'Start Here': Smollett charged, ISIS bride can't return, Vatican sex abuse conference begins
Here's what you need to know to start your day.
It's Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019. Let's start here.
1. Disorderly conduct
"Empire" actor Jussie Smollett has been charged with felony disorderly conduct for filing a false police report, authorities said.
Smollett claimed he was the victim of a hate crime -- a homophobic and racist attack in Chicago. Two brothers at the center of the investigation have accused the actor of orchestrating the incident.
The charge of felony disorderly conduct carries a potential penalty of one to three years in jail, according to the criminal statute.
Early Thursday morning, Smollett turned himself in to Chicago police without incident.
ABC News' Eva Pilgrim, from Chicago, and Aaron Katersky walk us through the case.
2. Not a citizen
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Wednesday that Hoda Muthana, who left her family in Alabama to join ISIS in Syria, is not an American citizen and won't be allowed back into the U.S.
President Donald Trump weighed in on Twitter: "I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country!"
"The Trump administration continues its attempts to wrongfully strip citizens of their citizenship," Hassan Shibly, an attorney for the Muthana family, told ABC News in a statement. "Hoda Muthana had a valid U.S. passport and is a citizen. She was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, in October 1994, months after her father stopped being [a] diplomat."
ABC News' James Longman, who spoke to Muthana in her first TV interview, tells us about her journey.
3. Terror plot
A U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant is accused of plotting a major terror attack and developing a possible hit list of prominent Democrats and members of the media, federal investigators said.
In a court document arguing that Christopher Paul Hasson, 49, should be detained, prosecutors referred to the Marine veteran as a "domestic terrorist" and "white nationalist" who "intends to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country."
Former FBI Special Agent and ABC News Contributor Steve Gomez reacts to the "chilling" allegations laid bare in court documents: "This guy, in my view, was a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, and he actually had a target list on who he wanted to go off on."
4. Church chat
The Catholic Church convenes in Rome today for a summit to discuss protecting minors from sexual abuse by clergy.
The themes of the summit are responsibility, accountability and transparency, according to Vatican officials.
"This is nothing less than a moment of truth for the church," ABC News' David Wright tells us from Rome. "The scandal of clerical sexual abuse has exploded around the world."
Elsewhere:
'The Klan has begun to be a part of the white supremacist movement that just isn't attracting many folks to its message': Ku Klux Klan membership declines as the number of hate groups in the U.S. reaches a record high.
'This safeguard, we hold, is fundamental to our scheme of ordered liberty': The Supreme Court votes unanimously to limit civil forfeiture.
'Ms. Paltrow remembers what happened very clearly': The actress files a countersuit against a man who claims she injured him while skiing three years ago.
'Our duty is to see that justice is done in every case': At least 1,400 cases tied to a police officer accused of lying to secure a warrant are being reviewed.
From our partners at FiveThirtyEight:
Wait ... is LeBron James actually going to miss the playoffs?: LeBron James has been so good for so long that it's easy to forget just how astounding some of his accomplishments are. For example, he currently owns one of the greatest ongoing streaks in sports: His team has made the NBA Finals in eight straight seasons, starting in 2011. That's mind-blowing in a league where a single finals appearance can be the highlight of a player's entire career -- and he's done it for two different franchises.
Last 'Nightline':
'Empire' star Jussie Smollett charged in alleged racist attack case: Chicago police named Smollett a suspect in an ongoing investigation for filing a false report after weeks of investigating his claim that two men attacked him.
'Empire' star Jussie Smollett charged in alleged racist attack case
Oscar-nominated 'Roma' stars on the film's lasting impact: Yalitza Aparicio, who plays Cleo, a housekeeper and nanny, is the Cinderella story of this Oscar season.
Oscar-nominated 'Roma' stars on what the film means to them, domestic workers
Historically speaking:
Feb. 21, 1986 -- AIDS patient Ryan White returns to classes at Western Middle School.
This day in history: Feb. 21, 1986
The must-see photo:
A pedestrian walks during a winter snowstorm in Philadelphia. (photo credit: Matt Rourke/AP)
For more great photos from around the world CLICK HERE.
Socially acceptable:
A barber in Hanoi is offering free Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un haircuts ahead of the leaders' summit in Vietnam.
Hanoi barber offers Trump and Kim haircuts for free
All right, you're off and running. Get the latest news on ABCNews.com and on the ABC News app. Details on how to subscribe to "Start Here" are below. See you tomorrow.
"Start Here" is the flagship daily news podcast from ABC News -- a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, or the ABC News app. On Amazon Echo, ask Alexa to "Play 'Start Here'" or add the "Start Here" skill to your Flash Briefing. Follow @StartHereABC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for exclusive content, show updates and more.
Related Topics
Popular Reads
ABC News Live