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National Briefs | Consumers get credit card aid
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WASHINGTON -- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is launching a database that tracks which large banks have had the most complaints about their credit cards and how they were resolved -- information some industry trade groups don't want to be made public.
The goal of the searchable database is to provide more information to consumers, businesses and advocacy groups about an important financial product, said Richard Cordray, the agency's director. It will be limited at first to credit card complaints received since June 1 for banks with more than $10 billion in assets.
The beta version of the Consumer Complaint Database was made available Tuesday at the agency's website, http://www.consumerfinance.gov.
WASHINGTON -- The last fatal airline crash killed 50 people when a Colgan Air flight slammed into a neighborhood near Buffalo, N.Y., in February 2009. Private-plane wrecks since then have killed 30 times as many.
The crash rate on private-pilot flights -- up 20 percent since 2000 -- contrasts with a roughly 85 percent drop in accidents on commercial jetliners, according to data from the National Transportation Safety Board. The disparity is a dark spot on decades of aviation-safety improvements, and the board is weighing how to make non-commercial flying less hazardous in a two-day forum that began Tuesday.
WASHINGTON -- While schools across the country are letting out this week, class is in session on the National Mall. That is where the College Board set up 857 student desks in the blazing sun Tuesday.
The empty desks -- one for each student who drops out each hour of every school day, according to the College Board -- are part of its "Don't Forget Ed!" campaign. For the launch today, College Board representatives, including college-age students, will circle the seats on the Mall, asking passersby to sign petitions urging the presidential candidates to say more about education reform.
SAN DIEGO -- The Navy relieved the commanding officer of an amphibious assault ship of his position, saying Tuesday that officials lost confidence in his abilities after the USS Essex collided with a tanker at sea.
Capt. Chuck Litchfield had only been the commanding officer of the ship for a few weeks when the crash occurred during a refueling maneuver May 16 about 120 miles off the coast of Southern California. There were no injuries or fuel spills.
Navy spokeswoman Cmdr. Tamsen Reese said the steering failed on the Essex.
NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- Former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was released from a Middlesex County jail Tuesday morning, having served 20 days of his 30-day sentence.
Mr. Ravi, 20, was convicted in March of 15 charges, including bias intimidation, invasion of privacy and evidence tampering, in connection with his use of a webcam to spy on his former Rutgers roommate, Tyler Clementi, who later committed suicide.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A teenager accused of orchestrating an attack that left his classmate in flames was convicted Tuesday of aggravated battery after jurors decided against more serious charges.
Matthew "Zeke" Bent, 17, faced a charge of attempted second-degree murder after prosecutors say he offered friends money in 2009 to harm Michael Brewer, also 17, who was doused in rubbing alcohol and set on fire.
The Brewer boy suffered severe burns over 65 percent of his body but survived after leaping into an apartment complex swimming pool.
WASHINGTON -- A U.S. military investigation is recommending that as many as seven U.S. troops face administrative punishments, but not criminal charges, in the burning of Qurans at a U.S. base in Afghanistan in February, The Associated Press has learned.
U.S. military officials said the classified report and recommendations for disciplinary action against the service members involved were delivered to the Pentagon more than a week ago. They have been turned over to the Army and Navy secretaries. No final decisions have been made.
-- Compiled from news services
First Published June 20, 2012 12:00 am
