A deadly storm slamming the plains, the reported tornado and what we can expect today. Also overnight, this video coming in from Southern California firefighters returning from a long shift, fighting a wildfire, flipping over on the freeway.
Politics this morning, and a scandal in the battleground state of North Carolina. One of the candidates for governor allegedly caught making disturbing comments about black people and slavery. He denies the remarks. How the Republican Party is responding. Plus, former President Trump speaks at an anti-Semitism event while Oprah teams up with Vice President Harris. The latest from the campaign trail.
Rising tensions in the Middle East. What we have learned about how Israel carried out those pager and walkie talkie attacks in Lebanon, and the new warning for Israelis living along the border.
A luxury yacht goes up in flames, the fireworks and ammunition found on board.
History in baseball. Shohei Ohtani doing something no player has ever done before. Reaction this morning and.
A woman is attacked by a python inside her home, squeezed by the giant snake for hours. How she escaped.
From ABC News. This is America this morning.
Good Friday morning, everyone. I'm Rhiannon ally.
And I'm Lionel Moise. In for Andrew. We begin with breaking news overnight from Kentucky.
A judge shot and killed inside his chambers. And the suspect charged in his murder is the local sheriff. The shots rang out just before 3 p.m.. Windsor County Courthouse.
That. Shots fired.
Police say the sheriff of rural Letcher County, Kentucky, shot District Judge Kevin Mullins after an argument inside the county courthouse.
Emergency services responded to the area and located District Judge Kevin Mullins with several gunshot wounds.
Attempts to save the 54 year old judge were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
We know that it was an argument between the two that led up, but what exactly transpired prior to the shots being fired are still things that we're trying to get answers to.
Police say the 43 year old sheriff, Shawn Stines, was taken into custody without incident.
This community is small in nature and we're all shook.
It's the third high profile murder of a judge in the last two years. Last October, a Maryland man shot and killed a judge shortly after the judge ruled against him in a divorce case back in June of 2022. A former Wisconsin judge was killed in what authorities called a targeted attack. And in 2020, the son of a U.S. district judge in new Jersey was killed by a gunman who was targeting the judge at her home. The U.S. Marshals Service says serious threats to federal judges have more than doubled in the last three years. Part of what officials say is a growing wave of politically driven violence. As for the suspect in Kentucky, He is charged with first degree murder. Kentucky's governor saying there is far too much violence in this world and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow. Police say the judge was shot several times. There's no word on what the alleged argument was about. The suspect has not entered a plea yet, but investigators say he is cooperating.
Breaking overnight, a possible tornado is blamed for at least one death near Tulsa. Strong winds flipped over an RV in Pawnee, Oklahoma. Police say the vehicle fell on top of the victim. Wind gusts reportedly topped 70mph. And in politics. A scandal in the crucial swing state of North Carolina. A candidate for governor is accused of making disturbing statements on a porn site, including allegedly saying he is a black Nazi, but this morning he denies making that statement and his party is standing by him. This morning, the North Carolina Republican Party is standing by their candidate for governor, calling the allegations against Mark Robinson a political smear.
Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story. Those are not the words of Mark Robinson.
CNN reports Robinson made inflammatory comments on the message board of a pornography website years ago, including one post where he allegedly called himself a black Nazi and expressed support for reinstating slavery. ABC news has not independently confirmed CNN's report, which claims Robinson made the comments between 2008 and 2012. Robinson, who was once praised by former President Trump as Martin Luther King on steroids, denies making the comments and says he's staying in the race. Look, I'm.
Not going to get into the minutia of how somebody manufactured this, all these salacious tabloid lies. But I can tell you this there's been over $1 million spent on me through I by a billionaire son who is bound and determined to destroy me.
Meanwhile, on the presidential campaign trail, former President Trump spoke at an anti antisemitism event in Washington, he called on Vice President Harris to disavow any support from Hamas sympathizers, including those on university campuses.
Ground zero for the outbreak of the anti-Jewish hate under Kamala Harris has been our college campuses.
Trump also called for a grand jury to investigate. A new report from the FBI that says Iranian hackers stole Trump campaign material this summer and tried to send it to Biden campaign associates. Meanwhile, in Michigan, Oprah Winfrey hosted a live streamed event with Vice President Harris last night.
A wife and mama to senator to Vice president, please welcome Kamala Harris to.
The event included conversations about reproductive rights and gun violence. Natalie Griffith, a 15 year old who was shot in the arm during the recent mass shooting at a Georgia high school attended with her parents.
She said that there was a shooting at the Appalachia High School. My my heart just dropped and my heart just got so heavy and I could not stop. I just, like I had to leave.
I'm in favor of the Second Amendment, and I'm in favor of assault weapons bans, universal background checks, red flag laws. I'm a gun owner. Tim Walz is a gun. I know that if somebody breaks into my house, they're getting shot. Sorry. Yes, yes.
I hear that, I hear that.
Probably should not have said that, but my staff will deal with that later.
And today, Harris heads to Atlanta to discuss reproductive rights. As for Trump, he holds a rally in North Carolina tomorrow. He did not immediately comment on the Mark Robinson allegations.
Eight firefighters in Southern California were injured when their truck crashed on this freeway in Irvine. They were returning from a 12 hour shift fighting one of the wildfires in that region. Officials say the driver swerved trying to avoid a ladder in the road and then hit a guardrail. Six of the eight firefighters suffered serious injuries.
Overseas, Israel has ramped up airstrikes in southern Lebanon just days after those bombings that used electronic devices, including pagers and walkie talkies. ABC News Learning more about how Israel carried out those attacks. ABC's Christiane Cordero has the details for us. Christiane. Good morning.
Lionel, good morning to you. Sources say Israel, for at least 15 years had been planning this kind of attack using wireless devices. Explosions targeted Hezbollah militants in Lebanon this week, with pagers and walkie talkies blowing up at the same time, killing at least 37 people, most of them Hezbollah fighters. But two children also died and thousands of people were injured. Sources say Israel created shell companies to manufacture and eventually sell the pagers to Hezbollah, planting explosives in the devices with a remote trigger. The walkie talkies featured the logo of a Japanese company, and that company tells us that kind of device was discontinued ten years ago. The leader of Hezbollah has called these attacks an act of war. Israel in the last 24 hours has ramped up airstrikes targeting Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon, both sides exchanging fire, and two Israeli soldiers were killed. People in northern Israel are being told to stay close to bomb shelters today. As for those pager and walkie talkie attacks, one expert tells us they likely would not be considered a war crime because Israel appeared to target Hezbollah fighters, not civilians.
Rhiannon. All right.
Christiane, thank you for that. Wall Street opens this morning at a record high. The Dow closed above 42,000 yesterday following the Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates by half a point. Mortgage rates also dropping to the lowest rate in nearly two years, now averaging just over 6%. Another 1200 hotel workers have walked off their jobs in Boston. It's the biggest wave of three day strikes in several cities aimed at getting new contracts with higher pay and better working conditions, and the strike at Boeing is entering day eight. It's already cost the company and workers more than $570 million. Thousands of non-union workers are expected to be furloughed.
Time now for your Friday weather. The system that spawned a deadly twister in Oklahoma last night is moving across the Plains and into the Midwest. Showers and more severe storms are possible with strong winds and hail. Meanwhile, it's a rare day in Las Vegas. The city could see its first measurable rain in five months. Lightning and gusty winds are also expected. Checking today's high temperatures nearly 100 degrees in Texas and Oklahoma. Summerlike temperatures will extend into the Midwest again today. Coming up, the pigs on the run, delighting kids at a nearby elementary school.
But first, a yacht goes up in flames in California, later sinking. We'll tell you what was found on board.
And the government now accusing social media companies of running vast surveillance on people using their apps. The concern about where that data is ending up that story ahead.
Once in a lifetime. Whenever news.
Breaks. We are here in Israel, a nation at war. After that brutal surprise attack by Hamas on the.
Ground in Ukraine, reporting from Lewiston, Maine.
The scene of a horrific mass shooting.
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This tornado tore through this little town.
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Traveling with the president in Mexico City. Wherever the story.
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So what are we serving up? Well, how about everything you need to know?
Give it to me. Your health, your money. Breaking news. Pop culture with the biggest stars. Music trends, and of course, good food. It's all coming up.
On GMA three. You're going to love it.
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See you May 3rd. What you need to know a third hour of GMA in the afternoon. So join us.
Afternoons for everything you need to.
Know. I love that. Me too.
The question is why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine. How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm in.
September and October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream for everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu. ABC's David Muir the most watched newscast in America. More Americans watch World News Tonight with David Muir than any other newscast.
Fireworks. Look at this. A fire on a luxury yacht packed with fireworks and a thousand rounds of ammunition is now under investigation. Flames swallowed up the admiral in California's Marina del Rey. Both people who were on board escaped. The 100 foot yacht eventually sank. The cause of the fire has not officially been determined.
The fire at a natural gas pipeline that burned for nearly four days near Houston is finally out this morning. It started Monday when an SUV hit a pipeline valve. Human remains were found in the vehicle. Police have opened a criminal investigation. Seven homes nearby suffered major damage.
A new warning today about your personal data online. The government claims tech companies have engaged in vast surveillance of personal information. And it's raising concern about how the companies are sharing the data. Here's ABC's Andrea Fujii.
This morning the Federal Trade Commission is calling on Congress to pass new privacy laws after the agency found social media companies engaging in, quote, vast surveillance on people using their apps.
You can almost bet that if you're using a free service, that you're giving up something to have that service.
The report is based on information gathered four years ago. Several social media and video companies, including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube were ordered to explain how they collect, track and use people's personal information such as their marital status, income and level of education. They found the companies engaged in broad data sharing and often couldn't keep track of who they were selling the information to. The report also revealed companies did not delete all user data in response to user deletion requests, and some companies used privacy invasive tracking technologies to help sell targeted advertising.
A wake up call to the public and the consumer that you need to take action and be aware of what information you're potentially giving up in order to leverage free services.
In recent years, some companies have tightened their policies. Just this week, Instagram announced privacy protections for teens. But experts warn changes like this may not be enough.
I don't feel like these companies truly have our children's best interests in mind. I think that they have themselves in mind for the most part. And so ultimately it becomes the parents responsibility to really dig in and understand what their children are, are using.
Google and discord responded to the report. Google saying, we never sell people's personal information and we don't use sensitive information to serve ads. And discord disputed the report, saying it combines very different models into one bucket. One important takeaway from all of this make sure you read the user agreements when you download an app to learn more about where your data might be going. Rhiannon. Lionel.
Very good advice. Andrea. Thank you for that. Coming up, new evidence in the Jordan Chiles Olympic medal controversy.
Also ahead, what happened just days before the Titan submersible imploded, killing five people on the way to see the Titanic.
Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what no one has seen before.
Well, look at that. Oh my gosh. Well, that had taken.
We are heading into the unknown. Hammer.
Hammer, hammer. It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
Whenever. Wherever news breaks. It's so important to always remember that lives are changed here in London. In Buffalo. Uvalde, Texas. Edinburgh, Scotland. Reporting from Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Ukrainian refugees here in Warsaw. We're heading to a small community outside of Mexico City, getting you behind the stories as they happen. ABC News Live Prime. We'll take you there.
Stream ABC news live weeknights wherever you stream your news, only on ABC News Live.
Did you kill Mariota?
Sorry. Um. No, I did not kill Mary Yoder.
How did she.
Die? When the tests came back, I thought. Holy. Are you kidding me?
People think she's innocent.
I think she's guilty.
I'm not buying this little innocent game.
Little miss innocent.
I know it wasn't me. If it wasn't me, who was it?
Only on Hulu tonight.
The 2020 season premiere. Doctor Garcia, go inside a murder mystery. Garcia. Police department as it unravels.
Oh my God. Doctor Garcia was deceased on the couch.
How could this have happened?
An enduring and deep mystery filled with sick twists, shocking turns. Tonight, secrets will be revealed.
Cold blooded. The 2020 season premiere tonight at nine over eight central on ABC.
Betrayal is one of the hardest types of trauma to overcome.
This is her knight in shining armor.
Everything felt right all of a sudden. I found this hidden folder. I opened it. I don't think I can say it. I'm sorry. It's shocking. My stomach just dropped. He just really didn't think I had it in me to do something, so I.
Did. Betrayal of father's secret. The all new season on Hulu.
We are back now with an atypical day at the office. A woman working at a check cashing business in Atlanta. Look at this. Was shocked when men started falling from the ceiling. She was held at gunpoint, forced to open the safe there, and the robbers got away with about $150,000.
Fortunately, she is okay. We are learning more about the deadly voyage last year to see the wreckage of the Titanic. A scientist who worked on the Titan submersible is revealing what went wrong before that fatal dive. New details about previous issues with the Titan submersible, which imploded on its way to the Titanic wreck last year, killing all five people on board. At a Coast Guard hearing, the company's scientific director testified the Titan malfunctioned just days before its final dive.
The platform had a valve malfunction and the bow of the platform submerged, tilting the platform and the submersible to about a 45 degree angle.
No one was injured in that incident, but six days later, the Titan imploded on its way to the Titanic. Testimony this week has detailed equipment and design issues, a lack of staff experience and what critics say was a dangerous determination to rush the mission. But one staff member, Renata Rojas, says the crew departing on that fateful dive was full of excitement.
It was just very happy to go. That's the memory I have. Nobody was really nervous. Um, they were excited about what they're going to see. Make sure you have your camera.
Investigators have released underwater footage of the Titan on the ocean floor. Rojas likened the Titan to the Apollo space program, saying she hopes this tragedy does not discourage innovation.
With exploration, there's risk. And without taking that risk and the exploration, you know, the world still be flat.
One victim's family has filed a lawsuit claiming the electronic system on the Titan was faulty.
We are getting a new look at the evidence that is part of U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles fight to reclaim her Olympic medal. She has appealed to Switzerland's highest court after being stripped of her bronze in Paris for not challenging her score in time. But her evidence includes video in which her coach is heard asking for an inquiry into the score twice within the one minute time limit. The video, which was analyzed by The Washington Post, was not considered by the judges who took away her medal.
Still ahead, the new excitement coming to movie theaters. Plus, the.
Remarkable story of this woman being squeezed by a python in its grip for hours.
With so much at stake, so much on the line, more Americans turn here than any other newscast. ABC News World News Tonight with David Muir, America's number one most watched newscast across all of television.
Baywatch is a fantasy.
Baywatch was sexy.
Jason Momoa exploded.
Carmen was a bombshell.
Pamela Anderson was an icon.
Greed. Lust. Fame.
Everyone likes to watch sexy things.
Through natural beauty. Untouched. One of the last of its kind, but this comes at a cost. Five countries, five incredible real stories of adventure. Danger. We have to go. And deceit. These are the last lands, the national parks around the world that have to be saved.
Why do so many.
People start their day here?
This is start here to.
Be in the know and get a different take on the day's top stories. Listen now to the daily news podcast honored with four Edward R Murrow Awards. Start here ABC news. Make it your daily first. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Start here. The stars are shining on GMA. Next week, Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, Kate Winslet, Niecy Nash and new kids on the block on Good Morning America.
The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm.
In September and October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream for everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
Reporting from near the Israel-Lebanon border as tensions here ramp up, I'm Tom Soufi Burridge. You're streaming ABC News Live.
Time to check the pulse. And we begin with baseball's first 5050 man, the Dodgers.
Shohei Ohtani has become the first big leaguer to hit 50 home runs and stole 50 bases in one season.
Athletes from various sports are sending their congratulations. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had my favorite reaction. He called Ohtani's achievement, quote, insane. On Thursday Night Football. Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdowns in his first complete home game for the Jets, and the defense did the rest with seven sacks. The Jets beat the Patriots 24 to 3. Next, some new attractions are coming to movie theaters all across the country. And we're not talking about films.
Theater owners are investing billions trying to add everything from ziplines to pickleball courts, trying to expand theaters into larger family fun destinations. Theaters are also boosting food selections, hoping to attract bigger crowds in the streaming era. Plus, we head to Thailand, where a woman was put under some real pressure in her kitchen.
She's about to do her dishes when a python wrapped itself around her torso. The 13 foot snake squeezed her down to the floor and then held her in its grip for two hours. A neighbor eventually heard her calls for help.
Police showed up and hit that snake with a crowbar until it let her go. Aside from a few bites, she is doing okay. Finally, two big pigs that did not go quietly.
No one knows where they came from, but they were wandering around a town in Canada for two days before police tried to capture them. The chase near a school lasted for two hours.
Those pigs were finally caught and held in a soccer goal. They were eventually taken to a sanctuary. They're pretty.
Fast too. Who knew pigs could run that fast?
Everyone chasing, they're flying.
Top headlines. Next.
Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river. These are the last lands. What is this? It's explosives. It's one of these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run. Gold mine.
That have to be saved.
Why do so many.
People start their day here?
From ABC news. This is start here to be in the know.
And get a different take on the day's top stories. A lot of.
News today, so let's.
Get into it.
Listen now to the daily news podcast honored with four Edward R Murrow Awards, and see why the New York Times calls it a news podcast worth listening to. Start here ABC news. Make it your daily first listen.
Now that's a part of the story I bet you didn't see coming.
Wherever you get your podcasts, start here.
Wherever news breaks. It's so important to always remember that lives are changed, getting you behind the stories as they happen. ABC News Live Prime. We'll take you there.
Streaming free on ABC News Live. With so much at stake, so much on the line, more Americans turn here than any other newscast. ABC News World News Tonight with David Muir, America's number one most watched newscast across all of television.
Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what no one has seen before.
Wow. Look at that. Oh my gosh. Well, dead ahead. Tegan.
We are heading into the unknown. Hammer.
Hammer. Hammer. It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
Checking more top stories now. A judge in rural Kentucky is dead after police say he was shot in his chambers by the local sheriff. Authorities say the two men were arguing before the shooting, but it's not clear why they were arguing.
North Carolina's Republican candidate for governor, Mark Robinson, says he's staying in the race despite accusations that he posted racist statements on a porn site, including saying he's a, quote, Black Nazi. He denies making the statements.
The postmaster general is rejecting former President Trump's concerns about the Post Office's ability to handle mail in ballots for the upcoming election. Louis DeJoy insisting postal officials are ready for the volume.
The CDC is reporting a sharp increase in cases of whooping cough, the highest in ten years. It's reminding parents that vaccines are the best prevention.
Today's weather possible coastal flooding in New England. Storms from the plains into the Midwest and rain for the southwest.
And finally, the timeless torch is stealing the hearts in the WNBA.
And ours as well. Danny New explains.
And twisting banks it in as the top seeded New York Liberty prepare to host their first series of this year's WNBA playoffs.
Five six, seven eight.
Their secret weapon is also getting loose.
You know, we're going all the way this year.
Their name is the Timeless Torches, but these performers all over the age of 40 are not at the Barclays Center to ball. No. No, no. In the first half of every home game, the torches are in charge of electrifying the crowd and guaranteeing a raucous home court advantage with their earth shattering moves.
This is the great. Yeah. Oh, yeah.
During a routine, you might see 87 year old Shirley Kohler, who has professional experience in ballet and jazz. Do your knees ever hurt your back?
Like, oh, we don't discuss that. Okay.
Or you may get to witness Captain Margaret Hamilton, who is a founding member back in 2005.
When you're walking into a game, you're walking into dreams.
But even if you're walking in dressed for the part. Did somebody order some extra liberty? Their routines, often led by mascot Ellie the Elephant, still do not come naturally.
The night. It takes to get outside.
Today. We still had a good time.
We also find time.
And as the torches continue to joyously and rhythmically defy what people may expect of folks who are a little more experienced, the team captain has a message for all the doubters.
Everything you can do, we can do better.
Now that I'm watching the footage of me dancing, they're definitely better than me. So the first game tips off Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN, and then Caitlin Clark's first ever playoff game with the Indiana Fever. Guys, that is 3 p.m. on Sunday right here on ABC.
Nice moves Danny. That's what's making news in America this morning. Have a.
Great Friday. Right now on America this morning, a judge is found murdered in his chambers. The local sheriff now under arrest. What investigators are saying.
Breaking overnight, a deadly storm slamming the plains, the reported tornado and what we can expect today. Also overnight, this video coming in from Southern California firefighters returning from a long shift fighting a wildfire, flipping over on the freeway.
Politics this morning, and a scandal in the battleground state of North Carolina. One of the candidates for governor allegedly caught making disturbing comments about black people and slavery. He denies the remarks. How the Republican Party is responding. Plus, former President Trump speaks at an anti-Semitism event while Oprah teams up with Vice President Harris, the latest from the campaign trail.
Rising tensions in the Middle East. What we have learned about how Israel carried out those pager and walkie talkie attacks in Lebanon, and the new warning for Israelis living along the border.
A luxury yacht goes up in flames, the fireworks and ammunition found on board.
History in.
Baseball. Shohei Ohtani is doing something no player has ever done before. Reaction this morning and.
A woman is attacked by a python inside her home, squeezed by the giant snake for hours. How she escaped.
From ABC News. This is America this morning.
Good Friday morning, everyone. I'm Rhiannon ally.
And I'm Lionel Moise. In for Andrew. We begin with breaking news overnight from Kentucky.
A judge shot and killed inside his chambers. And the suspect charged in his murder is the local sheriff. The shots rang out just before 3 p.m.. Walker County courthouse.
That shots fired.
Police say the sheriff of rural Letcher County, Kentucky, shot District Judge Kevin Mullins after an argument inside the county courthouse.
Emergency services responded to the area and located District Judge Kevin Mullins with several gunshot wounds.
Attempts to save the 54 year old judge were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene. We know that.
It was an argument between the two that led up, but what exactly transpired prior to the shots being fired is still things that we're trying to get answers to.
Police say the 43 year old sheriff, Shawn Stines, was taken into custody without incident.
This community is small in nature and we're all shook.
It's the third.
High profile murder of a judge in the last two years. Last October, a Maryland man shot and killed a judge. Shortly after the judge ruled against him in a divorce case back in June of 2022. A former Wisconsin judge was killed in what authorities called a targeted attack. And in 2020, the son of a U.S. district judge in new Jersey was killed by a gunman who was targeting the judge at her home. The U.S. Marshals Service says serious threats to federal judges have more than doubled in the last three years. Part of what officials say is a growing wave of politically driven violence. As for the suspect in Kentucky, he is charged with first degree murder. Kentucky's governor saying there is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow. Police say the judge was shot several times. There is no word on what the alleged argument was about. The suspect has not entered a plea yet, but investigators say he is cooperating.
Breaking overnight, a possible tornado is blamed for at least one death near Tulsa. Strong winds flipped over an RV in Pawnee, Oklahoma. Police say the vehicle fell on top of the victim. Wind gusts reportedly topped 70mph. And in politics. A scandal in the crucial swing state of North Carolina. A candidate for governor is accused of making disturbing statements on a porn site, including allegedly saying he is a black Nazi, but this morning he denies making that statement and his party is standing by him. This morning, the North Carolina Republican Party is standing by their candidate for governor, calling the allegations against Mark Robinson, a political smear.
Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story. Those are not the words of Mark Robinson.
CNN reports Robinson made inflammatory comments on the message board of a pornography website years ago, including one post where he allegedly called himself a black Nazi and expressed support for reinstating slavery. ABC news has not independently confirmed CNN's report, which claims Robinson made the comments between 2008 and 2012. Robinson, who was once praised by former President Trump as Martin Luther King on steroids, denies making the comments and says he's staying in the race.
Look, I'm not going to get into the minutia of how somebody manufactured this, all these salacious tabloid lies. But I can tell you this there's been over $1 million spent on me through I by a billionaire son who is bound and determined to destroy me.
Meanwhile, on the presidential campaign trail, former President Trump spoke at an antisemitism event in Washington. He called on Vice President Harris to disavow any support from Hamas sympathizers, including those on university campuses.
Ground zero for the outbreak of the anti-Jewish hate under Kamala Harris has been our college campuses.
Trump also called for a grand jury to investigate a new report from the FBI that says Iranian hackers stole Trump campaign material this summer and tried to send it to Biden campaign associates. Meanwhile, in Michigan, Oprah Winfrey hosted a live streamed event with Vice President Harris last night.
A wife and mama to senator to Vice president, please welcome Kamala Harris to.
The event included conversations about reproductive rights and gun violence. Natalie Griffith, a 15 year old who was shot in the arm during the recent mass shooting at a Georgia high school, attended with her parents.
She said that.
There was a shooting at the high school. My my heart just dropped and my heart just got so heavy and I could not stop. I just like I had to leave.
I'm in favor of the Second Amendment and I'm in favor of assault weapons ban, universal background checks, red flag laws. I'm a gun owner. Tim Walz is a gun. I know that, and I thought that was from my house to getting shot. Sorry. Yes, yes.
I hear that, I hear that.
Probably should not have said that, but my staff will deal with that later.
And today, Harris heads to Atlanta to discuss reproductive rights. As for Trump, he holds a rally in North Carolina tomorrow. He did not immediately comment on the Mark Robinson allegations.
Eight firefighters in Southern California were injured when their truck crashed on this freeway in Irvine. They were returning from a 12 hour shift fighting one of the wildfires in that region. Officials say the driver swerved trying to avoid a ladder in the road and then hit a guardrail. Six of the eight firefighters suffered serious injuries.
Overseas, Israel has ramped up airstrikes in southern Lebanon just days after those bombings that used electronic devices, including pagers and walkie talkies. ABC News Learning more about how Israel carried out those attacks. ABC's Christiane Cordero has the details for us. Christiane. Good morning.
Lionel, good morning to you. Sources say Israel, for at least 15 years had been planning this kind of attack using wireless devices. Explosions targeted Hezbollah militants in Lebanon this week, with pagers and walkie talkies blowing up at the same time, killing at least 37 people, most of them Hezbollah fighters. But two children also died and thousands of people were injured. Sources say Israel created shell companies to manufacture and eventually sell the pagers to Hezbollah, planting explosives in the devices with a remote trigger. The walkie talkies featured the logo of a Japanese company, and that company tells us that kind of device was discontinued ten years ago. The leader of Hezbollah has called these attacks an act of war. Israel in the last 24 hours has ramped up airstrikes targeting Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon, both sides exchanging fire, and two Israeli soldiers were killed. People in northern Israel are being told to stay close to bomb shelters today. As for those pager and walkie talkie attacks, one expert tells us they likely would not be considered a war crime because Israel appeared to target Hezbollah fighters, not civilians.
Rhiannon. All right.
Christiane, thank you for that. Wall Street opens this morning at a record high. The Dow closed above 42,000 yesterday following the Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates by half a point. Mortgage rates also dropping to the lowest rate in nearly two years, now averaging just over 6%. Another 1200 hotel workers have walked off their jobs in Boston. It's the biggest wave of three day strikes in several cities aimed at getting new contracts with higher pay and better working conditions. And the strike at Boeing is entering day eight. It's already cost the company and workers more than $570 million. Thousands of non-union workers are expected to be furloughed.
Time now for your Friday weather. The system that spawned a deadly twister in Oklahoma last night is moving across the Plains and into the Midwest. Showers and more severe storms are possible with strong winds and hail. Meanwhile, it's a rare day in Las Vegas. The city could see its first measurable rain in five months. Lightning and gusty winds are also expected. Checking today's high temperatures nearly 100 degrees in Texas and Oklahoma. Summerlike temperatures will extend into the Midwest again today. Coming up, the pigs on the run, delighting kids at a nearby elementary school.
But first, a yacht goes up in flames in California, later sinking. We'll tell you what was found on board.
And the government now accusing social media companies of running vast surveillance on people using their apps. The concern about where that data is ending up that story ahead.
Once in a lifetime.
It was a regular day for 19 year old Melissa Witt.
Something terrible had happened to her.
We had several suspects, all.
These kinds of leads.
A known serial killer in your area, could he be involved? We're actually finding key evidence that could have slipped.
Through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl.
Police will find.
Out what happened.
At wit's end. The hunt for a killer. Only on Hulu.
Here's to good mornings in America. Can you feel the love?
Oh, yeah.
Mornings that inspire. Filled with hope, kindness, joyous surprises. And is so much fun. This is crazy. This is absolutely crazy. Start your day with Good Morning America's Ray of sunshine, highlighting the best of America and helping.
Make dreams come true. Wow. I'm just so happy. It's so.
Good. Get ready to smile and put the good into your morning America.
Because you know what will make the morning better? A little ray of sunshine forever.
Whenever, wherever news breaks. It's so important to always remember that lives are changed here in London, in Buffalo. Uvalde, Texas. Edinburgh, Scotland. Reporting from Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Ukrainian refugees here in Warsaw. We're heading to a small community outside of Mexico City, getting you behind the stories as they happen. ABC News Live Prime. We'll take you there.
Stream ABC news live weeknights wherever you stream your news, only on ABC News Live. ABC News Live honored with eight Emmy nominations, more than any other streaming news network and ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis. The first and only streaming show nominated for best outstanding Live news program. This is ABC News Live. ABC news honored for excellence with 40 Emmy nominations. Mornings. Evenings. Late night weekends. Streaming 24 over seven. 40 Emmy nominations. Thank you for making ABC news America's number one news.
Reporting from the volcano eruption in Grindavik, Iceland. I'm Marcus Moore. Wherever the story is, we'll take you there. You're streaming with ABC News Live.
Fireworks. Look at this. A fire on a luxury yacht packed with fireworks and a thousand rounds of ammunition is now under investigation. Flames swallowed up the admiral in California's Marina del Rey. Both people who were on board escaped. The 100 foot yacht eventually sank. The cause of the fire has not officially been determined.
The fire at a natural gas pipeline that burned for nearly four days near Houston is finally out this morning. It started Monday when an SUV hit a pipeline valve. Human remains were found in the vehicle. Police have opened a criminal investigation. Seven homes nearby suffered major damage.
A new warning today about your personal data online. The government claims tech companies have engaged in vast surveillance of personal information, and it's raising concern about how the companies are sharing the data. Here's ABC's Andrea Fujii.
This morning the Federal Trade Commission is calling on Congress to pass new privacy laws after the agency found social media companies engaging in, quote, vast surveillance on people using their apps.
You can almost bet that if you're using a free service, that you're giving up something to have that service.
The report is based on information gathered four years ago. Several social media and video companies, including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube were ordered to explain how they collect, track and use people's personal information, such as their marital status, income and level of education. They found the companies engaged in broad data sharing and often couldn't keep track of who they were selling the information to. The report also revealed companies did not delete all user data in response to user deletion requests, and some companies used privacy invasive tracking technologies to help sell targeted advertising.
A wake up call to the public and the consumer that you need to take action and be aware of what information you're potentially giving up in order to leverage free services.
In recent years, some companies have tightened their policies. Just this week, Instagram announced privacy protections for teens. But experts warn changes like this may not be enough.
I don't feel like these companies truly have our children's best interests in mind. I think that they have themselves in mind for the most part, and so ultimately, it becomes the parents responsibility to really dig in and understand what their children are, are using.
Google and discord responded to the report. Google saying, we never sell people's personal information and we don't use sensitive information to serve ads. And discord disputed the report, saying it combines very different models into one bucket. One important takeaway from all of this make sure you read the user agreements when you download an app to learn more about where your data might be going. Rhiannon. Lionel.
Very good advice. Andrea. Thank you for that. Coming up, new evidence in the Jordan Chiles Olympic medal controversy.
Also ahead, what happened just days before the Titan submersible imploded, killing five people on the way to see the Titanic.
With so much at stake, so much on the line, more Americans turn here than any other newscast. ABC News World News Tonight with David Muir, America's number one most watched newscast across all of television.
Baywatch is a fantasy.
Baywatch was sexy.
Jason Momoa exploded.
Carmen was a bombshell.
Pamela Anderson was an icon.
Greed and lust for fame.
Everyone likes to watch sexy things.
Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what no one has seen before.
Wow. Look at that. Oh my God. Well, that had gone.
We are heading into the unknown. Hammer.
Hammer. Hammer. It doesn't get any.
More cutting edge than this.
Did you kill Mariota?
Sorry. Um. No, I did not kill Mary Yoder.
How did she.
Die? When the tests came back, I thought. Holy. Are you kidding me?
People think she's innocent.
I think she's guilty.
I'm not buying.
This little Miss Innocent game.
Little miss innocent.
I know it wasn't me. If it wasn't me, who was it?
Only on Hulu.
Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Shohei Ohtani. Legends of the game. But now the list of greats redefined from ABC news reclaimed the forgotten league side of the story of baseball you have never heard before. Like this. The award winning podcast is back. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or scan the QR code you see here.
After Israel's targeted bombings against Hezbollah, Martha Raddatz reports from Tel Aviv, plus the race to the white House with just six weeks to go Sunday on ABC's This Week.
Whenever, wherever news breaks, it's so important to always remember that lives are changed here in London, in Buffalo. Uvalde, Texas. Edinburgh, Scotland. Reporting from Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Ukrainian refugees here in Warsaw are heading to a small community outside of Mexico City, getting you behind the stories as they happen. ABC News Live Prime. We'll take you there.
Stream ABC news live weeknights wherever you stream your news, only on ABC News Live.
We are back now with an atypical day at the office. A woman working at a check cashing business in Atlanta. Look at this. Was shocked when men started falling from the ceiling. She was held at gunpoint, forced to open the safe there, and the robbers got away with about $150,000.
Fortunately, she is okay. We are learning more about the deadly voyage last year to see the wreckage of the Titanic. A scientist who worked on the Titan submersible is revealing what went wrong before that fatal dive. New details about previous issues with the Titan submersible, which imploded on its way to the Titanic wreck last year, killing all five people on board. At a Coast Guard hearing, the company's scientific director testified the Titan malfunctioned just days before its final dive.
The platform had a valve malfunction and the bow of the platform submerged, tilting the platform and the submersible to about a 45 degree angle.
No one was injured in that incident, but six days later, the Titan imploded on its way to the Titanic. Testimony this week has detailed equipment and design issues, a lack of staff experience and what critics say was a dangerous determination to rush the mission. But one staff member, Renata Rojas, says the crew departing on that fateful dive was full of excitement.
It was just very happy to go. That's the memory I have. Nobody was really nervous. Um, they were excited about what they're going to see. Make sure you have your camera.
Investigators have released underwater footage of the Titan on the ocean floor. Rojas likened the Titan to the Apollo space program, saying she hopes this tragedy does not discourage innovation.
With exploration, there's risk. And without taking that risk and the exploration, you know, the world still be flat.
One victim's family has filed a lawsuit claiming the electronic system on the Titan was faulty.
We are getting a new look at the evidence that is part of U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles fight to reclaim her Olympic medal. She has appealed to Switzerland's highest court after being stripped of her bronze in Paris for not challenging her score in time. But her evidence includes video in which her coach is heard asking for an inquiry into the score twice within the one minute time limit. The video, which was analyzed by The Washington Post, was not considered by the judges who took away her medal.
Still ahead, the new excitement coming to movie theaters. Plus, the.
Remarkable story of this woman being squeezed by a python in its grip for hours.
Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands.
What is this? It's explosives.
These are these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run.
Gold mine that have to be saved.
Why do so many.
People start their day here?
From ABC news. This is start here to.
Be in the now and get a different take on the day's top stories. A lot of.
News today, so let's get into it.
Listen now to the daily news podcast honored with four Edward R Murrow Awards, and see why the New York Times calls it a news podcast worth listening to. Start here ABC news make it your daily first listen.
Now that's a part of the story. I bet you didn't see coming.
Wherever you get your podcasts, start here. With so much at stake, so much on the line, more Americans turn here than any other newscast. ABC News World News Tonight with David Muir, America's number one most watched newscast across all of television.
Let's go. We are heading into the unknown.
Oh my gosh. We just saw where no one has seen before.
It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine. How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm.
In September and.
October 2023, he was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream for everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
Traveling with the president in Paris. I'm Mary Bruce. Wherever the story is, we'll take you there. You're streaming ABC news live.
Time to check the pulse. And we begin with baseball's first 5050 man.
The Dodgers Shohei Ohtani has become the first big leaguer to hit 50 home runs and stole 50 bases in one season.
Athletes from various wards are sending their congratulations. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had my favorite reaction. He called Ohtani's achievement quote insane. On Thursday Night Football, Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdowns in his first complete home game for the Jets, and the defense did the rest with seven sacks. The Jets beat the Patriots 24 to 3. Next, some new attractions are coming to movie theaters all across the country. And we're not talking about films.
Theater owners are investing billions trying to add everything from ziplines to pickleball courts, trying to expand theaters into larger, family fun destinations. Theaters are also boosting food selections, hoping to attract bigger crowds in the streaming era. Plus, we head to Thailand, where a woman was put under some real pressure in her kitchen.
She was about to do her dishes when a python wrapped itself around her torso. The 13 foot snake squeezed her down to the floor and then held her in its grip for two hours. A neighbor eventually heard her calls for help.
Police showed up and hit that snake with a crowbar until it let her go. Aside from a few bites, she is doing okay. Finally, two big pigs that did not go quietly.
No one knows where they came from, but they were wandering around a town in Canada for two days before police tried to capture them. The chase near a school lasted for two hours.
Those pigs were finally caught and held in a soccer goal. They were eventually taken to a sanctuary. They're pretty.
Fast too. Who knew pigs could run that fast? Everyone chasing, they're flying. Top headlines. Next.
It was a regular day for 19 year old Melissa Witt.
Something terrible had happened to her.
You had several suspects.
All these kinds of leads.
A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved? We're actually finding key evidence.
That could have slipped through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl. Police will find.
Out what happened.
At wit's end. The hunt for a killer. Only on Hulu.
Baywatch is a fantasy.
Baywatch was sexy.
Jason Momoa exploded.
Carmen was a bombshell.
Pamela Anderson was an icon.
Greed and lust for fame.
Everyone likes to watch sexy things.
Why do so many people start their day here?
From ABC news. This is start here to be in the.
Know and get a different take on the day's top stories. A lot of.
News today, so let's get into it.
Listen now to the daily news podcast honored with four Edward R Murrow Awards, and see why the New York Times calls it a news podcast worth listening to. Start here ABC news. Make it your daily first listen.
Now that's a part of the story I bet you didn't see coming.
Wherever you get your podcasts, start here.
Wherever news breaks. It's so important to always remember that lives are changed, getting you behind the stories as they happen. ABC News Live Prime. We'll take you there.
Streaming free on ABC News Live.
Betrayal is one of the hardest types of trauma to overcome.
This is her knight in shining armor.
Everything felt right all of a sudden. I found this hidden folder. I opened it. I don't think I can say it. I'm sorry. It's shocking. My stomach just dropped. He just really didn't think I had it in me to do something.
So I did. Betrayal of father's secret. The all new season on Hulu.
Checking more top stories now. A judge in rural Kentucky is dead after police say he was shot in his chambers by the local sheriff. Authorities say the two men were arguing before the shooting, but it's not clear why they were arguing.
North Carolina's Republican candidate for governor, Mark Robinson, says he's staying in the race despite accusations that he posted racist statements on a porn site, including saying he's a, quote, Black Nazi. He denies making the statements.
The postmaster general is rejecting former President Trump's concerns about the Post Office's ability to handle mail in ballots for the upcoming election. Louis DeJoy insisting postal officials are ready for the volume.
The CDC is reporting a sharp increase in cases of whooping cough, the highest in ten years. It's reminding parents that vaccines are the best prevention.
Today's weather possible coastal flooding in New England. Storms from the Plains into the Midwest and rain for the southwest.
And finally, the timeless torch is stealing the hearts in the WNBA and.
Ours as well. Danny New explains.
And twisting banks it in as the top seeded New York Liberty prepare to host their first series of this year's WNBA playoffs.
Five six, seven eight.
Their secret weapon is also getting loose.
You know, we're going all the way to share.
Their name is the Timeless Torches, but these performers all over the age of 40 are not at the Barclays Center to ball game. No. No, no. In the first half of every home game, the torches are in charge of electrifying the crowd and guaranteeing a raucous home court advantage with their earth shattering moves.
This is the great yes. Oh, yeah.
During a routine, you might see 87 year old Shirley Kohler, who has professional experience in ballet and jazz. Do your knees ever hurt your back?
Like, oh, we don't discuss that, okay.
Or you may get to witness Captain Margaret Hamilton, who was a founding member back in 2005.
When you're walking into a game, you're walking into dreams.
But even if you're walking in dressed for the part, did somebody order some extra liberty? Their routines, often led by mascot Ellie the Elephant, still do not come naturally.
Sometimes. It's nice to get.
But we still had a good time.
We also find time every day.
And as the torches continue to joyously and rhythmically defy what people may expect of folks who are a little more experienced, the team captain has a message for all the doubters.
Everything you can do, we can do better.
Now that I'm watching the footage of me dancing, they're definitely better than me. So the first game tips off Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN, and then Caitlin Clark's first ever playoff game with the Indiana Fever. Guys, that is 3 p.m. on Sunday right here on ABC.
Nice moves Danny. That's what's making news in America this morning. Have a.
Great Friday. Right now on America this morning, a judge is found murdered in his chambers. The local sheriff now under arrest. What investigators are saying.
Breaking overnight, a deadly storm slamming the plains, the reported tornado and what we can expect today. Also overnight, this video coming in from Southern California firefighters returning from a long shift fighting a wildfire, flipping over on the freeway.
Politics this morning, and a scandal in the battleground state of North Carolina. One of the candidates for governor allegedly caught making disturbing comments about black people and slavery. He denies the remarks. How the Republican Party is responding. Plus, former President Trump speaks at an anti-Semitism event while Oprah teams up with Vice President Harris, the latest from the campaign trail.
Rising tensions in the Middle East. What we have learned about how Israel carried out those pager and walkie talkie attacks in Lebanon, and the new warning for Israelis living along the border.
A luxury yacht goes up in flames, the fireworks and ammunition found on board.
History and baseball. Shohei Ohtani doing something no player has ever done before. Reaction this morning and.
A woman is attacked by a python inside her home, squeezed by the giant snake for hours. How she escaped.
From ABC News. This is America this morning.
Good Friday morning, everyone. I'm Rhiannon ally.
And I'm Lionel Moise. In for Andrew. We begin with breaking news overnight from Kentucky.
A judge shot and killed inside his chambers. And the suspect charged in his murder is the local sheriff. The shots rang out just before 3 p.m..
Walker County Courthouse got shots fired.
Police say the sheriff of rural Letcher County, Kentucky, shot District Judge Kevin Mullins after an argument inside the county courthouse.
Emergency services responded to the area and located District Judge Kevin Mullins with several gunshot wounds.
Attempts to save the 54 year old judge were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene. We know that.
It was an argument between the two that led up, but what exactly transpired prior to the shots being fired are still things that we're trying to get answers to.
Police say the 43 year old sheriff, Sean Stevens, was taken into custody without incident.
This community is small in nature and we're all shook.
It's the third high profile murder of a judge in the last two years. Last October, a Maryland man shot and killed a judge shortly after the judge ruled against him in a divorce case back in June of 2022. A former Wisconsin judge was killed in what authorities called a targeted attack. And in 2020, the son of a U.S. district judge in new Jersey was killed by a gunman who was targeting the judge at her home. The U.S. Marshals Service says serious threats to federal judges have more than doubled in the last three years. Part of what officials say is a growing wave of politically driven violence. As for the suspect in Kentucky, he is charged with first degree murder. Kentucky's governor saying there is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow. Police say the judge was shot several times. There is no word on what the alleged argument was about. The suspect has not entered a plea yet, but investigators say he is cooperating.
Breaking overnight, a possible tornado is blamed for at least one death near Tulsa. Strong winds flipped over an RV in Pawnee, Oklahoma. Police say the vehicle fell on top of the victim. Wind gusts reportedly topped 70mph. And in politics. A scandal in the crucial swing state of North Carolina. A candidate for governor is accused of making disturbing statements on a porn site, including allegedly saying he is a black Nazi, but this morning he denies making that statement and his party is standing by him. This morning, the North Carolina Republican Party is standing by their candidate for governor, calling the allegations against Mark Robinson. A political smear.
Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story. Those are not the words of Mark Robinson.
CNN reports Robinson made inflammatory comments on the message board of a pornography website years ago, including one post where he allegedly called himself a black Nazi and expressed support for reinstating slavery. ABC news has not independently confirmed CNN's report, which claims Robinson made the comments between 2008 and 2012. Robinson, who was once praised by former President Trump as Martin Luther King on steroids, denies making the comments and says he's staying in the race.
Look, I'm not going to get into the minutia of how somebody manufactured this, all these salacious tabloid lies. But I can tell you this there's been over $1 million spent on me through I by a billionaire son who is bound and determined to destroy me.
Meanwhile, on the presidential campaign trail, former President Trump spoke at an antisemitism event in Washington. He called on Vice President Harris to disavow any support from Hamas sympathizers, including those on university campuses.
Ground zero for the outbreak of the anti-Jewish hate under Kamala Harris has been our college campuses.
Trump also called for a grand jury to investigate. A new report from the FBI that says Iranian hackers stole Trump campaign material this summer and tried to send it to Biden campaign associates. Meanwhile, in Michigan, Oprah Winfrey hosted a live streamed event with Vice President Harris last night.
A wife and mama to senator to Vice president, please welcome Kamala Harris to.
The event included conversations about reproductive rights and gun violence. Natalie Griffith, a 15 year old who was shot in the arm during the recent mass shooting at a Georgia high school attended with her parents.
Just said there was a shooting at the Appalachia High School. My my heart just dropped and my heart just got so heavy and I could not stop. I just like I had to leave.
I'm in favor of the Second Amendment and I'm in favor of assault weapons ban, universal background checks, red flag laws. I'm a gun owner. Tim Walz is a gun. I know that, and I thought that was in my house to getting shot. Yes, yes.
I hear that, I hear that.
Probably should not have said that, but my staff will deal with that later.
And today, Harris heads to Atlanta to discuss reproductive rights. As for Trump, he holds a rally in North Carolina tomorrow. He did not immediately comment on the Mark Robinson allegations.
Eight firefighters in Southern California were injured when their truck crashed on this freeway in Irvine. They were returning from a 12 hour shift, fighting one of the wildfires in that region. Officials say the driver swerved trying to avoid a ladder in the road and then hit a guardrail. Six of the eight firefighters suffered serious injuries.
Overseas, Israel has ramped up airstrikes in southern Lebanon just days after those bombings that used electronic devices, including pagers and walkie talkies. ABC News Learning more about how Israel carried out those attacks. ABC's Christiane Cordero has the details for us. Christiane. Good morning.
Lionel, good morning to you. Sources say Israel, for at least 15 years had been planning this kind of attack using wireless devices. Explosions targeted Hezbollah militants in Lebanon this week, with pagers and walkie talkies blowing up at the same time, killing at least 37 people, most of them Hezbollah fighters. But two children also died and thousands of people were injured. Sources say Israel created shell companies to manufacture and eventually sell the pagers to Hezbollah, planting explosives in the devices with a remote trigger. The walkie talkies featured the logo of a Japanese company, and that company tells us that kind of device was discontinued ten years ago. The leader of Hezbollah has called these attacks an act of war. Israel in the last 24 hours has ramped up airstrikes targeting Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon, both sides exchanging fire, and two Israeli soldiers were killed. People in northern Israel are being told to stay close to bomb shelters today. As for those pager and walkie talkie attacks, one expert tells us they likely would not be considered a war crime because Israel appeared to target Hezbollah fighters, not civilians.
Rhiannon. All right.
Christiane, thank you for that. Wall Street opens this morning at a record high. The Dow closed above 42,000 yesterday following the Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates by half a point. Mortgage rates also dropping to the lowest rate in nearly two years, now averaging just over 6%. Another 1200 hotel workers have walked off their jobs in Boston. It's the biggest wave of three day strikes in several cities aimed at getting new contracts with higher pay and better working conditions. And the strike at Boeing is entering day eight. It's already cost the company and workers more than $570 million. Thousands of non-union workers are expected to be furloughed.
Time now for your Friday weather. The system that spawned a deadly twister in Oklahoma last night is moving across the Plains and into the Midwest. Showers and more severe storms are possible with strong winds and hail. Meanwhile, it's a rare day in Las Vegas. The city could see its first measurable rain in five months. Lightning and gusty winds are also expected. Checking today's high temperatures nearly 100 degrees in Texas and Oklahoma. Summerlike temperatures will extend into the Midwest again today. Coming up, the pigs on the run, delighting kids at a nearby elementary school.
But first, a yacht goes up in flames in California, later sinking. We'll tell you what was found on board.
And the government now accusing social media companies of running vast surveillance on people using their apps. The concern about where that data is ending up. That story ahead.
Whenever news breaks, we are.
Here in Israel, a nation at war in.
Rolling Fork.
This tornado tore.
Through this town.
From Lewiston, Maine.
The scene of a horrific mass shooting.
From the scene of that deadly missile strike.
ABC News Live everywhere in Iceland.
Let's go on the 2024 campaign trail here at ten Downing Street.
Wherever the story is, we're going to take you there.
You're streaming ABC News Live.
ABC News live.
You're streaming ABC News Live.
ABC news live streaming. Free everywhere.
Wait a second. Wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands.
What is this? explosives?
Are these dynamite blasts down here?
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run. Gold mine.
That have to be saved.
Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what no one has seen before.
Wow. Look at that. Oh my gosh! Well, that had taken.
We are heading into the unknown.
Hammer, hammer, hammer. It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
With so much at stake, so much on the line, more Americans turn here than any other newscast. ABC News World News Tonight with David Muir. America's number one most watched newscast across all of television.
Baywatch is a fantasy.
Baywatch was sexy.
Jason Momoa exploded.
Carmen was a bombshell.
Pamela Anderson was an icon.
Greed. Lust. Fame.
Everyone likes to watch sexy things.
ABC's David Muir, the most watched newscast in America. More Americans watch World News tonight with David Muir than any other newscast.
Look at this. A fire on a luxury yacht packed with fireworks and a thousand rounds of ammunition is now under investigation. Flames swallowed up the admiral in California's Marina del Rey. Both people who were on board escaped. The 100 foot yacht eventually sank. The cause of the fire has not officially been determined.
The fire at a natural gas pipeline that burned for nearly four days near Houston is finally out this morning. It started Monday when an SUV hit a pipeline valve. Human remains were found in the vehicle. Police have opened a criminal investigation. Seven homes nearby suffered major damage.
A new warning today about your personal data online. The government claims tech companies have engaged in vast surveillance of personal information. And it's raising concern about how the companies are sharing the data. Here's ABC's Andrea Fujii.
This morning the Federal Trade Commission is calling on Congress to pass new privacy laws after the agency found social media companies engaging in, quote, vast surveillance on people using their apps.
You can almost bet that if you're using a free service, that you're giving up something to have that service.
The report is based on information gathered four years ago. Several social media and video companies, including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube were ordered to explain how they collect, track and use people's personal information, such as their marital status, income and level of education. They found the companies engaged in broad data sharing and often couldn't keep track of who they were selling the information to. The report also revealed companies did not delete all user data in response to user deletion requests, and some companies used privacy invasive tracking technologies to help sell targeted advertising.
A wake up call to the public and the consumer that you need to take action and be aware of what information you're potentially giving up in order to leverage free services.
In recent years, some companies have tightened their policies. Just this week, Instagram announced privacy protections for teens. But experts warn changes like this may not be enough.
I don't feel like these companies truly have our children's best interests in mind. I think that they have themselves in mind for the most part. And so ultimately it becomes the parents. Responsibility to really dig in and understand what their children are, are using.
Google and discord responded to the report, Google saying, we never sell people's personal information and we don't use sensitive information to serve ads. And discord disputed the report, saying it combines very different models into one bucket. One important takeaway from all of this make sure you read the user agreements when you download an app to learn more about where your data might be going. Rhiannon. Lionel.
Very good advice. Andrea. Thank you for that. Coming up, new evidence in the Jordan Chiles Olympic medal controversy.
Also ahead, what happened just days before the Titan submersible imploded, killing five people on the way to see the Titanic.
Whenever news breaks.
We are here in Israel, a nation at war. After that brutal surprise attack by Hamas on.
The ground.
In Ukraine, reporting from Lewiston, Maine.
The scene of a horrific mass shooting.
ABC News Live is right there everywhere.
From the scene of that deadly missile strike in Dnipro, Ukraine.
Reporting from the earthquake in Turkey in Rolling Fork.
This tornado.
Tore through this little town from the.
Most devastating disaster in Hawaii from Charleston, South.
Carolina, on the 2024 campaign trail.
In Iceland. Let's go.
Traveling with the president in Mexico City. Wherever the story.
From the front lines from southern Israel.
Outside the Gaza Strip.
In Beirut, from the FBI reporting from the nurses on the picket line here at ten Downing Street in London, streaming.
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Is, wherever the story is.
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Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the Last lands.
What is this?
Explosives.
These are these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What is the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run.
Gold mine that have to be saved.
Here's to good mornings in America. Can you feel the love?
Oh, yeah.
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Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what no one has seen before.
Wow, look at that. Oh my God. Well, dead ahead, Dragon.
We are heading into the unknown.
Hammer, hammer, hammer. It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
We are back now with an atypical day at the office. A woman working at a check cashing business in Atlanta. Look at this. Was shocked when men started falling from the ceiling. She was held at gunpoint, forced to open the safe there, and the robbers got away with about $150,000.
Fortunately, she is okay. We are learning more about the deadly voyage last year to see the wreckage of the Titanic. A scientist who worked on the Titan submersible is revealing what went wrong before that fatal dive. New details about previous issues with the Titan submersible, which imploded on its way to the Titanic wreck last year, killing all five people on board. At a Coast Guard hearing, the company's scientific director testified the Titan malfunctioned just days before its final dive.
The platform had a valve malfunction and the bow of the platform submerged, tilting the platform and the submersible to about a 45 degree angle.
No one was injured in that incident, but six days later, the Titan imploded on its way to the Titanic. Testimony this week has detailed equipment and design issues, a lack of staff experience and what critics say was a dangerous determination to rush the mission. But one staff member, Renata Rojas, says the crew departing on that fateful dive was full of excitement.
It was just very happy to go. That's the memory I have. Nobody was really nervous. Um, they were excited about what they're going to see. Make sure you have your camera.
Investigators have released underwater footage of the Titan on the ocean floor. Rojas likened the Titan to the Apollo space program, saying she hopes this tragedy does not discourage innovation.
With exploration, there's risk. And without taking that risk and the exploration, you know, the world still be flat.
One victim's family has filed a lawsuit claiming the electronic system on the Titan was faulty.
We are getting a new look at the evidence that is part of U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles fight to reclaim her Olympic medal. She has appealed to Switzerland's highest court after being stripped of her bronze in Paris for not challenging her score in time. But her evidence includes video in which her coach is heard asking for an inquiry into the score twice within the one minute time limit. The video, which was analyzed by The Washington Post, was not considered by the judges who took away her medal.
Still ahead, the new excitement coming to movie theaters. Plus, the.
Remarkable story of this woman being squeezed by a python in its grip for hours.
Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what no one has seen before.
Wow. Look at that. Oh my gosh! Wow! Dead ahead. Dragon.
We are heading into the unknown.
Hammer, hammer, hammer. It doesn't get any.
More cutting edge than this.
With so much at stake, so much on the line. More Americans turn here than any other newscast. ABC News World News Tonight with David Muir, America's number one most watched newscast across all of television.
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Fridays on GMA. You're going to love it.
Wait a second. Wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands.
What is this? It's explosives.
These are these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run.
Gold mine that have to be saved.
The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm.
In September and October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream for everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
Hi, I'm Diane Macedo, live.
In Philadelphia at the National.
Constitution Center.
You're watching ABC News Live.
Time to check the pulse. And we begin with baseball's first 5050 man, the Dodgers.
Shohei Ohtani has become the first big leaguer to hit 50 home runs and stole 50 bases in one season.
Athletes from various wards are sending their congratulations. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had my favorite reaction. He called Ohtani's achievement, quote, insane. On Thursday Night Football, Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdowns in his first complete home game for the Jets, and the defense did the rest with seven sacks. The Jets beat the Patriots 24 to 3. Next, some new attractions are coming to movie theaters all across the country. And we're not talking about films.
Theater owners are investing billions trying to add everything from ziplines to pickleball courts, trying to expand theaters into larger, family fun destinations. Theaters are also boosting food selections, hoping to attract bigger crowds in the streaming era. Plus, we head to Thailand, where a woman was put under some real pressure in her kitchen.
