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‘A soldier was shot close to us’: Europeans flee Sudan amid bloodshed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:51 GMT

What began as a work trip for one Italian tourist operator ended in a rescue mission from a lethal war zone.For 10 days, a power struggle between two military leaders has rocked Sudan. Around 500 people have died so far in bloody skirmishes. With civilian targets under fire and senior EU diplomats being attacked, European countries are scrambling to evacuate their people trapped on the ground. Lorenzo Belotti has been in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, as an employee of an Italian tourism company since the beginning of April. He spoke this week to POLITICO about his narrow escape from the violence. Clara Tagliabue, Lorenzo Belotti and Carla Piazza in the evacuation plane of the Spanish army on the evening of 23 April 2023 at Wadi Seidna Air Base near Khartum, Sudan | Lorenzo Belotti for POLITICOUncertainty for Lorenzo began on April 15, the day fighting broke out. He was at a market outside Khartoum with a colleague, but when they tried to return to their accommodation, the br...

Russian spies targeted French MPs despite clampdown after Ukraine war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:51 GMT

PARIS — French politicians continue to be a prime target of Russian espionage efforts despite a crackdown on Moscow’s operations in France, newly released documents show. French intelligence services have detected Russian spies trying to make contact with French lawmakers in recent months and have led operations to raise awareness among MPs on the risks of foreign interference, according to transcripts of parliamentary hearings released Thursday.The head of France’s national intelligence service the DGSI warned MPs at a hearing in February that Russia was the most active foreign power, with “several dozen officers from Russia’s three intelligence agencies” using diplomatic cover to infiltrate France’s political system, the documents reveal. China, also a focus of the DGSI, was less likely to use officers under diplomatic cover, according to the hearings which were redacted before publication. Since December, a parliamentary committee has been investigating foreign interf...

Brian Walshe denied bail after allegedly killing his wife Ana Walshe as prosecutor reveals new details in the investigation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:51 GMT

(CNN) — A Massachusetts father accused of killing and dismembering his wife was ordered held without bail Thursday, nearly five months after the disappearance of Ana Walshe.Brian Walshe, 48, shook his head as his murder charge was read aloud in Norfolk Superior Court. He pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder, misleading police and improper conveyance of a human body.Shortly after Walshe pleaded not guilty, Norfolk Assistant District Attorney Greg Connor outlined a spate of new details from the investigation.Among them: “In December 2022, it had become evident that Mr. Walshe was suspecting his wife of having an affair,” Connor said in court.“He was routinely visiting the Instagram page of one of her male friends. And on December 26th, his mother — with his input and direction — obtained and hired a private investigator to surveil Ana Walshe in Washington DC.”LIVE UPDATES: Brian Walshe murder hearingProsecutors have not said whether Ana...

ATF: Two separate explosions over span of 12 hours under investigation in Weare, NH

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:51 GMT

Authorities in New Hampshire are investigating a pair of explosions that occurred Wednesday night and Thursday morning in the town of Weare, one of which injured a passerby, according to officials.A spokesperson for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said federal, state and local authorities were called to the Hillsborough County town near Concord and Manchester for the apparent explosions.The official said one of the explosions took place Wednesday evening at 6:10 p.m. in the area of 362 Dustin Tavern Road, with no injuries reported. The second, happening Thursday morning at 6:50 a.m. by 16 Sugar Hill Road, injured a passerby who suffered minor injuries after they were cut by glass.According to 7NEWS sources, at least one of the explosions, the one Thursday morning, was caused by a pipe bomb.Nearby Concord Stage Road was shut down immediately and reopened around 7:30 a.m. while Sugar Hill Road, leading into Hopkinton, remained closed as of 9 a.m. ATF Boston Twe...

Teens accused of vandalizing about 25 cemetery gravestones

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:51 GMT

HAMPTON, N.H. (AP) — Five teenagers have been accused of spray painting racial slurs, profanity, anti-law enforcement messages and other graffiti on about 25 gravestones in a New Hampshire cemetery.The teens are facing criminal charges in juvenile court, Hampton Police Capt. Anthony Azarian said.Police said the vandalism took place at the High Street Cemetery across from Hampton Academy in March.The messages were sprayed in red and black paint. Azarian said police believe spray paint cans found at the scene were taken from a local hardware store. Video camera footage from the store and nearby was reviewed by investigators.Azarian also said similar graffiti was found in a bathroom at the Hampton Lane Memorial Library.He said the teens range in age from 14 to 16 and could face criminal mischief and theft charges, as well as interfering with a cemetery or burial ground.

