US

SAN DIEGO — The founder of a California-based porn empire that recruited women with false modeling offers was sentenced Monday to 27 years in federal prison. Michael James Pratt pleaded guilty in June in federal court in San Diego. Federal prosecutors said Pratt and his co-defendants used force, fraud and coercion to recruit hundreds of … Read more

BATON ROUGE, La. — For decades, Kent Broussard had dreamed about joining Louisiana State University’s prestigious marching band. But, as dreams far too often go, it fell to the wayside. That is, until Broussard retired. After years of hard work — including taking up running with a weighted vest, marching through his neighborhood while hauling … Read more

UNITED NATIONS — An initial United Nations assessment of the impact of Afghanistan’s recent deadly earthquake found 5,230 homes destroyed and 672 damaged in 49 villages — but the U.N. hasn’t been able to get to the vast majority of the remote villages. Shannon O’Hara, the coordination chief for the U.N. humanitarian office in Afghanistan, … Read more

HONOLULU — A former leprosy settlement in a remote part of Hawaii will reopen this month for the first time since the pandemic, when it closed to shield the few remaining patients, all of whom are over 80, from exposure to COVID-19, officials said Monday. Tours and religious pilgrimages draw visitors to Kalaupapa, an isolated … Read more

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. — A firefighter working at the scene of a wildfire burning since July at the Grand Canyon died Monday after suffering a cardiac emergency, authorities said. The firefighter was actively involved in fire suppression repair near the North Rim Entrance Station at the time, the Dragon Bravo Fire incident management … Read more

The winning numbers in Monday evening’s drawing of the “Powerball” game were: 26-28-41-53-64, Powerball: 9, Power Play: 3 (twenty-six, twenty-eight, forty-one, fifty-three, sixty-four, Powerball: nine, Power Play: three) Estimated jackpot: $20 million For more lottery results, go to Jackpot.com | Order Lottery Tickets Source link

AUBURN, Ala. — A retired veterinary professor at Auburn University was killed over the weekend while walking her dog at a popular park in Auburn, Alabama, authorities said. Julie Gard Schnuelle, 59, was attacked and killed Saturday morning in Kiesel Park, located about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from campus, according to the Auburn Police Department. … Read more

HONOLULU — Hurricane Kiko has weakened into a tropical storm but still could create life-threatening surf and rip currents in Hawaii, forecasters said. The storm was forecast to pass to the north of the Hawaiian Islands on Tuesday and Wednesday as it continues to weaken. The threat of direct impacts on the islands has decreased, … Read more

MINCO, Okla. — A school bus carrying softball team members crashed in Oklahoma, injuring multiple people, school and police officials said. The crash happened Monday night on U.S. Highway 152 near Minco in Grady County, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Oklahoma City. “This evening, our Minco Softball team was in a serious accident … Read more

RICHMOND, Va. — A federal appeals court was scheduled to hear oral arguments Tuesday about an appeal from a U.S. military contractor ordered to pay $42 million for contributing to the torture and mistreatment of three former detainees at Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison two decades ago. Reston, Virginia-based CACI appealed last year’s civil lawsuit … Read more