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1st US charges against China-based companies accused of selling fentanyl chemicals filed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has for the first time charged China-based companies and employees with supplying chemicals needed to make fentanyl, a primary driver of an overdose crisis gripping the United States, top officials said Friday.The companies openly advertised the chemicals on social media platforms and shipped them surreptitiously to buyers, even adding molecules to evade testing, said Attorney General Merrick Garland.“We are targeting every step of the movement and manufacturing sale of fentanyl, from start to finish,” Garland said.Two of the eight people charged have been arrested in the Drug Enforcement Administration investigation into four companies, which also seized more than 200 kilograms of precursor chemicals needed to make fentanyl. The synthetic opioid is considered exponentially more addictive than heroin and is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49. They gave customers blueprints for making fentanyl and targeted advertising t...

Russian authorities launch criminal probe into Wagner Group’s owner over his threats to oust Russia’s defense minister

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian authorities launch criminal probe into Wagner Group’s owner over his threats to oust Russia’s defense minister.Source

How major US stock indexes fared Friday 6/23/2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

Another drop for stocks helped drag Wall Street to its first losing week in the last six. The S&P 500 closed 0.8% lower Friday, pulling back further from last week when it reached its highest level in more than a year. The Dow and the Nasdaq composite also fell. Stock markets abroad also fell after a preliminary report indicated Europe’s economy appears to be weaker than expected. The disappointing data added to this week’s hesitance in markets following more increases in interest rates by central banks around the world. Treasury yields sank as investors sought safer places for their money.On Friday:The S&P 500 fell 33.56 points, or 0.8%, to 4,348.33.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 219.28 points, or 0.6%, to 33,727.43.The Nasdaq composite fell 138.09 points, or 1% to 13,492.52.The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 26.54 points, or 1.4%, to 1,821.63.For the week:The S&P 500 is down 61.26 points, or 1.4%.The Dow is down 571.69 points, or 1.7%.The Nasdaq is...

New suspect in 20th and Market Street shooting arrested

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A third suspect was arrested in connection to a shooting that injured 10 people celebrating the Denver Nuggets' historic NBA Finals win.Denver Police Department had already arrested two suspects, Ricardo Vasquez and Raoul Jones, in connection with the shooting that happened on June 12. Video shows shooting during Nuggets celebration in LoDo Throughout the investigation, DPD said they identified Kenneth Blakely, 24, as an additional suspect.Blakely was arrested Friday and was being held for investigation of attempted first-degree murder, according to a press release from DPD.In an affidavit, a Denver police officer describes reviewing surveillance video that shows Vasquez involved in a fight with two people whose names have been redacted. After that, the officer said Blakely can be seen walking toward Vasquez and firing multiple shots at him. 10 people shot in LoDo after Denver Nuggets win NBA Finals "Based on the video, [the officer] reasonably believes that Bla...

Family found and reunited with boy wandering in Aurora

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- UPDATE (3:21 p.m.): The family of a boy wandering in Aurora has been located and they have been reunited, the Aurora Police Department tweeted. A child was found wandering in Aurora, and police asked for help in finding his guardians. Got expired tags? Prepare to pay during this enforcement campaign this weekend Police said he was found near the 26000 block of East First Place.They do not know information about the boy, including his name, and said "he appears to be non-verbal."In the meantime, the boy was being cared for at a local hospital while police searched for his parents or guardians. Police released a photo of the boy in hopes that someone will recognize him.

Former Miami Gardens Police officer accused of placing knee on woman’s neck found guilty of 1 battery charge and trespassing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

A jury reached a verdict in the case of a former Miami Gardens Police officer who was accused of placing his knee on woman’s neck.After a two-day trial, 33-year-old Jordy Martel was found guilty of one count of battery with a taser and one count of tresspasing, Friday afternoon. He was found not guilty on three other charges of battery, which included his knee on the woman’s neck, and two counts of official misconduct. The case stemmed from a Jan. 14, 2020 takedown during a confrontation with a waitress over food inside Tootsie’s Cabaret.Martel worked an off-duty security job at the time.

Surfside survivor Gabe Nir recalls night of condo collapse, shares challenges in aftermath of tragedy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

Survivors are understandably struggling two years after the Surfside condominium collapse. While one man escaped with his family, he says he is still haunted by the tragedy every day. The unthinkable June 24, 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South is now marked by somber anniversaries, but for survivor Gabe Nir, the traumatic memories are something he lives with every day.“It still feels like yesterday,” he said. Nir, his teen sister Chani and his mother Sara escaped with nothing, except the most important thing: their lives.“I mean, our apartment was literally six feet below ground level. That’s what everyone told us. Like, ‘You guys, we’re very lucky,'” said Nir.But his anxiety, guilt and sadness cast a long shadow over the 27-year-old.“I mean, we feel fortunate to make it out, but I feel that I have that sorrow, that guilt of me making it out but not them, and I don’t want to have that feeling,” said Nir. “People ...

‘Fruits, seeds and water’ were pivotal in keeping four children alive in the Amazon rainforest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

(CNN) — When four young indigenous children were found last week after 40 days in the Colombian Amazon jungle, their rescuers noticed that the oldest, 13-year-old Lesly Jacobombaire Mucutuy, had something hidden between her teeth.“We found she had a couple of seeds slowly chewed between her cheeks and her jawbone,” said Eliecer Muñoz, one of the four indigenous guards who made the very first contact with the children.Muñoz told CNN the seeds were from a native Amazon palm tree called Oenocarpus Bataua, colloquially known as “milpesos” in Colombia.Its fruits are rich in fat and Amazon tribes use them to make a vegetable oil, but Leslie’s seeds were still unripe when she was found, Muñoz said.“She was keeping them so that the warmth of her mouth would open up the seeds and she could feed the pulp to her younger siblings,” Muñoz says. “That’s how they stayed alive.”Ever since the children were brought home, reporters and survival experts have been trying to answer this question: How di...

Putin in crisis as Wagner chief Prigozhin declares war on Russian military leadership

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

LONDON — Vladimir Putin is facing a major military crisis after Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin declared war on Moscow’s own defense ministry, claiming Kremlin officials had killed thousands of his soldiers. The feud between Prigozhin and Russia’s ministry of defense has been building for months but now appears to have boiled over. In response to Prigozhin’s allegations, Moscow issued a strong denial and announced that Russia’s FSB security service would open a criminal case against him. Prigozhin’s Wagner paramilitary group has been fighting alongside regular Russian soldiers and has been involved in some of the war on Ukraine’s bloodiest and most brutal clashes. For months, Prigozhin has blamed Moscow’s military leadership for incompetence and undermining his troops’ efforts. In his latest statements he called the Russian defense leadership “evil” and vowed to march for “justice,” threatening anyone who stood in his way. While Prigozhin insiste...

Firefighter Frustration: Dudley department speak out ahead of planned staffing cuts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

Firefighters in Dudley are frustrated because substantial staffing cuts are coming to the department.Because of a town vote, fire department officials said they will be losing several full-time first responders and their entire on-call staff of 35 people starting in July. The department will only be left with two firefighters per shift. Firefighters are speaking out to 7NEWS, saying these layoffs could lead to potential problems.“You can’t really fight an effective fire or respond to a major emergency with two people on an engine,” said Capt. Steven Chenard of Dudley Firefighters Local 4271.Chief Dean Kochanowski said these cuts could lead to injuries.“Throwing ground ladders, it depends on the size of the ladder, it can be a one or two man operation, so that leaves the driver by himself, trying to handle heavy equipment in such a rush,” Kochanowski said.After the staffing cuts, fire officials said they will only be able to respond to one call at a time. They ...