News
Trump designates street fentanyl as WMD, escalating militarization of drug war
Trump has already declared the drug cartels terrorist organizations and ordered military strikes against suspected drug boats. Now he's declaring fentanyl a WMD. Experts on street drugs and fentanyl are skeptical these moves will reduce the supply of fentanyl on America's streets or reduce overdose deaths.
Ford pulls the plug on the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck
Ford says it is "following the customer" in discontinuing its large electric pickup, which was well-received but never profitable. Ford will keep the Lightning name alive as a plug-in hybrid.
Australia announces strict new gun laws. Here’s how it can act so swiftly
Less than 48 hours after the deadly attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach that left more than a dozen dead, Australian authorities announced proposals for sweeping new gun laws.
An Alabama woman is among two who died in the Brown campus shooting
Mountain Brook-native Ella Cook's life was cut short Saturday when a gunman opened fire inside a classroom in the engineering building.
Executions nearly double in 2025 due to dramatic rise in Florida
This year, 48 people are expected to be executed in the U.S. Meanwhile, fewer new death sentences are being issued, and public support for the death penalty is at its lowest point in over 50 years.
Brian Walshe, who searched for crime tips online, is convicted of his wife’s murder
Walshe said his wife left town for a work emergency in January 2023. Investigators found items like a hacksaw, bloody rugs and her COVID vaccine card in dumpsters — and chilling searches on his devices.
ACA shoppers face sticker shock as Congress dithers on health care
With subsidies that help consumers pay their health insurance premiums set to expire, health care shoppers face staggering prices. Lawmakers are running out of time to agree on a solution.
Roomba maker files for bankruptcy, weighed down by debt and tariffs
iRobot, the U.S. firm that had robots vacuuming homes, will be taken over by its China-based supplier. It's assuring owners that devices will keep working as usual.
Trump says Rob Reiner had ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ in post on his death
Officials are investigating the death of the Hollywood director as a homicide.
Professors, students appeal ruling on Alabama law banning DEI initiatives at public universities
The Alabama measure, which took effect in October 2024, is part of a wave of proposals from Republican lawmakers across the country taking aim at DEI programs on college campuses.
Rob Reiner and his wife found dead in Los Angeles home
Director-actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead Sunday at Reiner's Los Angeles home, according to a law enforcement official.
GOP Rep. says ACA subsidy users shouldn’t ‘pay the price for congressional inaction’
Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley of California says a health care proposal from House Speaker Mike Johnson — which is expected to get a vote this week — was "hastily thrown together."
For Americans, the love for chain restaurants runs deep
Some of the nation's largest restaurants boast of decades-long survival through economic downturns, stiffer competition, and changing American palates. And we still love them anyway. Why?
What’s behind the wellness claims for the synthetic dye methylene blue?
Taking drops of a medical dye is trending in wellness and biohacking circles. Some influencers claim it boosts longevity and brain health. Scientists say the hype has gotten ahead of the research.
Houses floated away in this Alaska Native village. Now residents want to move
Kwigillingok, Alaska, has long grappled with erosion and flooding. Residents want to move to higher ground, further inland, especially after the remnants of Typhoon Halong damaged nearly every house.
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and mogul Jimmy Lai sentenced
The business mogul and activist has been in ailing health and has already spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement in Hong Kong before his verdict.
Chile shifts sharply right as José Antonio Kast wins Presidency
José Antonio Kast, a far-right politician who has praised Chile's former dictatorship, has won the presidency, signaling a sharp rightward shift fueled by fears over crime, migration and the economy.
Bystander hailed as a hero for disarming Sydney gunman
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns on Sunday praised the man's actions, calling it "the most unbelievable scene."
The cookies that fueled votes for women
Suffragists didn't just march. They baked, held bake sales and sold cookbooks to raise money for the cause of equality.
Voices of experience and hope soar in a song to prevent suicide
"Hold the Hope" was sparked by one woman's experience as a caregiver to someone who survived suicidal struggles. It started as a poem that has become a film, a song and even a dance.
Tanning bed users are at higher risk of skin cancer, especially in unusual places
Indoor tanning is trending among Gen Z. A new study finds tanning bed users not only have a much higher risk of melanoma, they also have DNA damage linked to cancer across nearly their entire skin.
Gunmen kill 9 people at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, injuring 11 others
Two gunmen have shot dead nine people at Sydney's Bondi Beach, with eleven wounded, including two police officers. Police shot dead one gunman, second was arrested in critical condition.
US envoys arrive in Berlin for latest round of Ukraine peace talks with Zelenskyy
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday, as Trump grows increasingly exasperated by delays.
With federal relief on the horizon, Black farmers worry it won’t come soon enough
At the National Black Growers Council meeting in New Orleans, Black farmers respond to the $12 billion in tariff relief announced by the Trump administration and outline challenges farms are facing.
With federal relief on the horizon, Black farmers worry it won’t come soon enough
At the National Black Growers Council meeting in New Orleans, Black farmers respond to the $12 billion in tariff relief announced by the Trump administration and outline challenges farms are facing.
Multiple people shot near Brown University, police say
Brown University says it's working with law enforcement to search for a suspect after its report of an "active shooting situation" on its Rhode Island campus.
United Airlines flight returns to Dulles airport after engine loses power during takeoff
Shortly after departing the Virginia airport on Saturday, the Tokyo-bound plane's engine cover separated and caught fire, according to the transportation secretary. No injuries were reported.
After failure in the Senate, House GOP has its own health care proposal
House Republicans released proposed legislation late Friday that would not extend enhanced Affordable Care Act tax subsidies.
Skywatchers rejoice: The Geminids meteor shower peaks tonight
The Geminids meteor shower appears every December, but it will peak this year on Saturday, the 13th.
Chile votes in polarizing presidential runoff as far-right takes lead
Chile heads to a presidential runoff on Sunday, with far-right contender José Antonio Kast — a supporter of former dictator Augusto Pinochet — tipped to win.
2 U.S. service members and 1 civilian are killed in ISIS attack in Syria
The attack, which took place in the city of Palmyra, comes a year after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the lifting of U.S. sanctions.
Church Nativity scenes add zip ties and gas masks to protest immigration raids
Supporters of the displays say the Bible is on their side, but critics call the scenes sacrilegious and politically divisive, accusing the churches of abusing sacred imagery.
