US fighter jets shoot down Chinese spy balloon
Pentagon officials confirm that the balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina after floating over the U.S. for days.
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ABC NewsHouston area facing 'life-threatening' flood conditions as severe weather pummels Texas
The Houston area is facing "life-threatening" flood conditions, officials warned, as severe weather pummels parts of Texas. A flood watch is in effect Thursday in southeastern Texas and Louisiana. Numerous flash flood warnings are also in effect, as up to 8 inches of rain has already fallen in some parts of southeastern Texas Thursday.
- Good Morning America
9-year-old credited with helping to save parents amid tornado
Oklahoma Gov. J. Kevin Stitt said that at least four people were killed in the storms that slammed his state. In the town of Dickson, the Baker family was caught up in the severe weather on Saturday, including parents Marvin Wayne Baker and Lindy Baker and their 9-year-old son Branson. Johnny Baker, Wayne Baker's brother, told "Good Morning America" he had been on the phone with his brother as they tried to race to the safety of their friend Jason's storm shelter when the line cut out.
- ABC News
First heatwave of the year expected to hit Southern states next week
Spring may be short-lived in the South, with the first major heat wave of 2024 expected to scorch Southern states from Texas to Florida next week. After a weather year filled with deep freezes, atmospheric rivers and destructive tornadoes across parts of the U.S., weather forecasts for the upcoming season call for blistering heat waves that could impact Americans across the country. Numerous daily high-temperature records could be broken by the middle and end of next week across the South and Southeast, with highs in the 90s.
- ABC News
Russian troops operating out of same base in Niger that hosts some US troops, 2 officials say
Russian military personnel are operating out of an air base in Niger that is still hosting a small number of American troops, two U.S. officials tell ABC News. The officials said the presence of Russians at Niger's "Airport 101" near the capital of Niamey did not present an immediate security concern to U.S. troops. The Russian troops were operating out of a hangar at a location far away from U.S. forces and not on any property owned or being used by the United States, the officials said Thursday.
- ABC News
Captain sentenced to 4 years in prison for deadly boat fire
The captain of a scuba dive boat that caught fire off the California coast in 2019, killing 34 people, was sentenced to four years in federal prison on Thursday, the Department of Justice said. A federal jury found Jerry Boylan, 70, of Santa Barbara, guilty of seaman's manslaughter in November 2023 in connection with the deadly boat fire. Boylan was the captain of the Conception, a 75-foot boat that caught fire while it was docked at Platt's Harbor near Santa Cruz Island during a scuba diving excursion in the early morning hours on Sept. 2, 2019, while passengers and crew members were sleeping.
- ABC News
Ariz. governor signs repeal of 1864 abortion ban, but law may still temporarily take effect
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Thursday signed repeal legislation of a long dormant, near-total abortion ban that was recently revived by the state Supreme Court, stirring widespread controversy and debate. "While I'm proud to sign this bill and provide a moment of relief for Arizonans, we still have work to do," she said at a ceremony, flanked by state legislators and abortion access advocates. Hobbs' signature will reverse the pending reactivation of the restrictive abortion law that dates to 1864 -- but it won't do so immediately.
- ABC News
Authorities arrest suspect in killing of Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca
The Chicago Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force took Xavier L. Tate Jr. into custody on suspicion of the murder of Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca. Tate Jr. was found Wednesday night in the Chicago suburb of Glendale Heights, Illinois, police said. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said Huesca's death was the result of "an act of unconscionable gun violence in our city."
- ABC News
4 big takeaways from Day 10 of Trump's hush money trial
Attorneys for Donald Trump in his criminal hush money trial on Thursday attempted to frame Keith Davidson, a Los Angeles-based attorney who represented Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, as an unsavory figure who made a career of extorting wealthy celebrities for shady clients. Jurors also heard the voice of a man whose name has come up repeatedly in these proceedings: Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen. Both parties played audio recordings of phone conversations he surreptitiously recorded, including one in which Cohen said Donald Trump told him: "I hate the fact that we did it," referring to the nondisclosure deal with Stormy Daniels.
- ABC News
Hawaii counties get more say over short-term rentals amid housing crisis in aftermath of Maui wildfires
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed a bill into law to give counties more authority to regulate short-term vacation rentals amid the ongoing state housing crisis and aftermath of the Maui wildfires. Now, a day after the bill signing, local advocates from Lāhainā Strong are joining County Maui Mayor Richard Bissen to announce a new policy aimed at regulating and phasing out "thousands of transient vacation rentals that have not gone through the traditional permitting process." The Maui wildfires in August 2023 exacerbated the island's housing crisis, burning thousands of structures and displacing thousands of residents.
