Author: Grace Thompson

A woman in Kentucky who is seeking an abortion filed a lawsuit Tuesday that seeks to strike down the state’s near total ban. The suit, filed by a woman referred to in the documents as Mary Poe, alleges that two Kentucky abortion laws violate the state Constitution’s rights to privacy and self-determination. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday afternoon in the Jefferson County Circuit Court. The American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement and complaint shared first with NBC News that the lawsuit reflects “the severe harms that Mary Poe, who is approximately seven weeks pregnant, is suffering because the government has denied her access to the care she needs.” “I feel overwhelmed and frustrated that I cannot access abortion care here in my own state, and I have started the difficul...

The U.S. will not change its policy on arms transfers to Israel even though the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains dire, the State Department said Tuesday, the deadline the White House set for Israel to ramp up access to aid in the besieged Palestinian enclave. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters the decision came as "Israel has taken a number of steps" outlined in a letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Israeli counterparts last month. "We continue to be in discussion with Israel about the steps they took and other steps they need to take," he said. An average of just over 30 trucks a day have been let into Gaza in recent weeks, representing “just over six percent of the daily needs,” acc...

In July, tech billionaire Elon Musk said he hoped some states would consider criminal prosecutions of people participating in what he called an advertiser “boycott” of platforms like his social media app, X. In October, Musk turned his attention to a former State Department official, Victoria Nuland, saying she should be “ prosecuted ” after she went on television and criticized him as a tool of the Kremlin. And then last week, Musk revived a long-running feud with a group that monitors hatred online, the Center for Countering Digital Hate, saying that its members should be prosecuted for “their many crimes.” Musk, the world’s richest person, has in the past two years called for several of his opponents to be prosecuted, and it’s something that free speech adv...

Weather conditions triggered red flag warnings in the northeast part of the United States as firefighters in California continued to battle a large wildfire that has burned over 20,000 acres. Much of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are under a red flag warning Tuesday due to dry and windy conditions. Massachusetts and Rhode Island are under the same warning, the National Weather Service in Boston said in a post on X . The agency urged people to avoid outdoor burning and activities that may produce a spark and to use caution when disposing of igniters, such as cigarettes. The warnings come as a historic drought continues to grip much of the Northeast. In New Jersey, three counties are suffering “extreme” drought and the rest of the state has severe or moderate dr...

Authorities in Coos County, Oregon, are searching for a 5-year-old boy whose mother said he vanished over the weekend while she was taking a nap. The Coos County Sheriff’s Office said that Joshua James McCoy was reported missing after sundown Saturday from Hauser, an unincorporated community that runs along Route 101 in Oregon. Deputy Jeff Lee, a spokesman for the Coos County Sheriff's Office, said in a phone interview Tuesday that Joshua's mother told deputies dispatched to her home that she and her son had both fallen asleep Saturday afternoon. When she woke up at 5:30 p.m., Joshua was gone, according to statements from the sheriff’s office, which did not identify his mother by name. Joshua, who goes by Josh or Joshie, is described as 3 feet, 6 inches tall, with brown hair and b...

I never need an excuse to get my pets gifts , but the holidays are a particularly good one. They’re an opportunity to buy a new toy, bed or treats for my cats and dog, as well as spoil my loved ones’ companions. In fact, the pets in my life are often the easiest to shop for, so I never have a shortage of ideas about what to get them — instead, I tend to have a list so long I don’t know where to start. If you need some inspiration, I rounded up the best gifts for pets this year. Most of them are approved by the NBC Select staff’s pets, and some are highly rated items our furry friends have on their wishlists. I also included a handful of gifts for pet parents. SKIP AHEAD The best gifts for dogs | The best gifts for cats | ...

A " Wheel of Fortune " contestant has gone viral for his hilariously wrong answer on the Nov. 11 episode of the show. The correct answer to the puzzle in question was, "Give yourself a round of applause." With only a few tiles missing, the board read "___E _OURSE_F A ROUN_ OF A___AUSE," before contestant Will Jordan gave his answer. "Treat yourself a round of sausage," he guessed — which, clearly, was wrong for a number of reasons. A clip now viewed over a half a million times on X shows Jordan's comical "missolve." After Jordan's fellow contestant Kitina solved the puzzle correctly, host Ryan Seacrest joined in the fun. "Will, I kind of like yours better," he joked. "That sounds better than just clapping right now." Following the silly sausage solve, the game show...