United States

Collage of young spelling bee contestants on stage showing a range of emotions, including surprise, concentration, excitement, and relief, during a national spelling competition.

People

The Great Spell-Off

May 29, 2026

Shrey Parikh, 14, is the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion. Shrey traveled from his home, in Rancho Cucamonga, California, to Washington, D.C., to compete in the bee. He was one of 247 competitors between the ages of 9 and…

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Dry resevoir surrounded by rocks and dry brush in a desert landscape.

Weather

Drought Alert

May 15, 2026

The U.S. experienced its worst spring drought on record last month. The dry conditions have caused alarm. This is especially the case among farmers. The drought could impact their crops. Billy Bain has been a farmer in Virginia for 58…

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Large sea lion resting on a crowded dock beside the water.

Animals

Surprise Visitor

May 14, 2026

In March, a massive sea lion plopped onto a pier in San Francisco, California, delighting onlookers. Quickly nicknamed Chonkers, the Steller’s sea lion weighed about 2,000 pounds—more than twice the weight of the California sea lions usually seen in San…

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The moon’s gray, cratered surface fills the foreground while a bright crescent Earth glows in the distance against dark space.

Space

New Views

May 6, 2026

NASA has released thousands of photos from its April 2026 Artemis II spaceflight. On May 4, the agency published 12,217 never-before-seen photos taken by the Artemis II astronauts during their journey around the moon. These photos offer a new look…

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A gas station sign shows fuel prices as a bus and a person with an umbrella pass by on the street.

Transportation

Gas Prices Climbing

April 17, 2026

Gas prices are up. On April 9, the average cost of a gallon in the U.S. hit $4.12. That’s according to the American Automobile Association. In some states, an average gallon has exceeded $5. The last time gas prices…

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A man in a green jacket smiles while holding a trophy shaped like a building outdoors.

Sports

McIlroy Wins Again

April 16, 2026

Rory McIlroy has won the 2026 Masters, the year’s first major golf tournament. It ran from April 9 to 12 at Augusta National Golf Club, in Georgia. McIlroy also won in 2025. Only three others have won back-to-back Masters. McIlroy…

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A person looks out a spacecraft window at Earth, which appears bright and blue against the dark background of space.

Space

Bright Skies

April 16, 2026

The Artemis II spaceflight began on April 1. Its crew lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission ended successfully on April 10. The craft’s capsule gently landed in the ocean near San Diego, California.…

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Spanish
A basketball player in a white Michigan uniform celebrates on the court during a game, smiling as teammates and opponents move in the background and a scoreboard glows overhead.

Sports

Michigan Wins Big

April 7, 2026

The University of Michigan Wolverines won the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball title on April 6, defeating the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies. It’s Michigan’s first national title since 1989. The win concluded the NCAA Division I tournament—the March Madness tournament—…

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A long blue city bus drives down a wet street in a busy urban area.

Environment

Buses Go Electric

April 2, 2026

Most buses rely on diesel fuel, which pollutes the air. Some cities are turning to electric buses. Madison, Wisconsin, introduced a fleet of them in 2024. The city will save “roughly a quarter-million gallons of diesel fuel per year,” its…

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Content available on Your Hot Job A man wearing winter clothing and a knit hat stands in front of a large flag.

Careers

Paralympic Pro

March 19, 2026

“Being born with a disability, I was growing up in the hospital,” says Zach Miller. The two-time Paralympian spoke with TIME for Kids on March 4, before the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Italy. There, more than 650 athletes, each with…