(WASHINGTON) — The Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C, caused panda-monium on Christmas Day when it released a video of it’s newest celebrities, Bao Li and Qing Bao.
In the video, the giant pandas are seen rolling in grass, climbing trees and being “unbearably cute.”
The young pandas were brought to the zoo this past fall.
Bao Li, pronounced as BOW-lee, is a male and was born Aug 4. 2021. According to the National Zoo website, “Bao” means precious and treasure in Mandarin Chinese. The name “Li” refers to vitality and strength, and “Bao Li” means an active and vital power.
Qing Bao, pronounced ching-BOW, is a female and was born Sep 12. 2021. Her name means “green” and “treasure” in Mandarin Chinese. According to the National Zoo website, “Qing” describes the lush and mountainous habitat of pandas. “Bao” reflects how cherished and adored she is.
The pandas are set to debut to the public on Jan 24, 2025, in their renovated habitat on Asia Trail.
Infared image taken by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department heat-seeking drone shows location of a 78-year-old man who went missing on Dec. 23, 2024. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
(LOS ANGELES) — High tech and quick thinking are being credited in the rescue of a missing 78-year-old man after sheriff’s deputies deployed a heat-seeking drone and found the Southern California resident 80 minutes after his family reported him missing, officials said.
The Christmas week rescue unfolded in Malibu on Monday night as temperatures in the area plunged into the 40s, upping the urgency of finding the missing man quickly, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD).
A family called 911 about 7:30 p.m. Pacific time to report their elderly relative, who suffers from dementia, had vanished after leaving his residence around 4:30 p.m. to fetch his mail, sheriff’s officials said.
“The temperature was 48 degrees and dropping. Deputies swiftly initiated a search and rescue operation, broadcasting a description of the missing person over the radio and entering his information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) missing persons database,” according to the LASD.
As the sheriff’s department’s homicide bureau and missing persons unit were notified, the deputies who arrived at the scene quickly deployed a drone, or an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), equipped with infrared technology to scour the area from the sky, the sheriff’s department said.
“At approximately 8:50 p.m., a UAS located the missing person lying in a field of thick brush about a quarter mile away from his residence. Fortunately, he had only sustained minor abrasions from a fall and was transported to a local hospital for treatment and further evaluation,” the sheriff’s department said.
Sheriff’s officials said the rescue operation highlighted “the importance of swift action, teamwork, and innovative technology in locating missing persons, especially those who are vulnerable due to medical conditions.”
The LASD has been using drones since 2017.
As of Dec. 18, sheriff’s deputies had deployed drones in nearly 60 incidents this year, including 12 search and rescue operations, according to online department records. Drones have also been used by the LASD in at least 45 high-risk tactical operations, including 13 incidents involving barricaded suspects.
(LONDON)– Rebel forces in Syria are building a transitional government after toppling the regime of President Bashar Assad in a lightning-quick advance across the country.
Meanwhile, the ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. The Israel Defense Forces continues its intense airstrike and ground campaigns in Gaza.
Tensions remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. The IDF and the Yemeni Houthis also continue to exchange attacks.
14 Syrian security force members killed in clashes: Syrian official
Fourteen members of the Syrian security forces, part of Syrian de-facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa’s militia, were killed and 10 were wounded after “being ambushed” by supporters of ousted former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the countryside of Tartus on Syria’s western coast, the Syrian minister of the interior said Thursday.
There were wide-scale clashes Wednesday between al-Sharaa’s forces and supporters of al-Assad in six cities across Syria including Latakia, Tartus, Jableh, Homs and some parts of Damascus. Curfew was imposed on six cities and reinforcements are being sent to the Syrian coastal area.
-ABC News’ Nasser Atta
5 journalists killed by Israeli strike in Gaza: Medical sources
Five journalists were killed in Gaza on Wednesday evening, medical sources and the Gaza government media office said.
Israeli forces bombed a journalists’ vehicle in front of the Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, Gaza medical sources said.
Israeli forces claimed the five killed were Islamic Jihad operatives in a statement about the attack from the Israel Defense Forces.
