PHOTOS: How 9 families cope when they can’t afford 3 healthy meals a day for the kids “Severe child food poverty” is on the rise, affecting 181 million young kids. Here’s how families cope when their kids are hungry and they can’t afford to put 3 nutritious meals a day on the table. Read more…

Mortgage rates were supposed to come down. Instead, they’re rising — here’s why Mortgage rates are ticking up even after the Federal Reserve has started cutting interest rates. Here’s why, and where rates — and home sales — could go from here. Read more on NPR

A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder is wanted in a U.S. drug trafficking case A former Olympic snowboarder for Canada has been charged with running a drug trafficking ring that shipped vast amounts of cocaine across the Americas and killed four people, authorities said. Read more on NPR

Barbed wire, high fences: some election spots in Arizona close, but others step up Some election locations in Arizona are shutting their doors in the face of security threats — but others are expanding their footprint. Read more on NPR

AI-generated images have become a new form of propaganda this election season This election cycle, AI-generated images have proliferated on social media platforms after politically charged news events. They often spread partisan narratives rather than facts. Read more on NPR

Emo music not only still exists — it’s thriving If you had any doubts, we can clear them up now. Emo music not only still exists — it’s thriving. Read more on NPR

This week’s news quiz has skeletons (though sadly not the political kind) If you’ve paid attention to incoming presidents and incoming pandas you can ace at least half of this week’s quiz. Read more on NPR

King Charles III’s visit rekindles Australia’s debate on ending ties to the British monarchy While the welcome will be warm, Australia’s national and state leaders want the royals removed from their constitution. Read more on NPR

Alabama executes man who killed 5 and asked to be put to death Alabama executed a man Thursday who admitted to killing five people with an ax and gun during a drug-fueled rampage in 2016 and dropped his appeals and asked to be put to death. Read more on NPR

The DOJ charged a former Indian intelligence official in a foiled assassination plot The indictment against Vikash Yadav points to a direct link between the Indian government and what prosecutors say was a murder-for-hire scheme on American soil. Read more on NPR