Here’s a look at some of the day’s top stories from WTOP:
Police use tear gas on Ferguson protesters
Police and politicians in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson are vowing to reach across the racial, economic and generational divide in a community where a white police officer shot and killed an unarmed black teen over the weekend.
But Ferguson experienced another night of unrest Wednesday, with some people throwing Molotov cocktails and other objects, and police unleashing tear gas and police smoke bombs.
Hagel: Far fewer Iraqi refugees now on Sinjar Mt.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says it’s less likely that a major operation will be needed to rescue Iraqis from atop a mountain where they fled to avoid Sunni extremists.
A military team flown to Sinjar Mountain reported back that there are several thousand refugees, not the tens of thousands reported last week. Some of them were apparently able to escape because of U.S. airstrikes against the group Islamic State.
Communities across US recover after floods
Communities across the U.S. are drying out after unusually heavy rains swamped highways, flooded basements and were blamed for at least four deaths.
On Long Island, New York, round-the-clock recovery continues after a record 13.26 inches of rain fell early Wednesday morning. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder issued a disaster declaration for the Detroit area after rain and mud closed stretches of freeway. And a slow-moving storm lashed communities from Maryland to New England.
VA referrals to private doctors up 25 percent
Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald says the agency is significantly increasing its referrals of veterans to private doctors following a scandal over long patient waits and falsified appointment records at many VA hospitals and clinics.
Speaking Wednesday at the American Veterans national convention, McDonald also said his department was working to shorten the time it takes to hire more VA doctors, nurses and clerks. McDonald took over as VA secretary two weeks ago.
John Moeller was a chef in the White House for three presidents, and now he’s written a book on his experiences cooking for President Clinton and both Presidents Bush. On the Living page, WTOP’s Rachel Nania talks with Moeller and learns some of his favorite memories, a recipe fit for a president and which dish transcended party lines.
A big step you can take toward online security
It seems like we hear about a new data breach every week, and Ken Colburn, of the Data Doctors, says it’s a fact of life – your usernames and passwords are going to be compromised. But there’s a way to fight back: It’s called 2-step verification, and it takes a few extra clicks, but it can go a long way towards keeping your online identities safe. On WTOP’s Tech page, Colburn explains how it works.