She was about to do her dishes when a python wrapped itself around her torso. The 13 foot snake squeezed her down to the floor and then held her in its grip for two hours. A neighbor eventually heard her calls for help.
Police showed up and hit that snake with a crowbar until it let her go. Aside from a few bites, she is doing okay. Finally, two big pigs that did not go quietly.
No one knows where they came from, but they were wandering around a town in Canada for two days before police tried to capture them. The chase near a school lasted for two hours.
Those pigs were finally caught and held in a soccer goal. They were eventually taken to a sanctuary. They're pretty.
Fast too. Who knew pigs could run that fast? Everyone chasing, they're flying. Top headlines. Next.
Whenever news breaks, we are.
Here in Israel. A nation at war.
In Rolling Fork. This tornado.
Tore through this town.
From Lewiston, Maine.
The scene of a horrific mass shooting from the scene of.
That deadly missile strike.
ABC News Live everywhere in Iceland.
Let's go on the 2024 campaign trail here at ten Downing Street. Wherever the story.
Is, we're going to take you there. You're streaming.
ABC News.
Live. ABC News live.
You're streaming. ABC News Live.
ABC news live streaming. Free everywhere. Let's go.
The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what no one has seen before.
Wow, look at that. Oh my gosh. Wow. Dead ahead. Tegan.
We are heading into the unknown.
Hammer, hammer, hammer. It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
Tonight, the 2020 season premiere.
Doctor Garcia, go inside a murder mystery. Garcia. Police department as it unravels.
Oh my God. Doctor Garcia was deceased on the couch.
How could this have happened?
An enduring and deep mystery filled with sick twists, shocking turns. Tonight, secrets will be revealed.
Cold blooded. The 2020 20 season premiere tonight at nine eight central on ABC.
Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands.
What is this? It's explosives.
These are these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run. Gold mine.
That have to be saved.
Checking more top stories now. A judge in rural Kentucky is dead after police say he was shot in his chambers by the local sheriff. Authorities say the two men were arguing before the shooting, but it's not clear why they were arguing.
North Carolina's Republican candidate for governor, Mark Robinson, says he's staying in the race despite accusations that he posted racist statements on a porn site, including saying he's a, quote, black Nazi. He denies making the statements.
The postmaster general is rejecting former President Trump's concerns about the Post Office's ability to handle mail in ballots for the upcoming election. Louis DeJoy insisting postal officials are ready for the volume.
The CDC is reporting a sharp increase in cases of whooping cough, the highest in ten years. It's reminding parents that vaccines are the best prevention.
Today's weather possible coastal flooding in New England, storms from the Plains into the Midwest and rain for the southwest.
And finally, the timeless torch is stealing the hearts in the WNBA.
And ours as well. Danny New explains it twisting.
Bakes it in as the top seeded New York Liberty prepare to host their first series of this year's WNBA playoffs.
Five six.
Seven eight.
Their secret weapon is also getting loose.
You know, we're going all the way to share.
Their name is the Timeless Torches, but these performers all over the age of 40 are not at the Barclays Center to bawl. No. No, no. In the first half of every home game, the torches are in charge of electrifying the crowd and guaranteeing a raucous home court advantage with their earth shattering moves.
This is the great yes. Oh, yeah.
During a routine, you might see 87 year old Shirley Kohler, who has professional experience in ballet and jazz. Do your knees ever hurt your back?
Like, oh, we don't discuss that, okay.
Or you may get to witness Captain Margaret Hamilton, who was a founding member back in 2005.
When you're walking into a game, you're walking into dreams.
But even if you're walking in dressed for the part, did somebody order some extra liberty? Their routines, often led by mascot Ellie the Elephant, still do not come naturally.
It takes two to get outside.
But we still had a good time. We also find time. And as the torches continue to joyously and rhythmically defy what people may expect of folks who are a little more experienced, the team captain has a message for all the doubters.
Everything you can do, we can do better.
Now that I'm watching the footage of me dancing, they're definitely better than me. So the first game tips off Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN, and then Caitlin Clark's first ever playoff game with the Indiana Fever. Guys, that is 3 p.m. on Sunday right here on ABC.
Nice moves Danny. That's what's making news in America this morning. Have a.
Great Friday.
It's Friday, September 20th. Democrats got one of their candidates to drop out. Republicans were hoping for one of theirs. We start here. A bombshell report upends the governor's race in North Carolina.
Those are not the.
Words of Mark Robinson.
You know, it's bad when a porn site is the least scandalous part of the story. Now, could this affect the national election picture? Israel resumes airstrikes against Hezbollah.
This is obviously ramping up, which makes the region nervous.
But we're now getting Intel from sources about how those pagers were rigged to explode. And if someone offered you dirt on your political opponent, would you take it?
This is information from inside the Trump campaign.
The new accusations about how Iran tried to subvert an election. From ABC news. This is start here. I'm Brad Mielke. We are now 45 days from Election Day and for much of yesterday it felt like just another day. You had campaign events for both major candidates. You had polls coming out, some showing Kamala Harris with an ever so slight lead in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, like significant but normal stuff. Then we started hearing that North Carolina Republicans were freaking out. By all accounts, the race in North Carolina is going to be tight. That applies to the presidential race, but also the governor's race. And back in March, Republicans nominated the current lieutenant governor, Mark Robinson.
Paint this state red. God bless.
You. He is a self-described culture warrior. He's also the state's first black nominee for governor in either party. And he had the full endorsement of Donald Trump.
This is Martin Luther King on steroids. Okay.
Now, well, throughout the day yesterday, Republicans started coming out saying this guy should get out of the race, all because of a CNN report that hadn't even dropped yet, which made you go, sheesh. Like, how bad could this be?
The things that you will see in that story. Those are not the words of Mark Robinson.
Well, by the afternoon that report had come out, and now he has defied growing calls to step aside. A huge moment in one of the most crucial states for the national election picture. So let's start the day with ABC's Rachel Scott. Rachel, what are the allegations here?
Yeah, Brad. And look, it's never a good sign for any campaign when they're trying to get ahead of a report that's coming out. So here you had Mark Robinson already vowing to stay in the race before we actually learned about what these allegations were.
Our opponents are desperate to shift the focus here from the substantive issues and focus on what you are concerned with to salacious tabloid trash. We cannot allow that to happen.
When this dropped, both Republicans and Democrats called this a bombshell. This is an explosive report that claims that Mark Robinson, the lieutenant governor of North Carolina, made a series of racist, disturbing and inflammatory Online posts, including one where he called himself a, quote, Black Nazi. Now, it is important to note here at ABC news, we have not independently confirmed this reporting. But according to CNN, Robinson made these comments between 2008 and 2012 on a pornographic website called Nude Africa. And according to their reporting, Robinson also posted saying that slavery is not bad. He said that he wished it would come back. All of that is also striking because Robinson is a black man.
The first black lieutenant governor and possibly the first black governor of North Carolina.
And Brad. There are more inflammatory allegations in here as well. CNN was reporting that under a user name used by Robinson on this website, he allegedly describes a memory of peeping on women in the shower as a 14 year old and allegedly posted about watching transgender pornography. He has a recent history of making Transgender comments.
If there's a.
Movement in this country that is demonic and that is full of the spirit of Antichrist, it is the transgender movement.
And so this is all just serving in a very stark contrast to what he has been saying publicly.
I was going to say political scandals blowing up is it's not just the salacious thing that makes them blow up, it's when it directly contradicts how you're telling other people to live. What was the reaction, I guess, from political circles?
Well, this is not what any Republican in a critical battleground state wants to see when we are just about 45 days out from the November election. And so the Trump campaign put out this statement, Brad, and they say that North Carolina is vital to Donald Trump's chances of winning back the white House in November. But, Brad, it's notable that in this statement, they do not mention Mark Robinson by name. Donald Trump has a rally in North Carolina this weekend. There is no word on whether or not Robinson is going to show up with the former president, but Trump did endorse him back in March. He even praised him, comparing him to Martin Luther King Jr. I think you're.
Better than Martin Luther King. I think you are. Martin Luther King Times two.
And CNN also alleges that in some of those online posts, Robinson actually attacked Martin Luther King Jr. Calling him a communist and using a racial slur to describe him.
When I said that to you, you look like I don't know if I like that comment. You should like it because you are outstanding and you're going to be the next governor. So that's going to be very cool.
Right? And again, if these reports are true, right. We have not verified these claims, but we've seen the reaction to them. Certainly. So with that in mind Rachel, is he going to stay in this race. Can he stay in this race.
He says he is staying in this race. He said that before this report came out. He is now saying that after this report came out. And, Brad, there were a few hours yesterday that Republicans were kind of holding their breath wondering like, okay, well, maybe is this guy actually just going to get out? But he didn't have a whole lot of time to make that decision. He had up until 11:59 p.m. last night to decide whether or not he was going to stay in this race, because early voting begins in North Carolina today. Ballots are already being printed, and they're being mailed out to those who are voting by mail. And so whether they like it or not, his name is on the ballot.
Well, yeah. I mean, what does that mean for North Carolinians kind of up and down the ballot?
Yeah, Brad, this is important not only for the gubernatorial race, of course, but when you zoom out and you look at North Carolina on the map, this is a state that both the Harris campaign and the Trump campaign are in a battle over. Are we going to do this? North Carolina polls have shown that this is really a dead heat. It is a toss up between who is going to win this state in November. Donald Trump won this state four years ago by a razor thin margin. You talk to his advisers. They say this is absolutely critical to them clinching the white House again in November. And so when you have voters heading to the polls and they're voting for Republicans, maybe up and down the ballot, and they're looking at a name like Mark Robinson and associating him with all of these allegations, that's not a good sign for the former president in a race that could be very tight. And Donald Trump's advisers are keenly aware of that. I was talking to sources inside the campaign.
They were already saying that they were going to try and create some distance between themselves and Mark Robinson. I can imagine they are definitely going to try and do that, even more so now that this report is out. Right?
Which is why I know you'll have your eyes on this Trump rally this weekend. Rachel Scott, another twist on the trail. Thank you.
Thanks, Brad.
Next up on Start Here. How do you rig thousands of pagers to explode? Sources are telling ABC how it was done after the break.
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Tonight. Violence escalating in the Middle East, Israel and Lebanon. Trading blows. Plus the incredibly tight race for president. What the latest polls now show. World news tonight with David Muir. The most watched newscast on television. Hey, good morning America.
Good morning America. Good morning.
America. You don't just see.
It, you feel it. I'm in.
I'm in. I'll be there. I am in. Good morning. America.
Every day of your life. The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm in.
September and October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream for everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu. Tonight, the 2020 season premiere. Doctor Garcia, go inside a murder mystery. Garcia. Police department as it unravels.
Oh my God. Doctor Garcia was deceased on the couch.
How could this have happened?
An enduring and deep mystery filled with sick twists, shocking turns. Tonight, secrets will be revealed.
Cold blooded. The 2020 season premiere tonight at nine over eight central on ABC.
Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what no one has seen before.
Wow. Look at that. Oh my gosh. Well, dead ahead. Tegan.
We are heading into the unknown. Hammer.
Hammer. Hammer. It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
ABC's David Muir the most watched newscast in America. More Americans watch World News Tonight with David Muir than any other newscast.
Imagine how on edge everyone is in Lebanon right now for months. Years, really. But especially since October 7th, Hezbollah militants have been firing thousands of rockets into areas around northern Israel. Israel has been responding with its own airstrikes targeting top Hezbollah leaders. But then on Tuesday, pagers belonging to some of those operatives started exploding. On Wednesday, it was their walkie talkies. All of these devices had suddenly transformed into hand-held landmines, to the point where some airlines are no longer even allowing anyone to carry beepers coming out of Beirut. And while many suspect Israel of booby trapping these devices, Israel has not confirmed or denied it was them. Yesterday, the IDF and Hezbollah reverted to much more conventional looking warfare. But everyone in the region agrees this isn't over. Let's check in with ABC's chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz, who's in Tel Aviv right now. Martha, we were learning more even about the actual manufacturing of these devices. Right. Like, what are sources telling you?
It is such an extraordinary story and an extraordinary way to attack a terrorist organization. This was something the kind of attack that the Israelis, according to our sources carried out, was planned for maybe 15 years, this kind of attack. But what they did, according to our sources, is that they actually manufactured these pagers at a shell company and managed to sell them eventually to Hezbollah. They took advantage of the fact that Hezbollah was very paranoid about carrying mobile phones, thinking they would be hacked, thinking the Israelis could listen to them and see what they were doing. In fact, the Israelis probably were listening to them. And when they heard that Hezbollah wanted everyone to throw away their mobile phones, they moved to set up this shell company, according to a source that would manufacture these pagers and sell them to Hezbollah. And inside those pagers, explosives and a trigger, a blast trigger that they clearly used remotely to set off all of those pagers.
Unbelievable. Which is similar to sort of the speculation we had heard from Colonel Stephen Ganyard yesterday. I guess what what happens now, Martha? Like, what are the next steps for Israel and for groups like Hezbollah now that we've reached this sort of new point?
Well, let's let's remember right now that Israel is at war in Gaza. I was up by the border yesterday about a mile from Gaza. I mean that that conflict is clearly going on all the time. And yet we now have some Israeli forces moving north. They were pummeling southern Lebanon yesterday, about 100 strikes on what they called rocket launchers that were aimed into Israel.
We remain very clear about the importance of all parties avoiding any steps that could further escalate the conflict that we're trying to resolve.
So this is obviously ramping up, which makes the region nervous, which makes the U.S. very nervous.
And we keep talking about Hezbollah as if it's its own thing. It's directly backed by Iran. Right. So Hezbollah keeps saying we're going to respond. How involved will Iran be in that response?
Well, we heard Iran make the same kinds of threats that Hezbollah did. They are an Iranian backed militant group, just like Hamas. Iran backed Iran has tried in its own way not to have this war widened. They don't want to get hit by Israel at all. But what they have done is also warnings, threats, the kinds of things Iran always does. But when the temperature is this high, Brad, it is much, much riskier to hear those things. And Israel adding troops to the North. It's all very tense here, I can tell you that.
All right. Martha Raddatz there in Israel right now, thank you so much.
You bet. Brad.
Now, when it comes to Iran, is not just these proxy terror groups where Iran has a foothold.
The Trump campaign.
Says it was hacked by the Iranian government.
You might remember earlier this summer, when both presidential campaigns were alerted that Iran had tried to hack the Trump and Harris campaigns. Apparently, they had even been successful in getting material from a Trump staffers email account. Well, this week, American intelligence agencies are outlining in alarming terms what they think Iran's plan was. Let's go to ABC's chief justice correspondent, Pierre Thomas. Pierre, what do we know about this whole hacking enterprise so far?
I think the word that comes to mind is brazen. The allegation from the intelligence community and the FBI is that Iranian hackers were able to infiltrate the emails of the Trump campaign and actually got nonpublic campaign information. And here's the twist. The FBI and intelligence officials are saying that they then forwarded that information, forwarded those emails to individuals associated with the Biden campaign. Bottom line, they were trying to get negative information to the Biden campaign in the hope that they would use it, and that that would give Iran a secret and covert role in the election.
I said, so this is before obviously, before Biden dropped out. What would the goal of that be, Pierre? Is it like helping one campaign, or is it like giving stuff to both of them and getting all the dirty laundry out there? Or is it about kind of compromising them like, hey, now, now you're working with foreign operatives? Guess what? You look terrible. No one trusts you or what.
You think about a situation where Iran wants to help Biden-Harris win at that point, and they're hoping that they can get this information to someone on the Biden team and they would use it. That's one way of looking at it. Another way of looking at it is they simply want to get information that would be damaging and somehow be involved in the American election process, because at the end of the day, according to the intelligence community, what they want to do is sow discord and division and confusion among the American public. Yeah, I was.
Going to say, because we've heard of countries trying to put stuff into media spheres before, this is even different, where you're almost giving it to the other campaign and being like, yeah, guys, go at it. How are the campaigns responding now?
Pierre? Well, obviously the Trump campaign is demanding more transparency from Team Harris. They want to know who got this information. We want they want to know what they did with it. Did they pass it along to anyone? The Harris campaign issued a statement basically saying that they abhor and are against any kind of foreign election interference. They're claiming that this did not go directly to the campaign, but rather to individuals associated with the campaign, and that it looked like spam and phishing, basically suggesting that not much of anything was done with it. And they said they've cooperated completely and fully with the federal investigation.
And just from a broader perspective, Peter, this does this seem like it's going to be sort of an even more normalized thing as far as the strategy for these foreign adversaries?
Well, simultaneously with this information coming out, we had the head of Microsoft on Capitol Hill, and he was very blunt.
It is an election.
Where Russia.
Iran and China are united with a common interest in discrediting democracy in the eyes of our own voters, and even more so in the eyes of the world.
He said. It's ongoing. And he said these different countries are picking sides and trying to help the sides that they want to win, win, right.
And even if you don't want one side to win, even if you're just trying to make Americans distrust each other or distrust the political system, I mean, perhaps mission accomplished already. Really alarming stuff here. Pierre Thomas in Washington reporting at all. Thanks so much.
My pleasure.
Okay, one more quick break. Now let's see. The ultimate swing state is Nebraska. One last thing is next.
Whenever news breaks, we.
Are here in Israel. A nation at war.
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From Lewiston, Maine.
The scene of a horrific mass shooting.
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Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands.
What is this? It's explosives.
These are these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run. Gold mine.
That have to be saved.
Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what.
No one has seen before.
Wow, look at that. Oh my gosh. Well, dead ahead. Tegan.
We are heading into the unknown.
Hammer, hammer, Hammer. It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
With so much at stake, so much on the line, more Americans turn here than any other newscast. ABC News World News Tonight with David Muir, America's number one most watched newscast across all of television. Nightline. The stories that shape your world, that shape your life. Dramatic. Stunning. Empowering. Jaw dropping. The most powerful stories of our time.
Nightline on right after Kimmel and streaming on Hulu.
Sex, lies and a Double Murder.
Two small children were kidnapped.
You know, Mom and dad are going to be right here waiting on you when you get home.
When the twist came, then it completely exploded.
It's one of the craziest stories I've ever heard, and people don't know about it.
What kind of mother would kill her own children.
After nearly 30 years in prison, Smith now has a chance at parole. Could the woman once dubbed the most hated mom in America go free?
Killer mom now streaming on Hulu.
After Israel's targeted bombings against Hezbollah Sunday morning, Martha Raddatz reports from Tel Aviv. Plus, the political threat environment following the second Trump assassination attempt. Now, with just six weeks to Election Day. Sunday on ABC's This Week.
The stars are shining on GMA. Next week, Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, Kate Winslet, Uzo Aduba, Shailene Woodley, Niecy Nash Da'vine Joy Randolph, Javier Bardem new kids on the block next week on Good Morning America.
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The last thing. When you ask a football fan what they think of when they hear the word Omaha, guaranteed, they will immediately tell you, oh, Peyton Manning. Screaming it during NFL games. Omaha. However, if you ask the same question to a political nerd, you will get a totally different answer.
Nebraska is one of two states that does not do. Winner takes all electoral college.
This is ABC's political reporter Brittany Shepard, who's been crunching the numbers on which candidate will get to that all important number. 270 electoral votes. That's what wins the presidency.
Since the early 1990s, Nebraska awarded two electoral votes based on the whole statewide vote and one vote for each of the three congressional districts. So that means that one congressional district can vote in one direction and one in the other, she says.
Nebraska at this point always votes Republican, but one of those congressional districts doesn't. The area surrounding Omaha, Nebraska, has actually turned blue a couple times, including four years ago. And if you ask a political analyst right now how the presidential race will be won and lost, many will tell you. Think about it. The most likely path for a Kamala Harris victory is simply winning those upper Midwestern states that President Biden won four years ago. We're thinking Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin. Boom. That's it. Forget about North Carolina, forget about Georgia. Forget about the western states. You wouldn't even need them if you can just hold that blue wall. But that only gets you to 269. The thing that would put Harris over the top in that scenario is, you guessed it, Omaha.
That means that one electoral vote in Nebraska, which Biden won last cycle, would be the tie breaker for the entire presidential election.
Democrats and Republicans both know how important this area has become. It's why Donald Trump, Joe Biden and more recently, Tim Walz have campaigned there.
Got a slogan here Nebraska. It's not for everyone. Well, it sure ain't for Donald Trump, I'll tell you that.
But this week, speculation has ramped up that the whole Nebraskan system could change.
Trump thinks it should be winner take all this time.
That's right. Republicans in Washington are realizing Omaha, Nebraska could be the reason they lose the white House. Most state lawmakers in Nebraska are Republican, though, so now the pressure campaign is on to make it a winner take all state.
It'll be up to Nebraska. We'll see what they do.
Lindsey Graham, who is not senator from Nebraska, just reminding everyone, went to Nebraska and met with the governor. Top brass, top election officials to remind them of why it might be a disaster in his eyes if winner take all doesn't happen. And you're hearing this from other Republicans all around the country and Nebraska's full federal delegation, Brittany.
Says this would be a tough sell. You need two thirds of the state House to agree. As of right now, they're not there yet. But as we get closer to Election Day, expect the pressure on them to grow.
Republicans who want winner take all could try to get this passed if they have all 33 votes all the way up to Election Day. So on November 4th, if they're able to make this happen, it would automatically like that become state law.
Sorry. Let me just repeat that. Let me just drive home. What Brittany just said you could have a situation where in late October, Kamala Harris thinks she's got a clear path to victory. She's polling well, only to have the rules change the night before the election. At the end of the day, it's Nebraska's call on how they want their votes awarded. But at the moment, votes from Omaha have never been more important. And don't worry, I see you. Maine. Maine is the other state where they award a vote for each congressional district, which has actually helped Donald Trump lately. So Maine had a plan, apparently to counteract Nebraska if they tried to change their rules. Just one problem in Maine, any new law takes 90 days to take effect. So there is a world here where both these states end up inadvertently or not. Helping Trump start here is produced by Kelly Terez, Jen Newman, Brenda Salinas Baker, Vika Aronson, Cameron Chertavian, Anthony Ali, Mara Milwaukee, and Amir Williams.
Ariel Chester is our social media producer. Josh Cohen is director of podcast programming. I'm our managing editor, Laura mayers, our executive producer. Thanks to Lakia Brown, Jon Newman, Tara Gimbel and Liz Alessi. Special thanks this week to Chris Berry, Megan Mystery, and Aisha Ali.
I'm Brad Mielke. See you next week. Omaha comes.
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Right now on America this morning, a judge is found murdered in his chambers. The local sheriff now under arrest. What investigators are saying.
Breaking overnight, a deadly storm slamming the plains, the reported tornado and what we can expect today. Also overnight, this video coming in from Southern California firefighters returning from a long shift fighting a wildfire, flipping over on the freeway.
Politics this morning, and a scandal in the battleground state of North Carolina. One of the candidates for governor allegedly caught making disturbing comments about black people and slavery. He denies the remarks. How the Republican Party is responding. Plus, former President Trump speaks at an anti-Semitism event while Oprah teams up with Vice President Harris, the latest from the campaign trail.
Rising tensions in the Middle East. What we have learned about how Israel carried out those pager and walkie talkie attacks in Lebanon, and the new warning for Israelis living along the border.
A luxury yacht goes up in flames. The fireworks and ammunition found on board.
History and baseball. Shohei Ohtani doing something no player has ever done before. Reaction this morning and.
A woman is attacked by a python inside her home, squeezed by the giant snake for hours. How she escaped.
From ABC News. This is America this morning.
Good Friday morning, everyone. I'm Rhiannon ally.
And I'm Lionel Moise. In for Andrew. We begin with breaking news overnight from Kentucky.
A judge shot and killed inside his chambers. And the suspect charged in his murder is the local sheriff. The shots rang out just before 3 p.m.. Windsor County.
Courthouse. That. Shots fired.
Police say the sheriff of rural Letcher County, Kentucky, shot District Judge Kevin Mullins after an argument inside the county courthouse.
Emergency services responded to the area and located District Judge Kevin Mullins with several gunshot wounds.
Attempts to save the 54 year old judge were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
We know that it was an argument between the two that led up, but what exactly transpired prior to the shots being fired is still things that we're trying to get answers to.
Police say the 43 year old sheriff, Sean Stevens, was taken into custody without incident.
This group is small in nature and we're all shook.
It's the third high profile murder of a judge in the last two years. Last October, a Maryland man shot and killed a judge shortly after the judge ruled against him in a divorce case back in June of 2022. A former Wisconsin judge was killed in what authorities called a targeted attack. And in 2020, the son of a U.S. district judge in new Jersey was killed by a gunman who was targeting the judge at her home. The U.S. Marshals Service says serious threats to federal judges have more than doubled in the last three years. Part of what officials say is a growing wave of politically driven violence. As for the suspect in Kentucky, he is charged with first degree murder. Kentucky's governor saying there is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow. Police say the judge was shot several times. There is no word on what the alleged argument was about. The suspect has not entered a plea yet, but investigators say he is cooperating.
Breaking overnight, a possible tornado is blamed for at least one death near Tulsa. Strong winds flipped over an RV in Pawnee, Oklahoma. Police say the vehicle fell on top of the victim. Wind gusts reportedly topped 70mph. And in politics. A scandal in the crucial swing state of North Carolina. A candidate for governor is accused of making disturbing statements on a porn site, including allegedly saying he is a black Nazi, but this morning he denies making that statement and his party is standing by him. This morning, the North Carolina Republican Party is standing by their candidate for governor, calling the allegations against Mark Robinson a political smear.
Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story. Those are not the words of Mark Robinson.
CNN reports Robinson made inflammatory comments on the message board of a pornography website years ago, including one post where he allegedly called himself a black Nazi and expressed support for reinstating slavery. ABC news has not independently confirmed CNN's report, which claims Robinson made the comments between 2008 and 2012. Robinson, who was once praised by former President Trump as Martin Luther King on steroids, denies making the comments and says he's staying in the race.
Look, I'm not going to get into the minutia of how somebody manufactured this, all these salacious tabloid lies. But I can tell you this there's been over $1 million spent on me through I by a billionaire son who is bound and determined to destroy me.
Meanwhile, on the presidential campaign trail. Former President Trump spoke at an antisemitism event in Washington. He called on Vice President Harris to disavow any support from Hamas sympathizers, including those on university campuses.
Ground zero for the outbreak of the anti-Jewish hate under Kamala Harris has been our college campuses.
Trump also called for a grand jury to investigate a new report from the FBI that says Iranian hackers stole Trump campaign material this summer and tried to send it to Biden campaign associates. Meanwhile, in Michigan, Oprah Winfrey hosted a live streamed event with Vice President Harris last night.
A wife and mama to senator to Vice president, please welcome Kamala Harris to.
The event included conversations about reproductive rights and gun violence. Natalie Griffith, a 15 year old who was shot in the arm during the recent mass shooting at a Georgia high school attended with her parents.
She said that there was a shooting at the Appalachia High School. My my heart just dropped and my heart just got so heavy and I could not. Not just like I had to leave.
I'm in favor of the Second Amendment and I'm in favor of assault weapons ban, universal background checks, red flag laws. I'm a gun owner. Tim Walz is a gun. I know that. And I thought that was in my house. That getting shot? Yes, yes.
I hear that, I hear that.
Probably should not have said that, but my staff will deal with that later.
And today, Harris heads to Atlanta to discuss reproductive rights. As for Trump, he holds a rally in North Carolina tomorrow. He did not immediately comment on the Mark Robinson allegations.
Eight firefighters in Southern California were injured when their truck crashed on this freeway in Irvine. They were returning from a 12 hour shift, fighting one of the wildfires in that region. Officials say the driver swerved trying to avoid a ladder in the road and then hit a guardrail. Six of the eight firefighters suffered serious injuries.
Overseas, Israel has ramped up airstrikes in southern Lebanon just days after those bombings that used electronic devices, including pagers and walkie talkies. ABC News Learning more about how Israel carried out those attacks. ABC's Christiane Cordero has the details for us. Christiane. Good morning.
Lionel, good morning to you. Sources say Israel, for at least 15 years had been planning this kind of attack using wireless devices. Explosions targeted Hezbollah militants in Lebanon this week, with pagers and walkie talkies blowing up at the same time, killing at least 37 people, most of them Hezbollah fighters. But two children also died and thousands of people were injured. Sources say Israel created shell companies to manufacture and eventually sell the pagers to Hezbollah, planting explosives in the devices with a remote trigger. The walkie talkies featured the logo of a Japanese company, and that company tells us that kind of device was discontinued ten years ago. The leader of Hezbollah has called these attacks an act of war. Israel in the last 24 hours has ramped up airstrikes targeting Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon, both sides exchanging fire, and two Israeli soldiers were killed. People in northern Israel are being told to stay close to bomb shelters today. As for those pager and walkie talkie attacks, one expert tells us they likely would not be considered a war crime because Israel appeared to target Hezbollah fighters, not civilians.
Rhiannon.
All right, Christiane, thank you for that. Wall Street opens this morning at a record high. The Dow closed above 42,000 yesterday following the Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates by half a point. Mortgage rates also dropping to the lowest rate in nearly two years, now averaging just over 6%. Another 1200 hotel workers have walked off their jobs in Boston. It's the biggest wave of three day strikes in several cities, aimed at getting new contracts with higher pay and better working conditions. And the strike at Boeing is entering day eight. It's already cost the company and workers more than $570 million. Thousands of nonunion workers are expected to be furloughed.
Time now for your Friday weather. The system that spawned a deadly twister in Oklahoma last night is moving across the Plains and into the Midwest. Showers and more severe storms are possible with strong winds and hail. Meanwhile, it's a rare day in Las Vegas. The city could see its first measurable rain in five months. Lightning and gusty winds are also expected. Checking today's high temperatures nearly 100 degrees in Texas and Oklahoma. Summerlike temperatures will extend into the Midwest again today. Coming up, the pigs on the run, delighting kids at a nearby elementary school.
But first, a yacht goes up in flames in California, later sinking. We'll tell you what was found on board.
And the government now accusing social media companies of running vast surveillance on people using their apps. The concern about where that data is ending up. That story ahead.
Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what.
No one has seen before.
Wow. Look at that. Oh my gosh. Well, that had taken.
We are heading into the unknown.
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Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands. What is this? It's explosives. I just heard these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run. Gold mine.
That have to be saved.
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Look at this. A fire on a luxury yacht packed with fireworks and a thousand rounds of ammunition is now under investigation. Flames swallowed up the admiral in California's Marina del Rey. Both people who were on board escaped. The 100 foot yacht eventually sank. The cause of the fire has not officially been determined.
The fire at a natural gas pipeline that burned for nearly four days near Houston is finally out this morning. It started Monday when an SUV hit a pipeline valve. Human remains were found in the vehicle. Police have opened a criminal investigation. Seven homes nearby suffered major damage.
A new warning today about your personal data online. The government claims tech companies have engaged in vast surveillance of personal information, and it's raising concern about how the companies are sharing the data. Here's ABC's Andrea Fujii.
This morning the Federal Trade Commission is calling on Congress to pass new privacy laws after the agency found social media companies engaging in, quote, vast surveillance on people using their apps.
You can almost bet that if you're using a free service, that you're giving up something to have that service.
The report is based on information gathered four years ago. Several social media and video companies, including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube were ordered to explain how they collect, track and use people's personal information, such as their marital status, income and level of education. They found the companies engaged in broad data sharing and often couldn't keep track of who they were selling the information to. The report also revealed companies did not delete all user data in response to user deletion requests, and some companies used privacy invasive tracking technologies to help sell targeted advertising.
A wake up call to the public and the consumer that you need to take action and be aware of what information you're potentially giving up in order to leverage free services.
In recent years, some companies have tightened their policies. Just this week, Instagram announced a privacy protections for teens. But experts warn changes like this may not be enough.
I don't feel like these companies truly have our children's best interests in mind. I think that they have themselves in mind for the most part. And so ultimately it becomes the parents responsibility to really dig in and understand what their children are, are using.
Google and discord responded to the report. Google saying, we never sell people's personal information and we don't use sensitive information to serve ads. And discord disputed the report, saying it combines very different models into one bucket. One important takeaway from all of this make sure you read the user agreements when you download an app to learn more about where your data might be going. Rhiannon. Lionel.
Very good advice. Andrea. Thank you for that. Coming up, new evidence in the Jordan Chiles Olympic medal controversy.
Also ahead, what happened just days before the Titan submersible imploded, killing five people on the way to see the Titanic.
Whenever news breaks.
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Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands.
What is this? It's explosives.
These are these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run. Gold mine.
That have to be saved.
It was a regular day for 19 year old Melissa Witt.
Something terrible had happened to her.
You had several suspects.
All these kinds of leads.
A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved?
We're actually finding key evidence that could have slipped through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl.
Police will find.
Out what happened at.
Wit's end. The hunt for a killer. Only on Hulu.
The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm in.
September and.
October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream for everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
We're back now with an atypical day at the office. A woman working at a check cashing business in Atlanta. Look at this. Was shocked when men started falling from the ceiling. She was held at gunpoint, forced to open the safe there, and the robbers got away with about $150,000.
Fortunately, she is okay. We are learning more about the deadly voyage last year to see the wreckage of the Titanic. A scientist who worked on the Titan submersible is revealing what went wrong before that fatal dive. New details about previous issues with the Titan submersible, which imploded on its way to the Titanic wreck last year, killing all five people on board. At a Coast Guard hearing, the company's scientific director testified the Titan malfunctioned just days before its final dive.
The platform had a valve malfunction and the bow of the platform submerged, tilting the platform and the submersible to about a 45 degree angle.
No one was injured in that incident, but six days later, the Titan imploded on its way to the Titanic. Testimony this week has detailed equipment and design issues, a lack of staff experience and what critics say was a dangerous determination to rush the mission. But one staff member, Renata Rojas, says the crew departing on that fateful dive was full of excitement.
It was just very happy to go. That's the memory I have. Nobody was really nervous. Um, they were excited about what they're going to see. Make sure you have your camera.
Investigators have released underwater footage of the Titan on the ocean floor. Rojas likened the Titan to the Apollo space program, saying she hopes this tragedy does not discourage innovation.
With exploration, there's risk. And without taking that risk and the exploration, you know, the world still be flat.
One victim's family has filed a lawsuit claiming the electronic system on the Titan was faulty.
We are getting a new look at the evidence that is part of U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles fight to reclaim her Olympic medal. She has appealed to Switzerland's highest court after being stripped of her bronze in Paris for not challenging her score in time. But her evidence includes video in which her coach is heard asking for an inquiry into the score twice within the one minute time limit. The video, which was analyzed by The Washington Post, was not considered by the judges who took away her medal.
Still ahead, the new excitement coming to movie theaters. Plus, the.
Remarkable story of this woman being squeezed by a python in its grip for hours.
Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what.
No one has seen before.
Wow. Look at that. Oh my gosh. Wow. Dead ahead. Dagen, we are.
Heading into the unknown.
Hammer hammer hammer. It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
Nightline. The stories that shape your world. That shape your life. Dramatic. Stunning. Empowering. Jaw dropping. The most powerful stories of our time.
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Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands.
What is this? It's explosives.
These are these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run. Gold mine.
That have to be saved.
Reporting from Rockland County, New York. I'm ginger zee. Wherever the story is, we'll take you there. You're streaming ABC news live. Time to check the pulse. And we begin with baseball's first 5050 man.
The Dodgers Shohei Ohtani has become the first big leaguer to hit 50 home runs and stole 50 bases in one season.
Athletes from various sports are sending their congratulations. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had my favorite reaction. He called Ohtani's achievement, quote, insane. On Thursday Night Football, Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdowns in his first complete home game for the Jets, and the defense did the rest with seven sacks. The Jets beat the Patriots 24 to 3. Next, some new attractions are coming to movie theaters all across the country. And we're not talking about films.
Theater owners are investing billions trying to add everything from ziplines to pickleball courts, trying to expand theaters into larger family fun destinations. Theaters are also boosting food selections, hoping to attract bigger crowds in the streaming era. Plus, we head to Thailand, where a woman was put under some real pressure in her kitchen. She was about.
To do her dishes when a python wrapped itself around her torso. The 13 foot snake squeezed her down to the floor and then held her in its grip for two hours. A neighbor eventually heard her calls for help.
Police showed up and hit that snake with a crowbar until it let her go. Aside from a few bites, she is doing okay. Finally, two big pigs that did not go quietly.
No one knows where they came from, but they were wandering around a town in Canada for two days before police tried to capture them. The chase near a school lasted for two hours.
Those pigs were finally caught and held in a soccer goal. They were eventually taken to a sanctuary. They're pretty.
Fast too. Who knew pigs could run that fast? Everyone chasing.
Their flying.
South next.
Whenever news breaks, we are.
Here in Israel. A nation at war.
In Rolling Fork. This tornado tore through this town.
From Lewiston, Maine.
The scene of a horrific mass shooting.
From the scene of that deadly missile strike.
ABC News Live everywhere in Iceland.
Let's go on the 2024 campaign trail here at ten Downing Street.
Wherever the story is, we're going to.
Take you there.
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Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what.
No one has seen before.
Wow. Look at that. Oh my gosh. Well, that had taken.
We are heading into the unknown.
Hammer, hammer, hammer. It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
Tonight, the 2020 season premiere. Doctor Garcia, go inside a murder mystery. Garcia. Police department as it unravels.
Oh my God. Doctor Garcia was deceased on the couch.
How could this have happened?
An enduring and deep mystery filled with sick twists, shocking turns. Tonight, secrets will be revealed.
Cold blooded. The 2020 season premieres tonight at nine over eight central on ABC.
The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm in.
September and.
October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream.
For everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
More top stories. Now a judge in rural Kentucky is dead after police say he was shot in his chambers by the local sheriff. Authorities say the two men were arguing before the shooting, but it's not clear why they were arguing.
North Carolina's Republican candidate for governor, Mark Robinson, says he's staying in the race despite accusations that he posted racist statements on a porn site, including saying he's a, quote, black Nazi. He denies making the statements.
The postmaster general is rejecting former President Trump's concerns about the Post Office's ability to handle mail in ballots for the upcoming election. Louis DeJoy insisting postal officials are ready for the volume.
The CDC is reporting a sharp increase in cases of whooping cough, the highest in ten years. It's reminding parents that vaccines are the best prevention.
Today's weather possible coastal flooding in New England, storms from the Plains into the Midwest and rain for the southwest.
And finally, the timeless torch is stealing the hearts in the WNBA.
And ours as well. Danny New explains.
And twisting banks it in as the top seeded New York Liberty prepare to host their first series of this year's WNBA playoffs.
Five six, seven eight.
Their secret weapon is also getting loose.
You know, we're going all the way this year.
Their name is the Timeless Torches. But these performers all over the age of 40 are not at the Barclays Center to battle Guitar Hero. No. No, no. In the first half of every home game, the torches are in charge of electrifying the crowd and guaranteeing a raucous home court advantage with their earth shattering moves.
This is the great yes. Oh, yeah.
During a routine, you might see 87 year old Shirley Kohler, who has professional experience in ballet and jazz. Do your knees ever hurt your back?
Like, oh, we don't discuss that, okay.
Or you may get to witness Captain Margaret Hamilton, who was a founding member back in 2005.
When you're walking into a game, you're walking into dreams.
But even if you're walking in dressed for the part, did somebody order some extra liberty? Their routines, often led by mascot Ellie the Elephant, still do not come naturally by night.
It takes too long to get outside.
But we still had a good time.
We also find time.
And as the torches continue to joyously and rhythmically defy what people may expect of folks who are a little more experienced, the team captain has a message for all the doubters.
Everything you can do, we can do better.
Now that I'm watching the footage of me dancing, they're definitely better than me. So the first game tips off Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN, and then Caitlin Clark's first ever playoff game with the Indiana Fever. Guys, that is 3 p.m. on Sunday right here on ABC.
Nice moves Danny. That's what's making news in America this morning.
Have a great Friday.
It's Friday, September 20th. Democrats got one of their candidates to drop out. Republicans were hoping for one of theirs. We start here. A bombshell report upends the governor's race in North Carolina.
Those are not the words of Mark Robinson.
You know, it's bad when a porn site is the least scandalous part of the story. Now, could this affect the national election picture? Israel resumes airstrikes against Hezbollah.
This is obviously ramping up, which makes the region nervous.
But we're now getting Intel from sources about how those pagers were rigged to explode. And if someone offered you dirt on your political opponent, would you take it?
This is information from inside the Trump campaign.
The new accusations about how Iran tried to subvert an election. From ABC news. This is start here. I'm Brad Mielke. We are now 45 days from Election Day. And for much of yesterday, it felt like just another day that you had campaign events for both major candidates. You had polls coming out, some showing Kamala Harris with an ever so slight lead in the battleground state of Pennsylvania like significant but normal stuff. Then we started hearing that North Carolina Republicans were freaking out. By all accounts, the race in North Carolina is going to be tight. That applies to the presidential race, but also the governor's race. And back in March, Republicans nominated the current lieutenant governor, Mark Robinson.
Paint this state red. God bless.
You. He is a self-described culture warrior. He's also the state's first black nominee for governor in either party. And he had the full endorsement of Donald Trump.
This is Martin Luther King on steroids. Okay, now.
Well, throughout the day yesterday, Republicans started coming out saying this guy should get out of the race, all because of a CNN report that hadn't even dropped yet, which made you go, sheesh. Like, how bad could this be?
The things that you will see in that story. Those are not the words of Mark Robinson. Well, by the.
Afternoon that report had come out, and now he has defied growing calls to step aside. A huge moment in one of the most crucial states for the national election picture. So let's start the day with ABC's Rachel Scott. Rachel, what are the allegations here?
Yeah, Brad. And look, it's never a good sign for any campaign when they're trying to get ahead of a report that's coming out. So here you had Mark Robinson already vowing to stay in the race before we actually learned about what these allegations were.
Our opponents are desperate to shift the focus here from the substantive issues and focus on what you are concerned with to salacious tabloid trash. We cannot allow that to happen.
When this dropped, both Republicans and Democrats called this a bombshell. This is an explosive report that claims that Mark Robinson, the lieutenant governor of North Carolina, made a series of racist, disturbing and inflammatory online posts, including one where he called himself a, quote, Black Nazi. Now, it is important to note here at ABC news, we have not independently confirmed this reporting. But according to CNN, Robinson made these comments between 2008 and 2012 on a pornographic website called Nude Africa and according to their reporting, Robinson also posted saying that slavery is not bad. He said that he wished it would come back. All of that is also striking because Robinson is a black man.
The first black lieutenant governor and possibly the first black governor of North Carolina.
And Brad. There are more inflammatory allegations in here as well. CNN was reporting that under a user name used by Robinson on this website, he allegedly describes a memory of peeping on women in the shower as a 14 year old and allegedly posted about watching transgender pornography. He has a recent history of making anti-transgender Comments.
If there's a.
Movement in this country that is demonic and that is full of the spirit of Antichrist, it is the transgender movement.
And so this is all just serving in a very stark contrast to what he has been saying publicly.
I was going to say political scandals blowing up is it's not just the salacious thing that makes them blow up, it's when it directly contradicts how you're telling other people to live. What was the reaction, I guess, from political circles?
Well, this is not what any Republican in a critical battleground state wants to see when we are just about 45 days out from the November election. And so the Trump campaign put out this statement, Brad, and they say that North Carolina is vital to Donald Trump's chances of winning back the white House in November. But, Brad, it's notable that in this statement, they do not mention Mark Robinson by name. Donald Trump has a rally in North Carolina this weekend. There is no word on whether or not Robinson is going to show up with the former president, but Trump did endorse him back in March. He even praised him, comparing him to Martin Luther King Jr.
I think you're better than Martin Luther King. I think you are. Martin Luther King Times two.
And CNN also alleges that in some of those online posts, Robinson actually attacked Martin Luther King Jr. Calling him a communist and using a racial slur to describe him.
When I said that to you, you look like I don't know if I like that comment. You should like it because you are outstanding and you're going to be the next governor. So that's going to be very cool.
Right? And again, if these reports are true, right. We have not verified these claims, but we've seen the reaction to them. Certainly. So with that in mind Rachel, is he going to stay in this race. Can he stay in this race.
He says he is staying in this race. He said that before this report came out. He is now saying that after this report came out. And, Brad, there were a few hours yesterday that Republicans were kind of holding their breath wondering like, okay, well, maybe is this guy actually just going to get out? But he didn't have a whole lot of time to make that decision. He had up until 11:59 p.m. last night to decide whether or not he was going to stay in this race, because early voting begins in North Carolina today. Ballots are already being printed, and they're being mailed out to those who are voting by mail. And so whether they like it or not, his name is on the ballot. Well, yeah. I mean.
What does that mean for North Carolinians kind of up and down the ballot?
Yeah, Brad, this is important not only for the gubernatorial race, of course, but when you zoom out and you look at North Carolina on the map, this is a state that both the Harris campaign and the Trump campaign are in a battle over. Are we going to do this? North Carolina polls have shown that this is really a dead heat. It is a toss up between who is going to win this state in November. Donald Trump won this state four years ago by a razor thin margin. You talk to his advisers. They say this is absolutely critical to them clinching the white House again in November. And so when you have voters heading to the polls and they're voting for Republicans, maybe up and down the ballot, and they're looking at a name like Mark Robinson and associating him with all of these allegations, that's not a good sign for the former president in a race that could be very tight. And Donald Trump's advisers are keenly aware of that. I was talking to sources inside the campaign.
They were already saying that they were going to try and create some distance between themselves and Mark Robinson. I can imagine they are definitely going to try and do that, even more so now that this report is out. Right.
Which is why I know you'll have your eyes on this Trump rally this weekend. Rachel Scott, another twist on the trail.
Thank you. Thanks, Brad.
Next up on Start here. How do you rig thousands of pagers to explode? Sources are telling ABC how it was done.
After the break.
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Imagine how on edge everyone is in Lebanon right now. For months. Years, really. But especially since October 7th, Hezbollah militants have been firing thousands of rockets into areas around northern Israel. Israel has been responding with its own airstrikes targeting top Hezbollah leaders. But then on Tuesday, pagers belonging to some of those operatives started exploding. On Wednesday, it was their walkie talkies. All of these devices had suddenly transformed into hand-held landmines, to the point where some airlines are no longer even allowing anyone to carry beepers coming out of Beirut. And while many suspect Israel of booby trapping these devices, Israel has not confirmed or denied it was them. Yesterday, the IDF and Hezbollah reverted to much more conventional looking warfare. But everyone in the region agrees this isn't over. Let's check in with ABC's chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz, who's in Tel Aviv right now. Martha, we were learning more even about the actual manufacturing of these devices. Right. Like, what are sources telling you?
It is such an extraordinary story and an extraordinary way to attack a terrorist organization. This was something, the kind of attack that the Israelis, according to our sources carried out, was planned for maybe 15 years, this kind of attack. But what they did, according to our sources, is that they actually manufactured these pagers at a shell company and managed to sell them eventually to Hezbollah. They took advantage of the fact that Hezbollah was very paranoid about carrying mobile phones, thinking they would be hacked, thinking the Israelis could listen to them and see what they were doing. In fact, the Israelis probably were listening to. Them. And when they heard that Hezbollah wanted everyone to throw away their mobile phones, they moved to set up this shell company, according to a source that would manufacture these pagers and sell them to Hezbollah. And inside those pagers, explosives and a trigger, a blast trigger that they clearly used remotely to set off all of those pagers. Unbelievable.
Which is similar to sort of the speculation we had heard from Colonel Stephen Ganyard yesterday, I guess. What what happens now, Martha? Like, what are the next steps for Israel and for groups like Hezbollah now that we've reached this sort of new point?
Well, let's let's remember right now that Israel is at war in Gaza. I was up by the border yesterday about a mile from Gaza. I mean that that conflict is clearly going on all the time. And yet we now have some Israeli forces moving north. They were pummeling southern Lebanon yesterday, about 100 strikes on what they called rocket launchers that were aimed into Israel.
We remain very clear about the importance of all parties avoiding any steps that could further escalate the conflict that we're trying to resolve.
So this is obviously ramping up, which makes the region nervous, which makes the U.S. very nervous.
And we keep talking about Hezbollah as if it's its own thing. It's directly backed by Iran. Right. So Hezbollah keeps saying we're going to respond. How involved will Iran be in that response?
Well, we heard Iran make the same kinds of threats that Hezbollah did. They are an Iranian backed militant group, just like Hamas. Iran backed Iran has tried in its own way not to have this war widened. They don't want to get hit by Israel at all. But what they have done is also warnings, threats, the kinds of things Iran always does. But when the temperature is this high, Brad, it is much, much riskier to hear those things. And Israel adding troops to the North. It's all very tense here, I can tell you that.
All right. Martha Raddatz there in Israel right now. Thank you so much.
You bet Brad.
Now, when it comes to Iran, it's not just these proxy terror groups where Iran has a foothold.
The Trump campaign says it was hacked by the Iranian government.
You might remember earlier this summer, when both presidential campaigns were alerted that Iran had tried to hack the Trump and Harris campaigns. Apparently, they had even been successful in getting material from a Trump staffers email account. Well, this week, American intelligence agencies are outlining in alarming terms what they think Iran's plan was. Let's go to ABC's chief justice correspondent, Pierre Thomas. Pierre, what do we know about this whole hacking enterprise so far?
I think the word that comes to mind is brazen. The allegation from the intelligence community and the FBI is that Iranian hackers were able to infiltrate the emails of the Trump campaign and actually got nonpublic campaign information. And here's the twist. The FBI and intelligence officials are saying that they then forwarded that information, forwarded those emails to individuals associated with the Biden campaign. Bottom line, they were trying to get negative information to the Biden campaign in the hope that they would use it, and that that would give Iran a secret and covert role in the election.
So this was before, obviously, before Biden dropped out. What would the goal of that be, Pierre? Is it like helping one campaign, or is it like giving stuff to both of them and getting all the dirty laundry out there? Or is it about kind of compromising them like, hey, now, now you're working with foreign operatives? Guess what? You look terrible. No one trusts you or what.
You think about a situation where Iran wants to help Biden-Harris win at that point, and they're hoping that they can get this information to someone on the Biden team, and they would use it. That's one way of looking at it. Another way of looking at it is they simply want to get information that would be damaging and somehow be involved in the American election process, because at the end of the day, according to the intelligence community, what they want to do is sow discord and division and confusion among the American public. Yeah, I was.
Going to say, because we've heard of countries trying to put stuff into media spheres before, this is even different, where you're almost giving it to the other campaign and being like, yeah, guys, go at it. How are the campaigns responding now?
Pierre? Well, obviously the Trump campaign is demanding more transparency from Team Harris. They want to know who got this information. We want they want to know what they did with it. Did they pass it along to anyone? The Harris campaign issued a statement basically saying that they abhor and are against any kind of foreign election interference. They're claiming that this did not go directly to the campaign, but rather to individuals associated with the campaign, and that it looked like spam and phishing, basically suggesting that not much of anything was done with it. And they said they've cooperated completely and fully with the federal investigation.
And just from a broader perspective, Peter, this does this seem like it's going to be sort of an even more normalized thing as far as the strategy for these foreign adversaries?
Well, simultaneously with this information coming out, we had the head of Microsoft on Capitol Hill, and he was very blunt. It is.
An election where.
Russia, Iran and China are united with a common interest in discrediting Democracy in the eyes of our own voters, and even more so in the eyes of the world.
He said. It's ongoing. And he said these different countries are picking sides and trying to help the sides that they want to win, win, right.
And even if you don't want one side to win, even if you're just trying to make Americans distrust each other or distrust the political system, I mean, perhaps mission accomplished already. Really alarming stuff here. Pierre Thomas in Washington reporting at all. Thanks so much.
My pleasure.
Okay, one more quick break. Now let's see. The ultimate swing state is Nebraska. One last thing is next.
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And one last thing. When you ask a football fan what they think of when they hear the word Omaha, guaranteed they will immediately tell you, oh, Peyton Manning screaming at during NFL games. Omaha. However, if you ask the same question to a political nerd, you will get a totally different answer.
Nebraska is one of two states that does not do. Winner takes all electoral college.
This is ABC's political reporter Brittany Shepard, who's been crunching the numbers on which candidate will get to that all important number. 270 electoral votes. That's what wins the presidency.
Since the early 1990s, Nebraska awarded two electoral votes based on the whole statewide vote and one vote for each of the three congressional districts. So that means that one congressional district can vote in one direction and one in the other.
She says Nebraska at this point always votes Republican, but one of those congressional districts doesn't. The area surrounding Omaha, Nebraska, has actually turned blue a couple times, including four years ago. And if you ask a political analyst right now how the presidential race will be won and lost, many will tell you. Think about it. The most likely path for a Kamala Harris victory is simply winning those upper Midwestern states that President Biden won four years ago. We're thinking Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin. Boom. That's it. Forget about North Carolina, forget about Georgia. Forget about the western states. You wouldn't even need them if you can just hold that blue wall. But that only gets you to 269. The thing that would put Harris over the top in that scenario is, you guessed it, Omaha.
That means that one electoral vote in Nebraska, which Biden won last cycle, would be the tie breaker for the entire presidential election.
Democrats and Republicans both know how important this area has become. It's why Donald Trump, Joe Biden and more recently, Tim Walz have campaigned there.
You got a slogan here Nebraska. It's not for everyone. Well, it sure ain't for Donald Trump, I'll tell you that.
But this week, speculation has ramped up that the whole Nebraskan system could change.
Trump thinks it should be winner take all this time.
That's right. Republicans in Washington are realizing Omaha, Nebraska could be the reason they lose the white House. Most state lawmakers in Nebraska are Republican, though, so now the pressure campaign is on to make it a winner take all state.
It'll be up to Nebraska. We'll see what they do.
Lindsey Graham, who is not senator from Nebraska, just reminding everyone, went to Nebraska and met with the governor, top brass, top election officials to remind them of why it might be a disaster in his eyes if winner take all doesn't happen. And you're hearing this from other Republicans all around the country and Nebraska's full federal delegation, Brittany.
Says this would be a tough sell. You need two thirds of the state House to agree. As of right now, they're not there yet. But as we get closer to Election Day, expect the pressure on them to grow.
Republicans who want winner take all could try to get this passed if they have all 33 votes all the way up to Election Day. So on November 4th, if they're able to make this happen, it would automatically like that become state law.
Sorry. Let me just repeat that. Let me just drive home. What Brittany just said you could have a situation where in late October, Kamala Harris thinks she's got a clear path to victory. She's polling well, only to have the rules change the night before the election. At the end of the day, it's Nebraska's call on how they want their votes awarded. But at the moment, votes from Omaha have never been more important. And don't worry, I see you. Maine. Maine is the other state where they award a vote for each congressional district, which has actually helped Donald Trump lately. So Maine had a plan, apparently to counteract Nebraska if they tried to change their rules. Just one problem in Maine, any new law takes 90 days to take effect. So there is a world here where both these states end up inadvertently or not. Helping Trump start here is produced by Kelly Terez, Jen Newman, Brenda Salinas Baker, Vika Aronson, Cameron Chertavian, Anthony Alyea, Maura Milwaukee, and Amirah Williams.
Ariel Chester is our social media producer. Josh Cohen is director of podcast programming. I'm our managing editor, Laura mayers. Our executive producer. Thanks to Lakia Brown, Jon Newman, Tara Gimbel, and Liz Alessi. Special thanks this week to Chris Berry, Megan Mystery, and Aisha Ali. I'm Brad Mielke. See you next week. Omaha.
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Reporting from Arizona State Capitol. I'm Elizabeth Schultz. Wherever the story is, we'll take you there. You're streaming ABC News Live. Hi, I'm Diane Macedo today on ABC News Live. First, Hezbollah is firing missiles at Israel.
After.
Days of.
