Biden says support for Israel and Ukraine is ‘vital’ for US security, will ask Congress for billions

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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden declared it is “vital for America’s national security” for Israel and Ukraine to succeed in their wars, making the case Thursday night for deepening U.S. involvement in two unpredictable foreign conflicts as he prepared to ask for billions of dollars in military assistance for both countries.

If international aggression is allowed to continue, Biden said in a rare Oval Office address, “conflict and chaos could spread in other parts of the world.”

“Hamas and Putin represent different threats,” Biden said. “But they share this in common. They both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy.”

He said he would send an urgent funding request to Congress, which is expected to be $105 billion for the next year. The proposal, which will be unveiled on Friday, includes $60 billion for Ukraine, much of which is for replenishing U.S. weapons stockpiles that have already been provided.

There’s $14 billion for Israel, $10 billion for humanitarian efforts, $14 billion for managing the U.S.-Mexico border and fighting fentanyl trafficking and $7 billion for the Indo-Pacific region, which includes Taiwan. The proposal was described by three people familiar with the details who insisted on anonymity before the official announcement.

“It’s a smart investment that’s going to pay dividends for American security for generations,” Biden said.

Biden hopes that combining all of these issues into one piece of legislation will create the necessary political coalition for congressional approval. His speech comes the day after his high-stakes trip to Israel, where he showed solidarity with the country in its battle against Hamas and pushed for more humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Ahead of his address, Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stress that the U.S. remained committed to backing Kyiv, the White House said. And a senior White House official said Biden continued to develop his remarks on Thursday after working with close aides throughout the week, including on his flight home from Israel. The official declined to be identified ahead of the president’s speech.

Biden faces an array of steep challenges as he tries to secure the money. The House remains in chaos because the Republican majority has been unable to select a speaker to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted more than two weeks ago.

In addition, conservative Republicans oppose sending more weapons to Ukraine as its battle against the Russian invasion approaches the two-year mark. Biden’s previous request for funding, which included $24 billion to help with the next few months of fighting, was stripped out of budget legislation last month despite a personal plea from Zelenskyy.

The White House has warned that time is running out to prevent Ukraine, which recently struggled to make progress in a grueling counteroffensive, from losing ground to Russia because of dwindling supplies of weapons.

There will be resistance on the other side of the political spectrum when it comes to military assistance for Israel, which has been bombarding the Gaza Strip in response to the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.

Critics have accused Israel of indiscriminately killing civilians and committing war crimes by cutting off essential supplies like food, water and fuel.

Bipartisan support for Israel has already eroded in recent years as progressive Democrats have become more outspoken in their opposition to the country’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territory, which is widely viewed as illegal by the international community.

There are rumbles of disagreement within Biden’s administration as well. Josh Paul, a State Department official who oversaw the congressional liaison office dealing with foreign arms sales, resigned over U.S. policy on weapons transfers to Israel.

“I cannot work in support of a set of major policy decisions, including rushing more arms to one side of the conflict, that I believe to be short-sighted, destructive, unjust and contradictory to the very values that we publicly espouse,” he wrote in a statement posted to his LinkedIn account.

Paul is believed to be the first official to have resigned in opposition to the administration’s decision to step up military assistance to Israel after the Oct. 7 attack.

While visiting Tel Aviv on Wednesday, Biden told Israel that “we will not let you ever be alone.” However, he cautioned Israelis against being “consumed” by rage as he said the United States was after the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001.

Wartime decision-making, Biden said, “requires asking very hard questions” and “clarity about the objectives and an honest assessment about whether the path you are on will achieve those objectives.”

A speech from the Oval Office is one of the most prestigious platforms that a president can command, an opportunity to try to seize the country’s attention at a moment of crisis. ABC, NBC and CBS all said they would break into regular programming to carry the address live.

Biden has delivered only one other such speech during his presidency, after Congress passed bipartisan budget legislation to avert a default on the country’s debt.

The White House and other senior administration officials, including Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young, have quietly briefed key lawmakers in recent days about the contours of the planned supplemental funding request.

The Senate plans to move quickly on Biden’s proposal, hoping that it creates pressure on the Republican-controlled House to resolve its leadership drama and return to legislating.

However, there are disagreements within the Senate on how to move forward. Eight Republicans, led by Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall, said they did not want to combine assistance for Ukraine and Israel in the same legislation.

“These are two separate and unrelated conflicts and it would be wrong to leverage support of aid to Israel in an attempt to get additional aid for Ukraine across the finish line,” they wrote in a letter.

North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer said he was fine with the proposal as long as there is also a fresh effort to address border issues. But he said “it’s got to be designed to secure the border, not to facilitate travel through the border.”

