County of Fairfax, Virginia — a populous, suburban hub in the Washington, D.C. region.
Back-to-school gear weighs on students as backpacks hold laptops, textbooks and gear. Experts say signs of overload include leaning forward and difficulty walking; families are urged to audit contents and keep loads light as schools weigh print versus digital learning.
A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake has devastated western Colombia, with thousands displaced, hundreds dead or missing. Officials warn that reconstruction will require a coordinated push from government, private sector, and humanitarian groups as hospitals, schools, and roads are damaged. Rescue efforts are ongoing amid challenging conditions.
A three-month-old Park Slope cat, Jabal, was stolen from the 8th Street Mini Mart but has been returned after a neighborhood-wide search and police involvement. The owners express relief as Jabal reunites with his family; the incident spurred community posters, social posts, and local media attention.
An AP investigation shows that Venezuela’s post-quake housing program built tall, concrete towers on silty soil near a major fault, leaving thousands homeless as aftershocks expose dangerous engineering choices and possible code violations.
The Alaska Senate contest remains tight as Dan Sullivan faces Mary Peltola amid a high-stakes debate and ongoing questions about a LNG pipeline and campaign funding. A second Sullivan with the same name complicates the race in a state using ranked-choice voting, with polls showing Peltola potentially edging the incumbent in recent simulations.