Rachel Treisman

A commercial lobster diver says he escaped relatively unscathed after nearly being swallowed by a humpback whale, in a biblical-sounding encounter that whale experts describe as rare but plausible.

Michael Packard, 56, said in local interviews and on social media that he was diving off the coast of Provincetown, Mass., on Friday morning when the whale suddenly scooped him up.

President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will not have a joint news conference after they meet in Geneva next week, according to a White House official.

Biden will instead hold a solo press conference after Wednesday's meeting, which will include a working session and a smaller session.

An East Texas bakery is being inundated with orders, supportive messages and donations after revealing it faced backlash over its colorful cookies celebrating Pride Month.

The owners of Lufkin-based Confections unknowingly set off the chain of bittersweet events last Wednesday, when they posted a Facebook photo advertising their heart-shaped, rainbow-iced cookies and calling for "More LOVE" and "Less hate."

The Colonial Pipeline shutdown sent motorists across the Southeast scrambling for gas, even as state and federal officials warn against panic-buying and price gouging.

Mackenzie Walton's first Father's Day without her dad was shaping up to be tough. Then the marketing emails hit.

"I saw some 'Don't forget Dad!' messaging and panicked because I hadn't bought him a present, which led to some ugly crying in the bathroom at work when I abruptly remembered why I hadn't been shopping yet," the Cincinnati-based freelance editor told NPR over email.