By Jade Walker

Parts of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef suffered the biggest decline of coral on record last year. An official analysis showed the reef lost between a quarter and a third of its hard coral cover across three main regions due to a marine heatwave. Some particularly hard-hit areas lost up to 70% of their living coral.

Here's what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

An aerial view of Gaza. Salah Malkawi/Getty Images

Israel

Mass protests erupted across Israel as the country’s security cabinet was meeting to decide on a full reoccupation of Gaza. Despite international pressure, opposition from Israel’s military chief and domestic fears that such an operation would endanger the hostages being held by Hamas, the cabinet approved a phased plan from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to occupy Gaza City. According to an Israeli official with knowledge of the proposal, the incursion would take up to five months and require forcing 1 million Palestinians in Gaza City and other areas to evacuate to southern Gaza. The Israeli military would also establish compounds to house the displaced Palestinians. The deadline for the first phase of the plan is October 7, a source told CNN, which would be the second anniversary of Hamas' surprise attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken captive.

Census

President Donald Trump is calling for big changes to the US census. In a post on his social media site, Trump says he has ordered the Commerce Department to “begin work on a new and highly accurate CENSUS.” The president said the new census will be “based on modern day facts and figures and, importantly, using the results and information gained from the Presidential Election of 2024.” He also declared that “People who are in our Country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS.” The US Constitution mandates a national census every 10 years to determine congressional representation, and the next one is not scheduled until 2030. In addition, the 14th Amendment requires a count of “the whole number of persons in each State.” 

Air Force

The US Air Force plans to deny retirement benefits to all transgender service members who have honorably served between 15 and 18 years. Instead, they will be offered two choices: take the lump-sum separation payment that’s being offered to junior troops or be involuntarily separated at a later date. The move, which was announced this week, comes after the Supreme Court granted the Pentagon permission to ban all transgender troops serving in the US military. Transgender troops recently told Military.com that they found the separation process — which has included reverting their service records to their birth gender — “dehumanizing.” 

Crime report

Violent crime decreased in the US in 2024, according to data released by the FBI this week. The agency’s Reported Crimes in the Nation report, which relies on local law enforcement submitting data to the federal system, showed violent crime down an estimated 4.5% compared to the previous year. Murders decreased by an estimated 14.9% and hate crimes dropped by 1.5%. Robberies went down by almost 9%, which is near its lowest rate in the last 20 years. The statistics were at odds with comments President Trump made throughout his campaign last year when he claimed that crime was “way up” and that “we’ve never seen crime like this before.” However, one category — assaults on police officers — showed a marked increase, from over 83,000 in 2023 to 85,730 in 2024. The FBI is studying why attacks on police are on the rise.

California wildfires

A brush fire that ignited north of Los Angeles and quickly spread on Thursday has prompted authorities to order thousands to evacuate. The Canyon Fire is burning just south of Lake Piru, a reservoir located in the Los Padres National Forest, and spreading east. About 250 firefighters on the ground are working with air support to battle the blaze, which is being fed by hot dry weather, rugged terrain and dry fuel, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department said. The Canyon Fire burned about 15 square miles in just six hours and remained 0% contained as of late Thursday afternoon. The Gifford Fire, which became the state’s largest wildfire of the year this week, continues to burn in the Los Padres National Forest. By Thursday afternoon, it had spread to 154 square miles and was at 15% containment. Evacuation orders have been issued for parts of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. The causes of the fires are under investigation.

People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.

Amtrak announces debut date for new Acela trains
The faster trains will service the Northeast Corridor between Washington, DC, New York City and Boston.

Butch Wilmore is retiring from NASA
The astronaut was part of a troubled mission that left him and NASA astronaut Suni Williams aboard the International Space Station far longer than expected.

Lucasfilm, Disney settle with Gina Carano
The actor’s lawsuit claimed that she was fired from “The Mandalorian” in 2021 for expressing right-wing views on social media.

Underwater jetpack ‘feels superhuman’
This toy, priced a shade below $30,000, will allow riders to zip beneath the surface of the ocean for as long as they can hold their breath.

Dunkin debuts a new booze drink
And it’s rum-based!

President Trump’s new tariffs are now in effect. Which country was hit with the highest tariff rate?

A. Brazil

B. Canada

C. China

D. Mexico

199 mph

That’s around how fast one motorist was clocked while driving on the Autobahn in Germany.  

“The beginning of the season, it coincided, unfortunately, with a lot of really strong immigration enforcement down in southern California, where our workforce comes from, and that had a chilling effect on people wanting to move.”

— Oregon farmer Ian Chandler, who will lose $250,000-$300,000 of revenue this year because he didn't have enough workers to pick the cherries in his orchards, so they were left to rot.

Kristin Scott Thomas does triple duty for new film 
Thomas makes her directorial debut with “My Mother’s Wedding,” which will be released in theaters today. She also wrote the script for the movie and stars in it. (Fans of “Four Weddings and a Funeral” will be particularly intrigued to see whom the mother is marrying.)

5 Things AM is edited by CNN's Andrew Torgan.

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