ABC News Live Prime: Monday, January 16, 2023
President Joe Biden questioned over his handling of classified documents; investigation into near-collision of two planes at JFK Airport; drill music lyrics used against artists in court.
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ABC NewsTrump trial live updates: Stormy Daniels reacts to suggestion she was faking Trump sex story
Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election. Defense attorney Susan Necheles entered in front of him, smiling.
- Good Morning America
Transair Boeing 737 skids off runway in Senegal
A Boeing 737-300 airplane crashed during takeoff at Senegal's Blaise Diagne International Airport, local officials said. Air Senegal flight HC301, which was operated by Transair, "overran the runway" at about 1:14 a.m. on Thursday, Senegal's Ministry of Infrastructure, Land and Air Transport said in an statement in French. Blaise Diagne is the main airport servicing Dakar, the Senegalese capital.
- Good Morning America
Multiple tornadoes strike across 6 states with more than 350 damaging storm reports across US
At least 13 tornadoes were reported across Kansas, Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, South Dakota and Missouri in the last 24 hours, with more than 350 damaging storm reports from Kansas to the Carolinas, including hail larger than a softball in Missouri and wind gusts up to 72 mph in Indiana. There was a tornado emergency issued near Huntsville, Alabama, overnight into Thursday, including at least one reported tornado that produced damage. In addition to all the severe weather, a flash flood emergency was issued north of Nashville, Tennessee, where some areas got more than 8 inches of rain in just a matter of hours.
- ABC News
Study explores elephant greetings and how they change based on social relationships
As it happens, researchers are learning more about how the animals greet each other, and how relationships among the social species could impact that communication. African elephants use different combinations of gestures and vocalizations in their greetings, such as ear-flapping and vocalizations – behavior that may promote individual recognition and social bonding, according to a paper published Thursday in the journal Communications Biology. The study, which monitored the vocalizations and physical actions of nine semi-captive elephants living in a savannah within the Jafuta Reserve in Zimbabwe, also found that the elephants may change how they greet one another depending upon whether the other elephant is looking at them.
- ABC News
Biden administration steps up pressure on Israel over cease-fire, hostage talks as Rafah assault intensifies
As Israel has stepped up its military assault on Rafah, the Biden administration has intensified its efforts to prevent its ally from launching its long-promised major ground invasion into the city in southern Gaza -- a step that would cross a red line set by President Joe Biden and one that officials fear could derail negotiations to secure a cease-fire and free hostages imprisoned in the enclave. Although Israel continued to launch strikes on Rafah and maintained control of the critical border crossing there on Wednesday, U.S. officials in Washington have continued to describe the operation as "limited in scope." Biden told CNN Wednesday that American bombs have been used to kill civilians in Gaza and he doubled down on his administration's plan to withhold weapons that Israel could use as part of a major invasion of Rafah.
- ABC News
Witnesses tell lawmakers US intel community downplaying cases of mysterious 'Havana syndrome'
Witnesses testifying at a congressional hearing have accused the U.S. intelligence community of deliberately downplaying dozens of Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs) affecting U.S. personnel, often referred to as "Havana syndrome." "It is my view that the executive branch, particularly at the behest of and manipulation by officials within CIA, is not truthfully reporting what it knows," said Mark Zaid, an attorney representing more than two dozen victims of "Havana syndrome," citing U.S. intelligence that he says he's seen in his work but could not reveal in an unclassified setting. An assessment released last year by the U.S. intelligence community found it was "very unlikely" that a foreign adversary was behind the cases of the so-called "Havana syndrome" affecting U.S. diplomats, intelligence community members, and Defense Department officials.
- ABC News
RFK Jr. claims doctor said parasite 'ate' part of his brain
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign on Wednesday responded to a New York Times report that described an incident where the independent candidate claimed a doctor told him that a parasitic worm was found in his brain more than a decade ago. In a 2012 deposition during a divorce from his second wife, Kennedy revealed that a doctor found a dead parasite in his brain -- one of multiple health conditions Kennedy said may have caused what he described in the deposition as "cognitive problems" he had experienced at the time, according to according to The New York Times. In a statement, Kennedy spokeswoman Stefanie Spear said the candidate contracted a parasite during his travel as an environmental advocate -- likely when he visited either Africa, South America or Asia.
- Good Morning America
Here's what legal experts say Stormy Daniels' testimony could mean for Trump
Stormy Daniels' testimony at former president Donald Trump's hush money trial on Tuesday was salacious. The adult film star's allegations -- that she had sex with Trump, and he paid $130,000 to keep her quiet -- are central to prosecutors' claims that he falsified business records to protect his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has denied the financial charges in this case and has denied Daniels' claims of a sexual encounter.
- Good Morning America
TikTok sues to block potential ban. Can it win?
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, struck the latest blow in a high-stakes clash between the social media company and the U.S. government, filing a lawsuit this week challenging a forced sale of TikTok as unconstitutional. The case could nullify the measure enacted last month that requires ByteDance to sell the platform or suffer a ban of TikTok. The move raises a question for roughly 170 million TikTok users and others interested in the outcome: Can TikTok win in the courts?
