Baby orangutan born at Florida zoo
Everyone is going bananas over the critically endangered baby girl Bornean Orangutan, who was born on April 13 at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay.
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ABC NewsSouthern California traffic brought to standstill after bear wanders onto freeway
Commuters on a Southern California freeway experienced an unexpected delay earlier this week when a bear wandered onto the road, bringing traffic to a halt. The bear incident happened Tuesday on the 14 freeway near Newhall Avenue. In footage from the scene, the bear can be seen leisurely strolling in front of the vehicles on the freeway before eventually retreating towards the nearby hills.
- ABC News
Whistleblower claims EPA wasted critical time after devastating Ohio train derailment
An Environmental Protection Agency whistleblower told ABC News the United States EPA wasted critical time gathering data in the days immediately following the catastrophic derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, last year. Senior research scientist Robert Kroutil alleged the EPA delayed days in deploying one of its most effective tools in assessing chemical incidents: The Airborne Spectral Photometric Environmental Collection Technology (ASPECT) plane. Kroutil helped develop the EPA's ASPECT plane – a one-of-one specialized aircraft equipped with radiological and infrared sensors.
- ABC News
Pentagon's temporary pier off Gaza is ready to begin delivering aid
The Pentagon's temporary floating pier system was anchored onto a beach in Gaza on Thursday amid the Israel-Hamas war, and U.S. officials say humanitarian aid will begin flowing "in the coming days." Officials did, however, stress that while the pier -- formally called the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, capability -- will help bring aid to the strip, the real long-term solution in Gaza is to fully open the land routes so more aid can flow in. Pentagon officials said aid will begin flowing quickly, though initially it will be at a slow pace to ensure the system is working properly before operations are scaled up.
- Good Morning America
House passes GOP bill to force Biden to continue weapons transfers to Israel
The House on Thursday passed a Republican-led bill to condemn President Joe Biden's approach to Israel and force him to send arms shipments to the U.S. ally. The measure is a culmination of the political fallout from Biden's recent pause of a bomb shipment to Israel and his pointed warning the U.S. won't supply weapons that could be used in an invasion of Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where more than a million civilians have sought shelter.
- Good Morning America
Dow Jones Industrial Average hits 40,000 for the 1st time
The Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed 40,000 for the first time in history on Thursday. This is a significant and symbolic milestone for the index that tracks 30 of the most valuable publicly traded companies in the U.S. The Dow is now up about 6% so far this year.
- ABC News
Morehouse faculty votes to award Biden honorary degree ahead of commencement address, despite criticism over handling of war in Gaza
Despite frustration from some Morehouse College faculty, staff and students over President Joe Biden's visit to its Atlanta campus to deliver a commencement speech on Sunday, the faculty voted on Thursday to award the president an honorary degree at the university -- an act some said they would vote against in protest of the president's handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. On a call Thursday morning, 50 of the 88 faculty members present voted to award Biden an honorary degree during his visit this weekend. There was a possibility that faculty would choose not to award Biden the honorary degree, a source told ABC News, as an alternative way of protesting Biden's speech.
- ABC News
Source of oil leak into Galveston Bay following barge collision has been contained, say officials
Officials are monitoring an oil spill in Texas waterways after the partial collapse of a bridge that was struck by a barge, but the source of the spill itself has been contained, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The 321-foot barge, named MMLP 321, struck a pillar on the railroad portion of the Pelican Island Causeway on Wednesday morning, causing oil aboard the vessel to leak into Galveston Bay, according to officials.
- Good Morning America
California bill would ban anti-aging skin care products for kids under 13
California lawmakers are currently considering a bill that would ban anti-aging skin care products from being sold to young children. Assembly Bill 2491, championed by Assemblymember Alex Lee of San Jose, aims to prohibit the sale of anti-aging skin care products to children under the age of 13. The bill passed the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee last month and will head to an appropriations hearing on May 16.
- Good Morning America
Mexico City taco stand makes history as 1st to earn Michelin star
Taquerías are a quintessential part of Mexico's street food scene and culture. Chef Arturo Rivera Martínez has helmed the ripping hot flat top at Taquería El Califa de León for 20 years -- searing off fresh meat to fill tortillas topped with red or green sauce -- and on Tuesday, it became the first taco shop to obtain one of the French dining guide's prestigious honors.
- Good Morning America
Biden asserts executive privilege over audio of interview with special counsel Hur
The Justice Department on Thursday informed House Republicans that President Joe Biden has formally asserted executive privilege over the audio of his interview with special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden's handling of classified documents. It's a move that the department said effectively shields Attorney General Merrick Garland from any criminal exposure, though Republican lawmakers moved ahead anyway toward trying to hold him in contempt of Congress. The House Judiciary Committee voted 18-15 to approve a report recommending a contempt of Congress resolution against Garland for his failure to turn over the recordings.
