These US states may be able to see the northern lights tonight

These US states may be able to see the northern lights tonight
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(NEW YORK) — Some U.S. states could be treated to a northern lights display thanks to a minor geomagnetic storm on the sun, according to space forecasts.

Another round of aurora borealis is expected on Thursday night, with a predicted Kp index of magnitude four out of nine, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center.

The northernmost states in the U.S. have the highest chances of seeing the northern lights, including Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, NOAA’s aurora viewline map shows.

In October, the sun’s magnetic field reached its solar maximum in its 11-year cycle, according to NASA. When sunspots produce a solar flare, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are bursts of magnetized plasma emitted from the sun’s corona, travel toward Earth as part of the solar wind, manifesting in a dazzling light show of luminous greens and pinks as the material interacts with Earth’s magnetic field.

The lead-up to the solar maximum resulted in the best northern lights display in 500 years in May, when a series of powerful solar storms made the lights visible as far south as Alabama.

Another strong geomagnetic storm in November made the auroras visible even in light-polluted cities like New York City.

Sunspots with intense magnetic activity are predicted to occur through the end of the solar maximum, which is expected to last until March 2026, according to NOAA.

The best times to view the northern lights are in the hours just before and after midnight, between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, according to NOAA.

Smartphones and digital cameras are more sensitive to the array of colors and can capture the light shows even if they’re not visible to the naked eye, NASA says.

If you’re curious whether the northern lights will be visible where you live, the citizen science platform Aurorasaurus allows users to sign up for alerts. The app also sends alerts that northern lights are being seen in real time, based on user reports.

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Texas man arrested after assaulting 2 people on American Airlines flight, says he wanted to ‘speak to Trump’: FBI
Texas man arrested after assaulting 2 people on American Airlines flight, says he wanted to ‘speak to Trump’: FBI
Kevin Carter/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — A Texas man was arrested for allegedly assaulting a flight attendant and a passenger while on board an American Airlines flight earlier this month, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

At approximately 9:00 p.m. on March 5, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department contacted the FBI regarding a disturbance on American Airlines Flight 5574 traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C. — the same flight path as the plane that collided with a Black Hawk helicopter on Jan. 29, killing 67 people.

The suspect, Asterius Mutayoba Rulamka, had allegedly left his assigned seat during the flight and walked to the rear of the plane, where he “engaged with a flight attendant,” according to an FBI affidavit obtained by ABC News.

Rulamka then sat down in the back of the plane and began to yell profanities at the flight attendant, with passengers taking videos of the incident on their cellphones, according to the affidavit.

Upon noticing one passenger filming, Rulamka allegedly started to attack him, grabbing his arms and verbally berating him, the affidavit said. The suspect also removed the passenger’s hat and glasses and struck him “in the face near his left eye, causing bruising and a bloodshot eye,” the FBI said.

The defendant allegedly attempted to swing at the flight attendant he previously assaulted, but the attendant was able to move out of the way before being struck, sustaining a “small laceration to his finger and a broken fingernail” in the process, the affidavit said.

Rulamka then began running up and down the aisles of the cabin, but three passengers and the flight attendants were able to secure the suspect for landing in a seat near his original seat, the affidavit said.

When the flight was arriving at Ronald Reagan National Airport, Rulamka allegedly made several statements, including that he “had come to D.C. to speak to President Trump,” the affidavit said.

Rulamka was asked why he wanted to meet with Trump, and he replied that he was “mad,” the affidavit said.

The FBI said Rulamka had a Texas driver’s license, but a criminal history check revealed that the Department of Homeland Security “encountered the defendant in 2014 as a non-immigrant overstay, and immigration proceedings are pending,” the affidavit said.

“On March 5, law enforcement responded to American Eagle Flight 5574 after its arrival in Washington, D.C. (DCA) due to a disruptive customer. We do not tolerate violence, and thank our team members for their professionalism,” American Airlines said in a statement to ABC News.

Rulamka has been charged with “assault by beating, striking and wounding, in violation of the Title 18 United States Code, Section 113(a)(4),” according to the affidavit. A hearing for Rulamka has been scheduled for March 13.

Attorney information was not immediately listed for Rulamka.

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DOJ orders federally funded legal service providers to stop providing support at immigration courts
DOJ orders federally funded legal service providers to stop providing support at immigration courts
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(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Justice, under new leadership following the inauguration of Donald Trump, has told legal service providers who receive federal funding to stop providing legal orientation and other work intended to support immigrants at immigration courts.

