New era in ties begins as Cuba raises flag at embassy in US

WASHINGTON (AP) – Cuba’s blue, red and white-starred flag was hoisted Monday at the country’s embassy in Washington in a symbolic move signaling the start of a new post-Cold War era in U.S.-Cuba relations. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez presided over the flag-raising ceremony hours after full diplomatic relations with the United States were restored […]

McCain: Trump owes apology to veterans, not to him

WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. John McCain said Monday Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump doesn’t need to apologize to him for remarks about his long captivity in Vietnam, but should tell veterans and their families that he’s sorry. Trump, meanwhile, leveled new criticism against the Arizona Republican and 2008 GOP presidential nominee, saying McCain had made […]

Chattanooga shattered: A single gunshot, silence, and terror

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) – A single “pop” cut through the quiet morning. Those who heard it had a moment to ponder the noise. On this ordinary Thursday, some thought a car had backfired, or maybe a tire had blown. Sgt. 1st Class Robert Dodge looked up from his computer in an Army recruiting office in […]

Crowdfunding project aims to save Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit

WASHINGTON (AP) – The National Air and Space Museum is launching a crowdfunding campaign to conserve the spacesuit Neil Armstrong wore on the moon. The campaign begins Monday, marking 46 years since Armstrong’s moonwalk in 1969. Conservators say spacesuits were built for short-term use with materials that break down over time. The museum aims to […]

Jury selection in fatal North Carolina police shooting

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Jury selection is beginning in the trial of a Charlotte police officer accused of fatally shooting an unarmed man who was looking for help. Prosecutors say Randall Kerrick fatally shot 24-year-old Jonathan Ferrell, a former Florida A&M football player, on Sept. 14, 2013. Kerrick was arrested the day of the shooting. […]

Number of 100-year-olds growing in Florida and elsewhere

SEBRING, Fla. (AP) – More and more Floridians are living to age 100 and beyond. The Sebring Highlands Today reports that number of centenarians has grown steadily. The U.S. Census recorded around 32,000 centenarians in 1980 that number more than doubled to about 72,000. Rachel Wood, 104, is among the approximately 4,000 centenarians living in […]

Volusia County beach-driving ban ups property values

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Daytona Beach is famous for allowing drivers to cruise its sand-packed shoreline, but real estate experts say getting cars off the beach could raise property values. The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports that property values and the volume of real estate deals are on the rise now that Volusia County has […]

Iran FM criticizes US, Israel over threat of military action

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iran’s foreign minister on Monday criticized the United States and Israel for not taking the threat of military action against Tehran off the table following the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The official IRNA news agency quoted Iran’s top diplomat, Mohammad Javad Zarif, as saying the military option […]

FIFA to decide on election date; Platini gains support

ZURICH (AP) – FIFA executives were meeting Monday to choose a presidential election date, with UEFA President Michel Platini gaining support to succeed Sepp Blatter. Platini has been asked to run by the majority of FIFA’s confederations but has not yet decided whether to be a candidate, a person familiar with the situation told The […]

Lawyers resign in German neo-Nazi murder trial

BERLIN (AP) – Three lawyers for the sole surviving suspect in Germany’s biggest neo-Nazi murder trial have asked the court for permission to resign. The three court-appointed attorneys have been defending Beate Zschaepe since the start of her trial in May 2012 for alleged complicity in the murder of 10 people, most of them immigrants, […]