Walmart announces wage hike
Walmart announced it will raise its average hourly wage to more than $17.50 an hour.
Latest Stories
ABC News5 big takeaways from Day 3 of Trump's hush money trial
Twelve jurors have been seated in the historic criminal hush money trial of former President Donald Trump. Jury selection is scheduled to resume on Friday to find the remaining five alternate jurors for the case. Opening statements are expected as early as Monday.
- ABC News
Columbia University protest: Over 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators, including Rep. Omar's daughter, arrested
More than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University were arrested Thursday afternoon and an on-campus tent encampment was removed after the school's president gave the New York Police Department the green light to clear the protesters, officials said. The demonstrators had occupied Columbia's south lawn for over 30 hours "in violation of the university's rules" and did not leave despite "numerous warnings," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. Columbia President Nemat "Minouche" Shafik announced in a letter to the Columbia community Thursday that she has authorized the New York Police Department to clear demonstrators from campus, writing, "This morning, I had to make a decision that I hoped would never be necessary."
- ABC News
Maryland teen accused of threatening school shooting after 'memoir' raises alarms
A Maryland teenager has been arrested on a charge of threatening mass violence after investigators say they uncovered evidence that he made plans to carry out a shooting at a Montgomery County school. Eighteen-year-old Alex Ye, of Rockville, whose legal name is Andrea Ye, was arrested on Wednesday after law enforcement was alerted to a 129-page "memoir" he allegedly authored that included descriptions of shooting up both a high school and elementary school, court records show. The witness also believed the writings indicated Ye was prepared to carry out a mass shooting imminently, the court documents state, and Ye later described the writings as "his memoir" when speaking with law enforcement.
- ABC News
DeSantis scales back book ban law amid spike in Florida book objections
As Florida schools face a growing number of book ban attempts, Gov. Ron DeSantis is scaling back policies that made it easier for people to challenge materials in schools. In 2022, DeSantis signed HB 1467, which required elementary schools to provide a searchable list of the books accessible to students in libraries or classrooms and allow for public comment on all new materials. Other recent legislation signed by DeSantis, including the Parental Rights in Education Bill and the Stop WOKE Act, restricts content on race and LGBTQ identities in schools and has further impacted access to classroom materials.
- Good Morning America
What to know about Carrie Underwood's 2 kids
Carrie Underwood enjoys being a mother of two. Underwood shares her two kids Isaiah, 9, and Jacob, 5, with husband Mike Fisher and regularly posts updates of them celebrating their milestones on her social media platforms. Speaking with People in 2017, Underwood discussed the importance of balancing work and motherhood.
- ABC News
Judge rejects Trump effort to pause Jan. 6 civil lawsuits while criminal case is ongoing
A federal judge has rejected an effort by former President Donald Trump to pause several civil lawsuits filed against him seeking to hold him accountable for his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 riot, according to a newly posted ruling. Trump had asked D.C. District Judge Amit Mehta to stay proceedings in the lawsuits -- brought by several members of Congress and police officers who protected the Capitol on Jan. 6 -- while his federal criminal case brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith was ongoing. Trump's attorneys reasoned that defending himself from the lawsuits could improperly impact his defense strategy in his criminal case, which Mehta rejected in his ruling Thursday afternoon.
- ABC News
San Francisco sues Oakland over proposed airport name change
The city of San Francisco is suing the nearby city of Oakland over the latter's plan to modify its airport name to include "San Francisco," arguing that the proposed name infringes on its trademark and would "cause confusion and chaos." San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit on Thursday, a week after the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners preliminarily approved a plan to rename Metropolitan Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.
- Good Morning America
Medical student leaves message for late mom after matching for residency
A medical student left a message to her late mom via a voicemail after matching for a residency program of her choice and the emotional moment was captured in a video that was shared online. When Paighton Noel was accepted into University of Utah as a medical student in 2020, she made a phone call to her mom Jacquie Sorrells to deliver her the news. "I am accepted into University of Utah's medical class of 2020," Paighton told her mom at the time.
- ABC News
LAPD officer who killed teen bystander with stray bullet while she was Christmas shopping will not be charged
A Los Angeles police officer will not be charged after a stray bullet he fired killed a 14-year-old bystander during a police-involved shooting in December 2021, the California Department of Justice announced. In a report released Wednesday, the state DOJ said it had concluded that criminal charges were "not appropriate" following a thorough investigation and cited "insufficient evidence" for criminal prosecution of the officer. The teen, Valentina Orellana Peralta, was struck by the stray bullet while Christmas shopping with her mother in North Hollywood on Dec. 23, 2021, after police officers responded to a report of an active shooter at a Burlington Coat Factory, according to the state DOJ.
- ABC News
Some Iranian women say they fear war with Israel amid violent hijab crackdown
In the wake of Iran's unprecedented airstrikes on Israel, dozens of Iranians gathered in Tehran's Palestine Square earlier this week to celebrate what the Iranian regime described as a retaliatory attack. ABC News spoke to several women in Iran who said the fear of an imminent war has been added to a long list of worries and hardships they have been grappling with for years. Iran sent a barrage of more than 300 different types of drones and missiles toward Israel late Saturday, days after a suspected Israeli airstrike hit the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria.