Coordinated device attacks and Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, how Hezbollah's leader is responding. As we learn more about how Israel got those detonating devices into the country, Vice President Harris hits the campaign trail with Oprah taking questions from voters. What she told the family of a Georgia mother who reportedly lost her life as a result of that state's abortion ban. Plus, President Trump calls on Harris to disavow support from Hamas sympathizers, saying, quote, she doesn't like Jewish people. How the second gentleman is responding. And the GOP nominee for governor in North Carolina is under fire. What he's saying about accusations of racist and inflammatory online posts as he vows to stay in the race. But first, UN peacekeepers are calling for an immediate de-escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel's carrying out the most intense airstrikes in Lebanon since the conflict started on October 7th. The IDF says it's hit hundreds of Hezbollah launch sites there since yesterday. Meanwhile, Hezbollah is vowing to keep up daily strikes across the border in Israel, now saying at least 37 people were killed in the massive attack involving exploding communication devices.
ABC foreign correspondent Marcus Moore has the latest from Beirut.
Reporter Israel pummeling southern Lebanon with Hezbollah launching their own missiles. This exchange of fire comes after two days of unprecedented attacks targeting Hezbollah operatives, their handheld electronic devices detonating across Beirut, killing at least 37 and injuring thousands. The IDF releasing this footage of what it says is a strike on a Hezbollah weapons warehouse in the south of Lebanon. The leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, calling it an act of war. He says the attacks of this week will bring, quote, a severe reckoning and just retribution against Israel. Justice Hassan Nasrallah was giving his speech. There were two huge sonic booms that shook the buildings here. People screamed and clearly the tension is high all over Lebanon. Lebanese civilians still facing the aftershock. Hospitals tending to the wounded. An intelligence source confirming to ABC news the details behind this week's attacks. Israel creating shell companies to manufacture and sell pagers to Hezbollah. According to the source, 1 to 2oz of explosives were planted in the pagers with a remote trigger switch to set off the blasts. This kind of attack planned 15 years in advance.
The State Department continuing to insist on deescalation.
We're going to.
Continue to try to prevent that. So far, we have been successful in keeping it from turning into a.
Regional war, and that's what we're going.
To continue to try to pursue.
And Marcus Moore joins us live now from Beirut. Marcus, we're hearing new reports of strikes happening now there. What's the latest?
Yeah, Diane, this is just coming in just within the past few minutes. We have been receiving information about a strike here in Beirut, in the Daraya district, which is a southern suburb of Beirut, and it is also the Hezbollah stronghold. We have seen local video, local media showing video of really a chaotic scene there. Heavy smoke coming from heavily damaged buildings. And there are also cars that are apparently on fire, according to the video that we've seen. And then people running in every direction. Again, Diane, this just happened a few moments ago. So the information that we have is very preliminary, and we'll have to wait to see exactly what was hit and who may have been, um, may have been targeted. We are also have some information that initial reports indicate that the IDF did carry out a strike here in Beirut, but but what all of this means, we don't know yet. But, Diane, this is part of what has already been a very active day, perhaps one of the most active days since this war began.
We heard from the IDF today that more than 120 rockets were fired from from Lebanon into northern Israel just this morning.
So, Marcus, how have Israel's attacks in Lebanon impacted Hezbollah's ability and willingness to respond?
Well, in terms of the ability we heard during Hassan Nasrallah speech yesterday, he's the the the leader of Hezbollah, he acknowledged that these these synchronized or simultaneous explosions did have them have a major impact on their capabilities and their manpower. But one thing he said is clear is that it won't deter them and that they will continue their support of the people in Gaza and as well as their their military operations, their strikes in northern Israel, as long as the bombardment continues in Gaza.
And Marcus, Israeli officials have said they're entering a new phase of this war. What does that mean? And what does it mean for Lebanon and for Hezbollah.
Well, one of the things we have heard for the past many months is that Israel was was fighting is fighting this war on multiple fronts, and that their focus has up until now has been on Gaza. And now it would appear that they have turned a lot of their attention to the North and in particular their fight with Hezbollah. And we have seen that a number of strikes that they've carried out just this morning and overnight. Diane. Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. We would anticipate that that will continue. And again, as you just mentioned, the defense minister said they've entered a new phase and the Prime Minister has has vowed to safely return residents to northern Israel.
All right, Marcus Moore, thank you. Vice President Harris is heading to Georgia today to where she's expected to focus on the state's abortion restrictions. It comes after Oprah held a virtual rally for Harris in Michigan, where she fielded questions from voters. Meanwhile, former President Trump spoke at an antisemitism event in Washington calling on the vice president to disavow any support from Hamas sympathizers. ABC News Chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce has the latest. Unite for.
America. The Queen of talk, lending her star power to boost Kamala Harris and get out the vote, hoping to reach the critical sliver of voters that will determine this race.
Please welcome Kamala Harris.
In a highly produced virtual rally, Oprah trying to harness enthusiasm for Harris and keep her momentum going, urging Americans to vote their values. Let me tell.
You, it is about character, and it's about decency and respect and all the things that we were raised to believe about what it means to be an American citizen and pursue the American dream.
Harris doing something she rarely does, fielding questions directly from voters about the issues top of mind for them, from immigration to the cost of living to reproductive rights.
The former president chose three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would overdo the protections of Roe v Wade. And they did as he intended.
Speaking out for the first time, the family of Amber Thurman, the 28 year old mother who was reportedly the first publicly known woman to lose her life as a result of Georgia's abortion ban.
You're looking at a.
Mother that is.
Broken. The worst.
Pain ever.
That a mother that a parent could ever feel.
According to ProPublica, after a medical abortion, Amber suffered from a grave infection, but doctors waited 20 hours to operate. By then, it was too late.
I'm just so sorry. The word over and over again in her mind is preventable.
Yeah.
So is she on death's door before you actually decide to give her help?
That's the problem. Is that what we're saying? Yeah.
And on the issue of gun violence, Oprah noting that Harris herself is a gun owner. I'm a gun.
Owner. Tim Walz is a gun, I know that. And I thought that breaks into my house. They're getting shot. Yes, yes.
I hear that, I hear.
That. Probably should not have said that. But my staff will deal with that later.
Back in Washington, former President Donald Trump joining one of his top donors, Miriam Adelson, at an event aimed at fighting anti-Semitism.
If we don't win this election, Israel, in my opinion, within a period of 2 to 3 years, will cease to exist. It's going to be wiped out.
The former president has said Harris, quote, doesn't like Jewish people and repeatedly attacked Jews who support Democrats and Harris.
Any Jewish person that votes for her, especially now her or the Democrat Party, should have their head examined.
Harris's husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, himself Jewish, responding in an interview with our Michael Strahan.
He said this quote, she doesn't like Jewish people and she likes me. You're a Jewish.
American.
So what was your reaction when you.
Heard that in real time?
So it's typical Donald Trump gaslighting. He is somebody who has had dinner with.
Known.
anti-Semites. He is somebody who during after the horrific events of Charlottesville where people were actually marching with tiki torches saying Jews shall not replace us. And he said there were fine people on both sides of that. This is a guy who has had a record of saying incredibly vile anti-Semitic things. So for him to say that, I just almost laugh at how the chutzpah, as we would say. And it's gaslighting.
Now, today, Kamala Harris heads down to Georgia. Now, today, Kamala Harris heads down to Georgia for a big abortion speech in Atlanta. She's expected to again highlight Amber's story and talk about the very real consequences of what she calls Trump's abortion bans. She then finishes the day in battleground Wisconsin. Trump, meanwhile, is off the trail today, but back out in North Carolina tomorrow. Diane.
Chief white House correspondent Mary Bruce. Mary. Thank you. And the Republican candidate for governor in North Carolina says he's staying in the race. Mark Robinson is facing backlash after a CNN report claims he made inflammatory comments on a pornography website more than a decade ago. ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott has the latest.
Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor in the critical swing state of North Carolina, is vowing to stay in the race, denying he made the series of racist and inflammatory online posts that are detailed in an explosive new CNN report, including one where he reportedly called himself a, quote, Black Nazi.
Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story. Those are not the words of Mark Robinson.
ABC news has not independently confirmed the reporting. CNN says Robinson, the state's current lieutenant governor, made the comments between 2008 and 2012 on a pornographic website called Nude Africa, including allegedly saying that slavery is not bad, adding he wished it would come back, and describing in graphic detail spying on women in public showers as a teenager. Robinson is no stranger to controversy. He has a history of inflammatory rhetoric, but he won the Republican primary with Trump's endorsement.
This is Martin Luther King on steroids. Okay, now, I told that I told that, I told that to Mark. I said, I think you're better than Martin Luther King. I think you are. Martin Luther King Times two.
CNN reports that allegedly, in some online posts, Robinson actually attacked the slain civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr, calling him a communist and using a racial slur. The North Carolina Republican Party is standing by their candidate for governor, calling the allegations against Robinson a political smear. But the Harris campaign pouncing quick to highlight Trump and Robinson together.
Let me tell you about my best.
Friend and Vice president, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump neck and neck in North Carolina. In a statement responding to this news, the Trump campaign says that North Carolina is vital to their chances of winning the white House in November. But that statement notably did not mention Mark Robinson by name and no word if he will appear with former President Donald Trump at his rally this weekend.
Diane, senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott, thank you. And Vice President Harris and former President Trump are neck and neck in the battleground state of North Carolina. It's one of several key states that could determine this election with just 46 days to go. ABC News Washington Bureau Chief and political Director Rick Klein has a closer look at the latest numbers.
There are seven.
Battleground states in.
Our FiveThirtyEight.
Polling average.
And Vice President.
Harris is now up in four of.
Those states and the.
Closest one on the list right now, North Carolina, just a 10th.
Of a percentage point.
Separating the.
Two of them.
And it's very possible that the entire race.
Depends on the outcome in that one state.
Let's play with the map a little bit.
And let's imagine.
A world where.
Harris wins.
In both.
Wisconsin and Michigan.
If she doesn't.
Also take.
Pennsylvania, she.
Could still win Nevada and Arizona and still be short.
Still at 267, she needs 270.
That would mean.
She'd have to win.
Either Georgia or North Carolina. That's what.
Makes this scandal.
In North Carolina Potentially very big deal. There are there are only two states, Nebraska and Maine, that award their electoral votes by congressional district and not just statewide. Nebraska, of course, deep red. But there is one district there. It's the Omaha area. That single electoral vote there has gone to President Obama once and also to President Biden. So let's imagine another path. This is actually one that the Harris campaign thinks is the likeliest win, the way that she could win the presidency. She wins Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. And let's give the other battleground states, the Sun Belt states, all to Donald Trump. Look at what kind of map we've got now. 269. That is a tie in the Electoral College. That one vote then absolutely critical. That would be the clincher. Republicans are leaning heavily on the Republican governor there to call a special session of the legislature and change the law even this late. Not clear. They have the votes. But it is wild to think about how this is happening.
Just less than seven weeks before Election Day, ballots already sent out in more than ten states, in-person voting actually starts in three states, including Virginia today.
Rick Klein. Thank you. And early voters are heading to the polls today in three states. Polls open today in Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia. ABC's Jay O'Brien joins me now from Arlington for more. Jay, what are you hearing from lawmakers there?
Well, Diane.
We're standing.
At a polling place.
In Arlington, Virginia, where.
Democrats are throwing what they say is a block party to try to get out the vote.
Capitalize.
On the.
Enthusiasm they say exists with the Harris Wallace campaign. And to talk about that, I do want to.
Bring in Virginia Senator.
Tim Kaine, who just spoke at that stage a little bit ago to some of these voters here. A lot of people lining up to vote here, a lot of Democrats here. Do you believe this enthusiasm would have existed just about a month or so.
Ago, if there was a.
Different name.
At the top of the.
Ticket, if it was President Biden?
J.
The upsurge in enthusiasm since Kamala became the nominee has been notable all over the state. I'm on the ballot this year, too, so I'm traveling everywhere. I see it in Arlington, but I see it in Appomattox and Amherst and Accomack, too. There's an upsurge in energy, voter registration, volunteerism, low dollar donors, and I think at events here in Arlington, at an event later today in Manassas, we're going to see big crowds of people who are excited to start casting a vote and making some history as she starts to edge out Trump in a few national polls and in some swing states. While it's a very close race. Are you concerned that some of that sets in and there is an apathy that starts to take effect with Democrats, and some of that enthusiasm burns out? I am not. I think there was some of that in 2016 when I was on the ticket with Hillary. Exactly what I was thinking after after, you know, eight years of President Obama. A lot of Democrats were feeling good.
They weren't maybe feeling as hungry that they needed to get out and win. We learned a lesson from that, and I think the energy is very palpable. And frankly, while some polls might look good, I think this race is still going to be very close one. She's going to be a very close one. She's still running behind Trump on issues like the economy, like immigration. Why is she behind Trump on those issues? Why are voters trusting Trump more in theory on those issues? So on the the economy is the issue that matters the most to the most people. And what we saw is that Biden had a huge deficit to Trump on the economy. Harris is closing that gap dramatically. The recent polls that I've seen on the economy have her very close to Trump, on the economy. And the reason why why is it unemployment is low? Your 401 K is up. We're building again. We're manufacturing again. There's problems and challenges. There always will be. The fed is going to cut interest rates.
That will help even more with inflation. I think the American economy is the strongest in the world. And she has been able to sort of put that together, as well as talking about future plans, how to deal with housing costs, how to help people with prescription drug costs, tax relief for small businesses, not the big guys. Those kinds of economic plans, I do think, resonate with people. Quickly, Senator, before we let you go, I do want to have you respond. Some of your colleagues in Congress, in the House of Representatives Specifically.
Have.
Accused Democrats of perpetuating a certain rhetoric about former President Trump and saying that he's a threat to democracy and things of that nature, and accusing Democrats of creating an environment that may have led to those assassination attempts of the former president. Does Mike Johnson have a point when he says something like that? That is a that's a desperate lie to make that up. I mean, first, look at the identities of these two deranged individuals who carried out these attacks. And second, Donald Trump inspired an attack on the Capitol on January 6th. And they, the Republicans might want us to stop talking about that and what that means. But it's a fact. Um, I run into people all the time on the Republican side who try to downplay that. It's a fact. I'm really, really glad the Secret Service did. I think in the first instance in Pennsylvania did not do a good job. I thought they did a marvelous job in Florida, thank God, and we need to. And Democrats are uniformly supportive.
More resources for the Secret Service. And if it's a question of not just resources, but leadership, we've got to get that right, too. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, thank you so much for your time today, sir, here at this polling place in Arlington. Diane, we'll say it back to you.
All right.
Jay O'Brien in Arlington, Virginia. Thank you. And U.S. Army soldier Travis King is expected to plead guilty to desertion and assault charges today after running across the border from South to North Korea. King's lawyer says he'll plead guilty to five of the 14 charges he faces, with the remaining charges being dismissed. King crossed into North Korea in July 2023, triggering an international incident. He was held by North Korean authorities for more than two months before returning to the U.S. in September of last year. Coming up, a Kentucky judge shot dead inside his chambers. What we're learning about the sheriff arrested for allegedly pulling the trigger.
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The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm.
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Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
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For everybody involved.
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What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
Welcome back to ABC News Live. First, a Kentucky sheriff is in police custody charged with fatally shooting a judge in a courthouse. Police say the sheriff and the judge got into an argument and moments later, shots were fired. Then, court officials say they ran in to find District Judge Kevin Mullins dead in his chambers. ABC's faith abubey has the details.
A Kentucky sheriff is behind.
Bars after allegedly opening fire on a district judge at a courthouse Thursday, killing him.
Archer County Courthouse.
Got shots fired.
Several law enforcement agencies responding to reports of gunfire inside the Letcher County Courthouse just before 3 p.m., finding 54 year old District Judge Kevin Mullins suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He died at the scene. We know that.
It was an argument between the two that led up, but what exactly transpired prior to the shots being fired are still things that we're trying to get answers to.
43 year old Sheriff Sean Stynes, taken into custody at the scene, charged with one count of first degree murder. Investigators have not released a motive. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear tweeting there is far too much violence in this world and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow. And, Diane, authorities say there was an argument between the judge and the sheriff in the chambers before the gunshots went off. But they haven't explained exactly what led to that argument. But they do say the sheriff is cooperating with the investigation. Diane.
Faith Abubey. Thank you. Coming up, good news for the back to school grind in this week's Macedo methods, I've got my favorite hacks to help make those back to school evenings a little easier.
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First it is time for Misato Methods where I show you some of my favorite hacks to make life a little easier. So last week we covered back to school mornings. Today I have some tips to help wind down the after school chaos. Take a look. After a long day at school, kids are full of stories, homework, and energy to burn and managing all that can be a challenge. Where's your homework? Did you eat your snack?
We forgot about your practice.
So here are some of my favorite hacks for school day, afternoons and evenings.
Right after school, my kids come home hungry. I don't know about you, but the faster.
I feed mine, the better. So I created a self-serve snack station right in the fridge. These hinge containers keep food covered, but still easy to see and access, and I divide them up with reusable, food safe boxes. And it's low enough for even little kids to reach. I also sometimes serve my kids dinner when they get home from school because that's when they're most hungry. So if the food is ready, why not? Then, when my husband and I are ready to eat, the kids can use that as snack time. So we're still eating as a family. Kids, dinnertime. Just like grown ups like to decompress after their workday.
Some kids.
Like to.
Decompress.
After their school day, so consider giving them a quiet place.
They can retreat to.
Since space is limited, we use this section of a closet for one calm corner. And remember my beach tent. A quick makeover with some blankets and pillows and now it's a cozy concave. Once rest time is over, it's time for homework. And unfortunately, we don't have the space for our kids to have their own designated workspace. So instead we have a homework caddy.
It's full of typical.
Homework supplies and easy to carry. Now, no matter where in the house they're working, they're ready to get started in seconds and done. I don't know about you, but by evening time, we are spent. Kids are spent. I'm spent. My husband spent. We're all spent. And that meant we kept forgetting parts of the evening routine. Then bedtime would come around and one kid would say they didn't have water. Another kid said they never had their bedtime snack. Another kid didn't do their homework. Enter the bedtime chart. The kids love these. And now when they go to bed, we know that they've had and done everything they need to stay there. And when it comes to clean up time and bedtime, we also have a backup. Clean up time. These voice reminders not only help us remember, but it also makes it harder for the kids to argue because we're not the ones telling them to clean up. Alexa is. But just because it's bedtime doesn't mean they have to go to bed.
Instead, we now let them do quiet activities like Play-Doh or drawing until they decide they're ready to sleep.
And believe it or not, they actually do.
This means far fewer bedtime battles for all of us, and some downtime for us grownups, too.
Babe, what do you want to watch, babe?
Real Housewives it is.
Got to have some Real Housewives at the end of the night. So what problem do you want? Hacked? Let me know on Instagram at Diane Macedo. And we just might tackle it in our next Macedo methods. Coming up, a deadly storm slamming the plains, the reported tornado and damage. And what we can expect today. Also ahead, Sean Diddy Combs entourage under scrutiny. Why investigators want to know who his co-conspirators were and if they should be charged. Plus, Shohei Ohtani is once again making history. What he did that no baseball player has ever done before.
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Welcome back to ABC News Live. First, thanks for streaming with us. You are looking at New York City on this Friday, and we have a lot of news to get to. Here's a rundown right now. A deadly storm system is moving through the heartland after leaving a trail of destruction from Oklahoma to Minnesota. At least two tornadoes were reported near Duluth, Minnesota. One person is dead after severe storms hit Pawnee, Oklahoma. Those storms are now moving east, bringing the threat of damaging wind and hail from Illinois to Michigan. Eight firefighters in Southern California are injured after their truck crashed on a freeway in Irvine. Police say the wreck happened as they were returning from a 12 hour shift, fighting one of the wildfires in the region. Officials say the driver swerved trying to avoid a ladder in the road and hit a guardrail. Six of the eight firefighters suffered serious injuries. An investigation is underway into a fire on this luxury yacht. It was packed with fireworks and a thousand rounds of ammunition. Flames swallowed up the admiral in California's Marina del Rey.
Both people on board did escape. The 100 foot yacht eventually sank. The cause of the fire has not officially been determined. And L.A. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is making history again. He's now the first major league player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season. Ohtani achieved those milestones during the best hitting day of his career, with three home runs among his six hits, two stolen bases and ten RBIs. Meanwhile, dozens of people are dead in a major Mexican city has been paralyzed by an explosion of violence in the state of Sinaloa. The Sinaloa drug cartel is in upheaval after a pair of high profile arrests back in July. The son of the cartel's famed former leader, El Chapo Guzman, Joaquin Guzman and another cartel leader, Ismael Zambada, were arrested in the United States. Zambada has accused the younger Guzman of kidnapping him in Mexico to hand him over to U.S. authorities. ABC news correspondent Matt Rivers joins us now from Mexico City with more on this, Matt. It's kind of hard to follow when you're just kind of trying to lay it all out that way.
But what's the latest there in Sinaloa?
Yeah. So let's start with just what's going on.
Mainly in the city of Culiacan. That is the state capital of Sinaloa. Sinaloa is, of course, the.
Heartland.
Of the Sinaloa Cartel country.
If you will.
And what we've.
Seen within the last two weeks or so is just.
An explosion.
Of.
Infighting within this cartel faction.
Versus faction. And what it has done is left dozens of people dead. Officially the numbers around 40 at this point, but that's just officially anytime you're talking about deaths and organized crime, there is always there are always deaths that are not reported officially. So the number is likely far higher than that. What we've been learning so far is that the majority of people who have been killed do appear to be involved with the cartel, not just ordinary civilians, but that's in part because civilians are basically staying home. Schools were closed last week. They only reopened this past Tuesday with heavy government patrols in the region. You had businesses shut down. The public transportation is empty. Even last weekend, Mexican Independence Day celebrations were formally canceled because of this fighting. So the population is basically cowed into staying inside their homes as this cartel continues to go to war with itself.
So what can you tell us about this uptick in violence in Sinaloa? Is it all related to these cartels? Is the arrest correlated with this. Why is that happening?
Yeah. Quick history lesson. The Sinaloa Cartel, back about ten years ago, was run by a guy named El Chapo Guzman, who I'm sure most of our audience is familiar with. When he was arrested a little under a decade ago, basically, the cartel stayed together. But under these two factions, one led by his sons called Los Nietos. And on the other side, you had a faction led by Ismael Zambada, known as El Mayo. They worked together for the better part of the last ten years because of record breaking profits from fentanyl production, as well as mutual respect. But what you said off the top. One of the sons allegedly kidnapped El Mayo, brought him to the United States and turned him over to U.S. authorities. That obviously put both factions, the one from led by the sons of El Chapo, the one on the other side led by El Mayo and his son. That put them at odds immediately. Now they're fighting over these lucrative drug routes, as well as the fact that there's a sense of betrayal on El Mayo side because of what happened in the United States.
So how is the Mexican.
Government responding to this explosion in violence there?
Well, what we have seen under the Lopez Obrador administration throughout the entirety of the six years in office is they have a policy called abrazos no balazos, which means hugs, not bullets. And their attempt to quell violence in this country is basically to back off from organized crime, to not have large scale confrontations. But what they're essentially doing in Sinaloa right now is letting the population try and handle this themselves. They actually have the top military commander in Sinaloa just a few days ago, said that it, quote, does not depend on the military, but rather it depends on the narcos themselves to stop this violence, the government basically abdicating any responsibility to keep its citizenry safe. And that's obviously led to a lot of criticism across the country right now. What's the point of having thousands of government troops if you're not going to try and keep people safe?
All right, Matt Rivers in Mexico City. Matt. Thank you. And five women are coming forward with accusations against Mohamed Al Fayed, the late billionaire whose son Dodi died in a car crash with Princess Diana. The former employees tell the BBC Mohammed sexually assaulted them when he owned the luxury British department store Harrods. ABC foreign correspondent James Longman has the latest.
Mohamed Al Fayed, long time owner of Harrods department store, whose son Dodi died alongside Princess Diana in Paris, stands accused of rape and sexual abuse.
Mohamed Al Fayed was like an.
Apex predator.
And he enjoyed.
I guess, the fear.
In my eyes or our.
Eyes.
I just kicked him off.
I kicked him, kicked him, kicked him, kicked and screamed. And again I got him off. I was just just terrified. Al Fayed, who died last year, was a billionaire Egyptian businessman who rubbed shoulders with royalty. He's depicted in the Netflix series The Crown as the match maker behind his son's relationship with Princess Diana. But Al Fayed now stands accused of multiple sexual assaults in a new BBC documentary. Al-Fayed Predator at Harrods, which has gathered testimony from 20 women. He tried to rape me.
More than once.
And he pushed me in.
And onto the bed so that I couldn't move.
I was a child.
When this happened, you know.
He was.
79.
Nearly 80, and I was 15.
The women say they want to set the record straight. Some angered by his depiction in Netflix's show Diana Muhammad.
But you must call me Momo.
Why must I call you Momo?
All my friends do.
They say that version is far from the truth?
I hope that from.
Today people see what he was really like. Mohamed Al-Fayed is a rapist. I think he's a serial rapist. Harrods, which is under new management, issued a statement sincerely apologizing to the victims. We're utterly appalled by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al Fayed, an individual intent on abusing his power wherever he operated. They added The Harrods of today is a very different organization to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010.
An ABC foreign correspondent, James Longman, joins me now from London with more on this. James, why are these women coming forward now and what does justice look like for them?
Yeah, Diane, I think it's the sheer weight of evidence that's part of it. The number of women that have come forward. He's had sexual abuse allegations leveled at him before, but never in this quantity. 37 women are coming forward. Five of them say they were raped. I think they want to adjust the reputation that he has in the world. You saw there the Netflix documentary that's upset some of them at this affable character. I think in the minds of many, they want that adjusted. But there's also a specific issue here around his business dealings. Gloria Allred, the lawyer who represents so many women in these sorts of situations. She made the point today that it goes beyond Mohamed Al Fayed for these women. It goes through to Harrods, of course, the department store. What other people there may have known what they were hiding, but also his other business dealings as well. He owned a soccer club here in the United Kingdom and the United States. You have Rico, which is a charge that you can bring against an organization for criminal activity.
So they're really thinking of it in that way. Have a listen to what Gloria Allred told me just earlier this morning.
He dangled.
Employment.
Opportunities before them.
But they.
Were really not.
Treated as employees.
They were treated as sex objects.
And the idea here is that, you know, so many of these women were recruited and employed by Harrods. This is the allegation in many cases, in order that Mohamed Al Fayed could abuse them. So the idea I think, for these lawyers and these victims coming forward is they want to raise awareness to get perhaps more women to come forward. For a long time, they felt very scared to do so.
Diane and James, there are six American women also coming forward with accusations against Al Fayed. I know you spoke to one of them. What did she tell you?
Yeah. This is 23 year old woman. She came here to London as a student from the United States with her sister, worked at Harrods for three months. And she said that when she was put into the offices close to Mohamed Al Fayed's personal office, she was put in some incredibly difficult situations with him. I think we've got a clip here to show you.
Fayed said.
No, no, no.
I have a private.
Elevator. You can.
Come with me in the.
Elevator. So we got in and I was.
Standing looking.
At the door.
The elevator doors.
And he was behind me.
And when we started going down.
He turned me around and kissed.
Me.
In his bedroom. And he.
Started.
Making jokes and comments about how.
The bed was big enough for three.
And.
Just lewd comments and things. And then he tried to kiss my sister and she kind of, like, ducked away and walked out. And I walked out and he hit me on the butt.
So these women have come forward with sort of different types of allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed. The case against him and Harrods hasn't been brought to a court of law yet. There could be jurisdictional issues around this. There are women from all over the world who are coming forward with their stories. So it might be that different court cases are brought in different places, including, of course, the United States. Diane.
All right. ABC foreign correspondent James Longman. James. Thank you. And investigators in the Sean Diddy Combs case say they are turning their focus to his inner circle. They say they're now working to determine who his co-conspirators were and if more charges should come down. The hip hop mogul is fighting racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and prostitution charges. ABC senior investigative correspondent Aaron Katersky has the latest.
As hip hop.
Mogul Sean Diddy.
Combs fights.
Racketeering conspiracy.
Sex trafficking and prostitution charges, investigators are working to determine who his co-conspirators were and whether they, too, should be charged.
He used his business and employees of that business and other close associates to get his way. Those individuals allegedly included high ranking supervisors in the business, personal assistants, security staff and household staff.
Just this week, prosecutors said they served Combs as head of security with a search warrant for his electronic devices.
You can rest assured.
That the feds.
Have already talked.
To the people who worked for Combs, and all of those people have already probably given statements.
The 54 year old has pleaded not guilty to charges he led a criminal conspiracy that abused women. The indictment alleged some of Combs's employees helped set up freak shows in which women were forced into sex acts with male prostitutes. Prosecutors said they booked hotel rooms, stocked them with supplies and arranged travel for the sex workers. A centerpiece of the case, this 2016 video, obtained by CNN that shows Combs punching, kicking and dragging former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Prosecutors said they have evidence that Combs staff members remained in contact with the victim to ensure that she would not talk to the police. Combs is now isolated from the general population in a decrepit federal jail.
He's a man who knows what it's like to have a jury of 12 New.
Yorkers look at you and say, not guilty, and he's looking forward to that happening.
Again. And Aaron Katersky joins me now for more on this case. Aaron, prosecutors say they served Combs as head of security with a search warrant for his electronic devices. What more do you know about that? And are there anyone else in his orbit that you know, investigators are looking at right now?
Everyone else in his orbit. And you heard the U.S. attorney there in the piece say his security staff, his household staff, supervisors at his business, Bad Boy Records, Sean John fragrances, alcohol. He was used to being a boss for a very long time, and anyone in that entourage could be part of the criminal case.
He's due back in court next month. He's been denied bail twice now. His attorney said he would keep fighting. So what happens.
Next? He's expected to file an appeal with the second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to ask to reinstate bail. Get Diddy out on on a bail package. But that's going to be a tall order because defendants like Sean Combs, who are charged with sex trafficking. Pre-Trial detention is presumed.
All right. Senior investigative correspondent Aaron Katersky. Thank you. Coming up from obesity, drugs for kids to overprescribing antibiotics, our doctor, Luke Patel, has what you need to know on the health topics that matter most to you.
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Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands.
What is this? It's explosives. It's these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run gold mine.
That have to be saved.
Welcome back to ABC News Live. It is time now for our weekly segment, but Tell It Like It Is, where ABC news contributor Doctor Luke Patel shares health advice on the topics that matter most to you. And today he's answering some of your questions. So, Doctor Patel, we are getting started with Chandini from Germany. She's wondering about obesity, drugs for kids, asking why not more preventative care?
He asks.
A very important.
Question.
Now it's important to.
Understand where.
This question stems from, as there has been.
A rise.
In conversations about weight loss, medications, even weight loss surgery. But when it comes to managing obesity, especially in kids, lifestyle management is still the most important first step. prevention is the gold standard. Prevention in children would come down to teaching kids how to make healthy nutrition choices. Early obesity awareness and education and promoting physical activity. But Diane, if it was that easy, obesity rates would not have tripled in children since the 1980s. So while we try to make more policy changes and improve access to care, parents should focus on what they can control physical activity, nutrition choices, promoting sleep, getting kids off of screens, and seeking help when you need it.
We also have another question about the risks of overprescribing antibiotics. What do people need to know there?
This is based on a very important study that just came out from the article Lancet predicting that antimicrobial resistant infections. This is bacteria who have learned how to protect themselves against antibiotics, hence the name superbugs may claim about 40 million lives by the year 2050. Now, these superbug infections are unfortunately already common right now. One important step in protecting us is preventing infections in the first place. But so is properly using antibiotics. So important message for everyone out there. Only take antibiotics when you absolutely need them. Antibiotics do not need to be taken against common viruses. No sharing of antibiotics. Follow prescriptions appropriately and always dispose of antibiotics the right way. Because guess what? If we leave antibiotics in the environment that can contribute to these resistant infections, that is not a good thing. This is a looming global public health threat we need to act on yesterday.
And Doctor Patel, Adrian from Phoenix wants to know how do I approach anti-science family members with evidence? It's like a brick wall, she says.
Oh, I think people can relate to this question that comes from Adrian, and I will say that a lot of us understand what it might be like to be at a dinner table where there might be some debate about topics such as climate change, vaccines, evolution, reproductive rights and other scientific topics. Now, the most important thing to do when we're having these discussions is to maintain a relatable, respectful, calm tone. That is how we build trust, and that's how we understand perspective. When people don't necessarily agree on something, we want to make sure that we are presenting information facts from a validated source. It is always fair to examine where somebody else is getting their information from, because information, especially scientific, from a politician or from social media, is not the same as getting it from a validated source or a scientific journal. And just a very important reminder when we're having these tough conversations, hostility gets us nowhere. Maintain that face to face, congenial discussion, and may science always win.
Doctor Patel, thank you. And if you have questions for Doctor Patel, leave him a message on our Instagram feed. He might answer your question right here on Friday. The FTC is urging lawmakers to act after a new report accusing major social media companies of surveilling their users on a massive scale. The FTC claims popular social media companies like meta, YouTube and TikTok often couldn't keep track of who they were selling the information to. ABC's Andrea Fujii has the details.
The Federal Trade Commission is calling on Congress to pass new privacy laws after the agency found social media companies engaging in, quote, vast surveillance on people using their apps.
You can almost bet that if you're using a free service, that you're giving up something to have that service.
The report is based on information gathered four years ago. Several social media and video companies, including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, were ordered to explain how they collect, track and use people's personal information, such as their marital status, income and level of education. They found the companies engaged in broad data sharing and often couldn't keep track of who they were selling the information to. The report also revealed companies did not delete all user data in response to user deletion requests, and some companies used privacy invasive tracking technologies to help sell targeted advertising.
A wake up call to the public and the consumer that you need to take action and be aware of what information you're potentially giving up in order to leverage free services.
In recent years, some companies have tightened their policies. Just this week, Instagram announced privacy protections for teens. But experts warn changes like this may not be enough.
I don't feel like these companies truly have our children's best interests in mind. I think that they have themselves in mind for the most part, and so ultimately, it becomes the parents responsibility to really dig in and understand what their children are are using.
Google and discord responded to the report. Google saying, we never sell people's personal information and we don't use sensitive information to serve ads. And discord disputed the report, saying it combines very different models into one bucket.
Andrea Fujii Thank you. And one important takeaway from all of this. Be sure to read the User Agreements when you download an app to learn more about where your data might be going. Coming up. Pharrell Williams and Beyonce could be teaming up again for another music collab. What Pharrell hinted at in a new interview that has the beehive buzzing. Our Megan Wright is here to break it all down in the drop. Stay with us.
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You know that music means it's time for the drop, where we talk about the big music headlines of the week. ABC news contributor, DJ and radio personality Megan Wright is here to break it down for US air horn. Oh, oh, there we go. Megan, what do we need to know?
First, we need to choreograph some dance moves. That's what we're going to we're going.
To start doing. But let's get into what I want to talk about, which is Beyonce.
And even though we are still rocking.
Out to her act two, of course, Cowboy Carter.
I might have a hint of something that we can expect. Okay, so in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, super producer and artist.
Pharrell Williams.
Spoke on his.
Working relationship with Beyoncé.
Which including producing her debut solo single Work It Out, which is on the Goldmember soundtrack, if you remember, as well as her evolution. Now here's where the beehive is definitely paying attention, Pharrell said. I'm so grateful to be a part of her journey and her story and her trajectory. He went on to say, we've had a lot of fun. Get ready though, just get ready. Now, when the interviewer asked what we should prepare for Diane, he reiterated twice, just get ready. Okay, so I need that air horn because I know we're going to get some new Beyoncé music coming soon. And Pharrell knows what's up, so hopefully he'll tell us some more. Now summer may be over, but festival season is not. The 2024 iHeart Music Festival is officially here. I have been. It is a lot of fun. It is kicking off today and continuing tomorrow at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Now, as always, the list of performances is definitely star studded. ASAP Rocky, Big Sean, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, Gwen Stefani, Keith Urban, Paramore Got to Take a Breath, Shaboozey, The Weeknd and Victoria monet are just some of the names that are set to hit the stage, all hosted by Ryan Seacrest.
Now, if you aren't in Vegas, you can stream it live each night on Hulu. Now we got to move on to some legal troubles. Nelly has been hit with a copyright lawsuit by his Saint Lunatics groupmates over Nelly's critically acclaimed debut album, Country Grammar, which was released 24 years ago. Time is flying now to give some history. Country grammar is one of the biggest hip hop albums of all time, and the ninth best selling rap album of all time as well. And if you're not familiar with The Saint Lunatics, they were all a group of high school friends who rose to prominence in the late 1990s, and back then you always saw them all together with Nellie. They did an album and they were also featured on records with Nelly as well, and also credited as co-writers on numerous songs on Country Grammar. Now, according to Billboard, for the group's members, Ali Murphy, Lee Quan, and City Spud all filed a lawsuit this week in Manhattan federal court alleging that Nelly manipulated them into falsely thinking they'd be paid for their work.
Now, at this time, Nelly has not responded to the lawsuit. Now, Diane, you know, I ended some viral news. We've talked about Katy Perry a bunch, and her album 143 is officially out now.
Yes, there's my air horn.
And here's the video for one of the songs off the project, Gimme Gimme featuring 21 Savage.
Give me, give me baby. Stop wasting my time. Kitty, kitty. Wanna come party tonight? Trippy, trippy. Daddy, take me on a ride.
So you can check that out. You can check out Katy Perry's entire album. It's out now. Diane.
Fun little pop meets hip hop sound there. Yeah. All right, Megan, we are ready. Megan. Thank you friend. You're welcome. And thank you for watching. I'm Diane Macedo. The news never stops, and neither do we. We have a lot more news for you right after the break.
Tonight, the 2020 season premiere. Doctor Garcia, go inside a murder mystery. Garcia.
Police department as it unravels. Oh my God. Doctor Garcia was deceased on the couch.
How could this have happened?
An enduring and deep mystery filled with sick twists, shocking turns. Tonight, secrets will be revealed.
Cold blooded. The 2020 season premiere tonight at nine over eight central on ABC.
Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands.
What is this?
It's explosives.
These are these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. The cartel run gold.
Mine that have to be saved.
It was a regular day for 19 year old Melissa Witte.
Something terrible had happened to her.
You had several suspects.
All these kinds of leads.
A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved? We're actually finding.
Key evidence that could have slipped through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl.
Police will find.
Out what happened at.
Wit's end. The hunt for a killer. Only on Hulu.
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Hi, I'm Diane Macedo today on ABC News Live. First, we have breaking news. Israel is carrying out the most intense airstrikes in Lebanon since the conflict started on October 7th. One of those airstrikes targeted a suburb in Lebanon's capital, Beirut. Lebanon's health Ministry says the strike killed three people and injured 17 others. The IDF says it's hit hundreds of Hezbollah launch sites there since yesterday, and this comes as Hezbollah vows to keep up daily strikes across the border in Israel, now saying at least 37 people were killed in the massive attack involving exploding communication devices. ABC foreign correspondent Marcus Moore has the latest from Beirut.
Hi Diane, it has been an active day here in Beirut and across Lebanon. We have been following reports of another strike in Beirut in the southern suburb of Daraya. This is the Hezbollah stronghold, and we've seen pictures showing the damage, heavily damaged buildings, smoke billowing into the air and really chaos on the ground. This happening earlier today and we're still waiting to get information on on what was targeted there and exactly how this strike was carried out. But it comes as we have watched and seen the fighting intensify, particularly along Lebanon's southern border with with Israel. In fact, the IDF said that more than 120 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel just this morning. And the activity, the back and forth that we have seen is really marked one of the most active days we've seen in this war since it began. And right now we are waiting to see exactly how this develops and what impact it will have on the overall conflict that we've watched unfold here. And the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, held a gave a speech yesterday where he referenced the simultaneous explosions of pagers and also handheld radios.
He described them as acts of war. And he said that there will be a response for that. But right now we're watching and waiting to see exactly what that response will be. He did acknowledge that the explosions dealt a major blow to Hezbollah, but that they would persevere and that they will continue to support the people of Gaza. As long as that bombardment continues, they will carry on with their attacks. And in fact, on Thursday, they claimed at least 20 attacks, Diane, which would mark one of the busiest days that we've seen in this war since it began.
All right. ABC News foreign correspondent Marcus Moore in Beirut. Thank you. Let's go to ABC news contributor, former senior CIA field operative Darrell Blocker for more. Darrell Israel just hit a target in southern Beirut, in Lebanon's capital, with an airstrike. They're saying it killed three people, according to Lebanese officials. What's the significance on that? Based on what we know so far.
Diane.
The significance is probably Israel has already mapped out where the rockets are being shot from. So they're specifically targeting those threats to northern, those continued threats to to northern Israel. So as the launchers have to have to come out, they have to send off some type of signal, which of course alerts the IDF that they're about to about to fire missiles. So these are very surgical and targeted attacks against known Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon.
Daryl, this, of course, is coming on the heels of that coordinated pager and walkie talkie attack targeting Hezbollah. Hezbollah is calling it a declaration of war. But what has this done to their ability to respond to this, both from a physical standpoint but also a psychological one?
Well, if you can just imagine that, you know, the day before they were able to text one another, they were able to call one another, they were able to send electronic messages to one another that is completely been taken off the table. So their ability to coordinate as they have, just as long as even 48 hours ago, no longer exist. So that gives the advantage, of course, to the IDF. That gives it advantage to the folks who are not running around in disarray right now, which, according to Nasrallah, is the entirety of Hezbollah.
Now, a U.S. intelligence source tells ABC news, Israel had a hand in manufacturing those pagers that exploded. They say the CIA has long been reluctant to employ what's called supply chain interdiction. So the risk, they say to innocents is too high. Should the way this attack was carried out face scrutiny from humanitarian grounds here?
Whether you know, whether it warrants that or not is is not really the question. And my specific and personal answer is absolutely yes, it needs to be. But again, these were very specific devices being sent to very specific persons on the ground known to be affiliated with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security, IRGC Quds Force, and of course, their proxies in in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon and the Gaza.
And ABC news contributor, former CIA senior field operative Darrell Blocker Darrell, always great to have you on. Thank you.
Thank you.
Vice President Harris is heading to Georgia today where she's expected to focus on the state's abortion restrictions. It comes after Oprah held a virtual rally for Harris in Michigan, where she fielded questions from voters. Meanwhile, former President Trump spoke at an anti-Semitism event in Washington calling on the vice president to disavow any support from Hamas sympathizers. ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers joins me now, along with ABC's Jay O'Brien in Arlington, Virginia, where early voting is already getting underway. Unbelievable. Karen, let's start with this event. Harris has been criticized for not doing more unscripted events. So how significant was it that she was taking questions from voters in this virtual rally by Oprah?
You know, she has faced criticism for not doing more interviews with journalists or more unscripted events with voters. So that's what the campaign was trying to do last night. But Diane, this is, of course, a very friendly audience for her and a very friendly interviewer. Oprah Winfrey, of course, is a very big supporter of Vice President Harris. She spoke at the DNC last month, but last night, it was a chance for the vice president to talk about some of her signature issues abortion, immigration, the economy, gun control issues, taking questions from people in the audience, taking questions from zoom, and, of course, Oprah Winfrey moderating that conversation. In many ways, this was sort of a nostalgia moment of people who were missing The Oprah Winfrey Show, who might be tuning in to see more of Oprah than the vice president. And in terms of headlines, nothing major from the vice president. She really stuck to her script and going back to her campaign lines, but a chance for her to do some engagement with voters and real people, something that her campaign says she is going to do over the coming weeks.
But she certainly has not done a lot of since she's become the nominee and J.
Hard to believe that voting is now underway. You say you're seeing hundreds of Virginia voters heading to the polls today for early voting. So what are you hearing from lawmakers there?
Yeah, the lines were.
Long this morning, Diane, when early voting.
Opened. This is.
The first state to do in-person.
Early voting, the.
First in-person votes of the 2024 election cast in a number of counties in Virginia, but some of them just right here in this polling.
Place next to me. This is a Democratic heavy county, Arlington County. And while Virginia is not a swing state, President Biden won it handily in 2020. It does lay bare what the strategy is for Democrats in some of those swing states, which is to try to make inroads in Republican heavy counties, but really try to run up the vote count in Democratic heavy counties where they know there are a lot of Democratic voters. And they're hoping that this new enthusiasm, because of the Harris Walz ticket can help them do that in a way that they didn't necessarily have the opportunity to do. When President Biden was on the top of the ticket, I talked to one Democratic congressman of Virginia who is here at this event earlier today, Don Beyer, about exactly that. Here's what he told me. This election and the level of enthusiasm that's changed just over the last few days.
Oh my goodness.
Would you have expected a.
Turnout like this. Joe Biden at the top.
Of the ticket? Sadly, no.
There was you.
Know, we all loved Joe Biden, and.
We're all grateful for the.
Things he's done in his term.
In office, his 50 years. But people were discouraged, especially young people. But now the change in mood and energy and enthusiasm. These are the biggest.
Crowds I've seen at event.
After event ever. Even this morning, I thought there'd be a dozen people instead of, you know, maybe a couple.
So again, Democrats have long talked about that enthusiasm that is now apparent on the ticket because Kamala Harris is at the top of the ticket. But there is this concern amongst Democrats that enthusiasm wanes. You heard from Representative Beyer there. He doesn't believe it will. I also spoke earlier today on the air on your program with Senator Tim Kaine. He also says he doesn't believe it will, but said it is something the Democrats encountered in 2016 when Tim Kaine was on the ticket with Hillary Clinton. Democrats getting apathetic before Election Day.
And Karen Harris is speaking today in Atlanta. She's expected to focus on abortion access and the story of a woman who reportedly died as a result of the state's abortion ban. During the debate, Harris didn't say if she would support any restrictions on abortion. So do you expect to hear any more from her on that position today?
I don't think she'll go into details like that. I think what she's going to do today is keep the focus on Donald Trump. Her campaign says she's going to be talking about what they call the dangerous consequences of state bans on abortion across the country, and she is going to blame that on the former president for appointing justices to the Supreme Court. That resulted in overturning of Roe versus Wade. She's also going to talk about the deaths of those women in Georgia. some really just heart wrenching stories after the state abortion ban went into effect. She had a chance to meet with one of those families last night. Amber Thurman's mother was at the event with Oprah. She's also today going to be talking about Donald Trump's plans to vote for a similar abortion ban in Florida, and look for her to tie that to what's been happening now in Georgia.
All right, Karen Travers, Jay O'Brien, thank you both. And Venezuelan officials say a fourth U.S. citizen is in custody there, accused in a plot to overthrow the government. The arrest comes as a new report from the U.N. Human Rights Council says violence against alleged opponents of President Nicolas Maduro has reached, quote, unprecedented levels, accusing Maduro's government of using arrests, sexual abuse and even torture to stay in power. The report says some of those arrests include children. The U.N. says the instability is very likely to cause more Venezuelans to leave the country, potentially headed for the U.S.. Let's bring in Venezuela's opposition leader, Maria Corina machado for more. Maria, thank you so much for joining us. These four Americans are now in custody in Venezuela, accused of being part of a plot to kill President Maduro. The U.S. State Department has said any allegations of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false. So what can you tell us about these allegations? And do you think these arrests will lead to more U.S. involvement there?
Thank you very much. I think it is very important to understand what is behind these actions of Maduro. He lost. He had a huge defeat on July 28th when we won the presidential election by a landslide. And when he was deprived of all legitimacy, he decided to go all the way with repression and persecution. Today, every single person that was directly involved with the elections, we are either in hiding, under asylum, in exile or in prison. But We are willing to fight, and certainly the United States, as well as the rest of the Western democratic democracies, have to understand what it means if Maduro prolongs this tragedy. They are going to be millions of Venezuelans fleeing, and many will reach the south border of the United States because they find no future in Venezuela. We have to stop that. We have to make those that have left come back to rebuild our country, and we have to do it now.
Now, Venezuela's president elect, Edmundo Gonzalez, is in Spain granted asylum after signing a letter accepting Maduro's election victory. Now, in an exclusive interview just released by Reuters, he says, quote, the Maduro government was coming for me. He claims he was forced to sign that letter, and now Spain is denying claims that they were involved in negotiating it. So what's the latest on that and how much weight does that letter actually hold?
Well, I think it.
Had turned out as a huge mistake for the regime, because now everybody knows here and abroad that Edmundo Gonzalez was coerced, he was blackmailed. All kind of coercion was put into him. He he said, either exile or El Helicoid. El Helicoide is the biggest torture center in Latin America. That's what he was told by the regime while he was in the Spain embassy in Caracas. So this is a proof of the degree of the repression and coercion that regime has put into us. But now he is safe away from Venezuela. He has just been recognized as president elect, not only by the Congress of Chile, Colombia, Republica Dominicana, but also yesterday by the European Parliament. This is huge and what we want now is a US Congress also does the same recognizes Edmundo Gonzalez as President elect, and we believe the United States government should do that as well.
But that said, Edmundo Gonzalez isn't in Venezuela anymore. So now what do you feel like you've been left to pick up the pieces?
No, I think he did what he thought was necessary to protect his life. He is president elect. We cannot have him on a regime jail. That would have been a disaster. So I think now we are in a stronger position to keep fighting. And he should and will be sworn as the constitutional president of Venezuela on January 10th, which is what our Constitution states. But from here to there, we need to put all the pressure on Nicolas Maduro so that he understands that the cost of staying in power will be higher. It's getting higher every day until the cost of living power is less than that. And that's what we need to do. Right now we need to put all pressure from within. And that's what we are doing. Even when persecuted and and being under repression. I've been accused of terrorism. The regime is looking for me, and that's happening with most of our of our members, of our teams. But we are working. We are willing to fight as well as our Venezuelan diaspora around the world.
So this is a moment to move ahead, to put pressure on Maduro and to make him understand that all those that have committed crimes against humanity will be held accountable.
Now Maduro has his military and the courts behind him. You have the support of the U.S., the EU and various neighboring countries in Latin America. So what options do you have right now to try to restore democracy in Venezuela.
We have the support of the people. That's the most important thing. We want an election 70 over 30 under terrible conditions and by the rules of the tyranny, they didn't even let a fourth of our population that is abroad to vote. If they could have voted, this election would have ended up 90 over ten. So this is a country that is united, and that includes middle ranks and lower ranks of our military or police, the judiciary system, Maduro, the only thing that has left is the support of the top brass. And this is a moment in which he has to understand that every day that goes by, he's more and more isolated internationally and locally. So we have to reach that point in which the cost of staying is so high that he understands that in his best interest, he has to sit down for a negotiated transition. And that's precisely what it's going to happen. So we need to keep pushing and we need the American people, not only the government, the American people, to understand how critical it is to solve the conflict of Venezuela for your own national security, for your own well-being, and certainly for the cause of liberty and freedom.
We've never been so close. Yes, it's the most dangerous time, but we will prevail.
All right. Venezuela's opposition leader, Maria Corina machado. Thank you.
Thank you.
Coming up, millions of people worldwide may be living with it and not even know it. Why? Narcolepsy often goes undiagnosed. And what symptoms you should look out for.
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It was a regular day for 19 year old Melissa Witt.
Something terrible had happened to her.
You had several suspects.
All these.
Kinds of leads.
A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved?
We're actually finding key evidence that could have slipped through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl. Police will find.
Out what.
Happened at.
Wit's end. The hunt for a killer. Only on Hulu.
The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm in.
September and October.
2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream.
For everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
Welcome back to ABC News Live. First, you've probably seen narcolepsy depicted in movies and TV shows, but the reality of living with the condition is far less funny and often far more subtle. In fact, there are likely people all over the world with narcolepsy right now who don't even know it. The neurological condition affects how the brain controls sleep wake cycles, and is estimated to affect about 3 million people worldwide, many of them undiagnosed. As we mark World Narcolepsy Day this Sunday, president and CEO of Project Sleep, Julie Flygare is here with more on this. Julie, thanks so much for coming on. It's such an important topic and I know you have narcolepsy as well as being the leader of this organization. So I think one of the more surprising things when you start learning about narcolepsy is the idea that you could have this condition and not know it, because the way that it's depicted in TV and film, that seems impossible. So break that down. What exactly is narcolepsy and why does it so often go undetected?
Yeah.
So I think when people.
Learn that I have narcolepsy, they often ask me, are you going to fall asleep right now, you know, in the middle of a sentence or while standing? And that's what we think of from movies. But actually, for me, I just thought I'd lost my willpower in law school. I was having trouble remembering, reading and having trouble driving, so it's just much more invisible the sleepiness. And in addition, there's other symptoms. Like when I was laughing at jokes, my knees started buckling. So I just really didn't think that I had a sleep disorder. It was affecting me during the day, not at night. And so I really didn't see this as an issue with my sleep at night. And, you know, it took a while to eventually find a doctor who had heard of these symptoms.
Now, you went to a number of doctors before you finally got that diagnosis, and you even told your own doctor, I think I have a sleep disorder, so walk me through that journey. The number of times you were dismissed along the way and what it took to finally get that diagnosis.
Yeah. I had originally asked the doctor about my knees buckling when I laughed, and she just said to try breathing deeper when I laugh. And that's actually a very particular symptom of narcolepsy. So if that happens to you, that's a big sign of narcolepsy. Then a primary care doctor saying, you know, when I said I think I have a sleep disorder, she said, well, everyone gets tired when they drive. Even I have to pull over and get a coffee, you know? So we really have these perceptions that if you're tired, it's just something you did yourself. It's your own problem. You know, you're not sleeping well at night or you're not having the right habits. And to, you know, take the step and realize that I had the smallest voice inside of me that said, I don't know if this doctor is talking about the same kind of sleepiness that I'm experiencing, but how do I know? Because I don't know what it feels like to be in anyone else's body.
So what does it feel like? Our own ginger zee here. Our chief meteorologist also has narcolepsy. She's talked about it a lot. She writes about it in her book. And again, another example of someone who I think many people are surprised to hear that. So what does it actually feel like? What kind of symptoms should people look out for?
I think, you know, just if you are feeling tired almost every day, you know, after lunch or in the afternoon, if you feel like you have to take a nap every single day, that's really not normal. And, you know, if you wake up in the morning after a good night's sleep and don't feel refreshed, have trouble driving, have to have energy drinks every day, you know, those are signs that you could actually have a sleep disorder and something like narcolepsy.
And it's not like passing out in your soup. It's, you know, maybe you feel like you need to doze off on your desk or something, or you just feel sleepy or sitting in a waiting room and you feel kind of right. It's more subtle than that.
Right. And it affects things like your memory or not. You know, remembering a drive. Like you get to the place you're supposed to be, but you don't remember getting there. Those are little secret signs.
All right. President and CEO of Project Sleep. Julie Flyger. Julie. Thank you.
Thank you.
Coming up, GMA lifestyle contributor Lori Bergamotto joins us for The Right Stuff for all your pumpkin spice needs. It is time for the right stuff. When we come back.
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Welcome back to ABC News Live. First it is time for The Right Stuff with our friend, GMA lifestyle contributor Lori Bergamotto. So every Friday, Lori brings us some of her favorite products. And since the first day of fall is Sunday, Lori is kicking off the season with everything pumpkin spice so you can shop these products and what Lori shared on Good Morning America by scanning that QR code in the bottom left corner of your screen. So, Lori, I'm going to be doing a lot of taste testing this segment.
I love how you.
Walk me through your Pumpkin Spice seltzer.
Seltzer. That's right.
Okay. We all love a pumpkin spice latte, right? They've been around for 21 years. It is like over a $600 million industry, but they have a lot of calories and sugar. This is from Aurora. It is seltzer water.
Very subtle.
No sugar, not sweet, no calories. No. And it has elements of vanilla, elements of cinnamon little cinnamon in there. So there's there's just like little notes a little cute. Your nails you're you're getting ready for this for Halloween.
Listen you know me in Halloween.
So these are great. You get a case of 16 for them. And they have all different really cool flavors. I just saw they have banana bergamot. I'm like, I need to get that right. Okay. Love. Aurora. Okay. This one I want you to first smell this because it is incredible. Don't you wish you could smell it? I know it's so good. Okay, so this is from Run amuck.
No you.
Can't. And we found this at the top. And they sell this. It's from a Vermont family owned business.
We really got to get the full picture.
Get the get the full picture. Get right in there. And let me tell you the other thing that I love about this. So it is pumpkin spice. And this is real.
Food on set here. We don't do just.
There's there's cinnamon. There's all delicious things in there. But it's not just for pancakes. Oh, no. You can put this in your coffee. You can put it in cocktails and you can put it obviously on pancakes. How good is that? This is delicious. It's under $23. This is great if you're going to somebody's house this fall as, like, a hostess gift. We love that. They're telling me I have to.