Man charged after threatening state police sergeant in Hartford

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:51 GMT

HARTFORD, Connecticut (WFSB) — A Hartford man who allegedly threatened a state police sergeant is facing several charges.Authorities said on April 24, an on-duty Connecticut state police sergeant was entering his police vehicle on Asylum Street in Hartford. He had his state police badge displayed and was in a civilian clothing.A man with long hair and eyeglasses who was sitting in a silver Honda Accord shouted at the sergeant, police said.As the sergeant entered his vehicle, the man asked if he was “a cop,” state police said.The sergeant confirmed he was a member of law enforcement.Police said the man then told the sergeant that he “kills cops.”“Using profane language, the unidentified white male went on to threaten to kill the Sergeant specifically,” state police said.The sergeant then approached the man and tried taking him into custody, said police. That’s when the man fled the scene and drove westbound on Asylum Street.“The Honda then came to a stop a short distance away, ...

Heat’s upset silences ‘doubters and haters’ as everything clicks in advancing to conference semis vs. Knicks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:51 GMT

It would be overly simplistic to say that out of the chaos, order has been restored for the Miami Heat.Because they’re still without Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo. They’re again a series underdog as the road team as they move on to the second round against the New York Knicks. They still are as reliant on their leading man as much as any team still standing in the NBA playoffs.But now, after a stunning five-game first-round elimination of the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks while playing as a No. 8 seed, it all makes sense:The 54 clutch games during the regular season, those when the margin was within five points in the final five minutes.The addition of Kevin Love ahead of the buyout deadline.The decision to rest 37-year-old Kyle Lowry for a month to ease the knee pain.The refusal to quit on the undrafted, unheralded supporting players such as Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Duncan Robinson and Caleb Martin.The insistence that there remained a path to playoff success even with tha...

Medical helicopters, ‘Jaws of Life’ employed at highway rollover crash in Newbury

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:51 GMT

Two people were seriously injured in a rollover crash that stopped all northbound traffic on I-95 around Newbury early Thursday morning.Around 6:30 a.m. State Police reported troopers and other responders were “working rollover crash into median with serious injuries/entrapment.” All northbound lanes were shutdown during the initial response, but two were reopened by 6:30 a.m.Two Boston medical helicopters responded to the crash, landing on the interstate, police said, and Newbury firefighters usedthe  “Jaws of Life” — a hydraulic rescue tool used to rip open cars and extract occupants — in the rescue.Both adult drivers were transported to the hospital with injuries that were serious but “not believed life-threatening at this time,” police reported just before 8 a.m.An additional southbound lane was briefly closed for the removal of the vehicles, but all lanes of traffic on both sides were reopened before 8 a.m.The cause of the acciden...

Brian Walshe to remain jailed; motives suggested in alleged murder of his wife

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:51 GMT

Accused wife murderer Brian Walshe is being kept locked up.The Cohasset man, indicted for the murder of his wife 39-year-old Ana Walshe, will remain behind bars as his case moves ahead for trial. He’s due back in court on August 23 with a pre-trial conference set for Nov. 2.Prosecutors said today in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham that the 48-year-old dad suspected his wife was having an affair and he searched one of her male friend’s Facebook accounts. His mother also hired a private investigator to shadow Ana, prosecutors added.They also said Brain was the lone beneficiary of his wife’s life insurance policy which they said was worth more than $2 million.In rebuttal, his defense attorney said prosecutors were cherry-picking Google searches to fit their bogus storyline — adding he also made Google searches for “best places for family vacation” and other harmless prompts.The indictment charges Walshe with the murder of his wife, misleading a poli...

Shots fired at large East County party; 2 dead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:51 GMT

EL CAJON, Calif. -- Two people are dead following a shooting at a massive party in East County, authorities said.The incident occurred shortly before 2 a.m. at a residence located at 860 Renfro Way in El Cajon, the San Diego Sheriff's Department confirmed to FOX 5. Neighbors called to report hearing shots fired and then another call came in reporting someone had been shot, explained Homicide Lt. Joseph Jarjura. Rules of the Road: Are tinted windows legal in California? Authorities say the party was so large that deputies had to call in traffic control to help manage the scene."It was over 200 people, for sure because this whole road was blocked off the entire night, probably until four in the morning," said Dave Ebert, a neighbor of the home where the fatal incident took place. "And then the sheriff's were letting people out a few at a time. They couldn't even get the ambulance up the road for the longest time."According to Ebert, the residence became an Airbnb a few months ago. T...