Update: Two Israeli Embassy staffers were killed in D.C. What to know.
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What happened at the Israeli Embassy event?
But first, two staff members at the Israeli embassy were shot and killed outside an event at the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. last night. The man and woman were a young couple named Yaron Lashinsky and Sarah Milgram. In a statement to the press after the incident, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said a suspect is in custody and identified him as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago.
Prior to the shooting, the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum. He approached a group of four people, produced a handgun, and opened fire, striking both of our decedents. After the shooting, the suspect then entered the museum and was detained by event security. The suspect chanted, free, free Palestine, while in custody.
Who were the victims of the shooting?
Milgram was an American who worked in the embassy's public diplomacy department. Lashinsky was a German-born Israeli citizen who worked in the embassy's political department. He described himself on his LinkedIn as being dedicated to, quote, expanding the circle of peace with our Arab neighbors. The Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, told journalists the couple was about to be engaged.
What statements were made by officials regarding the incident?
The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem. I will say this, we are a resilient people. Together we won't be afraid, together we'll stand, and we're going to overcome moral depravity of people who think that they're going to achieve political gains through murder.
On social media, President Trump called for an end to anti-Semitism, writing that, quote, hatred and radicalism have no place in the USA. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a statement saying he is outraged by the killings. D.C. embassies in particular have been a focal point for demonstrations against the war in Gaza, where over 53,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas's October 7th attack. Israel is in the midst of its latest offensive to press Hamas to release the remaining hostages. Netanyahu said recently he believes at least 20 hostages are still alive, and his military goal is to take full control of Gaza and force Palestinians out. Also this week, after widespread international condemnation, Netanyahu permitted a minimal amount of aid into Gaza after an 11-week blockade.
What changes are being made to COVID vaccine approvals?
Around 100 trucks carrying flour, baby food and nutritional supplements entered the enclave late on Wednesday. But U.N. officials say as of this morning, because of distribution issues, none of that aid has so far reached Palestinians in need. Last night's shooting took place at an event intended to bring Jewish and non-Jewish communities together in an attempt to build common ground and, quote, turn pain into purpose. An organizer of the event told NBC News it was painfully ironic that as they were trying to build bridges, quote, somebody came in with such hate and destruction. This is a developing story.
How will the new vaccine guidelines affect the public?
You can check the Apple News app for updates throughout the day. We learned this week that the group of people eligible to get a COVID shot is set to be restricted after the Food and Drug Administration issued new guidance. The FDA said it would no longer approve new vaccines for healthy people under 65 years old unless pharmaceutical companies run additional trials to test their safety and benefits. Right now, anyone can get a booster. Under the new restrictions, boosters would be available to those who have a medical condition that elevates the risk of severe disease, such as obesity, pregnancy, or a history of smoking. The head of the FDA's vaccine program, Dr. Vinayak Prasad, stressed that higher-risk people would see no changes to accessing COVID shots.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What happened at the Israeli Embassy event?
0:34–1:23
2
Who were the victims of the shooting?
1:23–1:47
3
What statements were made by officials regarding the incident?
1:47–3:06
4
What changes are being made to COVID vaccine approvals?
3:06–3:45
5
How will the new vaccine guidelines affect the public?
3:45–5:05
6
What are the implications of the CDC's communication changes?
5:05
7
What concerns do experts have about the new vaccine policy?
4:41–14:30
Speakers
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