National Headlines
1 student killed, 1 hurt in shooting at Nashville high school; suspect dead from self-inflicted wound
ABC News(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- A 17-year-old boy opened fire at a Nashville high school on Wednesday, killing one student and wounding a second student, according to police.The teenager, who was armed with a pistol, fired multiple shots in the cafeteria at Antioch High School around 11:09 a.m., Nashville police said.The suspect then died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.One female student was killed. A second female student suffered a graze wound to the arm and is in stable condition at a local hospital, police said.A male student was also injured in the incident but was not shot, police said. The cause of the injury was not clear.A motive is not known, police said.This is a developing story. Please check ... Read More
Rain headed to fire-ravaged Southern California will bring threat of landslides
Mario Tama/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- Much-anticipated rain could be headed to drought-stricken Southern California this weekend -- but rainfall also brings the threat of landslides in the wake of Los Angeles County's devastating fires.Rain and mountain snow are expected in Southern California on Saturday and Sunday.Rainfall rates are expected to be light, up to 1 inch over the course of the weekend.But thunderstorms are possible; lightning could spark new fires and the thunderstorms would cause heavier rainfall.Heavy rain over the vulnerable wildfire burn scars would be extremely dangerous because it could lead to landslides.The extreme burn scars are the result of the Palisades and Eaton fires, which erupted on Jan. 7. The wildfires ripped across the LA communities of Pacific ... Read More
Jan. 6 rioter whose case was tossed after Trump pardon arrested on pending weapons charges
amphotora/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- A Florida man who prosecutors alleged attacked police with an explosive device during the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol — and whose case was dropped following President Donald Trump's sweeping pardons and commutations issued Monday, was arrested Wednesday on pending federal gun charges, according to court records.Daniel Ball, 39, was taken into custody Wednesday morning, according to an arrest warrant, on a separate indictment returned by federal prosecutors in Florida last summer that charged him for unlawfully possessing a gun as a felon.He had at least three previous felony convictions — one dating back to 2017 for domestic violence battery by strangulation and two in October of 2021 — nine months after the Jan. 6 ... Read More
Here’s why you might be automatically following Trump on Instagram, Facebook
Karl Tapales/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- In the days since President Donald Trump assumed office, many people online have begun expressing alarm to find they were unwittingly following Trump on Instagram and Facebook.Across social media, posts have proliferated by people concerned after discovering they were automatically following accounts for Trump, as well as Vice President JD Vance, first lady Melania Trump and the White House.Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, denied claims they forced users to follow the accounts.The accounts are managed by the current presidential administration, and switch over when a new administration takes office, a spokesperson for Meta said.Former President Joe Biden's account remains archived under another handle, @potus46archive."People were not made to automatically follow any of ... Read More
Once-in-a-lifetime snowstorm hits Gulf Coast, with record-breaking snowfall in Florida
Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The Gulf Coast is digging out from a once-in-a-lifetime snowstorm that struck from Texas to Florida, closing airports and crippling roadways.Over 2,000 flights were canceled on Tuesday and more than 1,300 flights have been canceled on Wednesday.Multiple fatalities have been reported due to car crashes and hypothermia.In the Atlanta area, DeKalb County officials declared a state of emergency on Wednesday and are urging all residents to shelter in place due to the severe winter weather. Over 100 cars have been reported stranded on roadways, keeping crews from responding to emergencies, officials said.Many areas saw more snow than they have in at least 130 years.Florida saw its most snow on record, with a preliminary ... Read More
New York schools may implement cellphone ban
Robert Alexander/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Cellphones will no longer be allowed in New York schools if Gov. Kathy Hochul gets her way.The New York governor announced on Tuesday a proposal to ban smartphones from hallways, classrooms and during lunchtime."We are not developing the skills we need because kids are distracted by cellphones," Hochul said during a budget address in Albany. "I am announcing today a proposal that will transform our classrooms, return them to a place of learning."By restricting the use of devices from "bell to bell," Hochul said schools will be distraction-free, allowing students to focus solely on learning."Our kids will be finally free from the endless disruptions from social media and all the mental health pressures that come ... Read More
Once-in-a-lifetime snowstorm hits Gulf Coast, with record-breaking snowfall in Florida
