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New evacuations in Greece as winds, heat fuel blazes

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:51:38 GMT

By Michael Varaklas and Derek Gatopolous | Associated PressRHODES, Greece — A week-old wildfire on the Greek resort island of Rhodes tore past defenses Monday, forcing more evacuations as strong winds and successive heat waves that left scrubland and forests tinder-dry fueled three major fires raging elsewhere in Greece.The latest evacuations were ordered in south Rhodes after 19,000 people, mostly tourists, were moved in buses and boats over the weekend out of the path of the fire that reached several coastal areas from nearby mountains. It was the country’s biggest evacuation effort in recent years.“We are at war -– completely focused on the fires,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during a debate in parliament. “Over the coming days and weeks, we must remain on constant alert.”Help continued to arrive from the European Union and elsewhere, with firefighting planes from neighboring Turkey joining the effort on Rhodes, where 10 water-dropping pl...

Moscow, Crimea reportedly hit by Ukrainian drone strikes

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:51:38 GMT

By Felipe Dana and Dasha Litvinova | Associated PressKYIV, Ukraine — Russian authorities accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on Moscow early Monday that saw one of the aircraft fall near the Defense Ministry’s main headquarters, while the Russian military unleashed new strikes on port infrastructure in southern Ukraine.Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said there were no casualties when the drones struck two nonresidential buildings in Moscow. Separately, a Ukrainian drone struck an ammunition depot in Russian-annexed Crimea, forcing a halt in traffic on a major highway, Russian authorities said.In Moscow, Russian media reported that one of the drones fell on the Komsomolsky highway near the capital’s center, shattering shop windows and damaged the roof of a house just about 200 meters (just over 200 yards) away from the towering riverside Defense Ministry building. The ministry’s main headquarters has Pantsyr air defense systems placed on the roof.It wasn’...

Obamas’ personal chef dies while paddleboarding

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:51:38 GMT

By Celina Tebor, Kevin Liptak and Zoe Sottile | CNNA former White House chef who was working for the Obama family was found dead Monday in a pond on the south shore of Martha’s Vineyard, according to Massachusetts police.Tafari Campbell, 45, “was employed by former President Obama and was visiting Martha’s Vineyard at the time of his passing,” according to a Monday news release from Massachusetts State Police.Campbell was reported missing early Sunday evening after going paddleboarding, police said.He went “into the water, appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface,” an earlier state police news release said. Another paddleboarder on the pond with him at the time witnessed him go under the water, according to the release.Massachusetts Environmental Police officers recovered Campbell’s body shortly before 10 a.m. Monday from Edgartown Great Pond, a police news release said.Police used a side-scan sonar from a boat to locate him and d...

Davidson in diversion program after reckless driving charge

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:51:38 GMT

By Taylor Romine and Alli Rosenbloom | CNNA Los Angeles County Superior judge ordered actor Pete Davidson to complete an 18-month diversion program after the actor was charged with reckless driving in connection with a car crash in Beverly Hills earlier this year, CNN has confirmed.A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney (LACDA) said on Monday that as part of the program, Davidson is required to complete 50 hours of community service, which can be completed in New York, LACDA said.His counsel has indicated the service will likely be completed at the New York Fire Department.Davidson will also be required to do 12 hours of traffic school, which can be completed in New York as well, and he must complete a Hospital and Morgue program or the New York equivalent, LACDA said. He must also pay restitution and obey all laws, they said.The “Bupkis” actor has a personal connection to the New York Fire Department. His New York firefighter father, Scott, died helping in the ...

Man shot dead in Santa Rosa Jack in the Box drive-thru

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:51:38 GMT

(KRON) -- A man died Sunday night after he was shot in the drive-thru of a Jack in the Box, the Santa Rosa Police Department said. Police are looking for two men accused of committing the homicide. SRPD was called to the fast-food restaurant at 2755 Santa Rosa Avenue just after 11:31 p.m. for the reported shooting. When they arrived, they found the victim lying on the ground unresponsive in front of the drive-thru. Mother robbed while getting child out of carseat at Concord shopping center Police investigators said the victim and two suspects were involved in an altercation. One of the suspects then took out a handgun and shot the victim multiple times, police said. The suspects were described as Hispanic men, 18-20 years old, with skinny builds. They were wearing ski masks. They ran away from the scene eastbound on Burt Street. The victim was identified as Jeffrey Farinha, 40, of Rohnert Park. The suspects were last seen running on the 200 block of Burt Street. Detectives are as...

