For many, Christmas is a time to decorate the tree, sing carols and kiss underneath the mistletoe. But not every child is dreaming of a white Christmas or waiting to hear Santa’s reindeer on the rooftop. Here’s a roundup of some of how different cultures celebrate the holiday, including the weirdest and most unusual customs we could find.
Mandisa, who competed on season 5 of "American Idol" and went on to become a successful Christian recording artist, has died. A rep for the singer confirmed to ABC News that Mandisa was found dead in her home on April 18. Mandisa, born Mandisa Lynn Hundley, finished ninth on the "American Idol" season that was won by Taylor Hicks and also gave us Katharine McPhee, Chris Daughtry and Kellie Pickler.
On Dec. 14, Jackie Hegarty of Newtown, Connecticut, knows her phone will be "flooded" with messages, as it is each year on that day, the anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting. Hegarty, a Sandy Hook survivor, lost 20 young classmates and six educators in that shooting, which marks its somber 10th remembrance this year. This year, Hegarty said many of the messages she receives will be from people who weren't there that day with her, but who know exactly how it feels to survive a school shooting.
The House on Friday cleared a key procedural hurdle in passing foreign aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, despite dozens of Republican defections, with Democrats helping Speaker Mike Johnson avoid a defeat. The chamber voted 316-94 to advance the bills, setting up a Saturday vote on final passage of $95 billion in foreign assistance that has been held up in a political fight in Washington for several months. Such procedural votes are typically passed by the House majority alone, but Democrats stepped in to help push the legislation forward after Republican hard-liners collectively opposed the measure.
Taylor Swift's 11th studio album, a double album titled "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology" is here -- and, like any release from the singer, there's a lot to unpack. The album takes Swift's devoted fans inside the depths of her mind as she navigates the ups and downs of past relationships, and perhaps hints at where she's at emotionally these days. Follow along as we break down some of the biggest songs and trends from "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology."
For the second time this week, Russian strikes have caused significant civilian casualties in a key Ukrainian city as Russian missiles hit areas around the southeastern city of Dnipro on Friday, killing at least 8 people -- including two children -- and wounding nearly 30 more. Two days earlier, Russian missiles struck the center of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, killing at least 18 and injuring nearly 80 more -- one of the deadliest strikes in months. Friday’s strikes in Dnipro damaged several floors of a residential building as well as the station, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement.
Savannah Chrisley is opening up about her life after her parents Todd and Julie Chrisley's imprisonment, and sharing her hope for their future. The couple, who became famous for their show "Chrisley Knows Best," were sentenced in November 2022 to a combined 19 years in prison on charges including fraud and tax evasion. Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 16 months of probation while Julie was ordered to serve seven years in prison and 16 months of probation.
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 Campaign for Southern Equality Research and Policy Center. “If we didn't have the care, I don't think she'd be alive,” said Stamm.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fans of "The Witcher" have bittersweet news regarding the medieval-themed fantasy show. The Netflix series, which is currently in its fourth season of production, has been renewed for a fifth season, and it will be the show's last, according to an April 18 Netflix announcement. "It is with huge pride that we begin shooting our penultimate Season of The Witcher with a stellar cast, including some exciting new additions, led by Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia," read a statement included in the Netflix announcement from Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, creator of "The Witcher."
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."
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. It's similar to that of a hotel occupancy tax that American travelers may be more familiar with for domestic stays. "Locals in places like Venice, [Italy] and Maui are also getting more vocal about problematic tourists," he said.
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.
Zendaya's latest look for the "Challengers" press tour is an ode to tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams. On Thursday, Zendaya's stylist, Law Roach, shared a photo taken by photographer and makeup artist Ernesto Casillas of the actress in a black and white striped gown designed by Carolina Herrera. The look was recreated from Serena and Venus Williams' iconic photo in the 1998 issue of Vogue.
