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Bulgarian top prosecutor escapes bomb attack on his car, officials say

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:47 GMT

Bulgaria’s chief prosecutor Ivan Geshev has escaped unscathed after a large explosion occurred Monday near his car which the authorities have described as a targeted attack on him.Attackers had placed a bomb at a bend in the road where traffic had to slow, Borislav Sarafov, head of the National Investigation Service, said according to local news site Mediapool. They detonated the bomb at exactly the moment Geshev’s car went past, he said, describing it as a “professionally prepared attempt, and obviously well executed.”“The bomb had a large TNT equivalent — about 3 kilograms of TNT, according to experts’ calculations,” Sarafov said. “A crater with a depth of 30-40 centimeters and a diameter of nearly 3 meters was found on the spot.”“Obviously the bomb was intended to kill,” he said. Nevertheless, there were no injuries.The Bulgarian interior ministry confirmed that an incident took place, without giving further detail...

Manchester Mayor Craig eyes run for New Hampshire governor

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:47 GMT

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig on Monday took a key step toward running for governor of New Hampshire, announcing an exploratory committee led by prominent fellow Democrats.Craig, the first female mayor of the state’s largest city, had announced earlier this year that she wouldn’t be seeking a fourth term. In a statement Monday, she said has tackled serious challenges while putting families and residents first, including adding jobs and affordable housing units and reducing school class sizes and violent crime.“As I’ve had discussions with local leaders across New Hampshire, it is increasingly clear that the same challenges we’re working to tackle in Manchester are seen in communities across the state,” she said. “As a mayor, I’ve collaborated with mayors and town and city officials to address these challenges – and we’ve made real progress. But there is a lack of support for cities and towns at the state level and I know we can do better.”The announcement comes a...

Corrections officers on leave after psychiatric unit death

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:47 GMT

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Multiple New Hampshire corrections officers have been placed on leave as authorities investigate the death of a patient at the state’s secure psychiatric unit.Jason Rothe, 50, died Saturday after a physical altercation with several corrections officers, the attorney general’s office said Monday. An autopsy was inconclusive. Prison officials said they are cooperating with the investigation.“The Department of Corrections strives to provide adequate and appropriate care to all residents regardless of their history,” the department said in a statement. “Any death of a resident under the care and custody of the Department is a tragedy and the Department extends its sympathy to the family of Mr. Rothe.”The secure psychiatric unit at the state prison treats inmates in need of acute psychiatric care, those found not guilty by reason of insanity and those who haven’t committed crimes but are deemed too dangerous to remain at the state psychiatric hospital.The latter cate...

Driver whose crash killed 4 fellow students appears in court

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:47 GMT

ELLSWORTH, Maine (AP) — A former Maine Maritime Academy student whose SUV crashed, killing four fellow students, pleaded not guilty Monday to manslaughter and other charges.Joshua Goncalves-Radding, 20, of North Babylon, New York, did not speak, except to answer “not guilty” 17 times, once for each charge, during his first court appearance since December’s fiery crash in Castine. Bail was set at $5,000.Prosecutors believe Goncalves-Radding was driving under the influence and traveling at between 106 mph and 111 mph (170 kph and 179 kph) before the SUV struck a tree and caught fire, according to the indictment.Killed were Brian Kenealy, 20, of York, Maine; Chase Fossett, 21, of Gardiner, Maine; Luke Simpson, 22, of Rockport, Massachusetts; and Riley Ignacio-Cameron, 20, of Aquinnah, Massachusetts, officials said. Goncalves-Radding and two other students survived the crash.The indictment issued last month included charges of manslaughter, aggravated operating unde...

Worcester man wins $1M prize off of scratch ticket bought at grocery store

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:47 GMT

A man from Worcester won a million dollar prize after buying a $10 scratch ticket at a local Shaw’s supermarket, according to lottery officials.Robert Fitzgerald became a winner after buying a “$4,000,000 Mayhem” ticket, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery.Opting to receive his prize in the form of a one-time, $650,000 payment (before taxes), Fitzgerald reportedly told the state lottery he planned to invest his winnings.According to lottery officials, the Shaw’s on Stafford Street was slated to receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.The state lottery’s website lists the odds of winning the $4,000,000 Mayhem million dollar prize as being 1 in 2,016,000.

