News Wrap: Suspected school shooter and father arraigned in Georgia courtroom

In our news wrap Friday, the teenager charged with killing four in a Georgia school shooting made his first court appearance, Southern California is sweltering in the peak of a late-summer heat wave, the White House called on Israel to investigate the death of an American in the occupied West Bank and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the U.S. will provide additional weapons to Ukraine.

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Geoff Bennett: And we start the day’s other headlines inside a Georgia courtroom.

The teenager charged in Wednesday’s shooting at Apalachee High School that killed four people made his first court appearance today, and so did his father. The two were arranged separately in back-to-back hearings, while families of the victims were seated in the front row. The suspect’s father, Colin Gray, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder for providing a firearm to his son while knowing he was a threat to himself and others.

The 14-year-old suspect will be tried as an adult. Both will remain in custody after their lawyers decided not to seek bail.

Southern California is sweltering in the peak of a late summer heat wave today, with some places expected to soar above 110 degrees. Excessive heat warnings are in effect until Monday with triple-digit temperatures on deck all weekend. That fits with a global pattern of hot weather, with data out today showing it’s been the hottest summer ever recorded worldwide.

The European climate service Copernicus says that puts 2024 on track to be the warmest year observed in human history. Scientists mostly attribute the heat to human-caused climate change.

The White House is calling on Israel to investigate the death of an American citizen in the occupied West Bank today. Witnesses say the 26-year-old woman was shot by Israeli troops during an anti-settlement protest. Doctors say she was struck in the head and later died in a hospital.

In a statement, the IDF wrote that its forces — quote — “responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks” and that it’s looking into reports that a foreign national was killed.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said U.S. officials are gathering more information on what happened.

Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State: We deplore this tragic loss. I have no higher priority than the safety and protection of American citizens around the world, wherever they are, something I take with the utmost seriousness. So, if we have more info, we will share it, make it available, and, as necessary, we will act on.

Geoff Bennett: That comes as Israel appears to have withdrawn from several West Bank refugee camps after a military operation that lasted more than a week and left dozens dead.

Residents of the Jenin camp describe the destruction as the worst they have ever seen. Israel says it was targeting militants to curb attacks against its civilians.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the U.S. will provide $250 million in additional weapons to Ukraine. Austin made the announcement in Germany today, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again pushed for permission to use long-range weapons to strike targets deeper inside Russia. U.S. officials fear such attacks could escalate the war.

Speaking to reporters today, Secretary Austin defended the administration’s position.

Lloyd Austin, U.S. Secretary of Defense: We have said all along, U.S. there’s no one capability that will in and of itself be decisive in this campaign. Each time, we point out that it’s not just one thing. It’s a combination of capabilities and how you integrate those capabilities to achieve objectives.

Geoff Bennett: The meeting comes after a series of Russian airstrikes this week, including today’s missile attack on the city of Pavlohrad in the eastern part of the country. Regional officials there say at least 50 people were injured.

The Chinese government says it will no longer allow international adoptions of its children, except in the case of blood relatives adopting a child or stepchild. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson gave few details, except to say the decision is in line with the spirit of relevant international conventions. More than 160,000 Chinese children have been adopted by overseas families since 1992.

About half of those were by Americans. The U.S. State Department says it’s seeking clarification how the decision will affect hundreds of American families with pending applications.

And on Wall Street, stocks tumbled after the latest jobs report sparked new worries about the U.S. economy. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped more than 400 points, or about 1 percent. The Nasdaq fell more than 400 points and is now more than 10 percent off its record highs. The S&P 500 closed out its worst week since March of 2023.

And it’s the sprint to the finish for the Paralympic Games in Paris. The Closing Ceremony is on Sunday. Today saw some impressive performances. British cycling star Sarah Storey added a 19th gold medal to her, got to say it, storied career. The 46-year-old actually won her first Paralympic gold as a swimmer at the Barcelona Games back in 1992.

China set a new world record in the qualifying heat in the 4×100-meter universal relay. They went on to win gold in the event, which features two men and two women, each with different disabilities. And Team USA’s Hunter Woodhall took home gold in the men’s 400 meter. His wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, herself a gold medalist in the Paris Games, was there to cheer him on.

And a passing of note. Celebrated Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes has died. The Grammy-winning pianist, songwriter and arranger was one of the country’s biggest stars, bringing bossa nova to a global audience. His biggest hit was a cover of the song “Mas Que Nada” with his group Brasil ’66. Mendes was still performing in 2023, but spent months dealing with the effects of long COVID before his death.

Sergio Mendes was 83 years old.