Mexico City bans use of models at city events

MEXICO CITY (AP) — They've long been an unmissable part of public events in Mexico, from soccer matches to trade fairs: attractive women hired to be greeters or simply as eye candy, sometimes scantily clad in short skirts and high heels or crop-tops and hot pants emblazoned with corporate logos. Now Mexico...

The Latest: Beach where shark attacked closed through Friday

TRURO, Mass. (AP) — The Latest on a Cape Cod shark attack (all times local): 1:45 p.m. A Massachusetts beach where a New York man was attacked by a shark this week will be closed to swimmers at least through Friday. Town officials in Truro have put up signs saying, "Danger, No Swimming." Town manager Rae...

Russia says drone attacks on its Syria base have increased

HEMEIMEEM AIR BASE, Syria (AP) — Russian air defense assets in Syria have downed 45 drones targeting their main base in the country, its military said Thursday, after an attack by the Islamic State group on a Syrian army base a day earlier killed seven troops. The Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj....

Chinese vice governor, mayor fired over vaccine scandal

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese provincial deputy governor and the mayor of a major city were fired Thursday as the ruling Communist Party tried to defuse public outrage over revelations of misconduct by a major vaccine producer. The officials were among four people ordered dismissed following a meeting of the...

Chinese deputy provincial governors, mayor fired over vaccine scandal that triggered public outcry

Man arrested after overdoses at downtown city park

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Forty-six people overdosed Wednesday at or near a Connecticut park from a suspected bad batch of "K2" synthetic marijuana, requiring paramedics to be stationed there to provide treatment, authorities said. No deaths were reported, but officials said two people suffered...

Tighter regulations could take bite out of Airbnb profits

NEW YORK (AP) — Airbnb faces tightening regulations in New York City that could take a big bite out of its profits, and on Wednesday the short-term rental company offered a counter-measure designed to appease hostile politicians: a $10 million contribution to charities. At a Manhattan news conference,...

Suicide bomber targets Shiite students in Kabul, killing 48

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A suicide bomber struck a private education center in a Shiite neighborhood of Kabul on Wednesday where high school graduates were preparing for university entrance exams, killing 48 young men and women and leaving behind a scene of devastation and tragedy. The bombing, blamed on...

Officials unveil plan to replace Rikers with smaller jails

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City unveiled an ambitious plan on Wednesday to replace the notorious Rikers Island jail complex with four smaller lockups located in densely populated neighborhoods, including turning an Art Deco government building that went up in lower Manhattan in 1930 into a tower for up to...

Austin makes move for new stadium to land MLS' Crew

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Columbus Crew owner Anthony Precourt got a major boost to his effort to move the Major League Soccer club to Texas when the Austin City Council voted Wednesday to move ahead with a plan for a new, privately funded stadium on city land. Precourt has been courting Austin for a potential...