25 mins read

Inside a taxpayer-funded treatment center for adoptees, tales of abuse, neglect and little oversight

LAKE OZARK, Mo. | A facility deep in rural Missouri promises relief for desperate parents whose adopted kids are struggling — a lakeside, summer camp-like academy where kids can heal by bonding with golden retrievers, and where caring employees “create joy.” The company that operates the place known as Calo Programs says it exists “to […]

8 mins read

With a stalemate in Ukraine and discontent at home, Putin seems ready to escalate his war

Facing a battlefield stalemate in Ukraine and growing war fatigue among Russians, President Vladimir Putin appears ready to try to change the narrative around the conflict. He looks likely to sharply escalate the Russian aerial attacks on the Ukrainian capital in the hope it will shore up his sagging domestic approval ratings and persuade an […]

3 mins read

Blue Origin rocket explodes on the launch pad during an engine-firing test

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. | A rocket belonging to Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin exploded during a test at the launch pad Thursday night, shaking nearby homes and briefly painting the sky orange. Blue Origin said its New Glenn rocket exploded during an engine-firing test being conducted ahead of a satellite launch planned for next week. No […]

4 mins read

Pam Bondi to face closed-door questioning from House lawmakers over Epstein files

WASHINGTON | Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is testifying before House lawmakers investigating Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse cases, a long-awaited appearance that brings fresh scrutiny of the administration’s botched release of the Epstein case files. Bondi was defiant in previous public testimony when she was confronted by lawmakers about the Epstein investigation. It’s unclear whether […]

4 mins read

Tomatoes become latest symbol of America’s affordability squeeze

NEW YORK | Tomatoes, ubiquitous in everything from fast-food burgers to haute cuisine, are taking on a new role beyond the plate: A nagging reminder of rising costs. Prices for those red orbs have soared more than any other food product over the past year to cement a spot as one of the consumer headaches […]

6 mins read

Think it’s hot now? The next five years will smash records, UN says

WASHINGTON | In the next five years, the Earth is overwhelmingly likely to surge again and again past the international climate threshold set as safe and shatter its hottest-year record along the way, according to new United Nations climate projections. The World Meteorological Organization also forecasts an overheating Arctic that warms nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit […]

2 mins read

A rare blue micromoon rises this weekend

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. | Get set for a rare blue micromoon this weekend — a blue moon that’s also the most distant and smallest-looking full moon of the year. A bonus: The brilliant star Antares will photobomb Sunday’s spectacle for a celestial three-for-one. A blue moon occurs every two to three years when a second […]

5 mins read

US and Iranian negotiators reach tentative deal to extend ceasefire and launch nuclear talks

WASHINGTON | U.S. and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative agreement Thursday to extend the ceasefire in the 3-month-old war by 60 days and launch talks on Iran’s nuclear program, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. Iran did not immediately confirm any deal, and the official noted that President Donald Trump has yet […]

3 mins read

Judge refuses to block Trump order to limit mail voting. There’s no immediate effect on the midterms

A federal judge has declined to halt President Donald Trump’s executive order creating a federal voter list and limiting mail voting, clearing the way for potential sweeping changes in how American elections are run shortly before this year’s midterm elections. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee in Washington, late Wednesday rejected the request […]

3 mins read

Justice Department opens investigation into E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of assault: AP source

WASHINGTON | The Justice Department has opened an investigation into whether E. Jean Carroll, the longtime advice columnist who has said Donald Trump sexually assaulted her in a New York department store 30 years ago, lied during the course of civil litigation against the Republican president, according to a person familiar with the matter. The […]