04/20/25 – Megan Riaz – Director of Community Relations for Bethesda Clinic
In Focus: 04/13/25 – LeAnn Sewell – Executive Director & Founder at Sparrows Matter
Airdate: 04/13/25
Guests: LeAnn Sewell – Executive Director & Founder at Sparrows Matter
Cooley has goal and assist, Utah gets 4 power-play scores in 5-3 win over Stars
DALLAS (AP) — Logan Cooley had a goal and two assists, and the Utah Hockey Club scored four power-play goals to beat the Dallas Stars 5-3 on Saturday night.
Barrett Hayton had a goal and an assist, and Sean Durzi, Josh Doan and Nick Schmaltz also scored to help Utah improve to 3-0-1 in its last four games. Jack McBain and Dylan Guenther each had two assists, and Karel Vejmelka stopped 21 shots.
Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Brendan Smith scored as Dallas lost its fifth straight (0-3-2). Casey DeSmith finished with 29 saves.
Johnston gave the Stars a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal 2:48 into the game for his 32nd of the season, and Hayton tied it for Utah at 8:11.
Smith then put Dallas back ahead with a short-handed goal 32 seconds into the second for his first goal in 30 games this season.
Durzi tied it just 49 seconds later with Utah on the same power play, and Cooley made it 3-2 at 7:04 with his 24th and the game’s first even-strength goal.
Doan gave Utah a two-goal lead with 1:54 left in the second, but Robertson pulled the Stars to 4-3 just 47 seconds later with his 35th.
Schmaltz restored Utah’s two-goal lead with its fourth power-play goal of the day at 5:32 of the third.
Dallas’ Jamie Benn appeared to score his 400th NHL goal in the final minute but it was overturned for goalie interference after a challenge.
Takeaways
Utah: Utah got its 37th win of the season, topping the team’s total last season in Arizona.
Stars: Dallas secured second place in the Central Division and home-ice in its first round matchup with Colorado when the Avalanche lost earlier in the day.
Key moment
Schmaltz scored on the rebound of Hayton’s shot from the top of the left circle 5 1/2 minutes into the third to give Utah a 5-3 lead.
Key stat
Dallas came in second in the NHL on the penalty-kill at 83.9% but gave up four power-play goals in four chances to Utah.
Up next
Utah visits Nashville on Monday, and Stars play at Detroit.
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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Game 82: The end of the line for some in the NBA, decision day for others
Game 82 for every team in the NBA has arrived. For 10 clubs, it’s the end of the season. For 13 others, it’s one last game before the postseason.
And for seven teams in the Western Conference, Game 82 might feel like Game 7.
The NBA regular season ends on Sunday, with seven postseason-bound West teams entering the final day wondering where they’ll land in the standings. And it all could be decided around the same time; each of the games that will affect those unclaimed West spots start a little after 3:30 p.m. Eastern.
All 30 teams will be in action. Some just want to get things over with. Some want answers — and will get them.
“I don’t want to be too dramatic,” Golden State guard Stephen Curry said. “It should be like a Game 7-kind of vibe. You win, and you control your destiny on a guaranteed playoff series. You lose, and you roll the dice. Good teams find a way to win big games like that, and that’s what we’re aiming to be.”
There are four West teams — Golden State, Denver, the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota — vying for three guaranteed playoff spots, and one of them will even get home-court in Round 1. The odd team out of that mix is headed to a play-in game on Tuesday.
For those four teams, it’s very simple: Win and you’re in.
Golden State plays the Clippers, so the loser of that game likely — but not definitely — goes to the play-in. If Utah knocks off Minnesota, the Timberwolves are play-in bound regardless of other outcomes.
Entering Sunday, Minnesota would be the odd team out in the race for those last three West guaranteed spots. Denver enters the final day in the No. 4 spot, with the Clippers fifth and Golden State sixth. The Timberwolves close at home against Utah, the team with the worst record in the West.
