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Biden says he’s serious about pursuing prisoner exchange for WSJ reporter held in Russia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday said he’s serious about pursuing a prisoner exchange for a Wall Street Journal reporter who has been detained in Russia for more than 100 days.The Kremlin earlier this month suggested that it was open to a possible prisoner exchange that could involve Evan Gershkovich, but it underscored that such talks must be held out of the public eye.Speaking at a news conference in Helsinki, Finland, Biden made clear that the U.S. is interested.“I’m serious on a prisoner exchange,” said Biden, who was concluding a five-day visit to Europe that took him to the UK, Lithuania and Finland. “And I’m serious about doing all we can to free Americans being illegally held in Russia or anywhere else for that matter, and that process is underway.”Gershkovich was arrested on espionage charges in the city of Yekaterinburg while on a reporting trip. He is being held at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, notorious for its harsh conditions. A Moscow court recently ...

Coroner identifies the 3 men killed in a Greyhound bus crash near St. Louis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Passengers from New Jersey, Arizona and Illinois were killed when a Greyhound bus slammed into three tractor-trailers parked along an exit ramp near St. Louis, a coroner said Thursday.Fourteen others were injured in the accident just before 2 a.m. Wednesday on Interstate 70 near Highland, Illinois, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) short of the Greyhound’s destination in St. Louis. The bus, which departed from Indianapolis, was carrying about 30 people. No one on the trucks was hurt.Madison County, Illinois, coroner Stephen Nonn said those killed were Juan Vasquez-Rodriguez, 34, of Passaic, New Jersey; Buford Paya, 71, of Supai, Arizona; and Bradley Donovan, 47, of Springfield, Illinois.A news release from the coroner said preliminary findings show all three men died of blunt trauma from the crash. Photos and video from the scene showed the side of the bus peeled open and its roof crumpled.Passenger Edwin Brown, 22, of Friars Point, Mississippi, told the St. Loui...

Rishi Sunak hikes public sector pay — but the devil’s in the details

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

LONDON — Rishi Sunak’s finally splashing the cash. But will his latest round of pay rises be enough to calm restive public sector workers?On Thursday the U.K. prime minister unveiled his latest pay plans for millions of state employees and confirmed he’s backing the independent pay review bodies his government commissioned after months of speculation.The offers — covering civil servants, the justice system, NHS, the armed forces and teachers — come after months of strikes that have hit services hard amid high inflation, which sits at 8.7 per cent. Sunak’s insisting the hikes are his final offer and that further strikes won’t force his hand.He’s argued that above-inflation rises — called for by some workers’ reps — will further fuel cost-of-living increases in the U.K. and there’s little appetite from his government to up public borrowing to fund the increases. But that leaves big questions over how the hikes will be funded. The government promised...

Bruce Cassidy, Stanley Cup appear in Milton, Mass. to help launch foundation honoring local teen killed in Aruba

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

Former Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy brought hockey’s biggest trophy to Massachusetts for the launch of a special cause.The Stanley Cup and current coach of the Vegas Golden Knights were in Milton on Thursday to mark the launch of a foundation honoring the memory of 13-year-old Cassidy Murray, who died in a tragic accident in Aruba last year.Murray was on a family vacation in March, 2022, when she was killed in a water-tubing accident that left her loved ones grieving and calling for change. Since then, they have established the Cassidy Murray Foundation – a cause that aims to help families who are “plunged into grief following a tragic loss,” according to the foundation’s website.The Cassidy Murray Foundation plans to offer mental health resources for people dealing with tragedy, including trauma and grief therapy, while also expanding educational opportunities for young people.Coach Cassidy, whose daughter was a good friend of Murray’s, has been le...

A fire killed nearly every animal at a Florida wildlife center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An early morning fire on Thursday killed nearly all the animals at a wildlife center in Florida, officials said.News outlets reported the fire broke out around 3 a.m. Thursday at the Alligator and Wildlife Discovery Center in Madeira Beach, near St. Petersburg on Florida’s Gulf Coast.“We suffered from a tragic fire last night. Nearly all of the animals are gone. We are devastated,” a post on the wildlife center’s Facebook page said.Sonny Flynn, who owns the center, told WTSP that all of the mammals inside the building died and many of the reptiles were injured. Small mammals, lizards, amphibians, turtles and tortoises, fresh and saltwater marine life, and alligators were among the 250 animals at the center.“They didn’t deserve this. This is my whole life,” Flynn said. “They all have names, they all have personality, I come in every morning and talk to them like Dr. Dolittle.”Flynn said about 95% o...