Although there was a lull in migrant arrivals to the U.S. after the start of new asylum restrictions in May, illegal crossings topped a daily average of more than 8,000 last month.

“There’s a huge need to reimburse for the costs of processing,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat who leads a Senate panel that oversees funding for the Department of Homeland Security. “So it’s personnel costs, it’s soft-sided facilities, it’s transportation costs.”

He was wary, however, of any effort to overhaul border policy — a historically intractable issue — during a debate over spending.

“How are we going to settle our differences over immigration in the next two weeks?” Murphy said. “This is a supplemental funding bill. The minute you start loading it up with policies, that sounds like a plan to fail.”

Biden’s decision to include funding for Taiwan in his proposal is a nod toward the potential for another international conflict. China wants to reunify the self-governing island with the mainland, a goal that could be carried out through force.

Although wars in Europe and the Middle East have been the most immediate concerns for U.S. foreign policy, Biden views Asia as the key arena in the struggle for global influence.

The administration’s national security strategy, released last year, describes China as “America’s most consequential geopolitical challenge.”

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3 things we heard from the Chicago Bears, including Jimmy Garoppolo reportedly sitting out Sunday and Darnell Wright’s shoulder injury

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The Chicago Bears coordinators spoke with reporters Thursday morning before practice as they prepare for the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at Soldier Field.

Here are three things we heard.

1. It could be a battle of rookie quarterbacks Sunday.

Multiple reports stated Thursday that Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will not play because of a back injury he suffered in the Week 6 win over the New England Patriots.

The Raiders could turn to either veteran Brian Hoyer or rookie Aidan O’Connell. Hoyer, who has been in the league since 2009 and started five games for the Bears in 2016, filled in for Garoppolo against the Patriots. O’Connell, the Stevenson and Purdue product who was a 2023 fourth-round pick, started in an Oct. 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers when Garoppolo was out.

“We’re just studying both quarterbacks, studying their tendencies, whether they like to go downfield or like to throw the ball short,” safety Jaquan Brisker said. “We know they’re probably going to start off by trying to get the ball out, trying to get rhythm throws and things like that. … Regardless we’ll be prepared for whoever starts at quarterback.”

The Bears, meanwhile, are preparing to start undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent on Sunday as starter Justin Fields sat out his second straight practice with a right thumb injury.

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said Bagent has done a good job of communicating with the Bears this week about what he understands and doesn’t as they craft their game plan. And he praised the work Bagent did up to this week to be ready for the opportunity.

“Tyson’s done a really nice job since the time he got here diving into learning the scheme, getting to know the players, the chemistry part of it,” Getsy said. “He works hard every single day after practice, spends time grabbing guys and making sure anything that they need, he’s there to help.”

2. Right tackle Darnell Wright sat out practice with a shoulder injury.

Wright was limited in practice Wednesday but then sat out Thursday. It’s a major development to watch given the Bears’ ongoing injury issues on the offensive line.

They already will be without left tackle Braxton Jones, who remains on injured reserve with a neck injury. And right guard Nate Davis is out this week with an ankle injury. Larry Borom is filling in for Jones, but it’s unclear who would take over if Wright is out. Frequent shuffling on the line has messed with its chemistry, which Getsy said is “critical.”

“Any time you have that turnover you have to deal with it,” Getsy said. “That’s our league, right?. People get hurt. Seventeen games is a long season. There’s nothing you can really do about it. But chemistry is extremely important. I think about some of the years that were the best I’ve ever been around, it’s usually when you have health up front.”

Along with Fields, Wright and Davis, safety Eddie Jackson (foot), cornerback Terell Smith (mononucleosis), running back Roschon Johnson (concussion), offensive lineman Dan Feeney (knee) and tight end Marcedes Lewis (rest) sat out practice.

3. Rasheem Green continues to be a force for the Bears special teams unit.

When Green got his hand on Greg Joseph’s extra-point kick just before halftime of Sunday’s game at Soldier Field, Richard Hightower was the least surprised person in the stadium. Hightower has appreciated Green’s skill set since well before the veteran defensive lineman signed a one-year deal with the Bears in April. And he has seen firsthand over the last six months how hard Green works at his craft.

Plus, Green has an established track record of swatting kicks. He blocked three kicks during his first five seasons in the league and has added two more for the Bears this season, rejecting Joseph’s PAT try Sunday four weeks after he blocked a 40-yard field-goal attempt by Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin in Tampa, Fla.

“‘Sheem has done a phenomenal job, an outstanding job,” Hightower said. “He’s special in that phase.”

Hightower was quick to credit the efforts of Dylan Cole, Gervon Dexter, Dominique Robinson, Justin Jones and Brisker for helping create that opportunity for Green.

“It’s a part of our game we want to continue to grow,” Hightower said.

