If you’ve ever indulged in the New York Times best-selling graphic novel series The Bad Guys, you’re already well aware of the five titular characters who are now being brought to life in Dreamworks’ animated film adaptation.
The movie follows Mr. Wolf, voiced by Oscar winner Sam Rockwell, and his crew of animal outlaws — Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and Mrs. Tarantula (Awkwafina) — as they set out on their most challenging mission yet: going from criminals to model citizens. The film also features Zazie Beetz as city governor Diane Foxington, while Lilly Singh documents the action as local reporter Tiffany Fluffit.
In comparison to the books, the action-packed family movie dives deep into the characters’ backstory.
Director Pierre Perifel, making his feature-film debut, told ABC Audio that his decision to highlight the characters’ pre- and post-criminal storyline was intentional.
“You always have to bring a little bit more,” he said, speaking on the film’s inspiration from the books. “We also wanted to do a little bit of a genesis of the change for Wolf. You know, what happens before he decides to go good? Who are these characters?”
Perifel was afforded “tons of freedom to explore” by book author Aaron Blabely, who serves as an executive producer on the film. The director said he took full advantage of that liberty, including his ability to do so alongside the talented cast.
“The idea was to really have a cast that was not the usual suspects,” he said. “The whole team is such a fantastic group of actors and performers who just brought these characters to life. We got incredibly lucky.”
To watch Mr. Wolf and the gang come to life on-screen, check out The Bad Guys in theaters starting Friday, April 22.
(NEW YORK) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The Russian military has now launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region, as it attempts to capture the strategic port city of Mariupol and secure a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Apr 21, 3:02 pm
US calls Putin’s victory claim in Mariupol ‘disinformation’
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s comments Thursday morning claiming victory in Mariupol was “yet more disinformation” from Russia’s “well-worn playbook,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.
Price called Putin’s comments an attempt to “distract from what can only be considered the underperformance of Russia’s military forces and its failure to achieve its original objectives in Ukraine.”
Price said Ukrainian forces in Mariupol “continue to hold their ground.”
“Their ferocious stand stands in stark contrast to the plummeting morale that we’ve seen among Russia’s forces. It stands in stark contrast to the tactics that we’ve seen Russia impose against those in Mariupol,” he added.
Price said the U.S. has called for humanitarian access — aid to get in and people to get out — and has supported humanitarian groups working to do so. But he blamed Russia’s attacks on humanitarian corridors for preventing it from happening.
-ABC News’ Conor Finnegan
Apr 21, 2:20 pm
Most Russian forces focused on Donbas: US
The U.S. has assessed that the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol remains contested, and that Russian airstrike activity remains focused there and on the Donbas region, a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday.
Russia now has 85 battalion tactical groups, each made up of roughly 800 to 1,000 troops, inside of Ukraine, the official said. More of these groups are headed to the Donbas region, the official said.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Apr 21, 1:01 pm
Mariupol mayor thinks city will hold out
Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko told ABC News he thinks his city will hold out, saying Russian forces have “been fighting our boys for 57 days and they still can’t win.”
The mayor’s comments come hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that his siege of Mariupol had been a success, congratulating his defense minister and thanking Russian troops. Putin also ordered troops to abandon their assault on the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant, the last holdout for Ukrainian troops in the port city.
Boychenko said 100,00 civilians remain, including 1,000 in the steel plant.
Apr 21, 12:50 pm
19 Ukrainians released from Russian captivity in 2nd second prisoner swap this week
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said 19 Ukrainians, 10 military and nine civilians, have been released from Russian captivity in the second prisoner swap this week.
-ABC News’ Alexandra Faul
Apr 21, 11:08 am
Biden announces $800 million new security assistance package
President Joe Biden on Thursday announced a new $800 million security assistance package to help Ukrainians fighting in the eastern Donbas region. This funding includes heavy artillery weapons, tactical drones and howitzers.
This package includes 72 new howitzers. Combined with the 18 howitzers announced last week, the 90 howitzers headed to Ukraine can equip five battalions, according to the administration.
Biden noted that he’s run out of pre-approved money and equipment to send to Ukraine and he appealed to Congress to approve more.
When pressed by ABC News on how long the U.S. can sustain this level of spending, Biden said, “We have the capacity to do this for a long time.”
He went on, “The question is, are we going to continue to maintain the support of the international community? And keep the pressure on Putin to prevent him from overrunning the country, No. 1, and No. 2, make sure we continue to maintain the economic sanctions, which, over time, and we’re beginning to see, they’re devastating their economy and their ability to move forward.”
