Month: October 2024

In separate visits to Georgia and the Carolinas, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Southeast region of the U.S. on Wednesday to survey damage wrought by Hurricane Helene, which is confirmed to have killed 177 people thus far. Hundreds of people remain unaccounted for following Helene’s destruction, with more than 150,000 households have registered for assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The president said Tuesday that the cost of the massive storm could stretch into the billions of dollars: ‘We have to jump start this recovery process. This is urgent.’  Biden visited North Carolina taking an aerial tour of some of the hardest-hit parts of the state; while nearly 200 miles to the south in Georgia, Harris was in Augusta to survey Helene’s damage.  Harris shared: ″I’ve been reading and hearing about the work you’ve been doing over the last few days, and I think it really does represent some of the best of what we each know can be done. Especially when we coordinate around local, state, federal resources to meet the needs of people who must be seen, who must be heard. I am now listening.”

Before departing the White House, Biden announced he had directed up to 1,000 active-duty troops to support the North Carolina National Guard. Biden said in a statement: “These soldiers will speed up the delivery of life-saving supplies of food, water, and medicine to isolated communities in North Carolina — they have the manpower and logistical capabilities to get this vital job done, and fast. They will join hundreds of North Carolina National Guard members deployed under State authorities in support of the response.”

Wednesday’s visits by Biden and Harris come shortly after former President Donald Trump traveled to devastated Valdosta, Georgia, to see Helene’s destruction firsthand.

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A San Diego doctor pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine in connection with the death of “Friends” actor Matthew Perry.

Mark Chavez, 54, appeared in court before Judge Jean Rosenbluth in Los Angeles and pleaded to conspiring to distribute ketamine to Perry. Despite the plea deal, Chavez, who was part of a group federally charged in Perry’s death in August, faces up to 10 years in prison upon his sentencing, which will take place on April 2, 2025.

Chavez, who had operated a ketamine clinic, sold ketamine lozenges to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, who then distributed them to Perry. Plasencia, a Santa Monica-based physician known as “Dr. P,” has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Perry was found dead in his jacuzzi at his home in Pacific Palisades, California nearly a year ago this month.

The other individuals charged in connection with Perry’s death include the actor’s live-in personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, 60, and Erik Fleming, 54, a friend of Perry’s who authorities described as a “street dealer.” Both have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Also charged is Jasveen Sangha, 41, an alleged drug dealer known as the “ketamine queen” who has pleaded not guilty.

In his initial appearance in September, Chavez surrendered his medical license and agreed not to practice medicine. remaining free on a $50,000 bond.

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The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that Iran launched dozens of ballistic missiles toward Israel on Tuesday, in what it said was a response to Israel’s launching widespread attacks in Lebanon, including the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and a ground invasion of the country’s south.

NBC News reported missiles being fired in both Tel Aviv and across the border in Tyre, Lebanon, with smaller streaks of light appearing to come from Israel’s aerial defense system as it tried to ward off the attack. Iran said it concluded the attack roughly an hour after the IDF first alerted that the missiles had been fired.  Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said after the attack that approximately 180 missiles were fired toward Israeli territory, and while no fatalities were reported, IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari called the barrage a “serious attack” and said “there will be serious consequences.”

Senior White House and Defense Department officials warned that Iran was preparing a ballistic missile strike targeting Israel: “The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel. We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran.”

White House spokesperson Emilie Simons said in a post on X that Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had met with the national security team regarding the attack threat: “They reviewed the status of U.S. preparations to help Israel defend against attacks and protect U.S. personnel.”

Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian laid the blame on Israel for escalating violence in the region. In a post on X, Pezeshkian defended Iran’s right to the attack against Israel and said that it launched the missiles “in defense of Iranian interests and citizens,” adding that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should know that Iran “will stand firmly against any threat. This is just a glimpse of our capabilities. Do not engage in conflict with Iran.”

CNN reported that Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Tuesday that the U.S. is “tracking events in the Middle East very closely and is committed to Israel’s defense. We’re watching developments, as I said, very carefully at this moment.”

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Tens of thousands of U.S. dockworkers spanning from Maine to Texas walked off the job and went on strike early Tuesday, regarding issues including higher pay and more job security. The strike affects some 24,000 workers and at 14 ports, raising fears of the damage it could cost to the U.S. economy. The ports account for more than half of the nation’s container imports, facilitating the transport of everything from toys to fresh fruit to nuclear reactors.

In a statement to ABC News, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) confirmed the union’s first coastwide strike in nearly 50 years was underway. The statement from ILA President Harold Daggett said that “tens of thousands of ILA rank-and-file members started to set up picket lines at shipping ports up and down the Atlantic and Gulf coasts as of 12:01 a.m. USMX brought on this strike when they decided to hold firm to foreign-owned ocean carriers earning billion-dollar profits at United States ports, but not compensate the American ILA longshore workers who perform the labor that brings them their wealth. We are prepared to fight as long as necessary, to stay out on strike for whatever period of time it takes, to get the wages and protections against automation our ILA members deserve … ILA longshore workers deserve to be compensated for the important work they do keeping American commerce moving and growing. Meanwhile, ILA dedicated longshore workers continue to be crippled by inflation due to USMX’s unfair wage packages.”