Carjacking reported in area right before car flew off Sanchez Street Stairs in SF

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:51:38 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A video showing a car crashing down Sanchez Street stairs in San Francisco on Sunday has been viewed millions of times. In the video, the car flips over the embankment, through a tree and lands upside down.That's when things get really strange.Rather than awaiting assistance from first responders, the five people inside the vehicle fled the scene before police arrived. The San Francisco Police Department is currently working to piece together what happened. San Jose suspects with nearly $1M in illegal drugs and guns arrested As of Monday afternoon, the damage to the Sanchez stairs is still very evident. Barricades and caution tape prevent residents from walking up and down them the steps. Watching the video, it's hard not to wonder what played out moments before the dramatic crash.  At Cliff’s Variety in the Castro, it’s been the hot topic of discussion among customers and employees.“My employees were showing it like crazy yesterday, so yeah we’ve all ...

Livermore police chief asks DA Price for tougher sentence for violent criminal

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:51:38 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A parolee who was wearing an ankle monitor when he allegedly violently attacked and robbed two women earlier this year should get a tougher sentence according to Livermore's police chief. On Monday, Livermore PD Chief Jeramy Young penned an open letter to Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price requesting sentencing enhancements for Colby Berry.Berry, a 21-year-old parolee, was released from state prison, ordered to wear an ankle monitor, and to obey all laws when he committed the two attacks. He had also been assigned a probation officer at the time. San Jose suspects with nearly $1M in illegal drugs and guns arrested On May 21, Livermore PD got 911 calls reporting a man attacking women and trying to steal their purses in the parking lot of Arroyo Shopping Center. Berry tried to grab one woman's purse and violently attacked her. She fought back, police said.He then attacked a second woman and stole her purse at gunpoint.Police identified Berry as the...

Virginia presses for edge in bid to land FBI headquarters

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:51:38 GMT

The J. Edgar Hoover Building, The Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)(AP/Andrew Harnik) The J. Edgar Hoover Building, The Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)(AP/Andrew Harnik) Virginia is pushing back against claims that recent changes in the selection guidelines for a new FBI headquarters have given Maryland an edge in the high stakes competition.Virginia’s congressional delegation, along with Gov. Glenn Youngkin, said on Monday that they have sent a letter to the FBI and the General Services Administration, arguing that the Commonwealth remains the best loc...

2-year-old grandson of Bucks coach Adrian Griffin dies in Illinois

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:51:38 GMT

URBANA, Ill. (AP) — The 2-year-old grandson of Milwaukee Bucks coach Adrian Griffin died Saturday after the child’s father found him unresponsive earlier in the day.Jayce D. Griffin of Urbana, Illinois, was pronounced dead Saturday at 10:40 a.m. at the Carle Foundation Hospital, according to Champaign County coroner Duane Northrup. The coroner’s office said preliminary reports from an autopsy conducted Monday showed no evidence of trauma or foul play.“At this time, the death of Jayce Griffin appears to be from natural causes pending additional testing and final autopsy results,” Northrup said in a statement.Northrup said the death is under investigation by the Champaign police department and the Champaign County coroner’s office. Additional information won’t be released until the completion of the investigation.“My grandson Jayce was very special to me and my family, and his passing is an agonizing tragedy that will be felt forever,” Adrian Griffin said in a statement released by th...

Rematch time: USA and Netherlands to meet at the Women’s World Cup

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:51:38 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Now that the United States women have won equal pay with their male counterparts, there’s no need for their supporters to again chant for fairness when the Americans play the Netherlands on Thursday in their rematch of the 2019 Women’s World Cup final. The Americans defeated the Netherlands 2-0 in France for their second straight World Cup trophy, and fourth overall. They were in the midst of a contract battle at the time over pay with U.S. Soccer, and the players were feted with shouts of “Equal Pay!” from the fans. The team’s pursuit for equal pay was finally resolved last year, when a deal was struck that paid the women the same as the U.S. men’s team and, importantly, evenly split the tournament prize money earned by both teams.So the crowd at Wellington on Thursday doesn’t need to fight for the Americans to receive equal treatment. They can instead focus on the rematch and cheer for another win over the Dutch.The game i...