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Stables, trainers try to move through grief over euthanized horses as racing thunders on

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:16 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Frank Sumpter has spent the past few weeks reflecting on Wild On Ice’s remarkable journey to somehow work through his grief over the horse’s catastrophic injury just nine days before he was supposed to race in the Kentucky Derby.Coming so close has provided some consolation through a rollercoaster of emotions.“I felt that if heaven felt like this, I can’t wait to get to heaven, you know?” the Texas owner and trainer said of his colt, who was euthanized after a pre-Derby workout at Churchill Downs on April 27. “It kind of jerks the rug out from under you. For the trainer, myself and his family, it’s very devastating.”The numbers suggest that horse racing is the safest it has been for the animals since at least 2009. Yet every death draws fresh criticism that the sport is far too cruel to continue and it sends every stable into mourning all over again, often out of sight.Trainer Joe Lejzerowicz said he frequently flips through his phone for photos of Freezing Po...

Man who rammed U-Haul near White House sought to end US democracy, prosecutors say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:16 GMT

The 19-year-old man charged with crashing a U-Haul truck into security barriers near the White House last week had plans of overthrowing the U.S. government, according to federal prosecutors.Those plans included writing a speech to announce the end of democracy, prosecutors said.Sai Varshith Kandula, of Missouri, is due in federal court for a detention hearing Tuesday afternoon, although his public defender is seeking a postponement, according to court filings.Friday, in a motion arguing that Kandula should remain in custody until trial for depredation of property of the U.S., prosecutors said his goal was to seize power of the government, which could involve killing the president.When he was approached by U.S. Park Police after ramming the box truck into security bollards along Lafayette Square on May 22, Kandula had unfurled a Nazi flag.In the filing, prosecutors said after his arrest, Kandula told U.S. Secret Service investigators he intended to “get to the White House, sei...

Western Maryland abortion provider will open in ‘abortion desert’ as other states further restrict abortion access

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:16 GMT

This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.In the year since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down federal abortion protections, state legislatures have passed new laws to shape abortion access in their states.While some states aimed to severely restrict access to abortions, states such as Maryland are seen as “access points” due to more lenient abortion laws. People who wish to terminate their pregnancies are likely to travel into the state for those services.This dynamic is on display at a new clinic called the Women’s Health Clinic of Maryland, set to open in late June.The new Maryland clinic is an extension of the Women’s Health Clinic of West Virginia, which had to stop performing abortions due to that state’s near total abortion ban that went into effect in September.The new location is Cumberland, Maryland — just five miles from the border of West Virginia.Katie Quinonez-...

US ends probe into Tesla allowing video games while vehicles are moving, says feature was disabled

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:16 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. highway safety regulators have closed an investigation into Tesla allowing video games to be played on center touch screens while vehicles are moving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted Tuesday that Tesla disabled the feature called “passenger play” with an online software update in December of 2021, under pressure from the agency.The agency said in documents that removing “passenger play” resolved its concerns about distracted driving that could be caused by the feature.The software update covered more than 580,000 vehicles from the 2017 through 2022 model years. One month after software update went out, Tesla reported that 97% of the vehicles had received it. The agency said it opened the investigation in December of 2021 after getting a complaint from a Tesla owner that games could be played by the driver while the vehicles are moving. The investigation was opened to assess the driver distraction potential.It says in do...

Contra el tiempo: semana clave en el Congreso para elevar el techo de la deuda

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:16 GMT

El presidente Joe Biden dijo estar “muy a gusto” con el acuerdo sobre el techo de deuda y el presupuesto negociado con el presidente de la Cámara de Representantes, Kevin McCarthy, mientras la Casa Blanca y los líderes del Congreso trabajaban para garantizar su aprobación esta semana, a tiempo para elevar el límite de endeudamiento de la nación y evitar un desastroso impago federal.Biden pasó parte del fin de semana feriado trabajando al teléfono, llamando a legisladores de ambos partidos para contribuir a la consecución de los votos.Varios conservadores de derechas critican el acuerdo porque no contempla los profundos recortes en el gasto que querían, mientras que los liberales cuestionaron los cambios políticos como los nuevos requisitos de trabajo para los estadounidenses mayores enrolados en el plan de ayuda alimentaria.La hora de la verdad llegará el martes por la tarde, cuando está previsto que el Comité de Reglas de la Cámara se reúna para estudiar el paquete y votar si se en...

