LOS ANGELES — Exposure to unhealthy levels of air pollution during pregnancy may prolong postpartum depression symptoms in new mothers, according to new research.

A team of researchers from the University of Southern California assessed the air quality in the communities of more than 350 pregnant women across Greater Los Angeles from 2015 to ...Read more

Over the summer as Israel continued to bombard Gaza, representatives from 14 Palestinian factions, including the two main parties – Hamas and Fatah – met in China. Following the most inclusive talks in years, all the parties agreed to a future unity government and to hold national elections.

Such talk of “day after” governance...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — For decades, Florida faced criticism for judging the quality of its pre-K program on a “readiness” test given to young students after they started kindergarten. It was a system, critics argued, that penalized preschools serving the kids who struggle the most — often those from low-income families.

Now, the state is ...Read more

Hetal Doshi sprinted down the marble hallway on the fourth floor of the Justice Department’s antitrust division in August.

“We won! We won! We won!” she shouted, bursting into a wood-paneled conference room where Jonathan Kanter, the assistant U.S. attorney general for antitrust, sat talking with a team of young lawyers. Doshi, Kanter’s...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California voters are considering whether to roll back some of the criminal justice reforms enacted a decade ago as concerns about mass incarceration give way to public anger over property crime and a fentanyl crisis that has plagued the state since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Proposition 36, on the November ballot, would...Read more

A top California health plan is set to offer one of the world’s biggest-selling drugs for free in a bid to show the medicine can reach Americans affordably without going through the middlemen that typically control its flow.

Blue Shield of California struck an unusual deal to buy a lower-cost version of Humira directly from a manufacturer, ...Read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party is trailing in two recent state elections, exit polls showed, providing a boost to the opposition after a weaker mandate for the ruling alliance in national elections.

The Indian National Congress is predicted to win in the northern state of Haryana, and its alliance has an edge over the ...Read more

MIAMI — Tootsie’s Cabaret bills itself as the largest strip club in the world, so a group of women dancing by the VIP entrance didn’t seem to surprise customers arriving for happy hour Friday evening.

The hyping of American democracy did present a twist.

“Voting is a power,” the seven NAACP volunteers in sport shirts and long pants ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center warned Saturday that newly formed Tropical Storm Milton will intensify into a major hurricane before it hits Florida on Wednesday.

“Milton is within favorable atmospheric and oceanic conditions for strengthening,” said NHC Branch Chief Daniel Brown. “With the expected low vertical wind shear...Read more

NEW YORK — New Yorkers have strong feelings about a question grabbing the city’s attention these days: Should Eric Adams step down as mayor or hang on and fight?

Across the city, residents spoke to the Daily News about how they view the mayor’s political future after his plea of not guilty to federal charges of bribery and wire fraud. ...Read more

CHICAGO — At least three dozen aldermen, including numerous allies of Mayor Brandon Johnson, posted an open letter Saturday blasting the mayor’s handing of Chicago Public Schools that led to the entire Chicago Board of Education announcing they will soon resign.

The group of aldermen — including 10 members of Johnson’s leadership team ...Read more

DENVER — Unseasonably warm weather broke or tied daily and monthly heat records across the state Saturday, with the National Weather Service reporting new highs in Denver, Colorado Springs and Burlington.

The NWS announced in a social media post at 2:27 p.m. that a temperature of 87 degrees had been recorded at Denver International Airport, ...Read more

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is planning a pair of economic announcements — including new student loan debt relief — before departing for a trip to Germany and Angola as the White House seeks to harness momentum from recent positive economic data.

Biden is set to announce next week that he’s expanding student debt relief for public ...Read more

NEW YORK — With much of the world bracing for the Oct. 7 anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, New Yorkers find themselves struggling with how best to commemorate a tragic event that is very much still unfolding.

Bombing campaigns are just as intense as they were that day when rockets ricocheted across Gaza. Hostages that were ...Read more

BOSTON — Steve Connolly of Sharon is truly the heavyweight champion of the Topsfield Fair — he just bagged his fourth win at the fair’s 40th All New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off.

“In what’s called rapid growth, back in late June, early July, it was putting on 60 pounds every day,” Connolly told the AFP News Agency at the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has pledged to work alongside Watts residents to address a host of environmental issues in the South Los Angeles community.

During a visit to the Jordan Downs public housing complex in Watts on Saturday morning, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the agency is working with ...Read more

MIAMI — South Florida could see serious flooding over the next few days, even before what will be Hurricane Milton crosses the state on Wednesday, and local governments are getting ready.

Its precise path is unclear, but Milton is expected to dump more water on a region already soaked by unrelated rain. Although several areas were already ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center warned Saturday that newly formed Tropical Storm Milton will intensify into a major hurricane before it hits Florida next week.

“Milton is within favorable atmospheric and oceanic conditions for strengthening,” said NHC Branch Chief Daniel Brown. “With the expected low vertical wind shear ...Read more

CHICAGO — A gray Honda CRV pulled out of traffic Wednesday afternoon on Pulaski Road and stopped near the homeless encampment that stretches along the fence between Gompers Park and the Salvation Army Mayfair Community Church.

“Stay the (expletive) out of Gompers Park!” the driver yelled before he rolled up the window and rejoined ...Read more