transcript

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[00:00] Good morning, and welcome to Kid News. I'm Kim. Today is Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026. And we begin with a shout out to our planet. Today is Earth Day, a movement started in 1970 by a US. Senator from Wisconsin, and now celebrated by more than a billion people in 190 countries around the world. An easy way to go green and join the party? Become a waste warrior. According to National Geographic, the number of garbage trucks Americans fill each year could stretch halfway to the moon. In landfills, cardboard from paper towel rolls take two months to decompose. Plastic water bottles more than 450 years. So before you throw something away, think about how you can repurpose or recycle it. Other ideas? Use reusable bags, each of which can keep 600 plastic ones out of the trash. Turn out the lights and shut down computers. Electricity often comes from climate-changing fossil fuels. Save water with shorter showers and plant a tree. We've put a link to more planet-friendly tips on our resource page. The peace talks between the US and Iran just received some 11th hour breathing room. Hours before the deadline for a deal yesterday, President Trump announced that he's extending the two-week truce to allow more time for diplomacy. The US blockade of Iranian ports will continue. But the cease-fire will reportedly last until negotiations are finished. As of this recording, Iran's leadership hasn't publicly reacted to the news. There's a major changing of the guard at Apple. The big boss, CEO Tim Cook, is stepping down, and longtime Apple engineer John Ternes is stepping up. In his announcement letter to employees, Mr. Cook said his replacement is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future, which no doubt includes artificial intelligence. Mr. Cook also wrote about the satisfaction of starting every day of the last 15 years by reading emails from Apple users celebrating everything from the perfect selfie to the mom saved by her Apple Watch. And while he won't hold the top job any longer, the outgoing CEO won't be far away. He's staying with the company as executive chairman. The Sunshine State is bracing for the return of a very smelly tourist. Sargassum is that stinky, slimy seaweed that floats from the Eastern Caribbean to the shores of Florida just about every summer. And this year's arrival is predicted to be a doozy, possibly a record setter. Scientists from the University of South Florida use satellite data to track the floating blob and say it's massive. For beachgoers, that likely means piles of stringy nastiness that's teeming with marine life and smells like rotting eggs as it decomposes. Southeast Florida near Palm Beach and Miami is expected to take the biggest hit, with up to $10 billion in economic losses from visitors cancelling their trips to the cost of cleaning it off beaches multiple times a week. Don't mess with Pittsburgh when it comes to football. Today through Friday, the city's 18,000 public school students will get to attend class from the comfort of their couch. But the reason won't be the weather. It's the NFL draft. According to ESPN, the district notified staff and families that it will operate remotely while the city hosts the league's annual call up of hopeful college athletes. 700,000 visitors are expected to swamp the city for the event, enough for the district to decide that all the attention being paid to the gridiron will cause school bell gridlock. It's not an unprecedented decision. Green Bay, Wisconsin did something similar last year, citing safety concerns while also wanting kids to be able to participate in the festivities. Still to come, a scene from a hit Pixar movie plays out in a SoCal backyard. But first, a big thank you to some of our generous donors. Chris Mellon of Golden Valley, Minnesota, Kathy Harris from Moraga, California, Michelle Goldsmith of neighboring Orinda, California, and Connie Schultz of Oregon, Wisconsin. Now, today's KidNuz quiz. How many countries celebrate Earth Day today? More than 190. What's the name of the smelly seaweed headed for Florida beaches? Sargassum. Why do kids in Pittsburgh get remote learning for the next few days? Because their city is hosting the NFL Draft. Who is the new boss at Apple? Longtime company engineer, John Turnus. In today's KidNuz kicker, ring cameras capture a lot of things, but this could be a first. The app notified the Perrin family of Temecula, California that something was in their backyard, and that something turned out to be a hot air balloon resting on their lawn with a dozen smiling faces inside the basket. The ride went sideways, or in this case, south, when the winds died and the balloon ran out of gas while hovering. The pilot's emergency landing was smooth, but it took two hours for fuel tanks to arrive so the balloon could take off again. And when it did, it looked like it was from the movie Up, Jenna Perrin told NBC News. At one point, they positioned it so well, it looked like our house could just go with it. A big shout out to social studies teacher Leon Smith at Haverford High School in Haverford, Pennsylvania, who's just been named the 2026 National Teacher of the Year. And hello to our teachers who are rock stars in their own right. Mrs. Waltman and her Panthers at Montezuma Cortez Middle School in Cortez, Colorado. Ms. Ashley's Phoenix at Orr Learning Academy Chancelite in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mrs. Morales and her Diamondbacks at Dutcher Middle School in Turlock, California. Mrs. Kiara's Alford Titans at Alford in Lawrenceville, Georgia. And Mrs. Davis' Rough Riders and Rams at Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy and Wilson Middle School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Thanks for listening. If you love KidNuz, please consider making a tax deductible donation on our website. In the meantime, go green, do something good for planet Earth, and we'll see you back here for more KidNuz tomorrow morning.