An ABC News graphic shows the radar for the southeastern United States at 5 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (ABC News)(TALLAHASSEE, FL) -- For much of the Gulf Coast, the snowstorm that's expected to end soon was a once-in-a-lifetime snowstorm.Many areas saw more snow than they have in at least 130 years, making this truly a historic event.Florida just saw the most snow on record, with a preliminary 8.8 inches observed in Milton, which is north of Pensacola. This is the highest snow total on record for the state, according to the National Weather Service.Snow reports from the last 24 hours include about 1.2 inches in Houston, Texas. That's the official number because it was taken at the ... Read More
Police officer shot inside home they were responding to for help
Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff(RALEIGH, NC) -- A police officer has been seriously injured after a suspect opened fire at authorities from inside a home, officials said.Officers were called to a home in the Renaissance Park neighborhood of Raleigh, North Carolina, just after 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Raleigh Police Deputy Chief of Operations Rico Boyce said.Once at the scene, someone inside the home opened fire at responding officers, causing officers to return fire before striking and fatally wounding the suspect, police said.One officer was shot during the exchange and was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries, Boyce said.The incident was contained to the home, and the emergency alert that was sent to those in the area has since been ... Read More
New Jersey governor asks Trump to ‘reexamine’ nation’s first congestion pricing plan
Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images(NEW JERSEY) -- On Donald Trump's first day in office, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy asked the president and his administration to "reexamine" New York City's highly debated congestion pricing plan, the first of its kind in the nation, and its impact on the Garden State.Murphy said Tuesday he has not yet heard from Trump on his letter, which requested that "New York's congestion pricing scheme receive the close look it deserved but did not receive from the federal government last year."In the letter, Murphy noted the state plans to amend its pending lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration over congestion pricing. Murphy told reporters Tuesday that the Biden administration did an ... Read More
4 arrested in connection with burglary at Joe Burrow’s house
Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images, FILE(OHIO) -- Four Chilean nationals were arrested in connection with the burglary that occurred at Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's home in December, according to court records.On Jan. 10, 2025, a special agent with the Ohio State Highway Patrol spotted suspicious luggage being carried into a vehicle outside of a hotel in Fairborn, Ohio, according to court records.When the agent pulled the car over, Alexander Chavez, Bastian Morales, Jordan Sanchez and Sergio Cabello, allegedly showed the agent fake identification. The car smelled of marijuana and it was later confirmed that the four men were in the country illegally, court records filed in Clark County, Ohio, say.When police searched the car, they say they found "two Husky automatic center punch ... Read More
15 states challenge Trump’s executive order cutting birthright citizenship
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- President Donald Trump's bid to cut off birthright citizenship is a "flagrantly unlawful attempt to strip hundreds of thousands American-born children of their citizenship based on their parentage," attorneys for 15 states and the city of San Francisco said Tuesday in a lawsuit challenging the president's executive order signed just hours after he was sworn in Monday.The lawsuit accused Trump of seeking eliminate a "well-established and longstanding Constitutional principle" by executive fiat."The President has no authority to rewrite or nullify a constitutional amendment or duly enacted statute. Nor is he empowered by any other source of law to limit who receives United States citizenship at birth," the lawsuit said.Trump's order directed federal agencies ... Read More
Judge blocks DOJ from sharing Jack Smith’s classified docs report with members of Congress
Drew Angerer/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The federal judge who oversaw Donald Trump's classified documents case has blocked the Department of Justice from sharing special counsel Jack Smith's final report on his probe with select members of Congress.Judge Aileen Cannon, in an order issued one day after Trump's inauguration, offered a scathing criticism of the Department of Justice's "startling" conduct and willingness to "gamble" with the rights of Trump's former co-defendants by attempting to allow four members of Congress to review Smith's final report as directed by DOJ policy."Prosecutors play a special role in our criminal justice system and are entrusted and expected to do justice," Cannon wrote. "The Department of Justice's position on Defendants' Emergency Motion ... has not been faithful ... Read More
Trump renames Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’ among 1st executive orders
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Among the first executive orders signed by President Donald Trump was an order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the newly named "Gulf of America.""President Trump is bringing common sense to government and renewing the pillars of American civilization," the newly inaugurated president's executive order said.Trump also called for Alaska’s 20,000-foot mountain, Denali, to be reverted back to Mount McKinley, which was its name before former President Barack Obama had it changed in 2015.Trump's executive order calls for the U.S. secretary of the interior to change the names on federal maps.He has appointed former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum for the position.During his January press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump declared he would change the name, ... Read More
