Good morning, and happy Thursday. Here are some of the stories we’re following today:
1. Another round of snow threatens western New York
It’s been a “snowvember” to remember in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, after at least 5 feet of snow fell in some parts. But there’s another round of lake-effect snow pounding the region, with as much as 3 feet expected to fall by Friday morning, forecasters said. This new snow band, however, may be far enough south to avoid the worst-hit areas from Tuesday. Meanwhile, at least eight people have died since the storm started and hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of cars were left abandoned and buried across western New York. Read more in NEWS.
2. Police kill gunman at Florida university campus
A shooter at Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee was killed early Thursday in a gun fight with police, official said. Three students were wounded with one of them in critical condition. Police would not immediately comment on whether they had been shot by the gunman. Officers who arrived at the scene said they confronted him in a school library and ordered him to drop his weapon, but he fired one shot at them and they responded back. Students told NBC News how they barricaded themselves inside a part of the library amid the chaotic scene. Read more in NEWS.
3. Obama to unveil immigration plan
The president is set to address the country at 8 p.m. ET to explain why he’s taking executive action on immigration. According to a source familiar with the announcement, Obama will say that every president since Dwight Eisenhower has taken executive action to address immigration issues and well over 1 million people have come to the U.S. and stayed as result of prior presidents’ executive actions. Obama’s plan could cover about 5 million people, and advocates expect most of those benefitting will be the parents of U.S. citizens and legal residents and possibly younger immigrants who came here illegally. Read more in LATINO.
4. Director Mike Nichols dies at 83
The German-born Nichols, an icon in the entertainment industry, died Wednesday night. His directing legacy, which spans the stage and screen, includes “The Odd Couple,” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and “The Graduate.” He was married to ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer, and executives with the network announced his death. “He was a true visionary, winning the highest honors in the arts for his work as a director, writer, producer and comic and was one of a tiny few to win the EGOT — an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony in his lifetime,” ABC News President James Goldston said in the statement. Read more in POP CULTURE.
Cue the tributes:
5. Fallout continues for embattled Bill Cosby
As more women come forward claiming they were sexually assaulted by Cosby in past decades, the controversy has caused the comedian to lose high-profile projects. NBC said Wednesday it is pulling the plug on a sitcom it was developing with Cosby for next year, and TV Land later said it was shelving all “Cosby Show” reruns. Cosby’s lawyer has denied the rape allegations. Cosby still has several stand-up appearances scheduled over the next few days, including a sold-out show in Melbourne, Florida, on Friday. Read more in POP CULTURE.
6. Uber under a cloud of controversies
Officials with the taxi-hail app and ridesharing service say they are looking into claims that an executive tracked a Buzzfeed News reporter without her consent. According to reports, Uber employees have something called a “God View” tool that allows them to track a driver or user who has requested a car. The controversy comes on the heels of Uber Senior Vice President Emil Michael suggesting the company should dig up dirt on reporters — a sentiment that was echoed by actor Ashton Kutcher, an Uber investor. Read more in TECH.
And now this …
Google’s latest device, a set top camera that transmits images directly to the cloud, doesn’t even try to hide that they are collecting personal data from everyone.