(DEMING, N.M.) — Authorities in three New Mexico cities are investigating suspicious devices found Monday.
In Deming, New Mexico, located about 35 miles from the southern border, police confirmed they found an explosive device and are asking people to avoid traveling in the area out of fear of a second one. The explosive device was found near Luna County Magistrate Court, according to the Deming Police Department.
Another item was found at an adult probation center in Las Cruces and a third at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Albuquerque. Authorities have not confirmed whether those contained explosive devices like the one in Deming.
The one in Albuquerque, which was seen by X-ray at a loading dock, contained a pipe-shaped item inside with wires, according to sources.
The New Mexico State Police and local law enforcement are investigating.
The FBI is assisting in the investigation.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — Earth is in the midst of a moderate solar storm – but will it be strong enough to cause technology disruptions?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a geomagnetic storm watch after a coronal mass ejection (CME) – a powerful burst of magnetized plasma from the sun’s corona, its outermost layer – was observed lifting off the sun on Sunday.
The CME is expected to cause a moderate solar storm here on Earth on Monday and Tuesday, according to NOAA.
So what, exactly, does it all mean, and should we be worried?
What is a solar storm?
A solar storm, also known as geomagnetic storm, occurs when the solar wind – which consists of charged particles that are constantly streaming from the sun – interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, or magnetosphere, causing a significant disturbance, according to NASA. The type and severity of that disturbance depends on variations in the solar wind, which can produce major changes in the currents, plasmas and fields in Earth’s magnetosphere.
The current solar storm resulted from an eruption from a filament, which is a magnetic field suspended above the sun’s surface that contains billions of tons of solar material, Shawn Dahl, coordinator for NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, told ABC News. When that magnetic field becomes unstable, it can sometimes eject material into space, dragging a very strong, localized magnetic field with it, Dahl said.
These filament eruptions are what caused the solar storms observed on Saturday, Sunday, and again on Monday morning, Dahl said.
How solar storms can affect technology
Intense geomagnetic storms can bombard the Earth with subatomic particles, in turn potentially disrupting navigation systems by interfering with radio and GPS signals, as well as electrical power networks, according to NOAA. The storm also adds energy to currents in the magnetosphere in the form of heat that can increase both the density and distribution of density in the upper atmosphere, in turn causing extra drag on satellites in low-Earth orbit.
“This is what so many things rely on when we’re communicating with satellites in space,” Dahl said.
This storm should not bring any major impacts to everyday life, Dahl said. While the power grid may notice anomalous activity on high-voltage transmission lines, they are equipped to handle a slight disruption, Dahl added.
In addition, if anything starts to happen with satellites that are in a low-Earth orbit, and the atmosphere there heats up because of the geomagnetic storm activity, measures can be taken to keep satellites at their proper orbital height, Dahl said.
Where the northern lights will be visible in the U.S.
One of the most common manifestations of CMEs impacting the Earth’s magnetosphere is the aurora borealis, more commonly known as the northern lights, in which the interaction creates ribbons of light in the far northern skies that glow green, pink and other colors. In the Southern hemisphere, the phenomenon is known as the aurora australis, or southern lights. The glowing ribbons occur as the energy states return to normal, Dahl told ABC News.
“That light is what we see in the form of the aurora,” he said.
The stronger the solar storm, the father south the northern lights can be seen.
NOAA ranks geomagnetic storms on a five-point scale, with those rated G5, the strongest, being capable of widespread voltage control problems that could lead to power blackouts or even the complete collapse of some power grid systems. In this scenario, auroras could possibly be seen as far south as Florida and southern Texas.
While the general public doesn’t need to be concerned about the upcoming G2, or “moderate” storm, NOAA warns that power systems at high latitudes could experience voltage alarms, while long-duration storms may cause transformer damage. In addition, high-frequency radio signals can possibly fade at higher latitudes.
