortion who cannot access the procedure legally in their home state, according to a memo sent to employees on June 1 and obtained by ABC News.
The company will begin covering the travel next month, according to a company web page that details the policy. The JPMorgan Chase memo was first reported by CNBC.
A spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, confirmed to ABC News that it plans to offer similar coverage of travel expenses for some employees seeking abortion.
“We intend to offer travel expense reimbursements, to the extent permitted by law, for employees who will need them to access out-of-state health care and reproductive services,” a spokesperson said. “We are in the process of assessing how best to do so given the legal complexities involved.”
Tesla, Citigroup, Apple and Salesforce are among the additional companies that in recent weeks expanded abortion coverage for employees to include costs for travel when necessary.
Meanwhile, rideshare companies Lyft and Uber have vowed to provide legal support for drivers if they face lawsuits for driving passengers to get an abortion.
“We believe access to healthcare is essential and transportation should never be a barrier to that access,” a Lyft spokesperson told ABC News in a statement on Friday after the ruling. “This decision will hurt millions of women by taking away access to safe, and private reproductive healthcare services.”
Lauren Hobart, the president and CEO of retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods, said on Friday that the company will provide up to $4,000 to cover the cost of travel for employees — as well as their spouses or dependents — who must travel out of state for an abortion. The company refers to its employees as teammates.
“We recognize people feel passionately about this topic — and that there are teammates and athletes who will not agree with this decision,” Hobart said in a statement. “However, we also recognize that decisions involving health and families are deeply personal and made with thoughtful consideration.”
On Friday morning, the Supreme Court released a 5-4 vote that struck down Roe v. Wade, a 1973 decision that guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion. In the opinion, Justice Samuel Alito called Roe “egregiously wrong from the start.”
Some business leaders on Friday criticized the Supreme Court ruling and called on their peers to do the same.
Jeremy Stoppelman — the co-founder and CEO of Yelp, which recently announced it will cover the travel expenses for employees seeking abortions — on Friday slammed the decision.
“This ruling puts women’s health in jeopardy, denies them their human rights, and threatens to dismantle the progress we’ve made toward gender equality in the workplace since Roe,” Stoppelman said in a statement shared with ABC News.
“Business leaders must step up to support the health and safety of their employees by speaking out against the wave of abortion bans that will be triggered as a result of this decision, and call on Congress to codify Roe into law,” he added.
Ellevest CEO Sallie Krawcheck, whose company makes an investing app targeted to women, said the ruling carries negative economic implications in addition to its effects on gender equity.
“As CEO of a financial company built for women, by women — with a team of more than 80% women employees — I know the importance of being able to take control of our money, our choices, and our futures,” Krawcheck said on Twitter.
“Reproductive health care access is a human rights issue, but as we’ve seen time and time again, that doesn’t seem like it’s enough to sway certain people with the power to uphold that right,” she added. “How about this: Reproductive rights affect all of us — because it affects our economy.”
The Supreme Court ruling comprises an attack on reproductive rights, said Roger Lynch, CEO of Conde Nast, which on Friday told employees it would bolster health coverage to include travel expenses for those seeking an abortion.
“Today, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion, allowing individual states to more aggressively regulate or ban the procedure altogether,” he said in the memo to employees. “It is a crushing blow to reproductive rights that have been protected for nearly half a century.”
In case you missed it, Brett Eldredge was on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Wednesday night, where he performed his new song “Holy Water.”
Up-and-comer Brooke Eden will perform on NBC’s TODAY next week. Set for June 27, her appearance will feature her new song “Left You for Me.”
The late Charlie Daniels will be in the spotlight once again on an upcoming live album, called Charlie Daniels & Friends: Volunteer Jam 1 – 1974 – The Legend Begins. The previously unheard footage was recorded at Charlie’s inaugural Volunteer Jam; the festival has continued on in the decades since, even after Charlie’s death in 2020.
Jelly Roll and Brantley Gilbert have released the video for their collaboration “Son of the Dirty South.” It’s also the name of their joint tour, which launches June 30.