- ABC News
Poultry enterprise in California to pay $4.8M after employing children to work with sharp knives
The owners and operators of a network of California poultry processors and distributors were ordered to pay $4.8 million in back wages and damages and to give up $1 million in profits after a Department of Labor investigation found the owners illegally employed children as young as 14 to work dangerous jobs. The wage settlement is one of the largest ever reached for U.S. poultry workers, the DOL said in a statement. The investigation by the department's Wage and House Division involving A1 Meat Solutions, JRC Culinary Group, Moon Poultry and five other businesses alleged that the enterprise employed children in dangerous conditions, including using sharp knives to debone poultry.
- Good Morning America
Woman wins $1 million lottery prize for 2nd time in 10 weeks
Christine Wilson of Attleborough won a $1 million jackpot, the Massachusetts State Lottery announced this week, marking her second time winning the prize in 10 weeks. Wilson claimed her first $1 million prize on Feb. 23 on the "Lifetime Millions" $50 instant ticket game that she bought at Dubs's Discount Liquors, in Mansfield.
- ABC News
Trump trial: Possibility of contempt again hangs over Trump
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. Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, former President Trump signaled that he might not be taking the stand in the trial in response to a question about what he thought of Keith Davidson's testimony.
- ABC News
Biden campaign slams Trump's latest unwillingness to accept results of 2024 election
President Joe Biden's campaign on Thursday attacked former President Donald Trump after Trump doubled down on saying that he wouldn't commit to accepting the results of the upcoming presidential election. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, did go on to say he anticipates the 2024 election will be "honest." In response to Trump's comments, the Biden campaign released a statement accusing Trump of being a "danger to the Constitution and a threat to our democracy."
- Good Morning America
Halle Berry shouts 'I'm in menopause' on Capitol Hill as she fights for funding to improve women's care
Actress Halle Berry was joined by a group of bipartisan senators on Capitol Hill Thursday to push for legislation that would put $275 million towards research and education around menopause. The legislation calls for the federal government to spend more on clinical trials on menopause as well as the hormone therapy that is used to treat hot flashes and other symptoms. "I'm in menopause, OK?" Berry yelled, to laughs from the crowd.
- ABC News
Firefighting foam polluted water with PFAS. Decades later, Pentagon changes course
Foamy suds on the surface and along the shoreline are remnants of firefighting foam used at nearby Wurstmuth Air Force base, once the home to America's fleet of B-52 bombers during the Cold War. "It was used three or four or five times a week in training, and they would foam down the entire runway," said Tony Spaniola, an Oscoda resident who lives along the lake. The foam, developed by the military decades ago, contains per-and poly-fluroalkyl substances, or PFAS -- so-called "forever chemicals" because they never break down.
- Good Morning America
11 sets of twins set to graduate high school together
A senior class at a Pennsylvania high school has had "double the fun" the past four years. The graduating class of 2024 at Norwin High School in Irwin includes 11 sets of twins, according to the school's principal, Dr. Michael Choby.
- ABC News
Interest rates could be high for much longer. Here's what it means for your finances
For months, the Federal Reserve has forecasted interest rate cuts that would deliver much-needed relief for Americans burdened by high mortgage and credit card loans. At a press conference this week, however, Fed Chair Jerome Powell cast doubt on whether those rate cuts would arrive after all, saying the Fed needs to “gain greater confidence” that inflation is headed toward an acceptable level. The prospect of high interest rates for a longer period of time could exacerbate the financial pain already imposed by elevated borrowing costs, making loans expensive even as consumers still weather elevated prices, experts told ABC News.
- ABC News
'Violent protest is not protected,' Biden says of college campus unrest
President Joe Biden on Thursday spoke out from the White House on college protests happening across the nation in connection with the Israel-Hamas war. "We've all seen images, and they put to the test two fundamental American principles," Biden said from the Roosevelt Room. It marked the first time Biden directly addressed the issue since his brief comments to reporters on April 22, before the escalation of suspensions and arrests at several campuses.
- Good Morning America
Novo Nordisk announces $6B investment in Ozempic, Wegovy amid shortages
Novo Nordisk, the maker of popular drugs used for weight loss including Ozempic and Wegovy, says it is investing over $6 billion dollars to help meet the increased demand for the drugs amid ongoing shortages and high prices. Negelle Morris, senior vice president and head of U.S. cardiometabolic sales at Novo Nordisk Inc., warned though that even with the increased investment, there will still likely be a delay in getting the drugs to the market.
- Good Morning America
Student who is blind pursues her dreams with the help of her teachers
At St. Joseph's School for the Blind in Jersey City, New Jersey, Ana Centeno, 19, stands out not just for her notable achievements but also for her ability to navigate her challenges and cultivate distinct capabilities to enrich her life and inspire others. Blind since birth, Centeno has attended St. Joseph's School for the Blind for 16 years. Established in 1891 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, St. Joseph's School for the Blind provides programs for the visually impaired and students with disabilities from birth to adulthood, according to its website.