Nation Grapples with Deadly Winter Storm, International Adoption Hurdles, and Other Developing Stories
A powerful winter storm left a trail of destruction and extreme cold across a large part of the United States, resulting in at least 60 confirmed deaths, CBS News reported Thursday. Officials in numerous states reported about 23 additional deaths that appeared to be related to the winter weather. Hypothermia, car accidents, snowplow accidents, sledding accidents, and cardiac emergencies linked to shoveling snow were among the reported causes of death. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said 10 people had been found dead in the cold in the city, though not all of their causes of death had been confirmed.
In other news, American families pursuing international adoptions faced increased hurdles due to President Trump's latest travel ban and visa freeze covering dozens of countries. Unlike past travel bans, this one made no blanket exceptions for international adoption visas, according to advocacy groups and bipartisan lawmakers. The State Department issued new guidance Wednesday stating that children being adopted by U.S. citizens may qualify for an exception under the National Interest Exception on a "case-by-case" basis. The department "will consider such requests on a priority basis," according to guidance obtained by CBS News. Adoption groups and families welcomed the guidance as a step in the right direction but continued to advocate for automatic exemptions for adoptions.
Meanwhile, in Minnesota, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar launched her campaign for governor, a surprise development in the race for the state's top job. In an announcement video on social media, Klobuchar acknowledged the challenges Minnesota has faced, including the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents, the murder of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, and the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School last summer. "We cannot sugarcoat how hard this is, but in these moments of enormous difficulty, we find strength in our Minnesota values of hard work, freedom, and simple decency and good will," Klobuchar said.
In New York City, a driver was taken into custody after crashing his car into Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn on Wednesday night, police said. The incident, which occurred just before 9 p.m. Eastern Time, was being investigated as a possible hate crime. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said officers assigned to a detail outside Chabad headquarters "heard a commotion in the building's main entrance." Tisch said the officers saw the driver strike the rear door of the building, reverse his vehicle, and then strike the rear door again. There were no injuries reported.
In Fairfax, Virginia, Brendan Banfield testified in court on Wednesday, claiming he did not plot to kill his wife, Christine Banfield, despite having an affair with the family's au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. Wearing a gray suit and a plaid tie, Banfield testified under oath about the affair, describing Magalhães scooting her chair closer to his while eating dinner one night, while his wife was out of town. He testified that she followed him into his room at bedtime, and he didn't stop her. But Banfield testified he and Magalhães did not plot to kill his wife and another man in the months that followed.
Discussion
Join the conversation
Be the first to comment