In our news wrap Monday, the Supreme Court reinstated a murder conviction in the case of Etan Patz, tornadoes killed at least three people across the Midwest, Colombia voted for its next president, authorities said that confirmed Ebola cases topped 1,000 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Lionel Messi became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.
Nick Schifrin:
Also today, the Supreme Court reinstated a murder conviction in the case of Etan Patz, the 6-year-old boy who went missing in New York City in 1979. In a 6-3 decision, the justices reversed a lower court decision that overturned the conviction of Pedro Hernandez, who admitted to the crime and was convicted of kidnapping and murder.
But Hernandez’s lawyers have said his confession was due to a mental illness. Patz vanished while walking to a Manhattan bus stop. His disappearance helped launch a movement to find missing children and he was among the first to appear on milk cartons.
Across the Midwest, a series of tornadoes claimed at least three lives, leaving homes in tatters and tens of thousands without power. Eyewitness footage caught the tornadoes tearing through fields and communities in Indiana and Illinois yesterday. In Sedgwick County, Kansas, a man was killed when his home was blown off its foundation.
Meantime, out West, firefighters are battling a massive wildfire near the town of Eureka, Utah. All 1,000 residents have been forced to evacuate. And parts of Sedona, Arizona, were also evacuated as dozens of wildfires raged across the country and across the Southwest under hot and dry conditions.
In Colombia, a Trump-backed political outsider looks set to be the next country’s next president, amid a broader wave of far right candidates across Latin America winning elections. As of now, Abelardo Gabriel De La Espriella holds a razor-thin lead over his progressive opponent with nearly all the votes counted.
The business owner and lawyer has never held office. Nicknamed The tiger, de la Espriella has promised to crack down on crime and ease business regulations. Last night, he claimed victory and pledged to govern for all Colombians.
Abelardo Gabriel De La Espriella, Colombian Presidential Candidate (through interpreter):
For those who voted for me and for those who chose another candidate, there will be no winners or losers. There will be no reprisals, no persecution, because in a democracy there are no irreconcilable enemies.
Nick Schifrin:
His opponent, Ivan Cepeda, called the count — quote — “unofficial and nonbinding” and said he will challenge the results.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, authorities say the number of confirmed Ebola cases is now more than 1,000, with at least 254 deaths. The virus has now spread to a third displacement camp in the east of the country, killing an 18-month-old girl. Health officials say about 100 people have recovered since the outbreak was declared last month, but they add that contact tracing remains a problem and the peak of the outbreak is still to come.
Turning to the World Cup, Lionel Messi is now the all-time leading scorer in tournament history. Argentina’s superstar overcame a missed penalty kick early on to score his 17th and 18th goals in his team’s win over Austria. The defending champions now advance to the knockout rounds.
One team still aiming to advance, Norway, is looking to ride a wave of fan support, with supporters performing their Viking Row in New York’s Times Square. Norway takes the pitch against Senegal tonight.
On Wall Street today, stocks ended mixed as big tech shares struggled. The Dow Jones industrial average added nearly 150 points. The Nasdaq dropped 350 points, or about 1.33 percent. The S&P 500 also ended lower.
