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Putin says hand grenade fragments found in bodies of victims in Wagner chief’s plane crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:34:30 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that fragments of a hand grenade have been found in the bodies of people who died in an August crash of Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane.Putin added that experts investigating the crash found no indication that the plane had suffered an “external impact.” All 10 people on board, including Wagner mercenary group chief Prigozhin, were killed.While Putin noted that the probe was still ongoing and stopped short of saying what caused the crash, his statement appeared to hint that the plane was brought down by an accidental grenade explosion.Prigozhin’s aborted rebellion in June marked the most serious challenge to Putin, who has been in power for more than two decades and eroded his authority.Exactly two months after the rebellion’s start, a plane carrying Prigozhin and his top lieutenants crashed on Aug. 23 while flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg.The Associated Press

Suspect in helmeted motorcyclist’s stomping of car window in Philadelphia is jailed on $2.5M bail

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:34:30 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A man who prosecutors say was the helmeted motorist who stomped in the back window of a car in Philadelphia and waved a gun at the vehicle’s driver in a weekend assault that was recorded on video was in custody Thursday after bail was set at $2.5 million.Court records show Philadelphia resident Cody M. Heron, 26, was arraigned late Wednesday on charges that include aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment and terroristic threats in the attack Sunday night on a street near City Hall.The court docket indicated he would have to post 10% of the $2.5 million to be released. Heron did not have a lawyer named in court records or a listed phone number. A city police spokeswoman said Thursday that Heron was in custody but jail officials did not have a record of him having been processed there.Police arrested him late Tuesday night after the video was widely shared online and authorities sought the public’s help identifying the man.The video showed ...

Psychiatrist shortage denounced in aftermath of Quebec killing spree, coroner hears

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:34:30 GMT

MONTREAL — A Quebec doctor denounced to local health officials the severe lack of psychiatrists in a Montreal suburb, shortly after three men were gunned down by a man with mental health issues in August 2022.Psychiatrist Simon Roussel testified today in a coroner’s inquest into the shooting deaths of André Lemieux, Mohamed Belhaj and Alex Levis-Crevier, and into the police killing of the suspect, Abdulla Shaikh.Roussel told the inquest that he wrote a letter on Aug. 4, 2022, about the random killings, which he said revealed that patients in the Montreal suburb of Laval couldn’t be properly monitored because of a psychiatrist shortage.Shaikh, 26, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had previously been hospitalized in Laval, where he murdered Levis-Crevier on Aug. 3, 2022, when the 22-year-old was skateboarding on the street.The day before in Montreal, Shaikh shot and killed Lemieux and Belhaj, who were both outside.Roussel says he never received a reply to his lett...

The Biden administration says it is using executive power to allow border wall construction in Texas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:34:30 GMT

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — The Biden administration announced they waived 26 federal laws in South Texas to allow border wall construction on Wednesday, marking the administration’s first use of sweeping executive power to pave the way for building more border barriers — a tactic used often during the Trump presidency.The Department of Homeland Security posted the announcement on the U.S. Federal Registry with few details outlining the construction in Starr County, Texas, which is part of a busy Border Patrol sector seeing “high illegal entry.” According to government data, about 245,000 illegal entries have been recorded in this region during the current fiscal year.“There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States in the project areas,” Alejandro Mayorkas, the DHS secretary, stated in the notice.The Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act ...

Joel Embiid decides to play for USA – not France – in Paris Olympics, AP source says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:34:30 GMT

Joel Embiid will wear red, white and blue in Paris next summer — not rouge, blanc and bleu.The NBA’s reigning MVP and scoring champion has told USA Basketball that, after more than a year of deliberating, he has picked the Americans over France as his team for the Paris Olympics, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.The Philadelphia 76ers’ star let USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill know his mind was made up on Thursday, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because Embiid has not yet revealed his choice publicly. Embiid is scheduled to speak at 76ers’ camp in Fort Collins, Colorado, later Thursday.“The stronger the team, the better,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, who coached the Americans at the 2019 World Cup and then to gold at the Tokyo Games, said Thursday when told of Embiid’s decision. “International competition is tough. … That’s great for us.”ESPN first report...