“Win the game and then whatever happens after that happens,” Minnesota’s Julius Randle said. “We win the game, we’re where we want to be. So, focus on us and I always say control what we can control. And after that, we’ll figure it out.”
Also undecided: where Memphis, Sacramento and Dallas will end up. Memphis will be seventh or eighth in the West and in a play-in game on Tuesday, while Sacramento and Dallas will be ninth and 10th — in some order — with No. 9 hosting No. 10 in an elimination game Wednesday.
“It’s good that we know who we’re playing,” Mavericks forward Anthony Davis said. “So, we’ll start prepping.”
The Eastern Conference order is set going into Sunday: Cleveland is No. 1, Boston is No. 2, New York is No. 3 (and will play No. 6 Detroit) and Indiana is No. 4 (and will play No. 5 Milwaukee). No. 7 Orlando hosts No. 8 Atlanta on Tuesday in a play-in game, and No. 9 Chicago hosts No. 10 Miami on Wednesday in an elimination game.
The West spots that are set: Oklahoma City is No. 1, Houston is No. 2 and the Los Angeles Lakers are No. 3. Next weekend’s openers will mark the first time that the Lakers host a Game 1 in Los Angeles since 2012; the Lakers were the home team for all four Game 1s they played on their way to the NBA title in the bubble in 2020, but those games were in Florida.
“I’m just incredibly proud of our team,” Lakers first-year coach JJ Redick said. “It’s an accomplishment to win 50 games in the regular season in any year. I think particularly this year, in this Western Conference, it is, and it’s a credit to our players. … We want to go win one more game, and we’ll figure out Sunday who we play in the first round.”
Playing in all 82
There are 11 players entering Sunday with a chance of appearing in all 82 games, and six with a chance to start all 82.
New York’s Mikal Bridges is in line to play all 82 — again. He’s appeared in all 555 possible regular-season games of his career, 39 more in the playoffs and all 116 of Villanova’s games when he was in college. His last game missed: one game because of illness in his junior year of high school.
San Antonio’s Chris Paul could become the second-oldest player, behind John Stockton, to start all 82 games. Stockton did it in the season where he turned 40; Paul won’t turn 40 until May 6. Paul could become the first player to do so in Year 20 of a career or later; Stockton played 19 seasons.
The others who could start 82: Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, San Antonio’s Harrison Barnes, Houston’s Jalen Green and Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels.
In addition to Bridges, Paul, Allen, Barnes, Green and McDaniels, San Antonio’s Julian Champagnie, Golden State’s Buddy Hield, Detroit’s Malik Beasley, Washington’s Bub Carrington and Minnesota’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker could play in their 82nd games of the season on Sunday.
50-win teams
Oklahoma City, Cleveland, Boston, Houston, the Lakers and New York have already reached the 50-win mark this season.
Indiana, Denver and the Clippers could all get there on Sunday. If they all do, it’ll be the first time the NBA has seen nine teams win 50 games in the same season since 10 clubs did it in 2014-15.
The Thunder, Cavaliers and Celtics will all finish with at least 60 wins. That’s the most in the NBA since three teams did it in 2008-09 — and Boston has won 60 for a 15th time, extending its NBA mark for the most such seasons.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
San Antonio’s Stephon Castle is the rookie of the year favorite, and that has him thinking ahead
San Antonio guard Stephon Castle went through a little of everything in Year 1 of his NBA career. He’s been in and out of the Spurs’ starting lineup. He had Gregg Popovich coaching him for only five games. He played most of the season’s second half without Victor Wembanyama.
It was a roller coaster. And he believes all of it — the good and the bad — made him better.
Castle’s rookie season ends Sunday when the Spurs play host to Toronto. He’s the favorite to win the rookie of the year award, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, and the former UConn guard — the MVP of this year’s Rising Stars event for first- and second-year players at All-Star weekend — doesn’t deny that he’s thought about what that trophy might mean.
“It would mean a lot,” Castle said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I mean, it was definitely a goal of mine, I’m not going to say I was playing for it every game but coming into the season I definitely had my eyes on it. So, to be this close to it, I can say it would mean a lot.”