Keep it moving.
But I know, but keep it moving.
I am literally.
Literally keeping.
It moving. Okay. And then we can't forget about beauty because pumpkin obviously smells and tastes delicious, but it also has really great health benefits. One of them is beauty. Yes, it has a lot of enzymes in it, which is great for which are great for concealing.
So these pancakes are.
Healthy for me.
Exactly. That's how I'm getting my enzymes. It's beautifying Diane from the inside out. And now you can also beautify with this sheet mask. Look at this. This is one of those I can't talk about getting. I can't put that.
On even though I.
Want to for Halloween. Are you gonna do it? I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to mess up this beautiful makeup job. But this is from DSW beauty. It's pumpkin has oat milk in it. Calming and nourishing. It's great for us. After makeup, you put it on and you will be rejuvenated. You can get it on Amazon.
Love. All right. Well Laurie thank you. And to shop these products and more of the right stuff. Scan that QR code bottom left of your screen. And for your weekly roundup of the best lifestyle content from Laurie and GMA, catch GMA Life on Weekends 8:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. eastern, right here on ABC News Live and streaming on Hulu. And thank you for streaming with us. I'm Diane Macedo. The news never stops and neither do we. We have a lot more news right after the break. That's good to.
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The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm.
In September and.
October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream.
For everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
Welcome back to.
ABC News Live. First, thanks for streaming with us. You are looking at New York City on this Friday, and we have a lot of news to get to. Here's a rundown right now. A deadly storm system is moving through the heartland after leaving a trail of destruction from Oklahoma to Minnesota. At least two tornadoes were reported near Duluth, Minnesota. One person is dead after severe storms hit Pawnee, Oklahoma. Those storms are now moving east, bringing the threat of damaging wind and hail from Illinois to Michigan. Eight firefighters in Southern California are injured after their truck crashed on a freeway in Irvine. Police say the wreck happened as they were returning from a 12 hour shift, fighting one of the wildfires in the region. Officials say the driver swerved trying to avoid a ladder in the road and hit a guardrail. Six of the eight firefighters suffered serious injuries. An investigation is underway into a fire on this luxury yacht. It was packed with fireworks and a thousand rounds of ammunition. Flames swallowed up the admiral in California's Marina del Rey.
Both people on board did escape. The 100 foot yacht eventually sank. The cause of the fire has not officially been determined, and L.A. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is making history again. He's now the first major league player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season. Ohtani achieved those milestones during the best hitting day of his career with three home runs among his six hits, two stolen bases and ten RBIs. Meanwhile, dozens of people are dead in a major Mexican city has been paralyzed by an explosion of violence in the state of Sinaloa. The Sinaloa drug cartel is in upheaval after a pair of high profile arrests back in July. Son of the cartel's famed former leader, El Chapo Guzman. Joaquin Guzman and another cartel leader, Ismael Zambada, were arrested in the United States. Zambada has accused the younger Guzman of kidnapping him in Mexico to hand him over to U.S. authorities. ABC news correspondent Matt Rivers joins us now from Mexico City with more on this. mat. It's kind of hard to follow when you're just kind of trying to lay it all out that way.
But what's the latest there in Sinaloa?
Yeah. So let's start with just what's going on, mainly in the city of Culiacan. That is the state capital of Sinaloa. Sinaloa is, of course, the heartland of the Sinaloa Cartel country, if you will. And what we've seen within the last two weeks or so is just an explosion of infighting within this cartel faction versus faction. And what it has done is left dozens of people dead. Officially, the numbers around 40 at this point, but that's just officially anytime you're talking about deaths and organized crime, there is always there are always deaths that are not reported officially. So the number is likely far higher than that. What we've been learning so far is that the majority of people who have been killed do appear to be involved with the cartel, not just ordinary civilians, but that's in part because civilians are basically staying home. Schools were closed last week. They only reopened this past Tuesday with heavy government patrols in the region. You had businesses shut down the public transportation is empty. Even last weekend, Mexican Independence Day celebrations were formally canceled because of this fighting.
So the population is basically cowed into staying inside their homes as this cartel continues to go to war with itself.
So what can you tell us about this uptick in violence in Sinaloa? Is it all related to these cartels? Is the arrest correlated with this? Why is that happening?
Yeah. Quick history lesson. The Sinaloa Cartel, back about ten years ago, was run by a guy named El Chapo Guzman, who I'm sure most of our audience is familiar with. When he was arrested a little under a decade ago, basically, the cartel stayed together. But under these two factions, one led by his sons called Los Nietos. And on the other side, you had a faction led by Ismael Zambada, known as El Mayo. They worked together for the better part of the last ten years because of record breaking profits from fentanyl production, as well as mutual respect. But what you said off the top, one of the sons Allegedly kidnapped El Mayo, brought him to the United States, and turned him over to U.S. authorities. That obviously put both factions, the one from led by the sons of El Chapo, the one on the other side led by El Mayo and his son. That put them at odds immediately. Now they're fighting over these lucrative drug routes, as well as the fact that there's a sense of betrayal on the El Mayo side because of what happened in the United States.
So how is the Mexican government responding to this explosion in violence there?
Well, what we have seen under the Lopez Obrador administration throughout the entirety of the six years in office is they have a policy called abrazos no balazos, which means hugs, not bullets. And their attempt to quell violence in this country is basically to back off from organized crime, to not have large scale confrontations. But what they're essentially doing in Sinaloa right now is letting the population try and handle this themselves. They actually have the top military commander in Sinaloa just a few days ago, said that it, quote, does not depend on the military, but rather it depends on the narcos themselves. To stop this violence, the government basically abdicating any responsibility to keep its citizenry safe. And that's obviously led to a lot of criticism across the country right now. What's the point of having thousands of government troops if you're not going to try and keep people safe?
All right, Matt Rivers in Mexico City. Matt. Thank you. And five women are coming forward with accusations against Mohamed Al Fayed, the late billionaire whose son Dodi died in a car crash with Princess Diana. The former employees tell the BBC Mohammed sexually assaulted them when he owned the luxury British department store Harrods. ABC foreign correspondent James Longman has the latest.
Mohamed Al Fayed, longtime owner of Harrods department store, whose son Dodi died alongside Princess Diana in Paris, stands accused of rape and sexual abuse.
Mohamed Al Fayed was like an.
Apex predator.
And he enjoyed.
I guess, the fear.
In my eyes.
Or our.
Eyes.
I just kicked him off. I kicked him, kicked him, kicked him, kicked and screamed. And again I got him off. I was just, just terrified.
Al-Fayed, who died last year, was a billionaire Egyptian businessman who rubbed shoulders with royalty. He's depicted in the Netflix series The Crown as the match maker behind his son's relationship with Princess Diana. But Al-Fayed now stands accused of multiple sexual assaults in a new BBC documentary. Al-Fayed Predator at Harrods, which has gathered testimony from 20 women.
He tried to rape me more than once and he pushed me in.
And onto the bed so that I couldn't.
Move. I was a child when this happened, you know, he was 79, nearly 80, and I was 15.
The women say they want to set the record straight, some angered by his depiction in Netflix's show Diana Muhammad.
But you must call me Momo.
Why must I call you mom?
All my friends do.
They say that version is far from the truth.
I hope that from today people see what he was really like. Mohamed Al-Fayed is rapist. I think he's a serial rapist.
Harrods, which is under new management, issued a statement sincerely apologizing to the victims. We're utterly appalled by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al Fayed, an individual intent on abusing his power wherever he operated. They added The Harrods of today is a very different organization to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010.
An ABC foreign correspondent, James Longman, joins me now from London with more on this. James, why are these women coming forward now and what does justice look like for them?
Yeah, Diane, I think it's the sheer weight of evidence that's part of it. The number of women that have come forward. He's had sexual abuse allegations leveled at him before but never in this quantity. 37 women are coming forward. Five of them say they were raped. I think they want to adjust the reputation that he has in the world. You saw there the Netflix documentary that's upset some of them at this affable character. I think in the minds of many, they want that adjusted. But there's also a specific issue here around his business dealings. Gloria Allred, the lawyer who represents so many women in these sorts of situations, she made the point today that it goes beyond Mohamed Al Fayed for these women. It goes through to Harrods, of course, the department store. What other people there may have known what they were hiding, but also his other business dealings as well. He owned a soccer club here in the United Kingdom and the United States. You have Rico, which is a charge that you can bring against an organization for criminal activity.
So they're really thinking of it in that way. Have a listen to what Gloria Allred told me just earlier this morning.
He dangled.
Employment.
Opportunities before them.
But they were really not.
Treated as employees. They were treated as sex objects.
And the idea here is that, you know, so many of these women were recruited and employed by Harrods. This is the allegation in many cases in order that Mohamed Al-Fayed could abuse them. So the idea, I think, for these lawyers and these victims coming forward is they want to raise awareness to get perhaps more women to come forward. For a long time, they felt very scared to do so.
Diane and James, there are six American women also coming forward with accusations against Al-Fayed. I know you spoke to one of them. What did she tell you?
Yeah, this is 23 year old woman. She came here to London as a student from the United States with her sister, worked at Harrods for three months. And she said that when she was put into the offices close to Mohamed Al Fayed's personal office, she was put in some incredibly difficult situations with him. I think we've got a clip here to show you.
Fayyad said no, no, no.
I have a private elevator.
You can come with me in the elevator.
So we got.
In and I was standing looking at the door, the elevator doors, and he was behind me. And when we started going down, he turned me around and kissed me in his bedroom. And he started making jokes and comments about how the bed was big enough for three and just lewd comments and things. And then he tried to kiss my sister and she kind of, like, ducked away and walked out. And I walked out and he hit me on the butt.
So these women have come forward with sort of different types of allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed. The case against him and Harrods hasn't been brought to a court of law yet. There could be jurisdictional issues around this. There are women from all over the world who are coming forward with their stories. So it might be that different court cases are brought in different places, including, of course, the United States. Diane.
All right. ABC foreign correspondent James Longman. James. Thank you. And investigators in the Sean Diddy Combs case say they are turning their focus to his inner circle. They say they're now working to determine who his co-conspirators were and if more charges should come down. The hip hop mogul is fighting racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and prostitution charges. ABC senior investigative correspondent Aaron Katersky has the latest.
As hip hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs fights racketeering, conspiracy, sex trafficking and prostitution charges, investigators are working to determine who his co-conspirators were and whether they, too, should be charged.
He used his business and employees of that business and other close associates to get his way. Those individuals allegedly included high ranking supervisors in the business, personal assistants, security staff and household staff.
Just this week, prosecutors said they served Combs as head of security with a search warrant for his electronic devices.
You can rest assured.
That the feds.
Have already talked to.
The people who worked for.
Combs.
And all of those people.
Have already probably given.
Statements.
The 54 year old has pleaded not guilty to charges he led a criminal conspiracy that abused women. The indictment alleged some of Combs employees helped set up freak shows in which women were forced into sex acts with male prostitutes. Prosecutors said they booked hotel rooms, stocked them with supplies and arranged travel for the sex workers. A centerpiece of the case, this 2016 video, obtained by CNN that shows Combs punching, kicking and dragging former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Prosecutors said they have evidence that Combs staff members remained in contact with the victim to ensure that she would not talk to the police. Combs is now isolated from the general population in a decrepit federal jail. He's a.
Man who knows.
What it's like.
To have a jury of 12 New.
Yorkers look at you and say, not guilty. And he's looking forward to that happening again.
And Aaron Katersky joins me now for more on this case. Aaron, prosecutors say they served as head of security with a search warrant for his electronic devices. What more do you know about that? And are there anyone else in his orbit that you know investigators are looking at right now?
Everyone else in his orbit. And you heard the U.S. attorney there in the piece say his security staff, his household staff, supervisors at his business, Bad Boy Records, Sean John fragrances, alcohol. He was used to being a boss for a very long time, and anyone in that entourage could be part of the criminal case.
He's due back in court next month. He's been denied bail twice now. His attorney said he would keep fighting. So what happens next?
He's expected to file an appeal with the second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to ask To reinstate bail. Get Diddy out on on a bail package. But that's going to be a tall order because defendants like Sean Combs, who are charged with sex trafficking. Pretrial detention is presumed.
All right. Senior investigative correspondent Aaron Katersky. Thank you. Coming up from obesity, drugs for kids to overprescribing antibiotics. Our doctor, Alok Patel, has what you need to know on the health topics that matter most to you.
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Welcome back to ABC News Live. It is time now for our weekly segment, but Tell It Like It Is, where ABC news contributor doctor Alok Patel shares health advice on the topics that matter most to you. And today he's answering some of your questions. So, Doctor Patel, we are getting started with Chandini from Germany. She's wondering about obesity, drugs for kids, asking why not more preventative care?
He asks a very important question. Now it's important to understand where this question stems from, as there has been a rise in conversations about weight loss, medications, even weight loss surgery. But when it comes to managing obesity, especially in kids, lifestyle management is still the most important first step. Prevention is the gold standard. Prevention in children would come down to teaching kids how to make healthy nutrition choices. early obesity awareness and education and promoting physical activity. But Diane, if it was that easy. Obesity rates would not have tripled in children since the 1980s. So while we try to make more policy changes and improve access to care, parents should focus on what they can control physical activity, nutrition choices, promoting sleep, getting kids off of screens, and seeking help when you need it.
We also have another question about the risks of overprescribing antibiotics. What do people need to know there?
This is based on a very important study that just came out from the article Lancet predicting that antimicrobial resistant infections. This is bacteria who have learned how to protect themselves against antibiotics, hence the name superbugs may claim about 40 million lives by the year 2050. Now, these superbug infections are unfortunately already common right now. One important step in protecting us is preventing infections in the first place. But so is properly using antibiotics. So important message for everyone out there. Only take antibiotics when you absolutely need them. Antibiotics do not need to be taken against common viruses. No sharing of antibiotics. Follow prescriptions appropriately and always dispose of antibiotics the right way. Because guess what? If we leave antibiotics in the environment that can contribute to these resistant infections, that is not a good thing. This is a looming global public health threat. We need to act on yesterday.
And Doctor Patel, Adrian from Phoenix wants to know how do I approach anti-science family members with evidence? It's like a brick wall, she says.
Oh, I think people can relate to this question that comes from Adrian. And I will say that a lot of us understand what it might be like to be at a dinner table where there might be some debate about topics such as climate change, vaccines, evolution, reproductive rights and other scientific topics. Now, the most important thing to do when we're having these discussions is to maintain a relatable, respectful, calm tone. That is how we build trust, and that's how we understand perspective. When people don't necessarily agree on something. We want to make sure that we are presenting information facts from a validated source. It is always fair to examine where somebody else is getting their information from, because information, especially scientific, from a politician or from social media, is not the same as getting it from a validated source or a scientific journal. And just a very important reminder when we're having these tough conversations, hostility gets us nowhere. Maintain that face to face, congenial discussion, and may science always win.
Doctor Patel, thank you. And if you have questions for Doctor Patel, leave him a message on our Instagram feed. He might answer your question right here on Friday. The FTC is urging lawmakers to act after a new report accusing major social media companies of surveilling their users on a massive scale. The FTC claims popular social media companies like meta, YouTube and TikTok often couldn't keep track of who they were selling the information to. ABC's Andrea Fujii has the details.
The Federal Trade Commission is calling on Congress to pass new privacy laws after the agency found social media companies engaging in, quote, vast surveillance on people using their apps.
You can almost bet that if you're using a free service, that you're giving up something to have that service.
The report is based on information gathered four years ago. Several social media and video companies, including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, were ordered to explain how they collect, track and use people's personal information, such as their marital status, income and level of education. They found the companies engaged in broad data sharing and often couldn't keep track of who they were selling the information to. The report also revealed companies did not delete all user data in response to user deletion requests, and some companies used privacy invasive tracking technologies to help sell targeted advertising.
A wake up call to the public and the consumer that you need to take action and be aware of what information you're potentially giving up in order to leverage free services.
In recent years, some companies have tightened their policies. Just this week, Instagram announced privacy protections for teens. But experts warn changes like this may not be enough.
I don't feel like these companies truly have our children's best interests in mind. I think that they have themselves in mind for the most part, and so ultimately, it becomes the parents responsibility to really dig in and understand what their children are, are using.
Google and discord responded to the report. Google saying, we never sell people's personal information and we don't use sensitive information to serve ads. And discord disputed the report, saying it combines very different models into one bucket.
Andrea Fujii Thank you. And one important takeaway from all of this be sure to read the user agreements when you download an app to learn more about where your data might be going. Coming up, Pharrell Williams and Beyonce could be teaming up again for another music collab. What Pharrell hinted at in a new interview that had the beyhive buzzing. Our Megan Wright is here to break it all down in the drop. Stay with us.
Whenever. Wherever news breaks, it's so important to always remember that lives are changed here in London, in Buffalo. Uvalde, Texas. Edinburgh, Scotland. Reporting from Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Ukrainian refugees here in Warsaw. We're heading to a small community outside of Mexico City, getting you behind the stories as they happen. ABC News Live Prime. We'll take you there.
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Something terrible had happened to her.
You had several.
Suspects, all.
These kinds of leads.
A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved?
We're actually finding key evidence that could have slipped through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl.
Police will find out what.
Happened at.
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Baywatch is a fantasy.
Baywatch is sexy. Jason Momoa exploded.
Carmen was a.
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Greed. Lust. Fame.
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You know that music means it's time for the drop, where we talk about the big music headlines of the week. ABC news contributor, DJ and radio personality Megan Wright is here to break it down for US air horn. Oh, there it is. Megan, what do we need to know?
First, we need to choreograph some dance moves. That's what we're going to we're going.
To start doing.
But let's get into what I want to talk about, which is Beyonce. And even though we are still rocking out to her act two, of course, Cowboy Carter. I have a hint of something that we can expect. Okay, so in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, super producer and artist Pharrell Williams spoke on his working relationship with Beyonce, which including producing her debut solo single Work It Out, which is on the Goldmember soundtrack, if you remember, as well as her evolution. Now here's where the beehive is definitely paying attention, Pharrell said. I'm so grateful to be a part of her journey and her story and her trajectory. He went on to say, we've had a lot of fun. Get ready though. Just get ready. Now, when the interviewer asked what we should prepare for Diane, he reiterated twice. Just get ready. Okay, so I need that air horn because I know we're going to get some new Beyonce music coming soon and Pharrell knows what's up, so hopefully he'll tell us some more.
Now. Summer may be over, but festival season is not. The 2024 iHeart Music Festival is officially here. I have been it is a lot of fun. It is kicking off today and continuing tomorrow at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Now, as always, the list of performances is definitely star studded ASAP Rocky, Big Sean, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, Gwen Stefani, Keith Urban, Paramore Got to Take a Breath, Shaboozey, The Weeknd and Victoria monet are just some of the names that are set to hit the stage, all hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Now, if you aren't in Vegas, you can stream it live each night on Hulu. Now we got to move on to some legal troubles. Nelly has been hit with a copyright lawsuit by his Saint Lunatics groupmates over Nelly's critically acclaimed debut album, Country Grammar, which was released 24 years ago. Time is flying now to give some history. Country grammar is one of the biggest hip hop albums of all time, and the ninth best selling rap album of all time as well.
And if you're not familiar with The Saint Lunatics, they were all a group of high school friends who rose to prominence in the late 1990s, and back then you always saw them all together with Nelly. They did an album and they were also featured on records with Nelly as well, and also credited as co-writers on numerous songs on Country Grammar. Now, according to Billboard, for the group's members, Ali Murphy, Lee Quan, and City Spud all filed a lawsuit this week in Manhattan federal court alleging that Nelly manipulated them into falsely thinking they'd be paid for their work. Now, at this time, Nelly has not responded to the lawsuit. Now, Diane, you know, I ended some viral news. We've talked about Katy Perry a bunch, and her album 143 is officially out now. Yes, there's my air horn. And here's the video for one of the songs off the project, Gimme Gimme featuring 21 Savage.
Gimme gimme baby. Stop wasting my time. Kitty, kitty, wanna come party tonight? Trippy, trippy. Daddy, take me on a ride.
So you can check that out. You can check out Katy Perry's entire album. It's out now. Diane.
Fun little pop meets hip hop sound there. Yeah. All right, Megan, we are ready. Megan. Thank you friend. You're welcome. And thank you for watching. I'm Diane Macedo. The news never stops, and neither do we. We have a lot more news for you right after the break.
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Hi, I'm Diane Macedo today on ABC News Live. First, Hezbollah is firing missiles at Israel. It comes after days of coordinated device attacks and Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. How Hezbollah's leaders are responding. As we learn more about how Israel got those detonating devices into the country. Vice President Harris hits the campaign trail with Oprah taking questions from voters. What she told the family of a Georgia mother who reportedly lost her life as a result of that state's abortion ban. But we want to start with that. Breaking news. Lebanon's health ministry says at least eight people are dead and 59 injured after a targeted Israeli airstrike in Beirut. An Israeli official says the strike was targeting Ibrahim Akil, a senior Hezbollah military official thought to be behind the 1983 bombing of the U.S. embassy in Beirut. It's not clear whether Akil was killed in that attack. And this comes amid Israel's most intense series of airstrikes in Lebanon since that conflict started October 7th. The IDF says it's hit hundreds of Hezbollah launch sites in southern Lebanon since yesterday, and Hezbollah has vowed to keep up daily strikes across the border in Israel in the wake of that attack involving exploding communication devices.
ABC foreign correspondent Marcus Moore has the latest from Beirut.
Hi Diane, it has been an active day here in Beirut and across Lebanon. We have been following reports of another strike in Beirut in the southern suburb of Daraya. This is the Hezbollah stronghold, and we've seen pictures showing the damage, heavily damaged buildings, smoke billowing into the air and really chaos on the ground. This happening earlier today and we're still waiting to get information on on what was targeted there and exactly how this strike was carried out. But it comes as we have watched and seen the fighting intensify, particularly along Lebanon's southern border with with Israel. In fact, the IDF said that more than 120 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel just this morning. And the activity, the back and forth that we have seen is really marked one of the most active days we've seen in this war since it began. And right now we are waiting to see exactly how this develops and what impact it will have on the overall conflict that we've watched unfold here. And the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, gave a speech yesterday where he referenced the simultaneous explosions of pagers and also handheld radios.
He described them as acts of war, and he said that there will be a response for that. But right now we're watching and waiting to see exactly what that response will be. He did acknowledge that the explosions dealt a major blow to Hezbollah, but that they would persevere and that they will continue to support the people of Gaza. As long as that bombardment continues, they will carry on with their attacks. And in fact, on Thursday they claimed at least 20 attacks. Diane, which would mark one of the busiest days that we've seen in this war since it began.
And Marcus, this new targeted strike comes as Israel says its war is entering a new phase and a controversy is brewing over a video appearing to show Israeli soldiers kicking a lifeless body off of a roof in the West Bank. Marcus, thank you. I want to go now to ABC news chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz with the latest. We do want to warn you, some of these images are disturbing.
The Israelis really have been relentless this week with that targeted strike. But every single day you had the pagers, you had the walkie talkies. Israel bombing rocket launchers inside southern Lebanon. But of course, Hezbollah firing back. There's also a controversy here in Israel on the West Bank. The IDF, the Israeli Defense Force looking into reports. After a video emerged. You see three Israeli soldiers in the West Bank shortly after a raid was carried out there, looking as if they are kicking a lifeless body off of the roof of the building. Israel is now looking into that as well, while tensions are rising here, whether this war already taking place in Gaza will escalate to the north.
Diane. ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz in Tel Aviv. Thank you. And white House national security communications adviser John Kirby called that video deeply disturbing. He says if it's proven to be authentic, it clearly would depict abhorrent and egregious behavior. Let's bring in ABC news, national security and defense analyst Mick Mulroy for more. Mick, what's your reaction to this video of these IDF soldiers appearing to kick a dead body off a roof in the desert in the West Bank? And how do you expect Israel to handle this Investigation.
So, Diane, the quick answer is completely unacceptable, unprofessional. And if it is in fact true and I've seen multiple different angles of this happening, it marks some very undisciplined soldiers. Yes. They were yes, they were already deceased. But you have to handle the deceased with respect and dignity. That's just your obligation under the international laws that govern this. So I think it shouldn't be a long investigation unless these are manufactured videos, which I don't, at least from my viewing, doesn't look like they are. But if they can confirm that they're accurate videos, they should move swiftly to discipline these soldiers and determine if there's an issue in the ranks of this particular unit and if there is, that needs to be adjusted.
Mick, how significant is this new targeted strike on Beirut? And what does this tell you about Israel's so-called new phase of the war?
Well, first of all, it looks like yet another significant covert operation to target this individual, Ibrahim Akil, who was Fawad Shakur's deputy, the individual they assassinated before in Beirut, both of whom were largely responsible for the attacks against the marine barracks in 1983. So the US collectively should be rejoicing in the fact that these individuals finally met justice. There was multi million dollar rewards out from the State Department. If confirmed, this is a significant blow also to Hezbollah. He was the commander currently of the Radwan units, which is the special operations of Hezbollah. So something that they use very often and is one of their most elite forces. So this was, if confirmed, a big, a big occurrence.
So, Nick, what are you watching for in terms of possible retaliation from Hezbollah?
So Diane, we're looking at multiple possible retaliations now. Of course, Shakur was never really retaliated. The Iranians never really retaliated. For Ismail Haniyeh, the individual, the mosque leader was assassinated there. So it might be that the Israelis have mitigated the threat to a point where an attack by drones and rockets and missiles is simply not in the cards for Hezbollah. If that's the case, then they're going to look at a more clandestine approach. I think they'll look at soft spots for Israel, potentially outside of the country and other countries, to do a more clandestine terrorist attack. But ultimately it is it is clear that they intend to do this. But every time I think they start, then something like this happens.
All right. Mick Mulroy, thank you. Vice President Harris is heading to Georgia today where she's expected to focus on the state's abortion restrictions. It comes after Oprah held a virtual rally for Harris in Michigan, where she fielded questions from voters. Meanwhile, former President Trump spoke at an anti-Semitism event in Washington calling on the vice president to disavow any support from Hamas sympathizers. ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers joins me now, along with Jay O'Brien, in Arlington, Virginia, where early voting is getting underway. Karen, let's start with Harris in Atlanta. She's speaking there this afternoon. What message is she trying to bring to voters there? And how critical is Georgia to this election?
Diane, reproductive rights will be the focus for Vice President Harris today in that very critical battleground state of Georgia. There's going to be a lot of focus on Georgia in the coming weeks. But today, she's going to talk about what her campaign calls the dangerous consequences of abortion bans in states across the country. And she's going to point the finger at former President Donald Trump for what she says is his role appointing those three Supreme Court justices that played their part in overturning Roe versus Wade with the Dobbs decision. She's also going to talk about the stories of several women in Georgia who died after that strict abortion ban went into effect in the state. Last night in Michigan, at that event with Oprah Winfrey, she had a chance to meet with one of those family members, Amber Thurman's family. It was a very emotional moment, hearing from Amber's mother talking about what her daughter went through. The vice president today is also going to talk about Trump saying that he will support and vote for a similar abortion ban in Florida.
She'll tie that to what's happening in Georgia and what that means for the rest of the country.
Jay, you say you're seeing hundreds of Virginia voting voters heading to the polls today for early voting. I know you spoke with Democratic Senator Tim Kaine earlier. What stands out to you so far from what you're seeing and what you heard from him?
Yeah, we're seeing that across the state, Diane, and we're standing in a county that is a Democratic, heavy county, a Democratic heavy part of this state. And one of the things that Tim Kaine said is that while Virginia is certainly not a swing state, while it is the first state that has in-person early voting, which is why we're here today, it demonstrates what's happening in Virginia. Democrats strategy in some of these Democratic strongholds across the country that might be in swing states try to run up the vote total, try to talk about issues that people care about in these Democratic heavy counties, and get Democrats out to vote and try to flip some of those states, like Pennsylvania, for instance, North Carolina and others. Here's what Tim Kaine told us, though, about the issues and how Kamala Harris is polling on issues like the economy and immigration.
The economy is the issue that matters the most to the most people. And what we saw is that Biden had a huge deficit to Trump on the economy. Harris is closing that gap dramatically. The recent polls that I've seen on the economy have her very close to Trump, on the economy. And the reason why why is it unemployment is low? Your 401 K is up. We're building again. We're manufacturing again. There's problems and challenges. There always will be. The fed is going to cut interest rates that will help even more with inflation. I think the American economy is the strongest in the world, and she has been able to sort of put that together, as well as talking about future plans, how to deal with housing costs, how to help people with prescription drug costs, tax relief for small businesses, not the big guys. Those kinds of economic plans, I do think, resonate with people.
So one of the things you heard Kaine address there is the fact that despite the Harris campaign's economic messaging, she is still running behind former President Trump in certain polls as it relates to how voters trust her handling of the economy over Trump's. Kaine seems to believe that's something that the Harris campaign can overcome. I can tell you, though, Diane, we've talked to voters here going in casting those first in-person votes of the 2024 race, and they tell us their top issue is the economy.
And Karen Harris is heading to Wisconsin after Georgia. What do you expect to hear from her there?
She's going to continue her focus on reproductive rights at that stop in Wisconsin later today. Diane, this is all part of that blue wall campaigning strategy. Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. The vice president has hit all three of those states this week. Once she finishes that rally tonight in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin is close. The FiveThirtyEight polling average right now has her with an edge of 1.8%. There's going to be a lot of focus on Wisconsin and those other states. Those are the ones that the Democrats say they need to win to win the white House.
And Jay, meanwhile, the House is voting to boost Secret Service protection for presidential candidates. What's the latest on that?
That vote is actually happening right now as we speak, Diane. It just began moments ago. It is a bill to require what is, in a sense, presidential level secret Service protection for the various nominees of both parties. That would, of course, include former President Trump, who has already faced two assassination attempts. And while this bill is generating headlines and certainly has gotten a lot of attention in the wake of that second assassination attempt. It's worth pointing out the Secret Service says Donald Trump already gets that level of protection. The level of protection that, for instance, President Biden would be getting. So this bill looks to be more of a messaging bill. It could pass. It does have bipartisan support, but it isn't likely to go very far in the Senate. A because of the Senate's schedule right now in its current calendar, but B, because of the fact Secret Service says it's unnecessary. Trump is already getting that level of protection.
All right, Karen Travers, Jay O'Brien. Thank you. And a Kentucky sheriff is in police custody charged with fatally shooting a judge in a courthouse. Police say the sheriff and the judge got into an argument and moments later, shots were fired. Then court officials say they ran in to find District Judge Kevin Mullins dead in his chambers. ABC's faith abubey has the details.
Reporter A Kentucky sheriff is behind bars after allegedly opening fire on a district judge at a courthouse Thursday, killing him. Watch your county courthouse.
Shots fired.
Several law enforcement agencies responding to reports of gunfire inside the Letcher County Courthouse just before 3 p.m., finding 54 year old District Judge Kevin Mullins suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He died at the scene. We know that.
It was an argument between the two that led up, but what exactly transpired prior to the shots being fired is still things that we're trying to get answers to.
43 year old Sheriff Shawn Stephens, taken into custody at the scene, charged with one count of first degree murder. Investigators have not released a motive. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear tweeting there is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow. And, Diane, authorities say there was an argument between the judge and the sheriff in the chambers before the gunshots went off. But they haven't explained exactly what led to that argument. But they do say the sheriff is cooperating with the investigation. Diane.
Faith Abubey. Thank you. Coming up, Jordan Chiles Charles trying to reclaim Olympic bronze. How video shot for a documentary about Simone Biles could impact that fight.
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The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm.
In September and.
October.
2023, he was getting.
6 to 8.
Shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream for everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
Welcome back to ABC News Live! First, new evidence is raising new hope for Jordan Chiles fight to reclaim Olympic bronze. The gymnast attorneys say footage from a new Netflix docuseries on Simone Biles could flip Chiles appeal in her favor. ABC's Morgan Norwood has more. Reporter.
We're getting a look at key evidence.
That's part of.
Gymnast Jordan Chiles fight to reclaim her.
Bronze medal. What about Jordan?
You want to try and video that Chiles submitted to Switzerland's Supreme Court as part of.
Her appeal.
Which was filmed by Religion of Sports, a.
Documentary crew which was following her teammates Simone Biles, Chiles coach, can apparently be heard asking for an inquiry into Chiles routine not.
Once but twice, within what appears to be the one minute required by the Committee.
For Jordan. Inquiry for Jordan.
In August, Chiles earned a bronze medal after her coach filed that inquiry, only to days later have it taken away from her after the Court of Arbitration.
Voided that inquiry, saying.
Her coaches appealed to change her degree in difficulty. Score was filed four seconds too late. Last week, Chiles choked up when talking about her medal being taken away from her.
The biggest thing.
That was taken from.
Me was.
That it was the.
Recognition of who I was.
And Morgan Norwood joins me now for more on this. Morgan, they were shooting this video for a docu series, but the Olympics were also televised. So what are we seeing in this video that's so different from what the Olympic Committee already has? You know.
I think that's the big question that so.
Many viewers.
And so many people who have.
Been watching.
This story unfold have. I mean, Diana, I think what makes.
This a little bit differently, of course, is the docu series surrounding Simone Biles. There were multiple cameras, multiple angles, and it also seems to give us a more intimate look. But ultimately, the Swiss Supreme Court, who is now handling this particular incident, will have to decide that. But that is certainly, you know, an aspect of this case that a lot of questions are surrounding here.
So what's next in Jordan's fight to get this bronze medal back?
As I mentioned, it is in the hands of the Swiss Supreme Court. So they're going to be looking over all of this video evidence. And remember, this was submitted earlier this week when she, you know, went to them and said, hey, I want you to take a look at this case. We have this video evidence. It's coming from my teammate Simone Biles. But certainly she does have Simone Biles to thank if this goes through. And of course, this has been a fight a month and a half in the making now, and it's been really frustrating for her. We heard her speak out earlier this month about this, talking about how she feels like it is unjust. And so for her, you know, this is worth fighting for. And that's why we've seen this process play out so, so long. All right.
Morgan Norwood. Thank you. Coming up, she's convicted in a decade old murder. But Caitlyn Conley says she's innocent. Now, she's featured in an ABC News Studios docuseries. We talked to the director about why he took on this project.
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Welcome back to ABC News Live. First, a new ABC News Studios True Crimes docuseries is looking into a murder conviction that has divided a small town in upstate New York. 31 year old former receptionist Katelyn Conley claims she was wrongfully convicted in the 2015 killing of Mary Yoder, her former boss and mother of her ex-boyfriend. Her conviction sent shockwaves through the community, with many unsure what to believe. Now, for the first time since her sentencing, convicted killer Katelyn Conley is speaking out, maintaining her innocence and detailing what she says was a toxic relationship with the victim's son. Take a look.
Did you kill Marietta?
Sorry. No, I did not kill Mary Yoder. So it was a normal day until Mary started getting sick. No one really knew what was happening. Her eyes just looked terrified. In less than 48.
Hours, my mom went from.
Her healthy self.
To having died.
The three part docu series Little Miss Innocent also features never before seen police interviews and recordings of Mariota on the day she was poisoned. Director Sarah Masse is joining me now for more on this. Sarah, thanks so much for coming on. I'm curious to start. What drew you to this project? What compelled you to want to take on this story?
When I first heard about this story, I couldn't believe it. It was one of those tales that it couldn't happen here. It was something out of a spy novel. You know, two good families. Small town girl, white picket fence. She's claiming her innocence. The family's claiming she's guilty. And I was just fascinated by who could be telling the truth and who wasn't. And, you know, everybody's believable. Everybody's likable. But Mary Yoder is an innocent victim in all this, and she deserves justice for what happened to her.
The docuseries features lots of interviews with people from the community. What was it about this case that had people so divided in a way that's different from many other court cases playing out in any other town.
You know, this is a small town where you go to the post office. Everybody knows everybody. You're at the diner. Both families were well regarded, well known. Kids were, you know, good students, good athletes. So they just couldn't possibly believe that something this tragic could happen there. And people really chose sides. And even to this day, the town is very divided. We interviewed everyone around from, you know, the gas station attendant to her hairstylist, to the people in the garden club. And people still argue over who could possibly have committed this crime.
So after diving into all of this and talking to all of these people, do you think Caitlin Conley did this or do you think she was wrongfully convicted?
I think.
It's.
A very complicated story. And, you know, in the end, the evidence doesn't lie. So I would our job as documentarians and filmmakers was to sort of lay out all the cards on the table and let people come to their own conclusions. So I hope people watch and I'll be curious to see what their opinions are.
So what do you hope people take away from this series?
You know, it really is a tragedy for everyone involved. There's just no one that came away unharmed. And from the Yoder family to the Connelly family, it's just, you know, you want there to be some closure and some some justice, but it really is just something that rocked this town and rocked these families. And I don't think they'll ever be the same.
All right, Sarah Mast, thank you. And you can watch Little Miss Innocent Passion Poison Prison, streaming now only on Hulu. I'm Diane Macedo. The news never stops, and neither do we. We have a lot more news for you right after the break. Stay with us.
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You had several.
Suspects, all.
These kinds of.
Leads. A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved?
We're actually finding key evidence that could have slipped through the cracks.
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Listen wherever you get your podcasts. The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm.
In September and.
October 2023.
He was.
Getting 6 to.
8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream.
For everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprised no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
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Hi. I'm Diane Macedo today on ABC News Live. First we have breaking news. Israel is carrying out the most intense airstrikes in Lebanon since the conflict started on October 7th. One of those airstrikes targeted a suburb in Lebanon's capital, Beirut Lebanon's health Ministry says the strike killed three people and injured 17 others. The IDF says it's hit hundreds of Hezbollah launch sites there since yesterday, and this comes as Hezbollah vows to keep up daily strikes across the border in Israel, now saying at least 37 people were killed in the massive attack involving exploding communication devices. ABC foreign correspondent Marcus Moore has the latest from Beirut.
Hi Diane, it has been an active day here in Beirut and across Lebanon. We have been following reports of another strike in Beirut in the southern suburb of Daraya. This is the Hezbollah stronghold, and we've seen pictures showing the damage, heavily damaged buildings, smoke billowing into the air and really chaos on the ground. This happening earlier today and we're still waiting to get information on on what was targeted there and exactly how this strike was carried out. But it comes as we have watched and seen the fighting intensify, particularly along Lebanon's southern border with with Israel. In fact, the IDF said that more than 120 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards northern Israel just this morning. And the activity, the back and forth that we have seen is really marked one of the most active days we've seen in this war since it began. And right now we are waiting to see exactly how this develops and what impact it will have on the overall conflict that we've watched unfold here. And the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, gave a speech yesterday where he referenced the simultaneous explosions of pagers and also handheld radios.
He described them as acts of war, and he said that there will be a response for that. But right now we're watching and waiting to see exactly what that response will be. He did acknowledge that the explosions dealt a major blow to Hezbollah, but that they would persevere and that they will continue to support the people of Gaza. As long as that bombardment continues, they will carry on with their attacks. And in fact, on Thursday, they claimed at least 20 attacks, Diane, which would mark one of the busiest days that we've seen in this war since it began.
All right. ABC News foreign correspondent Marcus Moore in Beirut. Thank you. Let's go to ABC news contributor, former senior CIA field operative Darrell Blocker for more. Darrell Israel just hit a target in southern Beirut, in Lebanon's capital, with an airstrike. They're saying it killed three people, according to Lebanese officials. What's the significance on that? Based on what we know so far.
Diane. The significance is probably Israel has already mapped out where the rockets are being shot from. So they're specifically targeting those threats to northern those continued threats to to northern Israel. So as the launchers have to have to come out, they have to send off some type of signal, which of course alerts the IDF that they're about to about to fire missiles. So these are very surgical and targeted attacks against known Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon.
Daryl, this, of course, is coming on the heels of that coordinated pager and walkie talkie attack targeting Hezbollah. Hezbollah is calling it a declaration of war. But what has this done to their ability to respond to this, both from a physical standpoint but also a psychological one?
Well, if you can just imagine that, you know, the day before they were able to text one another, they were able to call one another, they were able to send electronic messages to one another that is completely been taken off the table. So their ability to coordinate as they have, just as long as even 48 hours ago, no longer exist. So that gives the advantage, of course, to the IDF. That gives an advantage to the folks who are not running around in disarray right now, which, according to Nasrallah, is the entirety of Hezbollah.
Now, a U.S. intelligence source tells ABC news, Israel had a hand in manufacturing those pagers that exploded. They say the CIA has long been reluctant to employ what's called supply chain interdiction. So the risk, they say to innocents is too high. Should the way this attack was carried out face scrutiny from humanitarian grounds here?
Whether you know, whether it warrants that or not is is not really the question. And my specific and personal answer is absolutely yes. It needs to be. But again, these were very specific devices being sent to very specific persons on the ground known to be affiliated with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security, IRGC Quds Force, and of course, their proxies, and in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon and the Gaza.
And ABC news contributor, former CIA senior field operative Darrell Blocker. Darrell, always great to have you on. Thank you.
Thank you.
Vice President Harris is heading to Georgia today where she's expected to focus on the state's abortion restrictions. It comes after Oprah held a virtual rally for Harris in Michigan, where she fielded questions from voters. Meanwhile, former President Trump spoke at an anti-Semitism event in Washington calling on the vice president to disavow any support from Hamas sympathizers. ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers joins me now, along with ABC's Jay O'Brien, in Arlington, Virginia, where early voting is already getting underway. Way. Unbelievable. Karen, let's start with this event. Harris has been criticized for not doing more unscripted events. So how significant was it that she was taking questions from voters in this virtual rally by Oprah?
You know, she has faced criticism for not doing more interviews with journalists or more unscripted events with voters. So that's what the campaign was trying to do last night. But Diane, this is, of course, a very friendly audience for her and a very friendly interviewer. Oprah Winfrey, of course, is a very big supporter of Vice President Harris. She spoke at the DNC last month, but last night, it was a chance for the vice president to talk about some of her signature issues abortion, immigration, the economy, gun control issues, taking questions from people in the audience, taking questions from zoom, and, of course, Oprah Winfrey moderating that conversation. In many ways, this was sort of a nostalgia moment of people who were missing The Oprah Winfrey Show, who might be tuning in to see more of Oprah than the vice president. And in terms of headlines, nothing major from the vice president. She really stuck to her script and going back to her campaign lines, but a chance for her to do some engagement with voters and real people, something that her campaign says she is going to do over the coming weeks.
But she certainly has not done a lot of since she's become the nominee and J.
Hard to believe that voting is now underway. You say you're seeing hundreds of Virginia voters heading to the polls today for early voting. So what are you hearing from lawmakers there?
Yeah, the lines were long this morning, Diane, when early voting opened. This is the first state to do in-person early voting, the first in-person votes of the 2024 election cast in a number of counties in Virginia, but some of them just right here in this polling place next to me. This is a Democratic heavy county, Arlington County. And while Virginia is not a swing state, President Biden won it handily in 2020. It does lay bare what the strategy is for Democrats in some of those swing states, which is to try to make inroads in Republican heavy counties, but really try to run up the vote count in Democratic heavy counties where they know there are a lot of Democratic voters. And they're hoping that this new enthusiasm, because of the Harris Walz ticket can help them do that in a way that they didn't necessarily have the opportunity to do when President Biden was on the top of the ticket. I talked to one Democratic congressman of Virginia who was here at this event earlier today, Don Beyer, about exactly that.
Here's what he told me. This election and the level of enthusiasm that's changed just over the last few months. Would you have expected a turnout like this with Joe Biden at the top of the ticket?
Sadly, no.
There was you know, we all.
Loved Joe Biden.
And we're all grateful for the the things he's done in his term in office, his 50.
Years.
But people were.
Discouraged, especially young people.
But now the change in mood and energy and enthusiasm. These are the biggest crowds I've seen at event after event after event. Even this morning, I thought there'd be a dozen people instead of, you know, maybe a couple hundred. Mm.
So, again, Democrats have long talked about that enthusiasm that is now apparent on the ticket because Kamala Harris is at the top of the ticket. But there is this concern amongst Democrats that enthusiasm wanes. You heard from Representative Beyer there. He doesn't believe it will. I also spoke earlier in the day on the air on your program with Senator Tim Kaine. He also says he doesn't believe it will, but said it is something Democrats encountered in 2016 when Tim Kaine was on the ticket with Hillary Clinton. Democrats getting apathetic before Election Day.
And Karen Harris is speaking today in Atlanta. She's expected to focus on abortion access and the story of a woman who reportedly died as a result of the state's abortion ban. During the debate, Harris didn't say if she would support any restrictions on abortion. So do you expect to hear any more from her on that position today?
I don't think she'll go into details like that. I think what she's going to do today is keep the focus on Donald Trump. Her campaign says she's going to be talking about what they call the dangerous consequences of state bans on abortion across the country, and she is going to blame that on the former president for appointing justices to the Supreme Court. That resulted in overturning of Roe versus Wade. She's also going to talk about the deaths of those women in Georgia, some really just heart wrenching stories after the state abortion ban went into effect. She had a chance to meet with one of those families last night. Amber Thurman's mother was at the event with Oprah. She's also today going to be talking about Donald Trump's plans to vote for a similar abortion ban in Florida, and look for her to tie that to what's been happening now in Georgia.
All right, Karen Travers, Jay O'Brien, thank you both. And Venezuelan officials say a fourth U.S. citizen is in custody there, accused in a plot to overthrow the government. The arrest comes as a new report from the U.N. Human Rights Council says violence against alleged opponents of President Nicolas Maduro has reached, quote, unprecedented levels accusing Maduro's government of using arrests, sexual abuse and even torture to stay in power. The report says some of those arrests include children. The UN says the instability is very likely to cause more Venezuelans to leave the country, potentially headed for the US. Let's bring in Venezuela's opposition leader, Maria Corina machado for more. Maria, thank you so much for joining us. These four Americans are now in custody in Venezuela, accused of being part of a plot to kill President Maduro. The U.S. State Department has said any allegations of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false. So what can you tell us about these allegations? And do you think these arrests will lead to more U.S. involvement there?
Thank you very much. I think it is very important to understand what is behind these actions of Maduro. He lost. He had a huge defeat on July 28th when we won the presidential election by a landslide. And when he was deprived of all legitimacy, he decided to go all the way with repression and persecution. Today, every single person that was directly involved with the elections, we are either in hiding, under asylum, in exile or in prison. But we are willing to fight. And certainly the United States, as well as the rest of the Western democratic democracies, have to understand what it means. If Maduro prolongs this tragedy, they are going to be millions of Venezuelans fleeing, and many will reach the south border of the United States because they find no future in Venezuela. We have to stop that. We have to make those that have left come back to rebuild our country, and we have to do it now.
Now, Venezuela's president elect, Edmundo Gonzalez, is in Spain granted asylum after signing a letter accepting Maduro's election victory. Now, in an exclusive interview just released by Reuters, he says, quote, the Maduro government was coming for me. He claims he was forced to sign that letter, and now Spain is denying claims that they were involved in negotiating it. So what's the latest on that and how much weight does that letter actually hold?
Well, I think it.
Has turned out as a huge mistake for the regime because now everybody knows here and abroad that Edmundo Gonzalez was forced, he was blackmailed. All kinds of coercion was put into him. He he said, either exile or helicoid. Helicoid is the biggest torture center in Latin America. That's what he was told by the regime while he was in the Spain embassy in Caracas. So this is a proof of the degree of the repression and coercion that regime has put into us. But now he is safe away from Venezuela. He has just been recognized as president elect not only by the Congress of Chile, Colombia Republica Dominicana, but also yesterday by the European Parliament. This is huge and what we want now is the US Congress also does the same. Recognizes Edmundo Gonzalez as president elect, and we believe the United States government should do that as well.
But that said, Edmundo Gonzalez isn't in Venezuela anymore. So now what do you feel like you've been left to pick up the pieces?
No, I think he did what he thought was necessary to protect his life. He is president elect. We cannot have him on a regime jail. That would have been a disaster. So I think now we are in a stronger position to keep fighting. And he should and will be sworn as the Constitutional President of Venezuela on January 10th, which is what our Constitution states. But from here to there, we need to put all the pressure on Nicolas Maduro so that he understands that the cost of staying in power will be higher. It's getting higher every day until the cost of leaving power is less than that. And that's what we need to do right now. We need to put all pressure from within, and that's what we are doing. Even we are persecuted and and being under repression. I've been accused of terrorism. The regime is looking for me. And that's happening with most of our of our members, of our teams. But we are working. We are willing to fight as well as our Venezuelan diaspora around the world.
So this is the moment to move ahead, to put pressure on Maduro and to make him understand that all those that have committed crimes against humanity will be held accountable.
Now Maduro has his military and the courts behind him. You have the support of the U.S., the EU and various neighboring countries in Latin America. So what options do you have right now to try to restore democracy in Venezuela?
We have the support of the people. That's the most important thing. We want an election 1730 under terrible conditions, under by the rules of the tyranny. They didn't even let a fourth of our population that is abroad to vote. If they could have voted, this election would have ended up 90 over ten. So this is a country that is united, and that includes middle ranks and lower ranks of our military or police, the judiciary system. Maduro, the only thing that has left is the support of the top brass. And this is a moment in which he has to understand that every day that goes by, he's more and more isolated internationally and locally. So we have to reach that point in which the cost of staying is so high that he understands that in his best interest, he has to sit down for a negotiated transition. And that's precisely what what's going to happen. So we need to keep pushing and we need the American people, not only the government, the American people, to understand how critical it is to solve the conflict of Venezuela for your own national security, for your own well-being, and certainly for the cause of liberty and freedom.
We've never been so close. Yes, it's the most dangerous time, but we will prevail.
All right. Venezuela's opposition leader, Maria Corina machado. Thank you.
Thank you.
Coming up, millions of people worldwide may be living with it and not even know it. Why? Narcolepsy often goes undiagnosed and what symptoms you should look out for.
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Welcome back to ABC News Live. First, you've probably seen narcolepsy depicted in movies and TV shows, but the reality of living with the condition is far less funny and often far more subtle. In fact, there are likely people all over the world with narcolepsy right now who don't even know it. The neurological condition affects how the brain controls sleep wake cycles, and is estimated to affect about 3 million people worldwide, many of them undiagnosed. As we mark World Narcolepsy Day this Sunday, president and CEO of Project Sleep, Julie Flager is here with more on this. Julie, thanks so much for coming on. It's such an important topic and I know you have narcolepsy as well as being the leader of this organization. So I think one of the more surprising things when you start learning about narcolepsy is the idea that you could have this condition and not know it, because the way that it's depicted in TV and film, that seems impossible. So break that down. What exactly is narcolepsy and why does it so often go undetected?
Yeah. So I think when people learn that I have narcolepsy, they often ask me, are you going to fall asleep right now, you know, in the middle of a sentence or while standing? And that's what we think of from movies. But actually, for me, I just thought I'd lost my willpower in law school. I was having trouble remembering, reading and having trouble driving. So it's just much more invisible the sleepiness. And in addition, there's other symptoms. Like when I was laughing at jokes, my knees started buckling. So I just really didn't think that I had a sleep disorder. It was affecting me during the day, not at night. And so I really didn't see this as an issue with my sleep at night. And, you know, it took a while to eventually find a doctor who had heard of these symptoms.
Now, you went to a number of doctors before you finally got that diagnosis, and you even told your own doctor, I think I have a sleep disorder, so walk me through that journey. The number of times you were dismissed along the way and what it took to finally get that diagnosis.
Yeah. I had originally asked the doctor about my knees buckling when I laughed and she just said to try breathing deeper when I laugh. And that's actually, you know, a very particular symptom of narcolepsy. So if that happens to you, that's a big sign of narcolepsy. Then a primary care doctor saying, you know, when I said I think I have a sleep disorder, she said, well, everyone gets tired when they drive. Even I have to pull over and get a coffee, you know? So we really have these perceptions that if you're tired, it's just something you did yourself. It's your own problem. You know, you're not sleeping well at night or you're not having the right habits. And to, you know, take the step and realize that I had the smallest voice inside me that said, I don't know if this doctor is talking about the same kind of sleepiness that I'm experiencing, but how do I know? Because I don't know what it feels like to be in anyone else's body.
So what does it feel like? Our own ginger zee here, our chief meteorologist, also has narcolepsy. She's talked about it a lot. She writes about it in her book. And again, another example of someone who I think many people are surprised to hear that. So what does it actually feel like? What kind of symptoms should people look out for?
I think, you know, just if you are feeling tired almost every day, you know, after lunch or in the afternoon, if you feel like you have to take a nap every single day, that's really not normal. And, you know, if you wake up in the morning after a good night's sleep and don't feel refreshed, have trouble driving, have to have energy drinks every day, you know, those are signs that you could actually have a sleep disorder and something like narcolepsy.
And it's not like passing out in your soup. It's, you know, maybe you feel like you need to doze off on your desk or something, or you just feel sleepy or sitting in a waiting room and you feel kind of right. It's more subtle than that. Right?
And it affects things like your memory or not. You know, remembering a drive, like you get to the place you're supposed to be, but you don't remember getting there. Those are little secret signs.
All right. President and CEO of Project Sleep, Julie Flyger. Julie. Thank you.
Thank you.
Coming up, GMA lifestyle contributor Lori Bergamotto joins us for the right Stuff for all your pumpkin spice needs. It is time for the right stuff when we come back.
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Welcome back to ABC News Live. First it is time for the Right Stuff with our friend, GMA lifestyle contributor Lori Bergamotto. So every Friday, Lori brings us some of her favorite products. And since the first day of fall is Sunday, Lori is kicking off the season with everything pumpkin spice so you can shop these products and what Lori shared on Good Morning America by scanning that QR code in the bottom left corner of your screen. So, Lori, I'm going to be doing a lot of taste testing this segment.
I love how you walk me through.
Your Pumpkin Spice seltzer.
Seltzer. That's right. Okay. We all love a pumpkin spice latte, right? They've been around for 21 years. It is like over a $600 million industry, but they have a lot of calories and sugar. This is from Aura Bora. It is seltzer water. Very subtle. No sugar, not sweet, no calories. No. And it has elements of vanilla, elements of cinnamon little cinnamon in there. So there's there's just like little notes a little cute. Your nails you're getting ready for for Halloween.
Listen, you know me in Halloween.
So these are great. You get a case of 16 for them. And they have all different really cool flavors. I just saw they have banana bergamot. I'm like, I need to get that right. Okay. Love. Aurora. Okay. This one I want you to first smell this because it is incredible. Don't you wish? I know, it's so good. Okay, so this is from run amok.
No you.
Can't. And we found this at the top. And they sell this. It's from a Vermont family owned business.
We really got to get the full picture.
Get the. Get the full picture. Get right in there. And let me tell you the other thing that I love about this. So it is pumpkin spice. This is real.
Food on set here. We don't do just.
There's there's cinnamon. There's all delicious things in there. But it's not just for pancakes. Oh, no. You can put this in your coffee. You can put it in cocktails and you can put it obviously on pancakes. How good is that? This is delicious. It's under $23. This is great if you're going to somebody's house this fall as, like, a hostess gift. We love that.
They're telling me I have to keep it moving.
But I know, but keep it moving.
I am literally.
Literally keeping it moving. Okay. And then we can't forget about beauty because pumpkin obviously smells and tastes delicious, but it also has really great health benefits. One of them is beauty. Yes, it has a lot of enzymes in it, which is great for which are great for sleeping.
So these pancakes are.
Healthy for me as well.
That's how I'm getting my enzymes. It's beautifying Diane from the inside out. And now you can also beautify with this sheet mask. Look at this. This is one of those I mean, I can't talk about getting I can't.
Put that on even though I want.
To for Halloween. I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to mess up this beautiful makeup job. But this is beauty. It's pumpkin has oat milk in it, calming and nourishing. It's great for us. After makeup you put it on and you will be rejuvenated. You can get it on Amazon.
Love. All right. Well Laurie, thank you. And to shop these products and more of the right stuff, scan that QR code bottom left of your screen. And for your weekly roundup of the best lifestyle content from Laurie and GMA, catch GMA Life on Weekends 8:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. eastern, right here on ABC News Live and streaming on Hulu. And thank you for streaming with us. I'm Diane Macedo. The news never stops and neither do we. We have a lot more news right after the break. That's good.