“Intelligence from multiple sources confirmed that these individuals were Islamic Jihad operatives posing as journalists,” the IDF said.
-ABC News’ Sami Zyara, Diaa Ostaz and Bruno Nota
Israeli forces conduct strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen: IDF
Israeli forces conducted strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen on Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The military targets struck were “used by the Houthi terrorist regime to smuggle Iranian weapons into the region and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. This is a further example of the Houthis’ exploitation of civilian infrastructure for military purposes,” the IDF said in a release.
Houthi forces have launched drones and missiles towards Israel over the past week.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir
Missile from Yemen sets off attack alerts in Israel
A missile fired by Houthi forces from Yemen in the early hours of Wednesday set off sirens across central Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The IDF said the missile was intercepted before reaching Israel. “Details are being investigated,” the IDF wrote on X.
Wednesday morning’s incident was the fourth time in a week that Houthi fire set off sirens in Israel.
On Saturday, 16 people were injured when a missile hit a playground in Tel Aviv after Israel’s air defense system failed to intercept it.
Negotiation team returning after ‘significant week’: Israeli PM office
The Israeli negotiation team will return to Israel from Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday after a “significant week of conducting negotiations” regarding a ceasefire and hostage deal, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office said in a statement.
“The team returned for internal consultations in Israel regarding the continuation of negotiations for the return of our hostages,” the statement continued.
-ABC News’ Anna Burd
IDF ‘besieging’ 3 Gaza hospitals, health ministry says
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said in a statement Tuesday that Israeli forces are “intensifying” their attacks on three hospitals in the devastated and depopulated northern portion of the strip.
Israeli troops, the ministry in the Hamas-run territory said, are “besieging and directly targeting the Indonesian Hospital, Kamal Adwan Hospital and Al-Awda Hospital during the past hours and insisting on putting them out of service.”
The ministry said Israeli troops were “forcing the wounded and patients to evacuate the Indonesian Hospital,” while bombing “all departments of Kamal Adwan Hospital and its surroundings around the clock without stopping.”
“Shrapnel is scattered inside the hospital yards, causing terrifying sounds and serious damage,” the ministry said.
“We appeal to all international and UN institutions and concerned parties to urgently intervene to protect the health system in the Gaza Strip,” the ministry wrote.
On Monday, Palestinian officials said 20 people were injured when Israeli forces detonated a “robot bomb” in the vicinity of Kamal Adwan Hospital.
The IDF has not commented on the latest developments around Kamal Adwan or the other north Gaza hospitals.
-ABC News’ Nasser Atta
3 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces said Monday that three soldiers were killed in combat in northern Gaza.
Cpt. Ilay Gavriel Atedgi, 22, Staff Sgt. Netanel Pessach, 21, and Sgt. First Class (res.) Hillel Diener, 21, were all killed by an explosion during an operation in the Beit Hanoun area, which has been a focus of Israel’s intense recent offensive in the northern part of the strip.
Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and the border zone is now 391.
Health officials in the Hamas-run territory say more than 45,300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir and Ellie Kaufman
20 injured after bomb detonates near Gaza hospital
Twenty people were injured among the medical staff at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza Monday evening after a “robot bomb” was detonated in the hospital’s vicinity, according to medical sources.
ABC News has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces for a comment.
-ABC News’ Samy Zyara
Israeli forces kill Hamas operative in Gaza City, IDF says
Israeli forces killed the head of the national security directorate of Hamas’ security mechanism during an attack on Sunday in Gaza City, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The Hamas operative, Tharwat Muhammad Ahmed Albec, was “operating in a command and control center” that was embedded in a “compound that previously served as the ‘Musa bin Nusayr’ school” in a neighborhood in Gaza City, the IDF said in a statement on Monday.
Hamas has yet to comment on the IDF’s statement.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir
‘Certain progress’ made in hostage negotiations: Netanyahu
“Certain progress” has been made in ongoing hostage and ceasefire negotiations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a speech at the Israeli parliament on Monday.