Randy Houser has shared a new song, “Workin’ Man,” off his upcoming album, Note to Self, which will be released November 11.
Kylie Morgan has unveiled the track list for her EP, P.S., coming out July 1. It features seven songs, including “Country Anyway,” a collaboration with Walker Hayes.
Former Gloriana member Mike Gossin has released his new single, “Marry You.” It will be featured on his upcoming solo project.
Cardi B is already a woman of many titles, but her Messenger series sees her take on roles that are quite different from her regular line of work.
In the latest episode of Cardi Tries, which airs Friday, the “Up” rapper attempts to step into the role of a firefighter, bringing along comedian Lilly Singh for some moral support. With guidance from members of the fire department in Monrovia, California, the two learn how to do CPR, place oxygen masks on patients and put out fires, among other things. Their skills are eventually put to the test with a simulated fire drill.
For Cardi fans who would rather hear new music from the Grammy winner, there is some good news. The rapper teased her musical return earlier this week. “feeling like 2020 when I had to come out and STEP to remind them …..P.S-IM GONNA STOMP THIS TIME AROUND,” she tweeted alongside a compilation of videos from her 2018 debut album, Invasion of Privacy.
Taylor Swift approves of her BFF Selena Gomez using her music on TikTok. Selena is promoting the latest drop from her Rare Beauty cosmetics line with a TikTok that’s set to Taylor’s hit “The Man.” As captured by PopBase, Taylor responded in the comments, “It’s giving CEO it’s giving gorgeousness it’s giving friends forever.”
Justin Timberlake traded his khakis for Louis Vuitton on Thursday as he and wife Jessica Biel hit up the luxury brand’s outdoor runway show in Paris. Both Justin and Jessica sported LV head to toe. Justin shared their looks on Instagram, adding a caption honoring late Louis Vuitton designer Virgil Abloh. E! reports that other stars at the event included Naomi Campbell, Chanel Iman, Joel Edgerton and Ella Emhoff, better known as Vice President Kamala Harris‘ stepdaughter.
Evan Rachel Wood is portraying Madonna in the upcoming biopic of “Weird Al” Yankovic. On The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon Thursday, she proved that not only can she talk exactly like early ’80s Madonna, but she can sing just like her as well, belting out a note-perfect rendition of “Material Girl.” She also did perfect imitations of Alanis Morissette and Janis Joplin.
Meghan Trainor knows she’s an oversharer — remember the side-by-side toilets Story? — but when it comes to who inspired her new single, she’s keeping her mouth shut. “Bad for Me” is about a family member she had to cut ties with, but as she tells People, “This one is personal because there’s someone else involved. And usually I tell every detail, and this one, I want to keep that private for their sake. I don’t want my fans going and finding them. So it’s weird to walk on eggshells.”
On The Kelly Clarkson Show Friday, Alanis Morissette shared some advice her father gave her about being in the public eye, and also spoke about her own growth and self-actualization — which led Kelly to gush, “Everything you say sounds like it came from a beautiful self-help book! You should write one!”
Ever find an old pair of jeans in your closet and try them on just to see if they’ll fit? Britney Spears did just that and showed off the results on Instagram. The singer, who just moved into a new house, posted a video of herself wearing the low-rise pants and wrote, “Went to the old house yesterday to finish packing and look what I found … these adorable white jeans … no lie I think it’s been 20 years since I wore white jeans and they actually fit!”
Taylor Swift approves of her BFF Selena Gomez using her music on TikTok. Selena is promoting the latest drop from her Rare Beauty cosmetics line with a TikTok that’s set to Taylor’s hit “The Man.” As captured by PopBase, Taylor responded in the comments, “It’s giving CEO it’s giving gorgeousness it’s giving friends forever.”
New dad Post Malone has launched a new line of merchandise for his younger fans called PostyCo Kids. The tees, hoodies, tote bags and caps — and even a onesie — are decorated with an anime version of the star’s tattooed face.
Justin Timberlake traded his khakis for Louis Vuitton on Thursday as he and wife Jessica Biel hit up the luxury brand’s outdoor runway show in Paris. Both Justin and Jessica sported LV head to toe. Justin shared their looks on Instagram, adding a caption honoring late Louis Vuitton designer Virgil Abloh.
