phillip mena, abc news, cannonball, north dakota. >> it does not look warm there in cannonball, north dakota, whatsoever. >>> the teen who became the face of the transgender bathroom battle is speaking out about the change in federal guidelines on the issue. the white house has ended protections that allowed transgender students use bathrooms and locker rooms based on gender identity. the issue is now left with individual 17-year-old gavin grimm hopes it's just a temporary change. >> there will be setbacks. i mean, there's always going to be twists in the road. and the most important thing to remember is that thing are going to get better. they're going to improve. >> you may recall this young lady here, jackie evancho, the teen opera singer who performed the national anthem last month at the inauguration. she says that she's disappointed with the move. the 16-year-old has a transgender sister. and she asked the president by twitter here to meet with both her and her sister to discuss transgender rights. >> congressional lawmakers are visiting their home districts this week and many r

>> phillip mena on the scene for us. thank you. >>> we move onto an unexpected moment today after the disturbing issue from st. louis. the knocked over jewish cemet y cemetery, and the fbi investigating the threats across the country. white house do more. here's abc's cecilia vega. >> reporter: vice president mike pence today making a surprise visit to that vandalized jewish cemetery near st. louis bullhorn in hand. >> there's no place in america for hatred, or acts of prejudice or violence or anti-semitism. >> reporter: that cemetery desecrated more than 150 tombstones overturned. the vice president praying with workers in hebrew and pitching in with the cleanup. his visit comes a day after the president finally denounced the recent spate of anti-semitic threats and attacks. the fbi now investigating 68 threats against jewish community centers around the country. >> the anti-semitic threats targeting our jewish community and community centers are horrible, and are painful, and a very sad reminder of the work out hate an

>> phillip mena with us tonight. thank you. >>> next this evening to new u.s. sanctions announced against a foreign leader tonight. steve mnuchin calling the vice president of venezuela an international drug trafficker. that leader lashing out at the u.s. tonight calling it an imperialist aggression. the concern over drugs is just one symptom of a country with the world's largest oil reserves spiraling into ruin, and you're about to witness families struggling for food and medicine. some eating meals every other day. abc's matt gutman from venezuela. >> reporter: we met up with second-grade teacher vanessa, and she invited us into her class. she says some of of her students have fainted from hunger [ speaking in a foreign language ] >> reporter: just milk. these kids aren't asking for candy or fast food. >> leche. [ speaking a foreign language ] >> reporter: when the food began to vanish, so did vanessa's students. the upturned chairs on the desk, an unofficial role call. [ speaking a foreign language ] >> reporter: more than a third of the country's teachers m

phillip mena has more. now to the war on terror.. more fallout this terror-raid in yemen. the country says it troops into the country on special operations counterterrorism missions. that's the word from "the new york times." the report says the decision is in response to a january 29th raid by u.s. troops. a navy seal was killed in a shoot-out, along with 14 al-qaeda members, and several yemeni civilians, including an eight-year-old girl. the raid's apparent target, the leader of al-qaeda in the arabian peninsula, was not killed or captured. an update on the west virginia man charged with fatally shooting an unarmed teen after they bumped into each other.. william pulliam is now facing indicted federal gun charges. he's been in jail since november, when charleston police charged him with first-degree murder. pulliam was not legally allowed to possess a firearm, because of a 20-13 domestic violence conviction. the indictment unsealed yesterday alleges.. he lied on federal forms to purchase a revolver. a bill in pennsylvania that would ban abortion after 20 weeks now goes t