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Hi, I'm Diane Macedo today on ABC News Live. First, we have breaking news. Lebanon's Health ministry says at least nine people are dead and more than 50 injured after a targeted Israeli airstrike in Beirut. Israeli officials say the strike killed senior Hezbollah military official Ibrahim Akil, thought to have played a role in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. The IDF says it hit hundreds of Hezbollah launch sites in southern Lebanon since yesterday. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has vowed to keep up daily strikes across the border in Israel after the massive attack involving exploding communication devices earlier this week. Foreign correspondent Marcus Mora joins me live from Beirut. Marcus, what's the latest? Reporter.
Well, the Diane, the latest information we have is, as you just reported, we, the IDF, claiming that Akeel has died as a result of the strike that the IDF carried out on the Dahiya district of, of southern Beirut. We have not yet heard confirmation from Hezbollah. But we're waiting for waiting for that. And as we wait for word on exactly who may have been killed, we know that there is a rescue operation underway at the site of today's strike. It's just a few miles from where we are right now, and we understand that a couple of residential buildings sustained very serious damage. And there was a partial collapse of those buildings. And we've seen images of chaos and also emergency crews trying to sift through the rubble there and reach the people who may be trapped. And and what's significant about this, Diane, is this marks the third major, um, attack or strike in a civilian area in Beirut just this week. We know that they had the simultaneous pagers that exploded on Tuesday, and then the handheld radios that blew up across Lebanon and also in Beirut on on Wednesday.
And now we have this strike. And certainly this could have a huge impact on Hezbollah. And really the mood here in Beirut and across Lebanon, Diane. And we'll just have to watch, wait to see exactly what that what that will be. But Hassan Nasrallah has called the operations this week acts of of declarations of war. And he said that Hezbollah will respond and will retaliate, um, for these for these attacks and and Diane, I can't if you ask me a question, I won't be able to hear you. I think I've lost contact with you. Um, but just another point. It would seem right now that a Hezbollah is in a precarious position. Even Hassan Nasrallah said that the strikes that happened this week were unprecedented, and it dealt a major blow. And now we have the a strike today that was targeting a key commander, and perhaps others, and Hezbollah will have to figure out how they respond to this and what kind of impact it will have on their capabilities. Diane.
All right. Foreign correspondent Marcus Moore in Beirut. Thank you. And President Biden just spoke during a cabinet meeting about the situation in Lebanon. Let's listen.
We're continuing to try to do.
We tried from the beginning to make sure that both the people in northern Israel, as well as southern Lebanon, are able to go back to their homes, go back safely. And the Secretary of state, Secretary of defense, our whole team is working with the intelligence community to try to get that done. We're going to keep at it until we get it done, but we've got a way to go.
Thank you. Thank you everyone. Thank you so much. Thank you. We got moving this way. Thank you so much.
Is it realistic.
To get to a ceasefire deal, or has too many bad things happened that make it.
Difficult. If I ever said it's not realistic, we might as well leave. A lot of things don't look realistic until we get them done. We have to keep at it. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Make our way out. Thanks so much. Thank you everybody. Thank you so.
Much. Press. That's President Biden addressing the new Israeli strikes on Lebanon, saying they're working to make sure both people in the north of Israel and the south of Lebanon can get back to their homes safely. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, video shows IDF soldiers appearing to kick and push Palestinian bodies from a roof. We do want to warn you these images may be disturbing. The Israeli military says it's reviewing the incident. White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby calls the video deeply disturbing.
We reached out.
Immediately to our.
Israeli counterparts.
About it, and we pressed them for more details. They have assured us that they're going to investigate.
This.
And.
That there will be proper.
Accountability if it's warranted.
We're going to be very eager to see what the IDF investigation finds. And as always, we expect that investigation to be done thoroughly and transparently.
Let's bring in ABC news, national security and defense analyst Mick Mulroy for more. Mick, what's your reaction to this video and what you see in it? And how do you expect Israel to react now and handle this investigation?
It certainly is disturbing, and it's quite frankly unacceptable for any professional soldier to do something like this. They have an obligation to treat even the deceased with, of course, respect and dignity. And in pushing him off a roof is in no way in line with that. So there needs to be an investigation as long as these videos are, in fact the accurate depiction of what happened, it shouldn't take that long. And there and these individuals, these soldiers should be disciplined. And they and they should see if there's an atmosphere within within the command. You know from the commander on down that that deems this kind of actions acceptable because quite frankly, generally lower soldiers don't do these things if they know it's unacceptable to their commander. So this needs to be addressed very quickly, and hopefully they will receive the discipline that they deserve. If that's the case, if this is what happened and that they will change the atmosphere on that in that unit.
You make of President Biden's comments just now, saying the focus is on getting people back to their homes safely.
Well, this is really the issue here. The the Israelis have around 70,000 displaced citizens from the north that are basically staying in hotel rooms all over Israel. They can't go home. And if they and they won't go home unless Hezbollah is pushed back to the Litani River, which is the UN designated line of which they should not be south of, and which they in case they are. So this is either going to end with Hezbollah returning to that line. UN Security Resolution 17 01I believe or the Israelis believe they are going to have to physically push them. And that's not going to be done by the air. It's going to have to be done by ground. That's why there's so much concern that this conflict could turn into a ground conflict in the near term.
And how significant is it that an Israeli official says this targeted strike killed senior Hezbollah military official Ibrahim Akil?
So I can tell you, as a former marine, my son was a former marine. My brother in law was a former marine. This was a big day. He is believed to be responsible, along with Fouad Saqr, the one that was assassinated in Beirut by the Israelis for the bombing of the marine barracks in 1983, in which hundreds of Marines were killed. So this is a substantial effort and it shows, quite frankly, in this series, a masterclass in covert operations. But this is a big deal, not just for Israel, but it should also be a big deal for all Americans who remember that horrible day and that horrible event.
All right, Mick Mulroy, thank you. Vice President Harris is heading to Georgia today where she's expected to focus on the state's abortion restrictions. It comes after Oprah held a virtual rally for Harris in Michigan, where she fielded questions from voters. Meanwhile, former President Trump spoke at an anti-Semitism event in Washington calling on the vice president to disavow any support from Hamas sympathizers. ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers joins me now, along with Jay O'Brien, in Arlington, Virginia, where early voting is getting underway. Jay, how's that going so far?
We've seen lines pretty consistently, Diane. obviously, when this polling place that I'm standing at opened this morning, there was a line out the door. But we've seen voters stream in a lot of them telling us they want to cast their vote today, the first possible day that they could vote in person in the 2024 election. And look, this is a Democrat heavy county where I'm standing. And I've talked to at least two people who walked in there and voted for Kamala Harris. One remarked on the historic significance of this election given the historic nature of Kamala Harris's candidacy, the first black female to lead a major party ticket. We've also heard voters say the economy is their top issue, and Democrats in this county tell me they don't believe that Kamala Harris gets enough credit for her potential handling of the economy if she were to be the president. There are polls that show that there are voters who give Trump a more edge on that issue. But I also talked with one Republican here who's running for county commission.
He also cast his ballot today. He's a Republican candidate. And he got emotional about Donald Trump talking about those two assassination attempts, particularly that one in Butler, Pennsylvania, was Donald Trump stood up off the stage, put his fist in the air and said, fight, fight, fight as being a galvanizing issue for him and showing what he says is Trump's character. So obviously votes being cast, a long way to go still, to a degree, to Election Day, but a demonstration of the fact that this is an election that has the faithful in both parties, the base voters in both parties fired up and getting out the vote and trying to kind of close that gap, no matter where they are with either side of the ticket.
Karen Harris is speaking this afternoon in Atlanta. What are you watching for there?
Yeah, Diane, she's going to be talking about abortion rights. And they're going to be talking today about the dangerous consequences of abortion bans in states across the country, and expect the vice president to once again point the finger and blame former President Donald Trump for appointing three justices to the Supreme Court. That resulted in the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe versus Wade. She is in Atlanta today, and she is going to be highlighting the cases of several women who died after that state put into effect a very strict abortion ban. She had a chance last night to meet with the family of one of those women. It was a very emotional moment at that event she did with Oprah Winfrey last night in the battleground state of Michigan. Diane, her campaign says she is also going to call out Donald Trump, saying that he plans to vote in Florida for an abortion ban that she will say is very similar to what is in place in Georgia, and talk again about the ripple effects of what his policies and decisions were in office and what that means right now for women across America.
And, Jay, the House just unanimously passed a bill that enhances Secret Service protection for presidential candidates. How significant is that?
Well, it heads over to the Senate now. It is significant, but the Secret Service would tell you in the case of former President Donald Trump, for instance, he already gets the highest possible level of Secret Service protection, akin to that of President Biden, who is the sitting president. This is a demonstration of unity, as you said in the House, it's a rare bipartisan piece of legislation, but it doesn't look like it has much teeth to it to compel the Secret Service to do anything beyond what it says it's already doing, if it were to pass. And that is an if, Diane, because the Senate would obviously need to vote this up for it to become law in the Senate is busy at this moment with a number of things on its plate, including averting a government shutdown by the end of this month.
And Karen Harris, we'll also then head to Wisconsin after Georgia. What's your strategy there? Does she have different messages for different battleground states?
Look for the vice president today to still be talking about reproductive rights when she travels to Madison, Wisconsin. But, Diane, this is part of her blue wall strategy. She was in Pennsylvania earlier this week Michigan yesterday. Now Wisconsin today. These are three very critical battleground states. And talking about that issue of abortion, this is an issue where she has an advantage over Donald Trump based on polls. It's also an issue where Democrats feel that this really revs up their voters and also can potentially appeal to independent women, especially and even some Republican women. So no surprise she's going to be leaning in on that message there today. In a state where polls are very tight right now.
Karen Travers, Jay O'Brien, thank you both. And the Republican candidate for governor in North Carolina says he's staying in the race. Mark Robinson is facing backlash after a CNN report claims he made inflammatory comments on a pornography website more than a decade ago. ABC news senior reporter Katherine Faulders joins me now for more. Katherine, what's the latest here?
Yeah. So these.
Comments that Robinson.
Allegedly posted on a message board.
On a pornography website.
Were.
To the effect of him.
Saying that he.
Was a black Nazi.
He made comments.
Saying that slavery was essentially good and he wants it to come back all sorts of of of derogatory comments that CNN.
Was unearthing.
Here. So at least the latest is that the Republican Party in North Carolina is standing behind Robinson at this point, despite.
Calls for him to drop.
Out of the race, he said he's going to stay in. The big question is, how does this also one affect the governor's race? But two, how.
Does this translate over into the.
Presidential race? We know that North Carolina is.
A battleground.
State.
Harris and Trump are neck and neck in that state in the polling. Trump will be there tomorrow. Now, Trump did.
Release a statement about this, but kind of avoided the actual.
News of it.
He said North Carolina is vital. He hasn't specifically denounced the allegations against Robinson. The question is, Will Robinson appear with him tomorrow in North Carolina?
And Catherine, during a speech at an anti-Semitism event in Washington, former President Trump called on Vice President Harris to denounce support from Hamas sympathizers and pledged to be the defender of Jewish Americans. He also seemed to suggest that if he loses the election, it will be their fault, the fault of Jewish Americans. Here's that moment.
I'm not going to call this as a prediction, but in my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss. If I'm at 40%. I'm at 40. Think of it. That means 60% of voting for Kamala, who in particular is a bad Democrat. The Democrats are bad to Israel, very bad.
So, Catherine, what's the context here? Why is Trump saying this?
Well, it's a good question. He said. Comments about Jewish Americans before this. These aren't new for him. He will continue to say these these types of things because he doesn't like that Jewish voters predominantly vote Democratic. But he took it a bit further here a significantly further, essentially preemptively blaming Jewish voters for a potential hypothetical election loss in November. I think it's worth pointing out that they are a very small group of Jewish voters in the country, 2% of all adults, that would not have a significant effect on the outcome of the election. So this preemptive blame is a bit of an odd statement and is not really in line with the facts here.
And Catherine, for the first time, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has been featured as a surrogate in a Trump campaign fundraising email saying, President Trump and I are united. She was considered to have more moderate support when they were political rivals. So could she move the needle for him with undecided voters?
It's possible. I'm curious to see how that plays out, given that more public endorsement, if you will. You remember she didn't endorse him and then actually did publicly endorse him. And then Haley recently said that she wishes that Trump would focus on policy and not personal attacks. So it's interesting to see that she's finally making this public statement. The question is, does it sway any of those undecided voters?
All right. ABC news senior reporter Katherine Faulders. Thank you. Coming up, new details in the investigation into the Titan submersible tragedy. How one witness described how it malfunctioned less than a week before that fatal journey.
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Welcome back to ABC News Live. First, we're learning new details about Ocean Gates Titan submersible implosion. A witness says the submersible malfunctioned on a dive less than a week before that deadly trip. ABC News Stephanie Ramos has the details.
It was an emotional.
Third day of testimony in the hearing for the doomed Titan submersible.
That claimed the lives of five.
People, including Ocean Gate founder Stockton Rush.
I was the one holding that bag for them as they got in the sub.
Ocean Gate mission specialist Renata.
Rojas breaking.
Down during tearful.
Testimony.
Walking through those critical hours.
There were just very happy to go. And that's the memory I have. Nobody was really nervous.
Rojas, a.
Banker who had previously gone.
On a dive to.
The Titanic on the experimental vessel, was volunteering and assisting the surface crew during the 2023 expedition when the submersible catastrophically imploded on a deep sea voyage to the shipwreck.
Site. The conversation was another 15 minutes, and we're calling the Coast Guard. Um, at this point, they're really overdue, Rojas testified.
There was nothing unusual about the day of the dive.
Everything was done on time and they had good weather.
It didn't seem to be anything of concern until about 5 or 6 p.m..
And what was the demeanor of everyone on the vessel at that time?
I don't think we got concerned until again, until it was really overdue.
An Ocean Gate scientific director who testified described how the Titan.
Malfunctioned on a dive less than.
A week before the Titans.
ABC's Stephanie Ramos. Thank you. Coming up, he traveled to nearly half a dozen countries to see how national parks are being protected. Our Bob Woodruff joins us to talk about his new series about the planet's most threatened ecosystems.
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True natural beauty untouched. One of the last of its kind. But this comes at a cost. Five countries. Five incredible real stories of adventure. Danger! We have to go. And deceit. These are the last lands. The national parks around the world that have to be saved.
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Welcome back. A new series from ABC News Live Originals is exposing the destruction of protected territories and countries around the world. Among other places, last lens takes you inside Ecuador for a look at how cartels are endangering a threatened ecosystem in their pursuit of gold. And that's just one of many struggles underway to protect national parks in underdeveloped countries. ABC's Bob Woodruff has more.
Through natural beauty untouched. One of the last of its kind. But this comes at a cost. Five countries, five incredible real stories of adventure, danger. We have to go. And deceit. These are the last lands, the national parks around the world that have to be saved. Here in Ecuador, gold mining has been around for generations. But in the mines where it's legal to dig for gold, it's gotten harder and harder to find. Forcing miners deeper and deeper into the mountains like Nambia. This is the mining area that we're going to go to. So we're going to go up to this spot and see exactly where our host can show us what they're doing.
What is this? Polvorin. Explosives. Explosives.
Just walking down the streets to see where he's doing the mining. And right on the side of the road. Just the dynamite. Big pile of it. We're starting to see what this is going to look like. I think.
De la Entrada.
Just heard these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the.
Gas? There's gas. These challenges have pushed miners into new gold rich territories.
This area is all right now. The cartel run gold mining.
Into national parks, into the Amazon. Wait a second. Wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
And Bob Woodruff joins me now for more. Bob, how is the government in Ecuador trying to keep these cartel members out of the national parks? It's got to be overwhelming to try to protect these lands.
Well, I guess to keep them out and to get them out, they're two very different things. I mean, to to get them out, they're starting to step up the number of troops that are going in the police to try to get them to leave. But there's also the ones that keep them from coming in for the first time by at least, you know, increasing their security so that it doesn't make sense for them to come in. I think initially for the last ten years or so, they've been untouched. A lot of these from the outside were not stopped to go part of it, because the government doesn't have enough funding, they don't have enough people. And of course, there's also corruption and there's a fear of what's going to happen if they do bust down on it, if they bust them. So now they're starting to take a little bit of a turn, buy some support from the outside.
What was it like for you and your team to go inside these mines and then start hearing explosions going off while you were inside?
Yeah, I think part of it is we didn't expect we were going to be able to go so far inside of it. We were able to get the ability to do it once. We talked them into letting us deeper and deeper and deeper into it. Uh, part of it, we've got a little bit more afraid about these possibilities when we went deeper. And the sad thing is, we went deeper because the the gold is not findable so far towards the top. And without going so deep. So we knew we had to go in further. But I don't know, we, we had some level of fear that these possible explosions, because it's such an old mine, vulnerable mind that they would collapse and the rocks would fall on top of us, but it ended up fine.
A level of fear. You were far braver than I am, my friend. I know you also. Your son shot all of this, which is so cool. What are you most excited about when you look at this series? What are you most excited for viewers to see?
Oh, I think every country went to. I mean, if you just start with the fact that this is just beautiful land, which is kind of the park. This is the Last Lands in the sense that these are the untouched. These are the areas that have been the environment's been kept under control without being intruded by those from the outside. So number one is you're going to see the beauty of these places, but you also get a good factual education about what the challenges are that's hit them. You know, we went to Ecuador because of the mining is now damaging the national parks. We went to Cambodia because that's one of the largest deforestation countries in the world. We went to Indonesia because that's really in the sea. And what's been challenging those like the bomb fishing that's happening there, for example. And then of course, Africa is about poaching, you know, Cameroon and Gabon. We went there because that's the challenge. You know, those elephants have been have been tracked down and shot by poachers.
In fact, in Cameroon, about 97% of all the elephants were killed in the last 20 years.
97%?
Yeah. You go across. And this is in some ways, this is the most exciting part is when you go over the border from Cameroon into Gabon. Gabon is a little slightly more secluded, secluded country. So the poachers have not intruded it as much as they had before. Also, since these are forest elephants, normally you can't see them very well because they're in deep in the forests. But they're right on one of the national parks, right on the the water is away from the Cameroon border, and you could see them because they had to expose themselves in order to get back and forth between the water and the and the and the forest. So when you see what we saw in Cameroon compared to what we saw in Gabon, it's a lift, you know, just to see raise a little bit of beauty is still there. These are the last lands. If we can just save these areas before it becomes vulnerable to poaching and all the other issues, then we then we can do it and we can keep these things the way that they are.
Such an important story? Glad you're there to tell it, Bob. Thank you.
Thanks, Diane.
And you can watch the first episode of Last Lands tonight at 8:30 p.m. here on ABC News Live. First, and be sure to tune in for an all new episode on Monday night at 8:30 p.m. eastern time, streaming on ABC News Live, Hulu and Disney+. I'm Diane Macedo. The news never stops.
Through natural beauty untouched. One of the last of its kind. But this comes at a cost. Five countries, five incredible real stories of adventure, danger, we have to go. And deceit. These are the last lands. The national parks around the world that have to be saved.
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Welcome back to ABC News Live. First, thanks for streaming with us. You are looking at New York City on this Friday, and we have a lot of news to get to. Here's a rundown. Right now, a deadly storm system is moving through the heartland after leaving a trail of destruction from Oklahoma to Minnesota. At least two tornadoes were reported near Duluth, Minnesota. One person is dead after severe storms hit Pawnee, Oklahoma. Those storms are now moving east, bringing the threat of damaging wind and hail from Illinois to Michigan. Eight firefighters in Southern California are injured after their truck crashed on a freeway in Irvine. Police say the wreck happened as they were returning from a 12 hour shift, fighting one of the wildfires in the region. Officials say the driver swerved trying to avoid a ladder in the road and hit a guardrail. Six of the eight firefighters suffered serious injuries. An investigation is underway into a fire on this luxury yacht. It was packed with fireworks and a thousand rounds of ammunition. Flames swallowed up the admiral in California's Marina del Rey.
Both people on board did escape. The 100 foot yacht eventually sank. The cause of the fire has not officially been determined. And LA Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is making history again. He's now the first major league player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season. Ohtani achieved those milestones during the best hitting day of his career, with three home runs among his six hits, two stolen bases and ten RBIs. Meanwhile, dozens of people are dead, and a major Mexican city has been paralyzed by an explosion of violence in the state of Sinaloa. The Sinaloa drug cartel is in upheaval after a pair of high profile arrests back in July. Son of the cartel's famed former leader, El Chapo Guzman. Joaquin Guzman and another cartel leader, Ismael Zambada, were arrested in the United States. Zambada has accused the younger Guzman of kidnapping him in Mexico to hand him over to U.S. authorities. ABC news correspondent Matt Rivers joins us now from Mexico City with more on this. Matt, it's kind of hard to follow when you're just kind of trying to lay it all out that way.
But what's the latest there in Sinaloa?
Yeah. So let's start with just what's going on mainly in the city of Culiacan. That is the state capital of Sinaloa. Sinaloa is, of course, the heartland of the Sinaloa Cartel country, if you will. And what we've seen within the last two weeks or so is just an explosion of infighting within this cartel faction versus faction. And what it has done is left dozens of people dead. Officially, the number is around 40 at this point, but that's just officially, anytime you're talking about deaths and organized crime, there is always there are always deaths that are not reported officially. So the number is likely far higher than that. What we've been learning so far is that the majority of people who have been killed do appear to be involved with the cartel, not just ordinary civilians, but that's in part because civilians are basically staying home. Schools were closed last week. They only reopened this past Tuesday with heavy government patrols in the region. You had businesses shut down. The public transportation is empty.
Even last weekend, Mexican Independence Day celebrations were formally canceled because of this fighting. So the population is basically cowed into staying inside their homes as this cartel continues to go to war with itself.
So what can you tell us about this uptick in violence in Sinaloa? Is it all related to these cartels? Is the arrest correlated with this? Why is that happening?
Yeah. Quick history lesson. The Sinaloa cartel, back about ten years ago was run by a guy named El Chapo Guzman, who I'm sure most of our audience is familiar with. When he was arrested a little under a decade ago, basically, the cartel stayed together. But under these two factions, one led by his sons called Los Nietos. And on the other side, you had a faction led by Ismael Zambada, known as El Mayo. They worked together for the better part of the last ten years because of record breaking profits from fentanyl production as well as mutual respect. But what you said. Off the top, one of the sons allegedly kidnapped El Mayo, brought him to the United States and turned him over to U.S. authorities. That obviously put both factions, the one from led by the sons of El Chapo, the one on the other side led by El Mayo and his son. That put them at odds immediately. Now they're fighting over these lucrative drug routes, as well as the fact that there's a sense of betrayal on the Mayo side because of what happened in the United States.
So how is the Mexican government responding to this explosion in violence there?
Well, what we have seen under the Lopez Obrador administration throughout the entirety of the six years in office is they have a policy called abrazos no balazos, which means hugs, not bullets. And their attempt to quell violence in this country is basically to back off from organized crime, to not have large scale confrontations. But what they're essentially doing in Sinaloa right now is letting the population try and handle this themselves. They actually have the top military commander in Sinaloa just a few days ago said that it, quote, does not depend on the military, but rather it depends on the narcos themselves. To stop this violence, the government basically abdicating any responsibility to keep its citizenry safe. And that's obviously led to a lot of criticism across the country right now. What's the point of having thousands of government troops if you're not going to try and keep people safe?
All right. Matt Rivers in Mexico City Matt. Thank you. And five women are coming forward with accusations against Mohamed Al Fayed, the late billionaire whose son Dodi died in a car crash with Princess Diana. The former employees tell the BBC Mohammed sexually assaulted them when he owned the luxury British department store Harrods. ABC foreign correspondent James Longman has the latest.
Mohamed Al Fayed, long time owner of Harrods department store, whose son Dodi died alongside Princess Diana in Paris, stands accused of rape and sexual abuse.
Mohamed Al Fayed was like an apex.
Predator, and he enjoyed.
I guess, the fear.
In my eyes or our eyes.
I just kicked him off. I kicked him, kicked and kicked and kicked and screamed. And again I got him off. I was just just terrified.
Al-Fayed, who died last year, was a billionaire Egyptian businessman who rubbed shoulders with royalty. He's depicted in the Netflix series The Crown as the match maker behind his son's relationship with Princess Diana. But Al-Fayed now stands accused of multiple sexual assaults in a new BBC documentary. Al-Fayed Predator at Harrods, which has gathered testimony from 20 women.
He tried to rape me more than once and he pushed me in and onto the bed so that I couldn't move. I was a child when this happened, you know, he was 79, nearly 80, and I was 15.
The women say they want to set the record straight, some angered by his depiction in Netflix's show Diana Muhammad.
But you must call me Momo.
Why must I call you Momo?
All my friends do.
They say that version is far from the truth.
I hope that from today, people see what he was really like. Mohammed Al-Fayed is rapist. I think he's a serial rapist.
Harrods, which is under new management, issued a statement sincerely apologizing to the victims. We are utterly appalled by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al Fayed, an individual intent on abusing his power wherever he operated. They added The Harrods of today is a very different organization to the one owned and controlled by Al-Fayed between 1985 and 2010.
An ABC foreign correspondent, James Longman, joins me now from London with more on this. James, why are these women coming forward now and what does justice look like for them?
Yeah, Diane, I think it's the sheer weight of evidence that's part of it. The number of women that have come forward. He's had sexual abuse allegations leveled at him before, but never in this quantity. 37 women are coming forward. Five of them say they were raped. I think they want to adjust the reputation that he has in the world. You saw there the Netflix documentary that's upset some of them at this affable character. I think in the minds of many, they want that adjusted. But there's also a specific issue here around his business dealings. Gloria Allred, the lawyer who represents so many women in these sorts of situations, she made the point today that it goes beyond Mohamed Al Fayed for these women. It goes through to Harrods, of course, the department store. What other people there may have known, what they were hiding, but also his other business dealings as well. He owned a soccer club here in the United Kingdom and the United States. You have Rico, which is a charge that you can bring against an organization for criminal activity.
So they're really thinking of it in that way. Have a listen to what Gloria Allred told me just earlier this morning.
He dangled.
Employment.
Opportunities before them.
But they were really not.
Treated as employees.
They were treated as sex objects.
And the idea here is that, you know, so many of these women were recruited and employed by Harrods. This is the allegation in many cases in order that Mohamed Al-Fayed could abuse them. So the idea, I think, for these lawyers and these victims coming forward is they want to raise awareness to get perhaps more women to come forward. For a long time, they felt very scared to do so.
Diane and James, there are six American women also coming forward with accusations against Al-Fayed. I know you spoke to one of them. What did she tell you?
Yeah, this is 23 year old woman. She came here to London as a student from the United States with her sister, worked at Harrods for three months. And she said that when she was put into the offices close to Mohamed Al Fayed's personal office, she was put in some incredibly difficult situations with him. I think we've got a clip here to show you.
Fayed said. No, no, no, I have a private elevator. You can come with me in the elevator. So we got in and I was standing looking at the door. The elevator doors, and he was behind me. And when we started going down, he turned me around and kissed me in his bedroom. And he started making jokes and comments about how the bed was big enough for three and just lewd comments and things. And then he tried to kiss my sister and she kind of, like, ducked away and walked out. And I walked out and he hit me on the butt.
So these women have come forward with sort of different types of allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed. The case against him and Harris hasn't been brought to a court of law yet. There could be jurisdictional issues around this. There are women from all over the world who are coming forward with their stories, so it might be that different court cases are brought in different places, including, of course, the United States. Diane.
All right. ABC foreign correspondent James Longman. James. Thank you. And investigators in the Sean Diddy Combs case say they are turning their focus to his inner circle. They say they're now working to determine who his co-conspirators were and if more charges should come down. The hip hop mogul is fighting racketeering, conspiracy, sex trafficking and prostitution charges. ABC's senior investigative correspondent Aaron Katersky has the latest.
As hip hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs fights racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and prostitution charges, investigators are working to determine who his co-conspirators were and whether they, too, should be charged.
He used his business and employees of that business and other close associates to get his way. Those individuals.
Allegedly.
Included high ranking supervisors in the business, personal assistants, security staff and household staff.
Just this week, prosecutors said they served Combs as head of security with a search warrant for his electronic devices.
You can rest assured that the feds.
Have already talked to.
The people.
Who worked for.
Combs.
And all of those people have already probably given statements.
The 54 year old has pleaded not guilty to charges he led a criminal conspiracy that abused women. The indictment alleged some of Combs employees helped set up freak shows in which women were forced into sex acts with male prostitutes. Prosecutors said they booked hotel rooms, stocked them with supplies and arranged travel for the sex workers. A centerpiece of the case, this 2016 video, obtained by CNN that shows Combs punching, kicking and dragging former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Prosecutors said they have evidence that Combs staff members remained in contact with the victim to ensure that she would not talk to the police. Combs is now isolated from the general population in a decrepit federal jail. He's a man.
Who knows what it's like to have a jury of 12 New.
Yorkers look at you and say, not guilty. And he's looking forward to that happening again.
And Aaron Katersky joins me now for more on this case. Aaron, prosecutors say they served Combs as head of security with a search warrant for his electronic devices. What more do you know about that? And are there anyone else in his orbit that you know investigators are looking at right now?
Everyone else in his orbit. And you heard the U.S. attorney there in the piece say his security staff, his household staff, supervisors at his business, Bad Boy Records, Sean John fragrances, alcohol. He was used to being a boss for a very long time, and anyone in that entourage could be part of the criminal case.
He's due back in court next month. He's been denied bail twice now. His attorney said he would keep fighting. So what happens next?
He's expected to file an appeal with the second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to ask to reinstate bail. Get Diddy out on on a bail package. But that's going to be a tall order, because defendants like Sean Combs, who are charged with sex trafficking. Pre-Trial detention is presumed.
All right. Senior investigative correspondent Aaron Katersky. Thank you. Coming up from obesity, drugs for kids to overprescribing antibiotics, our doctor, Luke Patel, has what you need to know on the health topics that matter most to you.
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Welcome back to ABC News Live. It is time now for our weekly segment, but Tell It Like It Is, where ABC news contributor doctor Alok Patel shares health advice on the topics that matter most to you. And today he's answering some of your questions. So, Doctor Patel, we are getting started with Chandini from Germany. She's wondering about obesity, drugs for kids, asking why not more preventative care?
Connie asks a very important question. Now it's important to understand where this question stems from, as there has been a rise in conversations about weight loss, medications, even weight loss surgery. But when it comes to managing obesity, especially in kids, lifestyle management is still the most important first step. Prevention is the gold standard. Prevention in children would come down to teaching kids how to make healthy nutrition choices. Early obesity awareness and education and promoting physical activity. But Diane, if it was that easy. Obesity rates would not have tripled in children since the 1980s. So while we try to make more policy changes and improve access to care, parents should focus on what they can control physical activity, nutrition choices, promoting sleep, getting kids off of screens, and seeking help when you need it.
We also have another question about the risks of overprescribing antibiotics. What do people need to know there?
This is based on a very important study that just came out from the article Lancet predicting that antimicrobial resistant infections. This is bacteria who have learned how to protect themselves against antibiotics, hence the name superbugs may claim about 40 million lives by the year 2050. Now, these superbug infections are unfortunately already common right now. One important step in protecting us is preventing infections in the first place. But so is properly using antibiotics. So important message for everyone out there. Only take antibiotics when you absolutely need them. Antibiotics do not need to be taken against common viruses. No sharing of antibiotics. Follow prescriptions appropriately and always dispose of antibiotics the right way. Because guess what? If we leave antibiotics in the environment that can contribute to these resistant infections, that is not a good thing. This is a looming global public health threat we need to act on yesterday.
And Doctor Patel, Adrian from Phoenix wants to know how do I approach anti-science family members with evidence? It's like a brick wall, she says.
Oh, I think people can relate to this question that comes from Adrian, and I will say that a lot of us understand what it might be like to be at a dinner table where there might be some debate about topics such as climate change, vaccines, evolution, reproductive rights and other scientific topics. Now, the most important thing to do when we're having these discussions is to maintain a relatable, Respectful, calm tone. That is how we build trust, and that's how we understand perspective. When people don't necessarily agree on something, we want to make sure that we are presenting information facts from a validated source. It is always fair to examine where somebody else is getting their information from, because information, especially scientific, from a politician or from social media, is not the same as getting it from a validated source or a scientific journal. And just a very important reminder when we're having these tough conversations, hostility gets us nowhere. Maintain that face to face, congenial discussion, and may science always win.
Doctor Patel, thank you. And if you have questions for Doctor Patel, leave him a message on our Instagram feed. He might answer your question right here on Friday. The FTC is urging lawmakers to act after a new report accusing major social media companies of surveilling their users on a massive scale. The FTC claims popular social media companies like meta, YouTube and TikTok often couldn't keep track of who they were selling the information to. ABC's Andrea Fujii has the details.
The Federal Trade Commission is calling on Congress to pass new privacy laws after the agency found social media companies engaging in, quote, vast surveillance on people using their apps.
You can almost bet that if you're using a free service, that you're giving up something to have that service.
The report is based on information gathered four years ago. Several social media and video companies, including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, were ordered to explain how they collect, track and use people's personal information, such as their marital status, income and level of education. They found the companies engaged in broad data sharing and often couldn't keep track of who they were selling the information to. The report also revealed companies did not delete all user data in response to user deletion requests, and some companies used privacy invasive tracking technologies to help sell targeted advertising.
A wake up call to the public and the consumer that you need to take action and be aware of what information you're potentially giving up in order to leverage free services.
In recent years, some companies have tightened their policies. Just this week, Instagram announced privacy protections for teens. But experts warn changes like this may not be enough.
I don't feel like these companies truly have our children's best interests in mind. I think that they have themselves in mind for the most part. And so ultimately, it becomes the parents responsibility to really dig in and understand what their children are are using.
Google and discord responded to the report. Google saying, we never sell people's personal information and we don't use sensitive information to serve ads. And discord disputed the report, saying it combines very different models into one bucket.
Andrea Fujii Thank you. And one important takeaway from all of this be sure to read the User Agreements when you download an app to learn more about where your data might be going. Coming up. Pharrell Williams and Beyonce could be teaming up again for another music collab. What Pharrell hinted at in a new interview that had the beyhive buzzing. Our Megan Wright is here to break it all down in the drop. Stay with us.
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The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry.
It was kind.
Of the perfect.
Storm in.
September and October.
2023.
He was getting 6.
To 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream for everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu. ABC News America's number one news source.
You know that music means it's time for the drop, where we talk about the big music headlines of the week. ABC news contributor, DJ and radio personality Megan Wright is here to break it down for US air horn. Oh! Oh, there we go. Megan, what do we need to know?
First, we need to choreograph some dance moves. That's what we're going to we're going to start doing. But let's get into what I want to talk about, which is Beyonce. And even though we are still rocking out to her act two, of course, Cowboy Carter, I might have a hint of something that we can expect. Okay, so in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, super producer and artist Pharrell Williams spoke on his working relationship with Beyonce, which including producing her debut solo single Work It Out, which is on the Goldmember soundtrack, if you remember, as well as her evolution. Now here's where the beehive is definitely paying attention, Pharrell said. I'm so grateful to be a part of her journey and her story and her trajectory. He went on to say, we've had a lot of fun. Get ready though, just get ready. Now, when the interviewer asked what we should prepare for Diane, he reiterated twice, just get ready. Okay, so I need that air horn because I know we're going to get some new Beyonce music coming soon.
And Pharrell knows what's up, so hopefully he'll tell us some more. Now summer may be over, but festival season is not. The 2024 iHeart Music Festival is officially here. I have been it is a lot of fun. It is kicking off today and continuing tomorrow at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Now, as always, the list of performances is definitely star studded. ASAP Rocky, Big Sean, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, Gwen Stefani, Keith Urban, Paramore Got to Take a Breath, Shaboozey, The Weeknd and Victoria monet are just some of the names that are set to hit the stage, all hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Now, if you aren't in Vegas, you can stream it live each night on Hulu. Now we got to move on to some legal troubles. Nellie has been hit with a copyright lawsuit by his Saint Lunatics groupmates over Nelly's critically acclaimed debut album, Country Grammar, which was released 24 years ago. Time is flying now to give some history. Country grammar is one of the biggest hip hop albums of all time, and the ninth best selling rap album of all time as well.
And if you're not familiar with The Saint Lunatics, they were all a group of high school friends who rose to prominence in the late 1990s, and back then you always saw them all together with Nelly. They did an album and they were also featured on records with Nelly as well, and also credited as co-writers on numerous songs on Country Grammar. Now, according to Billboard, for the group's members, Ali Murphy, Lee Cowan, and City Spud all filed a lawsuit this week in Manhattan federal court alleging that Nelly manipulated them into falsely thinking they'd be paid for their work. Now, at this time, Nelly has not responded to the lawsuit. Now, Diane, you know, I end in some viral news. We've talked about Katy Perry a bunch, and her album 143 is officially out now. Yes, there's my air horn. And here's the video for one of the songs off the project, gimme Gimme featuring 21 Savage.
Gimme gimme baby. Stop wasting my time. Kitty, kitty, wanna come party tonight? Trippy, trippy. Daddy, take me on a ride.
So you can check that out. You can check out Katy Perry's entire album. It's out now. Diane.
Fun little pop meets hip hop sound there. Yeah. All right, Megan, we are ready. Megan. Thank you friend. You're welcome. And thank you for watching. I'm Diane Macedo. The news never stops, and neither do we. We have a lot more news for you right after the break.
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46 days to Election Day. And this race is anything but boring. The salacious headlines.
And the impact.
They're having as early voting starts today in parts.
Of the country.
Speaking of salacious, the Republican.
Lieutenant governor and nominee for governor in North.
Carolina.
Under fire after calling himself a black Nazi and posting his pro-slavery stance on a porn site message.
Board. His North Carolina.
Up for grabs and overseas tensions running high after Israel and Hezbollah trade airstrikes near Lebanon. The latest on the ground this hour. 45 days until Election Day and the race for the white House is far from mundane. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips. Our top story this hour, former President Donald Trump tells a forum on anti-Semitism He'll blame Jews if he loses the election. VP Kamala Harris tells Oprah, If somebody breaks into my house, they're getting shot. Oh, and by the way, former Independent or Independent candidate turned Trump supporter RFK Jr in the.
Headlines once.
Again for an alleged affair with a New York magazine reporter. And then, to top it off, the Republican governor and candidate for governor in North Carolina calls himself a black Nazi in posts on a porn site message board. It may all sound salacious, and it is, but all of this will undoubtedly have an impact on who will take one of the most important jobs in the world the presidency. Here to cover it all. Our white House correspondent Selina Wang. Also senior reporter Katherine Faulders. Also, Jay O'Brien is in Arlington, Virginia, where the first day of early in-person voting has actually begun. So, Jay, it feels like we're living in an episode of scandal. Let's talk about how all of this is just impacting the election, and how are voters reacting to all this news?
I mean, Carol, we watched in person this morning the first in-person votes of the 2024 election being cast. There was a line out the door of this polling place that I'm standing at. There was a lot of enthusiasm. We asked voters, to your point about some of those more salacious stories making the headlines, and some took the bait, but a lot of us, a lot pitched it back to, frankly, the core issues that mattered for them the economy, immigration, and also whether or not they feel either of these candidates can do the job of president. Here's what two told us.
Jay, we'll get back to you, but we want to take you to the Secret Service holding a press conference right now. We want to listen in here. It's happening at our nation's capital. Acting director here, Ron ROH, talking about those assassination attempts and the state of the Secret.
Service, these failures. What has become clear to me is we need a shift in paradigm in how we conduct our productive operations, as was demonstrated on Sunday in West Palm Beach.
The threat level is evolving.
And requires this paradigm shift. But here are some of the findings from this mission assurance review with respect to command and control of the site in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has the main responsibility of building the site plan. We cannot abdicate or defer our responsibilities to others. Advance team personnel have an obligation to ensure that each site meets the protective requirements and principles of Secret Service methodologies. The Secret Service did not give clear guidance or direction to our local law enforcement partners. There were communication deficiencies between law enforcement personnel at the site. For example, the Secret Service did not co-locate its security room with local law enforcement. There was an overreliance on mobile devices, resulting in information being siloed. For example, at approximately 1810 local time, Secret Service informed personnel that local police were addressing an issue at the 3:00 of the outer perimeter. At approximately 1810 local time, by a phone call, the Secret Service security room calls the Counter-sniper response agent, reporting an individual on the roof of the ADR building. That vital piece of information was not relayed over the Secret Service Radio network.
At approximately 18, ten, and 54 seconds, verified through body camera footage of local law enforcement officers confront the assailant on the roof of the ADR building at 18 1105 by a phone call, a site agent calls the assistant site agent to find out what exactly is going on at the 3:00, and during that call, the shots ring out at 18 1132, verified through body camera footage. The first series of shots are fired by the assailant at 18 1136. Again verified through body camera footage. A second series of shots are fired by the assailant at 18 1147 through body camera footage. Secret service counter snipers neutralize the threat with respect to diligence. Line of sight issues were acknowledged but not properly mitigated. Issues were encountered the day of the visit with respect to line of sight concerns, but they were not escalated to supervisors. While some members of the advance team were very diligent, there was complacency on the part of others that led to a breach of security protocols. With respect to accountability, the Mission Assurance Review has identified deficiencies in the advance planning and its implementation by Secret Service personnel.
These employees will be held accountable, and this agency has among the most robust table of penalties in the entirety of the federal government. And these penalties will be administered according to our disciplinary process. But due to federal regulations, I cannot get into personnel matters as they are proceeding with respect to a paradigm shift. We're at a pivotal moment in the history of the Secret Service and at a pivotal moment in the history of our country. And I've directed that the Secret Service embark on a significant Paradigm shift that will redefine how we conduct protective operations. What occurred on Sunday demonstrates that the threat environment in which the Secret Service operates is tremendous and under constant threat. And we've been in this heightened and increasingly dynamic threat environment since July 13th. This reality has necessitated has necessitated that we significantly increase our protective footprint, and we've already begun to do so following the events of July 13th. This increased operational tempo requires additional resources to not only account for costs being incurred today, but ensure that we have the tools, the technology and personnel needed to meet these new requirements and execute our mission going forward.
The paradigm shift will be a driving force to move the Secret Service from a state of reaction to a state of readiness. And the vision is for the Secret Service to be more agile with the ability to escalate protection to the highest levels for numerous protectees for undetermined periods of time. But in order to do this, we need additional personnel. Technical assets and equipment for the sustainment of immediate and future needs. Our personnel have been in a state of hypervigilance following July 13th. We are certainly working our people hard and I've used this term publicly redlining. This cannot be about working our people harder. So with respect to changes in the workforce, the American public, they can expect changes in our processes for advances. There will be an increased use of technology not only to assist in communications, but also situational awareness when we're doing our protective mission. There will be organizational changes. For example, I've already directed the creation of an applied research and development section to field new technologies, leverage the research of other government agencies, and calibrate our technical security assets to stay ahead of threat vectors and technical collection impacting Secret Service equities.
This will be an iterative process, meaning it will be constantly evaluated, validated, updated, and evolving. We cannot be stagnant, and we must be weaned off the reliance of partners within DHS to assist us during high operational times. The Secret Service should be self-reliant outside of national special security events. However, we recognize that we will always need assistance from our partners within the Department of Homeland Security and our partners at the Department of Defense. And I want to take this moment now also to thank you, to thank our workforce. I want to conclude by thanking the men and women of the Secret Service who are working tirelessly. This summer, we experienced an unprecedented operational tempo for our agency. Within a 45 day period, the Secret Service successfully implemented our operational security planning at three national special security events the NATO summit, the Republican National Convention, and the Democratic National Convention. We successfully protected both the presidential debate in Philadelphia and multiple protective visits commemorating the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. All of this took place while protecting major party candidates on the campaign trail.
This high operational tempo continues as the Secret Service prepares for the United Nations General Assembly next week, where we expect to protect more than 140 visiting world leaders and heads of state. I am proud of all that we've accomplished in a very difficult and tumultuous time for the agency, and I recognize and thank the men and women of the Secret Service and their families for continuing to make great sacrifices in support of our enduring mission. And with that, I will take questions.
We'll go with Kelly O'Donnell of NBC news. Director. Given all of the attention and scrutiny related to these events.
Sir, given all the attention and scrutiny related to these events, do you believe.
Your highest.
Level.
Protectees will.
Now need to campaign.
Differently in how they organize their events.
And in how they live.
Their daily lives? Things like trips to golf.
Courses or recreational time.
Will they have to.
Live differently in order to be safe?
Well, ultimately, Kelly, this is it's the responsibility of the Secret Service to make sure that we provide a secure environment for our protectees. Um, we want them to make sure that they can live their lives with some type of normalcy, but they must do so with us providing the highest levels of protection, which we have been doing since July 13th. And so it's ultimately our responsibility to make sure that wherever our protectees go, we are creating a safe environment, and that comes back to us being able to use our methodologies to use our redundancies, our systems that we have in place to create those secure environments.
Do they need to campaign differently?
So I organized.
Or set up outdoor events, that.
Kind of thing.
So since July 13th, we have been securing successfully outdoor events. And what you're seeing is an increased use of assets, increased use of of ballistic glass. So we certainly make sure that when we're when they are out there at an outdoor venue, that we are using our protective methodologies to create that safe environment. Go to Maria Sacchetti post.
Hello, director. Thank you for taking the time. Um, could you.
Uh, could you just kind.
Of go into a bit.
More detail.
About.
The conversations.
You had with Trump.
Campaign.
Staff about the.
Selection of the Butler.
Site. The report.
Says.
That Secret Service agents saw it as a challenge.
And.
The staff wanted.
To to have the rally there.
Um, did did the did the staff go against your recommendation? Can you speak to.
Exactly what was said and, and.
What the.
Outcome was?
So, uh, listen, the staff chooses a site and ultimately it's on the Secret Service to secure it. So, uh, when the site was selected, uh, the advance team went about, uh, identifying areas of concern. The Agora building was one of those, uh, hazards that was identified. Uh, but let me just be clear, Maria. Ultimately, it is the Secret Service's responsibility to secure a site. We certainly have conversations. And it doesn't matter whether it's a campaign staff or a white House staff. We have conversations and we have very good working relationships with those staffs. But ultimately, it is the Secret Service's responsibility to secure a site. Comments.
Director. Thank you. Based on your review and analysis, what is the reason? What's the best explanation for why there was not law enforcement personnel covering the roof and physically on the roof itself, or making sure someone could not get on top of the roof? And the follow up question would be, how disappointed are you in what you described as deficiencies in diligence?
Sure. So ultimately, Pierre, we have to be very direct and clear when we're talking to our state and local counterparts. With respect to Butler, I think what the Mission Assurance review has identified is that there was that lack of clarity. And I can tell you since July 13th when I've been out on the road and I've watched field offices and I gave guidance. Upon becoming the acting director to the field, we have to be very clear when we're talking to our state and local partners, we value those relationships with them. We need them to be assisting us and be shoulder to shoulder with us. And it appears that there was that lack of clarity with respect to with respect to Butler. And go again with your follow up here on that question. So there was a lack of clarity that that route.
Should be secure, period.
Full stop.
There was discussion about how the roof was going to be secured. And I think what it came back to is we should have challenged what that how that mechanism was, was being implemented. Meaning we should have been more direct. We we cannot be too we cannot be overly deferential to state and local law enforcement. We ultimately it's our responsibility. And so we just have to be very clear when we're asking them for support, they want to help us. And what we found is that in this they they they in the mission assurance interviews, it it became apparent that, uh, in comparison to prior visits to that area, there was one prior visit in 2020 that there was a lack of of assertion with respect to what exactly state and locals would have to require or would be required to support that that advance.
And the second question is simply how disappointed are.
You when you see that, as the report states that some personnel did not follow Secret Service.
Protocols? Well, I'm not going to get into into employee disciplinary matters, but what I can tell you is the men and women of the Secret Service are dedicated professionals. Um, and so while July 13th is a failure, um, we're not proud of it, but we certainly have been rising to this moment. The men and women in the field are rising to this moment. They are working tirelessly to make sure that the people we protect are safe. And so I will never be disappointed in our folks. I am proud of this agency. I am proud of our people. Sullivan.
Your time. Hi. Thanks so much for doing this.
Um, on the question of the.
ADR buildings.
Is there a process that's standard for the day of the event that somebody from the Secret Service looks around and makes sure all of the assets are where they are? And since the roof of the ADR building was such a glaring omission, why didn't anybody raise that issue at the time? Or secondly, in the security room, look and say, I don't see any local police in here, how are we going to hear them?
Right. And I think that was a failure to challenge our assumptions, the assumption that local police were going to have more of a presence in that ADR building. Getting back to your question, there is that diligence that has to be done by the side agents to make sure that, hey, all of the assets are in place. And so there was an assumption that they had it covered, but there clearly was not that follow up to make sure.
But is there a process that you look around and like a punch list and check it off.
And it is part of our the principles of our advance and our and our protective methodologies. Okay.
And secondly, just to follow up on the campaign question, you said it's ultimately the Secret Service's responsibility. So when there's a disagreement between the campaign and the Secret Service on a security issue, who has the last word?
So it's not about disagreement, it's about a negotiation. They certainly don't want any harm to come to their principal. And so they respect us. And so usually what it boils down to is escalating it up to a supervisor and a senior staff level. What I can tell you is that if there were discrepancies and there were regarding how the site was supposed to have been secured, how supervisors were briefed and supervisors reported in their mission assurance interviews that they envisioned harder assets to be able to secure that line of sight, to be able to mitigate anything that might have been looking in or would have created an openness on the on the site of the Butler Farm Show. And so on the morning of if there were those deficiencies, they were never escalated up to the supervisors to be able to resolve.
David Spunt, Fox News.
Thank you sir.
I have two questions that are related. The first is looking forward. The House just voted within the last couple of hours unanimously from those that were present in the chamber to give presidential candidates the exact same Secret Service protection as sitting presidents. My first question is, can you handle that?
We've been doing that since July 13th, David.
So what is the purpose of the bill?
I don't know, you'd have to ask members of Congress that. What I can tell you is that when I say the highest levels of Secret Service protection, the former president is getting tactical assets. He's getting everything that the former president. Uh. I'm sorry that the current president has with respect to Secret Service assets.
And that was my second question. Can you explain that, president former President Trump is getting the same protection as President Biden and Vice President Harris, because a lot of members of Congress on Capitol Hill are skeptical about that. There's a lot of talk saying, clearly he didn't have the same protection, because if he did, the golf course would have been secure in West Palm Beach. Can you tell people what's going on with that?
So with respect to West Palm Beach, what I can tell you without getting into our our techniques, our tactics, our procedures, what I can tell you is that on that day, there were, um, counter-sniper elements that were present with the former president on the golf course in proximity. There was an entire counter assault team that was there in proximity. There was also a jump team in proximity. The advance agent, who was part of the first element whose goal was to sweep ahead, did his job. That young man is a very young agent early in his career. His vigilance. His reaction is exactly how we trained and exactly what we want our personnel to do. He identified a threat, an individual with a long gun, and he made swift decisions and took a swift action to be able to mitigate that. No shot was fired at the former president. The former president was not exposed to where he was on the golf course. And what I've said and I said this Monday that the procedures work, the redundancies work, so that high level of protection is working.
Nicole Sganga, CBS.
Acting director thank you very much.
For doing this.
Two questions.
Just one on West Palm Beach, the busy public road that is adjacent to that sixth.
Hole where the suspect.
Was hiding, is a well known.
Blind spot.
On that specific golf.
Course. Why did no one within the.
U.S. Secret.
Service sweep.
Behind that fence line for threats.
They were sweeping. They were sweeping ahead. Nicole. So what I just explained is that that element, that lead element was going ahead sweeping.
But was there anyone behind the fence where the road was sweeping there to see if anyone was in the bushes.
Having been there and seen the vantage point, whether they were on the public side or the or the private side. The bottom line is the individual was detected on Butler.
You testified before Congress that all assets requested for the Butler rally by Trump's detail were approved, but there are Secret Service assets that may have prevented the tragedy on July 13th, most notably a counter assault advance team that would have surveyed the site ahead of time, or enhanced.
Counter.
Drone protection that might have prevented the tragedy. Were those specific assets requested by Trumps detail? If they were, were they denied? And if they weren't, why weren't they requested?
So the Counter Assault Team had an element that was there that had embedded with local law enforcement. So we had tactical elements in place. The counter assault, uh, team leader that day had been in direct contact in the days leading up to July 13th with those tactical elements.
But just to be clear.
Did the Trump detail ask for any additional resources that were denied by the Secret Service?
So based on the asset, based on the information I have right now, the asset request, all of those assets that were asked for were, uh, were approved. And so what we're looking at now is were there any additional ones that came in through other channels? So but what I can tell you, based on the information I have now, the assets were approved.
To go to homes of CNN.
Two questions.
When we're talking about.
Florida and the idea that this was the.
Secret Service.
Working as it should. Does this mean.
That.
No.
Security.
Will change.
For Trump.
When he goes.
Golfing again.
Well, I think what we try to do, homes after every incident, we look at it, what what could we have done better? We look at everything. And it doesn't matter whether there's a critical incident that occurs. So we are looking and we're reevaluating to look at do we need. I've had conversations with Sheriff Bradshaw in Palm Beach County. And so I will leave it to the local field office to to carry on those conversations about making changes. Um, that's where I'll leave that.
And then on on.
Butler, if we can drill down on the specific timeline a little bit at 608, we know that a local radio call went out.
That a man was.
On the roof.
Now, my understanding.
Is that the state police.
Were in a.
Separate area with locals, and.
Were their.
Job was to.
Communicate any.
Local chatter to the Secret Service.
Why was that 608 radio call.
Not communicated.
To Secret Service, or was it.
By the state.
Police? So the information I have is that we had a we had a member of the Pennsylvania State Police in our security room. And that's what spurs that phone call to the Counter-sniper response agent at 1810.
And so the state police never communicated. A local radio.
Call at 608.
To what.
I'm saying is that the personnel that was in the security room passed that information, and that triggers the 1810 phone call. Okay.
We'll go to Rebecca Beach with the Hill.
Hi. I know.
Congress has.
Sounded a little.
Resistant lately in terms of what it might do for funding for the Secret Service. Given the sort of paradigm shift that you've laid.
Out today, I'm curious what you'll.
Be looking for from Congress and sort of what you're seeking from lawmakers to carry that out.
Well, we've been we've been briefing we've been providing information. Uh, right now, I do think that and, you know, the Congress has questions. We're responding to those questions and providing them information. But at the end of the day, I think everybody wants a strong secret service, and that's what I'm working towards. That's what members are working towards. And so we'll continue to have those conversations.
We'll go to Claudio with Univision.
Hi. Thank you so much for doing this.
Republicans in.
Congress, they want the.
Same level of.
Security.
Than the president for the candidates. How realistic is really that? Can you be.
More specific on that? I know you asked you.
Answered that question.
But can you just can a candidate.
Have the same level.
Of security of a sitting president? And also what.
Changes are we expecting in the security area after, you know.
Where most of the incidents happened?
So, so how I approach that, Claudia, is this that the way the Secret Service is structured? The president of the United States has the highest level of protection of any world leader. Period. The end. The number of assets that the Secret Service provides, and the Department of Defense provides is at the highest levels. Those same highest levels with respect to the Secret Service are being provided to the former president's detail. And so when it comes to maintaining this, where we are at right now is we have finite resources, the way we are structured with some of our classified assets, with some of our personnel and with. The president. We've now expanded that to include the former president. And so while we can do this, it is certainly we are burning through a lot of assets and resources. And that's the argument that we've been trying to show. This isn't this isn't some pie in the sky trying to say, hey, we want we want this now. We are not capitalizing on a crisis.
We are showing the math. We have finite resources, and we are stretching those resources to their maximum right now, which is going to require us to replace these assets. It's going to require us to also adjust to look at this and evaluate that. If we have to do this again, or do it because of some other situation that we have no other control of. We have to be able to sustain that for an indefinite period of time. And so I am hopeful and I am certainly engaged in these, in these discussions. And I feel like at the end we will get there because we have no other choice.
