national news

Longtime civil-rights leader and former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela died Thursday due to complications from a lung infection. He was 95 years old.

Just after the school day ended at Brashear High School in Pittsburgh, several gunmen dressed in black shot three students as they were leaving the building. All three victims are alive and in stable condition, receiving treatment at local hospitals.

UPDATE 2:30 p.m. EST: NBC is reporting that one TSA agent was killed and three others wounded. Airport police shot and may have killed the gunman at the scene. The shooter, whose identity has not been confirmed, was taken into custody after being shot.

It may have taken more than two weeks, but the government finally looks set to reopen. At least until early 2014, that is.

As the government shut down drags on, Congress is quickly losing popularity. In fact, Congress has just a five percent approval rating. So, what's more popular than Congress right now? Think of the the thing you hate the most and it's probably on this list.

The government shutdown is now in its fourth day and while we know the mail will still come and laws are still being enforced, here’s who else and what else is being affected.

UPDATE 6:30 P.M. EST: Officials have confirmed that the woman who led police on a car chase from the White House toward the Capitol was indeed killed at the scene. Her name has not yet been released.

With Congress unable to agree on a budget or even a short-term emergency bill, it's increasingly likely that the federal government will suffer its first shutdown in 17 years. Leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate will trade proposals on Monday, but neither side is optimistic that they will reach an agreement.

The US Army is about to make a stink over ink.

On Wednesday morning in New York, family and friends of the victims of 9/11, along with law-enforcement and political leaders, gathered at the World Trade Center site to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

President Obama again made his case for action against Syria in a speech from the East Room of the White House on Tuesday night while asking the House and Senate to put off a vote a vote on military action.

Convicted Cleveland kidnapper and rapist Ariel Castro was found dead late Tuesday in his prison cell in Ohio. The New York Daily News reports the 52-year-old hung himself.