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Poland and Lithuania say they fear provocations from Russia and Belarus at NATO’s eastern flank

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:37:04 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish and Lithuanian leaders held an urgent meeting Thursday in a strategically sensitive area where their NATO nations border Belarus and the Russian territory of Kaliningrad, warning that they are bracing for provocations from Moscow and Minsk in the area.The meeting came two days after two Belarusian helicopters flew briefly at low altitude into Polish air space, in what was viewed as a provocative move. Both nations on NATO’s eastern flank have increased their border security following the arrival of thousands of Russia-linked Wagner group mercenaries just across their borders in Belarus after an aborted mutiny in Russia in June.“Russia and Belarus are increasing the pressure on the borders, increasing the number of their provocations, and we must be aware that the number of these provocations will grow,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at a news conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.The Belarusian Foreign Ministry ...

Woman’s escape from cinder block cell may have spared others from similar nightmare, FBI says

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:37:04 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A woman who escaped her kidnapper by punching her way out of a cinder block cell at a home in southern Oregon may have spared other women from a similar fate by alerting authorities to a man they now suspect in sexual assaults in at least four more states., the FBI said.Negasi Zuberi posed as an undercover police officer when he kidnapped the woman in Seattle three weeks ago, drove hundreds of miles to his home in Klamath Falls and locked her in the garage cell until she bloodied her hands breaking through the door to escape, the FBI said Wednesday.Zuberi, 29, faces federal charges that include interstate kidnapping, and authorities said they are looking for other possible victims after linking him to the other assaults. Authorities have not yet said publicly in which states those attacks took place. “This woman was kidnapped, chained, sexually assaulted, and locked in a cinderblock cell,” Stephanie Shark, the assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Port...

These cars are stolen most often in Colorado

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:37:04 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – More than 700,000 vehicles are stolen in any given year, but not all cars are equal targets. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) analyzed federal crime data to determine which cars and trucks were most frequently reported stolen in 2022. They found two pickups took the top spots nationwide. The most frequently stolen vehicle was the full-size Chevrolet pickup truck, followed by full-size Ford pickups, according to the NICB analysis. Interactive map shows which US cities will be underwater in 2050 It's no surprise thieves target Chevy and Ford pickups – they are abundant. The Ford F-Series and the Chevy Silverado were the two top-selling vehicles last year, according to Car and Driver.Two popular Honda sedan models took the No. 3 and 4 spots on the list of most-stolen vehicles.Cars most frequently stolen nationallyThe most frequently stolen vehicles in 2022, according to the NICB, were: Chevrolet pickup (full size)Ford pickup (full size)Honda CivicHonda Acco...

Lawsuit filed against Douglas County schools on racial discrimination claims

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:37:04 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A group of parents is suing the Douglas County School District over claims of racial discrimination, a lawsuit obtained by FOX31 said.The parents claim their children have been the target of repeated acts of bullying and harassment because of their skin color.The allegations in the 45-page complaint are disturbing. It states that Black and biracial students at Castle Rock Middle School have been called racially offensive names on a regular basis. It also mentions that they were the targets of violent conversations -- like lynchings and shootings.FOX31 investigated the concerns of one parent in May who claimed her son has been a victim of constant harassment and bullying since 2018. She is one of the parents named in this federal lawsuit, among others. Castle Rock mom alleges bullying, racism in school district The lawsuit also describes racial profiling of Black students by teachers and staff, and zeros in on a Snapchat group filled with over 100 students.Screensh...

Florida neighbors concerned after crocodile killed pet dog

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:37:04 GMT

SATELLITE BEACH, Florida (WESH) — On Monday, a crocodile killed a pet dog in the waterways of a Satellite Beach community, raising concern for some neighbors, like Jon Appling, whose backyard is bordered by water.“We have definitely changed the way we act outside now. Looking over your shoulder, so to speak. It could have been my grandson and my puppy up on the grass up right there,” Appling said, pointing to his dog, Zoe, on his lawn that meets the Grand Canal.The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was called in after the incident, and agents searched but did not find the crocodile. They are monitoring the situation.But with crocodiles outgrowing their traditional habitat in South Florida, many more are making a home and being seen in Brevard, joining the abundant gator population.“It’s increased the amount of individuals, which causes some displacement. And that may cause these crocodiles to venture up north a bit more frequently,” Mack Ralbovsky, a herpetolog...

