Mauna Loa volcano erupts, Buffalo shooting, Congress reconvenes, Spotify Instafest, severe weather. It’s Monday’s news.
Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth, has erupted. A Virginia man was killed in a shootout after police say he catfished a girl and killed her family in California. And Congress is facing a consequential lame-duck session.
👋 Hello! Laura Davis here. Hope everyone had a restful holiday weekend! It’s time for Monday’s news.
🎸 But first, in what universe would Beyonce, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Beatles, Doc Watson and Dolly Parton be playing at a festival together?Laura Davis Fest, of course! 🤘 Spotify users are flocking to Instafest to find their top artists in a Coachella-like weekend lineup. Who’s playing at your dream music festival?
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Mauna Loa erupts for the first time in 38 years
For the first time since 1984, Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, has started to erupt on Hawaii’s Big Island. The eruption began late Sunday in Moku‘āweoweo, the summit caldera of Mauna Loa in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The lava flows are not threatening any nearby communities downhill at this time, the USGS said. Still, residents were warned of volcanic gas, fine ash and Pele’s Hair – thin strands of volcanic glass, which could “be carried downwind.” Shelters have been opened as a precaution.
‘Tis the season: Bad weather trashes flight plans
A swath of bad weather caused thousands of flight delays, forcing travelers to scramble to get home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. And storms forecast for Tuesday threatened more travel chaos.
- If you’re flying, check your plans: More than 2,200 flights were delayed or canceled by Monday afternoon – this after almost 7,000 flights were delayed Sunday, one of the year’s busiest travel days, according to flightaware.com.
- Millions at risk for bad weather: A storm rolling out of the Rockies was forecast to bring severe weather ranging from high winds to tornadoes from Illinois and Indiana to Texas. AccuWeather meteorologists warned that about 30 million people in the south-central United States will be at risk for severe thunderstorms on Tuesday alone. Elsewhere, snow could be the problem.
⛈ Severe weather looms:See which areas will be impacted.
🌤 What’s the weather like at your house? Check your local forecast.
What everyone’s talking about
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Buffalo Tops shooter pleads guilty to murder, hate crime charges
Answering “yes” and “guilty” as the judge asked whether he killed each victim because of their race, a white man accused of fatally shooting 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, appeared in court Monday morning. The 19-year-old who carried out the racist massacre with a semi-automatic rifle pleaded guilty to 10 counts of first-degree murder, plus charges of domestic terrorism motivated by hate, attempted murder as a hate crime and criminal weapon possession. The man is facing a penalty of life without parole for the attack at a Tops Friendly Market on May 14. He also faces federal hate crime charges that could carry the death penalty. The U.S. Justice Department has not said whether it will seek capital punishment.
Is a government shutdown coming? Will same-sex marriage pass?
Congress is racing against a looming Dec. 16 deadline to fund the federal government and stave off a partial shutdown. That’s just one highly consequential priority in the lame-duck session that will extend well into December – and potentially into the next Congress when Republicans will take over the House. As the House and Senate return this week from Thanksgiving break, they are grappling with a laundry list of issues: a same-sex marriage act, electoral reform and military spending, in addition to government funding. Breaking down Congress’ big week.
Real quick
Man killed in shootout after police say he catfished teen, killed her family
The suspect in a Southern California triple homicide who died in a shootout with police was a former Virginia law enforcement officer who investigators believe drove across the country to meet a teenage girl before killing three members of her family. Austin Lee Edwards, 28, also likely set fire to the family’s home in Riverside, California, on the day of the shooting Friday before leaving with the girl, according to the Riverside Police Department. Police fatally shot Edwards after locating him with the teenager later that day, officials said. Edwards met the girl online and deceived her with a false identity, known as “catfishing,” Riverside police said. The bodies found in the home were identified as the girl’s grandparents and mother. The teenager was unharmed.
A break from the news
Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.
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