Biden also announced a separate $500 million in economic aid to Ukraine to help fund government operations like salaries, pensions and social programs.
The president added that the U.S. is now banning Russian-affiliated ships from American ports.
Biden met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal Thursday morning ahead of his remarks.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez and Sarah Kolinovsky
Apr 21, 9:30 am
Biden administration to fast-track refugees trying to come to US
The Biden administration on Thursday is moving to fast-track Ukrainian refugees trying to come to the U.S. with an operation called “Uniting for Ukraine.”
Beginning April 25, U.S. based individuals and entities can apply to the Department of Homeland Security to sponsor Ukrainian citizens, the administration said.
Any U.S. citizen or entity can apply to sponsor Ukrainians and there’s no limit on how many Ukrainians a person or entity can sponsor, administration officials said. A background check is required.
Any Ukrainian who has been a resident of the country since Feb. 11 and has up-to-date vaccinations will be eligible for the program. They will be subject to a background check, biometric screening and other security checks.
Ukrainians who don’t have a visa to enter the U.S. will be encouraged to apply for this program.
Administration officials said this was part of President Joe Biden’s promise to take in 100,000 Ukrainians into the U.S.
For those who don’t have sponsors or friends or family in the U.S., the administration is working with non-governmental organizations and nonprofit organizations to help connect people to them.
“One of the reasons we are having sponsors that are entity based … is precisely to deal with those situations,” one administration official said.
In addition to this new program, officials said the State Department will expand resettlement operations in Europe for Ukrainian citizens.
Apr 21, 6:44 am
Putin claims ‘success’ in Mariupol siege
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on Thursday that his siege of Mariupol had been a success, congratulating his defense minister and thanking Russian troops.
“The completion of the combat work to liberate Mariupol is a success,” Putin said. “I congratulate you. Convey words of gratitude to the troops.”
Putin’s claim of victory came as he ordered troops to abandon their assault on the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant, the last holdout for Ukrainian troops in the port city.
A Ukrainian commander of the regiment at the site said Ukrainian troops there are ready to surrender, if their safety can be guaranteed by a third party and they are allowed to take the bodies of their dead with them.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office called for negotiations inside Mariupol to get anyone left in the factory out of the area alive.
Apr 21, 5:13 am
Putin cancels Mariupol plant attack, orders site blocked off
Russian President Vladimir Putin canceled his military’s attack on a Mariupol steel plant, one of the last areas in the port city held by Ukrainian forces, ordering his troops to instead seal all exit routes from the sprawling plant.
“I consider the proposed assault on the industrial zone impractical,” Putin told Sergei Shoigu, his defense minister, during a meeting televised on Thursday by Russian state media, according to a translation of the Kremlin’s official transcript.
The Mariupol city council claimed Tuesday that there are at least 1,000 civilians, mostly women with children and the elderly, seeking shelter in the Azovstal Steel and Iron Works plant. It was unclear how many Ukrainian troops were defending the site.
Putin in the televised meeting ordered his troops to “block” the industrial zone. He repeated the claim that Moscow would let troops leave unharmed if they lay down their weapons and surrender.
“There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground on these industrial facilities,” Putin said. “Block this industrial area so that the fly does not fly.”
Apr 20, 4:37 pm
Delegations walk out on Russian official
During a G20 meeting of economic and finance ministers on Wednesday, delegations from several countries, including U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, walked out of the room while Russia’s delegate began his remarks, the White House confirmed.
Canada’s Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, tweeted a photo of several officials, including herself, Yellen, U.S. Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde, outside of the meeting room, standing in solidarity with Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko.
“It’s an indication of the fact that President Putin and Russia has become a pariah on the global stage,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.
The Treasury also unveiled new sanctions Wednesday against dozens of Russian and Belarusian people and institutions, including a key commercial bank and a virtual currency mining company.
“This is part of our stepped-up effort to crack down on those attempting to evade our unprecedented sanctions,” Psaki said.
The State Department has also imposed visa restrictions on over 600 Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainian separatists backed by the Kremlin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
Apr 20, 3:59 pm
UN chief seeks peace talks with Putin, Zelenskyy
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres wrote separate letters to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday asking to meet “to discuss urgent steps to bring about peace in Ukraine,” a UN spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the head of the president’s office, tweeted that Ukraine is ready to hold a special round of negotiations in Mariupol.
Apr 20, 3:25 pm
Thousands more Russians enter Donbas: US official
Four more Russian battalions, each made up of roughly 800 to 1,000 troops, have crossed into Ukraine over the last 24 hours, a senior U.S. defense official said Wednesday. Three of those battalions — or up to 3,000 troops — moved to the disputed Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, the official said.
