China halts foreign adoptions; US seeks answers about pending cases

FILE - Spanish couples take their newly adopted Chinese children for a walk in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, March 7, 2007. The Chinese government is ending its intercountry adoption program. FILE - Children attend classes at a foster home of the New Hope Foundation on the outskirts of Beijing, Oct. 11, 2017. FILE - Children at a foster home of the New Hope Foundation on the outskirts of Beijing, Oct. 11, 2017.

The Chinese government is ending its intercountry adoption program, and the United States is seeking clarification on how the decision will affect hundreds of American families with pending applications to adopt children from China.