Historic snowstorm hitting the South from Texas to Florida
An ABC News graphic shows the weather forecast on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (ABC News)(NEW YORK) -- The first-ever blizzard warning has been issued for parts of Texas and Louisiana as a historic snowstorm begins in the Gulf Coast and then pushes east across the South.Over 7 inches of snow has been reported in Lafayette, Louisiana, and more than 5 inches of snow was reported near Beaumont, Texas -- the most snow Beaumont has seen in more than 100 years.Authorities in Zavala County, Texas, said several people were killed in a major accident on slippery roads.In Austin, Texas, county officials said they've responded to more than a dozen cold exposure calls, "including two fatal incidents." One hypothermia-related death was also reported ... Read More
Fire chief shot and killed after stopping to help driver who hit deer with their car
Facebook / Coweta County Fire Rescue(CHAMBERS COUNTY, AL) -- A fire chief in Alabama has been shot and killed after he stopped to help a driver who had hit a deer with their vehicle, police said.The incident occurred at approximately 5 p.m. on Sunday when Chambers County deputies in Alabama were dispatched to County Road 267 near U.S. 431 in the Stroud -- located about 100 miles northeast of Montgomery -- and found three individuals suffering from gunshot wounds upon their arrival, according to a statement from Chambers County Alabama Sheriff's Office released on Monday.One of the shooting victims -- identified as 54-year-old James Bartholomew Cauthen from Moreland, Georgia -- was deceased when authorities arrived. The other two were taken ... Read More
Big Lots reaches deal to keep hundreds of US stores open
COLUMBUS, Oh. (AP) — The discount chain Big Lots, which filed for bankruptcy protection in September, has reached a deal that will keep hundreds of its stores and distribution centers open. Big Lots said Friday it will be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, a firm that specializes in distressed companies. Gordon Brothers will then transfer Big Lots’ stores, distribution centers and other assets to other retailers. Variety Wholesalers Inc., which owns more than 400 discount stores in the U.S. Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, plans to acquire between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores and operate them under the Big Lots brand. Variety Wholesalers will also acquire up to two distribution centers. “This sale agreement and transfer present the strongest ... Read More
Government funding bill clears Congress and heads to President Biden, averting a shutdown
WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a government shutdown deadline, the Senate rushed through final passage early Saturday of a bipartisan plan that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, dropping President-elect Donald Trump's demands for a debt limit increase into the new year. House Speaker Mike Johnson had insisted Congress would “meet our obligations” and not allow federal operations to shutter ahead of the Christmas holiday season. But the day's outcome was uncertain after Trump doubled down on his insistence that a debt ceiling increase be included in any deal — if not, he said in an early morning post, let the closures “start now.” The House approved Johnson's new bill overwhelmingly, 366-34. The Senate worked into the night to ... Read More
Government funding plan collapses as Trump makes new demands days before shutdown
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown, instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out. Trump's sudden entrance into the debate and new demands sent Congress spiraling as lawmakers are trying to wrap up work and head home for the holidays. It left Johnson scrambling late into the night at the Capitol trying to engineer a new plan before Friday's deadline to keep government open. “Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH,” Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance said in a statement. The president-elect made an almost unrealistic proposal that combined some continuation of government funds along ... Read More
Prosecutors recommend resentencing Erik and Lyle Menendez in 1989 killings of their parents
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors will recommend Erik and Lyle Menendez be resentenced for the 1989 killings of their parents in the family’s Beverly Hills home, providing the brothers with a chance at freedom after 34 years behind bars. An official with knowledge of the decision who was not authorized to speak on the record ahead of a planned press conference confirmed that Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón would recommend resentencing for the brothers. They were sentenced in 1996 to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors must now seek court approval. Lyle Menendez, then 21, and Erik Menendez, then 18, admitted they fatally shot their entertainment executive father, Jose Menendez, and their mother, Kitty Menendez. ... Read More
Hurricane Milton live updates: Monster storm pummels Florida after landfall
