captioned by los angeles distribution and broadcasting, inc. now on america this morning, a mega merger in the banking industry. >> just as credit card debt

soars to new heights. what it could mean for consumers as two of the largest credit card companies, capital one and discover, combine forces russians on the move vladimir putin's forces seize more territory in ukraine with us war funding held up in congress. >> the speaker of the house posting this president's day photo with former president trump now a new offer from the white house looking to strike a deal. >> a landmark courtrillionuling on fertility treatments. a state court now saying that frozen embryos are children. how the ruling could have far reaching consequences. >> where is audrey cunningham, the 11 year old texas girl missing for nearly a week after failing to catch her bus to school? police focusing their case on a man living on her father's property. what the sheriff is saying about the search scam alert. >> the call that appears to be from amazon. that's a giant fraud. how one woman lost $50,000 out of this world. >> what scientists have

discovered about the brightest object in the universe, 500 trillion times brighter than the sun. >> and later, the basketball players in a jam. that is, until the cheerleaders come to the rescue. from abc york. >> this is america this morning. >> good tuesday morning, everyone. i'm andrew dymburt. >> good morning. i'm alison kosik in for rhiannon. and we begin with your money and a major merger in the banking industry, capital one. >> and discover are joining forces just as credit card debt soars to a record high. here's abc's lionel moise this morning. >> a shakeup in the credit card industry. capital one is buying discover in a deal valued at $35 billion capital one is acquiring discover, which is more than just a credit card issuer. >> they also have a card network over which the transactions are run. and they also have accumulated a pretty significant deposit base, bringing in deposits from consumers and

making loans other than just credit cards. >> joining forces will give capital one access to discover's payment network, collecting fees to better compete against visa and mastercard, which could benefit customers in the long run. it comes as credit card debt in the u.s. hits a record high. the average balance now tops $6,000, and with high interest rates, delinquencies are up among all age groups. 49% of credit cardholders now carry debt from month to month. >> the increase in credit card debt at a time when credit card rates are north of 20% at record highs themselves, that really illustrates the financial strain that millions of households are feeling. just trying to make ends meet. as savings balances were run down. we've seen credit card balances run up. more people are carrying balances for longer periods of time. could a merger like this with two big credit companies have an impact on that? for consumers that are grappling with high balances and high interest rates, this combination isn't going to do

anything to change that, particularly in the short terms. so focus on paying down that debt as quickly as possible makes your financial life easier . >> bank rate says any changes in the terms of your credit card must be communicated 45 days in advance, and experts say paying down your debt and increasing your credit score will put you in a better position to take advantage of any potential perks after the merger. andrew allison. >> all right. lionel thank you. overseas, there's word that russia has launched a new offensive in ukraine after capturing a key city in the east, ukraine says it's suffering from a shortage of ammunition. even with us funding for the war has stalled in congress and as russia makes gains, we're also learning more about the death of vladimir putin, critic alexei navalny, his supporters claim he was murdered. abc's em nguyen is here with the latest m. good morning alison. >> good morning. russia is beginning to make major gains on the battlefield, upping the pressure on republicans in congress to pass more funding

for ukraine. this morning russian forces are launching new assaults on multiple fronts, recovering some ground lost to ukraine last summer. neurosurgeon rocco armando previously served as a doctor for the u.s. army. now he's volunteering in ukraine and the most severe cases and the most severe i mean, the most severe penetrating brain injuries, penetrating neck injuries, polytrauma injuries, you know, and their victims, basically of artillery over the weekend, the russians captured a key city in the east, a ukrainian commander says they lacked the manpower, power and shells to hold off the russians. u.s. aid is currently held up in the republican led house, which is on a two week recess. speaker mike johnson posted this thumbs up picture with former president trump yesterday, saying they had a great meeting on president's day. president biden says republicans are making a big mistake, not supporting ukraine the way they're walking away from the threat of russia, the

way they're walking away from nato is just shocking. >> meanwhile, russia is refusing to turn over the body of vladimir putin critic alexei navalny, who died at a remote prison. >> putin, his widow, claims russian authorities are holding on to navalny's remains until the poison can leave his body. >> as for ukraine aid, president biden now says he is willing to meet with speaker mike johnson to discuss the issue. andrew m thank you. >> rebels backed by iran claim they've shot down a us drone near yemen. the houthi rebels released video claiming to show the incident. they've also claimed responsibility for a new wave of attacks on ships in the region in attacks in the red sea, recently led to a 45% drop in traffic through the suez canal, as shipping companies seek costly detours. >> the man who fatally shot two police officers and a firefighter during a standoff near minneapolis, should have never had a gun, court papers say. shannon gooden was barred from possessing firearms after