Auroras this time of year are typically the most visible from several hours after sunset to around the midnight hour, Dahl said. Viewers wanting to see them will have to take the full moon into account, as well as get away from any city lights – especially to the north, because that’s the direction in which to look, Dahl added.
The auroras are forecast to be visible on Monday into Tuesday in northern and upper Midwest states, from New York to Idaho, according to NOAA.
In the absence of clouds, the northern lights could be visible from states like South Dakota, Iowa, North Dakota, Montana, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, forecasts show.
Why auroras, solar storms may occur more frequently
More frequent aurora displays are likely in the coming years, as the sun reaches the solar maximum stage of its magnetic field activity in 2025, Dahl said. The sun reaches its solar maximum about every 11 years, at which time the sun’s magnetic field equalizes and returns to normal, Dahl explained.
Earth is currently approaching the peak of Solar Cycle 25, in which more sunspots with intense magnetic activity are expected, according to NOAA. Impactful space weather events are possible throughout 2024.
The projected peak of this solar cycle is between now and October, Dahl said.
“This whole year in through 2025 are good times to be anticipating more of this type of activity,” Dahl said.
A total solar eclipse on April 8 will give stargazers a rare chance to see the sun’s corona. Dahl advised viewers to equip themselves with the correct eyewear to safely observe the phenomenon.
(NEW YORK) — Ten states from Arkansas to Pennsylvania are on alert for snow, freezing rain and sleet as the latest dangerous winter storm moves through the U.S.
Ice storm warnings are in effect for Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. The warnings are expected to expire later in the day as the ice turns to rain.
On Monday afternoon, Texas is facing heavy rain while the region from St. Louis to Chicago deals with a coating of ice on the roads.
By Tuesday morning, the rain and snow will move into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley.
By the morning, the ice will mostly turn to rain from Chicago to Detroit, but a slick morning commute is still expected.
On Tuesday afternoon and evening, the snow will stretch from Michigan to upstate New York to New England. A few inches of snow is possible.
After the ice storm is over, rounds of heavy rain are forecast to pummel the South this week, with some areas forecast to see more than 1 foot of rain. Flooding is possible from Texas to Georgia.
Meanwhile, heavy rain is heading to the West Coast.
Flood watches are in effect in Sacramento in Northern California and San Diego in Southern California. Rainfall rates could reach half an inch per hour in San Diego.
Winter storm warnings were issued for the Sierra Nevada mountain range, where more than 1 foot of snow is possible. Some areas around Lake Tahoe are also under an avalanche warning.
And temperatures are expected to rise later in the week for the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast.
Temperatures could surpass 50 degrees in New York City, 80 degrees in Tampa, Florida, and 60 degrees in Memphis, Tennessee.
(SOUTH BEND, Ind.) — Five children, including a 17-month-old, were killed in a wind-whipped house fire in South Bend, Indiana, in what officials are calling a “horrific tragedy.”
Seven individuals — one adult and six children — were in the home at the time of the fire. Officials said they rescued the six children from the residence; five were later pronounced dead. The ages of the victims range from 17 months to 11 years old, according to officials.
Crews responded Sunday to a residential fire at 222 North LaPorte Ave. at approximately 6:15 p.m. local time and continued to fight the blaze for three hours. When they arrived, a two-story structure was engulfed in flames. South Bend firefighters said they found several children trapped on the second floor of the building.
The surviving victim, 11, was rushed to a local hospital and later airlifted to a specialized pediatric burn center in Indianapolis for further treatment. The 11-year-old remains in treatment Monday, officials said.
One adult was in the house at the time of the fire but was able to escape and sustained minor injuries, fire officials told ABC News.
“Obviously our hearts are low and feeling very saddened right now,” South Bend Fire Chief Carl Buchanon told reports in a press conference Monday. “The one thing on the fire service that I can attest to is that we know how hard it is to lose anyone because we do everything in our power to avoid it. But it hurts even more so when its someone who has just begun their time of this earth — not able to make conscientious decisions, which is where the adults, we’re supposed to help them with.”