It would also mean history for the Spurs. Wembanyama was the unanimous winner last year, and if Castle wins it this year it would mark just the second time in more than a half-century that one franchise went back-to-back with the top-rookie honor. Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (now of Miami) and Karl-Anthony Towns (now of New York) were voted rookies of the year in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
The last instance of a team going back-to-back before that: 1973 and 1974, when Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio pulled it off for the Buffalo Braves.
“The thing about Steph that sticks out to me, respectfully to all the other rookies, is (that) I don’t know that there’s anybody who has been asked to do the variety of roles and responsibilities, and the way he’s handled it,” said Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson, who took over when Popovich had a stroke in early November. “His being able to achieve enough to be honored as rookie of the month more than once says a lot.”
Castle is one of two players to be rookie of the month twice this season; Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher is the other. Risacher will surely get some consideration for the top-rookie award, as will Washington’s Alex Sarr, Memphis teammates Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells, Miami’s Kel’el Ware and others.
Taking Philadelphia’s Jared McCain — whose season ended after 23 games — and his 15.3-point-per-game average out of the mix, Castle leads all rookies in scoring at 14.6 per game. Castle also leads all rookies with 10 games of at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists this season, getting six of those in the last month alone.
And having a 20-year veteran like Chris Paul there to teach him anything and everything about playing guard in the NBA has certainly been another plus for Castle in Year 1.
“I’m learning how to manage games and not always fully depend on athleticism and strength and speed,” Castle said. “You have to find other ways to outsmart the opponent, just play smarter to give yourself an advantage to win games. I feel like the NBA is more mental than physical. That’s why you see most of the smartest players in the league are some of the best players.”
The Spurs are working under the belief that Wembanyama — who was ruled out for the remainder of the season after deep vein thrombosis was found in one of his shoulders in February — will be back next season.
Castle is already thinking about what it’d be like for the Spurs to have back-to-back rookies of the year on the court if that happens.
“I think that speaks very highly of our future,” Castle said.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Anderson sparkles and Angels overcome fan breaking up Trout’s catch in 4-1 win over Astros
HOUSTON (AP) — Tyler Anderson took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Nolan Schanuel and Taylor Ward homered and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Yordan Alvarez broke up Anderson’s no-hit bid with a two-out double in the sixth. The left-hander’s night ended after he walked Christian Walker one batter later. Anderson (1-0) allowed one hit and walked four with six strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.
Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his fourth save of the season.
Isaac Paredes hit a solo homer in the eighth for Houston.
Los Angeles overcame a fan grabbing the ball out of Mike Trout’s glove after the Angels star reached into the right field stands to make what appeared to be a great catch on a fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz in the second inning.
A fan wearing an Astros jersey was also reaching for the ball, which appeared to simultaneously glance off the fan’s hand while Trout made the catch. The fan immediately snatched the ball from Trout’s glove with his left hand.
First base umpire Alan Porter ruled it a foul ball. Trout said he was told by Porter that as soon as his glove goes into the stands, “it’s fair game.” The Angels could’ve challenged the call, but chose not to. The fan and his young son were escorted out of the section by security.
Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead in the first when Ward singled, Luis Rengifo doubled and Trout hit a two-run single off Ryan Gusto (1-1).
Gusto, making his first career start, allowed three runs and four hits with six strikeouts in four innings.
Schanuel homered in the fourth and Ward in the fifth.
Key moment
Anderson, who retired his first 10 batters, walked the bases loaded with one out in the fourth, but escaped the jam by striking out Jeremy Peña and getting Diaz to line out.
Key stat
Ward, Rengifo and Trout finished a combined 5 for 13 with three runs scored and three RBIs.
Up next
Astros RHP Hayden Wesneski (0-1,3.75 ERA) opposes RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 1.64) when the series concludes Sunday.