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida's west coast Wednesday night as a Category 3 hurricane. The monster storm roared ashore with life-threatening storm surge, powerful winds and flooding rains. Here's how the news is developing. 4 killed in tornadoes in St. Lucie County Four people were killed by tornadoes in St. Lucie County on Florida’s east coast, county officials said. "Numerous homes" have "suffered significant damage," officials added. 25 minutes ago Roof of Tropicana Field rips off Wind gusts climbed to 97 mph in Tampa and 102 mph at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport as Milton slammed the coast. Milton's powerful winds even ripped part of the roof off of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays. A drone ... Read More
Fed cuts interest rate by half a point
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut its benchmark interest rate by an unusually large half-point, a dramatic shift after more than two years of high rates that helped tame inflation but also made borrowing painfully expensive for American consumers. The rate cut, the Fed’s first in more than four years, reflects its new focus on bolstering the job market, which has shown clear signs of slowing. Coming just weeks before the presidential election, the Fed’s move also has the potential to scramble the economic landscape just as Americans prepare to vote. The central bank’s action lowered its key rate to roughly 4.8%, down from a two-decade high of 5.3%, where it had stood for 14 months as ... Read MoreWynn Resorts paying $130M for letting illegal money reach gamblers at its Las Vegas Strip casino
LAS VEGAS -- Casino company Wynn Resorts Ltd. has agreed to pay $130 million to federal authorities and admit that it let unlicensed money transfer businesses around the world funnel funds to gamblers at its flagship Las Vegas Strip property. The publicly traded company said a non-prosecution settlement reached Friday represented a monetary figure identified by the U.S. Justice Department as “funds involved in the transactions at issue†at the Wynn Las Vegas resort. In statements to the media and to the federal Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said the forfeiture wasn’t a fine and findings in the decade-long case didn’t amount to money laundering. U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath in San Diego said the settlement showed that casinos are ... Read More
What we know about the shooter
WASHINGTON (AP) — The man identified as the shooter in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump was a 20-year-old from a Pittsburgh suburb not far from the campaign rally where one attendee was killed. Investigators were working Sunday to gather more information about Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who they say opened fire at the rally before being killed by Secret Service days before Trump was to accept the Republican nomination for a third time. An FBI official said late Saturday that investigators had not yet determined a motive. Two spectators were critically injured, authorities said. Relatives of Crooks didn’t immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press. His father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN late ... Read MorePrayers for Trump also pour in from political rivals
Prayers for the former president are also coming from his political opponents. “I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country,†said Sen. Chuck Schumer in a statement. “We should all condemn what happened today and I am hoping for the health of the former president and everyone else at the rally,†Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy posted on the social platform X. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a post on X that his “thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump†and expressed thanks “for the decisive law enforcement response.†... Read MoreWikiLeaks founder facing pivotal moment in long fight to stay out of US court
LONDON -- The host of a news conference about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition fight wryly welcomed journalists last week to the “millionth†press briefing on his court case. Deborah Bonetti, director of the Foreign Press Association, was only half joking. Assange’s legal saga has dragged on for well over a decade but it could come to an end in the U.K. as soon as Monday. Assange faces a hearing in London's High Court that could end with him being sent to the U.S. to face espionage charges, or provide him another chance to appeal his extradition. The outcome will depend on how much weight judges give to reassurances U.S. officials have provided that Assange's rights won't be trampled if ... Read More
DOJ schedules meeting with Boeing victims as decision nears over whether company breached prosecution deal
Thinkstock/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The Justice Department on Tuesday contacted the families of victims of two fatal Boeing 737 Max crashes as it nears a crucial decision over whether the company violated a 2021 deal that allowed it to escape criminal prosecution over the incidents, according to a letter obtained by ABC News.The letter, sent by the department's fraud section, invited families to attend a May 31 meeting where they will be informed of the DOJ's decision as to whether the company breached the deferred prosecution agreement, or DPA.If prosecutors believe they can make the case that Boeing violated the agreement's terms -- which demanded the company's continued cooperation with the government, a requirement it disclose any allegations of fraud, and ... Read More
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