News you need today: Moore wins Alabama Senate runoff
Today’s briefing covers significant election results in Alabama and Washington, D.C., alongside a tragic safety warning from Indiana. We also look at a new crime trend experts are highlighting and the upcoming opening of a major cultural landmark.
In Alabama, U.S. Representative Barry Moore has won the Republican primary runoff for an open seat in the U.S. Senate. A runoff is a second election held to decide between the top candidates when no one receives a majority in the first round. Moore, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, defeated his opponent as the party prepares for the general election. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., City Council member Janeese Lewis George has taken a significant lead in the Democratic mayoral primary. Lewis George, a democratic socialist—a politician who advocates for social ownership and democratic control of the economy—currently holds about two-thirds of the counted votes.
In Indiana, a 40-year-old mother was killed while trying to protect her son during a robbery. Jean Gragg and her teenage son had arranged to sell a watch through Facebook Marketplace at their home in Edison Park. During the meeting, the suspect, 18-year-old John Ford, allegedly pulled a gun. Gragg stepped between the gunman and her son and was fatally shot. Ford has since been arrested.
Safety experts are also warning of a potential new threat following the suspected abduction of Nancy Guthrie on February 1. Investigators are looking into the "wrench attack" theory, where criminals use tools to surprise and incapacitate victims who have let their guard down in public spaces.
The Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to open to the public on June 19. Located in Chicago, the center joins the national system of presidential libraries, a tradition started by Franklin D. Roosevelt to preserve the records and legacies of U.S. leaders.
Finally, an Oklahoma father was questioned by police in Alabama after taking his young daughters into a women's restroom at a gas station. Tyler Brodsky said he used the women's facility to supervise his children during a road trip, but the move led to a confrontation with another customer and a call to law enforcement.
For more on these stories and other updates, visit the app's News section. Read about Lionel Messi’s record-breaking night at the World Cup and the recently released toxicology report for a reality TV star.