U.S./World category, Page 1202
Frank Lucas, druglord portrayed in ‘American Gangster,’ dies
NEW YORK — Frank Lucas, the former Harlem drug kingpin whose life and lore inspired the 2007 movie “American Gangster,” has died, a relative said Friday. Lucas, who was 88, died Thursday in New Jersey, nephew Aldwan Lassiter said. Lucas had been in declining health, according to his former lawyer....
LA Times seeks access to grand jury transcripts in Nipsey Hussle murder case
LOS ANGELES — A public defender representing the man accused of killing rapper Nipsey Hussle is seeking to keep transcripts from his grand jury hearing secret until after his trial. In a motion filed late Thursday, Deputy Public Defender Lowynn Young sought an immediate hearing, arguing that unsealing the transcripts...
Pilgrim shutdown ends nuclear power era in Massachusetts
PLYMOUTH, Mass. — The Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Plymouth has permanently shut down after 47 years of generating electricity, bring to a close the era of nuclear power in Massachusetts. The final shutdown occurred at 5:28 p.m. Friday. Entergy announced in 2015 it would retire Massachusetts’ only remaining reactor,...
Prosecutor says email tracking harmless in Navy SEAL case
SAN DIEGO — The Navy’s tracking of emails to lawyers defending a SEAL accused of murder may have intruded on attorney-client privilege but wasn’t severe enough to throw out the case, a military prosecutor argued in court Friday. Lt. Scott McDonald said the effort only gathered data, such as internet...
Scientists find flaws in plan to lift US wolf protections
BILLINGS, Mont. — Scientists tasked with reviewing government plans to lift protections for gray wolves across most of the U.S. said in a report released Friday that the proposal has numerous factual errors and other problems. The five-member scientific panel’s conclusions were detailed in a 245-page report delivered to the...
Chicago prosecutor shifts Smollett case recusal explanation
CHICAGO — Chicago’s top prosecutor gave a new justification in documents released Friday for why she recused herself from the investigation into “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett’s claim he was the victim of a hate crime: there were false rumors she was related to Smollett and she didn’t want any hint...
Police: City worker kills 12 in Virginia Beach; suspect dead
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A longtime city employee opened fire in a municipal building in Virginia Beach, killing 12 people on three floors and sending terrified co-workers scrambling for cover before police shot and killed him following a “long gun battle,” authorities said. Four other people were wounded in Friday’s...
Bill Cosby drops defamation claims against 7 accusers
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Bill Cosby has dropped his countersuit against seven women who accused him of sexually assaulting them. Court papers filed Friday show the four-year defamation case in Massachusetts is now over. Cosby’s insurer had settled with the women last month for an undisclosed sum. The 81-year-old comedian objected...
Swimmer is oblivious to shark circling her at Florida beachVideo
A man had been watching a shark swimming along a Florida beach for about two hours when a swimmer entered the scene. Stan Battles told the Panama City News Herald the shark had been doing figure 8s in the muck and sea grass at Panama City Beach Wednesday morning. He...
SAT’s new rating system faces its own adversity
College admissions testing was long viewed as a great equalizer. All students could aim for a maximum 36 on the ACT or 1600 on the SAT, no matter where they grew up or went to school. Their scores functioned as a currency of merit for a nation that aspired to...
IRS proposes update to Form W-4 to increase accuracy
The IRS has proposed an update to the Form W-4 that it says will increase its accuracy and reduce its complexity. But experts caution that it will feel different to employees and may prove a bit more difficult for some. Employees currently fill out a one-page form that asks a...
Union warns Disney World fire department is understaffed
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Firefighters for Walt Disney World’s private government say they’re understaffed and that poses a safety risk as the Florida theme park resort grows even bigger with this year’s openings of a new Star Wars land and air gondolas. “We just don’t have enough firefighters on...
