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Buzzer Beaters: Top Sports Stories for January 16
As you may have heard by now, Lance Armstrong sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a two-and-a-half-hour interview on Monday where he admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs during his seven-year run as champion of the Tour de France. The interview will air on Winfrey's OWN network on Thursday and Friday nights.
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Wal-Mart Plans to Hire 100,000 Veterans
The national unemployment rate spiked following the 2008 financial crash, and it has remained stubbornly high ever since. Unfortunately, it has been even worse for returning American servicemembers. Today, though, Wal-Mart announced a plan to hire 100,000 veterans over the next five years.
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New Movies: ‘Zero Dark Thirty,’ ‘Gangster Squad’ and ‘A Haunted House’
The hunt for Osama bin Laden, a throwback gangster tale and a horror spoof all hit theaters this weekend, giving you a wide range of options.
'Zero Dark Thirty'
The story of the Navy SEAL team that killed Osama bin Laden, following years of work by a dedicated CIA operative, from the makers of 'The Hurt Locker
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Will Robert Griffin III Ever Match His Rookie Season? — Sports Survey of the Day
On Wednesday morning, Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his knee. His recovery time is expected to be six to eight months, which means he should be ready for the start of the 2013 season. But will he be the same?
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Who Should Be Elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame? — Sports Survey of the Day
On Wednesday, baseball's Hall of Fame will announce the players who comprise the 2013 class of inductees—or they will announce that no one has surpassed the 75 percent voting mark required for induction. Which would be remarkable, given that some of the greatest players ever to step on a baseball diamond are on the ballot this year. So why the uncertainty? Steroids, of course.
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Celebrity Birthdays for December 31 — Anthony Hopkins and More
Here's a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:
Sir Anthony Hopkins
Age: 75
Occupation: Actor
Known For: His status as one of the world's greatest living actors, roles in dozens of films including his Oscar-winning portrayal of cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter in 'The Silence of the Lambs,' and being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1993
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2 Firefighters Shot and Killed at Scene of Fire in Webster, N.Y.; Gunman Dead (UPDATED)
UPDATE 4:07 p.m. EST: Authorities have identified the gunman as William Spengler, an ex-convict who spent 17 years in prison for murdering his 92-year-old grandmother in 1980.
Spengler was paroled for the crime in 1998.
Police also have not located Spengler's 67-year-old sister, who lived in the house with Spengler.
Authorities also report that a total of seven houses were destroyed in the blaze.
UPDATE 12:40 p.m. EST: Police chief Gerald Pickering says that the gunman, who was killed at the scene, either by police or from a self-inflicted wound, may have set a trap for first responders.
UPDATE 12:15 p.m. EST: The Associated Press is reporting that the gunman who killed the two firefighters is also dead. His body was found at the scene. The names of the two deceased firefighters, according to the Democrat and Chronicle, are Mike Chiapperini, 43, a volunteer firefighter and the Webster Police Department’s public information officer, and Tomasz Kaczowka. The names of the wounded firefighters are Joseph Hofsetter and Theodore Scardino.
Early Monday morning two firefighters were shot and killed when responding to a call in Webster, New York, just outside Rochester. After the firefighters arrived at 191 Lake Road, an unknown shooter fired at them as they left their truck, killing two of them and wounding two others. The wounded men are at a nearby hospital; one is in stable condition, the other is in guarded condition.
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NRA Calls for Armed Guards at Schools
Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, read a statement Friday morning in reaction to last week's shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. He called for installing armed guards in schools to prevent future gun violence against students.
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How You Can Help Families in Newtown, Connecticut
In the wake of the horrific killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School last week, Americans across the country are wondering how they can aid the families of the victims. There are numerous methods to donate money, but you also can help in other ways, such as volunteering your time, writing a card or letter, or sending a teddy bear to a child in Newtown.
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27 Dead, Including 20 Children, in Connecticut Elementary School Shooting (UPDATED)
NOTE: This post will be continually updated as new information comes in. Video and photos are below. All times Eastern.
UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: Originally it was thought that Adam Lanza, the gunman, shot his mother at the Sandy Hook Elementary school, where she was a teacher's aide. ABC has learned that, in fact, Nancy Lanza was killed at her home (by her son) prior to the massacre. He then drove to the school, where he killed 20 children and six adults, before killing himself.
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Who Has Better Toy Prices: Amazon or Big Box Stores?
Trying to find the lowest prices on toys this holiday season? The latest industry report indicates that Amazon.com has better deals than retail giants Walmart, Target and everyone else.
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This Day in History for November 14 — Booker T. Washington Dies, and More
Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:
1882: Billy the Kid is killed in a shootout in Tombstone, Arizona (more info)
1889: Pioneering female journalist Nellie Bly—aka Elizabeth Cochrane—begins a successful attempt to travel around the world in fewer than 80 days, completing the trip in 72 days (more info)