“I can carefully say there has been a certain progress” made in the ongoing negotiations, Netanyahu said, adding that he “doesn’t know how long it’s going to take.”
“We will continue to operate in any way and without a pause until we bring them all back home from the enemy’s land,” he said.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir
Hamas reports Israeli attack on Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp
Hamas on Monday said the Israel Defense Forces killed or wounded at least 50 people in an air and ground assault on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
An IDF airstrike was followed by an incursion into the camp supported by 17 heavy vehicles, among them tanks and bulldozers, Hamas said.
Israeli forces also attacked Nuseirat camp two weeks ago, killing at least 33 people according to the Gaza Government Media Office.
The IDF is yet to comment on Monday’s operation.
-ABC News’ Diaa Ostaz and Tomek Rolski
Netanyahu says Israel will act against Houthis after missile strike
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his nation would “act forcefully” against the Houthis in Yemen after a weekend missile attack on Tel Aviv injured 16 people, according to Israeli emergency authorities.
“Just as we acted forcefully against the terrorist arms of Iran’s evil axis, so we will act against the Houthis — the result will be the same,” Netanyahu said in a statement posted to X.
Since October 2023, the Houthis have been launching attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea, as well as long-range drone and missile attacks towards Israel.
On Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces said it intercepted a Houthi missile but that debris destroyed a school building in Tel Aviv.
The Houthis — which have close ties with Iran and are part of the Tehran-led “Axis of Resistance” — are demanding an end to Israel’s war in Gaza, launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, infiltration attack into southern Israel.
The U.S. and U.K. — supported by other allies — have launched a series of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen since January. Israel has also launched significant strikes in Yemen in recent months, most recently on Thursday.
At least 7 dead after IDF strikes humanitarian area in Gaza
At least seven people were killed after an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, which is located in the southern Gaza Strip.
The strike hit a collection of tents within what had been designated a humanitarian area, where displaced people were sheltering.
The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged the strike on Sunday, saying in a statement it was “an intelligence-based strike on a Hamas terrorist.”
“Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence,” the IDF said.
– ABC News’ William Gretsky
21 killed in Gaza, IDF northern offensive continues
The Gaza Ministry of Health said Saturday that 21 people were killed and 61 injured in three separate Israeli attacks over the last 24 hours in the Hamas-run territory.
A total of 45,227 people have been killed since the start of the war, health officials said.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces continued intense operations in northern Gaza, particularly around the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia.
The director of the hospital said there is shooting “around the clock” nearby, adding that on Friday the third floor and the hospital entrance were shelled.
The director said the IDF is blocking the entry of all requested medical supplies. Nine people need urgent evacuation for surgery in Gaza City and the hospital is currently treating over 70 people, he said.
(LUCASVILLE, OH) An inmate allegedly assaulted and killed a veteran corrections officer on Christmas Day at an Ohio prison, an attack authorities said was “beyond comprehension.”
Officer Andrew Lansing was attacked Wednesday at the Ross Correctional Institution (RCI) in Chillicothe, about 43 miles south of Columbus, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
The inmate suspected of killing Lansing was not immediately identified by prison officials, who said he had been transferred to the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio.
“The loss of a staff person is difficult, but to lose a family member on Christmas Day at the hands of someone in our custody is a tragedy beyond comprehension,” Annette Chambers-Smith, director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, said in a statement. “Instead of going home after his shift to be with his family on this holiday, Officer Lansing made the ultimate sacrifice, and our agency will never be the same.”
Chamber-Smith released few details on the attacks, including where in the sprawling 1,707-acre prison Lansing was assaulted and whether the inmate was armed with a weapon.
Lansing was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The prison, which houses more than 2,000 inmates, has been put on lockdown as the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigates the homicide.
Chamber-Smith described Lansing as “a long-time, well-respected employee” at the Ross Correctional Institution and added, that his “untimely death — on Christmas Day — is heartbreaking for his family, the entire Ross Correctional Institution family, and our agency as a whole.”