What changes are you.
Going to make outside of.
The secure.
Area of that zone where everything.
Happens? The outer.
Perimeter. So I think that's where we have to be very direct and clear with our state and local partners as to what we're asking of them.
On this issue.
Thank you, Acting Director. I've got two.
Questions.
The first, it's our understanding.
It takes.
Anywhere from 4 to.
10 years for.
An agent.
To go.
Through the training that rises.
Them up to a presidential detail.
Level.
You've described a manpower issue. Given that, do you think that training time frame might change so you can expedite getting more officers to a presidential detail should you need that?
So we're not going to drop standards, Joe. We have not dropped standards. You do need to develop those agents. And when agents start, we don't you cannot put them on the highest level of protection. Protecting and protecting when they when they graduate from our training facility, they go to a field. They do advances. They do criminal investigations. The importance of having that that what we call phase one, that's where those agents that are doing federal investigations that are interfacing with local law enforcement, those are skills that they learn, analytic skills, how to conduct a federal investigation, how to interact with a U.S. attorney, how to interact with a state or local agency. And all the while, they're doing that. They're also popping in and out doing protection, whether they're doing it in New York City for a United Nations General Assembly, or they're doing in advance for a visiting head of state or a world leader that comes into their field office district. That's where they cultivate and sharpen those skills, and it will take them up until probably 40 years, four years, ideally, that sweet spot is between the fourth and fifth year, where we send them off to a permanent detail.
That's where we are getting to as far as the career path. And so it's it's critically important that we make sure that we still develop people. It is being on the Presidential Protective Division or the vice presidential detail. It is a very, very high pressure situation. It requires a lot of maturity. It requires decision making, analytic skills and the ability to problem solve. And it takes time to develop those skills. Even though we've put you through training, the more seasoning you have in the field, the better off you're going to be. As far as being a protection agent.
So then how do you address the manpower issue quickly.
So right now we are we've had robust hiring this year, but by the time we close out the fiscal year, we're going to hire more than 400 special agents this year. Right now, it looks like we're going to have a net gain in the hundreds, triple digit net gains, something that we have not seen in a little while. I can tell you that applications right now are at an all time high for applicants seeking employment with the United States Secret Service. So I do believe that we are going to meet this. We have no choice. We have the 2028 Summer Olympics ahead of us in Los Angeles. The Secret Service will be responsible for the security planning of that. That is going to require a tremendous amount of personnel, tremendous amount of resources, and a tremendous amount of collaboration with state and local and other federal partners. We are going to get there. We are getting there now. We have filled all of our training classes going into this next fiscal year. So we're getting there.
We have turned the corner. We're showing those metrics to Congress. And I think that's the question that they've had. And we are going to show them that we can deliver on this.
And just second question is the.
Former President Trump has.
Said that he is going to the Alabama-georgia football game this weekend. Are those kinds of events particularly concerning, given he could be around tens if not hundreds of thousands of people?
So I'm not going to comment on Protectees schedules. What I will tell you is that each event is complex and each advance is different. And those advance teams, they know that what they have to do to to make a secure environment for our protectees.
Toby with EWTN.
Thank you for doing this.
You said we were.
Now moving into the accountability.
Phase of.
This Butler.
Investigation.
You did not want to discuss names of who might be punished, so to speak, but can you give us more detail at least, maybe how many people would face punishment or.
Repercussions for what happened in Butler?
At what levels.
Of the organization those people represent, and what level of punishment again, they may face.
So again, I can't comment on on this. This is a personnel matter that is still pending. What I will tell you is that I have not asked for anybody to retire. That was not I know some of that was reported. That is false. And with respect to the disciplinary process, it will be handled in accordance with our table of penalties that will be led by the Office of Integrity in coordination with our Office of Professional Responsibility.
And then one.
Follow up as well. All this talk about.
Making things.
More robust.
More agents in the field, this type of thing.
This is not the.
First presidential election you guys have had to secure. So why weren't all those moves put in place prior to this year's election?
So the former president has had robust security around him since he left office, more robust than prior former presidents.
Johnson. Johnson. Richmond.
Thank you. Acting director Rob Jackson, Richmond.
Epoch times.
Has security.
Been adjusted.
Or increased following the Florida attempted assassination attempt? After all, according to Congressman Matt Gaetz, a DHS official has warned that there are five assassination teams targeting former President Trump. The official warned that there isn't enough protection to deal with that level of threat. Are you aware of this assessment and what is the Secret Service doing to respond?
So I will tell you, as I as I mentioned earlier, we of course, are evaluating coming out of West Palm Beach and we're having those conversations with state and locals. I'm not going to talk about unnamed sources or the report you, uh, you mentioned. I'm not familiar with that.
And local law enforcement doesn't have the same training that Secret Service agents do. Will the Secret Service be training local law enforcement ahead of events as to prevent another butler.
So right now we are we're actually having some very good discussions with the federal Law Enforcement Training Center about developing a curriculum to assist our state and local partners. And you know what? I'll what I'll say is some of the things that we've been talking about. Um, our state and local partners. Well, and I know people have said they're not trained like the Secret Service men and women of law enforcement to protect their communities every day. Uh, they understand how to handle a crisis situation. They understand how to respond to a violent felony in progress. Uh, they know what their jobs are. We certainly, when we ask them and enlist their assistance, uh, you know, we're relying on them. Uh, so I think it's important that we always try to give back to them, whether it's through training or forensic support or investigative support. And so one of the things that we're contemplating now is partnering with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center to develop not only a law enforcement guide, but also develop a training curriculum through Fletc with a cadre of Secret Service personnel to be able to train them in the principles of advance, and that will only help them when dignitaries come to their district.
Or perhaps if they're protecting a mayor or a locally elected official. So we're all about giving back to them. Next month, we're going to unveil a guide on how to come up with a multidisciplinary threat assessment team that's going to be led by our National Threat Assessment Center. So we are very, very in tune with what our state and local partners, how they support us. And we are constantly evaluating what we can do to not only bolster those relationships, but give back to them.
Thank you. Sadie German philosophy journal. Um, wow. You guys have covered a lot of ground in the questions. Um.
I guess I would just ask, um. Guys, I don't know You guys have really covered it. I'm sorry.
I'm going to. I'm going to I'm going to give my question to someone else.
You only get one.
Rebecca, with the Associated Press.
I'm going to go back to the line of sight issues and the roof issues.
Can you just lay out very clearly.
Who was responsible for security on those roofs? Was it the.
Locals? What was.
The plan and how.
Did it fail?
And then also secondly, you keep.
Talking about a.
Paradigm shift.
But what does that mean? Can you kind of detail.
What you mean by that?
So with respect to the the ADR building and that's where you're going for, right. When we construct a site, not only are we worried about what, you know, who can get into a site, but also who can look into that site. So there should have been clear direction about what we needed done at the ADR building that that was discussed during the advance, but I think there was a lack of follow through based on what I'm based on, the information I have now and what I'm seeing. There should have been better follow through on in some aspects of that about access control to that property, about access control to the collateral property of the ADR building. And so it was about not giving the state and locals clearer direction on what we needed done with respect to the paradigm shift. This is about looking at the organization holistically. For example, the communications issue. Communications were problematic. And I think what where I'm looking at is we need to have communications that are more closely aligned to the operations.
And so coming out of July 13th, what I've seen and the direction I gave is we have to be very we have to be very efficient with where we're putting our security rooms. Recently, I was on a visit where, again, similar to Butler, where there was a unified command post, just as there was in Butler. There was one at this location where not only did you have emergency services insofar as fire life safety. But you had emergency management officials, you had the highway patrol and the state police in that room. You had local law enforcement in that room. You had Secret Service agents in that room monitoring frequencies and listening to what was going on on those state and local networks. In addition to that, the locals were flying a drone in proximity to the site. That drone feed was being beamed into. That unified command post on our agents had total domain awareness about what was going on. Also, they had traffic cams. They were able to pipe in those traffic cams into that unified command post.
That is the model by which our field, they have taken this to heart. And those special agents in the field are now having those conversations, and they are directing exactly what we need. And they're posting our people exactly where we need to be, so that when our protectees are in a site, we have total awareness of what's going on around us, and we have total awareness of what's being communicated on those local networks.
And if I could just follow up with one question down in West Palm Beach. The.
On the evening of the.
Attempted assassination down there, the local chief, I believe, was Bradshaw, had said that during when Trump was president, there would have been a lot more security around the perimeter. But basically now the Secret Service does the best that they can. Can you? But you've said that he has got the highest levels of security now. I mean, can you can compare and contrast like, is it the same now as he would have been getting while he was the sitting president?
So what I'll say is the the former president has the highest levels of secret service protection. And I think the sheriff actually went back and clarified his statement. So I would point you to that. I believe he did that on Monday.
Thank you. Director.
Um, I wanted to ask about, um, Sunday's incident as well. Um, is it your view? I know you've talked about the procedures working as intended.
Is it your view that there wasn't any type of security.
Lapse that.
Allowed that armed individual to get within a few hundred.
Yards of.
The former president.
Well, I can tell you, as we're looking at it from an after action report, looking at reviewing that. But what I think it goes to show is that that's why we have tripwires. That's why we have systems out there. That's why we have redundancies built into our protective model. And that's what was demonstrated on Sunday.
And in terms of the report, I mean, what specifically will be different on the ground now, for instance, are you, you know, mandating that command posts have both Secret Service and local law enforcement in them? Will law enforcement have to communicate on the same frequencies? Are there any sort of practical changes that that you've made that are in effect, you know, based on the report?
Yeah. So security room location, right. Being where local law enforcement is, right. The broad use of technical security assets, ballistic glass, leveraging partnerships with the Department of Defense to be able to move materials, move personnel across the country in support of a nominee. So those are things that we've we've been doing post July 14th, and those are things that are going to probably be in existence in perpetuity moving forward.
In the USA today.
I had a I also had a question about Florida.
Uh.
Can you say whether there's any indication that this suspect might have surveilled golf courses any time before Sunday, or what led him to.
Choose that.
Day to be there for maybe 12 hours?
So it's an active investigation. So I would refer you to the FBI for that.
And can you say anything.
More about.
Golf courses are sprawling, open places, anything that would be publicly.
Visible that you could.
Say, here is how we are beefing up protection when a protectee is on a golf course.
So again, our what I've said and I'll continue to do this. And I have to be very mindful of our of our techniques, our tactics and our procedures. It is probably not good to continuously not only talk about Secret Service procedures, because we're telegraphing to adversaries, we're telegraphing to people who probably would intend to do harm to our protectees. But what I will tell you is that our model, our protective model, consists of multiple layers and redundancies. The outer, the middle, the inner, those are the layers. And then we have redundancies built into that. And so with respect to golf courses or any open venue, we apply those methodologies.
Alan Gilmore with Bloomberg will be next.
Thanks, director. Um, with regard to your.
Conversation.
Uh, your conversations on Capitol Hill, can you talk about for resources, do you need to have a specific dollar amount included in an upcoming CR to make things work? Or would the anomaly language that the administration had previously requested? Is that is that something you can live with?
I'm not going to get into specifics, because we're having those conversations, and out of respect for the confidentiality of those discussions, I'm not going to disclose a number. What I will tell you is that we have we've we've made several presentations. We're working at the staff level, and we're having those conversations and they are ongoing.
And related to that. You mentioned earlier, you want the Secret Service to wean itself from relying on other components of DHS in its protective mission. Is that contingent on getting those additional resources either right now or at some point in the appropriations process?
Well, I don't want to rule out that we'll never have to enlist the assistance of others through, you know, requests for assistance. And we do those memorandums. And we did that back, uh, for several presidential campaign cycles. But I think the importance here is we have to be able to to at a moment's notice, Surge people to where they need to go. And if we're going to be having to mitigate and that's what we do, we're in the risk mitigation business. We are not in the risk elimination business. And so we have to be able to have the personnel, the assets and be able to spread those out for an indefinite period of time in the event that another situation, a geopolitical conflict or some other tension requires us to do so.
Ashley Wood, The examiner. Thank you.
You've addressed the golf course incident in great detail, but I just want to ask, are you fully satisfied with the way the Secret Service managed the Florida incident on the golf course, or would you change anything? Can you answer the question that way?
I'd say based on the information I have right now, I'd say that that that that situation was Is managed according to our training. And you know those, as soon as it was, uh, as soon as our agent discovered, the individual took swift action and took steps to neutralize that threat. Immediately upon doing so, he communicated over the radio, uh, there was a communication of shots fired, uh, which immediately, not only did our personnel assigned to the close protection of the president of the former president hear the shots, they immediately went into action. The counter assault team went into action. The counter snipers went into action. Uh, supervisors and shift personnel immediately evacuated. The president took the most expedient route to where he needed to shelter in place. He had ballistic protection around him. They sheltered in place until they could determine. Was this just the first wave of an attack? Immediately, local law enforcement assets responded to the scene. Local tactical assets that were partnered with their Counter Assault team.
We're also present immediately responded. And so that barrier, those layers of protection, those redundancies, the redundancy was the agent that first discovered, followed by another set of agents that also set up that middle perimeter around the ship that was evacuating. And so in the case of of West Palm Beach, based on the information I have now and again, we will review it. It appears that those agents, those supervisors made swift decisions and made correct decisions.
Liz Landers with Scripps. Thank you.
My acting director, I want to.
Drill down on this.
Issue of resources.
You sent a letter.
To Senator Murphy and to Senator Britt on.
September.
5th, and it became public. And it said in the letter you wrote, we do not.
Believe that the security failures of July 13th, 2024 was the result of a lack of.
Resources. I'm hearing you talk over and over again, and it says here at the bottom of this press release you guys have today, the agency must increase its protective footprint, including personnel, technical assets and equipment. How do you square those two things? How do you ask Congress for more money when you yourself have determined that what happened on January or July 13th was not a lack of resources?
So how do I square that? Is is as follows. Uh, following July 13th, uh, we immediately took steps to elevate the vice president, the former president, to the highest levels of Secret Service protection. Uh, we also took steps to elevate the protection of Senator Vance and eventually Governor Walz to high levels of Secret Service protection. And what I was talking about earlier is the way we are structured. And I go back to this. The president of the United States has is the most highly protected individual on the face of the world. That is how the Secret Service is built. That is what we are primarily focused on. And then once you have those assets and resources, they are also committed to the vice president. So how do I square this is as follows. Following July 13th when now we are in because of this hyper dynamic threat and the operational environment at which we find ourselves in, we only have so much of those assets to go around. And so while we are providing them to the former president, we are providing them to the president, to the vice president, to other protectees.
And so at this point, what I'm telling Congress is we can do this and we will do this, but there has to be a replacement. There has to be life cycle replacement on this. There has to be if we're going to be called upon to do this again or do this now because the threat is not weaning, the threat is not going to evaporate anytime soon. And so we have to be prepared for this. And that is the argument that we have been making. And we have certainly made some inroads. And we're having these productive conversations with the Hill. Can I just.
Ask you, also, will the Secret Service have the resources to protect the Capitol on January 6th? I know that's now been designated.
The agency will be leading.
The protective services detail for that day. You're describing protecting all these different people right now. How will January 6th play out?
So the January 6th proceedings were designated a national special security event. We are the lead security planner for that. But again, we have great partnerships with all the law enforcement agencies in Washington, DC and most notably the US Capitol Police, which are our partners when we do the state of the Union or when we do any event at the Capitol that rises to a national special security event like the state of the Union or a state funeral. So.
So you feel confident you will.
Have the.
Personnel, technical assets and equipment you need for that day.
We will have what we need.
Your last question is going.
To go to the floor. Um.
Do you.
Think that.
By.
Congress legislating.
The.
Protective.
Detail regulations, do you think that is helpful in terms of being able to staff up or staff down the agency when you need?
So I have not I have not done an analysis of the, of the, of the legislation. I assume it's pretty direct. But look, as I stated, I'm sure Congress wants to make sure that the Secret Service is strong. I don't know the the intentions behind this piece of legislation, but what I will just point back to coming out of Butler coming out of July 13th. We've been providing the highest levels of Secret Service protection to the former president. Thank you. All right. Thank you everyone.
Thank you. Thank you sir.
Secret service did not give clear guidance or direction to our local law enforcement partners. There were mistakes, lack of clarity, fragmentation, deficiencies. And it was a failure. Those words coming straight from acting Secret Service director Ron ROH right there in the press conference, as he was giving a brief on what the investigation showed into the basically the failed response to that assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump's life in Butler, Pennsylvania. Now, the question is, he raised the issue of penalties changes. What are we going to see in the coming days? Let's bring in our justice and homeland Security. Senior reporter Jack Dougherty, now also a senior reporter, Katherine Faulders. So, Jack, let's start with you. Where do you want to begin? Do we We? Clearly, he laid out everything that went wrong there. I think that everybody knows what happened. It was it was pretty bad situation. But he didn't point to exactly who's going to pay the price for that when he was asked about it.
But he did mention a lot of changes, including more agents, more resources, new technology. What stood out to you?
Well, I think.
First of all.
Looking at sort of what went wrong here, it's pretty much, as you said, what we thought it would be. It was communications issues, but also their assessment and things like.
Their, their really.
Their lack of just follow through in communications and being able to drill down.
To what the locals.
Were doing and assign them tasks. The lack of diligence, the due diligence that's required when they really protected that stage area. They knew that there were line of sight issues that they needed to mitigate, and they didn't really take all the steps that they could have taken to prevent all those. And for that they say that they are accountable for that, not the locals, that they didn't provide the direction that they needed to. There was a sniper team that was inside the ADR building, but the Secret Service was barely really aware that they were there, and they had no communication means with them. They didn't have radios that were talking to each other. So as calls were coming in through the local systems, they weren't shared in real time with the Secret Service. Those delays could have been critical. The report also finds he didn't talk about this, but but we've seen elements of the report. They had drone systems that they were that that weren't working. Frankly, they had technical difficulties that morning. They could have perhaps spotted the shooter's drone that he put up earlier in the day, but their systems weren't working.
So they had all kinds of deficiencies. And as you point out now, people are going to be held accountable. So we're in the accountability phase that goes to their Office of Professional Responsibility to try to figure out what punishments are available. They're going to look at the whole range of punishments and dole them out as appropriate. But he said that those are personnel matters, and by federal regulations, he's not allowed to really speak about those publicly. But clearly they want to hold some people accountable and get in front of this as quickly as they can.
And he also was quick to to point out this second assassination attempt. He laid out everything that went right in that scenario that that the agents put together a security plan quickly when the president wanted to go out and play golf, that he had agents sweeping all around as he started to to play the course. So do you agree that it was a totally different scenario this time around? And do you think it's because of what happened in Butler?
Well, I think after Butler.
Happened, the Department of Homeland Security and really at the president's order, the President Biden ordered that President Trump, former President Trump, get the highest level of security. And they effectively ramped it up to be equivalent as much as it can be with the security that's provided the sitting president himself. And so they had more assets available. They had a counter assault team, a counter sniper team. And, you know, they had the vigilance of a single agent that spotted the threat at the tree line. So in their view, the system worked. They will, of course, review it to see if there's anything that can be learned and improved on it. But in that instance, they they feel confident and comfortable that the system they put in place to protect that golf outing actually worked, and they were able to neutralize that threat.
And Catherine, one of the reporters there in the room, asked, does this mean that Trump and VP Harris will have to campaign differently, live their lives differently, differently? He didn't really answer that. He didn't really.
Answer that, of.
Course, particularly as it relates to the campaign events. As you mentioned, there were questions after the second assassination attempt. Of course, if he would have to rejigger his schedule here. Of course, there was more. There were more assets put in place, as Jack noted after the July assassination attempt. But it was interesting because the Secret Service said, of course it's their responsibility to provide a secure environment. They said that they want their protectees, whoever they are, to live their lives with some normalcy, but they must do so with the highest level of protection. And as we've reported, as Jack's team has reported, we essentially have reported that Roe, when he met with Trump earlier this week in Florida, in a private briefing, he said, and he advised Trump that there needs to be more planning going into these golf outings. They shouldn't be last minute, for example, maybe a little bit more security. That doesn't necessarily mean that he's not getting the highest level of protection he is.
And the Secret Service director made that clear. But there needs to be a little bit more planning, at least from their end in these private outings that Trump chooses to go on. And one more question, Jack. What do you make of the fact that that Rose said. And I'm looking at his comments about DHS saying we need to wean off DHS assets. I mean, don't you think this is a time that they need more support from the Department of Homeland Security?
Absolutely.
But he's also saying that they need to make the Secret Service as self-sufficient as possible, because really, their mission is the burdens of this mission are going to continue going forward. So while we'll get to January, we'll have an inauguration. We'll be back to having a single president and a single vice president. That will have to be protected. We're going to very quickly be in another election cycle where the burdens are going to expand to candidates again. And so being able to really do that without, as he calls it, red lining their staff, I mean, agents that are often at their desks are now out doing protective detail. Our understanding is that that's at like 98% of the available agents are out there working, standing post and doing protective details. And that's not sustainable over the long term. So they're really trying to get some more backfill to be able to replace that. As he talked about replacing that in the life cycle.
Yeah. And even looking forward to all the major events the Secret Service is going to be a part of even talking about the Olympics. Jack Katherine Faulders. Thanks, guys. A lot more news ahead. We'll be right back. Don't go far.
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Right now on ABC News Live. We cannot afford to fail. That's the message from the acting head of the Secret Service today. Penalties and changes after two assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump. We've got all the details. 46 days to Election Day, and this race is anything but boring. The salacious headlines and the impact that they're having as early voting starts today in parts of the country, and a widening war with drug cartels in Mexico, what's happening and how it will impact all of us right here in the United States. The Secret Service admitting its mistakes. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips. That's our top story this hour. Acting director Ron Ro says failures with communications and drones plagued the agency during Donald Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a would be assassin took a shot at the former president.
It's important that we hold ourselves accountable for the failures of July 13th, and that we use the lessons learned to make sure that we do not have another failure like this again. The Secret Service did not give clear guidance or direction to our local law enforcement partners. There were communication deficiencies between law enforcement personnel at the site.
This news coming as the House has officially expanded the jurisdiction of the task force investigating Butler to also include the second apparent assassination attempt at Trump's golf course in Florida. Our Homeland and Justice senior reporter Jack Dougherty joins me now for more. So, Jack, how significant do you think this report is that was just released?
Well, it's an important milestone in sort of understanding what happened at Butler and the really pointing out that it's a lack of diligence and complacency, in addition to the communication problems and other equipment problems with things like the drone, it was their decision making and some of their, you know, what their core tenets of Secret Service protection were really fell apart and were were violated here. And so they're taking responsibility, saying that they failed to really appropriately manage and mitigate the line of sight issues that were identified at the site and, and really didn't do enough to make sure those areas were protected. They didn't have communications with some of the elements that were there, local law enforcement elements that were inside the building. The Secret Service had no communication with you, not even before the event. So it persisted throughout the event where radio communications were in separate rooms. So what was happening in local radio communications wasn't heard directly by the Secret Service, and so precious seconds were lost. They lost opportunities to perhaps stop the would be assassin before he ever climbed up on that roof with his rifle.
He flew a drone earlier in that day. Their counter drone system had technical difficulties. It was grounded. It wasn't working properly. And so they. Another missed opportunity due to Secret Service failure. So they're accepting responsibility. Now comes the next phase where they have to hold people accountable. And that's an internal process that they're conducting right now to see what kind of punishment people are going to get.
All right. So those people clearly will be held accountable at some point. But how does the Secret Service move forward now? What changes are going to be made? Because he pointed out that the former president is now going to get the type of security a sitting president gets, and that's a lot of money, resources, man and woman power, technological assets. And can they keep doing that?
Right. Right now it's a heavy lift. And they have to carry this burden through the election going forward. The decision to make sure that former President Trump got the really equivalent protection to the president of United States was made by President Biden. He ordered it through the Department of Homeland Security. And that has been in place. It was in place last weekend in Palm Beach when the president went golfing. And there was another apparent attempt on his life. So those people are in place. The systems are in place, but is it sustainable? It's going to require a lot of new agents, new training to be able to sustain that going forward into the future, because this type of burden is not going to go away. And they have to be prepared not just to get through the election and get through the inauguration. But really, this is really going to be the model going forward, and they're just going to need appropriate staffing right now. They're redlining their entire staff. Almost the entire entirety of the agency is is committed to doing protection details.
And so that leaves them no slack in the system at all.
All right. Jack Dougherty, thanks so much. 45 days until Election Day. And the race for the white House is far from mundane. Former President Donald Trump tells a forum on anti-Semitism that he'll blame Jews if he loses the election. VP Kamala Harris tells Oprah, If somebody breaks into her house, they're getting shot. Oh, and by the way, former independent candidate turned Trump supporter RFK Jr back in the headlines for an alleged affair with a New York magazine reporter. Then, to top it all off, the Republican lieutenant governor and candidate for governor in North Carolina calls himself a black Nazi in posts on a porn site message board. Yes, it may all sound salacious, and it is, but all of this will undoubtedly have an impact on who will take one of the most important jobs in the world, the presidency. Here to cover it all are white House senior correspondent Selina Wang. Also, senior reporter Katherine Faulders. And our Jay O'Brien is there in Arlington, Virginia, where the first day of early in-person voting actually kicked off.
So, Jay, I mentioned this last time, and I'll say it again, it's like we are living in an episode of scandal, minus the entire cast. And it's impacting the election for sure, because voters are talking about it. You can't even keep up with all the headlines in less than 24 hours.
Well, that was the sentiment. Certainly not keeping it, not keeping up with all the rapid fire of headlines that we heard from some voters as they cast their ballots today, we saw the first in-person votes of the 2024 election cast just this morning when there was a line around this building of voters going to cast those votes. And we talked to Republicans and Democrats alike about what the top issues were for them. They said the economy. Some said immigration. And then they also talked about these two candidates, the stark differences between them. Here's what two told us. Can I ask who you voted for?
I voted for Miss Harris.
And why? Miss Harris?
Because we were in the world, girls.
And she's a great candidate.
And she's not talking about people eating cats and dogs.
Because you have been as excited to vote for Joe Biden.
I would not have been.
I'm sorry, but she changed it around.
And she did it within.
What, a couple of days. And she.
Had it going and there it was.
Her on the ballot.
Everybody was going crazy.
What draws you to Trump?
Well, he's a.
Proven leader. He has done this before. He has survived two assassination attempts.
And he.
Keeps going.
Keeps going and.
Keeps going. I get emotional because.
People do not understand what is he trying to do? I just wish that.
Everybody would see what I see.
And we talk about those first people casting those first in-person votes of the 2024 election happening here this morning. It's only going to roll from here. There are several states that also today are required to send out their absentee ballots, their vote by mail ballots to those voters who requested them. That includes New York. And then there are two states that are already now accepting vote by mail ballots that have been filled out and counting them as official votes. And it's only going to pick up in intensity from here, Kyra.
All right. I just love your first voter who runs the world. Girls. He had to get a little Beyonce in there. It's true. Hey, look, you know women. Women run this studio here. What can I tell you? That's why I'm taking it to Selena now. All right, let's talk about Harris in a much more serious subject here. Harris and her gun and what she told Oprah. Let's take a listen.
I'm a gun owner. Tim Walz is a gun, you know that. And I thought that breaks into my house there getting shot. Sorry. Yes, yes.
I hear that, I hear that.
Probably should not have said that. But my staff will deal with that later.
Ooh. How's that playing over Selena?
Yeah. Look, I mean, that was one moment.
Where she appeared to.
Crack a joke, but it was part of a longer conversation where she really leaned on the.
Star power of.
Oprah Winfrey. And at times, the conversation got very emotional, very intense. And the most powerful moment was.
When the family.
Of Amber Thurman.
Spoke.
She's a woman who reportedly is the.
First woman publicly known to have died as a.
Result of Georgia's.
Strict abortion.
Ban, and.
ProPublica.
Reported.
That this woman died.
Of sepsis.
After an incomplete medication abortion after waiting 20 hours in a suburban Atlanta hospital to get medical care. This is the first time that her family has spoken out on this issue, and it was a chance for Vice President Harris to lay out the contrast of her views on.
Women's reproductive rights versus Donald Trump's.
And today in Georgia, she's going to continue to lean on that tragic story, as well as another woman who reportedly died as a result of Georgia's strict abortion ban. We've seen her on.
The campaign trail.
Repeatedly.
Hammered Donald Trump.
For.
Appointing the Supreme.
Court justices.
Who overturned Roe versus Wade, and she is.
Tying the deaths of these women, as well as other tragic medical situations, directly on.
Donald.
Trump and his.
Actions. This is, of course, an issue that.
Her campaign.
Wants to put front and center. Abortion is going to be on the ballot in ten states in November, including in battleground Nevada and Arizona. So that conversation yesterday leaning on the power of Oprah Winfrey, but also rare in another way, Kira, because she actually took questions directly from voters in the audience. But she mostly did stick to her key campaign talking points around abortion, immigration, gun control. But that joke you played in that sound bite earlier definitely raised some eyebrows.
Yeah, it does have people talking and someone else who has people talking. No surprise. Trump. Catherine. And at an event aimed at fighting anti-Semitism. Well he said this.
I'm not going to call this as a prediction, but in my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss. If I'm at 40%. I'm at 40. Think of it. That means 60% of voting for Kamala, who in particular is a bad Democrat. The Democrats are bad to Israel. Very bad.
All right. So there are critics out there saying that was anti-Semitic. What he said, and he said it at an event to fight anti-Semitism. What's the fallout here for Trump? Yeah, that's a bit ironic when you put it that way, honestly. And we know Kira.
You know all too.
Well from from covering Trump from all these years that he has made comments about Jewish Americans in the past. He's questioned the way they vote. He says that they're voting Democratic. And now he's taking it a bit further, where he's literally preemptively blaming Jewish people, Jewish Americans, for for essentially losing him the election should he lose in November. But I think it's important to point out the numbers here only they're a very small group. Do Jews in the country, they only make up 2% of all adults. So targeting a whole group and saying that if they don't vote for him, even though Jewish voters typically are predominantly Democrat, That's not going to make much of a difference. So again, groups have essentially condemned what Trump has been saying. He also said, Kyra, that Harris Kamala Harris hates Jewish people. I think it's worth pointing out that her husband is Jewish. He obviously commented on this on GMA this morning and called those comments anti-Semitic. But but again, just a continuation of the comments that Trump has been making, though he did take it a bit further, where he said that he would blame Jewish people if he were to lose in November.
All right, Selina Catherine Jay, thank you all so much. Now back to the self-proclaimed black Nazi who wants to move from his post as lieutenant governor and become the governor of North Carolina. Mark Robinson denies claims that he made a string of disturbing comments on a pornographic website message board, despite his username and biographical details matching the posts. Our Rachel Scott takes a deeper dive.
Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor in the critical swing state of North Carolina, is vowing to stay in the race, denying he made the series of racist and inflammatory online posts that are detailed in an explosive new CNN report, including one where he reportedly called himself a, quote, Black Nazi.
Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story. Those are not the words of Mark Robinson.
ABC news has not independently confirmed the reporting. CNN says Robinson, the state's current lieutenant governor, made the comments between 2008 and 2012 on a pornographic website called Nude Africa, including allegedly saying that slavery is not bad, adding he wished it would come back, and describing in graphic detail spying on women in public showers as a teenager. Robinson is no stranger to controversy. He has a history of inflammatory rhetoric, but he won the Republican primary with Trump's endorsement.
This is Martin Luther King on steroids. Okay, now, I told that I told that I told that to Mark. I said, I think you're better than Martin Luther King. I think you are Martin Luther King. Times two.
CNN reports that allegedly, in some online posts, Robinson actually attacked the slain civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr, calling him a communist and using a racial slur. The North Carolina Republican Party is standing by their candidate for governor, calling the allegations against Robinson a political smear. But the Harris campaign pouncing quick to highlight Trump and Robinson together.
Let me tell you about my best.
Friend and Vice President, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump neck and neck in North Carolina. In a statement, the Trump campaign called North Carolina vital to their chances of winning the white House in November. But that statement notably did not mention Mark Robinson by name. And this morning there is no word whether he will appear with Donald Trump at his rally this weekend. Kyra.
Oh, well, let's find out. Let's dig a little deeper on that as the great Rachel, thank you. As the Republican candidate for governor in North Carolina faces yet another scandal. Democrats actually see an opening there. Our FiveThirtyEight polling average shows a tight race, an opportunity for Harris to be the first Democrat to win that state since 2008. Joining me now, a woman working very hard to make that happen, North Carolina Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton. Anderson, good to see you again.
Thanks for having us here.
All right. So what was your first reaction when you read the CNN reporting that came out yesterday on on Mark Robinson?
You know, I wish we.
Could say that we were.
Surprised here in the CDP. But honestly, all that we.
Saw was someone that we've seen over.
The last.
Year come out with.
Hateful rhetoric about people.
In the state of North Carolina and also just, quite frankly, disgusting and gross comments.
About.
People and about things that he said on the internet previously, and it's not representative of the character that we'd like to see someone represent this state statewide, like Josh Stein, who's our current Democratic nominee for governor in the state right now.
Well, Fox News polling actually shows Robinson was already way behind Josh Stein, his Democratic opponent opponent. So what impact do you think these new revelations will have?
Well, we need to make sure.
That folks understand, you know, North Carolina is one of 11 states in the country that elect a council of state. It's our full executive branch in North Carolina. And we have Republicans that are running up and down the ballot this year on that council of state that have fully endorsed Mark Robinson's extreme agenda and have rubber stamped and really put their full support behind what he would want to do next year, going in as the governor, which would be.
A total.
Abortion ban in the state of North Carolina, and just denial for people across it to have opportunity everywhere. And so we're making sure that Democrats understand, you know, you've got a full ballot this year to fill out. Rachel Hunt is running for lieutenant governor. Folks like Jeff Jackson running for attorney general all the way down the ballot to our current state auditor, Jessica Holmes, needs to get elected this year along with Josh Stein. So we're making sure that folks know what Mark Robinson represents the entire ticket in North Carolina.
All right. You just mentioned abortion. Harris just released an ad linking Trump and Robinson on abortion. What do you think it will take for VP Harris to win North Carolina?
She's already doing it.
She's showing up.
In state more than she.
Ever has, and.
Is making sure that they're putting a ground game in North Carolina like none other. And we're making sure that we're knocking doors every single weekend in the state. You can go to npr.org and get involved with us today to make sure that we're reaching people and voters that, you know, 74,000 votes in 2020 is what cost.
Us the state.
So voters that may not have turned out in the last election cycle, we need to make sure we're reaching those.
Folks, but also engaging with and registering new voters like we've been doing across our college campuses with our 30 plus organizers that are now dedicated to campus.
Organizing across the state in North Carolina to really engage youth turnout.
So, Anderson, what do you think of this tweet by North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis saying that yesterday was a tough day, but they must stay focused on races. We can win. Do you think he's giving up on the governor's race?
I think he understands Mark Robinson is bad for business at every level of the ballot this year, and unfortunately, we've not seen one Republican elected statewide in North Carolina come out against him after what came out yesterday and after everything that he said, quite frankly, running as the Republican nominee for this office. And I think what's really important for folks to realize is that we have so many qualified Democrats running this year that are really talented and, quite frankly, have the best resources behind them. You look at someone like Wesley Harris, who's running for state treasurer right now, the only PhD economist in our state legislature who wants to make sure that we're fighting for people across North Carolina to keep their pensions. And I just think it's really important for folks to understand there's so much more at the at the ballot box this year. And Mark Robinson and Donald Trump have just fully endorsed, right, this extreme agenda of taking people backwards in our state.
Question for you. One more, if you don't mind, because Rachel Scott sort of alluded to it. You know, Trump has referred to Lieutenant Governor Robinson as the Martin Luther King junior on steroids, and now the former president will be in your state over the weekend. Do you think he's going to distance himself from Mark Robinson now?
No, because I think Donald Trump and Mark Robinson are the exact same person. Mark Robinson represents the entire Republican ticket this year, and Donald Trump was one of the first to endorse him. Right. Donald Trump said, you know, we want to leave abortion rights up to the states. Well, you've endorsed Mark Robinson's total abortion ban that he'd like to see in North Carolina. You're endorsing this ten week medical abortion ban, the 12 week abortion ban that we saw Republicans in the General Assembly launch in 2023. In our state, too, we're seeing an attack against women in North Carolina from the Republican Party, and that's at every level of the ballot. So we need to make sure that we break our Republican supermajority this year in our General Assembly and ensure that our Democratic governor again, has power when he takes his office in January.
All right, Anderson, Clayton, good to see you again. Appreciate you weighing in today. Thank you. All right. Coming up, rival factions of a cartel in Mexico spreading terror among the streets. We'll take you there next.
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It was a regular day for 19 year old Melissa Witt.
Something terrible had happened to her.
We had several.
Suspects.
All these kinds of leads.
A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved?
We're actually finding key evidence that could have slipped through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl.
Police will find out what.
Happened.
At wits end. The hunt for a killer. Only on Hulu.
Violence surging in the Mexican state of Sinaloa in just two weeks. In the infamous hometown of El Chapo. Dozens of people have been killed with daily life in the state capital of Culiacan grinding to a halt. Schools and businesses closed temporarily, citizens largely deciding to stay home just to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. As the two factions of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel continue to go at it. The cause of the fighting dates back to July, when Joaquin Guzman, a son of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman and Ismael El Mayo Zambada, were arrested in the United States. El Mayo pleaded not guilty last week in a New York City courtroom where he now intends to stand trial. Cartels in Ecuador are disrupted, are disrupting the protected territory in their quest for gold. Now, a new ABC News Live original Last Lands actually focuses on the planet's most threatened ecosystems. Traveling to five countries around the world, the series shows how national parks in underdeveloped countries are being protected. Our Bob Woodruff takes us there.
Through natural beauty, untouched.
One of the last of its kind.
But this comes at a cost.
Five countries, five incredible real stories of adventure. Danger. We have to go. And deceit. These are the last lands, the national parks around the world that have to be saved. Here in Ecuador. Gold mining has been around for generations. But in the mines where it's.
Legal to dig for gold, it's gotten harder and harder to.
Find. Forcing miners deeper and deeper into the mountains like Nambia.
This is the mining area that we're going to go to.
So we're going to go up to this spot and see exactly.
Where our host.
Can show.
Us what they're doing.
What is this? Polvorin. Explosives. Explosives.
Just walking down the streets to.
See where he's doing.
The mining.
And right on the side of the.
Road, there's.
The dynamite.
Big pile of it.
We're starting to see what.
This is going.
To look like. I think.
I just heard these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas.
These gas. These challenges have pushed miners into new gold rich territories.
This area is all right now. Cartel run gold mining.
Into national parks, into the Amazon.
Wait a second, wait a minute. Looks like there's three people coming down the river.
And our thanks to Bob Woodruff for a preview of his report. Coming up, a software snafu impacting 500,000 SUVs and pickup trucks. Find out if you're affected. Next.
Whenever news breaks. We are.
Here in Israel, a nation at war.
In Rolling Fork. This tornado tore through this town.
From Lewiston, Maine.
The scene of a horrific mass shooting.
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ABC News Live everywhere in Iceland. Let's go.
On the 2024 campaign trail here at ten Downing.
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There.
You're streaming ABC news live.
Some other top headlines we're tracking for you this hour. General Motors recalling almost 500,000 SUVs and pickup trucks due to a software snafu. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that the low brake fluid warning light may fail, and driving with low brake fluid can increase the risk of a crash. The NHTSA also saying it has no reports of wrecks caused by the issue so far. So if your car is included in the recall, you should get a notice within the next month to bring it in to a dealer for a software update. And Mudang. The Hippo isn't the only viral zoo animal this week. This is pesto. The penguin pesto is a huge nine month old king penguin chick that weighs £49. That's as much as both of his parents combined. By the way, more than 1.9 billion people around the world have already seen the Australian penguin chick on social media. And now you have two, because the news never stops here on ABC News Live, I'm Kyra Phillips, thanks for streaming with us. A lot more news is up next.
Don't go far.
Whenever, wherever news breaks. It's so important to always remember that lives are changed here in London, in Buffalo. Uvalde, Texas. Edinburgh, Scotland. Reporting from Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Ukrainian refugees here in Warsaw. We're heading to a small community outside of Mexico City, getting you behind the stories as they happen. ABC News Live Prime. We'll take you there.
Stream ABC news live weeknights wherever you stream your news, only on ABC News Live. With so much at stake, so much on the line, more Americans turn here than any other newscast. ABC News World News Tonight with David Muir, America's number one most watched newscast across all of television.
Through Natural beauty.
Untouched.
One of the last of its kind.
But this comes at a cost.
Five countries.
Five incredible.
Real stories.
Of adventure.
Danger, we Have to go.
And deceit. These are the.
Last lands.
The national parks.
Around the world that have to be saved.
It was a regular day for 19 year old Melissa Witt.
Something terrible had happened to her.
We had several.
Suspects.
All these kinds of leads.
A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved?
We're actually finding key evidence that could have slipped through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl.
Police will find out what happened.
At wits end. The hunt for a killer. Only on Hulu.
Baywatch is a fantasy. Baywatch was sexy. Jason Momoa exploded.
Carmen was.
A bombshell.
Pamela Anderson was an icon.
Greed. Lust. Fame.
Everyone likes to watch sexy things.
Right now on ABC News Live, we cannot afford to fail. That's the message from the acting head of the Secret Service today. Penalties and changes after two assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump. We've got all the details. 46 days to Election Day, and this race is anything but boring. The salacious headlines and the impact that they're having. As early voting starts today in parts of the country, and a widening war with drug cartels in Mexico, what's happening and how it will impact all of us right here in the United States. The Secret Service admitting its mistakes. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips. That's our top story this hour. Acting director Ron Ro says failures with communications and drones plagued the agency during Donald Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a would be assassin took a shot at the former president.
It's important that we hold ourselves accountable for the failures of July 13th, and that we use the lessons learned to make sure that we do not have another failure like this again. The Secret Service did not give clear guidance or direction to our local law enforcement partners. There were communication deficiencies between law enforcement personnel at the site.
This news coming as the House has officially expanded the jurisdiction of the task force investigating Butler to also include the second apparent assassination attempt at Trump's golf course in Florida. Our Homeland and Justice senior reporter Jack Dougherty joins me now for more. So, Jack, how significant do you think this report is that was just released?
Well, it's an important milestone in sort of understanding what happened at Butler and the really pointing out that it's a lack of diligence and complacency, in addition to the communication problems and other equipment problems with things like the drone, it was their decision making and some of their, you know, what their core tenants of Secret Service protection were really fell apart and were were violated here. And so they're taking responsibility, saying that they failed to really appropriately manage and mitigate the line of sight issues that were identified at the site and, and really didn't do enough to make sure those areas were protected. They didn't have communications with some of the elements that were there, local law enforcement elements that were inside the building. The Secret Service had no communication with you, not even before the event. So it persisted throughout the event where radio communications were in separate rooms. So what was happening in local radio communications wasn't heard directly by the Secret Service, and so precious seconds were lost. They lost opportunities to perhaps stop the would be assassin before he ever climbed up on that roof with his rifle.
He flew a drone earlier in that day. Their counter drone system had technical difficulties. It was grounded. It wasn't working properly. And so they. Another missed opportunity due to Secret Service failure. So they're accepting responsibility. Now comes the next phase where they have to hold people accountable. And that's an internal process that they're conducting right now to see what kind of punishment people are going to get.
All right. So those people clearly will be held accountable at some point. But how does the Secret Service move forward now? What changes are going to be made? Because he pointed out that the former president is now going to get the type of security a sitting president gets, and that's a lot of money, resources, man and woman power, technological assets. And can they keep doing that?
Right. Right now it's a heavy lift. And they have to carry this burden through the election going forward. The decision to make sure that former President Trump got the really equivalent protection to the president of United States was made by President Biden. He ordered it through the Department of Homeland Security. And that has been in place. It was in place last weekend in Palm Beach when the president went golfing. And there was another, uh, apparent attempt on his life. So those people are in place. The systems are in place, but is it sustainable? It's going to require a lot of new agents, new training to be able to sustain that going forward into the future, because this type of burden is not going to go away. And they have to be prepared not just to get through the election and get through the inauguration. But really, this is really going to be the model going forward, and they're just going to need appropriate staffing right now. They're redlining their entire staff. Almost the entire entirety of the agency is is committed to doing protection details.
And so that leaves them no slack in the system at all.
All right. Jack Dougherty, thanks so much. 45 days until Election Day. And the race for the white House is far from mundane. Former President Donald Trump tells a forum on anti-Semitism that he'll blame Jews if he loses the election. VP Kamala Harris tells Oprah, If somebody breaks into her house, they're getting shot. Oh, and by the way, former independent candidate turned Trump supporter RFK Jr back in the headlines for an alleged affair with a New York magazine reporter. Then, to top it all off, the Republican lieutenant governor and candidate for governor in North Carolina calls himself a black Nazi in posts on a porn site message board. Yes, it may all sound salacious, and it is, but all of this will undoubtedly have an impact on who will take one of the most important jobs in the world, the presidency. Here to cover it all are white House senior correspondent Selina Wang. Also, senior reporter Katherine Faulders. And our Jay O'Brien is there in Arlington, Virginia, where the first day of early in-person voting actually kicked off.
So, Jay, I mentioned this last time, and I'll say it again, it's like we are living in an episode of scandal, minus the entire cast. And it's impacting the election for sure, because voters are talking about it. You can't even keep up with all the headlines in less than 24 hours.
Well, that was the sentiment. Certainly not keeping it, not keeping up with all the rapid fire of headlines that we heard from some voters as they cast their ballots today. We saw the first in-person votes of the 2024 election cast just this morning when there was a line around this building of voters going to cast those votes. And we talked to Republicans and Democrats alike about what the top issues were for them. They said the economy. Some said immigration. And then they also talked about these two candidates, the stark differences between them. Here's what two told us. Can I ask who you voted for?
I voted for Miss Harris.
And why? Miss Harris?
Because we were in the world, girls, and she's a great candidate. And she's not talking about people eating cats and dogs.
Because you've been as excited to vote for Joe Biden.
I would not have been.
I'm sorry, but she changed it around and she did it within, what, a couple of days. And she had.
It going and there it was.
Her on the ballot.
Everybody was going crazy.
What draws you to Trump?
Well, he's a.
Proven leader. He has done this before. He has survived two assassination attempts. And he keeps going, keeps going and keeps going. I get emotional because people do not understand what is he trying to do? I just wish that everybody would.
See what I see.
And we talk about those first people casting those first in-person votes of the 2024 election happening here this morning. It's only going to roll from here. There are several states that also today are required to send out their absentee ballots, their vote by mail ballots to those voters who requested them. That includes New York. And then there are two states that are already now accepting vote by mail ballots that have been filled out and counting them as official votes. And it's only going to pick up in intensity from here, Kyra.
All right. I just love your first voter who runs the world. Girls. He had to get a little Beyonce in there. It's true. Hey, look, you know, women, women run this studio here. What can I tell you? That's why I'm taking it to Selena now. All right, let's talk about Harris in a much more serious subject here. Harris and her gun and what she told Oprah. Let's take a listen.
I'm a gun owner. Tim Walz is a gun. I know that if somebody breaks into my house, they're getting shot. Yes, yes.
I hear that, I hear that.
Probably should not have said that, but my staff will deal with that later.
Ooh. How's that playing over Selena?
Yeah. Look, I mean, that was one moment where she appeared to crack a joke, but it was part of a longer conversation where she really leaned on the star power of Oprah Winfrey. And at times, the conversation got very emotional, very intense. And the most powerful moment.
Was when the family of Amber Thurman.
Spoke. She's a woman.
Who reportedly.
Is the first woman publicly known to have died as a result of Georgia's strict abortion ban, and ProPublica reported that this woman died of sepsis after an incomplete medication abortion after waiting 20 hours in a suburban Atlanta hospital to get medical care. This is the first time that her family has spoken out on this issue, and it was a chance for Vice President Harris to lay out the contrast of her views on women's.
Reproductive rights versus.
Donald.
Trump's.
And today in Georgia, she's going to continue to lean on that tragic story, as well as another woman who reportedly died as a result of Georgia's strict abortion ban. We've seen her on the.
Campaign trail.
Repeatedly hammered Donald Trump for appointing the Supreme Court justices.
Who overturned Roe versus Wade, and she is.
Tying the deaths of these women, as well as other tragic medical situations, directly on.
Donald Trump and his.
Actions. This is, of course, an issue that her campaign wants to put front and center. Abortion is going to be on the ballot in ten states in November, including in battleground Nevada and Arizona. So that conversation yesterday leaning on the power of Oprah Winfrey, but also rare in another way, because she actually took questions directly from voters in the audience. But she mostly did stick to her key campaign talking points around abortion, immigration, gun control. But that joke you played in that sound bite earlier definitely raised some eyebrows.
Yeah, it does have people talking and someone else who has people talking. No surprise. Trump. Catherine. And at an event aimed at fighting anti-Semitism. Well, he said this.
I'm not going to call this as a prediction, but in my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss. If I'm at 40%, I'm at 40. Think of it. That means 60% of voting for Kamala, who in particular is a bad Democrat. The Democrats are bad to Israel. Very bad.
All right, so there are critics out there saying that was anti-Semitic. What he said, and he said it at an event to fight anti-Semitism. What's the fallout here for Trump? Yeah, that's a bit ironic when you put it that way, honestly. And we know Kira.
You know all too well from from covering Trump from all these years.
That he has made comments about Jewish Americans in the past. He's questioned the way they vote. He says that they're voting Democratic. And now he's taking it a bit.
Further, where he's literally.
Preemptively.
Blaming Jewish people, Jewish Americans, for for essentially.
Losing him the election should.
He lose in November. But I think it's important to point out the numbers here only they're a very small group.
Do Jews in the country.
They only make up 2%.
Of all adults. So targeting a whole.
Group and saying that if they don't vote for him, even though Jewish voters typically are predominantly Democrat, that's not going to make much of a difference. So again, groups have essentially condemned what Trump has been saying. He also said, Kyra, that Harris Kamala Harris hates Jewish people.
I think it's.
Worth pointing out that her husband is Jewish. He obviously commented on this on GMA this morning and called those comments anti-Semitic. But but.
Again, just a.
Continuation of the comments that Trump has been making, though he did take it a bit further, where he said that he would blame.
Jewish people.
If he were to lose in November. All right, Selina Catherine Jay, thank you all so much. Now back to the self-proclaimed black Nazi who wants to move from his post as lieutenant governor and become the governor of North Carolina. Mark Robinson denies claims that he made a string of disturbing comments on a pornographic website message board, despite his username and biographical details matching the posts. Our Rachel Scott takes a deeper dive.
Reporter Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor in the critical swing state of North Carolina, is vowing to stay in the race, denying he made the series of racist and inflammatory online posts that are detailed in an explosive new CNN report, including one where he reportedly called himself a, quote, Black Nazi.
Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story. Those are not the words of Mark Robinson.
ABC news has not independently confirmed the reporting. CNN says Robinson, the state's current lieutenant governor, made the comments between 2008 and 2012 on a pornographic website called Nude Africa, including allegedly saying that slavery is not bad, adding he wished it would come back, and describing in graphic detail spying on women in public showers as a teenager. Robinson is no stranger to controversy. He has a history of inflammatory rhetoric, but he won the Republican primary with Trump's endorsement.
This is Martin Luther King on steroids. Okay, now, I told that I told that, I told that to Mark. I said, I think you're better than Martin Luther King. I think you are. Martin Luther King Times two.
CNN reports that allegedly, in some online posts, Robinson actually attacked the slain civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr, calling him a communist and using a racial slur. The North Carolina Republican Party is standing by their candidate for governor, calling the allegations against Robinson a political smear. But the Harris campaign pouncing quick to highlight Trump and Robinson together.
Let me tell you about my best.
Friend and Vice President, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump neck and neck in North Carolina. In a statement, the Trump campaign called North Carolina vital to their chances of winning the white House in November. But that statement notably did not mention Mark Robinson by name. And this morning, there is no word whether he will appear with Donald Trump at his rally this weekend. Kira.
Oh, well, let's find it. Let's dig a little deeper on that as the great. Rachel. Thank you. As the Republican candidate for governor in North Carolina faces yet another scandal, Democrats actually see an opening there. Our FiveThirtyEight polling average shows a tight race, an opportunity for Harris to be the first Democrat to win that state since 2008. Joining me now, a woman working very hard to make that happen. North Carolina Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton. Anderson, good to see you again.
Thanks for having us. Kira.
All right. So what was your first reaction when you read the CNN reporting that came out yesterday on on Mark Robinson?
You know, I wish we could say that we were surprised here in the CDP, but honestly, all that we saw was someone that we've seen over the last year come out with hateful rhetoric about people in the state of North Carolina and also just, quite frankly, disgusting and gross comments about people and about things that he said on the internet previously. And it's not representative of the character that we'd like to see someone represent this state statewide, like Josh Stein, who's our current Democratic nominee for governor in the state right now.
Well, Fox News polling actually shows Robinson was already way behind, uh, Josh Stein, his Democratic opponent opponent. So what impact do you think these new revelations will have?
Well, we need to make sure that folks understand, you know, North Carolina is one of 11 states in the country that elect a council of state. It's our full executive branch in North Carolina. And we have Republicans that are running up and down the ballot this year on that council of state that have fully endorsed Mark Robinson's extreme agenda and have rubber stamped and really put their full support behind what he would want to do next year, going in as the governor, which would be a total abortion ban in the state of North Carolina, and just denial for people across it to have opportunity everywhere. And so we're making sure that Democrats understand, you know, you've got a full ballot this year to fill out. Rachel Hunt is running for lieutenant governor. Folks like Jeff Jackson running for attorney general all the way down the ballot to our current state Auditor, Jessica Holmes needs to get elected this year along with Josh Stein. So we're making sure that folks know what Mark Robinson represents the entire ticket in North Carolina.
All right. You just mentioned abortion. Harris just released an ad linking Trump and Robinson on abortion. What do you think it will take for VP Harris to win North Carolina?
She's already doing it. She's showing up in state more than she ever has, and is making sure that they're putting a ground game in North Carolina like none other. And we're making sure that we're knocking doors every single weekend in the state. You can go to npr.org and get involved with us today to make sure that we're reaching people and voters that, you know, 74,000 votes in 2020 is what cost us the state. So voters that may not have turned out in the last election cycle, we need to make sure we're reaching those folks, but also engaging with and registering new voters like we've been doing across our college campuses with our 30 plus organizers that are now dedicated to campus organizing across the state in North Carolina to really engage youth turnout.
So, Anderson, what do you think of this tweet by North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis saying that yesterday was a tough day, but they must stay focused on races. We can win. Do you think he's giving up on the governor's race?
I think he understands Mark Robinson is bad for business at every level of the ballot this year, and unfortunately, we've not seen one Republican elected statewide in North Carolina come out against him after what came out yesterday and after everything that he said, quite frankly, running as the Republican nominee for this office. And I think what's really important for folks to realize is that we have so many qualified Democrats running this year that are really talented and, quite frankly, have the best resources behind them. You look at someone like Wesley Harris, who's running for state treasurer right now, the only PhD economist in our state legislature who wants to make sure that we're fighting for people across North Carolina to keep their pensions. And I just think it's really important for folks to understand there's so much more at the at the ballot box this year. And Mark Robinson and Donald Trump have just fully endorsed, right, this extreme agenda of taking people backwards in our state.
Question for you. One more, if you don't mind, because Rachel Scott sort of alluded to it. You know, Trump has referred to Lieutenant Governor Robinson as the Martin Luther King junior on steroids, and now the former president will be in your state over the weekend. Do you think he's going to distance himself from Mark Robinson now?
No, because I think Donald Trump and Mark Robinson are the exact same person. Mark Robinson represents the entire Republican ticket this year, and Donald Trump was one of the first to endorse him. Right. Donald Trump said, you know, we want to leave abortion rights up to the states. Well, you've endorsed Mark Robinson's total abortion ban that he'd like to see in North Carolina. You're endorsing this ten week medical abortion ban, the 12 week abortion ban that we saw Republicans in the General Assembly launch in 2023, in our state, too. We're seeing an attack against women in North Carolina from the Republican Party, and that's at every level of the ballot. So we need to make sure that we break our Republican supermajority this year in our General Assembly and ensure that our Democratic governor again, has power when he takes his office in January.