Amid the rescue efforts, one firefighter was injured after falling through the second floor and was transported to the hospital for treatment, according to officials. The firefighter is now at home and expected to make a full recovery, officials said.
Crews battled the fire for approximately three hours Sunday evening, officials told reporters during a press conference Monday. The cause of the fire and where in the home the fire began is still unknown. Officials said the fire spread quickly through the residence due to winds and harsh weather conditions in the area at the time.
“While this incident casts a shadow of sorrow over our community, particularly due to the loss of young lives, it is also a poignant reminder of the courage and dedication displayed by the members of the South Bend Fire Department,” the department said in a statement.
“The firefighters of Engine 2, in their unyielding commitment to protect and serve, exhibited a profound disregard for their own safety in the face of extreme danger. Their actions reflect the highest ideals of selflessness and a citizens-first ethos, characteristics emblematic of the bravery inherent in our city’s first responders,” the statement continued.
During the South Bend Fire Department’s press conference Monday, South Bend Fire Chief Carl R. Buchanon, Mayor James Mueller and State Fire Marshal Gerard Ellis addressed the tragedy and honored the responding crews for their rescue efforts.
“This incident last night was a horrific tragedy in our community. We know this is rippling across the community today and will for some time. Our heartfelt prayers and condolences are with the family and the rest of our community that are going through this mourning process,” Mueller said.
Buchanon said the adult who escaped told responding crews how many individuals were trapped inside and made attempts to rescue them.
Buchanon added that this incident was the most fatal house fire during his tenure in South Bend.
The South Bend Fire Department said it is working with state and local authorities to investigate the cause of the fire.
(NEW YORK) — Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., died Monday from prostate cancer, according to The King Center.
He was 62 years old.
“The sudden shock is devastating,” his brother Martin Luther King III said in a statement. “It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(LOS ANGELES) — Nearly 30,000 professors, librarians and other employees in the California State University system are set to launch a five-day strike on Monday, potentially canceling classes for hundreds of thousands of students over the first week of the spring semester.
The worker protest follows months-long contract negotiations centered on pay increases and other workplace improvements for employees at the nation’s largest public university system, which serves about 460,000 students spread across 23 campuses.
Faculty members have demanded a 12% pay hike, a higher minimum salary and longer parental leave, among other demands, Charles Toombs, president of the California Faculty Association and a professor at San Diego State University, told ABC News.
“We need to be paid for the tremendous work we do to make the California State University System a great system,” Toombs told ABC News.
It remains unclear how many members will participate in the strike and, in turn, the extent of disruption for campus activities.
“I expect most of the classes on every campus to be canceled,” Toombs said, speaking on the phone as he picketed in the rain in San Diego on Monday. “There may be some individual faculty members who hold classes anyway but the majority of members are in favor of a strike.”
Ninety-five percent of union members voted in October to authorize a strike, after CSU stood by its offer of a 5% pay increase for faculty to go into effect on Jan. 31.
Last month, some faculty participated in one-day strikes at four CSU campuses in response to the standoff.
CSU did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
In a previous statement, Leora Freedman, the CSU’s vice chancellor for human resources, said the university system was forced to step aside from negotiations due to union intransigence.
“We have been in the bargaining process for eight months and the California Faculty Association has shown no movement, leaving us no other option,” Freedman told The Mercury News.
Toombs expressed optimism that the strike would help bring about an agreement this week.
If the two sides fail to reach a deal, however, the union would consider other labor actions, such as rolling strikes across different campuses or a request that faculty fulfill only the minimum amount of work.
“Nothing has been decided,” Toombs said. “Hopefully we’ll have a deal.”
On Friday, CSU reached a tentative contract agreement with more than 1,000 plumbers, electricians and other skilled trade workers who had otherwise planned to participate in the strike this week.
The tentative deal included guaranteed annual salary increases and the return of a salary-step system that codifies promotions, according to a statement from Teamsters Local 2010, which represents the workers.
