Britons mark decade since transit attacks

Britons mark decade since transit attacks

LONDON

Britons paused in silence, laid flowers and lit candles Tuesday to mark the 10th anniversary of suicide bombings on London’s transit system in the worst terror attack on British soil and a day of pain seared into London’s collective memory.

Four British men inspired by al-Qaida blew themselves up on three London subway trains and a bus during the morning rush hour July 7, 2005, killing 52 commuters and injuring more than 700. The memory of that morning remains raw in this country of 64 million.

Solemn ceremonies took place throughout the capital, starting at the memorial in London’s Hyde Park devoted to the victims. Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson walked through the memorial’s 52 pillars – one for each victim – to lay wreaths.

Source: Fed’s gun used in fatal shooting

SAN FRANCISCO

The gun used in the seemingly random slaying of a woman on a San Francisco pier belonged to a federal agent, a law-enforcement official briefed on the matter said Tuesday.

The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the case and spoke on condition of anonymity, said a police check of the weapon’s serial number shows it belonged to a federal agent. The official declined to elaborate further.

Juan Francisco Lopez Sanchez pleaded not guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder in last week’s shooting. Sanchez told two television stations he found the gun wrapped in a shirt on the pier.

Authorities say Sanchez is in the United States illegally and has been deported five times.

Report: US heroin users up by 300K

NEW YORK

The number of U.S. heroin users has grown by nearly 300,000 over a decade, with the bulk of the increase among whites, according to a new government report.

Experts think the increase was driven by people switching from opioid painkillers to cheaper heroin.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the report Tuesday. It’s based on annual face-to-face surveys of about 67,000 Americans – the government’s main source of data on use of illegal drugs.

Talks continue for Iran nuclear deal

VIENNA

Negotiators at the Iran nuclear talks pushed past their second deadline in a week Tuesday, raising new questions about the ability of world powers to cut off all Iranian pathways to a bomb through diplomacy. The discussions, already in their 12th day, were prolonged until possibly Friday.

As the latest target date arrived for a deal that would set a decade of restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other top diplomats huddled in Vienna in search of a breakthrough.

LA students to get lessons about sexting

LOS ANGELES

Sext ed will be part of the curriculum for Los Angeles students this fall.

The LA Unified School District will roll out a broad plan to educate students on the dangers of sharing sexually explicit photos via texting and the Internet.

The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday that schools will get video, lesson plans and handouts for students.

District Police Chief Steven Zipperman says the campaign will teach students about violations of child pornography and obscenity laws that can come with sexting along with the personal consequences.

Associated Press