At a Glance Officials say the massive bloom was triggered byuntreated wastewater dumped into the ocean.Phosphates from laundry detergents, shampoos and soap feed the blooms that appear annually, researchers say. Boracay Island in the Philippines was hit by a massive algal bloom this week just days before a temporary six-month closure was to begin to allow beaches torecover from pollution and overcrowding. Officials say the dumped into the ocean, the Philippines Star reports. Jim Sampulna, regional director for theDepartment of...

At a Glance Pruitt has been accused of lavish spending and ethical violations that have resulted in several investigations.Pruitt said many of the media reports are nothing more than "half-truths" and "twisted stories". Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt testified Thursday during back-to-back hearings before two House subcommittees, where he was forced to answer questions pertaining to lavish spending and other alleged ethical missteps. In recent weeks, Pruitt has been under scrutinyover accusations of lavish spending and ethicsviolations that have...

At a Glance Several carp species introduced to U.S. waters in the 1970s are beginning to push out weaker, native fish in the Southeast.Silver carp can weigh up to 60 pounds, measure 3 feet and consume 40 percent of their body weight of plankton each day. Invasive species of carp are heading towardSoutheast river systems, killing off native fish and endangering entire ecosystems. Silver carp and three other species of carp were importedto the United States from Asia in the...