News Wrap: Georgia father and son indicted for Apalachee High School mass shooting

In our news wrap Thursday, a Georgia grand jury indicted a father and son for the mass shooting at Apalachee High School, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy made the case for his victory plan to European and NATO officials, the U.S. carried out strikes in Yemen targeting five bunkers used by Houthi rebels and the Biden administration canceled student loans for one million public service workers.

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Geoff Bennett: And we start the day’s other headlines in Brussels, where Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is making the case for his victory plan to European leaders and NATO officials.

Zelenskyy urged an E.U. leaders summit to increase support for Ukraine’s military and claimed Ukraine has intelligence that 10,000 troops from North Korea are coming to join Russia on the battlefield. Zelenskyy told reporters that Ukraine either needs NATO membership or nuclear weapons.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President (through interpreter): Either Ukraine will have nuclear weapons, and then this is defense for us, or we should have some kind of an alliance. Today, we do not know any effective alliances other than NATO. This is why we choose NATO, not nuclear weapons. We are choosing NATO.

Geoff Bennett: After the E.U. meetings, Zelenskyy made his way across Brussels to a meeting of NATO defense ministers. It was the first such gathering under new NATO Chief Mark Rutte, who said that Ukraine will indeed become a NATO member, but did not specify when that will be.

The U.S. military says it carried out a series of strikes in Yemen targeting five underground bunkers used by Houthi rebels. It’s the first time the U.S. has used long-range B-2 stealth bombers against the Iran-backed group. The strikes are an apparent warning to Iran, with Pentagon officials saying they demonstrate the abilities of the U.S. military to strike hard-to-reach targets.

Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, Pentagon Press Secretary: We can strike targets of this nature any time, anywhere from around the world. To my knowledge, this was a — this not a repeat strike. Again, this was to go after very specific capabilities that the Houthis were storing deep underground.

Geoff Bennett: The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been attacking ships in the Red Sea for months in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people over the war in Gaza.

In Georgia, a grand jury has indicted a father and son for the mass shooting at Apalachee High School last month that killed four people. Colin Gray faces 29 counts, which include second-degree murder, manslaughter and reckless conduct. His son, the 14-year-old accused shooter, faces 55 charges, including felony murder and malice murder. Their next court appearance is set for late November.

It’s the latest example of authorities trying to hold the parents of mass shooting suspects accountable for their children’s alleged crimes.

The Biden administration has now canceled student loans for one million public service workers. Officials crossed that milestone today with their latest $4.5 billion debt relief installment. That was provided to 60,000 teachers, firefighters, nurses and other public servants. All told, the administration has forgiven more than $175 billion for about five million borrowers.

Those efforts come even as President Biden’s broader student loan forgiveness plan faces legal challenges from some Republican-led states.

Americans ramped up their shopping last month, as low unemployment and steady pay gains offset worries about high prices. Retail sales jumped 0.4 percent in September when compared to the month before. That’s a third straight monthly increase and signals ongoing consumer confidence heading into the vital holiday period.

Separately, the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell unexpectedly last week by 19,000. Claims had spiked the week before due to the impact of recent hurricanes in the Southeast.

The economic data gave Wall Street a bit of a lift today, but not much. The Dow Jones industrial average rose about 160 points to reach a new all-time high. The Nasdaq added about six points, so a tiny gain there. The S&P 500 slipped by a single point, so basically flat on the day.

And Liam Payne’s former One Direction bandmates say they’re completely devastated by the singer’s sudden death. The four issued a joint statement today, saying: “Our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us.”

An official autopsy confirmed Payne suffered multiple traumas after falling from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires yesterday. The hotel had called 911 about a guest overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol. Payne saw massive fame in the 2010s as a member of the British boy band One Direction. They split in 2016, and Payne pursued a solo career.

Overnight, loyal fans, known as Directioners, gathered to sing his music and to process their loss.

Lucia Gonzalez, Liam Payne Fan (through interpreter): I started listening to One Direction when I was 11 years old. I was never able to see them live. They broke up. There was always talk about the return, the reunion, at least symbolically. But it won’t be able to happen anymore.

Geoff Bennett: In recent years, Payne spoke openly on social media about his struggles with fame and sobriety. He was 31 years old.

And Mitzi Gaynor, the acting, singing and dancing triple threat of Hollywood’s golden age of musicals, has died.

(Singing)

Geoff Bennett: Her portrayal of Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film “South Pacific” earned a Golden Globe nomination. It was a highlight in a glittering career that spanned eight decades across film, television and stage.

For years, she appeared in TV variety specials alongside stars like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Dean Martin. And at one point, she was the highest paid female entertainer in Las Vegas. Mitzi Gaynor died of natural causes in Los Angeles. She was 93 years old.