U.N. report: 464,000 people killed in homicides in 2017
UNITED NATIONS — A U.N. report says some 464,000 homicides were recorded around the world in 2017, far more than the number killed in armed conflicts and terrorist attacks. The Global Study on Homicide 2919 published Monday by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime also had some good news....
Fuel makers launch ad criticizing Trump ethanol mandates
MADISON, Wis. — An association representing oil refineries launched a television ad in four swing states Monday criticizing President Donald Trump’s moves to expand the use of ethanol in gasoline. The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers’ 30-second spot will run statewide through July in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin. The...
Irwin man created treasures from glass, good times with music
The glass Lee Jasper helped produce has gone around the world and beyond it. Before retiring as a scientific glassblower at the former Westinghouse research and development center in Churchill, the Irwin man “did a lot of interesting things,” daughter Wendy Bigelow said. “He helped with Spacelab and parts for...
What did Jeffrey Epstein’s famous friends know and see?
WASHINGTON — Jeffrey Epstein has hobnobbed with some of the world’s most powerful people during his jet-setting life. Future President Trump called him a “terrific guy.” Former President Bill Clinton praised his intellect and philanthropic efforts and was a frequent flyer aboard his private jet. The arrest of the billionaire...
Teen odds of using marijuana dip with recreational use laws
New research suggests legalizing recreational marijuana for U.S. adults in some states may have slightly reduced teens’ odds of using pot. One reason may be that it’s harder and costlier for teens to buy marijuana from licensed dispensaries than from dealers, said lead author Mark Anderson, a health economist at...
Pennsylvania orders stronger sex assault campus reporting
Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities have a year to develop online, anonymous reporting systems to receive complaints about sexual assault from students and employees. That’s a requirement of a new law signed by Gov. Tom Wolf, who with the law’s backers say is the first law of its kind in the...
Elizabeth Warren raises $19.1M, topping Bernie Sanders in new fundraising
WASHINGTON — Elizabeth Warren raised $19.1 million in the second quarter, her campaign said Monday, cementing her status in the top tier of Democratic presidential contenders and surpassing Bernie Sanders, her main liberal rival. The strong showing leaves the Massachusetts senator behind only Pete Buttigieg, the South Bend, Indiana, mayor...
CDC investigates salmonella outbreak linked to dog treats; 2 cases confirmed in Pa.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating after dozens of people across the country have contracted a multidrug-resistant form of salmonella believed to be linked to dog treats. The CDC reports 45 people in 13 states, including Pennsylvania, have been infected with the bacteria. No one has died,...
Police: Man holding firework above head killed in explosion
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Authorities say a 29-year-old South Carolina man has died after suffered burns and other injuries while holding a firework over his head on the Fourth of July. Spartanburg Police spokesman Art Littlejohn said the firework exploded while the man was holding it on Independence Day in a...
Toddler dies after fall from cruise ship in Puerto Rico
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Authorities say a toddler apparently slipped from her grandfather’s hands and fell to her death from a cruise ship docked in Puerto Rico. Police said Monday that the grandfather of the 1-year-old girl from Indiana told officers he lost his grip while holding her outside...
Reports: Iran enriching uranium to 4.5%, breaking deal limit
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran began enriching uranium on Monday to 4.5%, breaking the limit set by its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, semi-official news agencies in the country reported. The acknowledgement by the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran comes a day after Iran pledged to break...
Justice Department shaking up legal team on census case
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is shaking up the legal team fighting for the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 census but offered no specifics on why the change was being made. The change announced Sunday comes days after the department vowed to continue to try to find...
U.S. ‘will not back down’ in Iran nuclear dispute, VP Mike Pence says
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence says the U.S. will keep up pressure on Iran as the nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers appears to be crumbling. Pence said in a speech Monday to a pro-Israel Christian organization in Washington that the U.S. will “never allow Iran...
Just for kicks: college majors of the U.S. Women’s World Cup soccer players
So, just for kicks, what did the best female soccer players in the world study years ago when they were still in college? The members of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, who just won the World Cup ,hailed from colleges and universities scattered across the nation. Joshua Kim, of...
Sheriff’s deputy killed in shootout northeast of Atlanta
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Authorities were searching Monday for suspects after a Georgia sheriff’s deputy was killed in a shootout northeast of Atlanta. The deputy was killed while exchanging gunfire with a suspect Sunday night, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office said. One of the suspects, believed to be the shooter, was...
Fear, glory for Spain’s mounted bullfighters
NOAIN, Spain (AP) — Of all the traditions surrounding the world of bullfighting, the “rejoneo” — mounted bullfighting — is among the least understood. Those who love it consider it a skilled art form. Others see it as a cruel and bloody crime for the sake of entertainment. Some also...
Admiral picked to lead Navy is retiring; bad judgment cited
WASHINGTON — The four-star admiral set to become the Navy’s top officer on Aug. 1 will instead retire, an extraordinary downfall prompted by what Navy Secretary Richard Spencer called poor judgment regarding a professional relationship. The sudden move by Adm. William Moran, announced Sunday, may add to the perception of...
Jeffrey Epstein faces sex trafficking and conspiracy charges
NEW YORK — Eleven years after letting Jeffrey Epstein off lightly with a once-secret plea deal, the U.S. government is taking another run at putting the wealthy sex offender behind bars with new sex-trafficking charges alleging he abused dozens of underage girls as young as 14. Epstein, arrested over the...
Rainbow flag again set on fire at New York gay bar
NEW YORK — For the second time in a little over a month, a rainbow flag at the entrance to a New York City gay bar was set aflame. Alibi Lounge owner Alexi Minko said staff members alerted by someone on the street found the flag had been set on...
Iran raises uranium enrichment beyond nuclear deal limits
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran increased its uranium enrichment Sunday beyond the limit allowed by its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, inching its program closer toward weapons-grade levels while calling for a diplomatic solution to a crisis heightening tensions with the U.S. Iran’s move, coupled with earlier abandoning the deal’s...
Prominent Detroit priest removed from pulpit amid ‘credible’ sexual abuse allegation
DETROIT — The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit said Sunday that it removed a prominent priest from public ministry after reviewing what it described as a “credible allegation” that he had sexually abused a child decades ago. The Rev. Eduard Perrone was suspended from ministry Friday, a month after The...
Man charged with murder after mobile home fire kills 4
PORT ANGELES, Wash. — Police have arrested a man suspected in a mobile home fire that killed four people in Washington state. Matthew Timothy Wetherington has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson. The 34-year-old was booked into jail Saturday night. It wasn’t immediately...
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse may have to move again as Outer Banks shoreline keeps shifting
BUXTON, N.C. — The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse might have to be moved again as the Outer Banks sands near the Buxton point wane and gain. The National Park Service on July 1 marked the 20th anniversary of pushing the 4,800 ton tower more than a half-mile southwest to save it...
Former GOP lawmaker Justin Amash won’t rule out future presidential run
WASHINGTON — Rep. Justin Amash said he “wouldn’t rule out” a run as a third-party presidential candidate but plans to seek re-election to Congress in his Michigan district as an independent after leaving the Republican Party. “I believe that I have to use my skills, my public influence, where it...
18-year-old pilot dies after plane crashes on golf courseVideo
OXFORD, Miss. — An 18-year-old pilot of a single-engine plane died after crashing on a golf course while practicing takeoffs and landings at a small airport owned by the University of Mississippi. University spokesman Rod Guajardo said Sunday that Lake Little of Starkville died late Saturday of injuries from the...