Still, Hightower commended Green’s attention to detail for making him a weapon for the Bears in that phase.

“He studies the game. He knows the guys he’s going against,” Hightower said. “He’s a really great teammate. Everybody loves him. It’s like anything else. When have got a special returner back there or you have a guy who is really good at something (else), then the other guys pick up their level of play because, hey, this could help us win.”

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Carroll Carroll high school football Week 8 preview: Ravens RISE High School Football Showdown comes to Liberty

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Over the course of this season, the Ravens have been traveling to high school football games throughout the state, highlighting key matchups in several counties.

This week it’s Carroll County’s turn as the Ravens RISE High School Football Showdown program makes a stop at Liberty for the Lions’ . matchup with Westminster set for 6:30 p.m. Friday.

“It is an honor to have players who have reached the holy grail of football watching my team play on Friday,” Westminster senior lineman Jalen Jones said.

As part of the program, current Ravens players will be in attendance for a pregame visit with each team and will help with the opening coin toss. Ravens cheerleaders, mascot Poe and Baltimore’s Marching Ravens will also be in attendance, Ravens director of public relations Tom Volante said in a release.

The game will also be broadcast/streamed live on the Ravens YouTube channel.

Elsewhere in the county, Winters Mill will look to add a homecoming victory to its list of accomplishments as it hosts a Manchester Valley team looking for another win. The historic year for the Falcons continues as they moved to 7-0 last week, continuing the best season in school history.

Fresh off a homecoming victory themselves, South Carroll will be ready to go Friday as the Cavaliers look to build off their first win of the season. In their way is a Century squad ready to follow the Cavaliers and erase that zero in the win column.

Carroll County had traveled well this season, picking up wins in Fredrick County and against teams from Delaware and West Virginia on the season. Can coach David Cunningham Jr. put on a good showing as his Eagles face a hungry South Hagerstown team in a Carroll County vs, Washington County showdown?

Jones spoke with the Carroll County Times to preview the Westminster at Liberty game.

Here’s a look at his thoughts and the rest of week 8 schedule:

Westminster (6-1, 4-0) at Liberty (3-4, 2-2)

His thoughts on the season so far:

Jones: The season has gone well. Some people may not see it because of our record but we still can be so much better if and when we clean up the little things.

On the team’s growth from last season and the beginning of this season:

Jones: Relationships are a little different from last year. With the seniors it was about trying to create that family environment. We playfully joke with each other, but at the same time, we’re all trying to lift other up through the good and the bad.

What is the biggest challenge Liberty presents?

Jones: How fast they come off the ball, that is probably going to be our biggest challenges this week, especially up front. We’re switching things around in practice to make sure that we’re actually ready for it Friday.

“We will win this game if …”

Jones: We focus on the little things, don’t play tight. We want to play loose but still with the focus on what we need to do to get the job done.

South Carroll (1-6, 1-3) at Century (0-8, 0-4)

Last week: South Carroll beat Liberty, 28-27 in overtime; Century lost to Westminster, 28-3

Game time: Friday, 6:30 p.m.

Key players: South Carroll: Ian Straley, Caleb Evans, Jake Miller; Century: Ethan Long, Trey Helmick.

Outlook: Coming off a thrilling win last week, South Carroll can’t afford to overlook Century this week. One slip up and the Cavaliers could go from winning their first game, to getting beat by the Knights and giving them their first win of 2023.

South Hagerstown (4-3) at Francis Scott Key (1-6)

Last week: South Hagerstown beat Williamsport, 43-14; FSK lost to Manchester Valley, 21-14

Game time: Friday 6:30 p.m.

Key players: FSK: Keyondre Grooms, Jacob Dell, Ben Stevens.

Outlook: The Eagles have a tough task ahead of them as they look to defeat the Rebels at home. South Hagerstown has already defeated a Carroll County team (Century) in 2023 and average 33 points per game.

Manchester Valley (4-2, 3-2) at Winters Mill (7-0, 4-0)

Last week: Manchester Valley beat FSK, 21-14; Winters Mill beat Springbrook, 37-8

Game time: Friday, 6:30 p.m.

Key players: Manchester Valley: Kingston Canby, Gene Magin and Nick LoPreato; Winters Mill: Caleb Crouch, Paris Lee and Ahren Jones

Outlook: After picking up an impressive out-of-county win last week, can the Falcons keep the momentums going and send the homecoming crowd home happy? Or will the Mavericks pull off the upset and win their third straight game?

