Brief security scare in US Congress

The US House of Representatives chamber was briefly evacuated Monday as a precaution after a suspicious but ultimately harmless powder was found on the floor, according the US Capitol Police. "Just before noon, we discovered a powdery substance on the floor of the House," said a spokeswoman, Sergeant Kimberly Schneider.
"The only people in there at the time were a few House pages, who were evacuated out of an abundance of caution," and the "immediate area" was secured while the powder was tested, she told AFP by telephone. Shortly before 1 pm (1700 GMT), Schneider reported by email: "All clear, nothing hazardous found."