“Officer Lansing was loved by his colleagues and known to be a great support for his fellow RCI staff,” Chamber-Smith said. “He was a friendly, outgoing officer who treated everyone with respect and was always a professional.”
(NEW YORK) — Holiday spending surged in 2024, blowing past expectations and outpacing customer purchases over the gift-buying season last year, according to data released on Thursday by Mastercard SpendingPulse, which gauges in-store and online retail sales.
The end-of-year flex of consumer strength marks the latest indication of resilient U.S. buying power, which has kept the economy humming despite a prolonged stretch of high interest rates.
Retail sales climbed 3.8% from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 compared with the same period last year, Mastercard SpendingPulse data showed. The boost in spending exceeded a Mastercard SpendingPulse estimate of 3.2%, while outperforming last year’s growth of 3.1%. The retail sales data excludes automotive purchases.
“Solid spending during this holiday season underscores the strength we observed from the consumer all year,” Michelle Meyer, chief economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, told ABC News in a statement.
Jewelry sales grew more than any other product category, climbing 4% compared to last year, the data showed. Spending on apparel and electronics also climbed at a solid pace.
The shopping surge was most pronounced online, where spending grew 6.7% compared to the same period last year, the data showed.
While the overall spending reflects the health of U.S. consumers, the pattern of purchases indicates a search for discounts, Meyer said.
“The holiday shopping season revealed a consumer who is willing and able to spend but driven by a search for value as can be seen by concentrated e-commerce spending during the biggest promotional periods,” Meyer added.
The holiday sales growth suggests the U.S. economy has remained robust, even amid high borrowing costs.
Gross domestic product grew at a solid 2.8% annualized rate over three months ending in September, the most recent quarter for which data is available.
The labor market has slowed but proven sturdy. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2%, a historically low figure.
Consumer spending accounts for nearly three-quarters of U.S. economic activity.
The increase in holiday spending coincided with an initial bout of relief for borrowers, as the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a total of one percentage point over the final few months of the year. However, interest rates still stand at a historically high level of between 4.25% and 4.5%.
Lower interest rates typically stimulate economic activity by making it easier for consumers and businesses to borrow, which in turn fuels investment and spending. However, interest rate cuts usually influence the economy after a lag of several months, meaning the recent lowering of rates likely had little impact on holiday spending.
Earlier this month, the central bank predicted fewer rate cuts next year than it had previously indicated, suggesting concern that inflation may prove more difficult to bring under control than policymakers thought just a few months ago.
Speaking at a press conference in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, Federal Chair Jerome Powell indicated that the willingness to keep interest rates high stemmed in part from the health of the U.S. economy and the shoppers propelling it.
“We think the economy is in a really good place,” Powell said, later adding: “Growth of consumer spending has remained resilient.”
Kevin Winter/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
(NEW YORK) — As the world gears up for 2025, it leaves behind a year of war, political shifts, pop culture moments, sporting triumphs, lost stars and more.
ABC News was there to chronicle every moment and will look back at this year’s defining events in a two-hour special, “The Year: 2024,” which airs Thursday, Dec. 26 at 9 p.m. ET, and streams afterwards on Hulu.
“Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts, who hosts the special, will be joined “World News Tonight” anchor and managing editor David Muir, “Good Morning America”‘s Michael Strahan and Lara Spencer, “ABC News Live Prime” and “World News Tonight” Sunday anchor Linsey Davis, “Nightline” co-anchor Juju Chang, “20/20” co-anchor Deborah Roberts and ABC News correspondent Will Reeve.
The special also includes commentary from ABC News anchors, correspondents and contributors, including ABC News’ powerhouse political team, co-hosts from “The View,” and more.
The special, now in its 14th year, also includes interviews with Elton John, Teddy Swims, Lisa Ann Walter, Ilona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscik and more.Here’s a taste of the topics featured in the special.
Obsessions
Taylor Swift was on our minds again this year, having released new album “Tortured Poet’s Department” and embarked on another leg of her record-breaking Eras tour. Charli XCX also dominated the summer when she declared “Kamala is brat” as Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for president.