Ravens decline Patrick Queen’s fifth-year option, making the linebacker a free agent after 2023 season

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:47 GMT

Patrick Queen had his best year yet with the Ravens last season, racking up a team-high 117 tackles, including nine for loss and five sacks. In a twist of irony, it also helped spell the end of the linebacker’s future in Baltimore.The Ravens on Monday declined Queen’s fifth-year option, which will make him a free agent following the season, his agent confirmed to The Baltimore Sun.Baltimore had until Tuesday to make the decision. Had they picked up the option, it would have cost $12.77 million.That the Ravens didn’t pick up the option for the 23-year-old was also not a surprise.Queen’s future was already in doubt after the Ravens traded with the Chicago Bears last season for All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith, who earlier this year signed a five-year extension with Baltimore for $100 million. Tying up more top-end money at the position was unlikely.The 28th overall pick out of LSU by the Ravens in 2020, Queen also struggled at times. He lost his inside linebacke...

Mets’ pitching staff on the mend with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer returns imminent

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:47 GMT

At long last, Justin Verlander will make his Mets debut and the Mets rotation is finally starting to take shape.The Mets set their pitching rotation for the week ahead with three games against the Detroit Tigers on the road and three against the Colorado Rockies at home following Monday’s doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves.Left-hander Joey Lucchesi will open proceedings at Comerica Park, former Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer will return from his suspension to pitch the second game of the series and Verlander, another longtime former Tiger, will come off the injured list to start Thursday in the series finale. Kodai Senga will start the Colorado series. Carlos Carrasco is tentatively scheduled for a start the following week. He’s been on the IL dealing with a bone spur in his right elbow.The Mets are trying to be judicious with the workloads of their pitchers after so many early injuries this season.“We’ve kind of semi-penciled him in for the following ...

Jury deliberates at B.C. inquest into man’s death after a police beating

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:47 GMT

BURNABY, B.C. — The jury at a British Columbia coroner’s inquest has begun deliberations following 11 days of testimony about the death of Myles Gray after a beating by Vancouver police officers nearly eight years ago.Coroner Larry Marzinzik reminded jurors they are not to make any findings of legal responsibility when they form their possible recommendations. Gray, who was 33, died in August 2015 after a beating by several officers that left him with injuries including ruptured testicles and fractures in his eye socket, nose, voice box and rib.Marzinzik tasked the jury with classifying Gray’s death and explained the five categories: natural death, accidental death, suicide, homicide or undetermined. He said homicide refers to a death due to injury intentionally inflicted by another person, but it’s a neutral term that doesn’t imply fault or blame. An accidental death is due to unintentional or unexpected injury and a natural death is due to disease, not resu...

Wage increases secured by striking workers shouldn’t be seen as ‘fat cat’: experts

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:47 GMT

TORONTO — Labour experts say the wage increases the country’s largest federal public-sector union secured Monday are far from the hefty gains some might perceive them to be.  The experts say the 12.6 per cent wage increase over four years brings the salaries of 120,000 striking workers represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada more in line with the annual inflation rate, which peaked at 8.1 per cent in June last year before sliding to 4.3 per cent in March this year. The union has said inflation has pushed the cost of living up by 11 per cent since 2021, the year its collective agreement expired.The deal offers as little as a 1.5 per cent increase in one year and as much as 4.75 per cent in another, but Jim Stanford, an economist and director at the Centre for Future Work, argues it shouldn’t be seen as “fat cat” because average wages are growing at more than five per cent a year in Canada.“This cannot be described as a gold-plated public sec...

Bill would allow 14-year-olds to serve alcohol in Wisconsin

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:02:47 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Fourteen-year-olds in Wisconsin could serve alcohol to seated customers in bars and restaurants under a bill circulated for cosponsors Monday by a pair of Republican state lawmakers.Under current law, only workers age 18 and above can serve alcohol to customers in Wisconsin. The bill would broaden that to workers ages 14 to 17. They could only serve to seated customers, not drinkers who are at the bar itself.The current age limit on serving alcohol “causes workforce issues due to an establishment’s underage employees only being able to do part of their job,” the bill sponsors Sen. Rob Stafsholt, of New Richmond, and Rep. Chanz Green, of Grandview, said in a memo circulated Monday seeking cosponsors. They said their idea “creates a simple solution” to the state’s workforce shortage problems in the food and beverage industry. The bill requires the licensed operator of the bar or restaurant be on the premises and supervising.Although no one under the age of 2...