Nancy Pelosi has served as Speaker of the House since 2019 and previously from 2007 to 2011. This comes after the midterm elections where the Republicans clinched a narrow majority in the House.
The rape conviction of movie producer Harvey Weinstein has been overturned by New York's highest court. The New York Court of Appeals, in a scathing 4-3 opinion, overturned Weinstein's conviction on sex crimes against three women, finding the trial judge "erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes." The court said that testimony "served no material non-propensity purpose" and "portrayed defendant in a highly prejudicial light."
A federal judge in New York on Thursday rejected former President Donald Trump's bid for a new trial in a defamation case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. "Contrary to the defendant's arguments, Ms. Carroll's compensatory damages were not awarded solely for her emotional distress; they were not for garden variety harms; and they were not excessive," Judge Lewis Kaplan wrote. "Mr. Trump's malicious and unceasing attacks on Ms. Carroll were disseminated to more than 100 million people," he added.
Two Alabama families welcomed babies named Johnny Cash and June Carter, both on April 10 and at the same hospital. Moms Sophie Clark and Nicole Davis told "Good Morning America" they couldn't resist meeting when they both learned of the amazing coincidence -- that their babies were named after the late Grammy-winning country singer-songwriters, who were married from 1968 till their deaths in 2003. Davis and her husband Johnny Lee Davis Jr. are parents of 12, and baby Johnny Cash Davis is their youngest.
Protests have broken out at colleges and universities across the country in connection with the war in Gaza. Many pro-Palestinian protesters are calling for their colleges to divest of funds from Israeli military operations, while some Jewish students on the campuses have called the protests antisemitic and said they are scared for their safety. The student protests -- some of which have turned into around-the-clock encampments -- have erupted throughout the nation following arrests and student removals at Columbia University in New York City.
"One Tree Hill" alum Sophia Bush is opening up about finding new love with former soccer player Ashlyn Harris. Bush filed for divorce from husband Grant Hughes on Aug. 4, 2023, noting the date of separation as June 27, 2023 -- just over one year after they tied the knot on June 11, 2022. Bush cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
Donna Kelce is weighing in on Taylor Swift's new album. Travis Kelce's mom offered her opinion on "The Tortured Poets Department" when speaking with People earlier this week. Kelce also spoke to Us Weekly, suggesting she needed to discuss a very important aspect of the album with Swift.
The Home Depot is "summoning" some frightening new additions to its Halloween skeleton collection. "In honor of halfway to Halloween, we're summoning limited quantities of Skelly plus some of our newest eerie additions: Skelly Dog, Inferno Deadwood Skelly and Frankenstein's Monster," the brand wrote on its page.
Describing her family's pain as "unbearable," the sister of slain Chicago police Officer Luis Huesca is pleading with the public to help investigators identify and catch a suspect who allegedly gunned him down and stole his gun and car as he arrived home from work. Huesca's sister, Lily O'Brien, said she had asked her 30-year-old bother to move across the country to be close to his nieces and nephews, but said he decided to stay in Chicago and protect his community. "He chose to stay here, which is why I feel like the community needs to show up for him the same way because he paid with his life to stay here," O'Brien told Chicago ABC station WLS this week.
Former President Donald Trump has blown up his fair share of deals on Capitol Hill, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says Trump's decision to hold his tongue on a massive $95 billion foreign aid package -- including critical aid for Ukraine -- may have made all the difference in getting the legislation across the finish line. McConnell had staked his legacy on passage of a national security aid package Tuesday night, securing billions in aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, and to get it done, he pushed back hard against the isolationist wing of his own party, convincing 30 other Republicans to join him.
Against the backdrop of a divisive 2024 presidential campaign, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday is taking up the monumental question of whether a former president turned presumptive GOP nominee can be criminally prosecuted for his efforts to stay in power after the last election. The case, Donald J. Trump v. United States, presents an unprecedented constitutional quandary for the court brought about by equally unprecedented actions by former President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden by a margin of 7 million popular votes. The outcome could determine whether Trump faces a federal trial this year on four felony counts pressed by special counsel Jack Smith, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and obstruction of an official proceeding, for his attempts to overturn the electoral vote count certifying Biden's victory.