pleading guilty to assault. back in 2008, gooden was in the middle of a custody battle with the mother of his children, and police say he died by suicide after opening fire on first responders who were answering a domestic dispute call. >> now to a court decision on fertility treatments that could have an impact far beyond alabama. that's where the state's highest court has ruled that frozen embryos are children. the issue already getting attention at the federal level in washington this morning, new questions about the future of fertility treatments after alabama's supreme court ruled that frozen embryos are children, the decision reverses a lower court's ruling in a case brought by a couple who sued a fertility clinic for wrongful death after someone dropped their frozen embryos on the floor, destroying them. the court cited alabama's constitution in its ruling, saying even before birth, all human beings bear the image of god and their lives cannot be destroyed without effacing his glory. >> it could effectively end ivf in the entire state of alabama with treatments like in vitro fertilization.

>> asian. several eggs are fertilized outside the body before being implanted into a patient's uterus. >> there's mostly concern, um, there's worry, there's some anger. um, as patients and physicians want to be able to make these decisions together, collaboratively and not have these decisions made for us and without our input, alabama state medical association warning the increased risk of legal exposure might result in alabama's fertility clinics shutting down the issue is already on the radar of federal lawmakers. >> illinois senator tammy duckworth and pennsylvania congresswoman susan wild have introduced a bill called the access to family building act. it would establish ivf and other fertility treatments as a right for patients and doctors. >> everyone deserves access to the full range of assisted reproductive technologies to help them start or grow their families, including treatments like in vitro fertilization. >> 42% of adults in the us say they've used fertility treatments or know someone who

has in texas, the search for 11 year old audrey cunningham is focusing on a man who lives on her father's property. >> police say don macdougall was the last person seen with audrey before she was reported missing last week. after failing to catch her bus to school. investigators have been searching a lake 60 miles north of houston after finding a backpack in the area, macdougall . >> i am not giving up hope that we'll be able to bring audrey home. so yes, i am hoping that she is still alive and we're going to work just as hard to make sure that we do everything that we can to try to bring her home. >> macdougall was convicted of enticing a minor several years ago, but was not required to register as a sex offender. >> turning to the weather, more rain is on the way for a large section of california, where many rivers and streams are already running high after historic rainfall earlier this month. in addition to heavy rain and rough surf in southern california, wind gusts up to 60mph are possible. let's check your tuesday forecast.

>> good morning. this storm continues to bring rain and even some high mountain snow into the state of calif as it continues to pinwheel this moisture in. you can see throughout the course of the day, we're still talking rain in northern california. but look at all that rain in southern california moves in and there's still a little bit more as we go through tuesday night, then into wednesday. we are quieting things down. but keep in mind today there is some risk of severe weather through southern california from los angeles to san diego. for accuweather, i'm melissa constanza >> coming up, a growing problem in schools who substitutes for the substitute teachers. >> but first, the new warning for parents about a spike in cases of the measles. what doctors are now seeing and later , who are you going to call when the ball gets stuck? >> the cheerleaders. that's who

you're not alone. rent is up, and every family outing costs an arm and a leg. well, we want to help. so when prices go up, we find new ways to go low. and now, we've lowered the price on hundreds of your favorite products.

designing something beautiful is easy. designing something beautiful with great quality for a low price? that's a different story. it's why we're here. that's a promise. not a promo. activia deliciously supports gut health in ♪ gut friendly with daily nutrients. helps digestive health, yeah i'm doing it. probiotics by the billions, i'm not new to it. activia. your gut is where it all begins. [vo]: fear. i love you. [vo]: confusion. i'll just take your arm. [vo]: pain. worry. and bravery. you got this. [vo]: all in the life... i love you. okay? [vo]: of a child. this is why starlight exists. to bring happiness to hospitalized children when they need it most. because happiness matters.

morning america, we're right here. >> and we got you. >> we got you, we got you. >> we're back with a parking lot problem near boston. this audi managed to get wedged between two other vehicles outside of a cvs. police say the driver hit the gas instead of the brake, then hit an elevated sidewalk in. that's where it landed. >> doctors are warning parents across the country about a rise in cases of the measles. the latest concern in florida this morning, doctors in florida are closely watching a cluster of children infected with measles, as experts warn about a surge in cases nationwide. >> and this is, you know, not a hair on fire moment yet. but it has the potential to become one. >> and elementary school near fort lauderdale is now reporting five students with measles. meanwhile, nine cases have been reported in the philadelphia area since december, all