it's miraculous that nobody here was injured ors or. >> phillip mena with us tonight. thank you. >>> there is also another major storm hitting right now, and after days of flooding and mud slides, already killed at least five. another system slamming the west at this hour. all of this as authorities continue the watch america's tallest dam. abc's neal karlinsky is in sacramento tonight. >> reporter: tonight, california can't catch a break, from drought to drenching, including water rescues on swollen creeks. the fire hose of rain taking aim at northern california with a vengeance. late today, police recommending evacuations where flood waters are rising. blocked roads as soaked hillsides give way. more than 100 flights canceled. in wine country, near nappa, letting water out of the full lake, and at least five people killed in southern california. the storm dumping up to 10 inches in some areas. the sinkhole swallowing one. then watch. >> there it goes. >> reporter: two cars. this fire truck falling off the edge of a crumbling freeway like a child's toy. fortunately, n

phillip mena, abc news, new orleans. >> unbelievable images there. there's also severe weather on the west coast. the strong storms there brought heavy winds and rains causing mudslides, flooding and power outages. >> and guess what, there's more bad weather in store for the u.s. today. let's get the details from accuweather's cam tran. cam? >> good morning, kendis and diane. the barrage of storm systems continue out west. another system will be moving in this afternoon, bringing heavy rainfall from seattle all the way down to san francisco. we're also watching out for concerns for flash flooding, especially across central california as we continue to see stormy weather through the end of the week. while out east a new storm system moving through will bring some snowfall across the mid-atlantic states tonight moving into new england by tomorrow. diane and kendis, back to you. >> cam, thank you. >>> and now to the federal appeals court showdown over president trump's travel ban. attorneys on both sides have made their arguments before three judges in

first, phillip mena from new orleans tonight. >> reporter: tonight, a tornado emergency, in the deep south. >> we had a very serious tornado touch down. there is substantial damage, a lot of property damage across the entire way. >> reporter: this is what it looked like as the storm moved through new orleans. security cameras catching the powerful winds peeling the roof right off this building. [ sirens ] >> reporter: dozens injured. this drone showing the destruction from above. homes splintered to pieces. terry badly sr. and their son in the hallway the wind tore through. >> it was tossed at me and my son from side to side. >> this is the aftermath. >> reporter: this wall of wind taking aim at nasa's assembly facility. in all, four reported tornadoes hammering louisiana. students sheltered in school hallways. this massive wedge tornado crossing interstate 55. storm chasers just yards away. their vehicle shaking. david, this gas station took a direct hit. it really is a miracle that no one here was killed. tonight, many people here are now homeless and staying in shelters. they now

abc's phillip mena is also there. >> reporter: police moving in, forcibly arresting the remaining pipelineto evacuate or face arrest, some protesters began ceremonially setting fire to parts of their camp, preferring to burn it rather than have it seized and destroyed. >> that's all done with the intent of getting this area cleaned up. this area here potentially could be facing a flood rather soon. >> reporter: this day was inevitable. after president trump signed executive actions last month moving the pipeline plan forward. undoing a previous order from president obama, blocking it. the protesters began gathering here last april, opposing the construction of the 1,200-mile dakota access pipeline that would run from north dakota to illinois. they say the pipeline would disturb sacred native-american sites, and pollute rivers and water supplies. the pipeline company says it will be safer and cheaper than trucks or trains. the clashes between protesters and police have turned violent in the past. at its peak, the movement drew thousands. we saw many of the few hundred left packing up and mo

who refused to leave by the deadline and opponents say they are not giving up their fight and phillip mena latest. >> reporter: ten pipeline protesters behind bars this morning. officers taking them down and arresting them wednesday for refusing to leave this north dakota campsite. >> are being forced out of our home right now. >> reporter: officials warn the area will soon flood and trash and debris left behind will become a hazard to nearby rivers. >> people need to leave for their own safety and it's also about keeping pollution out of the river. >> reporter: since last april the land has been the epicenter in the fight against that 1,200 mile dakota pipeline that will run oil from north dakota to illinois. opponents say the pipeline will disturb sacred native american sites and pollute the water supply but the pipeline company says it's safer and cheaper than using trucks or drains. at its peak it drew thousands of activities including celebs like susan sarandon and pharrell williams. this morning less than 100 protesters defiantly remained. >> i'm not trying to get arrested and i'm no