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Why did a Russian government plane land in DC?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:48:00 GMT

On Tuesday afternoon, a Russian-built Ilyushin Il-96-300, from the Russian government’s fleet of aircrafts, landed at Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia.It was not an unprecedented event, but some of the related details don’t add up.Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the plane “will take out Russian diplomats who were ordered by the U.S. authorities to leave the country in connection with the completion of a three-year stay.”But questions arose about the size and type of plane, allegedly sent to retrieve only diplomats.State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, when asked about it on Tuesday, responded, “I’m not going to speak to the exact numbers. I’ll let the Russian Federation decide whether they want to speak to the number of what are, of course, their diplomats. I’d say diplomatic personnel routinely rotate in and out of assignments. That’s what happened here.”But is that really what’s happening? A former covert U.S. intelligence operative ...

Golden Knights trade Reilly Smith to the Penguins and re-sign Ivan Barbashev for 5 years

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:48:00 GMT

The Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights are already preparing to try to repeat, trading a longtime franchise cornerstone and keeping their best trade deadline pickup.Vegas on Wednesday traded Reilly Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins and re-signed fellow forward Ivan Barbashev to a five-year contract worth $25 million. The moves came hours before the start of NHL draft.Barbashev, a key contributor on the Golden Knights’ title run with 18 points in 22 games, was expected to be one of the top players available in free agency. Instead, the 27-year-old Russian power forward will count $5 million against the salary cap through 2028.That was exactly Smith’s cap hit, making this another set of bold moves by Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon, who has shown a willingness to take risks in the name of getting younger and winning championships — and not worrying about sentimentality.Smith, 32, was one of six original Vegas players left from the team’s inaugural season that i...

Microsoft CEO Nadella tells a judge his planned Activision takeover is good for gaming

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:48:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told a judge Wednesday that Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard will be good for the gaming industry, remarks that came as he defended the deal against an attempt by federal regulators to block it.Nadella said Microsoft’s goal is to get Activision games on as many platforms as possible, much as Microsoft has with its traditional software products.“I love their console games, I love their PC games and I particularly love their mobile games,” Nadella said. Microsoft doesn’t yet have much of a footprint in mobile gaming.The judge interjected to ask if Nadella plays Activision’s Candy Crush on mobile, and the CEO drew laughter from the courtroom when he said he does.Nadella also said Microsoft has no interest in shutting out rival Sony’s PlayStation by making popular Activision games exclusive to Microsoft’s own Xbox system.“There should be no ambiguity in our support for t...

Bowser asks DC inspector general to look into sexual harassment allegations

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:48:00 GMT

Mayor Muriel Bowser has asked the D.C. Office of the Inspector General to take a look at sexual harassment allegations surrounding her former chief of staff.In a letter sent June 27, Bowser asked Inspector General Daniel Lucas to consider if an outside review by his office might be helpful in determining “whether policies in place today work or need updating.”The request comes after the Mayor’s Office of Legal Counsel determined former Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and Chief of Staff John Falcicchio “more than likely” sexually harassed a female subordinate employee. The report concluded Falcicchio made unwanted sexual advances toward the employee while she was in his apartment, exposed himself to her and sent thousands of messages between September 2022 and March 2023, including a graphic video and unwanted sexually explicit remarks.Falcicchio has not publicly addressed the allegations.Bowser’s letter Tuesday asked the inspect...

A look at some of Simone Biles’ career highlights as she plans a return to competition

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:48:00 GMT

USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that Simone Biles plans to return to competition at the U.S. Classic outside Chicago in August. Here are some of the highlights of her career:— 2016 Olympic all-around champion— 5-time world all-around champion (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019)— 7-time U.S. national champion (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021)— 7-time Olympic medalist (tied for the most by an American female gymnast)— 25-time world championship medalist (record for a female gymnast)— 32-time U.S. championship medalist— undefeated in individual all-around competitions since the 2013 U.S. championships— 2-time AP Female Athlete of the Year (2016, 2019)— 4 elements named after her (one on vault, one on balance beam and two on floor exercise) in the Code of Points after she completed them in competition.___2024 Paris Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Good news for the 4th: Colorado one of 'most independent' states