In addition to the music of the year, the special also features the social and fashion trends of the year, and the films breaking box office records.
Breaking News
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s contentious race for the White House dominated the news for much of 2024. President Joe Biden’s debate performance, the assassination attempt on Trump, and Harris replacing Biden as the Democratic Party’s nominee and Trump’s eventual victory were the stories to watch.
The horrific, ongoing war between Israel and Gaza stretched into its second year, drawing in Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The war in Ukraine also passed 1,000 days, with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signaling it’s time for peace talks with Russia.
Celebrity Romance
I do or I don’t? The special also explores how the love lives of some of our favorite stars evolved this year. Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck after two years of marriage, ending their kindled relationship. Natalie Portman also split from Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millipied after 12 years.
t wasn’t all bad news on the celebrity relationship front though — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship captivated the world, Hailey and Justin Bieber had a baby boy and “Golden Bachelorette” Joan Vassos got engaged to Chock Chapple.
Law & Justice
The once and future president wasn’t the only prominent figure in court this year. ABC News’ experts explore music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’ not guilty plea on sex trafficking and other charges, the Menendez brothers’ infamous 1989 murder case coming back in front of a judge and doomsday author Chad Daybell being sentenced to death for the triple murder of his family.
Can’t Miss Moments
Did you try the “Dancing with the Stars” viral leg lift? This was just one of the moments that had everyone talking this year. Other moments include the stunning solar eclipse, the tweet from Elmo sparking a conversation on mental health and the woman rescued after her semi-truck was left dangling over the Clark Memorial Bridge in Kentucky.
Breakout Stars
Actor Glen Powell was in the spotlight for much of 2024, earning critical acclaim for his performances in “Anyone But You,” “Hitman” and “Twisters.” On the TV front, Anna Sawai’s performance in Hulu’s historical drama “Shogun” earned her a Lead Actress Emmy. Co-star Hiroyuki Sanada netted the Lead Actor award, while the series took the win for Outstanding Drama.
Musically, Chappell Roan got us all dancing at the Pink Pony Club, while Sabrina Carpenter had the world craving a (certified platinum) Espresso. Shaboozey also announced that there’s a party downtown near 5th St., and got five Grammy nominations in the process.
Politics
In an election year, politics was at the center of many conversations. ABC’s correspondents look at how Republican Donald Trump overcame legal woes and an assassination attempt to win a second presidential term.
His Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, may have had superstar celebrity endorsements from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, but it wasn’t enough to beat a resurgent Trump.
AI
The rise of artificial intelligence inspired fear in 2023, but 2024 saw the tech being integrated into the devices that we already have — the update likely added it into your phone, your laptop or your smart home.
AI has been used in myriad ways, from breakup texts to medical exploration and even driverless cars. The ABC team dives into them all.
In Memoriam
The world lost some of its shining stars this year. ABC News will celebrate the lives and legacies of Maggie Smith, Teri Garr, Carl Weathers. Donald Sutherland, Shelly Duvall, James Earl Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Quincy Jones, Liam Payne and more.
Champions
The 2024 Paris Olympics dominated sports over the summer. Swimmer Katie Ledecky became the most successful female Olympian in U.S. history and gymnast Simone Biles’ launched a comeback amid the other major successes of this year’s Games.
The special also highlights the triumphant story of the Hunter Woodhall and Tara Davis-Woodhall, the married couple taking home gold and capturing our hearts.
Beyond the Olympics, the Kansas City Chiefs won back-to-back Super Bowls, the New York Liberty took home its first championship title and the LA Dodgers became Major League Baseball’s World Series champions.
(NEW YORK) — Nine states are on alert for wind, snow, avalanches and high surf as new storms hit the west.
Parts of Oregon and Northern California could see 4 to 8 inches of rain over the next four days.
A high wind alert is in effect for the Pacific Northwest, where winds could gust near 70 mph.
A high surf warning was issued in Oregon, where waves could reach 35 feet, and a high surf advisory was issued as far south as Southern California, where waves could reach 15 feet.
Snow is also on the way.
