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UK warship heads to Guyana as territorial dispute heats up

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:08 GMT

By Manuel Rueda | Associated PressBOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — President Nicolás Maduro ordered Venezuela’s armed forces to conduct defensive exercises in the Eastern Caribbean after the United Kingdom sent a warship toward Guyana’s territorial waters as the South American neighbors dispute a large border region.In a nationally televised address on Thursday, Maduro said that 6,000 Venezuelan troops, including air and naval forces, will conduct joint operations off the nation’s eastern coast — near the border with Guyana.Maduro described the impending arrival of British ship HMS Trent to Guyana’s shores as a “threat” to his country. He argued the ship’s deployment violates a recent agreement between the South American nations.“We believe in diplomacy, in dialogue and in peace, but no one is going to threaten Venezuela,” Maduro said in a room where he was accompanied by a dozen military commanders. “This is an unacceptable t...

Bay Point: Teen charged with involuntary manslaughter, not murder, in April homicide

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:08 GMT

MARTINEZ — A Concord man has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter in an April 29 Bay Point fatal shooting, court records show.Kai Rossberg, 19, was initially arrested on suspicion of murder in the death of 19-year-old Jesus Gallegos. Nearly seven months later, though, prosecutors opted to charge him with involuntary manslaughter instead of the more serious charge.The charges were filed in November. Rossberg was arrested Dec. 11 and remains in Contra Costa County jail in lieu of $35,000 bail. His next court date, an arraignment hearing, has been set for Jan. 4, court records show.According to Contra Costa Sheriff’s investigators, Gallegos, Rossberg, and three juveniles were at a home on the 400 block of Clifford Court when Gallegos was fatally shot. The witnesses told police that the two 19-year-old men had been drinking and playing with a firearm earlier in the evening.A then-15-year-old girl who was present for the shooting reportedly told police she ...

Two good Samaritans shot in broad daylight during East Bay gas station robbery

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:08 GMT

PINOLE — A Fairfield man was arrested Wednesday after police said he shot two people and tried to carjack three motorists after robbing a gas station convenience store, all in broad daylight.Officers finally arrested the 21-year-old underneath an Interstate 80 overpass on Pinole Valley Road, north of the gas station.Pinole police Chief Neil Gang in a statement identified him as Demetrius Chafford and said he was booked in jail on two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, attempted robbery, carrying a concealed firearm and three counts of attempted carjacking.Chafford remained in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility on Thursday afternoon in lieu of $1.555 million bail.The two shooting victims both were treated at the scene and at a hospital, where they later were released, according to Gang. None of the carjacking victims were injured.It all began about 12:20 p.m. at a Chevron station in the 2600 block of Pinole Valley Road. Acco...

Letters: Mishandling police | Florida’s future | Long-time liar

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:08 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Alameda mishandlingcity’s problem copsRe: “Alameda approves $11.4M payout” (Page A1, Dec. 16).A Dec. 16 article in the East Bay Times announced that the city of Alameda had approved $11.4 million in payouts to the family of Mario Gonzales, killed by Alameda police officers.In its statement, the city said that the settlement “shall not be construed as an admission by any party of liability.” I would say that there had, indeed, been a $11.4 million admission of liability.Why does the city of Alameda continue to sweep under the rug the problems of its police force and its power-drunk confrontations with Alamedans of color? And why does our City Council stand for it?Robert BardeAlamedaClimate change meansFlorida has no futureRe: “Florida economically better than California” (Page A7, Dec. 26).Mike Heller in his Dec. 26 letter overlooked a stark reality: Florida does ...

Single family residence in Saratoga sells for $3 million

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:08 GMT

18692 Cox Avenue – Google Street ViewThe spacious property located in the 18600 block of Cox Avenue in Saratoga was sold on Dec. 8, 2023. The $3,000,000 purchase price works out to $1,453 per square foot. The house, built in 1950, has an interior space of 2,064 square feet. The layout of this single-story house includes two bedrooms and two baths. The property is equipped with forced air heating and a cooling system. In addition, the house is equipped with a one-car garage.These nearby houses have also recently changed hands:A 2,595-square-foot home on the 18600 block of Paseo Tierra in Saratoga sold in May 2023, for $3,100,000, a price per square foot of $1,195. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Paseo Lado, Saratoga, in November 2022, a 1,232-square-foot home was sold for $2,050,000, a price per square foot of $1,664. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.In August 2023, a 3,107-square-foot home on McFarland Avenue in Saratoga sold for $4,400,000, a price per square foot...