“We achieved this historic agreement by standing together as Teamsters — and in solidarity with our sister Unions at CSU — to take powerful action like CSU has never seen before,” Teamsters Local 2010 Secretary-Treasurer Jason Rabinowitz said in a statement on Friday, encouraging union members to join the picket lines in support of striking faculty.
In a statement, CSU Chancellor Mildred García applauded the agreement.
“The work of our Teamsters-represented employees is invaluable, providing our students with an environment that supports their success,” García said.
“I am thankful and appreciative that we have been able to arrive at a fiscally sustainable agreement that fairly compensates them for their skilled and dedicated work,” she added.
(NEW YORK) — A Georgia judge has issued a stay of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ deposition in the the divorce case of her top prosecutor, amid allegations that she and prosecutor Nathan Wade were involved in an improper relationship while prosecuting the election interference case against former President Donald Trump.
The judge said that he will determine whether Willis has any relevant information after Wade is deposed in the divorce proceedings next week.
“The key part to me is whether [Willis] lacks unique personal knowledge or has unique personal knowledge of a matter that’s relevant to the subject matter,” the judge said in ordering the stay. “Only after I hear what Mr. Wade has to say can do I think I can make a determination about whether [Willis] has any unique knowledge about these issues.”
Willis’ deposition had been scheduled for Tuesday.
Michael Roman, one of Trump’s co-defendants in his Georgia election interference case, is seeking to dismiss the indictment against him and disqualify Willis, alleging she “engaged in a personal, romantic relationship” with one of the top prosecutors she brought in to work on the case, which allegedly resulted in financial gain for both of them.
At the start of Monday’s hearing, the judge — at the request of Ashleigh Merchant, the attorney for Roman who first filed the motion containing the allegations — ordered the divorce case between Wade and his wife be unsealed and made public.
The ruling came over the objections of Wade’s attorney, who argued that the “current status” of the case “clearly shows the harm that is done to these parties.”
The attorney for Wade’s wife consented to unsealing, saying they have “no objection.” A media coalition that includes ABC News also argued for the unsealing of the case.
Willis’ subpoena, according to court documents, was served on Willis the same day Roman filed allegations that she was having an improper relationship with Wade, who she brought in to help her prosecute the case against Trump. The filing alleges Wills “engaged in a personal, romantic relationship” with Wade, which allegedly resulted in financial gain for both of them.
Wade’s wife had asked the judge in her divorce case to enforce the subpoena in order to “determine details” surrounding Wade and Willis’ relationship. Her filing included credit card records that appear to show Wade paid for multiple trips to Miami and San Francisco for him and Willis during the election probe.
Willis’ attorney, Cinque Axam, told the judge during Monday’s hearing that Willis’ testimony is not relevant to the divorce case because it is a “no fault divorce.”
“Both parties have alleged that [the marriage] is irretrievably broken,” Axam said. “Alleging adultery is not relevant.”
The judge asked if Willis’ attorney was saying his client lacks “unique” personal knowledge that could not be discovered in some other way. Axam responded that, “The knowledge that she may or may not have is not unique.”
“Miss Willis does not share any accounts with [Wade], D.A. Willis does not determine what he spends his money on — no matter where it comes from,” Axam said.
Andrea Hastings, an attorney for Wade’s wife, argued in favor of the deposition.
“I have questions,” Hastings said more than once. “And she needs to answer them.”
Since the motion containing the allegations was filed earlier this month, a spokesperson for the DA’s office has issued only one statement, saying they would respond to the allegations “through appropriate court filings.”
Speaking last week at the Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day service, Willis appeared to address the allegations for the first time, calling herself a “flawed” and “imperfect” person and defending Wade as a “great friend and a great lawyer.” She did not deny the allegations, though she suggested they were motivated by race.
The Fulton County judge overseeing the election interference case has set an evidentiary hearing on the allegations for next month and ordered the DA’s office to respond to the allegations in court by Feb. 2.