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:48:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Colorado is one of the best places in the country to celebrate Independence Day, and a new study says that fits. Financial adviser site WalletHub released an analysis Wednesday judging the country's most independent states. In the absence of a foreign crown, analysts had to think of other things citizens might be dependent on: consumer finances, the government, the job market, international trade and personal vices. WalletHub used 39 individual measurements ranging from credit card debt to alcohol abuse rates. Camping ban gets unanimous approval in Douglas County Colorado has some distinct advantages from its high place on the nation's economic totem pole, with high education and income levels. It ranks fifth best in the nation for financial dependency, eighth for government dependency, 15th for job market dependency and sixth for international trade dependency. Only in one measurement did it rank average, 24th overall for vice dependency. In American Revolution ...

Dive Bar Semiformal? Couples ditch traditional wedding dress codes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:48:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — “Space Disco Cowboy.” “Yacht Shabbat.” “Burning Man Formal”? More couples are tossing tradition when it comes to what wedding guests should wear, to some befuddlement among invitees.Maggie Long, 34, recently attended the nuptials of a close friend in a low-key Denver lounge. The suggested dress? “Dive Bar Semiformal.” Should you buy now, pay later for your wedding? “I love a theme,” said Long, who lives in New York. "It's fun that people aren't taking weddings so seriously, but I had no idea what that meant."After exchanging thoughts for months with the officiant, who is also a friend, Long took her outfit idea — a strappy-back, low-cut ultra-mini purple dress with a high side slit — to the bride. The bride deemed it a bit too “Kardashian cosplay.” Long finally settled on a longer gold lamé dress by Norma Kamali, and a great time was had.“There were a lot of vintage jumpsuits. One of our friends went full 1960s with go-go boots and a bouffant. A lot of se...

US Coast Guard says ‘presumed human remains’ found in wreckage of Titan submersible

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:48:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says it has likely recovered human remains from the wreckage of the Titan submersible and is bringing the evidence back to the United States. The submersible imploded last week, killing all five people on board. The vessel was on a voyage see the wreck of the Titanic.Debris from the Titan submersible was returned to land Wednesday. The return of the debris to port in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, is a key piece of the investigation into why the submersible imploded.In a statement late Wednesday, the Coast Guard said it had recovered debris and evidence from the sea floor and that included what it described as presumed human remains.“I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths,” U.S. Coast Guard Chief Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement. “The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictio...

2 workers stuck on 21st floor of Miami building pulled to safety

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:48:00 GMT

Crews came to the rescue of two construction workers who became stuck hundreds of feet from the ground in Miami.City of Miami Fire Rescue units responded to the scene along the 1700 block of North Miami Avenue, Wednesday afternoon.Officials said the workers ended up stuck on the 21st floor of a building after the hanging platform they were working on malfunctioned, at around 2:15 p.m.Miami Fire Rescue’s Technical Rescue team was dispatched to perform a high-angle rescue operation. Rescuers got up on the roof and pulled both workers to safety using ropes, harnesses and hoisting devices. After they were hoisted over the edge, both workers were evaluated by paramedics. They did not require any treatment or transport to the hospital.

‘Presumed human remains’ found near debris field of doomed Titan submersible, US Coast Guard says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:48:00 GMT

The US Coast Guard has recovered “presumed human remains” from the seafloor in the area of the Titan submersible’s debris field and will conduct a formal analysis, the military branch said Wednesday.[Original story, published at 2:15 p.m. ET]Huge pieces of the doomed submersible Titan were hoisted onto a Canadian pier Wednesday nearly a week after authorities announced a “catastrophic implosion” had killed all five men onboard the minivan-sized vessel, according to the company leading the effort and photos of the task.A white panel-like piece – taller than the two men guiding it onto land – and another similarly sized part with cords and wires draped with white tarp were taken off the anchor handling vessel Horizon Arctic at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, photos by The Canadian Press’ Paul Daly show.It was not immediately clear what the pieces are. Titan was made of carbon fiber and titanium and weighed 23,000 pounds, with room...