A former teacher shot by student, 6, wins $10M jury verdict against ex-assistant principal

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — A Virginia jury has awarded $10 million to a former teacher in a lawsuit that accused an administrator of ignoring warnings that a 6-year-old student had a gun before the teacher was shot. Jurors returned the verdict Thursday against Ebony Parker, a former assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News. Abby Zwerner was shot in January 2023. A bullet damaged her left hand and remains in her chest. Parker was the only defendant in the lawsuit. The shooting sent shock waves through this Virginia military shipbuilding community and the country at large, with many wondering how a child so young could access a gun and shoot his teacher.

Shutdown flight cuts at 40 of the busiest US airports will be phased in

(AP) — Airports in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are among 40 of the busiest across the U.S. where flights will be cut due to the government shutdown. That is according to a list distributed to the airlines and obtained by The Associated Press. The Federal Aviation Administration says it will begin reducing air traffic on Friday to maintain safety, as air traffic controllers go unpaid and show signs of strain during the shutdown. The plan is to curtail 10% of flights across the affected airports. Airlines say they will try to minimize the impact on travelers. United Airlines says it will focus the cuts on regional routes that use smaller planes. Passengers should start to be notified about cancellations Thursday.

Appeals court gives Trump another shot at erasing his hush money conviction

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court has given new life to President Donald Trump’s bid to erase his New York hush money conviction. A three-judge panel on Thursday ordered a lower court to reconsider its decision to keep the Trump case in state court instead of moving it to federal court. But the panel offered no view of how U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein should rule. In federal court, Trump could seek to have the case thrown out on presidential immunity grounds. Trump’s legal team said “the Witch Hunt” by the Manhattan district attorney’s office should be “immediately overturned and dismissed.” That office declined comment on the appeals court ruling.

Trump unveils deal to expand coverage and lower costs on obesity drugs

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has unveiled a deal with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to expand coverage and reduce prices for their popular obesity treatments Zepbound and Wegovy. The drugs are part of a new generation of obesity medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that have soared in popularity in recent years. But access to the drugs has been a consistent problem for patients because of their cost and spotty insurance coverage. Thursday’s announcement is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to rein in soaring drug prices in its efforts to address cost-of-living concerns among voters.