Biden makes unannounced visit to Ukraine
President Joe Biden on Monday made a surprise visit to Ukraine, a major sign of support as Russian troops begin a new offensive. ABC News correspondents and contributors break down the latest.
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Good Morning AmericaHarvey Weinstein's rape conviction overturned in New York
The rape conviction of movie producer Harvey Weinstein has been overturned by New York's highest court. The New York Court of Appeals, in a 4-3 opinion, overturned Weinstein's conviction on sex crimes against three women, finding the trial judge "erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes."
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Trump immunity case live updates: Supreme Court to hear historic arguments
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday is hearing arguments on whether former President Donald Trump can be criminally prosecuted over his efforts to overturn his 2020 loss. The high court's decision will determine if Trump stands trial before the November election on four charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith, including conspiracy to defraud the United States. As Smith's team has noted in arguing against Trump, the former president's lawyers during his second Senate impeachment trial said in very clear terms that they believed a president could in fact be criminally prosecuted by the Department of Justice -- the opposite of what his legal team is currently arguing.
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What to know about new Venice entry fee, other summer destinations with a tourist tax
Barcelona is among the top 20 summer destinations of 2024, and for anyone planning to visit the bustling Mediterranean metropolis known for its art and architecture, or other tourist-filled hotspots during high-season, there may be some additional costs to consider. Many countries across Europe including Spain, Greece, Germany and most recently Venice, have implemented fees for foreign visitors to help support local costs of doing business, especially during the busy summer months. It's similar to that of a hotel occupancy tax that American travelers may be more familiar with for domestic stays.
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Supreme Court to hear Trump's 'absolute immunity' claim. The shape of the presidency is at stake.
Against the backdrop of a divisive 2024 presidential campaign, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday will take up the monumental question of whether a former president turned presumptive GOP nominee can be criminally prosecuted for his efforts to stay in power after the last election. The case, Donald J. Trump v. United States, presents an unprecedented constitutional quandary for the court brought about by equally unprecedented actions by former President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden by a margin of 7 million popular votes. The outcome could determine whether Trump faces a federal trial this year on four felony counts pressed by special counsel Jack Smith, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and obstruction of an official proceeding, for his attempts to overturn the electoral vote count certifying Biden's victory.
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EPA limits 4 types of power plant pollution with sweeping rulemaking
The Biden administration on Thursday announced a series of new rules to cut pollution emitted from coal and natural gas fired power plants impacting the air, water, land and climate. "At the same time, the power sector is also a major contributor to the pollution that drives climate change and threatens public health." "At EPA it is our responsibility to act within the bounds of our legal authority and assess impacts in a way that is smart, effective, follows the latest science and enables our economy to grow and thrive," he added.
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Comparing Donald Trump's hush money trial to John Edwards, Bill Clinton cases
Donald Trump's hush money trial is underway in New York, and the historic case is drawing attention to past incidents of high-profile litigation involving political stars and allegations of salacious affairs. Trump is facing felony charges related to a payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election. Others have tried to draw a comparison with it former President Bill Clinton's settlement with Paula Jones in 1998 to end a yearslong sexual harassment lawsuit.
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US to withdraw troops from Niger after military deal revoked
The United States and Niger are discussing plans to withdraw American troops from the West African nation, ending more than a decade of U.S. military presence in the country. Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed during Tuesday's press briefing that "discussions have begun between the United States and Niger for the orderly withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country."
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Teen births in US fall to record low, as overall total drops by 2%: CDC
The overall number of births in the United States dropped in 2023 as teenage births reached a record low, according to new provisional federal data published early Thursday. In 2023, there were 3.59 million births recorded, a 2% decline from the 3.66 million recorded in 2022, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.
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Giuliani, Meadows indicted in Arizona fake elector scheme; Trump unindicted co-conspirator
Several former and current key aides to former President Donald Trump appear to be among those charged by the Arizona State Attorney General over their alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes also announced charges against 11 named alleged fake electors and seven people whose names are redacted in the filing for their alleged role in efforts to subvert Joe Biden's 2020 victory in the state.
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Billie Eilish opens up about sexuality, effects of fame and more
Eilish, 22, who released "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" in 2019, said working on "Hit Me Hard and Soft" has felt like "coming back to the girl that I was." "I've been grieving her," she said in a cover interview with Rolling Stone published Wednesday. Eilish spoke to Rolling Stone about how one song on the album in particular -- titled "Lunch" -- helped her open up about her sexuality.
