NEW YORK — The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is mentally competent to stand trial as he faces sex trafficking charges after being hospitalized for months for dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms, a federal judge ruled. U.S. District Court Judge Nusrat Choudhury, in her Thursday decision, concluded that Michael Jeffries “clearly possesses a rational and…

CHICAGO — They arrived in a kaleidoscope of colors, but one won. For decades, the American school bus has maintained such a standard look that “school bus yellow” is national shorthand for their deep, glossy hue. No act of Congress mandated the color, with its slight orange tint. Rather, a 1939 conference of transportation officials…

AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas court has slashed the $50 million judgment to $1.5 million against Infowars founder Alex Jones over falsely calling 2012 school shooting a hoax. The ruling does not affect a $1.4 billion judgement against Jones in Connecticut, but is a significant legal victory for Jones after he and his company, Free…

PHOENIX — Enrollment in the biggest federally funded food aid program in the U.S. dropped by more than 13% in a 12-month span — a decline far steeper than the government estimated as work requirements and other provisions of President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” take hold. Those losing coverage in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance…

A woman who authorities said had been plotting to bomb the New York State Capitol building because she believed laws were being passed that were an affront to Islam was caught in an FBI sting operation and is now facing a federal terrorism charge, authorities announced Thursday. Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany, had been under…

SEOUL, South Korea — The U.S. and South Korean militaries were wrapping up their annual drills six days earlier than initially scheduled on Friday in a conciliatory gesture toward North Korea, though the North said the step isn’t enough to convince it to return to talks. U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier abruptly ordered the…

JUNEAU, Alaska — A charter plane carrying eight people crashed Thursday near a remote radar site in western Alaska, a federal official said. Clint Johnson, the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska region chief, said two pilots and six passengers were on board. He did not immediately have details on their status. The plane took off…

WASHINGTON — Rep. Joyce Beatty made an emergency request on Thursday that a federal court block the Kennedy Center from returning President Donald Trump’s name to the building. The Trump-aligned board at the Kennedy Center voted earlier this month to inscribe the president’s name on the venue’s facade so it would read “The John F….

Hong Kong court convicts 2 former Tiananmen vigil organizers in national security case

GARY, Ind. — Tens of thousands of residents in northwest Indiana were in survival mode Thursday as they endured a ninth day without power, throwing out spoiled food, lining up for hot meals and searching for places to charge their phones. In Gary, Indiana, schools remained closed after the deadly Aug. 11 storm downed trees…