Voodoo Doughnut opening first Chicago location

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:34:30 GMT

CHICAGO — An iconic Pacific Northwest doughnut staple is headed to Chicago.Voodoo Doughnut is bringing its 21st store to 945 W. Randolph in Fulton Market.It began in 2003 in Portland, Oregon and became recognized as a leader in gourmet doughnuts."We're incredibly excited to become a part of Fulton Market's vibrant culinary landscape," said CEO Chris Schultz. "Our fans have spoken, and we listened. Chicago's rich food culture and diverse community make it an ideal location for our unique doughnut experience. We look forward to sharing our passion for extraordinary doughnuts with the people of Chicago." Welcome to Lake Cow-nty: Giant cow sculpture pays homage to farmers and land — it just needs a name Two of its most popular doughnuts are the Voodoo Doll and the Bacon Maple Bar.While the opening date is not known yet, the storefront has been painted pink.

Thursday Forecast: Temps in low 70s, rain ending during the day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:34:30 GMT

CHICAGO — Scattered showers Thursday morning will move east through the day and gradually clear Northwest Indiana this afternoon. Decreasing clouds should allow temperatures to reach the lower 70s.  Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Skies become mostly clear tonight as temperatures fall into the lower 50s. Friday Forecast: Clouds increase Friday, leading to a chance of scattered showers in the afternoon. It will become breezy with a high near 60.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Maryland Supreme Court weighs victims' rights in Adnan Syed case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:34:30 GMT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland Supreme Court on Thursday scrutinized a hearing last year that vacated Adnan Syed’s murder conviction and released him after 23 years behind bars, as the victim’s family says they weren’t given adequate opportunity to take part in the proceeding.Chronicled in the hit podcast “Serial,” the case has been fraught with legal twists and divided court rulings for decades. The oral arguments that took place Thursday before Maryland’s highest court were no exception.Among the issues discussed were whether Syed’s 2000 murder conviction should remain reinstated after an appellate court decision in March and the extent to which Maryland crime victims have a right to participate in hearings on whether to vacate a conviction. Ultimately, Syed’s freedom hangs in the balance.The panel of seven justices will release their ruling in the coming weeks or months.Outside the courthouse after the hearing, Syed said he was looking forward to the court’s decisio...

Neighbors continue to voice concerns about Hays County concert venue

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:34:30 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A proposed concert venue in northern Hays County has worried neighbors about the impact it could have on EMS response times and traffic.“I don't doubt that this developer is going to do their job to make sure that the people in the venue are going to be safe. What I question is who is going to take care of us. When there is an accident? If there is a fire from a thrown cigarette? How are they going to get to us?” One neighbor said.People filled a room Monday night where the county hosted a public meeting for neighbors to express their concerns. PAST COVERAGE: Proposed concert venue sparks road safety, EMS response concerns KXAN reached out to the company behind the proposal about the concerns. This story will be updated if a response is received.Attendees said they were upset about the Fitzhugh Music Venue proposal, which would be built near Dripping Springs.The current timeline for the venue to open would be in spring 2025.The venue proposal previously...

How to get to, from Red River Rivalry in Dallas this weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:34:30 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's one of the most storied rivalries in college football history. The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners will clash for the 119th time in the Red River Rivalry, hosted at Dallas' Cotton Bowl Stadium on Saturday.More than 92,000 football fans will make their pilgrimage to Dallas this weekend as part of a sellout crowd. Saturday's match-up also marks the final year of Big 12 Conference play for both the Longhorns and Sooners, who'll enter into the Southeastern Conference next season. The Red River Rivalry will kick off before noon from the Cotton Bowl For those making the trek from Austin up to the Cotton Bowl Stadium, here's a look at some transportation route options and what to expect during your journey to and from the rivalry.Get acquainted with Interstate 35Those driving to the game will likely finish their trip on a first-name basis with I-35. Three I-35 North route variations are your best bet for driving to the stadium without having to take too much of...