Four flights carrying military aid, including artillery, from the Biden administration’s most recent $800 million package arrived in Ukraine over the last 24 hours, the official said. More supplies are set to arrive over the next day, the official said.
When ABC News asked why the U.S. decided to send artillery, the official responded: “We’re mindful of the importance of artillery in the fight that they’re in right now and in the fighting in the days to come because of the terrain, and because of what we think they’re going to be up against with Russian forces.”
Another reason was “the fact that it wouldn’t require an onerous amount of training for the Ukrainians to know how to use them” and the ability to ship them quickly, according to the official.
Apr 20, 2:12 pm
Humanitarian corridor from Mariupol didn’t work as planned Wednesday
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Wednesday’s humanitarian corridor from Mariupol didn’t work as planned but evacuation efforts will continue Thursday morning.
“Due to the lack of control over their own military on the ground, the occupiers were unable to ensure a proper ceasefire,” Vereshchuk said in a statement.
There also wasn’t “timely transportation of people to the point where dozens of our buses and ambulances were waiting,” Vereshchuk said.
(SAN FRANCISCO) — Dozens of high school students in California contracted COVID-19 after attending their prom.
San Mateo High School held the party on April 9 at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, about 18 miles away. Following the event, however, 90 out of the 600 students who attended tested positive for the virus.
“I was not very sick. I had a sore throat for a couple of days, like two, and then congestion,” junior Parker Del Balso, one of the 90 to contract COVID, told local affiliate ABC 7.
According to San Mateo Union High School District Superintendent Kevin Skelly, all of the cases were mild.
The outbreak comes as several other superspreader events have been reported, mostly recently this month’s Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, D.C., that saw several high-profile politicians test positive for the virus including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
However, the cases were all reported to be either asymptomatic or mild, and no one required hospital care.
Experts said these outbreaks are a sign that BA.2 — a highly infectious subvariant of the original omicron variant and the predominant variant in the U.S — is not having a major impact on hospitalizations or deaths.
“These events, either among students or politicians, we are seeing signs of superspreader events,” said Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor. “But they’re not severe because of widespread vaccinations and people are overall protected from severe illness and death.”
Masks were optional at the event. However, according to guidance from the Department of Public Health in San Francisco, where the prom was held, masking is only required in high-risk settings such as health care facilities and homeless shelters.
In other settings, masking is only recommended based on individual risk tolerance, where there is high levels of community spread and if someone is at high risk of severe illness.
Despite the outbreak, school leaders and students said having the prom was worth it to provide a sense of normalcy during the pandemic.
“This has been a really hard year for kids, and we need to keep having as many activities as we can,” Skelly said.
Del Baso, the junior student, agreed, telling the local station, “Overall, I think it was worth it. It was a great, fun time.”
Skelly told ABC 7 that other schools in the district will be adding more mitigation measures to their proms so they don’t experience similar outbreaks.
“We’re going to be more careful about activities,” he said. “We’re going to test more students beforehand to make sure they’re not going into the dance COVID positive.”
Dr. Ali Mokdad, an epidemiologist with the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, said the timing of the test before such events is very important.
“If you are doing a rapid PCR test and the event happens within two to three hours, that’s a good idea,” he told ABC News. “The timing and quality of the test will give you a good sense of security.”
He continued: “But if you get tested 48 hours before the event, you could catch the virus within that time and spread it.”
San Mateo Union High School District did not immediately return ABC News’ request for comment. The Asian Art Museum also did not reply to a request for comment.
(WASHINGTON) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is slamming the Federal Aviation Administration for a plane scare that triggered a frantic evacuation of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday night.
She blamed the FAA for not notifying U.S. Capitol Police that a U.S. Army plane would be flying in restricted airspace near the Capitol — carrying parachute jumpers taking part in a demonstration at nearby Nationals Park.
“The Federal Aviation Administration’s apparent failure to notify Capitol Police of the pre-planned flyover Nationals Stadium is outrageous and inexcusable,” Pelosi said in a statement released by her office. “The unnecessary panic caused by this apparent negligence was particularly harmful for Members, staff and institutional workers still grappling with the trauma of the attack on their workplace on January 6th.”
On Jan. 6, the Capitol was breached by supporters of then President Donald Trump and poor information sharing was seen by at least one congressional committee as an intelligence failure by law enforcement.
The Capitol Police and other federal law enforcement entities have vowed to be better about information sharing and since that day every incident on Capitol Hill has been met with a large police presence and show of force.
Shortly after 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Capitol Police sent an alert about an aircraft intrusion, calling for an urgent evacuation of the U.S. Capitol.
