Top eight today

Top eight stories for today including the Supreme Court seemed poised to uphold a 15-week ban on abortions in Mississippi; The World Health Organization reprimanded countries for imposing travel bans amid fears over the omicron coronavirus variant; The death toll from a high school shooting in Michigan climbed to four, and more.

National

Roe hanging by a thread after justices hear Mississippi abortion case

During oral arguments Wednesday in a landmark case on abortion, the Supreme Court's conservative majority seemed poised to uphold a 15-week ban on abortions in Mississippi while remaining opaque on if they will completely overturn a woman’s right to abortion.

Stephen Parlato of Boulder, Colo., holds a sign that reads "Hands Off Roe!!!" outside of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Nov. 30, 2021, ahead of arguments on abortion. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

First US case of omicron variant surfaces in California

The California and San Francisco departments of public health confirmed Wednesday a fully vaccinated traveler who returned to the U.S. from South Africa on Nov. 22 was infected with the new Covid-19 omicron variant.

The international arrivals terminal at San Francisco International Airport. (Courthouse News photo)

Prison time ordered for Capitol rioter who posted ‘had fun lol’

A Pennsylvania man who stormed to the U.S. Capitol with his wife, his mother and a bawdy hoodie was sentenced to 30 days in prison on Wednesday, a sentence more than twice as long as sought by prosecutors.

Prosecutors included these selfies taken by Russell James Peterson and his mother as they joined the riot at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overthrow the government on Jan. 6, 2021. (Image via Courthouse News)

Four Capitol rioters plead guilty, one to assaulting police

A Georgia man who was shown footage of him assaulting two law enforcement officers on Jan. 6 but told FBI agents that he didn't remember that conduct pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony count of assaulting police.

Body-camera footage shows Kevin Creek kicking a law enforcement officer on Jan. 6. (Image via Courthouse News)

Regional

Fourth student dies in Michigan school shooting as small town grasps for answers

The death toll from a high school shooting in Michigan climbed to four Wednesday morning after a 15-year-old sophomore opened fire on students and teachers with his dad's semi-automatic gun at Oxford High School, according to authorities.

A bouquet of roses sits on a sign outside of Oxford High School in Oxford, Mich., on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, the day after a school shooting. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)

Georgia elections chief sues feds for records on voting law challenge

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger sued the U.S. Department of Justice in federal court on Wednesday to force compliance with a request for documents which he believes will reveal the political machinations behind the government’s challenge to the Peach State’s controversial new election law.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger discusses his book, "Integrity Counts," during an interview in Atlanta on Oct. 28, 2021. (Ron Harris/AP)

Winter sets in for NY landlords hampered by Covid eviction ban

The New York Attorney General's Office called it time Wednesday to snuff out a challenge against the state's ban on evictions during the Covid-19 pandemic brought by landlords who have proven themselves unsuited to mounting the case.

Gary Zaremba checks in with a tenant to discuss building maintenance at one of his rental properties in Queens, New York, on Aug. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

International

WHO knocks travel bans over omicron fears

The World Health Organization on Wednesday said it is too soon to know how dangerous the new coronavirus variant omicron is but its experts reprimanded countries for imposing travel bans to stop its spread.

A man walks through a deserted part of O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov. 29, 2021. (Jerome Delay/AP)