Biden: the risk of nuclear ‘Armageddon’ is the highest since the 1962 crisis
NEW YORK (AP) — President Joe Biden says the risk of a nuclear “Armageddon” is at the highest level since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, as Russian officials talk about the possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons after suffer massive setbacks in the eight months. invasion of Ukraine. Speaking at a fundraiser Thursday for the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin “wasn’t kidding when he talks about the use of tactical nuclear weapons or biological or chemical weapons.” Biden added: “We haven’t faced the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis.”
Riot Plea: Proud Boys Member Admits Seditious Conspiracy
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WASHINGTON (AP) — A North Carolina man has pleaded guilty to conspiring with other members of the far-right extremist group Proud Boys to violently stop the transfer of presidential power after the 2020 election. Jeremy Joseph Bertino is the first member of Proud Boys to plead guilty to one count of seditious conspiracy. Bertino also pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. Bertino has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation into the role Proud Boys leaders played in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Former Proud Boys National President Henry “Ënrique” Tarrio, and four other members of the group have also been charged with seditious conspiracy.
Ian’s death toll reaches 101 as evacuees return to mud and rubble
SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla. (AP) — The death toll from Hurricane Ian has climbed into triple digits. The number of recorded storm-related deaths rose Thursday to at least 101 in the eight days since the storm made landfall in southwest Florida. Of the total deaths, 98 occurred in Florida, according to reports from the Florida Commission of Medical Examiners. Other storm fatalities include five in North Carolina, three in Cuba and one in Virginia. Ian is the second deadliest storm to hit the continental United States in the 21st century, behind Hurricane Katrina, which left more than 1,800 dead in 2005. The deadliest hurricane to hit the US was the Great Galveston Hurricane in 1900, which killed about 8,000 people.
A hit and a miss: Saudi oil cut hits Biden’s reach
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is effectively acknowledging the failure of one of his biggest foreign policy gambles: a fist bump with Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, the crown prince associated with human rights abuses. Biden’s awkward meeting with Mohammed bin Salman in July was a humble attempt to mend relations as the United States. he was seeking the kingdom’s help in opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting rise in oil prices. That fist bump was followed this week by a big cut in oil production that threatens to drive inflation higher and send gasoline prices back to levels that anger voters just before the US midterm elections. Asked about the Saudi action, Biden told reporters Thursday that it was “a disappointment.”
Judge delays Twitter trial, gives Musk time to seal buyout
A judge has delayed an impending trial between Twitter and Elon Musk. The move gives Tesla’s CEO more time to close his $44 billion deal to buy the social media company after months of fighting his way out of it. Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick, director of the Delaware Court of Chancery, said Thursday that Musk and Twitter have until Oct. 28 to close the deal. She said a trial set for October 17 will take place in November if they don’t. Musk renewed his offer on Monday and asked to stop the trial to get the financing in order. Twitter objected because it had already retracted once.
Fired Police Sergeant Attacks Kindergarten in Thailand, Killing 36 People
UTHAI SAWAN, Thailand (AP) — A former police officer facing a drug charge burst through a locked door at a daycare center in northeastern Thailand, killing dozens of preschool children and teachers and then shooting more people as he fled. At least 36 people were killed Thursday in the deadliest rampage in the nation’s history. The attacker took his own life after killing his wife and son in his house. The attack took place in Nongbua Lamphu province, in one of the poorest regions of the country. Police identified the attacker as a former police sergeant fired earlier this year on a drug charge. Authorities said the primary weapon used was a 9mm pistol the man had purchased. He also had a shotgun and a knife.
Biden pardons thousands for ‘simple possession’ of marijuana
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has pardoned thousands of Americans convicted of “simple possession” of marijuana under federal law, as his administration takes a dramatic step toward decriminalizing the drug and addressing prosecution practices that seriously affect disproportionate to people of color. He is also asking governors to issue similar pardons for those convicted of state marijuana-related crimes, which reflect the vast majority of marijuana possession cases. Biden says the move reflects his position that “no one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana.” He says his action will ease consequences for “individuals who have prior federal marijuana possession convictions, who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result.”
Sheriff: Family Slain in California, Suspect Had Longtime Feud
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Authorities say the suspect in the kidnapping and murder of a central California family was a former employee who had a long-running dispute with them. Relatives of the slain family told investigators that Jesus Salgado had sent angry text messages or emails about a year ago after working with his trucking business. Authorities say Salgado kidnapped an 8-month-old baby, her parents and her uncle on Monday and killed them, leaving their bodies in an almond orchard. The remains were discovered in the remote area by a farm worker on Wednesday night. Investigators say they are looking for a person of interest who may have acted as an accomplice to Salgado.
Judy Tenuta, Sassy ‘Goddess of Love’ Comedian, Dies at 72
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Judy Tenuta, a sassy comedian who unabashedly cast herself as the “Goddess of Love” and toured with George Carlin as she built her career in the golden age of comedy in the 1980s, passed away. She was 72 years old. Her publicist says Tenuta died Thursday afternoon at her home in Los Angeles, with her family around her. She was part of a generation of performers who fueled the popularity of stand-up comedy in clubs across the country, including the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, the Laff Stop in Houston, and Caroline’s in New York City. A typically male-dominated field found room for women, including Tenuta. She first gained national attention in 1987 with “Women of the Night,” an HBO special.
EXPLANATION: Russia’s Military Problems Mount Amid Ukraine Attacks
Even as the Kremlin moved to absorb parts of Ukraine in a sharp escalation of the conflict, the Russian military suffered new defeats that exposed its deep problems on the battlefield and opened fissures at the top of the Russian government. The setbacks have severely damaged the image of a powerful Russian military and added to tensions surrounding a poorly planned military mobilization. They have also fueled clashes between members of the Kremlin and left Russian President Vladimir Putin increasingly cornered.
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