All right, Anderson, Clayton, good to see you again. Appreciate you weighing in today. Thank you. All right. Coming up, rival factions of a cartel in Mexico spreading terror among the streets. We'll take you there next.
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Violence surging in the Mexican state of Sinaloa in just two weeks in the infamous hometown of El Chapo. Dozens of people have been killed with daily life in the state capital of Culiacan grinding to a halt, schools and businesses closed temporarily, citizens largely deciding to stay home just to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. As the two factions of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel continue to go at it. The cause of the fighting dates back to July, when Joaquin Guzman, a son of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman and Ismael El Mayo Zambada, were arrested in the United States. El Mayo pleaded not guilty last week in a New York City courtroom, where he now intends to stand trial. Cartels in Ecuador are disrupted, are disrupting the protected territory in their quest for gold. Now, a new ABC News Live original Last Lands actually focuses on the planet's most threatened ecosystems, traveling to five countries around the world. The series shows how national parks in underdeveloped countries are being protected. Our Bob Woodruff takes us there.
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45 days until Election Day. And the race for the white House is far from mundane. That's our top story this hour. Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips.
And I'm Terry.
Moran.
She said it, that's for sure. Former President Donald Trump, He's participating in a forum on anti-Semitism today. Actually, he he participated in this yesterday. He blamed Jews.
If he loses the.
Election. Also, VP Kamala Harris spoke with Oprah where she joked, if somebody breaks into my house, they're going to get shot. And oh, by the way, former independent candidate turned Trump supporter RFK Jr, he's in the headlines once again for an alleged affair with the New York Magazine reporter. And to top it all off, the Republican lieutenant governor, candidate for governor in North Carolina, calls himself a black Nazi in a post on a porn site message board. It may all sound very salacious, and it is, but all of us will undoubtedly see the impact that all of this will have on the most important job in the world, and that is the presidency. Yeah, I think.
The scriptwriters for this show have got to calm down. There's just too much going on.
I wrote the script.
No, I didn't mean the script.
I meant I meant whoever is.
Writing the events.
Of our day here to break it down. Ames News bureau chief and our political.
Director, Rick Klein.
Along with Jay.
O'Brien in Arlington, Virginia, where the first day of early in-person voting that's kicking off. So people are already voting so well.
Jay Trump called this man the MLK Jr. On steroids. We're talking about Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, who is vowing to stay in the race for governor or for governor, rather, despite calling himself a black Nazi on this porn website. You know, yeah, I know, I know, you can't. Did you ever think you'd say those words? I never thought I'd be reporting this at the top of our newscast, but we are, because this is the state of politics right now. Jay, what do you think? Is the party going to have his back?
Well, it's important to point out first and foremost that all of this is transpiring, as Terry just noted. Voters are actively voting in North Carolina. Their absentee ballots for voters overseas and military voters went out today, per those state rules. Other states are sending out their vote by mail ballots today. And of course, here in Virginia, voters are actively casting in-person early votes. While all of these headlines are firing out in rapid succession as it relates to Mark Robinson and your question, we've seen the state Republican Party there in North Carolina say they have his back. In a way, we've seen the Trump campaign issue a statement that seems to distance themselves from Robinson, saying they are focused on winning the state of North Carolina, a key battleground state, and winning the white House. All of this, of course, emanates from that CNN report and those outlandish racist comments that CNN reports that Robinson made, that ABC news has not been able to independently verify. I asked some Republicans, particularly those from North Carolina, what they think about all of this.
Here's what one told me.
Well, the allegations are very concerning. And, you know, my hope is that the lieutenant governor can reassure the people of North Carolina that the allegations aren't true. These reports are concerning. Let's see how he responds.
So again, Robinson has said he didn't make those statements. He has disavowed them and denied them in a sense. But he hasn't been able to, as some Republicans have called for, offer proof to the contrary, guys.
All right. Jay. Thank you. Rick.
Look, we've got.
Just a few weeks.
Left in this campaign. The big issues before the country. But every campaign is going to have wild cards. And that excellent.
Script that Kyra just read has plenty of.
Them. But what?
Substantively, because this race is so tight for the governorship of North Carolina, a swing state. What does all this mean, do you think?
Well, that's just it, Terry, is you have to look at how close this race is. And right in our latest FiveThirtyEight polling average, it's only a 10th of a percentage point separating Harris and Trump. Trump up by the narrowest of margins. And the idea of a polarizing and maybe, maybe two polarizing Republican at the top of the ticket. Look, when Jay finds a Republican who says these are concerning allegations. That basically means they crossed the line. I mean, that's the political translation on that. And this has been known about Mark Robinson for some time, and Republicans have been raising alarm bells about what it means to have someone who is as flawed a candidate as he is. It's almost a foregone conclusion at this point that the Democrat, Josh Stein, the attorney general there, is going to win. The question is what it means for the rest of the ticket in North Carolina. And it is a battleground. It's been a red state for the most part. Obama won it once, but it's been just just out of grasp for Democrats in the past.
The hope now for Democrats is you have this, this man at the top of the ticket who is obviously quite flawed. What does that mean for turnout on the Democratic side? Does that boost what Harris is able to do? The Harris team, looking to do everything it can to remind people of the fact that the lieutenant governor appeared at the Republican convention, that, yes, as Kyra said, he was referred to by Donald Trump himself as Martin Luther King Jr. On steroids. So all of those things play into what is going to be a very tight battleground and could be the state that determines everything, guys.
Yeah. And J. The Harris campaign is criticizing Trump after he escalated his attacks on Jewish voters, saying it would be their fault if he lost the election. Here's part of what he said at this forum.
I'm not going to call this as a prediction, but in my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss. If I'm at 40%. I'm at 40. Think of it. That means 60% of voting for Kamala, who in particular is a bad Democrat. The Democrats are bad to Israel. Very bad.
Jay, what's the reaction been?
Well, what we've heard is criticism that those comments are anti-Semitic, and they were made, of course, at an event that was meant to combat anti-Semitism. Trump has said a version of this before, and he's doubled down every single time, saying that, in his view, the policy of this administration has been bad for Israel and that he's going on goes on to say what he just said there. It's worth pointing out here, though, this issue of Israel, While Trump has gotten criticism for those comments, it has also been divisive amongst Democrats. The Biden administration's handling of the war in Gaza and its Israel policy, and it's created some fissures in the Democratic Party. A but an end to all of this, guys, believe it or not, as Rick was just talking, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the Biden administration's ambassador to the United Nations, just walked into this polling place instrumental, in a sense, in the administration's policy toward Israel. I shouted at her as Rick was talking who she voted for.
She said she wouldn't tell me, guys, but you can get a sense of who she cast her ballot for.
I do think we got a guess on that.
Rick, I want to go to another issue and that's what's happening in Nebraska, right? So Nebraska is.
One of the two.
States that awards.
Electoral votes.
Based on the.
Congressional.
District. So there's a chance for Democrats there, as they have done in the past, to win one electoral vote for Omaha. Maine is the.
Other state that does.
This. That, by the way, was the.
Original intention.
Of the Electoral college that would be awarded.
Like that, according to James Madison.
Who said that's what they all thought it was going to.
Be.
Now Nebraska.
Is thinking about.
Going to winner take all. It's a Republican state, which means.
That that electoral vote would definitely go to Republicans. What do you make of all this? Will they be able to do it? And what would be the impact?
Well, first, Terry, just to point out how crazy it is that Jay O'Brien is caught, just all these luminaries going in and out today. Senator Tim Kaine, members of Congress, now the U.N. ambassador. All politics is indeed local. When you're camped out at the polling place just outside of Washington, D.C., but making the point that politics is local. Yes, this electoral vote, this one electoral vote in Nebraska, there's a significant chance that it could be the decision maker if Harris were to win Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. That is 269 electoral votes, one short of the majority. Where do you get it? Maybe, just maybe, in Nebraska, which twice in the last 20 years or so has awarded that one vote to a Democrat. Now, Republicans are trying to change the rules, even as people are voting actively in so many states. Ten states plus already voting has begun and they want to change the rules now to make it a winner take all state like 48 other states, only Nebraska and Maine stand separate.
The question about whether Republicans have the votes to do this to to get past a Democratic led filibuster in the unicameral Nebraska legislature. Like you said, the script writers are getting a workout on this, but this would have huge implications. We've already seen both campaigns spend some resources to try to campaign in this one district in one red state, with the hope of securing that electoral vote that could be so important. Changing the rules would make it almost certain that all five of Nebraska's electoral votes would go to Donald Trump.
Yeah, it is really a last minute effort to change the rules there. They've got the power to do it and probably will.
Rick, I want to ask you about Springfield, Ohio.
Where I was there. I was just there this week where Donald.
Trump and JD.
Vance and others say they're eating the pets, they're.
Eating the dogs and.
The pets and all that. No evidence of that. Everybody that I talked to there had not seen any evidence of it.
And I want to ask about this op ed that the governor.
Of Ohio, Mike DeWine, published in the New York Times today. He said he was, quote, saddened by the way.
Trump and Vance have disparaged his hometown and the Haitian.
Community there in recent weeks. Trump says he wants to visit there. The mayor and.
Governor DeWine.
Both said they don't want any presidential candidate. They've had enough.
Of this.
Campaign. But do.
You think Trump is going.
To go and is it a good idea for him, or is this really a.
Distraction for Trump?
Yeah, it was quite an op ed from governor DeWine, who also spoke to our Martha Raddatz earlier in the week and said flatly that what is being said by Trump and Vance is not true. And today's op ed calling them to stop it. He says, as someone who supports them, I don't want this irresponsible talk that is putting people at risk to that point. A visit by a presidential candidate, a former president is a drain on resources. It also becomes more of a lightning rod. There has been no indication from Trump that he's going to tone down the rhetoric. If anything, he goes in the other direction. I can't imagine that a visit like this, with him prepared to say what he is going to say, almost certainly is going to be welcomed by local authorities. He hasn't scheduled anything yet. The other thing here is J.D. Vance is a senator from Ohio. He has not visited since this controversy erupted, most prominently at the presidential debate ten days ago. An open question as to whether he follows through.
But yes, that was such a striking moment, a personal appeal from governor DeWine to both Trump and Vance to basically cut it out, in his view, that they should stop saying what they are saying because he says it's just not true.
Mhm. All right. Rick, thank.
You very.
Much for that.
Jay O'Brien as.
Always. Man on the spot there. Thanks very much.
Well, the Secret Service is now admitting it made mistakes. Acting director Ron Rowe said in a press conference today that the failures with communication and drones, while it plagued the agency during Donald Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a would be assassin took a shot at the former president.
It's important that we hold ourselves accountable for the failures of July 13th, and that we use the lessons learned. To make sure that we do not have another failure like this again. The Secret Service did not give clear guidance or direction to our local law enforcement partners. There were communication deficiencies between law enforcement personnel at the site.
Well, the news comes as the House officially expanded the scope of its investigation to include the apparent assassination attempt at Trump's golf course in Florida.
CBS news Jack date joins us now, along with retired Secret.
Service agent.
Don Mihalic for more on this. So, Jack, first.
What else did.
We learn from the.
Secret Service hearing.
Today?
Well, as Acting Director Rowe said, you know, they admit that they made some really big mistakes here. They they took responsibility for communications errors. They had set up basically a communication system where locals were communicating amongst each other. But the Secret Service agents who were there, the Counter Assault Team and others weren't able to hear those communications in real time. So that structure was really a shortcoming and a weak point diligence. They cited a lack of diligence on the part of their advance agents who were planning for this event, that they didn't really follow through on some of the deficiencies that they saw in terms of protecting the line of sight to the stage. And complacency was another issue that they didn't really follow through on directing local assets to specific tasks that might have secured that roof. And then they also had some technical failures. They had a counter drone system that wasn't working that day, so they weren't able to use that. Perhaps they could have seen the drone that the suspected shooter had up earlier in the day, and it perhaps could have prevented this from ever occurring.
So a series of failures on the part of the Secret Service there, trying to take corrective action there in the process of now dealing with how to discipline personnel for some of those shortcomings.
So let's talk about the changes now, Dawn, that Ron Rowe talked about. Now Trump has the type of security that a sitting president has. So it's been beefed up clearly. And you saw a difference with regard to the second assassination attempt. I mean, he had agents clearing every golf hole as he was, you know, moving forward. And he saw the gun and, well, we saw what happened. It came to an end. But the question is, can the Secret Service continue to do this, provide the type of security it does for a sitting president and a former president at this level? I mean, Ron Rowe is talking about the problem with resources, technology, communication and that he wants to wean off d.h.s. Assets and operate solely as the Secret Service. But I mean, from what it looks like, they don't have the man and woman woman power to do this.
And I think the acting director has stated.
That several times.
That the Secret.
Service is red lined right now as far as an.
Operational posture. I have to say, in my career, I've never seen the Secret Service so operationally tasked as they are right now due to the threat matrix that's out there. Having said that, the men and women of the Secret Service often rise to the occasion, as we saw down in West Palm Beach, and will continue to do what they need to do. And some of the adjustments that the acting director are talking about are more about protection, operational posture than so much manpower intensive, potentially expanding the security zones around a protectee, bringing in more local assets, being more disciplined about when they communicate with local and state authorities. The overarching lesson from Butler, Pennsylvania, is when the Secret Service comes in to do a protective site, they are to establish command and control over that protective site that was lacking in Butler, Pennsylvania, on every level, from the communications problems to the instructions to the local and state officials, to the positioning of personnel that command and control posture needs to be in place at every protected venue, and then you can better utilize your assets in a protective site.
I think what the acting director was trying to get the workforce to do is do that at every single site. As he alluded to at the one site he went to where he saw an interagency command post drone footage being piped in, a lot more utilization of resources and better utilization of resources than they have in the past. The president has said the Secret Service needs whatever it needs and should get whatever it should get to do the job. Congress has still not acted. DHS has supported it. It's time for Congress to get off of its rear end and do what it needs to do to help the Secret Service.
Yeah.
So that is very helpful. A real diagnosis there.
Of what went.
Wrong in this specific situation, how you.
Might cure it.
But take a step back down if you would. What does this tell you about.
Where the Secret Service.
Was the day before Butler? Were they coasting in something? Look, I'm just a layperson here. Were they not ready for it? Had it been.
So long.
That a protective Trump's level had, you know, been in danger like this, that really it was something.
They weren't.
On that.
It just weren't on.
It at that moment.
I think the Secret Service, the campaign is a long, arduous and tedious process. It's very tasking. It's very tiring, especially when you have the number of protectees the Secret Service is covering. People naturally get tired. The Secret Service is down, personnel, as the acting director said. They're finally going to be up plus personnel after this recent hiring binge. So the day in Butler, I think they maybe the folks on the ground took a lot for granted. I think some things changed the day of the event, and the Secret Service personnel there may have not communicated that up the chain of command. Could it be addressed, i.e. the sight lines Sightlines. From my understanding, there was mechanisms in place to better cover and block the sightlines on game day. Those mechanisms didn't show up, and the personnel there just did. What the Secret Service typically does is they worked around it to make it happen. Probably. Lesson learned there is if something is not going as it should, you need to report it up the chain of command so the chain of command can address it, and make sure that the right things are in place to implement to make sure the protection methodology is on point.
Because as we saw both in Butler and in West Palm Beach, you can't take anything for granted these days. The threats are through the roof, and the Secret Service personnel need to be on point, as do the state and local counterparts they're working with. This is not just a Secret Service alone. When they go to these places, they rely on their state and local counterparts. They also need to be on point. And we saw some of those deficiencies in Butler as well, with the state and local counterparts, were not doing what police should be doing because they also were a little lackadaisical in And their handling of the protection of it. I think Butler's gigantic lesson for the Secret Service, for law enforcement around the country is it's dangerous right now. The campaign is dangerous. There's a lot of threats, and everybody needs to be on point every single day and every minute of every day.
Absolutely.
Totally different time. Yeah. Totally different time. Jack, Don, thank you both so much. And, Don, we love your firsthand experience. Thank you. Really? Yeah, helps a lot. So the IDF is now confirming Hezbollah leader Ibrahim Aqil is dead after Israel says it targeted and killed the commander in an airstrike in Lebanon. The member of Hezbollah's jihad council is thought to have played a role in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. Lebanon's Health Ministry says that strike killed at least 12 people and injured dozens of others.
This is all part of Israel's most.
Intense series of airstrikes.
In Lebanon.
Since the conflict started on.
October 7th. The Israeli Defense Forces say that they've hit hundreds.
Of Hezbollah launch.
Sites in Lebanon since yesterday. And this is Hezbollah vows to keep up its daily.
Strikes into Israel after.
At least 37 people were killed in the massive attack.
Involving.
Exploding communication devices. ABC's foreign correspondent Marcus Moore has the latest from Beirut. Reporter.
Hi, Kyra. A lot of new information coming in and it continues to develop here as we're learning more about this strike in the dacha district of southern Beirut, the Hezbollah stronghold. The IDF saying that Akil and other commanders were planning on invading northern Israel like Hamas did on October 7th. This is the claim being made by Israel's IDF spokesperson. He said that the commanders that they struck were gathering underground, and that Hezbollah was planning to invade communities in northern Israel and take residents hostage. That's just a part of the the statement that they released today during during a news conference earlier. This was a significant strike, Kyra, happening again in the Hezbollah stronghold. We have seen pictures showing the devastation, two residential buildings sustaining very heavy damage there. And we know from Lebanese officials that there was a rescue operation underway to try to reach people who were trapped in the rubble. According to officials here in Lebanon, at least nine people have been killed and there are at least 59 injuries reported. And some of the casualties we understand include children.
That is according to media reports here in Lebanon. It's still fast moving, a lot happening and more information yet to be revealed. But it does appear that this was a targeted strike according to the IDF, or a strike that targeted a top commander of Hezbollah. There have been a number of strikes today. This has been an incredibly busy and active day, not only here in Beirut, but also in southern Lebanon along the border. Hezbollah firing hundreds of rockets in a number of attacks. And as you know, the IDF also carrying out a number of strikes today along along the border. All of this really marking an escalation in this, this, this war and this conflict. The U.S. State Department calling for a de-escalation. Other world leaders are calling for the same. But Hassan Nasrallah has vowed to retaliate for the attack. And the others that have occurred this week. And Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the fight so that residents can return to northern Israel. And really, the concern here is that this could become a wider conflict and everyone hoping that that doesn't happen.
Carol.
All right. Marcus Moore, thank you very much. We want.
To take you straight to Atlanta, Georgia, where Vice President Kamala Harris.
Delivering.
A speech about.
Reproductive.
Rights to be here this afternoon. And it highlighted the importance of a doctor Reddick, because the courage, Doctor Reddick, that you are showing in the face of these arcane and immoral laws to stand so publicly and talk about your commitment to your oath and to the health and well-being of people who need to be seen and treated with dignity, is so extraordinary. And I do believe in moments of crisis. The world has a way of revealing the heroes among us. Yes. And I would say, Doctor Reddick, you are one of them.
Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you to all of.
The elected and community leaders who have joined us today. Thank you. Thank you everybody. Everybody who is here. So, Georgia, this election right here is a fight for the future. Yes, it is a fight for the future. And it is a fight for freedom, for freedom. And we know in America freedom is not to be given. It is not to be bestowed. It is ours by right.
It is ours by right.
And that includes the fundamental freedom of a woman to be able to make decisions about her own body and not have her government telling her what to do.
Yes, we must trust women. And we all know how.
We got here. Yes. When Donald Trump was president, he hand selected three members of the United States Supreme Court, the court of Thurgood and RBG. Yes. With the intention that they would overturn the protections of Roe v Wade. And as he intended, they did. And now more than 20 states have Trump abortion bans, extremists that have passed laws that criminalize health care providers, doctors and nurses and punish women in two states of those states. They provide for prison, for life, in prison, for life, for health care providers, for simply providing reproductive care. The care they so earnestly and rightly believe must be delivered. All Trump abortion bans. And think about this. Many of these bans make no exception, even for rape and incest. Now, many of you know, I started my career as a prosecutor specializing in crimes of violence against women and children. What many of you may not know is why. So when I was in high school, my best friend, I learned, was being molested by her stepfather.
And I said to her, look, you got to come and stay with us. I call my mother. She said, of course she does. And she came and she stayed with us. And so I made the decision early in my life that I wanted to do the work that was about protecting the most vulnerable among us, and doing the work that was about giving them dignity in the process. And so, well, thank everybody.
Here for being here, standing in solidarity around the importance of that.
And so I say to you then, from that experience and from the work that I've done, the idea that someone who survives a crime of violence to their body, a violation of their body violation, would not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body next. That's immoral. That's immoral. And let us agree. And I know we do. One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree. The government should not be telling her what to do.
If she chooses, if she chooses, she will talk with her pastor, her.
Priest, her rabbi, her imam. But it should not be the government or Donald Trump.
Telling her what to do with her body.
And think about it. The stories that Doctor Reddick shares with us. The stories we heard last night, the stories we've been hearing for two years. 1 in 3 women in America lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban. This includes Georgia and every state in the South except Virginia. Think about that when you also combine that with what we know has been long standing neglect around an issue like maternal mortality. Think about that. When you compound that with what has been long standing neglect of women in communities with a lack of the adequate resources they need for health care, prenatal during their pregnancy, postpartum. Think about that. And these hypocrites want to start talking about. This isn't the best interest of women and children.
Well, where have you been? Where have you been when it comes to taking care of the women and children of America? Where have you been? How dare they? How dare they? Come on. Let's go. And?
And we understand the impact of these bands and the horrific reality that women and families, their husbands, their partners, their parents, their children are facing as a consequence, every single day since Roe was overturned, I have met women who were refused care during a miscarriage, wanted to have a child suffering a miscarriage. I met a woman, a woman I've actually met several who were turned away from the emergency room. One of early stages after the Dobbs decision came down. Told me with tears. She was with her husband about how only when she developed sepsis did she receive emergency care. Only when she developed sepsis did she receive emergency care. And now we know that at least two women. And those are only the stories we know here in the state of Georgia. Died. Died because of a Trump abortion ban. One and we heard about her story last night. A vibrant 28 year old young woman. She was ambitious. You know, I talked with her mother and her sisters about her, And they describe such an extraordinary life of a person.
She was excited. She was working hard. She was a medical assistant. She was going to nursing school, raising her six year old son. She was really proud that she had finally worked so hard that she gained the independence. Her family was telling me that she was able to get an apartment in a gated community, with a pool for her son to play in. She was so proud and she was headed to nursing school. And her name? And we will speak her name. Amber. Nicole. Thurman. Amber. Nicole. Thurman. Amber. Nicole. Thurman. That's right. And she had her future all planned out. And it was her plan. You know, let's understand. Just take pause on that for a moment. She had her plan, what she wanted to do for her son, for herself, for their future. And so when she discovered that she was pregnant, she decided she wanted to have an abortion. But because of the Trump abortion ban here in Georgia, she was forced to travel out of state to receive the health care that she needed.
But when she returned to Georgia, she needed additional care. So she went to a hospital. But you see, under the Trump abortion ban, her doctors could have faced up to a decade in prison for providing Amber the care she needed. I understand that a law like this means Doctors have to wait until the patient is at death's door before they take action. You know, on the other side of my, you know, the the the other folks that Trump and his running mate and they'll talk about. Oh yeah. But I you know, I do believe in the exception to save the mother's life. Okay. All right. Let's break that down, shall we?
Let's break that down. Let's break that down.
So we're saying that we're going to create public policy that says that a doctor, a health care provider, will only kick in to give the care that somebody needs if they're about to die. Think about what we are saying right now. You're saying that good policy. Logical policy. Moral policy. Humane policy is about saying that a health care provider will only start providing that care when you're about to die. And so Amber waited. 20 hours. 20 hours. Excruciating hours until finally she was in enough physical distress that her doctors thought they would be okay to treat her. But it was too late. She died of sepsis. And her last words to her mother, which her mother, as you know, tears up and cries every time she speaks it. Last words to her mother, promise me you'll take care of my son. So I met last night, and I spent time with Ambers mother and her sisters. And they spoke about Amber, a daughter, a sister, a mother, um, with the deep love that you can imagine and how terribly they miss her.
And their pain is heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking. Amber's mother told me that the word preventable is over and over again in her head when she learned about how her child died. The world preventable. She cannot. She can't stop thinking about the word that they spoke to her. It was preventable. Because, you see, medical experts have now determined that Amber's death was preventable. And through the pain and the grief of her mother, who courageously told her story, I promised her, as she has asked, that we will make sure Amber is not just remembered as a statistic.
That she will not just be remembered as a statistic. So that people will.
Know she was a mother and a daughter and a sister, and that she was loved and that she should be alive today.
And that she should be alive today.
And many of us remember, there's so many leaders here from two years ago when the Dobbs decision came down. We knew this could happen. There is a word preventable. And there is another word predictable. And the reality is, for every story we hear of the suffering under Trump, abortion bans, there are so many other stories we're not hearing, but we're suffering is happening every day in our country. An untold number of people suffering, women who are also being made to feel as though they did something wrong. The judgment factor here is outrageous. Being made as though to feel as though they are criminals. As though they are alone. So to those women, to those families, I say on behalf of what I believe, we all say we see you and you are not alone. And we are all.
Here, standing with you, standing with you. You are not alone. You are not alone. So, Georgia.
We. And we will not be silent and we will not be silent. But this is a health care crisis. This is a health care crisis. And Donald Trump is the architect of this crisis. He brags about overturning Roe v Wade in his own words, quote, I did it and I'm proud to have done it. He says he is proud. Proud that women are dying. Proud that doctors and nurses could be thrown in prison for administering care. Proud that young women today have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. How dare he? How dare he? And in our debate last week.
Well, that was fun. But, and I know everyone here.
Paid attention to.
The words, though. The words. Right. Crack him again. I'm trying to.
Get another debate. We'll see. But in our debate last week, remember when he said everyone wanted Roe v Wade to be overturned? Well, exactly. I don't know who everyone is either, because women have been arrested and charged for miscarriages. They didn't want that. No. I was speaking with a physician who was here who has in her professional experience, been administering care to Girls. And what we know is that 12 and 13 year old survivors of assault are being forced to carry a pregnancy to term. They didn't want this. No. And couples just trying to grow their family, being cut off in the middle of IVF treatments. They didn't want this. No. And on that last point, you probably saw this week, for the second time, Republicans in the United States Senate blocked a bill that would protect access to IVF treatment. Now, consider among the multitude of ironies, the fact that, on the one hand, these extremists want to tell women they don't have the freedom to end an unwanted pregnancy.
And, on the other hand, these extremists are telling women and their partners they don't have the freedom to start a family.
Okay, It makes sense and they want to restrict.
Access to contraception as well. And now Donald Trump says that he would personally cast his vote in Florida, which is where he now lives, to support their extreme abortion ban, just like the one that is here in Georgia.
And. Well, that's a whole different policy.
Discussion that we'll have for another day. Um, but let's understand if he is if he is elected again as president, Donald Trump will go further. But we know what we're up against and we must we must speak of the stakes. We must remind everybody here knows. But we got to remind our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers. The stakes are so high because if he is elected again, I am certain he will sign a national abortion ban, which would outlaw abortion in every single state. And he would create a national anti-abortion coordinator. Look at project 2025 and force states to report on women's miscarriages and abortions. It's right there. I can't believe they put that project 2020 five inches writing. I, they they put it they literally put it in writing. They bound it.
They handed it out. I don't know. I mean, they are simply out of their minds. And it's clear that.
They just don't trust women. Well, we trust women.
We trust women. And like Doctor Reddick said, when.
Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedoms as president of the United States, I was so proud to sign it into law.
I was so proudly signed it into law, proudly signing into law. So 46 days to go.
And let us remember that momentum on this and so many issues. Momentum is on our side. Let's remember, since Roe was overturned, every time reproductive freedom has been on the ballot from Kansas to California to Kentucky, in Michigan, Montana, Vermont, and Ohio. The people of America have voted for freedom.
The people of America have voted for freedom. And not just by a little, but by overwhelming.
Margins, from so-called red states to so-called blue states, providing and making clear. Also, this is not a partisan issue. No, this is not a partisan issue. And it is proving that the voice of the people has been heard and will be heard again and will be heard again. So. 46 days to go in, probably the most consequential election of our lifetimes. And with that, then today I ask Georgia, are you ready to make your voices heard?
Do we trust women? Do we believe in reproductive freedom? Do we believe in the promise of America? And are we ready to fight for it? And when we fight, we win. God bless you and God bless you.
As Vice President Kamala Harris.
Giving a rousing speech in Atlanta, Georgia.
On what.
Polls show is perhaps her strongest issue in this presidential.
Campaign. And that is the issue of abortion, of reproductive rights.
Stirring up.
The crowd.
They're.
Moving.
Many people in that audience to cheers and to scorn.
As well. As she.
Talked about what she.
Described as the consequences of, quote.
Trump's abortion.
Bans, those bans across many states which have denied access to abortion in some cases, in almost all cases, in some states, in almost all cases, to.
Vast numbers.
Of women across this.
Country, and.
A Kamala Harris saying that the consequence of.
That has been not just a lack of access.
To that care, but death.
Building off of speaking off of a.
ProPublica investigative report, talking about the death of two women.
In Georgia, including Amber.
Nicole Thurman, who had taken medication to produce an abortion.
It was incomplete.
There was still tissue inside of her. It became infected, and doctors waited 20.
Hours to perform the.
DNC.
Which is the the procedure that would be required to get the.
Infected tissue out of her.
And she died from sepsis. Uh, Vice President Harris saying she had met with Miss Furman's mother.
Who couldn't.
Get off of the one word that was used by the Medical Board of Review for.
Maternal Health in Georgia.
That her daughter's death was, quote, preventable. It's an emotional story. It's an emotional issue. And as I say, this is an issue that polls show plays very strongly.
In Vice.
President Harris's favor. So for more.
On this, let's bring in senior white.
House correspondent.
Selina Wang. Selina, no accident that.
This is an event taking place in Georgia, a.
Crucial battleground state and one that is, as I say.
Very strong for Harris and strong in general for Democrats.
And people who support the right to.
Choose from Kansas to Vermont.
On wherever it's been put before voters, voters have turned out.
To overturn these.
Bans and vote for the.
Pro-abortion rights.
Pro-choice position.
Absolutely. And, Terry, you heard her right there. I mean, abortion rights is an issue that she speaks about with passion and emotion. Vice President Harris wants to put this issue front and center of this election. Abortion is going to be on the ballot in November in ten states, including in battleground Nevada and Arizona. She picked Georgia for a particular reason, not only because it's a battleground, because that's also where ProPublica reported that two women had died as a result of the state's strict abortion ban. He talked about Amber Thurman's story there when Vice President Harris was recounting her tragic death. That is where you really saw her move the audience there. And she also spoke about that story with Oprah last night. And even Amber's mother had spoken out the night before, and she was recounting that story of her preventable death that she had to wait 20 hours and passing away from sepsis 20 hours to get the medical care that she needed And on the campaign trail, we have heard Vice President Harris repeatedly tie these tragic medical situations to what you heard her say there as Trump's abortion ban.
So she is directly tying these tragic health care outcomes to Trump's actions, which he has repeatedly bragged about appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe versus Wade. This is an issue that Vice President Harris is very comfortable on. It is where she polls better than Trump, with polls showing that more Americans trust Vice President Harris to deal with the issue of reproductive rights, an issue that the Democratic Party is going, it believes is going to galvanize voters, not just female voters, but voters across the aisle and male voters as well.
And, Salena, you're covering this campaign, you know, from all angles. So I want to.
Ask you about.
How Donald Trump is.
Handling this issue. Right. So for.
For Kamala.
Harris, she's got problems with the economy, according to most voters. That's changing a little bit. And immigration big time. So she's got to play defense on that.
What's Trump doing to respond.
To.
As you.
Point out, this very passionate. In some ways, that's.
Kamala Harris.
At her best on the.
Campaign trail talking.
About this issue.
How is Trump.
Pushing.
Pushing back on this?
Well, Terry, it's an issue that Donald Trump has struggled on. He has struggled to have a clear stance when it comes to abortion. He's struggled to appeal to the more conservative part of his party and to appeal to a broader swath of voters who say that they don't agree with these very strict abortion bans Trump had weeks earlier. I was there in La Crosse, Wisconsin, when he made an announcement at a town hall saying that he was going to mandate insurance companies or the government to pay for IVF treatment for women. And shortly before that, he had put an announcement out on his social media saying that his administration would be great for women's reproductive rights. He then appeared to say that he was against Florida's strict abortion ban, only for later his campaign to walk that back and say that he is in favor of Florida's abortion ban. So he really wants to toe the line there and not alienate voters who are against some of those strict abortion bans. But this, quite frankly, is an issue that Donald Trump struggles on.
And on that debate stage, we saw that Vice President Harris was able to be more commanding when it comes to this issue.
All right. Selina Wang there at the.
White House reporting on this campaign, as I say, every, every.
Angle. Thank you very much.
And we'll be right back with more.
Whenever news breaks.
We are here in Israel, a nation at war after that brutal surprise attack by.
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True natural beauty.
Untouched.
One of the last of its kind.
But this comes at a cost.
Five countries.
Five incredible real stories of adventure, danger, we have to go.
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The national parks around the world that have to be saved.
The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect.
Storm.
In September and.
October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream.
For everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
And welcome back to ABC News Live. Some of.
The other top.
Headlines we're following.
At this hour.
A French mayor.
Is apologizing.
For controversial.
Comments he made about.
The Giselle Pellico.
Rape case.
While speaking to the BBC. The mayor of Mazan.
Downplayed.
The incident.
Saying that because it did not involve children or.
Murder.
Quote the family will have a hard time, but they can rebuild.
A reminder of the woman at the center of this case was allegedly drugged by her own husband and raped by dozens of men at his invitation. The mayor now says he sincerely apologizes for those remarks.
Ukraine is banning the use of the messaging app telegram for all government and military officials.
Over security.
Concerns with it. The head of.
The country's armed.
Forces says the messaging app.
Is frequently used by Russia to gather.
Intelligence and conduct cyber attacks. Ukrainian general public will still be allowed to use the platform though. And oh my.
Ohtani one two.
Ohtani sends one in the air. The other way back. It goes gone. One of a kind player, one of a kind season.
In baseball.
Phenom. Just phenomenal. Amazing. Shohei Ohtani is now the first player in the history of the major.
Leagues to hit 50 home.
Runs and steal.
50 bases in the same season. He reached the almost unimaginable milestone while he went six for six with three home runs against the hapless Marlins last night to help the Dodgers secure their 12th consecutive playoff berth.
Ohtani's additional home run.
And stolen base later in the game.
Now has him in the 5151.
Club. Now just.
What.
What a great athlete. Speaking of which.
Gymnast Jordan Chiles may have a new weapon in her.
Fight to.
Reclaim the Olympic bronze.
Medal, you may remember this story.
Her attorneys.
Now say.
That footage.
From a new Netflix.
Docuseries on Simone Biles.
Could flip.
Chiles appeal in their client's favor after what.
Had been.
The first all black Olympic gymnasts.
Podium.
ABC's Morgan Norwood explains.
We're getting a look at key evidence that's part of gymnast Jordan Chiles fight to reclaim her bronze medal. What about Jordan? You want to try and video that Chiles submitted to Switzerland's Supreme Court as part of her appeal, which was filmed by Religion of Sports, a documentary crew which was following her teammates. Simone Biles, Chiles coach, can apparently be heard asking.
For an.
Inquiry into Chiles routine not once but twice, within what appears to be the one minute required by the Committee.
For Jordan. Inquiry for Jordan.
In August, Chiles earned a bronze medal after her coach filed that inquiry, only to days later have it taken away from her after the Court of Arbitration voided that inquiry, saying her coaches appealed to change her degree in difficulty. Score was filed four seconds too late. Last week, Chiles choking up when talking about her medal being taken away from her.
The biggest thing that was taken from me was. That it was the recognition of.
Who I was.
All right. Well, she's a silver medalist as far as I'm concerned. And it looks like that tape does demonstrate that her call for review was made well.
Within.
The time rule. And so good luck to Charles with those officials. The news never stops, as you know.
I'm Terry Moran. Thanks for streaming with us. There's more news coming up next.
What does it take to be the most watched newscast in America?
An operation to capture ISIS fighters.
Since their combat operations center.
We're approaching the gate now. Militants came in from 4 or 5 different directions. Operational nuclear reactor. So you have a couple loaded and ready to go. The house is destroyed, but the flag, there's not a tear in it. Not a tear in it. How important is this label right here? Made the USA. Look at your smile. You're proud of this, I love it.
Great work.
Hi. Where are you? Where are you? Appreciate you.
Thank you. David.
Good to meet you.
It's Neil. David.
David. Yes, yes.
I'm David Muir.
I know who you are. You do?
Every night.
ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir is America's most watched newscast.
Let's go. The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what no one has seen before.
Well, look at that. Oh my gosh. Well, dead ahead, Dragon.
We are heading into the unknown. Hammer, hammer, hammer.
It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
Why do so many.
People start their day here?
From ABC news. This is start here to be in the know.
And get a different take on the day's top stories. A lot of.
News today, so let's get into it.
Listen now to the daily news podcast honored with four Edward R Murrow Awards, and see why the New York Times calls it a news podcast worth listening to. Start here ABC news make it your daily first. Listen.
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Your podcasts, start here. ABC News America's number one news source.
Hello, I'm Terry Moran, and here are some of the top.
Headlines we're.
Watching at ABC News Live at.
This hour. The Secret Service.
Is now admitting its mistakes.
Acting Director.
Ronald Roe.
Said in a press.
Conference today that.
Failures with.
Communications.
And drones plagued.
The agency.
During Donald Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where.
A would be assassin took.
A shot at the former president.
It's important that we hold ourselves accountable for the failures of July 13th, and that we use the lessons learned to make sure that we do not have another failure like this again. The Secret Service did not give clear guidance or direction to our local law enforcement partners. There were communication deficiencies between law enforcement personnel at the site. The news comes as the.
House of Representatives officially.
Expanded.
The.
Scope of its investigation.
Into the Secret Service to include the apparent assassination.
Attempt.
At Donald.
Trump's golf course in Florida.
Well, the Israeli Defense.
Forces are now confirming.
That Hezbollah.
Leader Ibrahim Aqil is dead after Israel says.
It targeted.
And killed the commander in an airstrike in Lebanon. The member.
Of Hezbollah's.
Quote, jihad council is thought to have played a.
Role in the.
1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.
Which took the lives.
Of more than 200 Marines.
Lebanon's health Ministry.
Says the strike.
On Aqil killed at least 12 and injured dozens of others.
All this is part.
Of Israel's most intense series of airstrikes in Lebanon since the conflict started on October.
7th.
The IDF says it's hit hundreds of Hezbollah launch sites there since yesterday. All this as Hezbollah vows to keep up its daily strikes into Israel after at least 37 were killed.
In the massive.
Attack involving exploding communications devices issued to Hezbollah members.
Well, baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani is.
Celebrating a milestone today, becoming the first player in major.
League history to hit 50 home runs and.
Steal 50.
Bases.
In the same season.
One two.
Ohtani sends one in the air the other way. Back it goes. Gone. One of a kind player. One of a kind season.
One of a kind. What a thrill. The Los.
Angeles Dodgers star reached that milestone.
During last night's game against the Miami Marlins.
The Dodgers won that game 20 to.
4 and.
Thereby clinched a.
Spot in the.
Playoffs. Can't wait to see what he's going to.
Do in October.
Stay tuned.
Well, thank you for streaming with us. I'm Terry Moran. The news never stops GMA three.
Starts right now.
What you need to know.
Right now.
On GMA.
Three.
The shocking comments.
Reported.
By the Republican.
Running for.
Governor and the battleground state of North.
Carolina rocking the.
Presidential race as early voting.
Begins today in several states.
Growing tensions in the Middle East.
The new strikes after those.
Staggering.
Blasts across.
Lebanon of Hezbollah members electronic devices.
Our Martha Raddatz.
With the new.
Details coming in. Medical alert.
Is alcohol.
Playing a role in higher.
Rates of cancer among young people?
We'll take a look.
At a new study.
Plus, the.
Influential.
Latina.
Entrepreneur.
Going beyond.
Public housing and foster care to build an empire now, giving back.
And pumping.
New life and.
Opportunities into small businesses led.
By women. The big surprise.
For one hard.
Worker.
And what about me, the bestselling author with some words of wisdom to.
Share on this.
Faith Friday.
And she's got the moves.
Alyssa milano, making.
Her Broadway.
Debut at the age of 51.
Starring in the role of Roxie Hart in Chicago. One of a kind.
Player, one of a kind season.
Shohei Ohtani starts the 5050.
Club the shining moment.
On the diamond for the.
Dodgers.
Shohei Ohtani becomes the first player in Major League Baseball history with 50 home runs and.
50 stolen.
Bases in a.
Single season.
Now from.
Times Square. DeMarco Morgan.
And Eva.
Pilgrim with what you need to know.
Oh, that's a good one for this Friday, everybody.
Good afternoon and welcome to what you Need to know.
As we wrap up.
Another successful week here at GMA.
Three.
And Rebecca Jarvis is back. As always we love to see.
This young lady right here. Thank you.
DeMarco here. And Eva is out. But she's out for.
Good reason because she's picking up this honor in West Columbia South.
Carolina.
Last night.
Named an inaugural member of the Lexington.
School District two.
Fine Arts Hall of Fame. Eva went to school there and is now among.
Those honored for.
Their contribution to the arts.
Wonderful, wonderful.
Wonderful and good to see that it's happened to her.
She's a good person.
Congratulations, Eva. Also, great to see her going home. You know, what a wonderful honor to go home and have that kind of appreciation. It's always great. I feel.
Like I'm home here with you guys at.
JMU, and it's great to see you, Doctor Sutton. On this Friday.
Happy Friday. Excited to be here. Excited that it's Friday.
Let's put this man to.
Work right here Rebecca.
So over the last few decades, more young adults have been getting cancer at higher rates. And a.
New study suggests that it's pointing.
To alcohol. Alcohol could be the reason. That's right. We're getting more.
And more data about the effects of.
Alcohol and.
The associated.
Increased risk of cancer. An interesting survey study from before this found that more than 50% of people do not know that there's an association between alcohol and cancer. This new report from the Cancer Progress Report and the American Association of Cancer Research sheds more light on the exact numbers we should pay attention to. They looked at the entire reports of those who had cancer, and they found that in 2020, alcohol was associated globally with a 4% increased risk of cancer. In America, that risk is higher, about 5.4%. What that means one out of every 20 cancers associated to alcohol. Those cancers include things like head and neck cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. And they also found that reducing significantly or stopping alcohol altogether helped to reduce those risks. If you stopped alcohol, there was an associated 8% reduced risk of head and neck cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. And stopping alcohol was associated to a 4% reduced risk of all cancers. So just another important note to be mindful of before you start to partake in alcohol use.
Doctor Sutton, thank you as always. And now we turn to ABC's.
Morgan Norwood who's here with our latest headlines. Morgan great to see you.
Good to see you my friends. Happy Friday I am feeling this.
Coordination.
Here.
I feel it too. Me and Doctor.
Darien are.
Twinning you and.
DeMarco twinning?
Yeah, it's definitely Friday. Good to be with you. And we've got a lot of headlines. And we do begin with the race for the white House vice president Harris joining Oprah Winfrey in the Michigan battleground. The former talk show Queen holding a highly produced virtual rally to reach independent and undecided voters. Harris taking audience questions as former President Donald Trump attended a Washington event to fight anti-Semitism, verbally attacking Jewish people who might be voting for Harris. Well, shocking comments reverberating across North Carolina, allegedly by Mark Robinson, the Trump supported Republican candidate for governor. CNN is reporting that Robinson allegedly made disturbing online posts on a pornographic website for more than a decade ago, allegedly saying slavery is not bad and calling himself a black Nazi. ABC news has not independently confirmed that reporting, but Robinson is denying those comments and vowing to stay in the race went out to Kentucky. The sheriff is behind bars today charged with a murder in a courthouse shooting, accused of killing a 54 year old judge. Investigators say witnesses heard arguing before those shots were fired.
Well, now we turn to ginger zee and your weekend weather.
We had those deadly thunderstorms in Oklahoma.
That trailer that you see there tipped over 72 mile per hour gusts nearby. And that was just the bottom of the front. On the northern end, there were reported tornadoes in northern Minnesota. So that front is going to slide to the east. But we have a new one coming in with more chances.
For thunderstorms.
That could become severe. Some of the gusty winds and hail out there, but flash flooding could be possible. A lot of folks there need rain, but it's going to fall really quickly.
Ahead of the.
Front. More records. We had record highs from Houston back to Amarillo.
Yesterday, but look at the heat advisories for much of.
Oklahoma into the Ozarks of Arkansas. But that front is going to dip all the way through parts of Texas. So Amarillo who had their latest hottest 100 going into the 60s in the weekend.
All right, Ginger, well, give it up for the ladies. The women of the WNBA. Breaking a new record. Highest attended regular season contests with more than 20,000 fans at the Capital One Arena. But Caitlin Clark's fever. They did lose to the mystics. The Atlanta Dream, though, grabbing the last playoff spot over the Liberty. Eight teams now battling it out for the title catch the WNBA action starting this Sunday right here on ABC. More sports news now. Making major league history with the crack of that bat, the L.A. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani starring, starting the 50 over 50 club, the first player in MLB history to reach 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. Ohtani. He was on fire yesterday. Three home runs, two stolen bases and ten RBIs. The Dodgers are back in LA. I know I've got.
Some haters in the.
Studio, but it's all.
Good. I'm with you, DeMarco.
I'm with you. All right.
Thank you Morgan we appreciate it. Still ahead on Gma3 on this Friday, those exploding devices sweeping Lebanon? Could it happen here in this country? That's the question. We'll get the latest from our Martha Raddatz in Israel.
And later on, DeMarco, we're going to meet the mom inspired by her son to new heights as a beauty business owner overcoming the odds. It's a great story.
And we'll be back I.
Wait a second, wait a minute. It looks like there's three people coming down the river.
These are the last lands.
What is this? It's explosives. These are these dynamite blasts down here.
We have to go. What's the gas?
The national parks around the world.
This area is all right now. Cartel run.
Gold mine that have to be saved.
Amanda Riley was a mother, wife.
Everybody loved her.
I heard the words, you.
Have stage three blood cancer. We gave our hearts our prayers.
We thought she was God's gift, but she was a liar.
Why would somebody fake cancer?
There's all these pictures of her.
In the hospital with IVs, tubing.
It was only a matter of time until Amanda's whole world came tumbling down.
Oh my God. Amanda premieres October 9th on ABC and stream on Hulu. Get ready.
America! Every Friday, the hottest trends, styles and must have.
What's the right stuff to buy right now? I really love that it's time to buy the right stuff. Yes. And save big time too.
The Right Stuff.
Fridays on GMA. You're going to love it.
With so much at stake, so much on the line, more Americans turn here than any other newscast. ABC News World News Tonight with David Muir, America's number one most watched newscast across all of television.
The question is why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine. How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm.
In September and.
October 2023, he was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream for everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
Welcome back to Gma3.
Tensions are.
Escalating in the Middle East as Hezbollah.
Vows to take.
Revenge over this week's deadly device.
Explosions.
The coordinated blasts in Lebanon targeted pagers and walkie talkies, and Lebanese officials.
Say at least.
37.
People have been killed and thousands.
More injured.
And now Israel is carrying out.
A wave of strikes on Hezbollah.
Targets in Lebanon. And joining us now from northern Israel with more.
On this heightened conflict.
Is chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz. Martha, it's always good to see you. Let's start with this. Israel is carrying out a.
Targeted strikes on Babe Ruth.
That's what we just talked about.
What's the latest right now?
Well, that's the first time they've done a targeted strike in Beirut since last July. The Israelis have been relentless this week. The target in this strike was a high ranking Hezbollah commander and operative who they believe was responsible, who the U.S. and Israel believe was responsible for the bombing of an embassy of the U.S. embassy in Beirut back in 1983 and the bombing of Marine Corps barracks back in 1983, in Beirut as well. More than 200 U.S. Marines were killed in that strike. But think about this, DeMarco and Rebecca, every day this week, the pages on Tuesday, the walkie talkies of firing into southern Lebanon relentlessly yesterday and then this targeted strike today. But Hezbollah has certainly been firing back into northern Israel as well.
Well, and, Martha, as you mentioned there, There's a lot of history here.
And for the last.
11 months or so.
Hezbollah has been firing.
Rockets.
Out of.
Lebanon into northern.
Israel.
About 100,000.
Israelis have been displaced.
From their homes because of that. And as people may have.
Seen, 12.
Children were recently killed on a football field in.
Northern Israel.
From those rockets. Now we have this round. Does any of this.
Degrade Hezbollah's capabilities in the.
Region, and what does it mean for.
Escalation.
Going forward?
Well, it certainly doesn't degrade their ability to fire missiles and rockets. They have tens of thousands of missiles and rockets, if not hundreds of thousands. But we saw what happened to those Hezbollah operatives that certainly crippled them in many ways, not only their communications, but it killed many of them and badly wounded thousands of them. Rebecca. So yes, they're degraded to a degree. But you mentioned those 100,000 displaced 60 to 100,000 Israelis have been displaced because of the fears. They're on that border with Lebanon. Benjamin Netanyahu is vowing to get them back, and he's getting a lot of pressure to get them back to make that area safe. But of course, everyone is nervous. What this means for escalating in the war.
Martha, the leader of Hezbollah, says.
Israel crossed a red.
Line. How much did the U.S. know about this operation ahead of time?
You know, we've heard kind of a little coy answer this week. Early in the week it was we didn't know anything about this incident. They may not have known anything about the incident, but they were told there was going to be some sort of operation against Hezbollah. But the U.S. says they did not know it was against pagers, walkie talkies. And in fact, the CIA, our sources tell us, had looked at that kind of operation in the past, but they worried about who else might be killed other than those who were targeted. And that's obviously something Hezbollah has said as well, that the pagers have gone off and killed others as well.
Martha Raddatz, our.
Chief global.
Affairs correspondent, thanks so much for joining us. And when we come back, overcoming.
Some difficult.
Personal odds on her road to success.
She's got a story.
We're going to meet the mom building a beauty business empire inspired by her young son.
You're watching Gma3. Come on back.
What does it take to be the most watched newscast in America?
An operation to capture ISIS fighters.
This is our combat operation center.
We're approaching the gate now. Militants came in from 4 or 5 different directions. Operational nuclear reactor. So you have a couple loaded and ready to go. The house is destroyed, but the flag, there's not a tear in it, not a.
Tear in it.
How important is this label right here? Made the USA look at your smile. You're proud of.
This, I love it.
Great work.
Hi. Where are you? Where are you? I appreciate you, thank you.
David.
Good to meet you.
It's my.
David. David? Yes, yes.
I'm David Muir.
I know who you are. You do? Every night.
ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir is America's most watched newscast. Nightline. The stories that shape your world, that shape your life. Dramatic, stunning. Empowering, jaw dropping. The most powerful stories of our time.
Nightline on right after Kimmel and streaming on Hulu. Why do so many.
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ABC news. This is start here. To be in the.
Know and get a different take on the day's top stories. Start here.
That's a part of the story. I bet you didn't see coming.
Make it your daily first. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
The ship is heaven. We're tending to our passengers dreams.
But make no mistake about it. Do live.
Together. It's your job.
Be the kind of world where we belong to keep everyone alive. No. It's gonna make it better. It's a.
Huge responsibility. I'm in.
Wouldn't it be nice to find.
True natural beauty.
Untouched.
One of the last of its kind.
But this comes at a cost.
Five countries.
Five incredible.
Real stories.
Of adventure.
Danger. We have to go.
And deceit. These are the last.
Lands, the national parks around the world.
That have to be saved.
From a pro-Palestinian.
Demonstration on the.
Streets of Philadelphia. I'm Trevor Ault. Wherever the story is, we'll take you there. You're streaming ABC News Live.
Welcome back to Gma3. Our next guest is proof that anything is possible, no matter your background, when you bet on yourself. Oh, yes.
She is from public.
Housing and.
Foster care.
She turned a no.
Into a yes. Becoming a beauty entrepreneur. And here to tell us all about her journey. Please welcome founder of Blessed Bananas and LA CEO Hair Care, Nadine Ramos.
So great. Good to see you.
And congratulations.
On all of your success.
Thank you so much. It's a great honor to be here today.
Of course. So you've been very open about your journey. It hasn't been an easy one for you. Including what? Childhood struggles and, you know, other adversities. But I hear it was an unexpected hair appointment in your 20s that changed things around.
Yes, I think it really.
Stems from.
My childhood and all the.
Adversity I had to.
Go through.
Growing up in New York in.
Public housing experience.
Living in foster.
Care. Those were really trying times, but two things.
Always kept me.
Going. It was my faith in Jesus and.
My love for hair. And who would have thought my love for hair would land me.
A spontaneous.
Appointment that would change my life forever? I watched this man from Brazil use.
An underground formula to transform.
Hair, and I had my aha moment. I did not know.
How.
But I knew I was going to get that product in my hands. And so, with a whole lot of.
Passion, I raised money from family and friends. I boldly went to Brazil, found the.
Formula.
Came back.
Hired a chemist, and reverse engineered in my.
Tiny.
New York City apartment.
I launched my professional hair care.
And look at you now.
Look at you now. And I love it. It's not just about betting on yourself, it is about hustling. And you hustled hustle and saying yes to the.
Challenges that.
Come your way.
And using those.
Challenges as a learning experience. And that's what I was able to do to build the empire that I have today.
Well go ahead. No, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead. Well, I was going to say one of the other things. You really listened. Even your son helped you figure the bananas, his love of bananas. The inspiration is all around us. We just have to be awakened to it. And so I got that inner call to innovate again just two years ago.
And after watching.
My two little boys devour.
Bananas, I knew there was something.
To the fruit.
And so.
I found my.
Myself.
In my most favorite place. I call it the intersection where nature meets science. And my chemist.
And I were at it again, and with a whole lot of.
Work and determination.
We were able to master the art of extracting.
Banana.
Oil directly from the.
Peel and.
Blast.
Bananas was born a natural.
Clean hair care line for all.
Hair types, nourishing not just the hair, but the scalp.
I love that, and I was going to piggyback off of what she said when she talked about hustling. Your maternal grandparents moved here from Puerto Rico back in the 60s, so you learned a lot about them, you know, and learned so much from them just with their story. Yeah. So why is it so important to represent who you are and love who you are, especially when it comes to culture?
Absolutely. I am a proud Latina, and because of my grandparents sacrifice, I get to sit on this stage.
With you guys.
And it's a dream.
Come true.
And so it is important for me to.
Share how.
The sacrifices that my grandparents.
Made opened so many.
Doors, and watching them navigate through life's tough times with such grace and strength and resilience and unwavering faith. And it only showed me that I too have that same ability. And today their legacy still lives alive in me and my business. For those.
Of you who don't know.
La SEO.
In Spanish.
Means silky smooth, so it was.
Really important.
Silky smooth.
It was important for me.
To incorporate.
My heritage into my my brand and my business, and I was able to do that.
Successfully.
I love that silky.
Smooth and.
Gucci.
Love to see it.
Love to have you on too.
Yes. And congrats! Your grandparents are smiling down. I know they are. Means the world to me. Standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before us. Nadine. Thank you. Really appreciate you joining us. Nice. And just ahead here on GMA three. Some relief for those suffering. Are you suffering I am seasonal allergies.
Yes. And later. You know her.
You love her from.
Who's the boss and charmed the Roxie Hart of course on Broadway. Alyssa milano joins us in studio.
Stay with us. You're very true. Don't be no fool when love really don't love you.
Through natural beauty.
Untouched.
One of the last of its kind.
But this comes at a cost.
Five countries.
Five incredible.
Real stories.
Of adventure.
Danger! We have to go.
And deceit.
These are the last lands.
The national parks around the world.
That have to be saved.
Did you kill.
Mariota?
Sorry. Um. No, I did not kill Mariota.