- Good Morning America
Exclusive: Mom speaks out after Air Force rescued her son at sea from a cruise ship
A mother from Massachusetts spoke exclusively to ABC News after her 12-year-old son was part of a high-stakes cruise ship rescue by the Air Force, hundreds of miles off shore. Angela Bridges was aboard the Carnival Venezia cruise ship with her family, including son Aiden, en route to New York City from the Caribbean when he fell seriously ill, concerning the medical team on board. At the time of the critical medical incident, the ship was outside of North Carolina and more than 350 nautical miles off the coast.
- Good Morning America
TikTok to automatically label AI-generated content
TikTok announced on "GMA" Thursday morning that beginning immediately, the social media giant will automatically label Artificial Intelligence-generated content when it is uploaded from certain platforms. Adam Presser, TikTok's Head of Operations & Trust and Safety told ABC News in an exclusive interview. The social media giant says they are becoming the first video-sharing platform to implement Content Credentials technology -- an open technical standard providing publishers, creators, and consumers the ability to trace the origin of different types of media.
- Good Morning America
Family speaks out on $3.8 million settlement following Atlanta deacon's death after tasing
The family of Johnny Hollman, the 62-year-old Atlanta deacon who died after an Atlanta police officer tased him following a minor crash in August 2023, spoke out after reaching a $3.8 million settlement with the city of Atlanta. The Atlanta City Council unanimously voted in favor of the settlement on Monday night, agreeing to pay $3.8 million to settle a civil lawsuit filed in January by the Hollman family against the city of Atlanta, former police officer Kiran Kimbrough and Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.
- ABC News
Grandfather pays homeless woman $20 to watch granddaughter while he got drunk at bar for hours: Police
A grandfather has been arrested after paying a homeless woman $20 to look after his 7-year-old granddaughter while he got drunk at a bar for hours, police say. The incident occurred on Monday evening at approximately 7:45 p.m. when deputies from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s North Patrol responded to the parking lot of a bar on the 5300 block of Auburn Boulevard in Sacramento, California, when, according to police, a passerby called the emergency services to reports of a 54-year-old man “asking people for help because his 7-year-old granddaughter had been kidnapped for human trafficking.” When deputies arrived on scene, they ended up speaking with the suspect, a 54-year-old grandfather named Jason Warren who they noticed was “highly intoxicated” from the moment they made contact with him, police said.
- ABC News
Militants have committed crimes against humanity in Sudan, Human Rights Watch report warns
Ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity have been committed in El Geneina, West Darfur, against ethnic Massalit and non-Arab communities, according to a report released Thursday by Human Rights Watch. The Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, paramilitary group and allied militias have committed "numerous serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law" as part of their campaign against the Massalit people of El Geneina, the report said. "The events are among the worst atrocities against civilians so far in the current conflict in Sudan," HRW said.
- Good Morning America
Elmo shares mental health help after ‘How is everybody doing’ question goes viral
For over five decades, "Sesame Street" has been educating generations with invaluable life lessons and is now continuing to deliver the task with a new initiative through its nonprofit Sesame Workshop. Earlier this year, Elmo, the beloved character from the TV series, experienced a viral moment on social media after asking a seemingly simple question. The conversation drove a spotlight on the mental health crisis among adults in the country.
- ABC News
3 children, 2 adults in critical condition following possible targeted shooting in San Antonio, Texas: Police
Five individuals, including three children under 10, were shot at a residence in San Antonio, Texas, Wednesday night in what authorities believe was a targeted shooting. All of the victims -- two adults and three children -- are in critical condition, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said at a media briefing. At about 7:40 p.m. CT, officers responded to a call about a shooting on the 6700 block of Windsor Hollow Dr. in San Antonio, Salazar said.
- ABC News
Barron Trump picked to serve as a Florida delegate at Republican National Convention
Barron Trump, the youngest child of former President Donald Trump, was chosen as one of Florida's at-large delegates for the Republican National Convention, according to a list of delegates obtained by ABC News. In response to the news of Barron Trump being selected as one of Florida's at-large delegates to the Republican National Convention, a Trump campaign official told ABC News that the former president's youngest son is "very interested" in the political process.
- ABC News
Rev. Al Sharpton and Ben Crump speak at funeral for Ohio man who died last month while in police custody
Funeral services were held Wednesday for a 53-year-old man who died after being detained by police in Ohio last month. Frank Tyson's hands were cuffed behind his back, and he was placed on his stomach at a social establishment in Canton. Rev. Al Sharpton and civil rights attorney Ben Crump spoke at Tyson's memorial at the Hear the Word Ministries church.
- Good Morning America
50 million Americans under severe weather threats amid multiday tornado outbreak
More than 50 million Americans, from Texas to Missouri to the Carolinas, are under severe weather and tornado threats Wednesday night. One person has died and four others were injured after storms moved through Maury County, Tennessee, Maury Regional Health told ABC News. Wednesday marks the fourth multiday tornado outbreak in four weeks.
- ABC News
Biden says US will not provide Israel with weapons to use in major Rafah invasion
President Joe Biden said Wednesday that American bombs have been used to kill civilians in Gaza and doubled down on his administration's plan to withhold weapons that Israel could use as part of a major invasion of Rafah. At least 30 people had been killed in Rafah since Tuesday, including women and children, the Al Kuwaiti hospital spokesperson in Rafah told ABC News. More than 33,000 have been killed overall in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.