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Cocaine and hand grenades: Putin reveals theory on Prigozhin plane crash

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:11:55 GMT

The plane crash that killed Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin could have been the result of intoxicated fighters letting off hand grenades, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested Thursday.Speaking surrounded by oligarchs and apparatchiks at a meeting of the Valdai Club in the Black Sea city of Sochi, Putin insisted “there was no external influence” on the Embraer Legacy 600 jet, which came down while flying between Moscow and St. Petersburg on August 23.“The head of the Investigative Committee reported to me just the other day that hand grenade fragments were found in the bodies of those killed in the plane crash,” the Russian president added.In an apparent explanation for the crash, Putin said that 5 kilograms of cocaine had been found among Prigozhin’s stacks of cash, weapons and fake documents when police raided the Wagner Group’s St. Petersburg headquarters.“Unfortunately, no tests were carried out for the presence of alcohol and drugs in ...

Scholz cites risk of ‘escalation’ as reason not to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:11:55 GMT

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sought to justify his reluctance to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles on Thursday by naming constitutional constraints and the risk of an “escalation of the war.”However, Scholz did announce additional military support for Kyiv in the form of another “Patriot” air defense system “for the winter months” and argued that “this is what is most needed now.”The chancellor has come under increased pressure from allies like the United Kingdom — but also from within his own ruling coalition — to hand over the German long-distance, high-precision Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, especially as the U.K. and France have already supplied Kyiv with their “Storm Shadow” and “Scalp” cruise missiles.Yet Scholz continues to rule out delivery of the Taurus “for now,” a German official told POLITICO on Wednesday, confirming a report by Bild. And when asked by reporters on Thursday...

Missing 5-year-old boy reunited with family after search in Warren

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:11:55 GMT

A 5-year-old boy was reunited with his family Thursday afternoon after he went missing from a local home in Warren. Massachusetts State Police in a post on X said numerous units were assisting Warren police in the search after the child, identified as Zachary White, wandered away from a residence on Southbridge Road around 12:45 p.m.In an update around 2:45 p.m., state police said White had been found in a wooded area near his home. Police said white appeared to be okay. SKY7-HD was over the scene moments after the state police announcement and captured the moment White appeared to be brought out of the woods near Southbridge Road.

New York subway shooter Frank James sentenced to 10 life terms plus 10 years in prison

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:11:55 GMT

(CNN) — The man who set off a smoke bomb and opened fire on a crowded New York City subway train last year, injuring 29 people but miraculously killing none, was sentenced Thursday to 10 concurrent life terms plus a consecutive 10 years in prison.Frank James pleaded guilty in January to 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation vehicle and an additional firearms charge in connection to the April 2022 attack.Prosecutors have asked the judge for a life sentence, while the shooter’s attorneys asked for 18 years.James, who was 62 at the time, put on a gas mask, set off a smoke device and fired a handgun at least 33 times on a Manhattan-bound N subway train heading through Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood during a weekday morning commute, prosecutors have said.“The smoke-emitting device caused panicked passengers to scramble to one end of the subway car, allowing James to more easily shoot at his victims,” prosecutors sai...

Man returns to Wisconsin Capitol with assault rifle and asks to see Gov. Tony Evers, hours after being arrested for bringing gun inside

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:11:55 GMT

(CNN) — A man who was arrested Wednesday after bringing a handgun to the Wisconsin Capitol and saying he wanted to see Gov. Tony Evers returned with an assault rifle later that night after posting bail, according to the Wisconsin Department of Administration.The man was shirtless and had a holstered handgun and a leashed dog when he approached the security desk outside the governor’s office in Madison around 2 p.m. Wednesday, Department of Administration spokesperson Tatyana Warrick said in a statement to CNN.He said he would not leave until he saw the governor, a Democrat.The man was taken into custody without incident by a Capitol police officer and taken to the Dane County Jail for openly carrying a firearm in the Capitol, which is illegal, the statement said. The gun was seized as evidence, and the dog was turned over to the City of Madison Animal Control.The man later bailed himself out of jail, the statement said, and he returned to the outside of the Capitol around 9 p.m...

