Explosion outside Kabul University kills 8, wounds 33
KABUL, Afghanistan — A powerful bomb exploded outside the gates of Kabul University in the Afghan capital on Friday, killing at least eight people and wounding 33, according to police and health officials. Several of the wounded were in critical condition, they said. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the...
Trump seeks to disavow ‘send her back’ chant as Democrats call for more securityVideo
WASHINGTON — The morning after chants of “Send her back” rang across one of his campaign rallies, President Donald Trump sought to disavow it, insisting that he “was not happy with it.” Trump made no effort to stop the chanting during his rally Wednesday night in North Carolina. The crowd...
Trump administration has gutted programs aimed at detecting weapons of mass destruction
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has quietly dismantled or cut back multiple programs that were created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to help detect and prevent terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction, a Times investigation has found. The retreat has taken place over the last two years at the...
Democratic presidential candidates revealed for upcoming debates
The Democratic National Convention has announced the candidates who have made the cut for debates later this month. CNN will provide live coverage for the debates, which will be held on July 30 and 31 in Detroit. Here’s who will grace the stage: Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, former Vice President...
Navy warship sunk by German sub in WWII finally located
CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine — A private dive team has located the last U.S. Navy warship to be sunk by a German submarine in World War II, just a few miles (kilometers) off the coast of Maine. The sinking of the USS Eagle PE-56 on April 23, 1945, was originally blamed...
City of Berkeley can no longer use the word ‘manhole’
Officially, there is not a single manhole in the city. Nor is there a fireman or a craftsman. The city of Berkeley, California, on Tuesday eliminated gendered terms from its municipal code. The holes in streets where “repairers” will access utilities will now be called “Maintenance holes.” Council voted to...
About 10,000 au pairs to get paid in class-action settlement
DENVER — About 10,000 live-in childcare workers from around the world will be paid an average of $3,500 each under a class-action settlement that alleged exploitation of the mostly young women who perform the jobs. U.S. District Judge Christine Arguello gave final approval to the $65.5 million deal for au...
Trump says American warship destroyed Iranian drone
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says a U.S. warship destroyed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions between the two countries. Trump says it’s the latest “hostile” action by Iran. He’s calling on other countries to condemn what he says are Iran’s attempts to disrupt the...
Church sign in Virginia proclaims ‘America: Love or Leave It.’
APPOMATTOX, Va. — Amid a national furor over President Trump’s tweet urging four Democratic congresswomen to “go back” to their home countries, a Virginia pastor is gaining attention with a sign at his church saying “America: Love or Leave It.” ABC 13 in Lynchburg reports hundreds of people have expressed...
All-white creature identified as rare albino porcupine
KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine — A curious visitor to a Maine train museum that resembled a white throw pillow or perhaps a lost toupee turned out to be a rare albino porcupine. The young rodent turned up Tuesday at Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, perplexing the staff, who sought help identifying it...
Philadelphia moves to fire 13 officers over Facebook posts
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Police Department is suspending 13 police officers with an intent to fire them following an investigation into offensive and sometimes threatening Facebook posts. Seventy-two officers had been placed on administrative leave in June. The action came after a nonprofit group published the results of a two-year...
Postcard from dad finds family 26 years late
No one knew the postcard was lost until it landed in a mailbox 26 years later. A father sent the Hong Kong memento to his family in 1993 and assumed they received it. His children, living in Springfield, Illinois, at the time, didn’t know it had been sent so they...
Jet2 sends big bill to passenger for flight return to London
LONDON — A passenger accused of severe misbehavior on a Jet2 flight that had to return to London’s Stansted Airport in June has received a huge bill from the airline. The airline has accused Chloe Haines of “aggressive, abusive and dangerous behavior” on a flight and sent her a bill...
Trump slams Puerto Rico leaders: ‘Under siege,’ ‘despicable’
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — President Donald Trump is tweeting harsh words for leaders in Puerto Rico, where thousands have been protesting to demand the governor resign after leaked chats showed him making misogynistic slurs and mocking constituents. Trump says “A lot of bad things are happening in Puerto Rico”...
Court upholds ‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli’s conviction
NEW YORK — A federal appeals court upheld the securities fraud conviction against former drug company CEO Martin Shkreli, known as “Pharma Bro,” on Thursday, along with a $7.3 million forfeiture of assets. A judge sentenced Shkreli to seven years in prison last year for his conviction on charges he...
Pilot accused of flying while drunk in Nevada crash
MESQUITE, Nev. — Authorities say a pilot from Washington state was arrested on suspicion of flying while drunk after a private plane crash and fire at an airport in Nevada. Police say 41-year-old Ryan Raymond Dashiell of Spokane escaped serious injury in the crash of the twin-engine Cessna 550 on...
Circle K Mexico apologizes for ‘sexist’ Secretary Day ad
MEXICO CITY — Circle K Mexico is apologizing for an ad on “Secretary Day” promoting a deal on chocolate, red wine and condoms. The convenience store brand said in a Wednesday statement that it did not intend to “promote any stereotype” and highlighted its “promise to be a business that...
Fort Lauderdale, surrounding cities will run out of water within hours
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Tens of thousands of residents in Fort Lauderdale and surrounding cities were warned early Thursday to brace for a prolonged water outage, after a private contractor hit a water main during construction. City officials said customers could be without water — and thus, without working toilets...
Deemed dangerous, Jeffrey Epstein denied bail in sex abuse case
NEW YORK — A judge denied bail for jailed financier Jeffrey Epstein on sex trafficking charges Thursday, saying the danger to the community that would result if the jet-setting defendant was free formed the “heart of this decision.” Epstein, with his hands folded before him, showed no reaction to the...
House approves $15 minimum wage, Senate prospects are dim
WASHINGTON — House Democrats approved legislation Thursday to raise the federal minimum wage for the first time in a decade, to $15 an hour, but the bill has almost no chance in the Republican-controlled Senate. Passage was assured after centrists won concessions for a slower phase-in, over six years instead...
Assange drops appeal of 50-week sentence for jumping bail
LONDON — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has dropped an appeal of his 50-week prison term for jumping bail in Britain. Court officials said Thursday that a hearing on the appeal set for next week had been cancelled. Assange is jailed in London’s Belmarsh Prison at the same time as he...
National Park Service reminds people not to pet bobcatsVideo
Just in case you’re tempted by that adorable wild creature … don’t pet the bobcat in the park. The National Park Service posted a public service announcement Wednesday telling people that bobcats are not pets. They advise that visitors to the parks should resist the urge to pet and hold...
India reschedules launch of its moon mission for Monday
CHENNAI, India — India’s space agency said it will launch a spacecraft to the south pole of the moon on Monday after stopping an attempt this week. The Indian Space Research Organization said the Chandrayaan-2 launch is now set at 2:43 p.m. on Monday. It said Thursday that the cause...
Man shouting ‘You die’ kills over 30 at Japan anime studio
TOKYO — A man screaming “You die!” burst into an animation studio in Kyoto, doused it with a flammable liquid and set it on fire Thursday, killing 33 people in a shocking attack. Thirty-six others were injured, some of them critically. The suspect was hurt and taken to a hospital....
Robbery suspect walks out of trial while jury deliberates
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — An armed-robbery defendant walked out of his trial just moments before a Florida jury found him guilty. The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports that 29-year-old Antonio Jama Gearing had been released on $75,000 bail so he was free to move about the Daytona Beach courtroom Tuesday. But...