- Good Morning America
Trader Joe's recalls basil amid salmonella outbreak, investigation
Trader Joe's shoppers with an affinity for homemade pesto, Caprese salad or other dishes that utilize fresh basil should check their fridge for a newly recalled plastic clamshell container of the organic herb. "Do not eat Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil sold at Trader Joe's stores in 29 states and D.C.," the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned on Wednesday amid an ongoing salmonella investigation being carried out in tandem with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Good Morning America
Orlando Bloom talks falling in love with Katy Perry despite her superstar status
"Her music was everywhere ... when I came up, it was just on every radio station," said Bloom, explaining the basis of his relationship with Perry. Bloom said he fell in love with Perry for who she really is. Bloom further clarified the Santa Barbara Perry came from was not the sun-kissed beach paradise for the wealthy that some think of California coastal towns.
- ABC News
Polish citizen accused of spying for Russia in potential plot to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
A Polish citizen was arrested for allegedly spying for the Russian government as part of a potential assassination attempt against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the top prosecutors in Poland and Ukraine said Thursday. The Polish citizen, identified as Pawel K., was charged with readiness to act for foreign intelligence against the Republic of Poland, the Polish National Prosecutor's Office said in a press release.
- ABC News
ER visits for heat illness rose in 2023 amid record-breaking temperatures: CDC
Between Jan. 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2023, there were a total of 119,605 ER visits for heat-related illnesses, with 92% of those visits occurring between May and September, according to a report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July and August had higher than average ER visits due to heat than other warm-season months, including May, June and September, according to the report, which looked at data of ER visits caused by heat in 2023 and compared it t visits between 2018 and 2022. The risk of heat-related ER visits during July and August 2023 was more than three times that seen in May, June, and September.
- ABC News
911 outages in several states caused by company installing a light pole
Several states experienced 911 call outages Wednesday evening, which emergency call system service provider Lumen said were caused by a light pole installation done by a third party. A Lumen spokesperson said Thursday in a statement to ABC News, "Some customers in Nevada, South Dakota, and Nebraska experienced an outage due to a third-party company installing a light pole -- unrelated to our services." "We restored all services in approximately two and a half hours," Lumen said.
- Good Morning America
Prince Harry changes residence to US in company filing
Four years after moving to the United States from Britain, Prince Harry, fifth in line to the British throne, has named the U.S. as his official residence. Harry, 39, listed the United States as his "New Country/State Usually Resident," on documents filed this week with Companies House, a government-run registry of companies in the United Kingdom. The registration, filed under Harry's full name, "Prince Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex", was updated for Travalyst, the sustainable travel initiative he launched in 2019.
- Good Morning America
Dickey Betts, influential Allman Brothers Band singer, songwriter and guitarist, dead at 80
Dickey Betts, the influential singer, songwriter and guitarist for Southern rock legends the Allman Brothers Band, has died at age 80. "It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the Betts family announce the peaceful passing of Forrest Richard 'Dickey' Betts (December 12, 1943 - April 18, 2024) at the age of 80 years old," reads a statement posted on Betts' official Instagram page. Betts co-founded Allman Brothers Band in 1969 along with brothers Duane and Gregg Allman, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe Johanson, releasing their self-titled debut that year.
- Good Morning America
New Beyond Meat plant-based beef made with avocado oil for nutrient-dense, simplified ingredients
Beyond Meat has pared down its ingredient list and upgraded the recipe to add more nutrient-dense plant-based ingredients -- including heart-healthy avocado oil -- for its latest innovation of the plant-based meat alternative. The California-based company announced its new and improved Beyond Meat IV on Thursday as two new products, Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef, roll out with a fresh new look at grocery stores nationwide. Thanks to the nutritional advancements in Beyond Meat's new recipe, the company is the first to be recognized by the American Heart Association, as well as the American Diabetes Association for its Better Choices for Life program, which is reflected on the new packaging.
- ABC News
Oklahoma man arrested in pipe-bomb attack on Massachusetts Satanic Temple
An Oklahoma man has been arrested on charges of allegedly throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple in Salem, Massachusetts, according to federal prosecutors. The suspect, 49-year-old Sean Patrick Palmer of Perkins, Oklahoma, was arrested Wednesday morning in Oklahoma, authorities said. The attack, captured on a security surveillance camera outside of the temple, occurred at 4:14 a.m. on April 8, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts said in a statement.
- Good Morning America
Biden, in counter to RFK Jr., gets endorsement of other Kennedy family members
Kerry Kennedy, a daughter of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, joined Biden along with some of her relatives and said another Donald Trump presidency would "horrify" her father. "We can say today, with no less urgency, that our rights and freedoms are once again in peril," Kerry Kennedy said during one of Biden's campaign events in Philadelphia.