A short time later, U.S. Capitol Police sent another notice that the aircraft no longer posed a threat.
“As soon as it was determined that we were not given advanced notice of an approved flight, our officers followed USCP policies and procedures and immediately led everyone safely out of the Congressional building,” Capitol Police said in a statement on Thursday. “It is extremely unusual not to be made aware of a flight in advance.”
The agency noted the last time they had an evacuation due to an aircraft was in 2014, adding the decision to evacuate the Capitol is one they don’t take lightly.
Capitol Police confirmed that the plane was a military flight by the Golden Knights Parachute Team for Military Appreciation night at Nationals Park.
Army parachutists landed on the field just before first pitch between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals.
The Army’s Recruiting Command says its initial review of Wednesday night’s incident has found that the Golden Knights parachute team filed all the appropriate FAA documentation and received proper FAA approval for their flight plan last night over Nationals Park.
“The team also confirmed the pilots established and maintained communication with the FAA prior to and throughout the operation,” says an Army spokesperson in a statement on Thursday.
The FAA has not responded to ABC News request for comment.
ABC News’ Sarah Shales, Mariam Khan and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett is moderating a panel at the upcoming Midsummer Scream horror convention.
Dubbed “The Original Monster Kids,” the event will find Hammett speaking with the children and grandchildren of various classic horror acting legends including Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr. and Sr.
Hammett, of course, is a horror aficionado himself, and is known for his impressive collection of classic horror memorabilia.
Midsummer Scream takes place July 29-31 in Long Beach, California. Hammett’s panel will be held July 30. For more info, visit MidsummerScream.org.
In related news, Hammett has shared a preview of the video for his song “High Plains Drifter,” which will appear on his upcoming debut solo EP, Portals. The full clip premieres this Friday, April 22.
Portals, which consists of four original instrumental pieces, will be released April 23 as part of Record Store Day.
Tate McRae is the latest musician to have her tour schedule affected by a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
The “you broke me” star announced on Twitter that she has to postpone the first three shows of her European tour in Oslo, Norway, Stockholm, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark. “Hey guys, unfortunately, I have tested positive for covid,” she wrote.
Noting that she’s “asymptomatic,” Tate adds, “I am so sad and sorry i can’t be there with u guys…I will reschedule shows as soon as I can.”
The tour will continue as planned starting May 4 in Hamburg, Germany, a country where Tate has a lot of family.
The Canadian star will release her debut album, i used to think i could fly, on May 27. She recently wrapped up the North American leg of her tour; starting in September, she’ll be opening for fellow Canadian Shawn Mendes on his Wonder tour.
Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Former Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes has filed a civil lawsuit against NBC Universal, Bravo, True Media, Andy Cohen and other parties responsible for the show. The complaint, filed in Atlanta on Wednesday, alleges the companies failed to address racism, after Leakes complained about the allegedly toxic workplace culture.
The lawsuit says that Leakes was the subject of racially offensive conduct while on the show, and specifically details the alleged difference in treatment between Leakes, a Black woman, and RHOA co-star, Kim Zolciak-Biermann, a white woman.
Instead of reprimanding Zolciak-Biermann for her racist behavior, the lawsuit says, she was rewarded with special perks and privileges that were denied to the Black housewives.
“NBC, and its Bravo network, maintain a corporate culture that is insensitive to black talent and fosters racially -offensive behavior that goes unpunished,” the lawsuit states.
Leakes, 54, has been part of Real Housewives of Atlanta for seven years. The lawsuit claims Lauren Eskelin, True Entertainment’s executive vice president of programming, who is also being sued, once declared “RHOA is not RHOA without [Mrs. Leakes].”
George Harrison‘s widow, Olivia Harrison, will publish an illustrated book of poetry called Came the Lightening on June 21, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Beatles guitarist’s death.
The book features 20 poems written by Olivia and dedicated to her late husband. The collection finds Olivia musing on her life with George and the emotional bond they shared, as well as reflecting on the loss of her husband and on the passing years.
Came the Lightening features an introduction by legendary director Martin Scorsese, who describes the book as “a work of poetic autobiography.”
To accompany the poems, Olivia has chosen a selection of photos and mementos, including pics of her with George. Among the images are previously unseen photos taken photographers including Henry Grossman, Sue Flood, Marcus Tomlinson and Paul McCartney‘s daughter, Mary. The book also features a drawing by artist and musician Klaus Voormann, a longtime friend of and collaborator with the members of The Beatles.
“I hope you enjoy these personal stories, recollections and reflections,” Olivia says in a statement. You also can check out a short video trailer for the book on YouTube featuring a voiceover from Olivia, who comments about putting out a collection of 20 poems 20 years after George’s passing, “I didn’t plan it that way, it just sort of happened.”