- Good Morning America
Rare 'high risk' warning for flash flooding issued in Texas, Louisiana
A rare "high risk" warning for flash flooding has been issued in Texas and Louisiana as the states brace for up to 9 inches of rain in the next 24 hours. "The high risk area has seen over 600% of their normal rainfall for the past two weeks alone," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned, and the flash flooding could be life-threatening. "High risk" days account for just 4% of days, but they are responsible for more than one-third of flooding deaths, according to the Weather Prediction Center.
- ABC News
What to know about self-swabbing for HPV after FDA approves new kits
For the first time, women in the United States have the ability to self-collect a sample to screen for human papillomavirus (HPV). This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved two self-swab tests from global medical technology company Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) and pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG for "clinical" use, meaning in a private room inside a doctor's office, mobile clinic or another health care setting. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. and can lead to several potentially deadly cancers, including cervical cancer.
- Good Morning America
Artist behind King Charles III's controversial portrait shares why he used the color red
The artist behind the new portrait of King Charles III is sharing insight into some of his more controversial artistic choices, like the use of the color red. Jonathan Yeo, a U.K.-based artist, painted the portrait of Charles -- unveiled Tuesday at Buckingham Palace -- over the course of three years. The portrait, which stands over 6 feet tall, features a striking red background and shows Charles wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guards, of which he was made Regimental Colonel in 1975, according to the palace.
- ABC News
3 North Koreans infiltrated US companies in 'staggering' alleged telework fraud: DOJ
The Justice Department on Thursday unsealed an indictment charging three North Korean workers and a United States citizen with allegedly engaging in "staggering fraud" through a complex scheme where they secured illicit work with a number of U.S. companies and government agencies. The indictment against the North Korean IT workers -- using the aliases Jiho Han, Chunji Jin and Haoran Xu -- alleges the group used fraudulent identities belonging to 60 real Americans to secure telework positions between October 2020 and 2023 that ultimately generated nearly $7 million in profits for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Prosecutors further allege the group was assisted by U.S. national Christina Chapman in their efforts to obtain remote work positions, who they accuse of stationing laptops belonging to U.S. companies at various residences that the North Koreans were then able to access.
- ABC News
DOJ releases proposed rule to reclassify marijuana
The Biden administration announced Thursday that it's officially moving forward with a proposal to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. The Justice Department submitted the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to the Office of the Federal Register and, if approved, the rescheduling would limit the punishment for those who are in possession of marijuana when it comes to a federal crime. ABC News reported earlier this month the DEA was planning to reschedule marijuana.
- ABC News
2 suspects sought in connection with archeological theft at national park: NPS
The National Park Service is seeking to identify two suspects wanted in connection with an archeological theft at Canyonlands National Park in Utah. The incident occurred on March 23 at Cave Spring Cowboy Camp in the Needles district of the park, NPS said this week while releasing stills of the suspects from a trail camera video. "In a video recorded at the archeological site, the individuals entered a signed-as-closed area, removed artifacts from a cabinet, and handled historic harnesses in a manner that had potential to damage them," NPS said in a release Wednesday.
- Good Morning America
Olivia Munn speaks out about breast cancer, fertility issues in 1st TV interview since surgeries
Olivia Munn is opening up in her first TV interview since revealing her most recent surgeries as part of her breast cancer journey. "You never know what's going on in someone's life ... privately, people are battling things that you'd never know," Munn told "Good Morning America" co-anchor Michael Strahan. The actress first opened up about her private health battle on social media in March and revealed at the time that she had been unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer last year.
- ABC News
Police arrest 50 people on UC Irvine campus as protesters occupy lecture hall
Tensions at the University of California, Irvine campus escalated Wednesday as a group of several hundred pro-Palestinian protesters entered a lecture hall and surrounded the building, according to school officials. The Irvine Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Department were called to the scene after the university called for mutual aid from local law enforcement agencies, UC Irvine said in an emergency update. Authorities were seen putting protesters in zip-ties and escorting them away from the main protest area.
- Good Morning America
Why The Mirage is closing after 34 years
The Las Vegas Strip is losing another iconic hotel property, dimming the lights for the last time at The Mirage later this summer. Hard Rock International, which acquired The Mirage in 2022, announced it will officially cease operations of the hotel on July 17. This closure will clear the way for HRI to begin construction and transformation into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas.
- ABC News
After trying week, RFK Jr. brings Nicole Shanahan on campaign trail for rare appearance
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spent a week dogged by self-damaging rhetoric, leaving him to defend the state of his health and scramble to rework his position on abortion after facing dissent from within his own campaign. The campaign delivered boxes of signatures to the Texas Secretary of State's Office, a spokeswoman for whom told ABC News the campaign's petition is "under review." Kennedy touted the accomplishment at an Austin rally alongside his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, whose appearance itself was noteworthy, as the California lawyer had maintained a reclusive approach to the campaign trail since she was announced as Kennedy's running mate in late March.