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Secondary test of powder found in West Wing lobby shows it’s cocaine, Biden briefed on investigation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:48 GMT

Police are seen outside the White House grounds, Sunday night, July 2, 2023 in Washington. The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday evening while President Joe Biden was at Camp David after the Secret Service discovered suspicious powder in a common area of the West Wing, and a preliminary test showed the substance was cocaine, two law enforcement officials said Tuesday. (Anthony Peltier via AP)(AP/Anthony Peltier) Police are seen outside the White House grounds, Sunday night, July 2, 2023 in Washington. The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday evening while President Joe Biden was at Camp David after the Secret Service discovered suspicious powder in a common area of the West Wing, and a preliminary test showed the substance was cocaine, two law enforceme...

Wrongly imprisoned for 7 years, exonerated ‘Central Park Five’ member wins NYC Council primary

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Yusef Salaam, one of the exonerated “Central Park Five,” has won a Democratic primary for a seat on the New York City Council, all but assuring him of eventual victory. It’s an improbable feat for a political novice who was wrongly accused, convicted and imprisoned as a teenager for the rape and beating of a white jogger in Central Park.The Associated Press refrained from calling the race to represent Central Harlem on election night, but vote tallies released Wednesday showed him to be the clear winner.“To have a voice from a person who’s been pushed into the margins of life — someone who has actually been one of those who has been counted out — is finally having a seat at the table,” Salaam said in an interview Wednesday.It was time, he said, for “a new Harlem renaissance.”“Harlem is such a special place that it is known as the Black Mecca,” he said. What happens in Harlem “reverberates around the world.”Salaam and the four other Black and Latino teens from H...

Mexico landfill collapse was so massive that it buried a crane and its operator

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:48 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Rescuers said Wednesday that a collapse and landslide at a garbage dump north of Mexico City was so massive that it buried a crane and its operator. The civil defense office in the Mexico City suburb of Naucalpan said the crane operator, and his crane, are still missing, after a hillside collapsed at the landfill Tuesday. Marines, police and rescue workers continued the search for the man on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear what triggered the cave-in. The landfill was subsequently ordered closed by environmental authorities, apparently because it wasn’t operating with proper safeguards.Overfilled and overcapacity landfills have been a recurring problem in Mexico. They frequently accept more garbage than can be safely contained or covered with dirt, leaving noxious runoff leaching into local bodies of water.Naucalpan has a particularly severe problem with the dumping of construction rubble, given the large number of apartment buildings being built in t...

FIA wonders how it can deny General Motors a spot on Formula One grid, president tells AP

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:48 GMT

The FIA has received “more than five” expressions of interest from teams interested in joining Formula One, the president of the governing body told The Associated Press on Wednesday, with a decision on expansion expected by the end of the month. The bid that stands out most to Mohammed Ben Sulayem is from Andretti Global and General Motors — a supportive sign that Michael Andretti may indeed get the F1 team he’s been chasing for more than two years. “People have to understand we are here to promote motorsport and we are here to be fair. The Expressions of Interest process is very robust and there is no circumstance where we can deny any teams if they fulfill the criteria to enter,” Ben Sulayem told AP. “So imagine me saying no to someone like GM? We have in the regulations that we can go up to 12 teams. I’m not breaking (rules). But do we allow anyone to enter? No. But how on earth can we refuse GM? “I mean, where’s the common sense in this? GM is a heavyweight and when...

Sparked by Elly De La Cruz, the Cincinnati Reds are winning and having plenty of fun doing it

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:48 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Elly De La Cruz walked through the clubhouse wearing a shirt with his face and nickname, “La Cocoa,” on it. Sitting at his locker facing the rest of the room, Joey Votto joked to a nearby coach that he should let the kids play.The kids are playing, all right, and the Cincinnati Reds are winning as a result.Sparked by De La Cruz, the rookie sensation whose major league debut last month coincided with Cincinnati’s season turning around, the Reds are rolling toward the All-Star break playing some of the best baseball in quite some time for the storied franchise. They’re atop the NL Central and on pace to make the playoffs for just the second time in a decade, with a team full of young players who are having plenty of fun along the way.“We have very good vibes going on,” De La Cruz said through an interpreter. “It feels like everyone’s united and everyone’s just trying to help each other out.”It’s working. The Reds are 20-6 since De La Cruz join...

Flash flood warning in effect for parts of Northern Virginia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:48 GMT

Strong afternoon thunderstorms dumped heavy rain, prompting a flash flood warning for parts of Northern Virginia. Here’s what you need to know.A flash flood warning is in effect until 6:30 p.m. for parts of Arlington and Fairfax County and the City of Alexandria.The National Weather Service said between 0.5 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen with more on the way.Listen to WTOP online and on the radio at 103.5 FM or 107.7 FM.Current traffic conditionsWeather forecastClosings and DelaysSign up for WTOP alertsSource

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:48 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions.Source

Russian journalist sustained a brain injury and fractures during a brutal beating in Chechnya

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:48 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — A prominent Russian investigative reporter has received a brain injury and multiple fractures when she and a lawyer accompanying her were brutally beaten by unidentified assailants in the Russian province of Chechnya, her newspaper said Wednesday.Novaya Gazeta journalist Elena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov were attacked Tuesday soon after they arrived in Chechnya to attend the trial of the mother of two Chechen dissidents. Just outside the airport, their vehicle was blocked by three cars and a dozen unidentified masked attackers, who beat them with clubs and put guns to their heads. Milashina and Nemova were evacuated to Moscow for medical treatment later in the day.Novaya Gazeta said that a medical examination of Milashina showed that she has sustained a brain injury and 14 fractures on her hands along with multiple other injuries. It released pictures of Milashina, showing both her hands bandaged, her face injured and her back covered by bruises from the beati...

Denver one of the best cities for renters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:48 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Denver ranks near the top of the nation's renter-friendliest cities alongside one of its larger suburbs. RentCafe analyzed almost 140 cities and ranked them by looking at 20 metrics including apartment quality, local economy, traffic, air quality and natural amenities. There were then grouped into three categories: cost of living and housing; local economy; and quality of life. Caught on camera: Guests dodge out-of-control fireworks "Two Colorado cities that also stand out are Denver and Westminster," according to the report, "both of which scored high in terms of local economy and cost of living and housing — 12th and 32nd; and 41st and 29th nationwide, respectively."Rents in Denver have stabilized since the record-setting spikes seen in 2021 and 2022, partially because of a boom in apartment units opening up in 2023. According to the report, 24.8% of Denver's apartments are new - the nation's 9th-highest share. It's also among ...

Victims’ families visit building where Parkland school shooting took place

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:48 GMT

Families who lost their loved ones during the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School came face to face with the pain of the past. On Wednesday, for the first time, they were allowed inside the hallways and classrooms of Building 12 of the campus, where a gunman targeted innocent people on Feb. 14, 2018, causing carnage that changed so many lives.Linda Beigel visited the building where her son, Scott Beigel, was murdered five years ago.“I can’t say goodbye, I just can’t say goodbye,” Linda said. “It’s been five years and 151 days, 1,000-something days, and I still can’t say goodbye.” Scott was a teacher at the high school and died holding his classroom door open for students running for cover as the gunman opened fire.“I needed to be where my son was when he took his last breath and where he really became a hero,” said Linda.Tony Montalto, the father of victim Gina Montalto, also visited the 1200 building....