Nuggets ready to face Heat after sweeping in regular season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:16 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The NBA Finals are set, and the Denver Nuggets will face the Miami Heat at home in the Mile High City for Game 1. The Heat won the Eastern Conference title after starting with a 3-0 lead and faltering three games to the Boston Celtics before finally claiming the victory in Game 7. While the Nuggets wait for Miami to land at Denver International Airport for Thursday's game, let's take a look back at how the two teams have fared in the past. Nuggets vs Heat in the NBA Finals: Days and times for all games When it comes to the 2022-2023 regular season, Denver swept both games against Miami. On Dec. 30, 2022, the Nuggets beat the Heat at home with a score of 124-119. During this game, Nikola Jokic scored his eighth triple-double of the season.On Feb. 23, the Nuggets held off the Heat to win 112-108 in Miami. This win snapped Miami's eight-game home winning streak.So, while it looks like the Nuggets have the upper hand against the Heat this year, both sides will inevita...

Emergency crews respond to damaged wind turbine on Boston’s Deer Island

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:16 GMT

BOSTON (WCVB) — Numerous emergency crews responded to Boston’s Deer Island on Monday morning after a problem involving one of the wind turbines there.Deer Island is home to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s wastewater treatment plant and two wind turbines are located on the southwest side of the island. The island also features walking trails and space for picnicking.Footage of the 100-foot-tall turbine appears to show it wobbling before a piece flies off and lands with an audible crash. Later video appears to show something hanging off one of the three blades as it continues to turn.According to MWRA officials, the turbine has been offline and locked since April 2022 because it was broken.“Although it’s too soon to speculate on what happened, it appears that this morning’s strong winds broke the braking mechanism and the turbine began to free spin,” officials wrote in a statement.MWRA officials said public access near the turbines is being ...

Broward County School Board nears selection of superintendent as ranking process begins

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:16 GMT

In an important step toward the selection of a new superintendent, the Broward County School Board will convene to individually rank the seven semi-final candidates. As part of the transparent and rigorous selection process, each board member will publicly share their respective lists of preferred candidates on Tuesday.With the aim of narrowing down the pool of contenders, the board expects to identify the top three candidates by the conclusion of this ranking process. These individuals will then proceed to the next stage of the selection process and face interviews scheduled for June.

ChatGPT boss to meet Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:16 GMT

BRUSSELS — Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT’s creator OpenAI, will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Thursday, according to the Commission’s calendar.Altman spent the past week roaming across Europe — visiting Poland, Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom — to meet fellow techies, talk AI regulation with national leaders and ministers, and scout locations for a new OpenAI office. A previously scheduled stop in Brussels, where Altman was expected on May 23 to speak at an event organized by OpenAI’s backer Microsoft, ended up being called off. Von der Leyen and Altman are likely to touch upon the bloc’s upcoming Artificial Intelligence Act in their meeting.Altman has expressed skepticism about parts of the rulebook in public appearances, with Reuters quoting him last week as saying that OpenAI would leave the EU if the law proved too burdensome. On social media and again speaking in Paris on Friday, Altman downplayed f...

Aaron Judge’s monstrous night in Seattle leaves Aaron Boone — and his son — in awe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:16 GMT

SEATTLE — As reporters filed into Aaron Boone’s office at T-Mobile Park, the Yankees manager found himself staring at the small TV hanging below the ceiling in the far corner of the room.Boone watched in amazement as the monitor flashed a replay of Aaron Judge’s eighth-inning home run robbery. The outfielder elevated high above the right field wall and stole a solo shot from the Mariners’ Teoscar Hernandez — a Yankees killer as a Blue Jay — as he crashed into the padding. Judge then revealed the ball by flipping it from his glove to his bare hand — a casual end to a miraculous play.“Just another catch,” a nonchalant Judge said after the Yankees’ 10-4 win, though he had some fun with Hernandez on social media. “I’m just trying to do my job. When you’re 6-foot-7, I better be able to get up there and get those.”While Judge downplayed his thievery, one of Boone’s sons texted their father to say tha...