—
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Mariners get a pair of 4-run innings and down Rangers 9-2
SEATTLE (AP) — Luke Raley drove in three runs and the Seattle Mariners scored four times in the third and seventh innings to down the Texas Rangers 9-2 on Saturday night.
Bryan Woo (2-0) allowed one run and six hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings for Seattle. Cal Raleigh hit a home run for the second consecutive game.
Woo got off to a rough start, allowing the first four batters to reach base. The Rangers went up 1-0 on Josh Smith’s single to center that scored Marcus Semien, who walked to lead off the game.
The Mariners went ahead in the third. Julio Rodriguez hit an RBI triple to left center off Rangers starter Kumar Rocker (0-2) before scoring on Jorge Polanco’s sacrifice fly to put the Mariners up 2-1.
Raleigh doubled and Randy Arozarena walked. Raleigh scored on a wild pitch and Raley’s double brought in Arozarena to give the Mariners a 4-1 lead.
Raleigh added a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth. A day earlier he hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in a 5-3 victory over the Rangers in the series opener.
Raley hit a two-run single and Rowdy Tellez drove in two more runs with a double to extend the Mariners’ lead in the seventh inning.
Jake Berger drove in a run for the Rangers in the ninth.
Key moment
Using his new torpedo bat, Raleigh’s home run in the fifth had an exit velocity of 108.7 mph and sailed 420 feet to straightaway center. He has two homers and a double with the bat.
Key stat
After allowing a single in the fourth, Woo shut down the Rangers by retiring the next 12 batters.
Up Next
The Mariners have a chance to sweep the series Sunday when they send RHP Logan Gilbert (0-1, 2.55 ERA) to face Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-1, 2.29 ERA).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Trump blames Zelenskyy for ‘horrible job’ after Russia ballistic missile strike kills dozens in Ukraine
(LONDON) -- A Russian ballistic missile strike on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy killed at least 34 people on Sunday morning, emergency services said, as many there celebrated Palm Sunday.
"The enemy struck the civilian population again," acting Mayor Artem Kobzar wrote on Telegram. Ukraine's State Emergency Service said that at least 34 people -- including two children -- were confirmed killed, with 117 others injured, including 15 children. Two missiles struck the center of the city, authorities said.
A day after the massive attack, President Donald Trump repeated familiar talking points blaming Ukraine for Russia's invasion, and claiming his predecessor and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "did an absolutely horrible job in allowing this travesty to begin."
"The War between Russia and Ukraine is Biden’s war, not mine," he said in a post on Truth Social on Monday, echoing remarks he made to reporters on Sunday. "I just got here, and for four years during my term, had no problem in preventing it from happening."
Trump added that Russian President Vladimir Putin "respected" him, and said he is "working diligently to get the death and destruction to stop" though did not directly mention the current peace negotiations.
The Sumy City Council said the strike hit multiple buildings, including residential ones. "On this bright day of Palm Sunday, our community suffered a terrible tragedy," Kobzar wrote.
Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential office, said the missiles used cluster munitions, which spray smaller sub-munitions over the target area. "A cluster munition missile is something the Russians do to kill as many civilians as possible," Yermak wrote on Telegram. "The strike on the city of Sumy is a deliberate shelling of civilians."
Zelenskyy said on Telegram that the "terrible strike" hit "an ordinary city street, ordinary life: houses, educational institutions, cars on the street."
"And this is on a day when people go to church: Palm Sunday, the feast of the lord's entry into Jerusalem," he added. "Only a scoundrel can act like this. Taking the lives of ordinary people. My condolences to the relatives and friends. A rescue operation is underway now. All necessary services are working."
"A tough reaction from the world is needed," Zelenskyy wrote. "The United States, Europe, everyone in the world who wants an end to this war and murders. Russia wants exactly this kind of terror and is dragging out this war. Without pressure on the aggressor, peace is impossible."
"Talks have never stopped ballistic missiles and air bombs," Zelenskyy said. "We need the kind of attitude towards Russia that a terrorist deserves."
