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Missouri man accused of deliberately crashing U-Haul truck into security barrier near White House

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:31 GMT

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — A Missouri man rented a U-Haul truck Monday evening and then crashed it into a security barrier across from the White House just a few hours later, authorities said Tuesday. The box truck’s driver smashed into the barrier near the north side of Lafayette Square on Monday around 10 p.m., the Secret Service said in a statement. He was identified as 19-year-old Sai Varshith Kandula, of Chesterfield, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb.No one was injured in the crash. After the crash, Kandula exited the truck with a Nazi flag and started shouting as Park Police and Secret Service officers approached him, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. When he was questioned by investigators, Kandula said he was there to take over the government and wanted to kill President Joe Biden, the people said. The people were not authorized to publicly discuss specific details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on...

1 dead, 1 wounded in downtown shooting near Central Library

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:31 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- One person was killed and another wounded in a downtown shooting Tuesday afternoon, according to San Diego police.Officers were dispatched to the scene on K Street and Eleventh Avenue near the San Diego Central Library around 12:15 p.m.Police have not disclosed the condition of the wounded victim or if there is a suspect in the incident at this time. It is not known if there are any additional victims in the shooting. South Bay elementary school secured after firearm found in student’s backpack There are street closures near the library. Police are asking the public to avoid the area.According to Public Library officials, the Central branch will be closed for the remainder of the day and all scheduled events for today have been cancelled.There is no information yet about how the E3 Civic High School, which is located inside the library, has been impacted by the investigation.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Here's the scoop: Salt & Straw opening new store in San Diego

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:31 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream, as a new location of the inventive scoop shop Salt & Straw is opening in San Diego this week.The store is set to open in the Westfield UTC mall on Friday, making it the third location of the Portland-based ice cream brand in America's Finest City.To celebrate, Salt & Straw's head ice cream innovator and co-founder, Tyler Malek, teamed up with San Diego chef and Top Chef contestant, Brian Malarkey, to whip up a special flavor that will be available exclusively during opening weekend: roasted beets & goat cheese. These California campsites among best in the Pacific US: The Dyrt The flavor, which first debuted in Salt & Straw's 2018 Guest Chef Collaboration Series, features beet ice cream ribboned with a roasted beet and apple jam and swirled together with chevre goat cheese gelato. The ice cream, served topped with candied walnuts, will be available in limited quantities for the grand opening while suppl...

2 boys charged in series of east end armed robberies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:31 GMT

Toronto police have charged two boys, aged 15 and 17, after a series of armed convenience store robberies in the city’s east end.Investigators say the robberies took place between Sunday, April 9, 2023, and Tuesday, May 9, 2023, in The Beaches, Cliffcrest and Blake-Jones neighbourhoods.In each incident, police say two suspects entered a convenience store while concealing their identities with masks. One of the suspects would pull out a gun, and police say the second would sometimes wield a knife.The pair would approach an employee and make demands for cash, fleeing with money each time.In one incident, police say an employee was assaulted, suffering non-life-threatening injuries that were treated at a hospital.Police identified the two teen suspects and arrested one of them on May 18 after executing search warrants related to the probe.Later the same day, police say the second suspect turned himself in at 55 Division.They are both facing numerous charges, including robbery wit...

Woman charged in drunk driving killing of bride in South Carolina seeks bond

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:31 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Defense attorneys are seeking bond for an alleged drunken driver who police say slammed into newlyweds riding along a South Carolina beach road, killing the bride.Jamie Komoroski’s attorneys filed a motion last week that says she poses no flight risk or danger to the community, news outlets reported. It requested bond be set at $100,000 with conditions that include attending an inpatient rehabilitation program, remaining supervised by her mother and having no access to a vehicle or alcohol.Komoroski, 25, was charged with vehicular homicide and three counts of felony DUI resulting in great bodily injury in the April 28 crash at Folly Beach that killed Samantha Miller, 34, and injured the groom, Aric Hutchinson. A toxicology report showed Komoroski had a blood alcohol level of 0.261 and authorities have said she was driving well over twice the speed limit when she slammed into the back of a golf cart as it left the wedding reception.“The personal characteristics ...

