Bombs: A powerful explosion injured 29 people last night in the Chelsea neighborhood of lower Manhattan, while in Seaside, NJ a bomb in a trash can went off without harm along the route of a 5K run. There’s no immediate indication the two bombings are related.

In New York the area was flooded with police and emergency vehicles. A few hours later a second device was found, described as a pressure-cooker bomb similar to those used in the Boston Marathon bombing.

Many of the injuries were from shrapnel from the bomb that went off in or near a sidewalk dumpster.

In New Jersey, a bomb in a plastic garbage bin went off just before the starting of a Marine Corps-sponsored 5K run in Seaside, NJ to benefit soldiers. No one was hurt by what was described as a “pipe bomb.”

Investigators said “multiple” explosive devices were found wired together in the garbage can, but only one of them had gone off.

And More: Eight people were stabbed in a St. Cloud, Minn. mall last night by a man in a security uniform invoking the name of Allah. He was shot dead by an off-duty police officer. Only one of the injured was admitted to the hospital with wounds that were described as not life-threatening.

The Tax Man: Since building his first hotel in 1980, Donald Trump built much of his real estate empire by getting tax breaks from the city of New York, according to a story in the NY Times. Just as one example, the 30 story Grand Hyatt Hotel was given a 40-year tax deal that has saved Trump $360 million in taxes on a building that cost $120 million.

Altogether, the paper reports Trump “has reaped at least $885 million in tax breaks, grants and other subsidies for luxury apartments, hotels and office buildings in New York, according to city tax, housing and finance records.”

Trump refuses to release his corporate and personal tax returns so it’s impossible to say how much tax he and his company pay. The Republican candidate has said that if he’s elected, his children will run his empire.

Permawar: Russia and Syria accuse the US of carrying out an air strike that killed 62 Syrian soldiers. US Central Command said they could not confirm they hit the Syrians, but an administration official said it’s true. The US was targeting ISIS, but a statement said, “The coalition airstrike was halted immediately when coalition officials were informed by Russian officials that it was possible the personnel and vehicles targeted were part of the Syrian military.”

With some Syrian rebels still fighting during a general ceasefire, Russia says the US will be to blame if the ceasefire fails.

Lawn Decoration: The Air Force grounded 10 of its new F35 fighter jets because of defects in coolant lines just a month after the planes were declared “combat ready.”

The Air Force has received 108 of the jets out of a planned 1,763. At $400 billion — that’s billion with a “B” — it’s believed to be the most expensive weapon system in history and there are fears it can’t win a dogfight.

Civics Lesson: Speaking at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation last night, President Obama said, “You may have heard Hillary’s opponent in this election say that there’s never been a worse time to be a black person.    I mean, he missed that whole civics lesson about slavery and Jim Crow and — but we’ve got a museum for him to visit. So he can tune in.  We will educate him.”

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