involving unvaxed people. so far this year, at least one case has been reported in 12 states. >> all you have to be is in the same room or proximity with a with an infected patient to be at risk for contracting a virus. measles spreads in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. >> symptoms include fever, cough , runny nose, and a distinctive rash, but severe cases can lead to brain swelling, pneumonia, or even death. the cdc requires a highly effective measles vaccine to attend public school, but parents can seek religious or medical exemptions, experts say. when 95% of a community is vaccinated, it cannot spread. but currently, only 36 states fall below that threshold. >> we have to have very high, very high, 95% or greater immunity within a population in order for this virus. that's like a heat seeking missile to not be able to find someone who

is susceptible. >> doctors are already seeing what they call an alarming increase of cases in europe. >> they now are having a 30,000 times increase, 30 fold increase that is going to happen here. if we have our immunization rates fall below a threshold, what is that threshold >> 95% complications from measles are most likely in children under age five and adults over 30 are more. >> schools are scrambling to find substitute teachers problem getting worse since the pandemic , fewer people are entering the education field and the average pay around $20 per hour isn't keeping pace with the economy. the new york times reports. one major school district in iowa can barely cover half of teachers sick calls. some states have now loosened college degree requirements. others are raising pay. some now offer $50 an hour. >> coming up, the call that appears to be from amazon. that's a giant scam. >> also ahead, a gas station emergency caught on camera and the life savers who came to the

rescue as a teenager i struggled with acne and i still struggle with post-acne marks. new bright reveal niacinamide serum by l'oreal. visibly fades post—acne marks by up to 40%. ♪ new bright reveal niacinamide serum by l'oreal paris.

you can't leave without cuddles. but, you also can't leave covered in hair. with bounce pet, you can cuddle and brush that hair off. bounce, it's the sheet. dad, we're gonna be late! ( ♪ ) ( ♪ ) can't stop adding stuff to your cart? get the bank of america customized cash rewards card, choose the online shopping category and earn 3% cash back. (singing) ♪ i feel good ♪ ♪ duh na nuh na nuh na nuh ♪ ♪ i knew that i would ♪ ♪ na na nuh na nuh na nuh ♪ ooo, yum. hey! ♪ bum bum bum bum bum ♪

i feel good. want luxury hair repair that doesn't cost $50? pantene's pro-vitamin formula repairs hair. as well as the leading luxury bonding treatment. for softness and resilience, without the price tag. if you know... you know it's pantene. ♪ vicks vapostick provides soothing, non-medicated vicks vapors. easy to apply for the whole family. vicks vapostick. and try vicks vaposhower for steamy vicks vapors. vicks vapor shower for steamy vicks vapors. >> now back with a brawl breaking out after the basketball game between texas a&m commerce and incarnate word. as the teams were shaking hands, it's unclear why it started. a young girl in the crowd was reportedly injured, a woman who says she was scammed by a call claiming to be from amazon is now warning other customers to be on alert. >> she ended up losing $50,000, which she delivered in a shoe box.

>> it actually showed up as amazon on my caller id, she said that there had been some suspicious activity under my account. >> charlotte coles, a personal finance columnist in new york, says she got a call she thought was from amazon, telling her she'd been the victim of identity fraud. she says she spoke with several people, even someone claiming to be from the cia. yeah, he knew my social security number. >> the last four digits. he knew my birthday. he knew my address. he knew that i lived with my husband and son, and he told me that my identity had been stolen by a criminal organization. >> cole says the person she thought was an investigator told her there was a warrant out for her arrest for cyber crimes money laundering and drug trafficking. >> he told me that in order to avoid arrest, i would need to cooperate with their investigation on the thing that made me keep going was that they had had so much information about my family, and they made it very clear that my family was

potentially in great danger. >> coles followed the scammers directions, rushing to the bank to withdraw $50,000 cash and putting the cash in an suv that was sent to her house. but as soon as the driver drove away, cole says she realized she'd been scammed. >> oh my god, what have i done? i i can't believe this has happened. >> she's not alone. the ftc says younger adults 18 to 59 are now being scammed at a higher rate than older people. experts say if you suspect a scam, ask for the caller's name. their supervisor name and what bank, branch or government agency they work for. then call that organization to verify. also, keep in mind law enforcement officials say they will never ask you for cash. >> a texas man says three gas station workers saved his life after he went into cardiac arrest. bruce bartlett collapsed shortly after entering the convenience store and the women quickly administered cpr until the ambulance arrived. bartlett returned about one week later to thank them in person.