A winter storm warning is in effect from Utah to Washington, where some areas could see up to 3 feet of snow. An avalanche warning was issued in Washington and Oregon.
These storms will continue to bring heavy rain and snow to the West Coast and the Rockies into the weekend. The West will get a break from the stormy weather early next week.
Meanwhile, in the South, a new storm system is bringing damaging winds, large hail and possibly tornadoes Thursday afternoon and evening.
The highest threat for severe weather will be in Texas, Louisiana and into Arkansas, including Dallas, Houston, Austin and Shreveport, Louisiana.
Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — This year was full of first-of-its-kind stories that got Americans talking.
While this year saw Donald Trump’s historic conviction and election to a non-consecutive second term, here’s a look back at some of the most talked about stories of 2024 outside of politics, from Diddy’s arrest to the Menendez brothers’ fight for freedom.
Alaska door plug incident
Minutes after Alaska Airlines flight 1282 took off from Portland International Airport on Jan. 5, a door plug blew out, sparking chaos on the plane.
The flight was nearly full with the exception of a few seats; the two seats next to the missing door plug happened to be empty.
The Boeing 737 Max 9 safely made an emergency landing. No one was seriously injured.
An NTSB preliminary report found that, before the flight, four bolts designed to prevent the door plug from falling off the plane were missing.
A Boeing executive told ABC News this summer that the fuselage came to Boeing damaged from the supplier, and to fix the fuselage, the door plug needed to come off. Before they could get the plug back on, the plane needed to be moved; the overnight team put the door plug back on to seal the plane from the outdoor elements, but didn’t install the bolts because it wasn’t their job, the executive said. The first team never filled out the paperwork when they removed the door, so the next team didn’t know to put the bolts back on, the executive said.
The incident sparked intense scrutiny for Boeing that led to changes in the company, including a new CEO, the government mandating that Boeing slow down production, and increased oversight of the company’s safety and quality management systems.
Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse
On March 26, a container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, collapsing the bridge and killing six construction workers who were filling potholes on the span. Two workers survived.
The crash affected entry into the Port of Baltimore for weeks, with the debris blocking entry for other ships. Crews worked to remove about 50,000 tons of steel, concrete and asphalt from the channel and from the container ship, the Department of Justice said.
The collapse is considered “one of the worst transportation disasters in recent memory,” Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer said.
In October, the operators of the vessel that destroyed the bridge agreed to pay nearly $102 million for costs stemming from the federal response.
According to the cost estimates provided by the Maryland government, the bridge’s reconstruction will cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion, Shailen Bhatt, administrator for the Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, said in May.
School shooter’s parents convicted
Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of Michigan high school shooter Ethan Crumbley, were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison in April after each was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in separate trials.
The trials were a rare case of parents facing criminal charges over their role in a shooting carried out by their child.
Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 years old at the time of the 2021 shooting, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing four students at Oxford High School.
Prosecutors said Jennifer and James Crumbley ignored several warning signs in the days leading up to the shooting. The parents also bought their son the gun used in the shooting and failed to secure the weapon and limit their son’s access to it, prosecutors argued.
Alec Baldwin’s ‘Rust’ case dismissed, armorer convicted
A judge dismissed Alec Baldwin’s “Rust” case in July, on day three of his involuntary manslaughter trial for the fatal on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The defense said in its argument for dismissal that live ammunition that came into the hands of local law enforcement related to the investigation was “concealed” from them.
The judge agreed to dismiss, saying the state’s discovery violation regarding the late disclosure of a supplemental report on the ammunition evidence “injected needless delay into the proceedings,” approached “bad faith” and was “highly prejudicial to the defendant.”
Meanwhile, “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in March. She was found not guilty of tampering with evidence.
Prosecutors said Gutierrez repeatedly failed to maintain proper firearm safety, arguing her negligence led to Hutchins’ death.
Gutierrez was sentenced in April to 18 months in prison.
5 charged in Matthew Perry’s ketamine death
Five people were charged in August 2024 in connection with last year’s ketamine death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry.