Carroll County stat leaders

Rushing yards

1. Kyrece Walker (W), 807; 2. Isaiah Ferebee (MV), 651; 3. Caleb Crouch (WM), 535; 4. Trey Helmick

___

Receiving yards

1. Tristan West (L), 457; 2. Clayton Dorsey (W), 393; 3. James Herndon (MV), 342; 4. Michael Martin (L), 301; 5. Ian Straley (SC), 250; 6. Brayden Yeager (SC), 233; 7. David Akinobye (L), 219; 8. Colton Feister (FSK), 193; 9. Jake Miller (SC), 170; 10. Braeden Haven (FSK), 166.

Passing yards

Tackles

(C), 458; 5. Keyondre Groomes (FSK), 345; 6. Raquon Warfield (W), 335; 7. Kevin Poole (L), 268; 8. Paris Lee (WM), 262; 9. Kingston Canby (MV), 257; 10. Jadon Segree (W), 235. Receiving yards 1. Tristan West (L), 457; 2. Clayton Dorsey (W), 393; 3. James Herndon (MV), 342; 4. Michael Martin (L), 301; 5. Ian Straley (SC), 250; 6. Brayden Yeager (SC), 233; 7. David Akinobye (L), 219; 8. Colton Feister (FSK), 193; 9. Jake Miller (SC), 170; 10. Braeden Haven (FSK), 166. Passing yards 1. Chase Miller (L), 1,141; 2. Caleb Evans (SC), 908; 3. Kyrece Walker (W), 903; 4. Gene Magin (MV), 746; 5. Ben Stevens (FSK) 648; 6. Caleb Crouch (WM), 447; 7. Ray Poulton (C), 265. Tackles 1. Casey Heisig (W), 66; 2. Jackson Shekore (SC), 51; T3. Dominic Damico (C), 49; T3. James Graham (SC), 49; T3. Landon Hamper (SC), 49; T3. Nico Marsicano (L), 49; 7. Clayton Dorsey (W), 47; T8. Neil LoPreato (MV), 44; T8. Janero Marchany (SC), 44; 10. Ben Stevens (FSK), 43.

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Jewish leaders slam Boston city councilor for ‘antisemitic’ remarks on Israel-Hamas war

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A Boston city councilor is being slammed for making “antisemitic” statements that perpetuate a “dangerous myth” about “excessive Jewish power and influence” in global affairs, two Jewish groups say.

The Anti-Defamation League of New England and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston both released statements Thursday criticizing the “troubling” remarks made by Tania Fernandes Anderson at this week’s City Council meeting.

“Drawing on the oldest tropes about Jewish power and influence to make a political statement is not just unacceptable, it is antisemitic,” Rabbi Dr. Jonah Steinberg, ADL New England regional director, said in a statement.

“Excessive Jewish power and influence controlling global affairs is a dangerous myth where Jews are cast as manipulative schemers who use money and influence to advance an evil agenda,” he added.

“Words matter,” Steinberg said, saying that while the ADL welcomes a conversation, the “community deserves an apology” from the councilor.

When introducing a resolution calling for de-escalation and a ceasefire in Israel and “occupied Palestine,” Fernandes Anderson made remarks insinuating that the violence against Israeli people was garnering more attention because of their “money and influence.”

“Nobody wants people to die,” Fernandes Anderson said. “The Holocaust was horrific. The African holocaust was horrific. The Australian holocaust of the Aborigines was horrific. But when we start talking, we only talk about people with money and influence.”

She added, “We never talk about Black people. We never talk about people suffering. We never talk about brown people. So if you’re Indian and you’re Palestinian, nobody gets up and supports any of this stuff.”

Her resolution was filed in response to one put forward earlier in the week by Councilor Michael Flaherty, who wanted to condemn “Hamas and their brutal terrorist acts against Israel.”

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In it, Fernandes Anderson refers to the Hamas terrorist organization as a “militant group” and characterizes the Oct. 7 attack that killed over 1,400 Israelis, among them women, children and babies, as a “massive military operation,” language that sparked outrage from some of her colleagues.

The resolution further states that Israel’s policies and actions toward the Palestinian people have been recognized by international human rights groups as “apartheid,” and Israel’s recent actions to cut electricity, fuel and water sources from Gaza constitute “war crimes.”

“At a time when our community should be attuned to the risks and challenges of antisemitism in all its forms, we, and our member organizations, representing a multiplicity of Jewish perspectives, found Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson’s recent comments troubling,” Jeremy Burton, JCRC executive director, said in a statement.

He added, “In civic debate, there should be no place for perpetuating long-persistent antisemitic tropes, such as Jewish individuals as wealthy and powerful, ignoring the historical underpinnings of antisemitism as a term literally created to frame hatred of the Jewish community in a precise way, and obfuscating the historic origins of the Jewish people in the region that is now called Israel.”

While his organization’s preference is dialogue, it could not leave her public comments unaddressed “at a time when the emotional and physical safety of the Jewish community in the U.S. and beyond is at risk,” Burton said.