Foreign leaders and officials condemned the strike. Among them was Trump, who told reporters on Sunday that the attack was “terrible,” adding, "I was told they made a mistake, but I think it's a horrible thing. I think the whole war is a horrible thing."
French President Emmanuel Macron said in a post to X, "Everyone knows: this war was initiated by Russia alone. And today, it is clear that Russia alone chooses to continue it -- with blatant disregard for human lives, international law, and the diplomatic efforts of President [Donald] Trump."
"Strong measures are needed to impose a ceasefire on Russia," Marcon added. "France is working tirelessly toward this goal, alongside its partners."
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the incident as, "The Russian version of a ceasefire."
Keith Kellogg, Trump's Ukraine envoy, wrote on X that the strike "by Russian forces on civilian targets in Sumy crosses any line of decency. There are scores of civilian[s] dead and wounded. As a former military leader, I understand targeting and this is wrong. It is why President Trump is working hard to end this war."
ABC News' Natalia Popova, Natalia Kushnir and Victoria Beaule contributed to this report.
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Tourist helicopter that crashed into the Hudson did not have a flight recorder: NTSB
As divers continue to use "side-scanning sonar" to search the Hudson River for wreckage from the helicopter crash that killed six people, the National Transportation Safety Board said the aircraft was not equipped with any flight recorders.
"No onboard video recorders or camera recorders have been recovered and none of the helicopter avionics onboard recorded information that could be used for the investigation," the agency said in an investigation update Saturday evening.
According to the NTSB, the helicopter had its last major inspection on March 1. On the day of the crash, the helicopter had performed seven tour flights, and was on its eighth flight when the accident occurred, per the NTSB.
The main fuselage, including the cockpit and cabin, the forward portion of the tail boom, the horizontal stabilizer finlets and the vertical fin have all been recovered, according to the agency.
Some of these will be sent to the NTSB lab in Washington, D.C., for further inspection, the agency said.
Divers on Saturday were still working to recover more pieces of the helicopter, including the main rotor, main gearbox, tail rotor and a large portion of the tail boom.
Recovery operations in the river will continue on Sunday, the NTSB said.
The family on board was Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, 49; his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, 39; and their children, ages 4, 8 and 10, officials said.
The family came to New York City to join Escobar, who was in the U.S. for a business trip, according to Jersey City Mayor Fulop.
The family died one day before the 8-year-old's birthday, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Also killed was the pilot, 36-year-old Seankese "Sam" Johnson, officials said.Johnson, who had served in the military, accumulated 788 hours of total flight time, the NTSB said.
Johnson was "an amazing man," said Matt Klier, his friend from the Navy and a fellow helicopter pilot.
Thursday's deadly crash occurred at 3:17 p.m., just over 15 minutes into the flight, officials said. The helicopter reached the George Washington Bridge before turning south and crashing, officials said.
ABC News' Leah Sarnoff, Sam Sweeney and Erin Murtha contributed to this report.
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6 on board small plane that crashed in upstate New York: FAA
Six people were on board a small plane that crashed into a field in upstate New York on Saturday afternoon.
The plane, a twin-engine turboprop Mitsubishi MU-2B, crashed near the town of Copake around 12:15 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane was headed to Columbia County Airport in Hudson, New York.
Copake is located about 50 miles south of Albany, near the border with Massachusetts.
The Columbia County Sheriff's Office has not released any details on the number of fatalities or the identity of anyone aboard the plane, according to ABC affiliate WTEN.
Undersheriff Jacqueline Salvatore told reporters that muddy conditions in the field where the plane crashed has made accessing the scene difficult, according to WTEN.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was launching a go-team to investigate the crash and would hold a media briefing on Sunday.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
UPDATE: Suspect arrested in Smith County fatal shooting
UPDATE: The Smith County Sheriff’s Office has identified the suspect as John Floyd McDaniel, 55. The victim has been identified as James Littlejohn, 39.