Howie Carr: Biden’s bleepshow

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:11:55 GMT

It’s getting worse for Joe Biden. Making ever fewer appearances in his role as “president,” he makes ever more mistakes. His mind is gone.Here he is on Wednesday, announcing another giveaway to shiftless deadbeats who took out hundreds of billions in student loans to major in queer studies at the local community college and now don’t want to stop smoking weed long enough to pay back their legally-contracted debts.“You can sign up for the save plan at student aid dot gov slash save. Student aid dash gov slash student aid dash student aid dot gov slash gov.”May we quote you quote on that, Mr. President?As always, all dialogue quoted verbatim. Such as when he told an audience he was sworn in in January of 2020. (Actually, 2021.) Or when he said, “I cut national debt by 1 trillion, 700 billion dollars.”In fact, the national debt is up under Biden. It’s now over $33 trillion. The fact-checkers could not be reached for comment.Biden has recently claimed he witnessed the collapse of the Fe...

J.C. Jackson appears in Massachusetts court one day after returning to the Patriots: He must complete reckless driving course by next week

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:11:55 GMT

J.C. Jackson is the latest Patriots cornerback to go in front of a judge.After “Mr. INT” returned to the Pats on Wednesday, Jackson turned himself in to Attleboro District Court on Thursday. The Pats defender had recently failed to appear in court to face traffic charges, and authorities had issued an arrest warrant for him.Jackson in 2021, when he was previously a member of the Patriots, allegedly sped 100 mph down Route 1 in South Attleboro.After Jackson turned himself in on Thursday, he paid a $600 fine for the reckless driving and speeding charges.The Pats’ defender now has one week to complete a reckless driving course, which can be done online. If he completes the four-hour course by next Friday, the driving to endanger charge will be tossed.Meanwhile on Thursday, Jackson participated in his first Patriots practice since being traded back to New England. Early in practice, the veteran corner briefly chatted with owner Robert Kraft.Jackson was traded from the ...

San Diego crime is down, but privacy ordinance could have negative impact on current trend

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:11:55 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- New numbers show overall crime is down in San Diego, but the mayor says certain privacy protections could make it harder for police officers to do their jobs.It is part of what Mayor Todd Gloria spoke about during his monthly media briefing Thursday.According to research compiled by SANDAG, six months into 2023, the crimes against persons rate of 9.71 was nearly 7% lower than it was at halfway through the year last year.There were fewer rapes and homicides, and the property crime rate is lower than this time last year. SDSU places seven fraternities on interim suspension There were a few crimes that saw an increase, however. Those involve aggravated assaults, drug equipment violations and prostitution.While the decrease in overall crime is positive news, the mayor, along with public safety leaders, said that the city’s privacy ordinance needs to be amended in order for fire and police departments to continue to perform their duties efficiently. They feel the ordinance...

‘Prophet of Doom’ who wounded 10 in subway shooting is sentenced to life in prison

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:11:55 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A man who sprayed a New York City subway car with bullets during rush hour, wounding 10 people and sparking a citywide manhunt, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison.Frank James, 64, pleaded guilty earlier this year to terrorism charges in the April 12, 2022, mass shooting aboard a Manhattan-bound train. He received a life sentence on 10 counts and 10 years for an 11th count.Prosecutors had asked for the life sentence, saying James spent years carefully planning the shooting in order to “inflict maximum damage.”James’ attorneys had asked for a reduced sentence of 18 years, saying he didn’t intend to kill anyone and suffered from serious mental illness.Prior to the sentencing, three people who were present at the time of the attack addressed the court. Fatim Gjeloshi, 21, who escaped the shooting unharmed, approached the microphone to begin recounting the morning of the shooting and said he forgave James, but then he stopped and broke down in tears. “I can’t ...

Battery technology in the crashed Venice bus made it less prone to catastrophic fires, experts say

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:11:55 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Italy’s transport minister is questioning the spread of electric vehicle technology following the fiery crash of a fully electric shuttle bus that killed 21 people in mainland Venice. But the battery chemistry used by the Chinese bus maker makes it less prone to catastrophic fires, experts said. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said the accident involving an electric bus that drove through an overpass guardrail during rush-hour Tuesday should be “cause for reflection.”“It is early to comment,’’ Salvini said, “But someone told me that electric batteries catch fire more quickly than other power sources. In a moment in when everything must be electric, there is cause for reflection.”Prosecutors have ordered an expert examination of the guardrail as one of several strands of the investigation, which is looking at such possible causes as a sudden illness to the driver, who was among the dead, or a risky road maneuver. The city-owned, fully electric bus was traveling on a ce...