The Islamic State still controls the western side of Mosul in Iraq. Now Iraqi forces backed by U.S. air power are preparing to retake that part of the city.
A top strategy for preventing catastrophic wildfires is periodically burning forests under controlled conditions. The U.S. Forest Service conducted more "prescribed" fires than ever this year.
How long have humans lived in North America? For decades, the commonest answer has been perhaps 14,000 years — but new findings add weight to arguments for a longer human history in the Americas.