Good morning. Here are some of the stories we're following today:
1. Strongest Hurricane Ever Recorded Races Toward Mexico
Hurricane Patricia became the strongest storm ever measured on the planet early Friday with experts warning it could trigger 39-foot waves along Mexico's Pacific coast and "life-threatening" flash flooding. The "potentially catastrophic" storm could reach land late Friday afternoon or early evening. Read more in NEWS.
2. Five Takeaways From Clinton’s Benghazi Testimony
In 11 hours of testimony Thursday, former secretary of state and current Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton answered questions in a long-awaited appearance before a GOP-led House committee investigating the Benghazi attack. She appeared mostly in control in a showdown that also had few revelations. Read more in POLITICS.
3. Over 40 Dead in Bus-Truck Crash in France
At least 42 people, many elderly, died in a fiery crash between a bus and a logging truck in southwestern France on Friday. "This is an immense tragedy," French President Francois Hollande's office said in a statement, promising that the circumstances of the tragedy would be investigated. Read more in NEWS.
4. U.S. Commando Killed in ISIS Hostage Rescue
U.S. and Kurdish commandos stormed a prison in northeastern Iraq before dawn Thursday, rescuing the captives in a firefight that ended with an American soldier being shot to death, officials said. The U.S. soldier is the first to die in American combat operations against ISIS. Read more in NEWS.
5. Possible El Faro Ship Debris Washes Ashore
A large container fragment is one of several items that have come ashore on the islands of San Salvador and Exhuma in the Bahamas following the sinking of the doomed cargo ship earlier this month. Thirty-three crew members, mostly Americans, were on board. Read more in NEWS.
6. Campus Dice Game Ends in Fatal Shooting
One person was fatally shot and two others were wounded in a dispute over a dice game on the campus of Tennessee State University in Nashville late Thursday, police said. Read more in NEWS.
7. Drug Competitor to Charge $1 After Price Outrage
A specialty drug company says it can offer a cheap alternative to compete with Turing CEO Martin Shkreli's controversial $750 pill, which fights parasitic infections and sparked outrage after the price was dramatically increased. Read more in HEALTH.
Nightly Spotlight
Students at Vallecito Elementary in Northern California are taking a stand — getting rid of their old desks for taller ones that include a nifty feature for fidgety kids.