In a memo obtained by ABC News, the DOJ ordered all such legal providers on Wednesday to “stop work immediately” in those areas.

“This email is to send you notification to stop work immediately pursuant to the Executive Order on the following task orders,” the memo said. The programs listed in the memo include the Legal Orientation Program; the Immigration Court Helpdesk; the Family Group Legal Orientation Program; and the Counsel for Children Initiative.

Legal service providers are usually present at immigration courts across the country to help individuals navigate immigration court proceedings and handle legal paperwork.

“The suspension of these longstanding programs could leave hundreds of thousands of vulnerable immigrants — including children and families — without access to basic legal information and representation,” a spokesperson for Acacia Center for Justice told ABC News in a statement.

The directive from the DOJ comes a day after ABC News reported that four top officials within the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review — the DOJ’s office that oversees immigration courts — were removed from their positions.

Experts and advocates told ABC News that, without a lawyer, migrants are left to navigate the different avenues of relief alone, filling out documents in a foreign language and arguing their case before a judge.

As ABC News previously reported, DOJ data from 2023 showed that only 56% of unaccompanied minors in immigration courts were represented by counsel, forcing thousands of unaccompanied young migrants to represent themselves before federal immigration judges.

One of the programs listed in the DOJ memo –The Counsel for Children Initiative — provides legal representation to children in immigration court proceedings.

The total immigration court backlog of children and adults has surged to a record high of 3.5 million cases.

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3 wildfires prompt evacuations in North Carolina’s Polk County
3 wildfires prompt evacuations in North Carolina’s Polk County
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(POLK COUNTY, N.C.) — Evacuation orders were issued Sunday for parts of Polk County, North Carolina, where three large wildfires have burned more than 3,000 acres combined and two of the blazes remain out of control, according to authorities.

The three separate fires — the Black Cove Fire, Deep Woods Fire and the Fish Hook Fire — were all burning about 30 miles southeast of Ashville, according to the North Carolina Forest Service.

The fire ignited last week but grew rapidly over the weekend, fueled by low humidity and dry vegetation, officials said. The fires are burning in an area where Hurricane Helene swept through in September, leaving behind numerous downed trees, which are also helping to fuel the fires, officials said.

The Black Cove Fire had burned 2,076 acres and was 0% contained as of Sunday night, according to Kelly Cannon, spokesperson for Polk County government. The Deep Woods Fire was also 0% contained on Sunday after burning 2,545 acres, Cannon said.

Evacuation orders issued Saturday evening by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety remained in effect Sunday for residents in the area of the Black Cove Fire, officials said.

The Fish Hook Fire in Polk County was 50% contained on Sunday, after burning 199 acres, Cannon said. Evacuation orders were lifted Sunday, allowing residents to return to their homes.

The causes of the fires remain under investigation.

Due to multiple wildfires in the area, the North Carolina Division of Air Quality issued a “Code Red” alert signaling unhealthy air for Polk County, and a “Code Orange” in Rutherford County, signaling unhealthy air for people sensitive to smoke.
South Carolina wildfires

Wildfires extended into neighboring South Carolina, prompting Gov. Henry McMaster to declare a state of emergency on Saturday.

A wildfire in the Table Rock State Park on the South Carolina-North Carolina border in Pickens County, South Carolina, started on Friday night and quickly spread to 35 acres, according to McMaster.

On Sunday, the Table Rock Fire had grown to 110 acres, according to Pickens County Emergency Management. Information on how much of the fire has been contained as of Sunday afternoon was not immediately available.

McMaster said his executive order declaring a state of emergency for the Table Rock Fire area will help bolster resources for firefighters working to contain the blaze. The governor said his order includes a statewide ban on residents setting outdoor fires until further notice.

“Given the elevated risk of wildfires throughout the state, the statewide burning ban will remain in effect until further notice. Anyone who violates this ban can and will go to jail,” McMaster said.

It’s the second time this month that McMaster declared a state of emergency in his state due to wildfires. A series of wildfires broke out during the weekend of March 2 and 3 in the Carolina Forest near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in Horry County, quickly spreading to more than 1,600 acres and threatening the communities of Walkers Woods and Avalon before firefighters brought the blaze under control, according to the South Carolina Forest Commission.

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