Tornado that ravaged parts of Ohio packed 170 mph winds
DAYTON, Ohio — The National Weather Service says one of the tornadoes that tore through western Ohio this week was the strongest in the state since 2010. Survey teams have confirmed at least 18 tornadoes touched down in the region during storms Memorial Day evening and early Tuesday. The Weather...
Tariffs aimed at Mexico, but U.S. companies in line of fire
The surprise imposition by President Donald Trump of an escalating tariff regime against Mexico sent ripples through almost every economic sector in the U.S. Friday, hammering American companies that sell automobiles or run railroads, grow vegetables or create medical devices. Trump vowed to slap a 5% tariff on all Mexican...
Unmarried women without kids are ‘happiest’ subgroup, expert claims
Men: Find a wife. Women: Don’t bother. Basically, that’s the message of a British behavioral science professor who’s been studying the happiness (and misery) of unmarried, married, divorced, separated and widowed individuals, reports The Guardian. Paul Dolan, who teaches at the London School of Economics, was recently at the Hay...
4 million gallons of water to be drained from Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
About 4 million gallons of water will be drained from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool so crews can fix a broken water line that’s caused algae to form in it. “The problem with the water line has compromised the circulation system in the pool, leading to issues with the water...
Police: Suicide car bomb hits Afghan capital, 7 casualties
KABUL, Afghanistan — A car bomb targeting a U.S. convoy exploded early Friday in an eastern Kabul neighborhood leaving seven Afghan casualties, police said. It was the second suicide attack in as many days to rattle the Afghan capital. Bob Purtiman, public affairs officer with the U.S. military in Kabul,...
Poland’s leaders campaign to save wild cows from slaughter
WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s ruling party leader and the president have weighed in to save the lives of a herd of some 180 cows and bulls that went feral after years of neglect and were ordered slaughtered. Poland’s most powerful politician, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, said this week the herd in the...
Trump prompts protests with promise of new Mexican tariffs
WASHINGTON — In a surprise announcement that could derail a major trade deal, President Donald Trump has announced that he is placing a 5% tariff on all Mexican imports, effective June 10, to pressure the country to do more to crack down on the surge of Central American migrants trying...
National Spelling Bee runs out of challenging words, crowns 8 co-champions
OXON HILL, Md. — The Scripps National Spelling Bee was broken Thursday night, brought to its knees by eight spellers who were too poised, too prepared and too savvy for any word thrown their way. Faced with a dwindling word list and a group of spellers that showed no weakness,...
Ben & Jerry’s plans CBD-infused ice cream
We always knew Ben and Jerry were cool, but now we know just how cool. Ben & Jerry’s, those purveyors of our delicious ice dreams — are ready to hop on the latest trend: CBD-infused food — well, as soon as they can legally do it. The company announced on...
Military judge frees Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher in advance of murder trial
SAN DIEGO — A decorated Navy SEAL facing a murder trial in the death of an Islamic State prisoner was freed from custody Thursday when a military judge cited interference by prosecutors. The unexpected move drew gasps in a San Diego courtroom after lawyers for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher...
Georgia police officer charged with beating homeless woman
DECATUR, Ga. — An Atlanta-area police officer who was captured on video beating a homeless woman inside a convenience store was indicted Thursday on felony charges, a prosecutor said. A grand jury indicted DeKalb County police Officer Phillip Larscheid, 29, on charges of aggravated assault and violation of his oath...
Man reportedly attacked by emotional-support dog on flight sues owner, Delta
A man is suing Delta Air Lines and one of its passengers after an emotional-support dog reportedly mauled him on a flight. Alabama resident Marlin Jackson suffered “extensive facial damage,” including lacerations to his nose and mouth, and bled so profusely “that the entire row of seats had to be...
Energy Secretary Rick Perry: U.S. can make oil, gas, coal cleaner
SALT LAKE CITY — The Trump administration is committed to making fossil fuels cleaner rather than imposing “draconian” regulations on oil, gas and coal, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Thursday. Perry made his remarks at an energy conference in Salt Lake City that was briefly interrupted when protesters took...