Pierce Brosnan faces federal charges after allegedly trespassing in ‘delicate’ Yellowstone hot spring

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:08 GMT

Did Pierce Brosnan think that once playing super-spy James Bond made him immune to dangers of the highly acidic hydrothermal waters, boiling in one of Yellowstone National Park’s hot springs?Or, did he somehow think that being an internationally renowned movie star made him special enough that he could allegedly ignore stay-on-the-trail signs and trespass in an area of the park that’s been designated as off limits?Who knows what was on Brosnan’s mind, but he reportedly entered “delicate,” restricted areas in the Wyoming national park twice on Nov. 1, according to The Telegraph and other news reports. And now he has to answer it.The 70-year-old Irish actor is due to appear in court in Wyoming on Jan. 23, accused of leaving permitted trails in the park to apparently get a closer look at the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces, The Telegraph said. This famous attraction consists of technicolored limestone rock formations that are created by water boiling up out o...

Maine becomes second state to bar Trump from presidential primary ballot

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:08 GMT

By Nicholas Ricciardi and David Sharp | Associated PressPORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s Democratic secretary of state on Thursday removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot under the Constitution’s insurrection clause, becoming the first election official to take action unilaterally in a decision that has potential Electoral College consequences.While Maine has just four electoral votes, it’s one of two states to split them. Trump won one of Maine’s electors in 2020, so having him off the ballot there should he emerge as the Republican general election candidate could have outsized implications in a race that is expected to be narrowly decided.The decision by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows follows a December ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that booted Trump from the ballot there under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Colorado is a Democratic-leaning state that is not expected to be competitive for Republicans in November.Bellows found that T...

Police: Prince George’s Co. officer in shooting near National Harbor’s Tanger Outlets

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:08 GMT

A police officer shot an unidentified person near the Tanger Outlets shopping center in Oxon Hill, Maryland’s National Harbor area on Thursday evening, according to police.“We are working an officer involved shooting involving an off-duty PGPD officer that occurred in the 6700 block of Oxon Hill Road,” the Prince George’s County Police Department said in a tweet.WTOP’s Matt Kaufax is headed to the scene.Below is a map of where the shooting occurred: This is a developing story. Stay with WTOP for the latest details.Source

With benching of Russell Wilson, Broncos and Chargers each turn to backup quarterbacks

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:08 GMT

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — With one of the league’s highest-paid QBs sent to the bench, it’s now backup against backup.Stidham versus Stick.Not exactly what everyone envisioned this time of year. Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton is sending Russell Wilson to the sideline in order to see if Jarrett Stidham can spark a sporadic offense Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers (5-10), who are relying on Easton Stick after an injury to Justin Herbert.The Broncos (7-8) still have a slim playoff chance — an 8% chance at the moment, according to the NFL — that now rides on Stidham’s right arm. The decision by Payton to bench Wilson for the final two games is a franchise-altering one that figures to lead to a divorce between the two sides come the offseason, with money and salary-cap implications factoring in. Wilson signed a five-year, $245 million contract last year that kicks in next season.“Ultimately, our job is to get the ball in the end zone, and we have to be more efficient d...

Arizona man charged over online posts that followed Australian attack in which 6 died

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:08 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A U.S. citizen has been charged in Arizona with making threatening online comments that followed what police describe as a “religiously motivated terrorist attack” in Australia a year ago in which six people died, officials said Wednesday.Queensland state police officers Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold and innocent bystander Alan Dare were fatally shot by Gareth Train, his brother Nathaniel Train and Nathanial’s wife, Stacey Train, in an ambush at the Trains’ remote property in the rural community of Wieambilla last Dec. 12, investigators said.Four officers had arrived at the property to investigate reports of a missing person. They walked into a hail of gunfire, police said at the time. Two officers managed to escape and raise the alarm.Police killed the three Trains, who have been described as conspiracy theorists, during a six-hour siege.The FBI said agents arrested 58-year-old Donald Day Jr. near Heber Overgaard, Arizona, last Friday.Authorities said ...