LOUSY LAUER! NBC’s Matt Lauer blasted for letting Donald Trump off easy on Iraq war claims during presidential forum

Trump told Lauer he "was totally against the war in Iraq." A clueless Lauer left it at that.

TRAGEDY FROM TRUNK: Abducted Montana woman made calls to daughter, husband and police from back of car before being found dead

Rita Maze was driving home to Great Falls after seeing her mother on Tuesday morning.

Emails reveal Colin Powell warned Hillary Clinton about bypassing State Dept. servers in 2009 — but also admitted to doing so himself

Emails released by House Democrat Elijah Cummings Wednesday showed a January 2009 exchange.

Pervy ex-cop gets three years behind bars in ‘disgusting’ sex assault of girl

A former NYPD cop was sentenced to three years in prison for repeatedly sexually molesting a friend's young daughter.

GOODBYE TO SANDRA DEE! 'Grease' fan theory claims Sandy, Danny were actually dead

Montana senator's nephew found brutally slayed at home he shares with his 8-year-old daughter, who was told to stay in bedroom by sword-wielding intruder

The victim was found in a pool of blood on his living room floor.

Florida boy, 10, charged with manslaughter in death of 2-year-old cousin

A 10-year-old Florida boy beat his 2-year-old cousin until she suffered severe head trauma and died three days later, police said Wednesday.

'I’M GONNA SAY GREAT THINGS ABOUT HIM': Donald Trump gushes over Vladimir Putin in presidential forum

Donald Trump just can’t help heaping praise on Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Calvin Harris says ‘all hell broke loose’ after Taylor Swift breakup

Prosecutors believe slain Brooklyn landlord was victim of a hit

A Brooklyn landlord whose body was found burned may have been the victim of a planned hit, prosecutors said Wednesday.

SLIMY STOCKBROKER: London man accused of raping woman in office says he thought she was crying because of his penis size

Daniel Green is accused of raping a woman under a desk at the offices of StratX.

Man, 33, fighting for his life after getting shot in the head in Brooklyn

A 33-year-old man was shot in the head and critically wounded Wednesday just south of Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

NYC judge tosses out lawsuit from California man whining that Donald Trump’s lawyer called him a cyber-squatter

A judge gave Donald Trump a win, throwing out a lawsuit by a man who claimed he was defamed by Trump's lawyer calling him a cyber-squatter.

Chris Evans attacked on Twitter by 'pharma bro' Shkreli — 'Pretty boy, s----for-brains'

Prisoner who tried to kill NYPD cop with officer’s gun indicted on attempted murder charges, faces 20 years

Dante Martin, 36, was charged with attempted murder of a police officer and a slew of other offenses for his Aug. 28 escape.

NYPD detective and boyfriend busted for fighting in their Queens home

Detective Rosalyn Rosahamdja, 35, and Akim Land, 40, of the Rockaways, have leveled domestic violence allegations against each other in the 3:05 a.m. incident.

Judge slaps down state’s defense of ‘structural and systematic’ delays in Bronx trials by invoking segregationist South

The judge compared the delays to something out of the pre-Civil Rights South.

North Carolina dad commits suicide after killing teen son, shooting ex-wife before telling cops he'll kill more relatives

“What’s up everybody? I just killed my (expletive) wife,” Earl Valentine said in his early Tuesday admission video.

Adriana Lima shows off physique on NYC photo shoot

House panel wants to know how Denver VA costs soar to near $1.7B

Demanding explanations for a $1 billion cost overrun, a House panel Wednesday issued a subpoena to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

3 rival gang members will be tried together for J’Ouvert shooting of Gov. Cuomo aide Carey Gabay

Micah Alleyne, 24, Tyshawn Crawford, 21 and Keith Luncheon, 24, each face 25 years to life for the murder.

FBI renews search for California college student Kristin Smart, who went missing 20 years ago

The FBI has renewed a search for a California college student who vanished more than 20 years ago.

The solution to J’Ouvert violence is to let police do their job

New York has overcome similar violence problems in the past, but in those days police were allowed to be police.

SEE IT Suspect caught with millions in jewelry reportedly stolen from Drake

Brooklyn witness testifies 'it was complete mayhem' as Orthodox Jewish group attacked gay black man

A Brooklyn DJ testified Wednesday that he rescued a gay African-American man who was getting attacked by a group of Hasidic Jewish men.

MESS IN TEXAS: Deputy constable in destroys 21,500 pieces of evidence, forcing authorities to dismiss 150 cases and review another 1,000

A deputy constable in Texas destroyed more than 20,000 pieces of evidence.

Congress must pass terrorism bill to allow 9/11 families to seek justice

For me and our children, this fight is personal. I lost my husband and our three children lost their father.

Rabbi, woman plotted to kidnap and kill husband who wouldn’t grant her a divorce

Rabbi Aharon Goldberg, of Bnei Brak, Israel, and Shimen Liebowitz, of Monroe, N.Y., were arrested Tuesday

Autos

Renault to phase out diesel, subprime car loans decline, and more

We've also got cars that are friendlier to children's seats, a new partnership for Volkswagen, and more in today's Daily Drive-Thru.

PHOTOS 2017 Subaru Impreza finally comes with good looks

While Subaru improves the rest of the car, the 2017 Impreza continues to make strides in driving dynamics and safety.

REVIEW Short Report: 2017 Mini Clubman is fun and can haul, but is it worth the premium?

Mini finally makes a fun, family-friendly car loaded with personality, but key ingredients are missing.

FIRST LOOK Will Audi bring the A5 and S5 Sportbacks to the US?

The stylish hatchbacks look just like their coupe counterparts with the same names, only with five doors and more storage space.

GALLERY Photo Review: 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Convertible

An SUV convertible? Has Land Rover lost its lid? It appears it has. And we like it.

GALLERY PHOTO REVIEW: 2016 Lincoln MKX Black Label

Despite Venetian leather, real wood and as much tech as you can shake a stick at, the Lincoln MKX Black Label can't completely shake its Ford roots.

New York

Chapin School hit with $34M lawsuit from construction film claiming unjust firing

The elite Chapin School for girls was slammed with a $34 million lawsuit Wednesday by its construction manager, IBEX Construction.

Man who stabbed ex-Knick Chris Copeland outside 1OAK sentenced to 60 days in jail and 5 years’ probation

Shevoy Bleary-Murdock was going to get a sweeter deal, but was then busted for identity theft in Brooklyn.

City delays opening of Queens homeless shelter for families housed inside former Holiday Inn

The opening of a controversial homeless shelter slated for Maspeth, Queens, has been postponed, officials said.

Brooklyn-Queens BQX trolley has overwhelming support, poll from pro-trolley group finds

The $2.5 billion route would run through more than a dozen neighborhoods between Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and Astoria, Queens.

Long Island University-Brooklyn faculty, activists protest lockout on first day of class

Hundreds protested a lockout barring 400 instructors from entering the campus Wednesday amid an ongoing labor dispute.

LATEST FROM AROUND NEW YORK

Queens couple charged with beating 6-week-old son so badly he needs reconstructive surgery

Little Liam Lugo was so malnourished when his parents finally checked him into a local hospital for treatment that he weighed less than he did at birth, according to prosecutors.