Biden proclaims NATO alliance ‘more united than ever’ as he celebrates new member Finland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

By SEUNG MIN KIM, CHRIS MEGERIAN and JARI TANNER (Associated Press)HELSINKI (AP) — President Joe Biden said he and other NATO leaders showed the world that the military alliance remains “more united than ever,” as he on Thursday capped off a trip in Europe meant to demonstrate the force of the international coalition against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The allies “understand that this fight is not only a fight for the future of Ukraine,” Biden said, noting that it’s also about sovereignty and security.“At this critical moment in history, this inflection point, the world watching to see, will we do the hard work that matters to forge a better future? Will we stand together, will we stand with one another? Will we stay committed to our course?” Biden said. He said the answer was a “resounding yes.” Earlier Thursday, Biden met with the leaders of other Nordic nations including Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Swede...

Two brutal alleged murders head to trial in Boston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

Jury selection has begun in two murder trials at Suffolk Superior Court, one for gunning down a man as he celebrated Father’s Day in a Roxbury park and another for the brutal stabbing of an 18-year-old woman to death in an East Boston parking garage.Parking Garage massacreOn June 15, 2016, construction workers walked to their worksite at a parking garage at 54 Princeton St. in East Boston and came across a horrible sight: a young woman, her face “covered in blood,” lying on top of pieces of wood with one arm over her face, according to Herald reporting at the time.Police would identify the dead woman as Blanca Lainez, 18, who would have turned 19 just two weeks later. An examination of her body and the scene would conclude she had been stabbed 15 times and beaten with a propane tank, according to the Suffolk DA’s office.Prosecutors say her murder occurred between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. the night before, based on security camera footage of Lainez and the suspects.The body was found jus...

Watch Live: Kerry grilled on Climate Office; sparks fly over ‘private jet’ dig

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

This could finally be the day Climate boss John Kerry thaws his budget out. To what degree we’ll find out as the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability grills him. Follow along below and stay here for updates and a full report:10 a.m. — Chair Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) just started the meeting and didn’t hold back on Kerry has “managed to avoid oversight and accountability.”Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) jumped in next saying global warming will drive up bills and put Americans at risk, taking a softer tone before Kerry speaks.Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) warned Kerry that playing nice with China could prove to be lethal. He’s the chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and is “deeply concerned” about talks with China. “We don’t have to make concessions before we even get to the table.” He added that this all comes as “an American citizen” Mark Swidan of Texas faces death i...

18-year-old accused in deadly attack of homeless man faces judge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- An 18-year-old accused of killing an elderly homeless man pleaded not guilty in a San Diego courtroom one week after the attack.Daniel Ruben Martin of El Cajon faces one count of murder and faced a judge for the first time Wednesday.San Diego police say Martin and another teen are accused of beating and killing 65-year-old Michael Shook. Shook had been homeless and was found dead in the early morning hours on July 5 in Bonita Cove Park on West Mission Bay Drive.Martin is being held without bail. Brothers found dead inside East County home "It's hard, it's hard to find out the details about how heinous the attack actually was," Michael A. Shook, the victim's son, said.He said he had already been grieving the loss of his father, but when police told him how he died, he was in shock.The victim's son was in the courtroom Wednesday. He shared his father's name and brought more insight to the man he was. He said he grew up in Vista with his mother and father, and his father...

La Mesa moves forward in proposal to keep guns locked away when owners aren't home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:14 GMT

LA MESA, Calif. -- In La Mesa, City Council voted to advance a draft ordinance that would add requirements for gun owners there. If passed, residents would have to keep firearms locked away or disabled when leaving their home. Councilmember Jack Shu sponsored the draft ordinance and said the move could prevent further crime or suicide. “When you leave the home, the gun is no longer in your possession, no longer in your control, let’s get it safe," Shu said. La Mesa could join other cities like San Diego, Solana Beach and Encinitas which already have this ordinance in place. However, while some are in favor, it's raising opposition. “I shouldn't have to go back to the house looking for my gun and unlocking my guns in order to protect myself," gun owner Ryan Bramley said. Hundreds rally in downtown after UCSD students, alum arrested The proposal was originally shut down 15 months back, but Tuesday's city council meeting brought about changes, ending in a 3 to 2 vote in favor of the...