Trump’s attorney has said he is considering adopting Roman’s motion, which is seeking to have Willis disqualified from the case and the indictment dismissed.
Roman, Trump and 17 others pleaded not guilty in August to all charges in a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia. Four co-defendants subsequently took plea deals in exchange for agreeing to testify against other defendants.
(SOUTH BEND, Ind.) — A house fire in South Bend, Indiana, killed five children on Sunday evening, according to fire officials.
Crews responded to a residential fire at 222 North LaPorte Ave at approximately 6:15 p.m. local time. When they arrived, a two-story structure was engulfed in flames. South Bend firefighters said they found several victims trapped on the second floor of the building.
Six individuals were rescued from the home and five were later pronounced dead, officials said. The surviving victim was rushed to a local hospital and later airlifted to a specialized pediatric burn center in Indianapolis for further treatment. The ages of the victims are not currently known.
One adult was in the house at the time of the fire and was uninjured, fire officials told ABC News.
Amid the rescue efforts, one firefighter was injured after falling through the second floor and was transported to the hospital for treatment, according to officials. The firefighter is expected to make a full recovery, officials noted.
“While this incident casts a shadow of sorrow over our community, particularly due to the loss of young lives, it is also a poignant reminder of the courage and dedication displayed by the members of the South Bend Fire Department,” the department said in a statement.
“The firefighters of Engine 2, in their unyielding commitment to protect and serve, exhibited a profound disregard for their own safety in the face of extreme danger. Their actions reflect the highest ideals of selflessness and a citizens-first ethos, characteristics emblematic of the bravery inherent in our city’s first responders,” the statement continued.
The South Bend Fire Department said it is working with state and local authorities to investigate the cause of the fire.
(NEW YORK) — A Georgia judge is set to hear arguments on Monday over whether to enforce a subpoena issued to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as part of her top prosecutor’s divorce case, which she received amid allegations that she and the prosecutor were involved in an improper relationship while prosecuting the election interference case against former President Donald Trump.
Willis is seeking to quash the subpoena she received from the wife of special prosecutor Nathan Wade, in order to avoid her deposition in the case, which is set for Tuesday.
Willis claims in a court filing that her deposition would be “outside the scope of discovery” in the divorce matter and that it amounts to “attempt to harass and damage her professional reputation.”
“The sought after deposition of District Attorney Willis is not relevant to the subject matter involved in the pending action and should not be permitted,” the filing from Willis’s attorney said.
The subpoena, according to court documents, was served on Willis the same day a co-defendant in her case against Trump filed allegations that she was having an improper relationship with Wade, who she brought in to help her prosecute the case against Trump. The filing, from Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, alleges Wills “engaged in a personal, romantic relationship” with Wade, which allegedly resulted in financial gain for both of them.
Wade’s wife has asked the judge in her divorce case to enforce the subpoena in order to “determine details” surrounding Wade and Willis’ relationship. Her filing included credit card records that appear to show Wade paid for multiple trips to Miami and San Francisco for him and Willis during the election probe.
In her filing seeking to quash the subpoena, Willis claims that she “cannot provide unique personal knowledge” on matters relevant to the divorce because the marriage is ending on the grounds that it was “irretrievably broken.”
“Because the parties agree that the marriage is irretrievably broken and the concept of fault is not at issue, there is no information that District Attorney Willis could provide that might prove relevant to granting or denying the divorce,” the filing says. “Thus, any information sought from District Attorney Willis would be irrelevant to the divorce proceedings pending in this Court.”
Court filings allege the relationship between Willis and Wade began “while Wade was married” and that he filed for divorce “a day after his first contract with Willis commenced.”
The judge on Monday is also set to hear arguments from Ashleigh Merchant, the attorney for Roman who first filed the motion containing the allegations, who is seeking to have the divorce proceedings unsealed. A media coalition that includes ABC News is also set to argue for the unsealing of the case.
Since the motion containing the allegations was filed earlier this month, a spokesperson for the DA’s office has issued only one statement, saying they would respond to the allegations “through appropriate court filings.”