As a sign that things are getting better following the pandemic, a poll of more than 6,000 ticket-buyers say they’re headed back to the movies this summer.
The survey, part of Fandango’s second annual Moviegoing Trends & Insights Study, reveals 83% of moviegoers plan to see three or more films on the big screen during the summer.
Those polled also said Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — which opens May 6 — is their most anticipated movie of the summer, followed by another Marvel movie, the July 8 release Thor: Love and Thunder.
Coming in third in the most-anticipated summer movie poll is Jurassic World Dominion, opening June 10, followed by Top Gun: Maverick on May 27.
Minions: The Rise of Gru, which opens July 1, rounds out the top five.
Furthermore, 93% of respondents will see movies of multiple genres, not just superhero movies, and 93% look forward to buying concessions at the theater — up sharply from 84% from last year. No surprise, popcorn and soda rank as the most likely buy for those moviegoers.
Also, 89% of those polled said going to the movies is their favorite activity outside the home, outpacing shopping or sporting events. What’s more, 99% of those who have been to the already movies say they were happy with their visits to the theater this year, up from 93% in 2021.
“As film fans head back to theaters, we are starting to see growing signs of recovery as we make the turn towards a great summer of movies ahead,” said Fandango VP Domestic Ticketing Melissa Heller in a statement.
“Our study shows moviegoers are happier than ever to be back at the theater.”
(ATLANTA) — National vaccination coverage for kindergarteners during the 2020-2021 school year fell below the nationwide target of 95% coverage, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis.
This includes MMR, DTaP and varicella vaccines, which protect against multiple diseases including measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, whooping cough, tetanus and chickenpox. The analysis did not include COVID-19 vaccines, which were authorized for children 5 and older after the end of the 2020-2021 school year.
Although the drop was small — down to 94%, representing a 1% drop from the prior school year — the CDC says the new analysis underscores growing concerns that pandemic disruptions could inadvertently lead to a growing number of vaccine-preventable illnesses among children.
“This might not sound like much, but it amounts to at least 35,000 more children across the United States that entered kindergarten without documentation of complete vaccinations against common diseases,” said Dr. Georgina Peacock, director of the Division of Human Development and Disability at the CDC.
Researchers attributed the drop in vaccination rates to pandemic-related causes, including lower school enrollment, missed pediatrician appointments and lower data reporting from schools.
In addition to the 35,000 children who entered school without completed vaccinations, remote and in-person school enrollment was approximately 10% lower than the previous year, according to data from 48 states and Washington, D.C.
“This means around 400,00 fewer children entered kindergarten than expected. Those children also might not be up to date on their routine vaccinations,” said Peacock.
Mississippi had some of the highest vaccine coverage rates, with over 95% for MMR, DTaP, varicella, while Washington, D.C., had some of the lowest reported coverage rates, with 78-79% coverage per vaccine.
During the 2020-2021 school year, fewer states were able to report data back to the CDC due to pandemic-era capacity problems. Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia contributed to the new analysis, but Alaska, Illinois and West Virginia did not report vaccination coverage data due to the impact of COVID-19 on data collection, and were excluded from the analysis.
Some states allowed for eased vaccination requirements for remote learners and reduced submission of documentation by parents. This meant less time for school nurses to follow-up with students missing documentation or vaccines, fewer staff members to conduct kindergarten vaccination coverage assessment and reporting activities, and lower response rates from schools.
“This is further evidence of how the pandemic-related disruptions to education and health care could have lingering consequences for children. The good news is, routine vaccination coverage remains high and we can recover ground loss during the pandemic,” said Peacock.
Despite concerns about rising vaccine hesitancy, the rate of children with religious or medical exemptions remained low, at 2.2%, and the percentage of exempt children actually decreased in 37 states.
The report noted that more than half of the states’ schools are allowing under-vaccinated children to attend school under provisional enrollment, which allows a student without complete vaccination or an exemption to attend school while completing a catch up vaccination schedule or with a grace period status, which is a set number of days during which a student can be enrolled and attend school without proof of complete vaccination or exemption, according to Dr. Shannon Stokely, associate director for Science at the Immunization Services Division of the CDC.
“[With] most schools back to in-person learning, extra effort is needed to catch up children who missed vaccines and to maintain high levels of routine childhood vaccinations and equitable coverage to help protect children, their families and their communities against vaccine preventable diseases,” said Peacock.
Dr. Grace Cullen is an internal medicine resident at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and a contributor on the ABC News Medical Unit.