As abortion battle shifts, Planned Parenthood to boost regional affiliate funds, cut national staff

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:31 GMT

Planned Parenthood is shifting funding to its state affiliates and cutting national office staff to reflect a changed landscape in both how abortion is provided and how battles over access are playing out.The group, a major provider of abortion and other health services and also an advocate for abortion access, told its staff on Monday that layoff notices would go out in June. It provided The Associated Press with an overview Tuesday.The changes are to kick in on July 1, just over a year after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that provided a right to abortion across the country. Since then, most Republican-controlled states have banned or restricted abortion, and most Democrat-controlled states have made moves to protect access.“We are in a moment when I just believe that Planned Parenthood needs to change, too,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of the two arms of the organization: the political Planned Parenthood Action Fund ...

4-year-old child is ‘OK’ after being dropped from high border wall in San Diego

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:31 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A 4-year-old child was dropped into the United States from a high border wall with Mexico in a surveillance video that captures a routine — and highly risky — occurrence.“Remarkably, the child is ok!” Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz tweeted in his caption to the agency’s one-minute, 37-second video, which was posted on Twitter on Monday. “Do not trust smugglers!”The jerky, black-and-white images appear to show the child and one adult being aided by another adult over the wall, which rises as high 30 feet (9.1 meters) between Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California. Ortiz said agents heard gunfire while tending to the child.The child came with two adults, all of whom were in Border Patrol custody, agency spokesman Michael Scappechio said Tuesday. It had not been confirmed if the adults were the child’s parents or what nationality they were. It was also unclear if they would be released in the United States to pursue immigration cases or deported.A...

Caustic feedback, serious injuries and the quiet mental health suffering of horse racing jockeys

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:31 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — Eurico Rosa da Silva was in a dark place. On the track, the jockey in his early 30s was winning races and making money. At home, he was fighting suicidal thoughts every day.“I got to the point where I have no more choice but to go for help,” he recalled recently. “I went because if I have no choice, I would kill myself.”Da Silva got help in 2006 and rode for more than a decade before retiring. He’s one of the lucky ones.Earlier this year, horse racing was stunned by the suicides less than six weeks apart of two young jockeys, 23-year-old Avery Whisman and 29-year-old Alex Canchari. A friend of Whisman’s, Triple Crown-winning rider Mike Smith, said he has seen similar tragedies over three decades.“I know several riders that I knew very well committed suicide when it was all said and done,” Smith said. “This is not all of a sudden just happening. It’s been going on. You just never heard of it.”The dangers of riding thoroughbreds at high speed add up to an ...

2 US Senators promote closer Serbia-Kosovo ties in Balkans visit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:31 GMT

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Two U.S. Senators said Tuesday they hope that European Union-backed negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia can achieve results this year in resolving the dispute between the two countries and normalizing their relations.The Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy and Gary Peters were visiting Albania’s capital Tuesday following a stop in Kosovo during a trip that also will take them to Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia. The conflict in Kosovo erupted in 1998 when separatist ethnic Albanians rebelled against Serbia’s rule, and Serbia responded with a brutal crackdown. About 13,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians, died. NATO’s military intervention in 1999 eventually forced Serbia to pull out of the territory. Washington and most European Union countries have recognized Kosovo as an independent state, but Serbia, Russia and China have not.Washington and Brussels have stepped up efforts to help solve the Kosovo-Serbia dispute, fearing further instability in Euro...

‘A sign of his compassion’: Man killed while helping ducklings safely cross busy California street

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:31 GMT

ROCKLIN, Calif. (AP) — His family says it’s no surprise that Casey Rivara’s final act was one of compassion. When he spotted a mama duck trying to guide her ducklings across a busy California intersection, Rivara stopped his car at a red light and got out to help them make it to safety. Rivara made sure traffic in all directions was stopped, witnesses said, then escorted the duck and her babies to the other side of the street around 8:15 p.m. last Thursday in suburban Rocklin, northeast of Sacramento. “All the ducks made it safely across,” said 11-year-old Jude Peterson, who was watching with a carpool group after track practice. “He did something amazing.” His good deed done, Rivara was walking back to his car when another vehicle came through the intersection and struck him. He flew through the air and landed in the street. The 41-year-old father of two died at the scene. “Casey was the kindest, most amazing husband and father. Even his last act in this world was a sign of h...