Our news partner KETK is reporting that the suspect was found in Shreveport, La. earlier this Monday morning. McDaniel was found by the Shreveport Police Department at the Economy Inn on IH 20 near the Shreveport Airport alongside his 16-year-old son. McDaniel has been taken to the Caddo Parrish Jail on an unrelated warrant while his son was separated and taken to Smith County.
Smith County investigators are in the process of obtaining an arrest warrant for Capital Murder on McDaniel.
SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a suspect believed to have shot and killed a man in Flint early Saturday morning. According to the sheriff’s office, they received a 911 call around 2 a.m. after a person reported seeing a man lying on the side of the road in Flint. Further information revealed the man had been shot. Continue reading UPDATE: Suspect arrested in Smith County fatal shooting
Woman charged with forgery amid allegations of theft from ETX church
TATUM – A woman has been arrested for forgery amid allegations that she stole funds from a church in East Texas.
According to our news partner KETK, the Tatum Police Department received a complaint from a church member who provided evidence of theft dating back several years. Following a meeting, officers identified three incidents in which the suspect, Stephanie Gipson—who was serving as the church treasurer—had allegedly forged multiple checks, with records going back to 2024. Several church members were interviewed, providing the department with evidence supporting a charge of forgery of a financial instrument.
On Thursday, authorities obtained an arrest warrant for Gipson. That same day, she met with officers, was interviewed, and subsequently arrested on one count of forgery of a financial instrument. She has been booked into the Rusk County Jail. The police department stated the investigation is ongoing and additional arrest warrants are expected.
Israel takes control of Rafah, creating new ‘security corridor’ in Gaza
(RAFAH GOVERNORATE, Gaza) -- Israel announced Saturday that its military has completed the establishment of a new security corridor in the Gaza Strip, effectively taking full control over the southern city of Rafah -- which Israel had ordered evacuated -- and cutting it off from the rest of the Palestinian territory.
"The IDF has now completed the takeover of the Morag axis that crosses Gaza between Rafah and Khan Yunis and makes the entire area between the Philadelphi axis and Morag part of the Israeli security zone," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. "IDF activity will soon expand strongly to additional locations throughout most of Gaza and you will have to evacuate the fighting zones."
Over 1,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel ended the ceasefire on March 18. In total, nearly 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
Earlier this month, the Israel Defense Forces issued evacuation orders for large swaths of war-torn Gaza, including parts of Khan Yunis and almost all of Rafah.
The IDF has been expanding its operations in Gaza since it ended the ceasefire in March, earlier this month saying it will capture extensive territories. On April 2, Katz said they will "seize large areas that will be annexed to the security zones of the State of Israel."
Earlier this month, the Israel Defense Forces issued evacuation orders for large swaths of war-torn Gaza, including parts of Khan Yunis and almost all of Rafah.
This came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the establishment of the so-called Morag Corridor, describing it as "a second Philadelphi Corridor" that would further divide Gaza and increase pressure on Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages.
The so-called Philadelphi Corridor refers to a narrow strip of land along Gaza's border with Egypt that has been under Israeli control since May 2024.
The IDF said Israeli troops were operating in some areas between Rafah and Khan Yunis where they had never operated previously and that the strategy behind establishing the new security corridor was to separate Hamas fighters in Rafah from Khan Yunis, spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said at a press briefing last week.
The IDF said on Saturday that it had "eliminated dozens of terrorists, dismantled underground tunnel routes and Hamas terror infrastructure, and completed the encirclement of Rafah," in the last week and a half.
In an address to Palestinians in Gaza following the completion of the Morag axis, Katz said the IDF is already continuing to expand its territory in Gaza.
"This is the last moment to remove Hamas and release all the hostages and bring about an end to the war - IDF activity will soon expand vigorously to additional locations throughout most of Gaza," he said.
"In northern Gaza, residents are also evacuating in Beit Hanoun and other neighborhoods and the area is being taken, expanding the security zone and in the Netzarim Corridor. IDF activity will soon expand strongly to additional locations throughout most of Gaza and you will have to evacuate the fighting zones," Katz said.
