McCain says report suggesting inappropriate relationship 'not true'

2/21/2008

TOLEDO, Ohio - John McCain denied a romantic relationship with a female telecommunications lobbyist on Thursday and said a report by The New York Times suggesting favoritism for her clients is "not true." "I'm very disappointed in the article. It's not true," the likely Republican presidential nominee said as his wife, Cindy, stood alongside him during a news conference called to address the matter. McCain described the woman in question, lobbyist Vicki Iseman, as a friend.

BELGRADE, Serbia Serb rioters broke into the U.S. Embassy Thursday and set fire to an office after a massive protest against Kosovo s independence that drew an estimated 150,000 people. Masked attackers broke into the building, which has been closed this week, and tried to throw furniture from an office. A blaze broke out inside one of the offices. Riot police drove armored jeeps down the street and fired tear gas to clear the crowd.

The Ohio Supreme Court today upheld a state law preventing lawsuits against manufacturers 10 years after they deliver finished products that later malfunction. The court, however, struck down a provision that would have barred the courthouse door to Douglas Groch, of Rossford, a General Motors Powertrain employee whose right forearm and wrist were injured by a 28-year-old trim press.

A strong earthquake shook rural northeastern Nevada Thursday, causing at least one building to collapse and forcing a truck stop to evacuate, authorities said. The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 and was reported at 6:16 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was centered in a sparsely populated area 11 miles southeast of Wells near the Nevada-Utah line.

Two cars collided early Thursday on eastbound I-475 near Secor Road in west Toledo, injuring one person and snagging traffic, authorities said. The victim, who was trapped in the wreckage for a time, was conscious and alert and was transported to an area hospital. The crash occurred about 6:15 a.m, when one of the cars struck the other in the rear. One of the cars then caught on fire.

A person was injured in a house fire early Thursday in the 400 block of Victoria Place in central Toledo, authorities said. The victim, whose name was not immediately available, suffered smoke inhalation and was transported to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center. Fire crews arrived about 6:10 a.m. They evacuated the person and knocked down the main body of the fire within about 10 minutes.