Evan Rachel Wood is portraying Madonna in the upcoming biopic of “Weird Al” Yankovic. On The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon Thursday, she proved that not only can she talk exactly like early ’80s Madonna, but she can sing just like her as well, belting out a note-perfect rendition of “Material Girl.” She also did perfect imitations of Alanis Morissette and Janis Joplin.
Meghan Trainor knows she’s an oversharer — remember that side-by-side toilets Story? — but when it comes to who inspired her new single, she’s keeping her mouth shut. “Bad for Me” is about a family member she had to cut ties with, but as she tells People, “This one is personal because there’s someone else involved. And usually I tell every detail, and this one, I want to keep that private for their sake. I don’t want my fans going and finding them. So it’s weird to walk on eggshells.”
Nominations for the 2022 Stellar Gospel Music Awards have been announced, and CeCe Winans is leading the pack. The singer’s live Believe For It album has earned her a total of nine nods, including artist of the year, song of the year and album of the year.
Pastor Mike Jr. follows closely behind CeCe with eight nods. He’s nominated for artist of the year, producer of the year, album of the year, male artist of the year and song of the year — all connected to his work on I Got It: Single’s Ministry Vol. 1, which was released last August.
Tamela Mann, Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music, Todd Dulaney, Kelontae Gavin, Maverick City Music, Israel Houghton, Ricky Dillard, E. Dewey Smith and Jason Clayborn & The Atmosphere Changers were also named as nominees.
As for the night’s special honors, Grammy winner Aaron Lindsey will receive the Aretha Franklin icon award, Candi Staton will be gifted the legends award — named after gospel star Dr. Bobby Jones — and Ricky Dillard will be honored with the lifetime achievement award.
The 37th iteration of the Stellar Gospel Music Awards will take place at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta on July 16. Jekalyn Carr and Kierra Sheard will co-host the show, which will feature performances from Tye Tribbett, Marvin Sapp, Chrisette Michele, James Fortune and more.
(NEW YORK) — The federal case against Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, a former Theranos executive accused of defrauding investors and patients, is now in the hands of a jury.
Prosecutors and lawyers for Balwani — the ex-boyfriend of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes — wrapped up their closing arguments on Friday following several weeks of witness testimony.
The jury is expected to begin its deliberations on Friday.
Prosecutors say Balwani and Holmes, who touted her startup’s technology as capable of accurately and reliably running any blood test, fraudulently raised hundreds of millions of dollars from investors.
Money poured in, but the miniature blood-testing device, dubbed the “Edison,” could never run more than 12 tests, government attorneys said.
Balwani joined the company in 2009, guaranteeing a $10 million loan and quickly rising to the post of president and COO of Theranos. While his attorneys sought to distinguish his position in the company from the CEO, Holmes, prosecutors say he played an equal role in the fraud.
“I am responsible for everything at Theranos. All have been my decisions too,” read a text message from Balwani to Holmes in July 2015, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Schenk presented to the jury in his final argument.
“Of course [Balwani] had a hand in making the decisions at Theranos,” defense attorney Jeff Coopersmith said during his closing argument.
But, Coopersmith, said in meetings with investors and others, “everyone was listening to Elizabeth Holmes.” The company was her vision, he added, and Balwani had bought in.
“Mr. Balwani is not a victim. He’s a perpetrator of the fraud,” the prosecutor, Schenk, said to wrap up his remarks.
The feds originally charged Balwani and Holmes together. But their trials were later severed after Holmes revealed she may testify to abuse at the hands of Balwani. She was convicted in January of four counts of fraud related to investors. She is expected to be sentenced in September.
Balwani faces similar charges: 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted on just one count.
Wayne Kaatz, a juror on the Holmes case, told ABC News in an exclusive interview earlier this year that his group of 12 jurors convicted Holmes, in part, because “everything went through her,” he said. “She had final approval.”
He also revealed his team found Holmes’ testimony largely not credible. Balwani, in his trial, did not take the stand.
