NORFOLK, Va. — A year into his tenure as Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Daryl Caudle said he needs the service to grow.

Caudle was in Norfolk on Wednesday ahead of his annual State of the Navy address.

He said the latest assessment says the Navy needs even more than the previously projected 387 ships. He also said he wants a fifth shipyard,...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — A newborn baby from Lancaster County was among the two unvaccinated residents whose deaths were associated with measles, Pennsylvania health officials said Wednesday.

The state disclosed the age of one of two measles-related deaths announced Tuesday, both involving Lancaster County residents. Their deaths were the first in ...Read more

BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey was unable to recall an instance where ICE attempted to apprehend a child at a Massachusetts school or child care facility after issuing guidance to educators on how to interact with the federal agency if agents arrive on campus.

The guidance is relative to the recently enacted Protect Act — signed into law by ...Read more

In reaction to a proposal for a major overhaul to the federal Head Start program by the Trump administration, Gov. Maura Healey and three members of the Massachusetts federal delegation are calling on the president to reverse the newly proposed standards they say will “dismantle” the program in the Bay State.

The proposed changes to the ...Read more

BOSTON — Now that jurors have heard all the evidence in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial, the prosecution and defense are expected to deliver their closing arguments.

Plymouth Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague and Clancy’s attorney Kevin Reddington will close their cases in the morning, according to Judge William Sullivan. The ...Read more

BOSTON — State Rep. Francisco Paulino was indicted and arrested charges of pandemic benefit fraud early Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced, becoming the second Massachusetts public official to face the COVID-related fraud allegations in less than two weeks.

“We have arrested Massachusetts State Rep. Francisco Paulino, who ...Read more

LANSING, Mich. — Two current lawmakers, an array of political staffers and one of the most active lawyers in advising legislators' secret fundraising accounts are slated to be called as witnesses at former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield's upcoming trial, according to new court documents.

Ahead of the trial, which is scheduled to begin ...Read more

A decadelong fight to outlaw child marriage in California is nearly at an end.

A bipartisan bill that makes it illegal to issue marriage licenses to anyone under 18 cleared the state Assembly on Wednesday, drawing cheers from supporters who said the measure was a long overdue fix to an “archaic” piece of California law.

“The issue has ...Read more

President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared “Mission Accomplished” in Iran even as the unpopular and costly war drags on with no end in sight and no sign that the U.S. is close to achieving any of the lofty goals he set for the conflict.

Trump posted an image of himself along with Iran’s slain former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei against a...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — In a blow to Minnesota law enforcement, a federal judge set the stage for ICE agent Christian Castro to be released from a Texas jail after he was arrested three months ago on charges that he shot a Venezuelan national in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge and later lied about it.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Fernando...Read more

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered House Republicans a window into what’s on his mind just days before they return from an August break, painting an overly rosy picture of the economy and taking a new interest in federal beef regulations.

Speaking to conservative commentator Glenn Beck, Trump repeated his message on ...Read more

BALTIMORE — Months after Maryland abandoned its original contracting plan for rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the project remains on the same multibillion-dollar budget and late-2030 timeline — even as the state is still months away from hiring the contractor that will build the bridge’s centerpiece.

The Maryland Transportation ...Read more

MIAMI — Nathan Thomas remembers his first day of college as being a normal day.

When the 10-year-old walked into his algebra class at Miami Dade College, he drew a few curious looks from his older classmates. But once class began, Thomas quickly settled in — and excelled.

He had a similar experience when he taught his first course at Miami...Read more

A violent flash flood at the Nepal-China border tore through a checkpoint and engulfed surrounding villages on Wednesday, leaving at least 100 people dead and hundreds missing.

Videos posted online show roads and bridges in northern Nepal’s mountainous Rasuwa district being washed away from sudden flooding that struck around 8:30 a.m. local ...Read more

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jury selection is underway for the second murder trial for Antolin Garcia Torres in the notorious 2012 disappearance and presumed death of Sierra LaMar, and a newly unsealed court filing reveals that prosecutors are alleging publicly for the first time that he tried to kidnap a woman in San Jose a week after Sierra vanished ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is preparing to activate a long-dormant maritime war court to streamline military capture of Iranian oil tankers as U.S. prizes, according to three people familiar with the plans.

Reviving prize courts, which is expected to face legal challenges, is intended to strengthen the blockade of Iran and offset the...Read more

Days after the top elections official in Shasta County, California, announced that he planned to hire an election denier who served prison time for tampering with voting machines, county leaders there made an extraordinary plea to state and federal authorities: Please come investigate.

A statement released by the county Tuesday afternoon said ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — In the last few years, multiple studies have shown that global warming is intensifying drought and worsening water scarcity in California and the western United States.

Now, scientists have found that a group of polluters is responsible for a large share of this drying.

In their study, published this week in the journal ...Read more

Do you feel like the same person in February as in June? For most people, the answer is a resounding no.

During winter, your energy tends to dip, your immune system takes a hit and you may feel less social. Research finds that people are less inclined to stick to a workout routine in winter.

In contrast, spring’s longer days...Read more