It's the moment you've all been waiting for: Today, 538 launched our interactive polling averages for the 2024 presidential general election. Specifically, as of April 25 at 9 a.m. Eastern, our national polling average shows 40.9 percent of likely voters would support Biden if the election were held today, while 41.6 percent would support Trump. To communicate this, we are also publishing uncertainty intervals for our horse-race averages for the first time.
Days of torrential rain have triggered widespread flooding across parts of Kenya, turning roads into raging rivers and claiming dozens of lives. Half of Kenya's 47 counties have been affected by the flooding, which has killed at least 32 people and displaced more than 40,000 others from their homes, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which cited the Kenya Red Cross Society. The heavy rain began in Kenya in March during the start of the country's so-called long rains season and worsened over the past week, according to the Kenya Meteorological Department.
Peak summer travel season is fast approaching, and some cities abroad have already implemented fees in an attempt to protect popular destinations from potential damage from increased tourism. Bustling European cities from Barcelona to Amsterdam that get flooded with tourists, especially at historical hotspots during the high season, have used tourist taxes to help raise revenue without taxing local citizens. Now, the city of bridges is following in the footsteps of Spain, Greece and Germany, which have all utilized a similar fee-based approach, testing a new entry fee for any visitors who come to Venice just for the day.
A whale-watching excursion that embarks straight from New York City offers passengers an opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle and assist in a much-needed conservation efforts for the marine mammal. Gotham Whale, and research education and advocacy organization based in Staten Island, collects data of sightings from whale-watchers and boaters throughout the New York Bight, which includes the coasts of Long Island and New Jersey. Danielle Brown, director of marine mammal research for Gotham Whale and naturalist for Jersey Shore Whale Watch, told ABC News.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday on whether former President Donald Trump can be criminally prosecuted over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. The justices took up the monumental question of if, and if so to what extent, former presidents enjoy immunity for conduct alleged to involve official acts during their time in office. The high court's ruling will determine if Trump stands trial before the November election on four charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith, including conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Barcelona is among the top 20 summer destinations of 2024, and for anyone planning to visit the bustling Mediterranean metropolis known for its art and architecture, or other tourist-filled hotspots during high-season, there may be some additional costs to consider. Many countries across Europe including Spain, Greece, Germany and most recently Venice, have implemented fees for foreign visitors to help support local costs of doing business, especially during the busy summer months. It's similar to that of a hotel occupancy tax that American travelers may be more familiar with for domestic stays.
The Biden administration on Thursday announced a series of new rules to cut pollution emitted from coal and natural gas fired power plants impacting the air, water, land and climate. "At the same time, the power sector is also a major contributor to the pollution that drives climate change and threatens public health." "At EPA it is our responsibility to act within the bounds of our legal authority and assess impacts in a way that is smart, effective, follows the latest science and enables our economy to grow and thrive," he added.
Donald Trump's hush money trial is underway in New York, and the historic case is drawing attention to past incidents of high-profile litigation involving political stars and allegations of salacious affairs. Trump is facing felony charges related to a payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election. Others have tried to draw a comparison with it former President Bill Clinton's settlement with Paula Jones in 1998 to end a yearslong sexual harassment lawsuit.
The United States and Niger are discussing plans to withdraw American troops from the West African nation, ending more than a decade of U.S. military presence in the country. Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed during Tuesday's press briefing that "discussions have begun between the United States and Niger for the orderly withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country."
The overall number of births in the United States dropped in 2023 as teenage births reached a record low, according to new provisional federal data published early Thursday. In 2023, there were 3.59 million births recorded, a 2% decline from the 3.66 million recorded in 2022, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.