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--:-- Georgia Howe: I'm Georgia Howe. It's Thursday, July 25th, and this is your MorningWire afternoon update.
--:-- John Bickley: President Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House today, following Netanyahu's call for continued U.S. support in the war against Hamas during his address to Congress.
--:-- National Security Council Press Secretary: The leaders discussed a number of topics and met with the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas. National Security Council Press Secretary John Kirby says much of the conversation will focus on hostage negotiations.
--:-- National Security Council Press Secretary: We want to get all the hostages home, clearly the Americans in particular. And that's why this deal is so important, Peter. And we are close. We are closer now, we believe, than we've been before. The gaps are closable, no question about that. And we believe, the president believes, that getting that hostage deal in place, getting that six-week ceasefire, that's the best way to get all these loved ones back with their families.
--:-- National Security Council Press Secretary: Netanyahu also thanked Biden for his decades of support for Israel.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Harris who did not attend Netanyahu speech will meet with him separately.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: 17 anti-protesters were arrested after demonstrations protesting Netanyahu visit to our nation capital turned fiery and violent.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: The protesters vandalized and damaged several sites around the capital and pushed through police barricades. They spray-painted Hamas is coming and various other expletives towards Israel and so-called Zionists.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: They also burned an American flag and an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: They threatened Jews outside of the Watergate Hotel, where Israeli leaders are staying. You're Jewish! You're Jewish, mother-----! We're gonna kill all of you! We're gonna kill all of you!
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: The protesters also tore down American flags above Union Square, swapping them out with Palestinian flags.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Speaker Mike Johnson and a group of House Republican raised the American flags again last night.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Vice President Kamala Harris condemned the protesters in a statement this morning.
--:-- Kamala Harris: I support the right to peacefully protest, but let's be clear. Anti-Semitism, hate and violence have no place in our nation.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Former President Donald Trump condemned the violence and suggested a one-year prison sentence for anyone who desecrates the American flag.
--:-- Donald Trump: Six House Democrats have joined Republicans in voting to condemn Vice President Kamala Harris's handling of the U.S. southern border.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The yeas are 220, the nays are 196. The resolution is adopted. Without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.
--:-- Georgia Howe: This is the first legislative action targeting Harris since she became the presumptive 2024 Democratic nominee.
--:-- Georgia Howe: While Democrats have labeled the resolution as politically motivated Republicans have long criticized Harris role as the border czar accusing her of failing to address illegal immigration.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Illegal immigration numbers hit record highs during the Biden administration with encounters spiking at the end of 2023
--:-- Georgia Howe: A judge will allow former President Donald Trump defamation case against ABC to continue.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The suit stems from comments anchor George Stephanopoulos made earlier this year when he said Trump had been found, quote, liable for rape during an interview with Congresswoman Nancy Mace.
--:-- Nancy Mace: You've endorsed Donald Trump for president. Right. Donald Trump has been found liable for rape by a jury. It was not a criminal court case, number one. Number two, I live with shame. And you're asking me a question about my political choices, trying to shame me as a rape victim. And I find it disgusting.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The claim references E. Jean Carroll's lawsuit against Trump, alleging he raped her in 1996. The jury did not find Trump guilty of rape, but did find him liable for sexual abuse, something that's defined differently under New York law.
--:-- Georgia Howe: This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com slash morningwire. That's shopify.com slash morningwire.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The U.S. military intercepted Chinese and Russian bombers off the coast of Alaska ahead of Biden's address to the nation yesterday.
--:-- Tim Pierce: The bombers were tracked by NORAD, an American and Canadian Joint Aerospace Command, before fighter jets from both countries were dispatched.
--:-- Tim Pierce: While NORAD says the activity is not seen as a threat, Fox News says the Joint Patrol is a first for Russia and China.
--:-- Tim Pierce: The bombers stayed in international airspace, but did enter the U.S. Air Defense Identification Zone.
--:-- Tim Pierce: The move is the latest in a string of similar incidents.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Earlier this month, the Coast Guard reported four Chinese naval ships off the coast of Alaska in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The economy rose at an annual rate of 2 last quarter.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Despite high interest rates consumer and business spending drove growth.
--:-- Georgia Howe: According to the Commerce Department report today GDP growth accelerated from 1 percent in quarter one outpacing the expected 1 percent
--:-- Georgia Howe: Inflation, however, remains elevated and remains above the Fed's 2 percent target.
--:-- Georgia Howe: This comes a day after Wall Street had its worst losses since 2022.
--:-- Georgia Howe: California Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered cities to begin removing homeless encampments.
--:-- Gavin Newsom: The move follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that gives local governments greater authority to remove the encampments.
--:-- Gavin Newsom: Newsom told local officials to act, quote, with urgency and dignity. There are no longer any excuses.
--:-- Gavin Newsom: A billion dollars this state has invested to support communities to clean up these encampments.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The executive order advises state agencies on how to take action and mandates local governments to provide housing and services to the homeless rather than just pushing them out.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Newsom came under fire last year after San Francisco was swiftly cleaned up for a visit from Chinese leader Xi Jinping before returning to usual.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And Southwest Airlines is making a major change to its boarding policy.
--:-- Bob Jordan: The company will no longer use its hallmark open seating policy. Rather, it will switch to assigned seating, including premium rows with extra legroom.
--:-- Bob Jordan: CEO Bob Jordan said, quote, this is the right change at the right time.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The airline is facing pressure to increase profits from investment group Elliott Management, an influential hedge fund which has criticized the company for being unprofitable.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Earlier this week, the FAA also targeted Southwest, beginning a safety review after a string of risky incidents this year.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Those are your drive home updates this afternoon.
--:-- Georgia Howe: To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.