Erik Fleming, who admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry, and the actor’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who admitted in court documents to administering the ketamine on the day Perry died, pleaded guilty.
Iwamasa and Fleming face up to 15 years and 25 years, respectively.
Two doctors are among those charged: Dr. Mark Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a licensed medical doctor he has known for at least 20 years, with the understanding it would be sold to Perry, who was struggling with a ketamine addiction, according to prosecutors.
Chavez has pleaded guilty and faces up to 10 years in prison.
Two defendants pleaded not guilty: Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, a woman allegedly known as “The Ketamine Queen,” who is accused of selling Perry the batch of ketamine that killed him, the Department of Justice said.
Sangha and Plasencia face charges including conspiracy to distribute ketamine and are set to go on trial in March 2025. If convicted of all charges, Sangha would face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. Plasencia would face up to 10 years for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years for each records falsification count, according to prosecutors.
Georgia high school shooting
A 14-year-old student, Colt Gray, is accused of opening fire at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Sept. 4, killing two students and two teachers and injuring several others.
The suspect’s father, Colin Gray, is also facing charges for allegedly knowingly allowing his son to possess the weapon used in the shooting, according to the GBI.
Investigators believe the teen received the AR-style gun used in the shooting as a Christmas present from his father, according to sources.
The father and son have both pleaded not guilty.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton
On Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a powerful Category 4 storm.
As Helene moved north, it wreaked havoc in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.
Helene destroyed homes and roads, stranded residents without phone service and water, and claimed the lives of nearly 250 people throughout the Southeast.
Helene is now the deadliest storm in North Carolina’s history. Western North Carolina, including the city of Asheville, was especially hard hit.
Weeks later, on Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm, bringing tornadoes, powerful winds and flooding rains. Hurricane Milton killed at least 23 people in Florida.
Diddy arrested
Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in New York City in September and charged with sex trafficking by force, transportation to engage in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy.
Prosecutors allege he ran an “enterprise that he engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor or, kidnapping, arson and other crimes.”
Combs is accused of using violence, threats and coercion to force women to engage in sex acts with male prostitutes, sometimes lasting days and often recorded. Combs allegedly called the activity “freak offs.”
Federal prosecutors said Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
Combs has pleaded not guilty. His trial is set for May 2025.
The music mogul is also facing numerous civil lawsuits with claims mirroring the criminal allegations.
Menendez brothers’ fight for freedom
The notorious Menendez brothers case came back into the spotlight this year when Netflix released a scripted series and a documentary, both of which added momentum to Erik and Lyle Menendez’s push to be released from prison.
The brothers — who were convicted in the 1990s for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez — have three possible paths to freedom.
One path is through resentencing. The Los Angeles County district attorney announced in October that he was recommending the brothers’ sentence of life without the possibility of parole be removed, and they should instead be sentenced for murder, which would be a sentence of 50 years to life. Because both brothers were under 26 at the time of the crimes, with the new sentence, they would be eligible for parole immediately.
The DA’s office said its resentencing recommendations take into account factors including the defendants’ ages, psychological trauma or physical abuse that contributed to carrying out the crime and their rehabilitation in prison.
The second path is their habeas corpus petition, which was filed last year for a review of new evidence not presented at trial: a letter Erik Menendez wrote before the murders detailing his allegations that his father sexually abused him; and a new victim who has come forward alleging he was also sexually assaulted by Jose Menendez.
The third path is the brothers’ request for clemency, which they’ve submitted to California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The brothers’ next court hearing is in January 2025.
Delphi trial
In November, Delphi, Indiana, resident Richard Allen was found guilty in the murders of two teenage girls, Abby Williams and Libby German, who were killed on a local hiking trail in 2017.
The mysterious case captivated the nation for years. As police searched for answers, they released a clip of the unknown suspect’s voice — a recording of him saying “down the hill” — which was recovered from Libby’s phone. Police also released a grainy image of the suspect on the trail found on Libby’s phone.
Allen was arrested in 2022. He admitted to police he was on the trail that day, but he denied any involvement in the crime.