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Expanded so-called 'Don't Say Gay' education restrictions advance in Alabama
A bill aimed at furthering restrictions on discussions of "gender identity or sexual orientation" in public schools is progressing in the Alabama legislature, passing the state House on Tuesday. Current law states that classrooms in kindergarten through the fifth grade "shall not engage in classroom discussion or provide classroom instruction regarding sexual orientation or gender identity in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards." The bill would expand this restriction to eighth grade and prohibit flags symbolizing sexual orientations or gender identities in K-12 schools.
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US secretly sent long-range missiles to Ukraine to use against Russian invaders: Officials
The Pentagon confirmed Wednesday the U.S. had secretly provided Ukraine with a long-range Army Tactical Missile System that can reach deep into Russian-occupied areas -- or even strike more deeply into Russia itself, potentially provoking a response from the Kremlin, though America intends them only for use in occupied territory. The missiles, also known as ATACMS, have a maximum range of 186 miles. Ukraine first used them over the past week, two U.S. officials said.
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College protests live updates: 93 arrested at USC
Many pro-Palestinian protesters are calling for their colleges to divest of funds from Israeli military operations, while some Jewish students on the campuses have called the protests antisemitic and said they are scared for their safety. The student protests -- some of which have turned into around-the-clock encampments -- have erupted throughout the nation following arrests and student removals at Columbia University in New York City. Students at schools including Yale University, New York University, Harvard University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Southern California and more have launched protests.
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At Columbia, Speaker Johnson booed and heckled, calls on its president to resign if she can't 'bring order' to protests
During a visit to Columbia University on Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson joined his New York House Republican colleagues in calling on the school's president, Minouche Shafik, to resign unless she can improve what he called her failure to handle the anti-Israel protests on campus. In a news conference on the university's campus, Johnson said Shafik should step down "if she can't immediately bring order to this chaos." "As speaker of the House, I am committing today that the Congress will not be silent as Jewish students are expected to run for their lives and stay home from their classes -- fighting in fear," Johnson said.
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Victoria Monét speaks out about gaining weight amid PCOS battle
Singer Victoria Monét is opening up about the changes to her body that she says are due to polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS. In text shared above the photo, Monét wrote that she had "gained a lot of weight," adding, in part, "PCOS has me really messed up." Monét, 34, is not alone in battling the condition.
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Arizona House votes to repeal controversial 1864 abortion ban, with help of 3 Republicans
Three Republicans on Wednesday joined Democrats in the Arizona House to vote to repeal the state's controversial 1864 ban on nearly all abortions, which was revived by a court ruling earlier this month and which only includes exceptions to save the life of the pregnant woman. "I've known for a while that the votes were there, it just takes a lot of fortitude, a lot of spine," Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, who sponsored the bill, told ABC News' Jaclyn Lee. Hamilton said she had several phone conversations with Republicans the night before the vote and while she would not divulge the details of those conversations, she said it made her cautiously optimistic.
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Former college and NFL star Reggie Bush's 2005 Heisman Trophy reinstated
Former standout college football player and NFL running back Reggie Bush will have his 2005 Heisman Trophy reinstated, according to Bush's attorneys and a statement posted on the Heisman website Wednesday. Bush posted a photo on Instagram with the trophy captioned, "No one can take from you what God has for you." Bush voluntarily forfeited the Heisman Trophy in 2010 following separate NCAA sanctions against his former school, the University of Southern California.
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Michigan father 1st charged under new safe gun storage law after son shoots himself in the face
Michigan prosecutors charged a father for violating the state's newly enacted safe storage law after his son allegedly got a hold of a firearm and shot himself in the face in their home. Theo Nichols' 8-year-old son was in "extremely critical condition," at a Detroit hospital following the April 19 incident, police in Warren, Michigan, said at a news conference Wednesday. "In the wake of this tragic incident, we are reminded of the profound responsibility that comes with gun ownership," Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said in a statement.
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'So appalled': What witnesses told special counsel about Trump's handling of classified info while still president
In the summer of 2019, only hours after an Iranian rocket accidentally exploded at one of Iran's own launch sites, senior U.S. officials met with then-President Donald Trump and shared a sharply detailed, highly classified image of the blast's catastrophic aftermath. Worried that the image becoming public could hurt national security efforts, intelligence officials urged Trump to hold off until more knowledgeable experts were able to weigh in, the sources said.
- Good Morning America
USDA announces changes coming to school meals: What to know
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a series of changes to nutrition standards for school meals, including one that is a historic first. Here are three things to know about the changes coming to breakfast and lunch meals served at school. The biggest change announced by the USDA is that, for the first time, there will be limits on added sugars in school meals.