>> he was turning purple and i'm just like, should i do mouth to mouth? like i don't? i'm not sure, but i did it. >> it really is angels on earth that there's really people with some big hearts that care about each other and that jump into action and try to save a life. they are heroes. >> bartlett is hoping to raise awareness about learning cpr. >> coming up, forget the drive thru. there's now a ski through mcdonald. >> plus, the eight year old taking the chess world by storm chances of a plane crash -- 1 in 11 million. you're not gonna finish those salted nuts, right? never waking up from anesthesia -- 1 in 185,000. validate your parking or just see how it goes? what? why stress about the unlikely? does a killer clown worry about being struck by lightning -while winning the lottery? -sure don't. but your odds of falling victim to online crime are 1 in 4. you need aura. you, your family, all protected from scary online stuff. [ laughs ] protect everything your family does online with aura.

feeling claritin clear is like... ♪ is she? playing with the confidence of a pro and getting all up in that grass as if she doesn't have allergies? yeah. nice. nature's bounty hair growth. help grow thicker, fuller hair with just one capsule a day of advanced hair complex. conquer hair thinning... ...and fall in love with your hair all over again. only from nature's bounty. sometimes, the lows of bipolar depression feel darkest before dawn. with caplyta, there's a chance to let in the lyte™. caplyta is proven to deliver significant relief across bipolar depression. unlike some medicines that only treat bipolar i, caplyta treats both bipolar i and ii depression.

and in clinical trials, movement disorders and weight gain were not common. call your doctor about sudden mood changes, behaviors, or suicidal thoughts. antidepressants may increase these risks in young adults. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. report fever, confusion, stiff or uncontrollable muscle movements which may be life threatening or permanent. these aren't all the serious side effects. caplyta can help you let in the lyte™. ask your doctor about caplyta. find savings and support at caplyta.com morning america, we're right here and we got you, we got you, we got you. >> time to check the pulse. >> we begin with what scientists say could be the brightest place in the whole universe. >> oh, yes, it's called a quasar. and it's located at the safe, cozy distance of 12 billion light years away. the artist's rendering shows it's black hole, which scientists say

is growing at the fastest rate ever seen because of all the energy it's consuming. >> the quasar around the black hole is said to be 500 trillion times brighter than the sun. next, an eight year old just shattered a world record in chess. >> ashwath kaushik of singapore just became the youngest person ever to beat a grand master, beating a 37 year old at a tournament in europe. his parents don't even play chess, he learned the game online. next, another amazing young person. >> she's 11 and brought her love of reading to a busy airport. sia malhotra helped build a children's library at newark airport. it now sits in terminal a, but sia has even bigger plans . >> i want to propose to the port authority to put this library like to get more libraries and put them in the other terminals too. >> she has an idea. she nurtures it so she'll keep on pestering people that hey, i need to get this done. the idea came from a

library in alaska. >> next, some heroes on the court during a middle school game in west virginia. >> they weren't playing in the game, but they did save it. the cheerleaders are going to get it. >> nice move. >> they lifted one team member up and the ball was really stuck. it took them a while, but they eventually got it free and finally forget the drive through. there is a mcdonald's with a ski through the mc ski is in sweden. >> it's described as the only mcdonald's where you can get your food in a ski through lane. tiktok has turned this into a major tourist attraction. major tourist attraction. >> starbucks could be next ♪ when you have moderate—to—severe eczema, it's okay to show off. with dupixent, show off your clearer skin and less itch. because you have plenty of reasons to show off your skin. with dupixent, the number one prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists,

you can stay ahead of your eczema. it helps block a key source of inflammation inside the body that can cause eczema to help heal your skin from within. many adults saw 90% clearer skin. some even achieved long—lasting clearer skin and fast itch relief after first dose. serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems such as eye pain or vision changes including blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. ♪ show off to the world. ask your eczema specialist about dupixent. if you're 55 and up, t-mobile has plans built just for you. like two lines of unlimited for just $27.50 a line. that's half the price of verizon or at&t. so switch to t-mobile and save. ♪ i love that my daughter still needs me. but sometimes i can't help due to burning

and stabbing pain in my hands, so i use nervive. nervive's clinical dose of ala reduces nerve discomfort in as little as 14 days. now i can help again. feel the difference with nervive. long after guests leave, viruses and bacteria linger. air fresheners add a scent. but only lysol air sanitizer helps erase the trace, eliminating odor and killing 99.9% of viruses and bacteria in the air. scent can't sanitize. lysol can. charge of my cholesterol

stinging, 5-times-a-day,... ...makeup smearing drops user. i want another option that's not another drop. tyrvaya. it's not another drop. it's the first and only nasal spray for dry eye. tyrvaya treats the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease fast by helping your body

produce its own real tears. common side effects include sneezing, cough, and throat and nose irritation. relying only on drops? not me. my own real tears are my relief. ask your eye doctor about tyrvaya. ditching the fireworks for drones for 4th of july. now at 5:00, the two bay area city's considering the switch later today, a once popular mommy blogger convicted on multiple counts of child abuse will learn her punishment today. >> the time behind bars she's now facing nearly 40 million people across the state are under a flood watch this morning here in the bay area, downed