A major focus of Allen’s trial was his multiple confessions in jail to corrections officers, a psychologist and his wife. The defense argued Allen was in a psychotic state when he made the numerous confessions.
Allen was sentenced on Dec. 20 to 130 years in prison.
UnitedHealthcare CEO killing
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4 while he was on his way to an investors conference.
Thompson’s murder ignited online anger at the health insurance industry and some people online celebrated the suspect.
The slaying also sparked a massive manhunt for the masked gunman, with the NYPD releasing images of the suspect found via surveillance cameras.
On Dec. 9, suspect Luigi Mangione was apprehended after he was spotted at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
The ghost gun allegedly in his possession when he was arrested was matched to three shell casings recovered at the scene of the murder, the NYPD said. Fingerprints recovered from a water bottle and a Kind bar near the crime scene were also been matched to Mangione, police said.
Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, allegedly had a spiral notebook detailing plans about how to eventually kill the CEO, according to law enforcement officials.
One passage allegedly said, “What do you do? You whack the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention,” the officials said.
Mangione is in custody in New York City where he’s facing state and federal charges. The federal charges make him eligible for the death penalty.
ABC News’ Meredith Deliso, Clara McMichael and Nadine El-Bawab contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Three people were hospitalized after a New York City taxi cab jumped the curb and struck multiple pedestrians in Herald Square on Christmas Day.
The incident occurred on the Midtown Manhattan sidewalk at 4:03 p.m. as the taxi driver was northbound on Sixth Avenue, a New York City Police Department spokesperson confirmed to ABC News.
There were six pedestrians struck by the cab, and the three individuals that were transported to area hospitals included a 9-year-old boy, and two women aged 41 and 49, according to officials.
All of the impacted pedestrians suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Officials say the driver suffered a possible medical episode, but the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet near the western Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25, 2024. (Photo by Issa Tazhenbayev / AFP via Getty Images)
(LONDON) — At least 38 people are dead and 29 others injured after an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger aircraft crashed near Kazakhstan’s Aktau Airport close to the Caspian Sea on Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations told ABC News.
The aircraft was was flying from Baku in Azerbaijan to Grozny in Russia, the Transport Ministry said in a post to its official Telegram channel. It was rerouted to Aktau in Kazakhstan due to fog in Grozny, Russian news agencies reported.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations told ABC News that the plane was carrying 69 people — 64 passengers and five crew members. The ministry said 29 people survived the crash, with many hospitalized, including two children.
Kazakhstan’s deputy health minister told ABC News that some of those taken to hospital are in critical condition.
“The list of dead and injured is being finalized,” the Ministry of Emergency Situations wrote earlier Wednesday in a Telegram post.
Preliminary reports suggest that the crash may have been caused by a bird strike leading to engine failure, which necessitated an emergency landing attempt, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Emergency Situations said.
Among the passengers were 37 Azerbaijani citizens, six from Kazakhstan, three from Kyrgyzstan and 16 from Russia, the Transport Ministry said in a statement, citing “preliminary data.”
“The investigation team is being provided with the necessary assistance by the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan at the scene of the incident,” Maj. Gen. Chingis Arinov, Kazakhstan minister of emergency situations, said.
Emergency response teams, including 432 workers and 79 vehicles, and 10 canine units were deployed to the crash site. Canine teams are involved in the search operations. Rescuers are working around the clock, using special equipment, the spokesperson said.
Investigations are underway, with aviation authorities from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia are collaborating to determine the exact cause of the crash, the spokesperson added.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev canceled his planned attendance of Wednesday’s Commonwealth of Independent States meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, following the crash, according to a readout of a phone call between Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin published by the former’s office.
“The heads of state expressed condolences to each other, to the family members and loved ones of those killed in the plane crash, among whom were citizens of Azerbaijan, Russia and other countries, and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded,” the readout said.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg meeting, Putin told attendees he had dispatched a team from Russia’s own Emergencies Ministry to Aktau “with medical personnel and the necessary additional equipment on board.”
ABC News’ Tomek Rolski and Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.
