Yosemite’s beloved sequoias threatened by wildfires
Giant sequoias are regularly facing the threat of wildfires in northern California and National Geographic environmental expert Alejandra Borunda talks about efforts to protect them.
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Good Morning AmericaTrans care restrictions force some families to travel hours, spend hundreds for treatment
Misty Stamm was working tirelessly to figure out the details: waking up early, the hourslong drives, booking hotels and finding doctors who could legally administer gender-affirming hormone therapy to her 16-year-old transgender daughter. Stamm is living in one of the 24 states where legislation is restricting gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, so she and parents like her must make long, expensive trips out of their home states to find the care their children need, according to a new report from the Southern Equality Research and Policy Center. “If we didn't have the care, I don't think she'd be alive,” said Stamm.
- Good Morning America
How the UN Plastics Treaty aims to tackle the pollution crisis
As Earth Day 2024 puts a spotlight on the world's climate crisis, negotiators from 175 countries are gathering for the fourth round of the United Nations Plastics Treaty negotiations next week in Canada. Held in Ottowa, Canada, from April 23-29, the last major round of negotiations will bring together the treaty's Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to draft a global, legally binding agreement by the end of 2024, according to the U.N. "Global plastic production and consumption has grown exponentially since the 1950s and is set to increase by 70% by 2040 if business continues as usual," the INC reported in a press release ahead of the negotiations.
- Good Morning America
Injured in a Russian strike, a 13-year-old Ukrainian girl runs to raise money for other victims
A Russian missile strike on April 8, 2022, changed Yana Stepanenko's life forever. A tragic story of loss turned into an example of resilience and growth thanks to the Ukrainian and American doctors who treated the girl. Stepanenko, who is now 13, ran a 5K at the 2024 Boston Marathon on Saturday to show the courage and strength of Ukrainians and to raise money for a Ukrainian soldier.
- Good Morning America
Gaza aid timeline: How the hunger crisis unfolded amid the Israel-Hamas war
As the Israel-Hamas war continues, experts and aid organizations have said a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Gaza following Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 and Israel's military response. At the beginning of the war, Israel implemented a blockade, severely limiting the amount of food and other supplies into Gaza, resulting in extreme shortages, according to aid officials. A top U.S. humanitarian official, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power, testified before Congress last week that it was "credible" to assess parts of Gaza are experiencing a famine.
- Good Morning America
First lady Jill Biden to kickoff Educators for Biden to mobilize teachers
First lady Jill Biden, in Minnesota on Friday, will launch Educators for Biden-Harris -- a national organizing program intended to engage and mobilize teachers, school staff and parents to vote for President Joe Biden, the Biden-Harris campaign shared exclusively with ABC News. Kicking off the coalition in an evening speech to educators at the Education Minnesota Convention in Bloomington, the first lady, a classroom teacher for over 30 years, will brand her husband as "the education president."
- Good Morning America
Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' double album is out now
Taylor Swift's new album, "The Tortured Poets Department," is here and it's a double album! "It’s a 2am surprise: The Tortured Poets Department is a secret DOUBLE album," the singer said in a social media post. Swift previously shared the tracklist for her album in an Instagram post.
- Good Morning America
25 years after Columbine, survivors say they're still haunted by the attack
The epicenter of the Columbine High School mass shooting was the library, where Craig Scott was studying for a biology test on April 20, 1999. Scott, then 16, said he had just sat down next to his friend, Matt Kechter, when his life turned upside down. This week marks 25 years since two seniors at the Colorado high school committed one of the most infamous school shootings in American history, killing 12 students and a teacher.
- Good Morning America
Matt Gaetz attended 2017 party where minor and drugs were present, woman's sworn statement obtained by Congress claims
The House Ethics Committee is investigating whether or not Rep. Matt Gaetz used illicit drugs as a member of Congress, multiple sources familiar with the committee's work told ABC News. Committee investigators have inquired about whether Gaetz was under the influence of drugs at parties in Florida after becoming a member of Congress in 2017, according to the sources. According to a sworn written statement that has been obtained by the Ethics committee, a woman says that in summer of 2017, when she was 20 years old, she attended a party in Florida that Gaetz also attended, which featured alcohol and drugs including cocaine and MDMA, sources familiar with the committee's work told ABC News.
- ABC News
5 big takeaways from Day 3 of Trump's hush money trial
Twelve jurors have been seated in the historic criminal hush money trial of former President Donald Trump. Jury selection is scheduled to resume on Friday to find the remaining five alternate jurors for the case. Opening statements are expected as early as Monday.
- ABC News
Columbia University protest: Over 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators, including Rep. Omar's daughter, arrested
More than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University were arrested Thursday afternoon and an on-campus tent encampment was removed after the school's president gave the New York Police Department the green light to clear the protesters, officials said. The demonstrators had occupied Columbia's south lawn for over 30 hours "in violation of the university's rules" and did not leave despite "numerous warnings," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. Columbia President Nemat "Minouche" Shafik announced in a letter to the Columbia community Thursday that she has authorized the New York Police Department to clear demonstrators from campus, writing, "This morning, I had to make a decision that I hoped would never be necessary."