Florida surfer recalls being bitten with ‘crazy amount of force’ by shark

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:37:04 GMT

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida (WESH) — A 22-year-old surfer from Oviedo is the fourth shark bite victim of the year in Volusia County. The area typically sees more shark bites than any other place in the country.The most recent victim bitten near the inlet in New Smyrna Beach Monday was well aware of the area’s reputation.“First thing I thought is, ‘God, I hope my toes are still there,’ so I looked back and saw my toes were still there,” Brandon Boncore said.Boncore is recovering at home in Oviedo. Thankfully he has his toes, but he also has stitches and is on crutches for at least six weeks after a shark bit his left foot just under the ankle while surfing the inlet. Boncore was riding in his last wave of the morning Monday and fell off the board.“I just felt this crazy amount of force on my foot that didn’t seem to want to let go, and I just kind of kicked it off, jumped on my board and paddled right in. I definitely spooked it a little bit. I probably landed on top ...

‘Tough, nasty relentless:’ Zach Thomas ran through blocks and doubt during a Hall of Fame career

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:37:04 GMT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The sun was already out the morning of Zach Thomas’ first NFL training camp 27 years ago.It was 8:45 a.m. — back when the Miami Dolphins held two practices a day. A gentle breeze wafted the smell of wet grass through the air.Thomas, a fifth-round draft pick from a small town in northwest Texas, took in his surroundings. The Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino stood just across from him, but Thomas didn’t bask in admiration for long.“I was so focused, laser-focused just to make the team,” he said.Thomas knew then that he didn’t look the part of a typical NFL linebacker. At 5-foot-11 and 228 pounds, Thomas was undersized and overlooked. He was barely scouted out of high school and originally recruited out of Texas Tech to play special teams for the Dolphins.Miami selected him with the 154th pick in the 1996 NFL draft — the 19th linebacker taken in a class that also includes Ray Lewis. Thomas spent the rest of his 13-season NFL career runnin...

An 87-year-old woman fought off an intruder, then fed him after he told her he was ‘awfully hungry’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:37:04 GMT

An 87-year-old Maine woman ably fought off a teenage attacker, then fed him because he said he was “awfully hungry.”Marjorie Perkins said she awoke at 2 a.m. on July 26 and saw the young man standing over her bed. He had shed his shirt and pants and told her he was going to cut her.“I thought to myself, if’s he’s going to cut, then I’m going to kick,” she said.She put on her shoes and fought back, putting a chair between them as the two jostled in her Brunswick home. The intruder struck her on the cheek and forehead before switching tactics and heading for the kitchen. He told Perkins that he was “awfully hungry,” she said.So, she gave him a box of peanut butter and honey crackers, two protein drinks and two tangerines.Perkins dialed 911 on her rotary phone and was talking to a dispatcher while the intruder collected his pants and left. He left behind a knife, shirt, shoes and a water bottle containing alcohol, she said.Perkins, who has become a bit of an international c...

‘Censorship’ charged after clerical abuse billboard is removed as pope arrives in Portugal

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:37:04 GMT

Activists accused a Portuguese municipality of “illegal censorship” after it removed a billboard denouncing sexual abuse by clergy in the Catholic Church just as Pope Francis arrived in the country to celebrate World Youth Day. On Wednesday afternoon, the municipality of Oeiras ordered the removal of the billboard that said: “4800+ children abused by the Catholic Church in Portugal.” Pope Francis arrived in Lisbon on Wednesday for a five-day visit to the country that is being overshadowed by the abuse controversy.The members of the organization “This Is Our Memorial,” which put up the huge poster, accused the municipality of violating its “right to freedom of expression,” according to local media. “We have the right to display the poster and we will fight for that right,” they said.The billboard refers to the findings released in February of an independent committee of experts which found that 4,815 children were abused by...

Brussels summer survival guide

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:37:04 GMT

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Google Play EN_Google_Podcasts_Badge Created with Sketch. Stitcher .st0{fill:#EB8A23;} .st1{fill:#FAC617;} .st2{fill:#612368;} .st3{fill:#3792C4;} .st4{fill:#C33727;} Acast In this episode, we unpack what to expect in Brussels this August as EU decision making grinds to a halt. Also, we explore how extreme weather in Europe is weighing against tourism demands, and how politici...