This is a mystery.
How did she die. They begin to do this autopsy.
It's just screaming.
Toxin. Toxin. Toxin.
Did somebody.
Intentionally do.
This to her?
When the test came back, I thought, Holy.
Are you kidding me?
My garden club is very divided.
People think.
She's innocent.
I think she's guilty.
I've never heard of a case like this. Maybe in a thriller.
I'm not buying this little Miss Innocent game.
Little miss innocent passion. Poison prison.
I know it wasn't me. I'm sorry. So if it wasn't me, who was it?
Only on Hulu.
My name is Morgan Guillory.
I am a cleaning lady.
A single mom with three kids and.
An IQ north of 160.
So helping the cops.
Solve a murder.
Literally the easiest part of my day.
What is she supposed to do.
About the things my detectives miss?
Ta da! This is my first interrogation.
When do we get to hit him with a phone book?
You want me to go in there and flip the table over?
No. Mm. Keep on dancing. Let's go.
The ship is incredible. It feels like living in a science fiction movie.
We just saw what.
No one has seen before.
Wow. Look at that. Oh my gosh. Wow. Dead ahead. Tegan.
We are heading into the unknown.
Hammer, hammer, hammer. It doesn't get any more cutting edge than this.
Every Friday, the hottest trends, styles and must have. It's time to buy the.
Right stuff and save big time to.
The right stuff.
Fridays on GMA. You're going to love it.
Okay, we are back with Doctor Darien talking arts and crafts and how they're associated with greater meaningfulness in life. This man can do everything.
We'll be. You'll be the judge of that in a minute or two. But this new study landed on my desk. I thought it was so interesting, because we always talk about ways that we can be more mindful, reducing loneliness. And this new study looked at crafting this specifically arts and crafts. So while I tell you about this study, do me a favor. You can draw anything you want and I'll tell you some of the benefits.
We each got a marker.
We each picked our respective colors purple and green. And so what they found was that it was a large survey in the UK, and they found that those who participated in crafts were not just talking about drawing, but also things like crocheting. DeMarco. What is that? Oh, so things like crocheting, sculptures, photography and even drawing was associated with satisfaction with life. More happiness, a sense that your life is more worthwhile, reducing rates of anxiety and depression. And it shows you that the simple habit, which is a cheap habit of arts and crafts, can have some significant benefits. Is that a self-portrait? DeMarco. Doctor Darian right here. You know, I've seen you with glasses too. They have people on the street drawing folks. This results in my demise.
Marco, you have skills.
Well, regardless of whatever De Marco is trying to draw. So I think that it's really, really helpful because again, this is something so easy, so simple. It can have huge benefits, especially if you think about talking to your grandparents and your parents and doing things without your phone. So is it because it takes your mind off of, like, you know, some of the daily stresses and all of that stuff? It takes your mind off of daily stressors. And they also found in the surveys that those who participated in more arts and crafts had the idea that there was something that they got done, that they got accomplished. So those with a lot of debilitating diseases, for example, might feel like they can't get out of their house easily. And so they feel like this might help them.
Because he's a great cartoonist.
It's time to go now. We'll be back in a moment, everybody.
Why do so many people start their day here?
From ABC news. This is start.
Here to be in the know and get a different take on the day's top stories. A lot of.
News today, so let's get into it.
Listen now to the daily news podcast honored with four Edward R Murrow Awards, and see why the New York Times calls it a news podcast worth listening to. Start here ABC news make it your daily first listen.
Now that's a part of the story I bet you didn't see coming.
Wherever you get your podcasts, start here.
It was a regular day for.
19 year old Melissa Witt.
Something terrible had happened to her.
You had several suspects.
All these kinds of leads.
A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved?
We're actually finding key evidence that could have slipped through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl. Police will find.
Out what.
Happened at.
Wit's end. The hunt for a killer. Only on Hulu.
Through natural beauty. Untouched.
One of the last of its kind.
But this comes at a cost.
Five countries.
Five incredible.
Real stories.
Of adventure.
Danger! We have to go.
And deceit. These are the last.
Lands, the national parks around the world that have to be saved.
Whenever news breaks, we.
Are here in Israel. A nation at war.
In Rolling Fork. This tornado tore through this town.
From Lewiston, Maine.
The scene of a horrific mass.
Shooting from the scene of that deadly missile strike.
ABC News Live everywhere in Iceland.
Let's go.
On the 2024 campaign trail here at ten Downing Street.
Wherever the story is, we're going.
To take you there.
You're streaming ABC News Live.
ABC News live. You're streaming ABC News Live.
ABC news live streaming. Free. Everywhere.
Hello, I'm Terry Moran.
And here are some of the top headlines we're watching at ABC News Live at this hour. The Secret Service.
Is now.
Admitting its mistakes. Acting Director.
Ronald Roe said.
In a press.
Conference today.
That failures.
With communications.
And drones plagued the agency during Donald Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Where a would be assassin took a shot at the former president. It's important that we hold ourselves accountable for the failures of July 13th, and that we use the lessons learned to make sure that we do not have another failure like this again. The Secret Service did not give clear guidance or direction to our local law enforcement partners. There were communication deficiencies between law enforcement personnel at the site.
This news comes as the House of Representatives officially expanded the scope of its investigation into the Secret Service to include the apparent.
Assassination.
Attempt at Trump's golf course in Florida. Well, General Motors is recalling almost 500,000 SUVs and.
Pickup.
Trucks due to a software snafu.
The National.
Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the low brake fluid warning.
Light may.
Fail, and driving with low.
Brake fluid.
Can.
Increase the risk of a crash.
The and its.
NHTSA has said that it report no reports of wrecks caused by the issue.
If your car is included in that recall.
Get a notice.
Next month. You should get a notice.
To bring.
It to a dealer for a software update.
And finally, mood.
Dang the.
Hippo isn't the only viral zoo.
Animal this.
Week.
Meet pesto the penguin. Look at him there.
Pesto is a giant nine.
Month old.
King penguin chick that weighs.
£49. That's as much as both.
Of his parents combined.
More than 1.9.
Billion people around the world have seen the Australian penguin chick on.
Social media. Big boy there.
Thanks for staying with us, I'm Terry Moran.
ABC News Live is here for you anytime with the latest news, context and analysis.
And you can always.
Find us on streaming services.
On the.
ABC news app and of course, on abcnews.com. The news never stops. There's more GMA right now.
About me doctor Darien Sutton joins us with your prescription for wellness. And we are all well I think the three of us we're all dealing with this.
So many are including myself you know fall allergies are not to be played with. A lot of people associate allergies with the springtime and blossoms. But many people don't realize that fall allergies are very, very real. So here are some things that you can do to reduce your exposure and also control your symptoms. But the first thing you want to do is check the pollen levels in your area. You can do that by checking on your websites and most weather apps. You can find out what the pollen rate is and hopefully use that to avoid windy days. To avoid dry days. Also invest in high efficiency particulate air filters. These are the ones in your house that you should be changing, and you can also grab those in your fans and making sure that your vacuum filters are also clean, so that when you vacuum on a weekly basis, you can reduce that pollen count. And you can look at over-the-counter medications and nasal sprays. If you're looking for nasal sprays, you can focus on nasal steroids. That's usually more effective and better.
And then lastly, if you're feeling like your allergies are stopping in your daily habits, of course, talking to your provider, getting allergy tested to find out exactly what is the cause, hopefully helping to reduce your symptoms. Do they get worse the older you get? You're just asking for a friend. Hypothetical questions I assume they they can. And the reason why is because the more exposure you have, the more sensitized your body becomes, and so the more of a reaction. So it's not necessarily getting older, but it might be more exposure. And I don't mean to emphasize how old you keep looking at me. You keep looking at Rebecca. At one time.
I was thinking about filters because we have them. But how often are we supposed to be changing them? You know, it depends.
We really want to just physically look at your filter. If the color is completely different from what it started at, that's when you want to change it. Obviously. Probably. You know, many people don't realize that vacuum filters need to be changed. And so I think that's one of the big culprits. And then also vacuuming on a regular basis and changing your clothes when you get home. These are ways you can reduce your exposure to those allergens, your clothes. You're right. All right doc, thank you very much. And folks we would love to hear from you. So please hit us up on Instagram with all of your medical questions for Doctor Darian at ABC Gma3.
And coming up, elevating women business owners how the Bow Collective is making a huge difference for entrepreneurs. Plus, she's making her.
Broadway debut at the age of 51, Alyssa milano on her road to Roxie Hart and the long running hit Chicago.
When we come back. Stay with us. Why do so many.
People start their day here?
From ABC news. This is start.
Here to be in the now and get a different take on the day's top stories. A lot of.
News today, so let's get into it.
Listen now to the daily news podcast honored with four Edward R Murrow Awards, and see why the New York Times calls it a news podcast worth listening to. Start here ABC news. Make it your daily first listen.
Now that's a part of the story. I bet you didn't see coming.
Wherever you get your podcasts, start here.
It was a regular day for 19 year old Melissa Witt.
Something terrible had happened to her.
We had several suspects.
All these kinds of leads.
A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved?
We're actually finding key evidence that could have slipped through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl.
Police will find out what happened.
At wit's end. The hunt for a killer. Only on Hulu.
Get ready. America! Every Friday, the hottest trends, styles and must have.
What's the right stuff to buy right now? I really love that it's time to buy the right stuff. Yes. And save big time too.
The right Stuff.
Fridays on GMA. You're going to love it. My name is Morgan Guillory. I'm your basic single.
Mother of three with an IQ of.
160. So now.
When the cops are in a jam, they have to.
Ask me for help.
It's not our cleaning lady.
They don't love it.
What does it take to be the most watched newscast in America?
An operation to capture ISIS fighters.
Since their combat operation center.
We're approaching the gate now. Militants came in from 4 or 5 different directions. Operational nuclear reactor. So you have a couple loaded and ready to go. The house is destroyed, but the flag, there's not a tear in it. Not a tear in it. How important is this label? Right here? Made in USA. Look at your smile. You're proud of this.
I love it. Great work.
Hi. Where are you? Where are you? I appreciate you.
Thank you. David. Good to meet you.
Ismail.
David. David. Yes, yes.
I'm David Muir.
I know who you are. You do? Every night.
ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir is America's most watched newscast.
The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the.
Perfect storm.
In September and.
October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream.
For everybody involved.
It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? now streaming on Hulu.
Welcome back. It is often said if you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together. Which is also true of running a business.
Look at you.
Speaking a profound word today. I like that. Which is why entrepreneur Nicole Culver founded the Bow Collective, a nonprofit that provides black women entrepreneurs to support and sisterhood that they need to grow their businesses. And each owner with their own very special story. And here is one of them. Meet Stacie Lee banks.
I am the president and co-owner of Lee's Flower and Card Shop.
Who, along with her sister, runs the family owned flower shop that found its roots back in 1945 when their grandparents, William and Winifred Lee, opened the doors during the height of the Jim Crow era in Washington, D.C..
There was a hub on.
U Street where a lot of African-American owned businesses were.
Despite widespread segregation and racism at the time, the business forged ahead later seen Stacy's dad join the trade in 1965 and eventually landing in the capable hands of his daughters. But carrying on the family legacy after almost 80 years in business is no small feat.
Our main challenge today is staffing. It's really challenging to find skilled floral designers because it's sort of a lost art. One of our major challenges, as well as the staffing.
Is being.
Able to take time off. As business owners, we're always worried.
About what's.
Going on at the flower shop when we're not.
Here. Stacy sought out the help of Nicole Kober and her organization, the Bow Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to providing support and mentorship to help scale black women owned businesses. The sisterhood and community of other female entrepreneurs helping Stacy ensure ensured that Lee's flower and card shop continues to bloom.
We're just over the.
Moon to have.
Continued our grandparents legacy this long over five generations.
Bravo!
We are joined now by business owner Stacie Lee banks and the founder of the Beau Collective, Nick Cober. Let's welcome these ladies. Welcome. I said we missed the memo to have on green blazers.
We are very literally about the money. I love that. And speaking of.
Being about the money, yes, you do a lot for so many people. You actually started your non-profit to help people like Stacey. Why is that so important to you?
So I think small businesses are the superheroes of America. 99.9% of all jobs are started by small businesses. So when we work together, we create an economic ripple.
Throughout the country. And with the Beau Collective, we are in.
24 states.
$1.4.
Billion dollars.
Together. Thousands of.
Jobs from.
The. From the soil.
To the stars.
We have so.
Many of these dynamic.
Businesses that are saying we're not going to compete.
Against each.
Other. We're going to be intentional.
Celebrate and.
Support one.
Another. And when we do.
That, America wins.
I love that.
Don't compete, support.
We collaborate. If we're not collaborating, we're congratulating.
Okay, we love this. Stacy, what has the Bo collective meant for you?
So I'm new to the Bo collective, but it has been phenomenal. I just am so amazed at the women I've met and the friendships are forged during my short time there, and it's just a phenomenal network of of women. And it's a sisterhood. It's amazing.
And in the story, Nick Stacy talked about how it's a challenge sometimes to find the right people to help run your business and keep it growing. Is that pretty common with entrepreneurs.
So one especially specialized skills. Absolutely. So let me back up and say the three things that I think all small businesses need.
We need three C's. We need capital, we need.
Customers clients, and we need this community. And we've talked about the.
Power of bringing.
Them together, but we need capital for some of the challenges that Stacy says is we have to train people in order to come in and and create more jobs. But to help her flourish, no pun intended. But we want her business to go through a fifth and a sixth generation. And so with capital, when every small business says we need capital, we really need to create more jobs. So it may, in her or her instance, be a florist. But we all need accountants. We're employing accountants across the board. We're, um, um, marketing experts, all those things.
We know it's not easy to run a business. So Nick's friends at the Intuit QuickBooks heard your story, and they want to give you $10,000 just to keep you. Stacy.
She's looking like this. Oh my God. This is. This is. I'm so excited. Oh my God.
This is just. This is amazing. I literally this is a surprise. And I'm so grateful to intuit and to Nicole for founding the collective and just bringing me along on the ride. It's just amazing.
You deserve it. When I said.
When I said $10,000.
She said.
I was like. For me, well, for Lisa. And, you know, my. I'm, um. I just want to give a shout out to my sister Christy, who is my business partner. And we, you know, we have struggles and challenges, like all business owners, and this is really going to help us with that challenge.
It comes back to you.
Oh my gosh. It comes.
Back. May it continue to bloom and blossom and grow. I had to go there.
Yes.
Thank you Stacey. Congratulations. Thank you for the applause. Yes. Up next here on GMA. Some Faith Friday.
Wisdom we.
Can all use.
Finding more happiness by being of service. The author of What About Me? Joins us next.
Bo. I'm sorry. Brian.
Whenever news breaks, we are.
Here in Israel. A nation at war.
In Rolling Fork. This tornado tore through this town.
From Lewiston, Maine.
The scene of a horrific mass shooting.
From the scene of that deadly missile strike.
ABC news live everywhere in Iceland. Let's go.
Yeah. On the 2024 campaign trail here at ten Downing Street.
Wherever the story is, we're going to.
Take you there.
You're streaming ABC News Live.
ABC News Live.
You're streaming ABC News Live.
ABC news live streaming. Free everywhere. Nightline. The stories that shape your world. That shape your life. Dramatic. Stunning. Empowering. Jaw dropping. The most powerful stories of our time.
Nightline on right after Kimmel and streaming on Hulu.
Through Natural beauty.
Untouched, one of the last of.
Its kind.
But this comes at a cost.
Five countries.
Five incredible real stories of adventure.
Danger, we Have to go.
And deceit. These are the last lands, the national parks.
Around the world that have to be saved.
It was a regular day for 19 year old Melissa Witt.
Something terrible had happened to her.
You had several suspects, all.
These kinds of.
Leads. A known serial killer in your area. Could he be involved?
We're actually finding key evidence that could have slipped through the cracks.
Her last hours on this earth were horrific.
This beautiful young girl.
Police will find out what happened at wit's end.
The hunt for a killer. Only on Hulu.
Get ready. America! Every Friday, the hottest trends, styles and must have.
What's the right stuff to buy right now? I really love that. It's time to buy the right stuff. Yes. And save big time too. The right stuff. Fridays on GMA. You're going to love it.
You can make or break a day before you.
Ever get out of bed. You have to.
Really be careful about your.
Thinking.
Early in the morning.
Because when you're about half asleep, the devil will definitely come and try to fill your head full of stuff that's going to make your day miserable. And so then he said, you know what you look like to me all day long. You look like a little robot that goes around saying nothing. But what about me? What about me? What about me? Beep, beep. What about me? What about me?
She's been in the game for quite some time and she knows what she's talking about. Welcome back everyone. It is Faith Friday. And that was a clip of our next guest. She's a world renowned speaker, Bible teacher and author who reaches people daily through her show Enjoying Everyday life.
Her new book, What About Me, is encouraging people to take the focus off of themselves and onto others in order to experience true joy. Please welcome Joyce Meyer. So nice to see you. Thanks for having me. Okay, so this is your 151st book? Yes, 151 books. And you say this is one of the most important.
I think it's the second most important book I've written, the first one being battlefield of the mind.
And why is that?
Well, I just feel like that people don't. A lot of people don't even realize they're selfish, and they certainly don't realize how unhappy it makes them. God didn't create us to reach in and try to take care of ourselves all the time. He wants us to reach out to others and then he'll take care of us. And so I was I grew up in a very dysfunctional home, sexually abused by my dad for about 15 years. My mother was just too afraid of him to do anything about it. So I had a pretty rough upbringing, and I like most people. After being hurt like that, I made promises to myself. Nobody's ever going to hurt me again. I'm not ever going to need anybody. I'm going to take care of myself and never ask for help. And so everything became about me. I wanted to make sure that everybody did what I wanted them to do. And of course, I was unhappy all the time, and I didn't know why. And even when I got to the point of being in ministry and not having any problems, I got a great husband, I've got a great family, and I just was unhappy.
And so I was praying and asking God, why am I so unhappy? And the thing that dropped in my heart is, you're selfish. And I think most people, if they really start thinking about it, they'll find that they care a lot more about themselves than they do other people. And God's Word tells us just the opposite, that if we take care of others, he'll take care of us. And so I love doing things for people. I try every day to do at least one thing, to put a smile on somebody else's face.
I find it very nourishing. Yes, it's nourishing on an internal level. What is one piece of wisdom on this Friday that you would like to leave everyone with? Joyce?
Well, you know, it's easy to hear something like this, but it's another story to go and do it. And Jesus, in John 13 he washed his disciples feet. And then in verse 17 he said, knowing this, now if you do it, you will be happy. And so I really want to encourage people to think about just this whole issue of selfishness and not be afraid to think if they don't take care of themselves, that that they won't be taken care of. And so I encourage them to do at least something for somebody every day, whether it's a compliment or a phone call or, and, you know, don't be don't be afraid to help people financially. You know, if somebody can't pay their rent. But I could easily pay it for them and never miss the money, then why not help them? You never lose giving to God.
Joyce Meyer, thank you so much for being here with us today.
Thank you for having me.
And you can pick up a copy of What About Me? Everywhere books are sold, or scan the QR code at the bottom of your screen to purchase a copy. That was a good word there.
When we come back, our spotlight on Broadway.
Alyssa milano making her big stage debut in the mega-hit Chicago. What she's bringing to the role of Roxie Hart. Secrets from behind the curtain. Gma3 right back.
Stay with us. You're very true. Don't be no true.
Natural beauty.
Untouched.
One of the last of its kind.
But this comes at a cost.
Five countries.
Five incredible, real stories of adventure.
Danger. We have to go.
And deceit. These are the last lands. The national parks.
Around the world.
That have to be saved.
What does it take to be the most watched newscast in America?
An operation to capture ISIS fighters.
This is our combat operation center.
We're approaching the gate now. Militants came in from 4 or 5 different directions. Operational nuclear reactor. So you have a couple loaded and ready to go. The house is destroyed. But the flag. There's not a.
Tear in it. Not a tear in it.
How important is this label? Right here? Made the USA. Look at your smile. You're proud of this.
I love it. Great work.
Hi. Where are you? Where are you? I appreciate you. Thank you.
David. Good to meet you.
It's me.
David. David? Yes, yes.
I'm David Muir.
I know who you are. You do? Every night.
ABC's world news tonight with David Muir is America's most watched newscast. Whenever news breaks, we.
Are here in Israel, a nation at war.
In Rolling Fork, this tornado tore through this town.
From Lewiston, Maine.
The scene of a horrific mass shooting.
From the scene of that deadly missile strike.
ABC News Live everywhere in Iceland. Let's go.
Yeah. On the 2024 campaign trail here at ten Downing Street.
Wherever the story is, we're going to.
Take you there.
You're streaming ABC News Live.
ABC News live.
You're streaming ABC News live. ABC news.
Live streaming. Free everywhere.
Get ready America. Every Friday, the hottest trends, styles and must have.
What's the right stuff to buy right now? I really love that it's time to buy the right stuff. Yes. And save big time too.
The right Stuff.
Fridays on GMA. You're going to love it.
This ship is heaven. Doctor, it's your job.
To keep everybody.
Alive. Clear. Come on. I can say you got beat. Beat energy.
The question is, why was Matthew Perry doing ketamine? How did he get it? And who is to blame for his death?
In the case of Matthew Perry, it was.
Kind of the perfect storm.
In September and.
October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream.
For everybody.
Involved. It is very odd to live in a world where if you died, it would shock people, but surprise no one.
What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
Welcome back to Gma3. Our next guest has been a staple on iconic shows like Who's the Boss? Charmed, and she's not only an incredibly talented actress, she's also an advocate for women's rights, social justice, and activism. Yeah, she's.
Heading to the stage, making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart and the long running Broadway musical Chicago. Please welcome Alyssa milano. Thank you.
Thank you for having me. Great to see you.
And congratulations.
Yes.
Thank you. It's very.
Exciting.
I mean, Chicago is a big way to make your debut. You've been doing this since you were a kid.
Yeah, it's an institution, for sure. I started when I was a little girl. I did the play Annie in the.
Second National.
Touring Company. I was.
Eight years old, and I did.
A bunch of theater.
Before I got Who's the Boss?
But then I really haven't done.
Anything on the stage since I was.
Little. So wait.
A minute. You started out as Annie. That was your first one in Annie?
I wasn't, I wasn't Annie. Yeah, I played.
I played baby steps, baby steps.
I played July.
And Kate and I understudied.
For.
Molly.
But yeah. So to come full circle.
Like this and to do it with such a.
Special, iconic role, I mean, Roxie Hart.
Is.
She's incredible. She's fierce, she's.
Fierce, and.
So much fun to play. Yeah, so much fun. Well, I wonder your daughter, I heard, was a part of all of this. She's both of my kids. Okay. Yeah. Both of my kids.
Gave me the.
Strength to to.
Want want to even do it? Okay.
My my son is a very competitive baseball player. He's 13.
And he gets out there all the time, and he.
Does really hard.
Things. And he he's not nervous.
And he just.
Is.
So, you know, present in his body.
Well he gets it.
From his mama.
Well I don't know.
About that.
Because I.
Feel like I lost that along the way. And then my daughter's been doing musical theater, so.
She has such a passion for it. And so I felt like when this came up, um, it.
Was just such a great opportunity.
To.
Be, you know, to go back to my roots, but also to expose them to, you know what? Mommy can do.
Hard things, too.
And and yes, it's scary.
And yes.
It can be.
Overwhelming.
But, you know, we.
Can do hard things.
And when the when the offer came in because it was a process to audition, when the offer came in, I did this whole like family meeting.
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Trying to chicken out.
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Idiot not to do this.
Smart kid. Not that she's dramatic, nor.
Does it have a flair for the drama, but. Yes. So, um, so it's great to have their support, and it's thrilling. It's thrilling. I'm on Broadway.
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I'm Elizabeth Schulz in Washington. And right now on ABC News Live, Vice President Kamala Harris putting reproductive rights front and center in the critical battleground state of Georgia. The vice president rallying supporters during an impassioned speech about abortion rights, how she's seeking to tie the deaths of two women to Donald Trump's policies, and the former president, sparking controversy over his comments about Jewish voters. What the second.
Gentleman is saying.
About Trump's anti-Semitic remarks in an ABC news exclusive. His response, and the shocking new video appearing to show soldiers in Israel's military pushing and kicking bodies of Palestinians off a roof. How the Pentagon is responding. We begin with the race for the white House. We are just 45 days away from the November election, with absentee ballots already in the mail and early in-person voting beginning today in Virginia, the candidates now holding, honing in on crucial battleground states. At a campaign rally today in Georgia, Vice President Kamala Harris highlighting the fight over reproductive rights. Georgia implemented a near-total abortion ban after Roe v Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Harris, drawing a contrast with former President Donald Trump, who has bragged about appointing three of the Supreme Court justices that struck down Roe. Here's what she said earlier today.
These hypocrites want to start talking about this isn't the best interest of women and children.
Well, where have you been? Where have you been when it comes to taking care of the women and children of America? Where have you been? How dare they? How dare they?
A key focus of Harris's rally was the story of Amber Nicole Thurman. She was a 28 year old Georgia woman and mother of a six year old son who died from complications after a medical abortion. According to ProPublica, doctors in Georgia waited 20 hours to operate, possibly because they feared prosecution, and by then it was too late. Amber's family speaking out for the first time, an event with Oprah Winfrey and the vice president last night in Michigan.
I feel guilty. I wish I could have helped her. You know, because she was suffering and we had no idea. We trusted them to take care of her, you know? And they just let her die because. Because of some stupid abortion ban. They treated her like she was just another number. They didn't care for her. As if, you know, she was their daughter or their, you know, granddaughter. We trusted the health care professionals to do their job and save her, but they failed her.
For more on this, let's go to our senior white House correspondent, Selina Wang. Selina. The vice president here, clearly trying to lean in on this issue of reproductive rights. What was their main message there in Georgia today? And and talk about this highly produced event with Oprah, where she did speak with real people about this issue.
And, Elizabeth, reproductive rights is an issue that Vice President Harris speaks about with both emotion and passion. We saw that again from the vice president today in Georgia. And her speech today really centered on the tragic story of two women who reportedly died as a result of Georgia's strict abortion ban. She recounted the tragic story of Amber Thurman, who ProPublica reported that died, who died as a result of sepsis after waiting 20 hours to get the urgent medical care that she needed. And Harris directly tied the deaths of these women to Donald Trump's actions, his appointment to the Supreme Court, justices who helped overturn Roe versus Wade. This is a message we've heard Vice President Harris take on the campaign trail. She's labeled them the Trump abortion ban. She also mocked and called out Trump's flip flopping when it comes to women's reproductive rights. This is an issue that Vice President Harris wants to make front and center in this election. They believe that this is going to galvanize voters to the polls. Abortion is going to be on the ballot in ten states in November, including in battleground Nevada and Arizona.
While we're talking about Georgia, we do know that the Georgia election board did just pass a rule requiring ballots there to be hand counted. Walk us through that decision. And really, what that means for Election Day?
Yeah, this controversial rule change coming extremely close to the election in November. It's a rule change that was made by Trump allies against the advice of the Republican attorney general and secretary of state. Now, hand counting votes is likely going to delay results. And there is concern from both sides of the aisle that this is going to increase chaos, confusion and disinformation. In fact, there already have been legal challenges to this rule. Change in Georgia, of course, is a highly contested state. It is a state that was really slipping when President Biden was still in the race, but where Vice President Harris has been gaining ground. So it's expected to be razor thin, a razor thin close result in Georgia this November.
Such a must win for for both of those candidates. Honing in there. Selina Wang, thank you so much. There is new fallout today from former President Trump's comments to Jewish voters Thursday at the Israeli-American Council National Summit here in Washington. Trump promised he'll be the Jewish people's protector and defender and adding that he will, quote, be the best friend Jewish Americans have ever had in the white House. But Trump also aired grievances that are being called anti-Semitic. ABC news investigative reporter Olivia Rubin joins us now with more. Olivia, walk us through the former president's comments that are sparking some pretty fierce backlash.
Well, like you said, Elizabeth, comments that were meant to be at an event combating anti-Semitism.
Donald Trump has, of.
Course, been.
Courting the Jewish vote.
Going to a number of events about anti-Semitism. But instead what he did, as he has done multiple times, is make comments that some have found offensive.
Specifically, this time.
What he said is that essentially, his critics are saying, tried to lay the blame at the feet of Jewish people.
If he were to.
Lose the 2024 election. Take a listen.
I'm not going to call this as a prediction, but in my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss. If I'm at 40%. I'm at 40. Think of it. That means 60% of voting for Kamala, who in particular is a bad Democrat. With your vote, you can reject anti-Semitism in our schools and our communities and our foreign policy and in our immigration system. But all of that starts by rejecting Kamala Harris at the ballot box.
So it's that phrase you heard right there, Elizabeth, where he said that Jews essentially would have a lot to do with a loss that is sparking that sort of backlash. Groups like the ADL or, you know, coming out to say, we thank Donald Trump for, you know, his effort to draw attention to anti-Semitism. But when he makes remarks like that, it undermines his cause. And what they say is that it ends up drawing more attention and more hate at a time when tensions are already very high.
Elizabeth. Right. And as we have seen that, you know, in our own polling shows what previous elections show. Jews are a pretty small group. About 2% of all adults, adults in the electorate. Trump's also accused Vice President Harris of pandering to Hamas supporters. Let's take a listen to what second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who is himself Jewish, had to say in an interview with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan.
It's typical Donald Trump gaslighting. This is a guy who has.
Had a record of.
Saying.
Incredibly vile anti-Semitic.
Things. So for him.
To say that.
I just.
Almost laugh.
At.
How.
The chutzpah, as we would say.
Olivia. Our polling does show that Jewish voters overwhelmingly prefer Vice President Harris. You can see there 63% to 33% among Jewish voters. It's really, as you kind of hinted before, this isn't the first time that we have heard the former president criticize Jewish voters for historically supporting Democrats.
Well, I think it's interesting how we hear.
Doug Emhoff.
Speaking out for Kamala Harris. You know, those around Donald Trump would be quick to point out that he has a Jewish son in law. Jared Kushner is, of course, Jewish. And so they often use that as pushing back on any claims that he is in any way anti-Semitic. But I think clearly some people are taking note of that. Polling. Donald Trump, like I said, has been going to a number of events focused on combating anti-Semitism. For a long time, he was talking extensively about those violent protests on college campuses that were going on for a little while. But Elizabeth, I think what's also really interesting is that these comments are coming at a time when Donald Trump's candidate in North Carolina for governor, of course, is also coming under fire for what CNN said were comments that he made on a messaging board calling himself a black Nazi. That's, of course, Mark Robinson. And that is, you know, almost definitely a bigger issue right now in terms of the election coming up, because North Carolina is such a key state for Donald Trump to win.
If he has any hope of taking back the white House in this election in just a few weeks here. So the timing also incredibly notable here.
Absolutely important context there. Olivia Rubin, always appreciate you. Thank you. Election day might be 45 days away, but in some states, Americans are casting their ballots as early as today. Early voting started in Virginia, Minnesota and South Dakota this morning, and our own Jay O'Brien was in Arlington, Virginia to kick it off.
Elizabeth, this morning we saw the first in-person votes of the 2024 election cast at a number of polling places across the state of Virginia, including this one here in Arlington County. And look, this is a deep blue county in a state that President Biden won pretty significantly in 2020. Virginia is not a swing state, but one of the things we're hearing from Democrats in this state, at least, is what they want to do in Virginia lays bare somewhat of what their strategy is in more contentious, more swing states like North Carolina, for example, like Pennsylvania, which is trying to run up the vote count in those deep blue counties like the one I'm standing in. Another thing that they want to do is they want to capitalize on the enthusiasm they feel they have. Now, with Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket versus what they had with President Biden at the top of the ticket. We've seen recent polling, though still showing Kamala Harris is trailing Donald Trump when it comes to how voters trust her on some of those key issues that will drive this election, like the economy and like immigration.
I asked Senator Tim Kaine of the state of Virginia this morning how he responds to voters saying they don't trust Harris, for instance, as much as they would trust Trump, potentially on the economy. Here's what he said.
The economy is the issue that matters the most to the most people. And what we saw is that Biden had a huge deficit to Trump on the economy. Harris is closing that gap dramatically. The recent polls that I've seen on the economy have her very close to Trump, on the economy. And the reason why why is it unemployment is low? Your 401 K is up. We're building again. We're manufacturing again. There's problems and challenges. There always will be. The fed is going to cut interest rates. That will help even more with inflation. I think the American economy is the strongest in the world. And she has been able to sort of put that together, as well as talking about future plans, how to deal with housing costs, how to help people with prescription drug costs. Tax relief for small businesses, not the big guys. Those kinds of economic plans, I do think resonate with people.
And of course, as Democrats look at their strategy here, as Republicans do as well, Elizabeth, votes are now being cast in person here in Virginia, as well as in a number of other states, just about a handful, about a half dozen that have mailed out mail in ballots as of today and will continue to do so over the course of the weekend. So if you've signed up for a mail in ballot in one of those states, you could expect to get one in your mailbox relatively soon and cast that ballot to the 2024 election. Fast approaching.
Elizabeth, fast approaching. Jay O'Brien. Thank you. The Secret Service is out with a new report saying failures with communications and drones plagued the agency during that July rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Donald Trump was nearly assassinated, a gunman was able to get a clear view of Trump from a nearby roof and shot Trump in the ear with only a last second turn of his head, sparing the former president's life.
It's important that we hold ourselves accountable for the failures of July 13th, and that we use the lessons learned to make sure that we do not have another failure like this again. The Secret Service did not give clear guidance or direction to our local law enforcement partners. There were communication deficiencies between law enforcement personnel at the site.
The white House is now expanding the jurisdiction of the task force investigating Butler to include the apparent assassination attempt at one of Trump's golf courses in Florida over this past weekend. Justice and Homeland Security reporter Jack Dougherty joins me now with more. Jack, what was your biggest takeaway from this Secret Service report that we saw today?
Well, Elizabeth, clearly the Secret Service was quick to sort of point out the communication failures on their part, radio systems that local law enforcement entities that were using the outside perimeter weren't heard by Secret Service agents on the inside, providing security. So there is a complete disconnect in terms of what was being said on the outside and what was being heard on the inside. Separate from that, though, some really core issues about diligence and complacency plagued the agency in its planning for the event and its execution, and things like not appropriately tasking local law enforcement on the outside to make sure that rooftop and the AGR complex was covered and secured. Also, issues, as you mentioned, the drone systems, they have counter drone systems that weren't working that day. Equipment failures plagued them. And you know, how they address that was was another big problem and a shortcoming in in their processes. And they're really trying to confront those things because they have really they're in the midst of an election and they have to get it right.
Have to get it right, have to learn from those past mistakes. Thank you so much. Coming up, tensions running high after Israel and Hezbollah trade new strikes. We are live in Beirut with the latest on the ground.
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Welcome back. Controversy is brewing over a newly released video that appears to show Israeli soldiers kicking a lifeless body off a roof in the West Bank. U.S. National Security Advisor John Kirby calling this video deeply disturbing.
If it's proven to be authentic, it clearly would depict abhorrent and egregious behavior by professional soldiers.
In a statement to ABC news, the IDF said this is a serious incident that does not coincide with IDF values and the expectations from IDF soldiers, and that the incident is under review. ABC News senior Pentagon reporter Luis Martinez joins us now. But first, we do want to warn you that this story contains images that some might find disturbing. Disturbing. So, Louis, what do we know about the authenticity of these videos? And and what are you hearing from U.S. officials?
Elizabeth, what we are told is that the.
United States is trying to determine if this is an authentic video. We do know that Hamas is claiming that this took place in a West Bank town, where an IDF raid did take place yesterday, and that there were fatalities as a result of that raid. Now, this video appears to show Israeli forces soldiers specifically pushing what appeared to be several lifeless bodies off this rooftop. Now, as you heard from the spokesman there at the NSC, John Kirby, he said that the United States may consider this abhorrent, but he says it is deeply disturbing. He says the United States immediately picked up the phone and called their counterparts in Israel inquiring about this. They want to ascertain what Israel is going to do about it, and they were assured that the IDF is going to conduct an investigation into this incident. They also said they received assurances that if any accountability is is warranted here, that it will take place. Now, of course, this is something that has been of concern in the past, whether the Israeli Defense Forces or other security forces, when they carry out these investigations, whether they are fully transparent and aligned with actually what may have occurred.
So that's something that the United States is trying to ascertain now. We've asked officials here at the Pentagon about this. They are aware of the video, and what they are also doing is referring us back to John Kirby's comments.
Difficult to watch that video. ABC's Louis Martinez at the Pentagon. Thank you. Thanks. There was a major escalation today between Israel and Hezbollah. As fears grow of potential wider war in the Middle East. The IDF reporting it launched an airstrike today in Lebanon's capital of Beirut, killing a key Hezbollah commander and his chain of command. The strike was in a densely populated part of the city. Local health officials reporting 14 people dead, 66 injured. Earlier, Hezbollah launching a massive barrage of rockets into Israel across Lebanon's southern border after this week's deadly device explosions. Those targeted the group's terror group's members. Foreign correspondent Marcus Moore joins us now live from Beirut. And Marcus, what more can you tell us about today's airstrike there? And that the Hezbollah commander who was killed?
Well, hi, Elizabeth. We just got a statement from Hezbollah confirming that Ibrahim Akil was killed in the airstrike that that occurred this evening in the district of southern Beirut. The IDF saying that he and other commanders were underground, perhaps in some type of meeting when the strike was carried out. Um, Elizabeth, we have seen video of the scene where tonight there is a rescue operation underway and two residential buildings, a massive buildings sustained very heavy damage and we saw the pictures of the chaos that ensued. This was a major strike and one that could potentially have a huge impact on Hezbollah and their operations. We're talking about, as you mentioned, the senior commander and a kill is someone who the United States has been been looking for and been after. In fact, they had a $7 million bounty on him for his alleged involvement in a 1983 bombing of the U.S. embassy here in Beirut, as well as the U.S. marine barracks bombing that that killed 241 U.S. personnel. And so this is someone who the U.S. wanted to find very much.
And also, as we have learned tonight, someone who the Israelis wanted to target as they continue their fight with Hezbollah.
As you say, a major strike and developing their markets. Hezbollah is also hammering northern Israel with rockets. We saw that happen today. What's been the impact from those attacks?
Well, what we.
Have seen on the the Lebanon southern border with Israel is really an escalation, a very busy day today. We're talking about more than 120 rockets fired towards northern northern Israel from Lebanon this morning. Um, Israel also carrying out dozens of strikes in in southern Lebanon. And so we've watched this tit for tat only grow in its intensity. But right now it would seem that that most of what we have seen, aside from the airstrike here in Beirut today, is all of the fighting has been centered around that, that border area. The concern is that this fighting could spread much farther. And that's what the U.S., the U.S. State Department has said they are wanting that they don't want to see. They've been calling for de-escalation. And Elizabeth, as you know, world leaders across the globe are calling for de-escalation as well.
That has been one of the big concerns from the start of the war between Israel and Hamas. Marcus, more reporting on this for us all week from Lebanon. Thank you so much. We do have a lot more news ahead here on ABC News Live. Coming up, L.A. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani making baseball history. The new record, catapulting him into the conversation over who is the greatest of all time.
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Baseball phenom Shohei Ohtani swinging his way into the record books again.
One, two.
Ohtani sends one in the air. The other way. There it goes. Gone. One of a kind player. One of a.
Kind. Season.
Ohtani is now the only player in league history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season, making him the first to join the so-called 5050 club. He reached the milestone while going six for six with three homers against the Marlins to help the Dodgers secure their 12th consecutive playoff berth, and with this additional home run and stolen base later in the game. Guess you could say he's in the 5151 club now. We do have a lot more news ahead here on ABC News Live in today's big story. Vice President Kamala Harris hitting key swing states and looking to keep reproductive rights top of mind for voters. How she is blaming Donald Trump's policies for the deaths of two women. And in our spotlight, the former president, sparking controversy over anti-Semitic remarks. Our panel weighs in on Trump's latest comments about Jewish voters.
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In the case of Matthew Perry, it was kind of the perfect storm.
In September and.
October 2023. He was getting 6 to 8 shots of ketamine a day.
Five people, including two doctors, all arrested.
Matthew Perry was a money stream for everybody involved.
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What happened to Matthew Perry? Now streaming on Hulu.
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Vice President Kamala Harris looking to keep the abortion battle front and center in the race for the white House. I'm Elizabeth Schultz in Washington. In today's big story, the vice president delivering a speech on reproductive rights in the critical swing state of Georgia. How she is seeking to tie the deaths of two women to Donald Trump's policies. And in our spotlight, the former president, sparking more controversy over anti-Semitic remarks. Our panel weighs in on Trump's latest comments about Jewish voters. In tonight's big story, we are just 45 days away from the November election. The candidates now honing in on crucial battleground states. The campaign rally today in Georgia. Vice President Kamala Harris highlighting the fight over reproductive rights. Georgia implemented a near-total abortion ban after Roe versus Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Harris drawing a contrast with former President Donald Trump, who has bragged about appointing three of the Supreme Court justices that helped to strike down Roe. Here's what she said earlier today.
If he is elected again, I am certain he will sign a national abortion ban, which would outlaw abortion in every single state, and he would create a national anti-abortion coordinator.
A key focus of Harris's rally was the story of Amber Nicole Thurman. She was a 28 year old Georgia woman and a mother of a six year old son who died from complications after a medical abortion. According to ProPublica, doctors in Georgia waited 20 hours to operate, possibly because they feared prosecution, and by then it was too late. Amber's family speaking out for the first time at an event with Oprah Winfrey and the vice president last night in Michigan.
We trusted the healthcare professionals to do their job and save her. But they failed her.
In tonight's big story. Let's bring this to our to. We're very happy to have us. Now, joining us is from ProPublica. Ziva Branstetter. You are the senior editor there. This story has absolutely dominated the news cycle over the past couple of days. So happy to have you joining us on this Friday. When you published, did you expect this kind of fallout? Did you expect the Vice president to be making this the centerpiece of her rally? Have you did you expect this kind of reaction to the piece?
Um, first of all, thank you very much.
For having us on to talk about this important work by reporter Kavitha Surana and other journalists at ProPublica. I'm lucky enough to be one of the editors on this project. Uh, actually, we did expect, um, you know, and hoped for this story to grab the attention of the public and for people to take it seriously. We know it's on the ballot in ten states. We knew that it would sort of be read widely and closely because so many people care passionately about this issue. We certainly hoped that Vice President Harris, as a candidate for president and as vice president, would pay attention to the issues that the stories the story raises.
Talk to us a little bit about the reporting that went into this piece. We heard in that conversation with Vice President Harris and Oprah last night, that this was essentially years in the making.
The story.
Yes. The story.
Yeah.
I would say it's fair to say it was at least a year in the making. I mean, look, if you go back from, you know, June 22nd, June 20th or so of 2022 when the Dobbs decision came down, outlawing, you know, overturning Roe versus Wade, we knew immediately as journalists who were charged with investigating harm across the country from federal policies or the lack thereof, from state policies that we would be looking to see whether anyone died. That's the ultimate harm. And, you know, We frankly were not surprised to find deaths. The challenge here is that there's very, very little transparency in abortion ban states. And this took a lot of dogged reporting to dig it out. It took at least a year of work on this specific story.
I want to ask you about that transparency. You're the piece talks about how doctors waited 24 hours to operate on Amber, possibly because they feared prosecution, and by that point it was too late. What response? As you were reporting this as your team was reporting this, did you get from the hospital and her providers? What barriers did you run up against as far as explaining why they couldn't help her sooner?
We got no response from the hospital at all, despite many, many different attempts. We visited the doctors in person, tried to get their perspective, which, you know, experts we've talked to are very sympathetic to the bad choices that doctors have in these states between violating a federal law that requires emergency treatment or violating a state law that could send them to prison. So, you know, we haven't heard from the doctors, and the state government said we were fear mongering. Um, we were able to to talk to members of the Maternal Mortality Board and confirm enough of the medical information, get enough of the medical records, confirm that they had ruled this preventable, that we felt very comfortable in bringing the story to the public.
And you talked about how Amber's story is not unique, that there are likely other women who have died as a result of these strict abortion bans, leading to women not getting the life saving medical attention that they need. Talk to us a little bit about how much you do expect this is happening not just in Georgia, but perhaps in some of those other states, too, that have these bans.
So before Roe was in place, there were somewhere in the order of 500 women a year across the country who died from what they called septic abortions back then. And this was a normal kind of death that occurred in our country. There's no reason to believe that the situation is radically different. You know, medical care is obviously improved, but with all of the sort of fear and confusion that these bands create, according to the experts and according to doctors themselves, doctors said women would be harmed. Doctors said women could die because these bands are not written with science or medical practice in mind. And so we don't know how many deaths are out there. We certainly would like to hear from members of Maternal Mortality Board committees who maybe have looked at cases and want to know, you know, want to tell us what happened. We're certainly interested in hearing from family members whose loved ones did not get timely abortion care and who died, and want to know more about their cases. But who knows how many are out there?
We're certainly interested in finding out.
And as you say, this is something that those doctors had warned about when the Supreme Court decision came down. Ziva Branstetter from ProPublica. Thanks so much for your time. Thank you. Let's bring the big story to our panel. Joining us today, Sirius XM radio host and ABC news contributor Mike muse, former RNC deputy communications director Cassie Smedley, editor of the National Review and ABC news contributor Mahesh Ramesh, Ponnuru and NextGen America president and ABC news contributor Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez. Great to have you all here on this Friday. Cristina, I want to start with you, because the vice president was incredibly personal in her speech today. And in that conversation with Oprah, we heard about that story of Amber. Do you feel like she showed kind of the empathy on this issue? This is such a topic that is so close to many people and isn't just an issue on a ballot. It is so personal for so many voters.
Yeah. I mean, I think this is why you see abortion be a top issue for women around the country. I am one of those 1 in 3.
Women that.
Live in a state under an abortion ban.
Where our rights, our.
Health was stripped from us, and the fact that Amber and the United States had to die.
Without receiving.
Basic medical care when it was right in front of her.
For 20 some plus.
Hours and leave a beautiful six year old little boy behind. It's not hyperbole to say that elections in this situation, in this day and age, are a.
Question of.
Life and death. And that, I think, is what a lot of women are understanding is it is life and death for our families with these Trump abortion bans that have been placed in our states. And I think that we're going to see abortion continue to be a top issue this election, because women are outraged that these are the choices that have been made for us.
The Vice president, Mike pence, is facing some criticism. You know, she did take a moment to talk to voters directly last night. She's facing some criticism for not doing more of those unscripted moments where you can get at that empathy, get at the feeling, why not do more of that? Now, as we're really going into this final stretch of the campaign.
I think you probably will see her doing it more.
I'm sure it's a tough.
Balance for her in terms of she just became the top of the ticket in August officially.
And then.
We're less than 50 days out before we set our vote. Some states are already doing early voting, and so now we have to get what we.
Call the tech community.
Scale, right? Like, how.
Do you reach as many voters as.
Possible.
While trying to be as intimate with voters as well? But what's interesting, Elizabeth.
Is.
This abortion issue. We've always talked about it from this very esoteric policy perspective. I think.
Now as we're starting to.
Hear more stories, in particular stories of Amber, it's becoming more personal.
It's becoming more human.
And as we transition from esoteric policy, Supreme Court to human stories, I.
Think it's really begun to.
Grip the thoughts of American voters in November because it's about humans are on the ballot. Not just.
Abortion in theory.
But humans are on.
The ballot.
There are always so many people behind the policies. Tracking them down is, is is so critical for you know, we saw that the work there that ProPublica did in trying to track those people down. Cassy, I do want to ask you, because every state where abortion has been on the ballot since the end of Roe v Wade, we have seen that the abortion rights position has won. We know that abortion will be on the ballot in at least ten states in November. So how do you see this? Is this a liability for Republicans knowing the results of some of the past elections?
Well, it's really important that.
Republicans.
Get straight.
On how we talk about it. And I think.
That's something that President Trump has.
Really tried to.
Emphasize that right now.
Most of the conversation is.
Being centered around the extremes on both the.
Right and the left.
And most women.
Who are concerned.
About what happens.
To me if I'm in this position in my pregnancy, in a.
Pregnancy.
Especially.
For women.
You hear about and say, I really wanted that.
Baby, and I had these.
Complications.
And I'm concerned that if I go to the.
Hospital, I can't get the care.
I need. That's where the.
Compassion in.
Talking about it as mothers and.
Humans.
Is really important.
For how politicians.
Talk about it, and making sure.
That those.
Protections and even exceptions are there and being utilized in this case with Angela. It is heartbreaking. And in any mother, I'm a mother of two young children, and I was a.
Geriatric pregnancy high risk.
For both of.
Them. You hear that story.
And.
You say, I cannot believe that happened to her. And in America.
But there's also some.
Real risk.
And concern with it was called.
A preventable.
Situation.
But why then, in.
The ProPublica.
Piece, outlined.
The TikTok.
When she got to the.
Hospital.
Why for 20 hours did they not do what they.
Knew they needed to do when.
She was in this.
Condition? And politicizing that is very risky right now.
Mhm. I want to ask you about that, Ramesh, because we do see, you know clearly the vice president leaning in here telling that story. We know that she does have, in our own polls a clear advantage on this issue of reproductive rights. She beats Trump on the issue when she's asked by voters, whereas he has the advantage on issues like the economy and immigration. Can this be a winning point for the vice president when you kind of stack up where this stands on that list of issues that are important to voters?
You know, it might well.
Be one of the reasons it's been helpful for Democrats is.
The.
Irresponsible and dishonest.
Journalism.
Of outlets.
Like ProPublica.
This piece.
Is one of the.
Shoddiest things.
I have read in quite a long time.
It selectively quotes the law, leaving.
Out the parts.
Which.
Clearly.
Allowed.
Care to be given.
To amber in.
This case.
And it doesn't even claim that the doctors.
Said.
That they were being stayed because of the law. It just Insinuates and insinuates and.
Insinuates and it doesn't prove the point.
It doesn't get anybody on the.
Record even.
Making the allegation. But they put this out into the bloodstream. So politicians like Vice President Harris could hype the story and lead to a misleading conclusion about these laws.
You did hear, I imagine, me ask the editor from ProPublica, what were they able to get from the hospital? And she said they didn't get anything. They pushed. They pushed. They couldn't get answers on why it took those 20 hours.
They didn't have.
The story.
And they shouldn't have insinuated something they didn't know.
But yet, doctors waiting 24 hours, 20 hours to do a critical life saving treatment does make you wonder why they wouldn't do that when that is their job, no doubt. Still questions?
Malpractice happens all over this country. Definitely.
I will say, as a.
Woman in Texas that have had women in his state hospitals in the state of Texas that have had care denied to them because of these laws. There are real consequences in Amber's death is a clear sign of that.
Well, and there is no end. I mean, there is no there is no denying the anguish that her family feels, the emotion that they feel and the reality that she had to have. She went through that suffering, leaving her six year old son behind. That that is raw and that is that. Grief is there. Mike, Cassie, Ramesh and Christina. Appreciate you all. Thank you. Coming up in our spotlight, former President Trump spoke at an event on anti-Semitism, trying to highlight anti-Semitism, then said he'll blame Jewish voters who support Harris if he loses the election. Let's talk about this with our panel when we come back.
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I'm not going to call this as a prediction, but in my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss. If I'm at 40%. I'm at 40. Think of it. That means 60% of voting for Kamala, who in particular is a bad Democrat. With your vote, you can reject anti-Semitism in our schools and our communities and our foreign policy and in our immigration system. But all of that starts by rejecting Kamala Harris at the ballot box.
In our spotlight. That was former President Donald Trump speaking last night at the Israeli-American Council National Summit. The event was supposed to be about anti-Semitism, but today the Trump campaign is dealing with controversy sparked by those comments and others like it. Let's bring back in our panel Mike, Cassy, Ramesh and Christina. Ramesh. We heard Trump there preemptively blaming Jewish voters in the event that he loses. He he did question the support that he gets. This is something we've heard from him before. I just want to get your reaction on those kinds of comments that we are hearing from Trump.
Well, it's very typical Trump.
And it's.
Despicable.
But it's not surprising because in the past he's gone even further and he's basically said or he has explicitly said that.
Jewish.
People who do not vote for him are bad.
Jews, as.
Though that's something that he has some kind of.
Say in.
Deciding who is a good Jew and who isn't?
Yeah. Why does he keep saying it? We know, you know. Many in his party have called it anti-Semitic. What do you think is the strategy there, Ramesh?
You know, I think some of the things he says are not a matter of strategy. They're just. He says things, he says things. And if they're offensive, sometimes that makes him say them all the more often. And he, you know, he seems to think that, that this, this kind of baiting of voters is going to work out for him.
And, you know.
So far it's worked out for him in one out of two elections.
Let's turn to North Carolina, where we've seen this explosive story. The Republican nominee for governor, current Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, is battling claims that he made a series of racial and sexual comments on an adult website a decade ago, including one in which he allegedly called himself a, quote, black Nazi. Christina, of course, North Carolina pivotal battleground state. We're already seeing the Harris campaign tried to capitalize on those comments and attach Robinson's comments to former President Trump.
Yeah, I mean, I think it just shows how extreme the Republican Party has come that he could even become the candidate. These aren't his first outlandish and outrageous statements. Right. He said he even said Doctor Martin Luther King was a maggot, a commie. I mean, he's I don't know if he's unhinged or mentally unwell, but either way, he probably shouldn't be a candidate to lead a state of millions of people. And you don't see a big disavowing of him as the candidate. And so I think there is major concern, I can tell you, from being on the ground in North Carolina, that there is a place, at least amongst young people, real concern with him as the candidate, and it's going to drive them to turn out and vote for Democrats. And that's why we see the Democratic Party really investing in North Carolina, because having him at the top of the ticket is a huge liability for Republicans.
So, Cassy, what's the strategy then for Trump here when it comes to North Carolina? We know that he's going to be campaigning there tomorrow.
Well, Donald Trump.
Is the top of the.
Ticket in North Carolina, has an interesting history both in 2016 and 2020. Donald Trump.
Won the state with the Electoral.
College, while the governorship went to the.
Democrats.
And then the rest of the state went to Republicans. So in talking with fellow strategists on the ground in North Carolina, this is a plan that before the breaking news of earlier this week.
They were already.
Preparing for as history past as any president.
They've dealt with this before.
Will be interesting to see how the repercussions of that race trickle down, I guess up to the presidential. Mike, I want to switch gears really quickly to talk about misinformation. We did see this New York Times op ed this morning. The Republican governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, saying that he is, quote, saddened by the way that Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance, have disparaged the Haitian community in the small town of Springfield. Of course, DeWine has is supporting Trump. Those false claims that illegal Haitian migrants were eating people's pets, of course. Talk about it much longer than we expected to in this news cycle. What are you hearing from from your radio listeners, when you think about this messaging from from Trump?
It's very disappointing. But Elizabeth, I think both Ohio.
And North Carolina inform.
Each other. When you.
Look at the.
Misinformation and when you have the.
Governor of Ohio saying this isn't true, you have the city manager of Ohio saying this isn't.
True, and then you actually have the source of how this got started.
A resident of Springfield indicated that the cat actually was found. And yet former President Trump and Vice President Candidate.
Vance is continuing along their cigarettes surrogates.
To push this issue of cats and dogs really going to racial tropes of Haitians and legal.
Haitians who are here illegally.
And othering and xenophobia that occurs here in the United States. Then you compare that to North Carolina when it goes to morals and ethics and.
The fact that former.
President Trump has not come out to strongly disavow from the lieutenant governor.
And the North.
Carolina governor candidate, that is a problem unto itself that really speaks to the independents, Elizabeth, who have independent minds to be able to do critical thinking and critical analysis to understand and unpack both. So I think this speaks larger than just state of Ohio, just North Carolina. But for the independent voters who are going to decide this election across the 50 states.
Mike Muse tying it all together there in your answer, I see what you did. Kathy. Ramesh. Mike. Christina, thank you very much. Coming up in the last call, Martin Sheen played a president on the West Wing. He and the cast of the show are being honored at the actual white House today. Who is your favorite president from all of pop culture? Our panel is going to weigh in when we come back.
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