Speaking last week at the Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day service, Willis appeared to address the allegations for the first time, calling herself a “flawed” and “imperfect” person and defending Wade as a “great friend and a great lawyer.” She did not deny the allegations, though she suggested they were motivated by race.
The Fulton County judge overseeing the election interference case has set an evidentiary hearing on the allegations for next month and ordered the DA’s office to respond to the allegations in court by Feb. 2.
Trump’s attorney has said he is considering adopting Roman’s motion, which is seeking to have Willis disqualified from the case and the indictment dismissed.
Roman, Trump and 17 others pleaded not guilty in August to all charges in a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia. Four co-defendants subsequently took plea deals in exchange for agreeing to testify against other defendants.
The U.S. military has ended an “exhaustive” 10-day search and rescue mission for two Navy SEALs who went missing on Jan. 11 in the waters of the Gulf of Aden and are now presumed deceased, according to a new statement from U.S. Central Command.
The military is conducting recovery operations for the service members, CENTCOM said Sunday night.
“We mourn the loss of our two Naval Special Warfare warriors, and we will forever honor their sacrifice and example. Our prayers are with the SEALs’ families, friends, the U.S. Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this time,” Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM’s commander, said in the statement.
Military officials said that the U.S., Japan and Spain used air and naval resources and “searched more than 21,000 square miles” for the missing SEALs, scouring the gulf off the coast of Somalia — to no avail.
“Out of respect for the families, no further information will be released at this time,” CENTCOM said.
The two SEALs went into water in mid-January during a nighttime boarding mission to interdict a dhow suspected of carrying Iranian-made weapons for Houthi militants in Yemen, military officials have said.
Dhows are small fishing or cargo vessels that are sometimes used by Iran to smuggle weapons.
As a small Navy craft approached the dhow on Jan. 11, one of the SEALs fell into rough waters and, following protocol, a second SEAL dove into the water in a rescue attempt, according to officials.
The rest of the SEALs continued with the mission on the dhow and seized Iranian-made ballistic and cruise missile parts and warheads similar to those being used by the Houthis in more than 30 attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, officials said.
The Houthis have said their attacks are in response to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza as the Israelis target Hamas fighters as retaliation for Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack.
For years, the U.S. Navy has intercepted dhows in the Gulf of Aden that are suspected of carrying Iranian-made weapons to the Houthis.
During these missions, boarding teams typically pull aside the dhows in small water craft to undertake a “flag verification” mission if the dhow is unflagged or has replaced its flag to mask its smuggling.
The seizure involving the SEALs was the first since the Houthis began their strikes, most of which have been repelled by U.S., French and British warships.
The SEALs were operating from the USS Lewis B Puller, an expeditionary sea base and converted freighter topped with landing decks for helicopters and capable of releasing small watercraft.
“In the wintertime, the sea state is typically 8-12 feet,” said Eric Oehlerich, an ABC News contributor and retired SEAL commander. “The horizon is flat, so 8-12 feet is 8 feet above the flat horizon — and then eight feet, it’s like a 16 foot wave.”
According to Oehlerich, those high-water conditions increase the risk to nighttime ship boardings, which are carried out in pitch-black darkness.
He described it as one of the most difficult missions that a SEAL can undertake, requiring constant training.
“You have the risk of your boat capsizing in close proximity to larger vessels, you have to establish a solid ladder point, you have to climb a ladder at night over the open ocean between two ships — they’re smashing into each other — and then get on board,” he said.
“And then your problem starts with what you’re going to do … with whomever is on board that boat,” he added.
The Jan. 11 seizure also marked the first time since November 2019 that the U.S. Navy has taken Iranian-made ballistic missile and cruise missile components believed to be headed for the Houthis.
The military said the 14 mariners aboard the dhow were taken off the vessel and are in U.S. custody, though their future status remains to be determined.
After they were taken off the dhow, the vessel was deemed unsafe and sunk by naval forces.