The work stoppage is the first at East and Gulf Coast ports since 1977, and comes after an impasse in labor talks between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), a shipping industry group representing terminal operators and ocean carriers. According to USMX, the dockworkers strike involve approximately 25,000 workers, and close 14 ports: Baltimore; Boston; Charleston, South Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Miami (USMX groups Port Everglades in Ford Lauderdale, Florida, with the Port of Miami); Houston; Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans; New York/New Jersey; Norfolk, Virginia; Philadelphia; Savannah, Georgia; Tampa, Florida; and Wilmington, Delaware (per CBS News.)

President Joe Biden released a statement on Tuesday calling for a fair offer from the U.S. Maritime Alliance or USMX: “It is time for USMX to negotiate a fair contract with the longshoremen that reflects the substantial contribution they’ve been making to our economic comeback. I have urged USMX, which represents a group of foreign-owned carriers, to come to the table and present a fair offer to the workers of the International Longshoremen’s Association that ensures they are paid appropriately in line with their invaluable contribution. Ocean carriers have made record profits since the pandemic and, in some cases, profits grew in excess of 800% compared to their profits prior to the pandemic. Executive compensation has grown in line with those profits and profits have been returned to shareholders at record rates. It’s only fair that workers, who put themselves at risk during the [COVID-19] pandemic to keep ports open, see a meaningful increase in their wages, as well.”

According to experts, a prolonged East Coast and Gulf Coast port strike could moderately increase prices for a range of goods, with food products are especially vulnerable to an uptick in price.

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Attorneys for New York Mayor Eric Adams on Monday requested that a federal judge dismiss the bribery charge included in the federal indictment against him. Adams was charged last week with five criminal counts, including bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national. Adams pleaded not guilty on Friday, pledging to fight the charges and stay on as mayor. He is the first sitting mayor of New York City to face criminal charges in the modern era.

Federal prosecutors accused Adams of accepting more than $100,000 in airline upgrades and luxury hotel stays from Turkish nationals and at least one government official, in exchange for political favor. Adams allegedly pressured the New York City Fire Department to rush a safety inspection of the new Turkish consulate in Manhattan.

In the 25-page court filing, Adams’ attorney Alex Spiro stated that the allegations included in the indictment are “extraordinarily vague” and brought by “zealous prosecutors who spent years casting about for something to support a criminal case against” the mayor.

Spiro stated that prosecutors fell short in showing that the mayor accepted bribes when he allegedly pressured the New York Fire Department to allow a Turkish consulate building to open despite serious safety concerns, noting: “The indictment in this case alleges a ‘bribery’ scheme that does not meet the definition of bribery and indeed does not amount to a federal crime at all.  The zealous prosecutors who secured the indictment would have alleged that kind of specific agreement if they had any evidence to support it. But they do not, and they know that Adams never entered into any such agreement.” Spiro further noted that the allegations against the mayor “encompasses a wide array of normal and perfectly lawful acts that any City official would undertake for the consulate of an important foreign nation.”

Spiro added that the other four counts against Adams should be dismissed; meanwhile, Adams is due back in court on Wednesday.

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The NBA shared in a statement on Monday that NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo has died from brain cancer at the age of 58. Mutombo, renowned for his defensive dominance and finger-wagging celebration, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2022.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement: “Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others … Dikembe’s indomitable spirit continues on in those who he helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life. I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by Dikembe’s big heart, and I will miss him dearly. On behalf of the entire NBA family, I send my deepest condolences to Dikembe’s wife, Rose, and their children; his many friends; and the global basketball community, which he truly loved and which loved him back.”

Mutombo was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo before moving to the United States and playing college basketball at Georgetown University. He was drafted in 1991 with as the fourth overall pick by the Denver Nuggets, and the seven-foot, two-inch center went on to play with six NBA teams throughout his 18-year career, as an eight-time NBA All-Star. In addition to the Nuggets, he played for the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.

In 2015, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and spent much of his post-basketball career as an ambassador for the NBA.  Said Silver: “There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa. I had the privilege of traveling the world with Dikembe and seeing first-hand how his generosity and compassion uplifted people. He was always accessible at NBA events over the years — with his infectious smile, deep booming voice and signature finger wag that endeared him to basketball fans of every generation.”

Per CBS Sports, Mutombo’s 3,289 blocks rank second all-time in NBA history, and was one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. Mutombo is perhaps most remembered for his dominant defensive performance in the 1994 playoffs, when he helped lead the Nuggets to a massive upset over the Seattle Supersonics — the first No. 8 seed to ever beat a No. 1 seed.

Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in the Congo in 1997, with its goal is to improve health, education and quality of life in the African country. He also serves on the board of Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Mutombo’s son Ryan said in a tribute posted on social media that his father “loved others with every ounce of his being … My dad is my hero because he simply cared. He remains the purest heart I have ever known.” Mutombo is survived by his wife, Rose, their three children, and four children of Rose’s deceased brothers (whom they adopted in 1996).

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