- ABC News
Maryland teen accused of threatening school shooting after 'memoir' raises alarms
A Maryland teenager has been arrested on a charge of threatening mass violence after investigators say they uncovered evidence that he made plans to carry out a shooting at a Montgomery County school. Eighteen-year-old Alex Ye, of Rockville, whose legal name is Andrea Ye, was arrested on Wednesday after law enforcement was alerted to a 129-page "memoir" he allegedly authored that included descriptions of shooting up both a high school and elementary school, court records show. The witness also believed the writings indicated Ye was prepared to carry out a mass shooting imminently, the court documents state, and Ye later described the writings as "his memoir" when speaking with law enforcement.
- ABC News
DeSantis scales back book ban law amid spike in Florida book objections
As Florida schools face a growing number of book ban attempts, Gov. Ron DeSantis is scaling back policies that made it easier for people to challenge materials in schools. In 2022, DeSantis signed HB 1467, which required elementary schools to provide a searchable list of the books accessible to students in libraries or classrooms and allow for public comment on all new materials. Other recent legislation signed by DeSantis, including the Parental Rights in Education Bill and the Stop WOKE Act, restricts content on race and LGBTQ identities in schools and has further impacted access to classroom materials.
- Good Morning America
What to know about Carrie Underwood's 2 kids
Carrie Underwood enjoys being a mother of two. Underwood shares her two kids Isaiah, 9, and Jacob, 5, with husband Mike Fisher and regularly posts updates of them celebrating their milestones on her social media platforms. Speaking with People in 2017, Underwood discussed the importance of balancing work and motherhood.
- ABC News
Judge rejects Trump effort to pause Jan. 6 civil lawsuits while criminal case is ongoing
A federal judge has rejected an effort by former President Donald Trump to pause several civil lawsuits filed against him seeking to hold him accountable for his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 riot, according to a newly posted ruling. Trump had asked D.C. District Judge Amit Mehta to stay proceedings in the lawsuits -- brought by several members of Congress and police officers who protected the Capitol on Jan. 6 -- while his federal criminal case brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith was ongoing. Trump's attorneys reasoned that defending himself from the lawsuits could improperly impact his defense strategy in his criminal case, which Mehta rejected in his ruling Thursday afternoon.
- ABC News
San Francisco sues Oakland over proposed airport name change
The city of San Francisco is suing the nearby city of Oakland over the latter's plan to modify its airport name to include "San Francisco," arguing that the proposed name infringes on its trademark and would "cause confusion and chaos." San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit on Thursday, a week after the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners preliminarily approved a plan to rename Metropolitan Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.
- Good Morning America
Medical student leaves message for late mom after matching for residency
A medical student left a message to her late mom via a voicemail after matching for a residency program of her choice and the emotional moment was captured in a video that was shared online. When Paighton Noel was accepted into University of Utah as a medical student in 2020, she made a phone call to her mom Jacquie Sorrells to deliver her the news. "I am accepted into University of Utah's medical class of 2020," Paighton told her mom at the time.
- ABC News
LAPD officer who killed teen bystander with stray bullet while she was Christmas shopping will not be charged
A Los Angeles police officer will not be charged after a stray bullet he fired killed a 14-year-old bystander during a police-involved shooting in December 2021, the California Department of Justice announced. In a report released Wednesday, the state DOJ said it had concluded that criminal charges were "not appropriate" following a thorough investigation and cited "insufficient evidence" for criminal prosecution of the officer. The teen, Valentina Orellana Peralta, was struck by the stray bullet while Christmas shopping with her mother in North Hollywood on Dec. 23, 2021, after police officers responded to a report of an active shooter at a Burlington Coat Factory, according to the state DOJ.
- ABC News
Some Iranian women say they fear war with Israel amid violent hijab crackdown
In the wake of Iran's unprecedented airstrikes on Israel, dozens of Iranians gathered in Tehran's Palestine Square earlier this week to celebrate what the Iranian regime described as a retaliatory attack. ABC News spoke to several women in Iran who said the fear of an imminent war has been added to a long list of worries and hardships they have been grappling with for years. Iran sent a barrage of more than 300 different types of drones and missiles toward Israel late Saturday, days after a suspected Israeli airstrike hit the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria.
- Good Morning America
Trader Joe's recalls basil amid salmonella outbreak, investigation
Trader Joe's shoppers with an affinity for homemade pesto, Caprese salad or other dishes that utilize fresh basil should check their fridge for a newly recalled plastic clamshell container of the organic herb. "Do not eat Infinite Herbs-brand organic basil sold at Trader Joe's stores in 29 states and D.C.," the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned on Wednesday amid an ongoing salmonella investigation being carried out in tandem with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Good Morning America
Orlando Bloom talks falling in love with Katy Perry despite her superstar status
"Her music was everywhere ... when I came up, it was just on every radio station," said Bloom, explaining the basis of his relationship with Perry. Bloom said he fell in love with Perry for who she really is. Bloom further clarified the Santa Barbara Perry came from was not the sun-kissed beach paradise for the wealthy that some think of California coastal towns.