Qasem Soleimani killing, Hanukkah party stabbing, Australia wildfires: 5 things to know Friday
Trump to make first public appearance since Soleimani's killing
In his first campaign move of 2020, President Donald Trump on Friday will visit a mega-church in Miami to host the kickoff meeting of "Evangelicals for Trump" as he aims to shore up support from an influential piece of his political base. It will also be his first public appearance since the stunning news that the Pentagon launched an airstrike that killed powerful Iranian military leader, Gen. Qasem Soleimani. The Defense Department said it conducted the attack at Trump's direction as a "defensive action" against Soleimani, who it said was planning further attacks on Americans. The attack sparked immediate fears of a wider confrontation between the U.S. and Iran and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned early Friday that a "harsh retaliation is waiting" for the U.S. after the strike.
- What we know: More on the strike that killed Iranian military leader Soleimani
- After the attack: Photos reveal extensive damage to US Embassy in Baghdad as American soldiers rush to region
- US military action: Five strikes conducted in Iraq, Syria on Iran-backed militia behind attack that killed American, Pentagon says
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Will McGahn be forced to testify? Court of Appeals to hear arguments
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments Friday about whether to compel former White House counsel Don McGahn to testify at a House committee in the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. The three-judge panel has asked the House Judiciary Committee whether the testimony was still needed after Democrats in the full House voted Dec. 18 to impeach Trump. According to the Judiciary Committee, McGahn was a witness to several of Trump's efforts to undermine investigations, which could lead to "new articles of impeachment." But the Justice Department has argued "that Mr. McGahn is absolutely immune from compelled congressional testimony," in order to ensure presidents get candid advice from aides.
- House Judiciary Committee's argument: Panel urges federal appeals court to compel McGahn to testify
- 'Presidents are not kings': Federal judge says McGahn must testify before Congress
- House subpoena defied: McGahn skipped hearing on Russia probe
Australia state declares emergency over wildfires
Australia's state of New South Wales has declared a state of emergency taking effect Friday due to raging wildfires. Meanwhile, tourists on the south coast of New South Wales — an area south of Sydney — should leave, U.S. Embassy officials warned because of the "extreme fire danger." The embassy advised people to avoid the area this weekend. New South Wales's Rural Fire Service map showed a large cluster of wildfires Thursday from south of Brisbane to south of Canberra, Australia's capital. At least a dozen people have died from the country's wildfires, which have been burning since October.
- Australia wildfires continue to sweep across the country
Meteor shower brightens sky near Big Dipper
The first celestial light show of 2020 comes to the skies late Friday and through the wee hours after midnight. The Quadrantids meteor shower should be visible in all areas of the sky, if weather cooperates. During its peak, 60 to as many as 200 Quadrantid meteors can be seen per hour under perfect conditions, according to NASA. The meteors will appear to originate from near the constellation Ursa Major, more commonly known as the Big Dipper, AccuWeather said. The shower probably will be at its best from 2 a.m. to dawn on Saturday, EarthSky said.
- 'A huge fireball': City buses caught a meteor on camera as it shot across Milwaukee's sky
Hanukkah party stabbing suspect due in court
The Rockland County (New York) District Attorney's Office is set to present state charges to a grand jury on Friday against a man accused of stabbing five people with a machete at a Hanukkah party at a rabbi's home in Monsey. Grafton E. Thomas, 37, is being held in the Westchester County jail and faces state charges of attempted murder and federal charges of obstructing the free exercise of religion in an attempt to kill, which are hate crimes. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said there were at least 13 incidents of anti-Semitism in the state in the past few weeks.
- Hanukkah party stabbing: What we know
- Family of man stabbed at party: 'Prognosis is not good'
Contributing: Associated Press