Times Square cleared as suspected car bomb found

Police found a suspected car bomb in a smoking sport utility vehicle Saturday evening in Times Square, then cleared the streets of thousands of tourists milling through the landmark district so they could dismantle the device.

A white robotic police arm broke windows of the black Nissan Pathfinder to remove any explosive materials while heavily armed police and emergency vehicles shut down the city's busiest streets, teeming with taxis and theatergoers on one of the first summer-like days of the year.

Investigators removed bomb-making materials, including propane tanks, explosive powders and a crude timing device, top police spokesman Paul Browne said.

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News in Brief

TEEN FACES 45 YEARS FOR MURDER

A Joliet teenager faces at least 45 years in prison after he wasconvicted Tuesday of fatally shooting a man during a 2006 fight inan alley, Will County authorities said. Vincent M. Johnson, now 17,was prosecuted as an adult for the May 20, 2006 shooting, whichoccurred when he was 15. Killed was 21-year-old DeJuan Rimmer.

FIREFIGHTER CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ASSAULTING RELATIVE

Prosecutors charged a Chicago firefighter Tuesday with sexuallyabusing a female relative. Andy Gemskie, 40, faces one count ofaggravated criminal sexual abuse, and Judge Israel Desierto set bondat $400,000. Gemskie started abusing the girl in March 2005, …

NY dog dies in fire a month after river rescue

NEW YORK (AP) — A German shepherd who was pulled from the frigid waters of New York's Hudson River last month after falling off her owner's yacht has died in a fire.

Chloe died early Friday in a fire on the same yacht at Chelsea Piers on Manhattan's West Side.

The dog's owner, Mark Stoss, was treated for smoke inhalation and hypothermia. He said he tried desperately to get to the dog but was overcome by flames.

"I couldn't get to her. I couldn't," a grieving Stoss told the …

It's another walkover

Imagine if the Cubs had landed Brian Roberts. On second thought, forget it. They don't need him.

Turns out their one big free-agent acquisition, Kosuke Fukudome, was the key to their lineup flaws all along, if this 20-game sprint out of the gate means anything -- in particular the sweep of the New York Mets the last two days.

The insertion of the lefty-hitting on-base machine into the middle of the lineup looks like the single biggest difference in the Cubs' ability to do this April what they could not most of last season: get on base a lot, get into pitchers' heads and pitch counts and get on rolls like the one they're on now.

They reached base 22 times on hits …

Lunch for everyone

((PHOTO …

Dollar Down, Gold Up in Europe

LONDON - The U.S. dollar was lower against other major currencies in European trading Monday morning. Gold rose.

The euro traded at $1.3581, up from $1.3535 late Friday in New York.

Other dollar rates:

- 122.58 Japanese yen, down from 123.14

- 1.2132 Swiss francs, down from 1.2219

- 1.0588 Canadian dollars, down from …

Spanish GP Starting Grid

The starting grid for Sunday's Formula One Spanish Grand Prix at the 4.655-kilometer (2.892-mile) Circuit de Catalunya (with driver, country and team):

1. Jenson Button, Britain, Brawn GP.

2. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Red Bull.

3. Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Brawn GP.

4. Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari.

5. Mark Webber, Australia, Red Bull.

6. Timo Glock, Germany, Toyota.

7. Jarno Trulli, Italy, Toyota.

8. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault.

9. Nico Rosberg, Germany, …