Last week, the IDF said at a press briefing that the only thing that can halt the IDF's advance in Gaza is the release of hostages.
Katz reiterated support for U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to forcibly expel Palestinians in Gaza and said they are working toward making it possible for Palestinians in Gaza to "voluntarily move to various countries around the world."
In February, Trump departed from decades of U.S. foreign policy, announcing that the U.S. would "clean out" the Gaza Strip and rebuild it, saying Palestinians living there should leave -- a statement that the United Nations and allies, including France and Germany, have called a violation of international law and said it amounts to ethnic cleansing.
Trump at one point threatened to withdraw aid to Egypt and Jordan if they didn't agree to take in Palestinians, though less than 24 hours later, he said, "I don't have to threaten that, I don't think. I think we're above that."
Egypt and Jordan have both firmly opposed taking in forcibly displaced Palestinians.
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Military academies criticized for removing DEI-related books from libraries
(ANNAPOLIS, Md.) -- At the U.S. Naval Academy, it's not what's on the shelves that's drawing attention -- but what's missing.
The institution's Nimitz Library has been stripped of 381 titles, according to a list published in the New York Times, including works exploring race, gender, and national identity.
The culling includes "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, "How to Be an Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi, "Bodies in Doubt" by Elizabeth Reis, and "White Rage" by Carol Anderson. None was banned outright -- just rendered "not immediately available," a Naval Academy spokesman, Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, said. The books, he said, had been placed in a room where patrons could no longer access them.
President Donald Trump's Jan. 29 executive order titled "Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling" has been extended to cover the country's military academies. With language targeting what it called "discriminatory equity ideology" and "gender ideology" -- which he later called "the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies" -- the order set in motion extensive removals, reviews and institutional confusion.
"There isn't any clear criteria," Katherine Kuzminski, director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security, told ABC News. "It leaves leadership scrambling -- how do we ensure compliance without being accused of overcorrecting?"
Kuzminski said military leaders, bound by a strict code to obey lawful orders, are grappling with what she called the ambiguity of the policy. "Particularly in the Air Force," she noted, "when the Tuskegee Airmen learning module was removed from basic training for a few days, leadership was trying to follow through with the best of intentions."
Department of the Navy leadership determined which books required removal at the Naval Academy library, Hawkins told ABC News.
Initially, officials searched the Nimitz Library catalog, using key word searches, to identify books that required further review, Hawkins said. Approximately 900 books were identified during the preliminary search, he said, and department officials then closely examined the preliminary list to determine which books required removal to comply with directives outlined in executive orders issued by the president.
That ultimately resulted in nearly 400 books being selected for removal from the Nimitz Library collection, he said.
Historians and former military officials told ABC News the implications are chilling. Richard Kohn, a military historian and former chief historian for the Air Force, sees the move as a "cleansing" effort. "It reveals a certain kind of weakness in the current administration's confidence," he said. "They're determined to appeal to their MAGA constituency by rolling back decades of progress on race, religion, and diversity."
For Kohn, removing these books from the shelves sends a clear message to cadets: To get ahead in the military, avoid certain ideas.
Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Thomas Keaney, a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced international Studies, spoke about how far the academies have come -- and how far he said they risk falling back. "When I was there," he said, "it was a whites-only institution," he said of the U.S. Air Force Academy. "It was the poorer for it." Education, he insisted, is about exposure. "You are not harming people by letting them read," he said.
In a letter to the secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, Democratic Reps. Adam Smith and Chrissy Houlahan called the book removals "a blatant attack on the First Amendment" and "an alarming return to McCarthy-era censorship."
They demanded to know who ordered the removals, the process used and which titles were being purged, while urging an immediate halt.
The academies have issued carefully worded responses -- or none at all -- when asked by ABC News for comment.
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy did not respond to repeated requests. The U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Coast Guard Academy issued brief statements affirming compliance with executive orders but offered few specifics.
“The Coast Guard Academy is conducting a comprehensive review of its curriculum to ensure compliance with all executive orders," a spokesperson said.
The U.S. Naval Academy spokesman confirmed that "nearly 400 books" had been removed from its Nimitz Library, explaining the move as an effort "to ensure compliance with all directives outlined in Executive Orders issued by the President."
He emphasized what he called the library's robust collection -- some 590,000 print books and thousands of academic resources -- framing the book removals as minor compared to the size of the overall collection. "The Naval Academy's mission," the spokesperson added, "is to develop Midshipmen morally, mentally and physically ... to prepare them for careers of service to our country."
At the U.S. Air Force Academy, a spokesperson noted that a curriculum review was underway "to ensure our compliance with executive orders."
But outside voices in military academic circles warned that the issue goes beyond compliance, saying it strikes at the core of intellectual development.
"You can't make ideas safe for people, but you can make people safe for ideas," said Kohn, who specializes in civil-military relations. "If you don't mentor students in the academies to understand what's going on in American society, you don't really educate them."
Keaney, the former U.S. Air Force officer, was more circumspect but equally concerned. "I don't think anyone is going to be hurt by reading anything -- however nutty or outside their own culture it is," he said. "You're not harming people by exposing them to ideas. On the contrary, you're training them to be discerning leaders. Give them a chance. Don't leave them to deal from ignorance."
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What to know about getting a REAL ID as airport requirement deadline nears
(NEW YORK) -- In less than a month, beginning on May 7, travelers flying out of United States airports will need to show TSA agents their REAL ID-compliant driver's license, or another form of compliant identification to pass through security and make their flight. If they don't bring a REAL ID, they could face delays, additional screening, or may not be permitted through the checkpoint, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The REAL ID roll-out, which has been delayed multiple times since the original deadline in 2008, has left some travelers confused about their states' requirements and panicked as they try to make appointments at overwhelmed DMVs.
According to federal documents, as of January 2024, only about 56% of driver's licenses and IDs in circulation across the country complied with REAL ID.
The Department of Homeland Security estimated that only 61.2% of driver's licenses and IDs will be compliant by the May 7 deadline. A TSA spokesperson told ABC News that 81% of travelers going through TSA checkpoints currently have REAL IDs or other compliant identification.
If you haven't gotten your REAL ID license yet, here's what to know as the deadline approaches:
DMVs are slammed
Department of Motor Vehicles nationwide are reporting long wait times as travelers scramble to get their REAL ID driver's licenses, but some are offering solutions for people looking for last-minute appointments.
Some New York DMVs will stay open later on Thursdays and release new available time slots daily.
They will also process REAL ID applications at the New York International Auto Show, from April 18 through April 27 at the Javits Center in Manhattan. The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced that 18 offices across the state would open earlier four days a week for REAL ID appointments. Illinois created a "Real ID Supercenter" for walk-ins.
"You may have to just do the old-fashioned thing, and every morning, refresh your browser and see if any appointments have opened up," said Aixa Diaz, AAA spokesperson. "Inevitably, like with doctors' appointments, there will be cancellations."
Diaz warned that applicants will leave their appointment with a temporary paper copy of their ID. TSA won't accept this as valid, so they'll have to wait until they receive their actual ID in the mail.
Try AAA
Appointments may also be available at local AAA branches, according to Diaz. Not all AAA offices process REAL ID, and some only offer the service to members, so Diaz urges travelers to call ahead. Applicants may also have to pay an additional fee.
What to bring to your appointment
Applicants can check the Department of Homeland Security website to see their state's specific requirements and documents they need to bring.
You can still use your passport
A valid passport is compliant identification, so if you're having trouble booking an appointment, you can still use that after May 7 to go through the TSA checkpoint.
If you show up without a REAL ID, expect delays
If travelers arrive at the airport without compliant identification after May 7, TSA said they could encounter delays and other difficulties at the checkpoint.
"Passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID compliant and who do not have another acceptable alternative (i.e., passport) can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint," TSA said in a press release.
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