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Federal agents seize $9M worth of cryptocurrency linked to cyber scam group

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:56 GMT

(BCN) -- Federal agents seized $9 million worth of cryptocurrency linked to a cyber scam organization that has exploited more than 70 victims, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California said Tuesday.Before the seizure, the Justice Department and the U.S. Secret Service's field office in San Francisco traced the Tether cryptocurrency, which is pegged to the U.S. dollar, to addresses allegedly linked to a group that scammed its victims through romance and cryptocurrency confidence schemes, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.Court documents showed that members of the cyber scam organization convinced their victims to make cryptocurrency deposits by deceiving them that they were making investments with trusted firms and cryptocurrency exchanges. The victims then found out late that these so-called firms and cryptocurrency exchanges are non-existent platforms. Sam Altman returns as CEO of OpenAI "These scammers prey on ordinary investors by creating websites that t...

After Hamas Attack, Israeli Politicians Want to Empower Military Tribunals to Execute Palestinians

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:56 GMT

A national security committee hearing in the Israeli Parliament spiraled out of control this week as family members of hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 squared off with the most far-right members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government. The uproar was caused by a bill that the coalition’s right-wing members have long sought to pass that would make it easier for Israel to execute Palestinians on Israeli soil. The resurrection of the death penalty is a long-standing goal of Israel’s far-right politicians past and present, whose efforts intensified at the beginning of this year with the introduction of a bill that would mandate the death penalty for Palestinians found guilty of terrorism in Israeli courts. The bill, which garnered preliminary approval from Netanyahu’s government, defines terrorism as “the purpose of harming the State of Israel and the rebirth of the Jewish people in its homeland,” suggesting it will be applied largely toward Palestinia...

These Colorado cities are some of the most luxurious in the country

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:56 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A recent study named the most luxurious cities in the United States, and five Colorado cities made the list.Architectural Digest found 115 major cities with increasing population growth. It then compared the cities based on activities, properties, dining, annual income, diversity and safety.Here's how these Colorado cities ranked throughout the U.S. for the most luxurious cities.ThorntonThornton made it close to the top of the list at No. 19. While Thornton's property diversity and safety ranking were average compared to the other cities, Thornton is in the top five best cities in the country for luxurious activities. Architectural Digest specifically states Thornton is known for arts and performing arts. What are the most expensive neighborhoods in Denver? Thornton also ranked in the top 20 for classy dining options.LakewoodLakewood was also rated high and placed 29th in the country.It's also known for having some of the best activities in the country, as it lined...

I-70 express lanes will be open longer for these holidays

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:56 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The mountain express lanes on Interstate 70 will now be open for longer around Thanksgiving and Christmas, thanks to a request from Gov. Jared Polis. Beginning Wednesday, the westbound I-70 mountain express lanes will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the eastbound lanes will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Wednesday, Nov. 22 to Sunday, Nov. 26.According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, the I-70 mountain express lanes are technically known as "peak period shoulder lanes." Under a policy established with the Federal Highway Administration, the lanes can only be open for a limited number of days per year. The rest of the time, the lanes serve as shoulders for emergency breakdowns, because the lanes are not as wide as regular highway lanes. No more warnings: Drive over the line, pay the fine Under the current policy, CDOT said the eastbound lanes can be open no more than 100 days a year and no more than 1,168 hours a year. The westbound lanes can be ...

South Florida man arrested for allegedly threatening to kill law enforcement officers in video posted on social media

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:56 GMT

A 25-year-old Hollywood man was arrested by detectives from the Broward Sheriff’s Office and Fort Lauderdale Police Department for allegedly threatening to kill law enforcement officers.According to investigators, on Monday, Nov. 20, Judah Lion Sealy, a passenger in a vehicle, recorded himself filming a Broward Sheriff’s Office marked patrol car with his phone. In the video, he reportedly displayed a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine on his lap and turned the camera to show his face. Authorities said the footage was posted on social media with Sealy using slang to declare his intention to shoot the deputy. Detectives later revealed he repeated the same action that day, this time targeting a Fort Lauderdale marked patrol vehicle.On Tuesday, Nov. 21, Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Sealy and recovered the firearm. He is currently held at BSO Main Jail, facing one count of written threats to kill, with additional charges pending.

Police arrest 15-year-old for alleged false bomb threat on social media

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:56 GMT

A 15-year-old boy has been arrested for making a bomb threat towards a Florida sheriff’s office on social media, officials said.Maycol Matute is facing charges of making a false report concerning planting a bomb, explosive, or weapon of mass destruction.The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office stated that the investigation began when Matute sent a direct message to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Instagram account, claiming, ‘I sent a bomb to your police station.’Detectives from Pinellas County collaborated with their counterparts in Miami, leading to the identification of Matute as the suspect.During questioning, authorities revealed that Matute confessed, and thought that law enforcement would not take the threat seriously.

Escaped inmate facing child sex charges in Tennessee captured in Florida

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:56 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A man accused of child sex charges who has been on the run for over a month after escaping custody in Tennessee has been captured in Florida, authorities said.Sean Williams, 52, was arrested without incident Tuesday in Pinellas County after being spotted in the area and tracked down by a K-9 officer and his partner, the FBI in Knoxville said on social media.Williams escaped from a transport van on Oct. 18 while being moved from a detention facility in Kentucky to the federal courthouse in Greeneville, Tennessee, according to the FBI.Authorities have said the camera in the transport van wasn’t working and Williams got out through a broken back window, news outlets reported. Williams was being held in Kentucky after a previous escape attempt in Tennessee.The former Johnson City businessman was in custody on three counts of production of child sexual abuse material and one count of distribution of cocaine and is now also facing an escape charge, the FBI said.He ...

Police: 30-year-old reported missing from Pembroke Pines located

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:56 GMT

A 30-year-old woman reported missing from Pembroke Pines has been located safe, police said. April Davis was last seen on Sunday leaving the Egrets Walk community, and her current whereabouts remain unknown. On Wednesday morning, police announced that she was located. https://twitter.com/PPinesPD/status/1727369217022828648Authorities are urging anyone with information about her disappearance to contact Detective Sammarco at 954-431-2200.

Macron’s rift with diplomats deepens after missteps on Israel-Hamas war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:56 GMT

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron notoriously hates diplomats. Now, he needs them more than ever.Macron is hoping to re-energize his Middle East policy after several rash initiatives failed to gain traction. The French president needs all the help he can get, particularly from his own diplomatic service, to salvage France’s influence in the region but his relationship with French diplomats has been tumultuous and officials regularly complain of being kept out of the loop. Press leaks have featured diplomats hostile to Macron’s approach to the Middle East.Earlier this month, in an interview with the BBC, Macron called on Israel to halt its retaliatory bombing campaign against Hamas because they were killing “ladies” and “babies.” After an Israeli government backlash, the president was obliged to contact the country’s leaders to clarify his statements. One French diplomat summarized the French position as “one day pro-Israeli̶...

Conservative backlash kills off EU’s Green Deal push to slash pesticide use

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:56 GMT

STRASBOURG — Lawmakers killed off a central pillar of the European Commission’s Green Deal on Wednesday, rejecting a bill to slash the use of pesticides in farming in a vote that stunned environmentalists and delighted conservatives and farming groups.The legislation, the Sustainable Use Regulation (SUR), was already in trouble after competing versions emerged from the committee stage of scrutiny. But most lawmakers had expected it to scrape through a plenary vote and then move to the next legislative stage — agreeing on a final text with EU member countries.In the end, MEPs rejected the bill outright, with 299 votes against, 207 in favor, and 121 abstentions.“This is a very dark day for the society as a whole and for the environment — and also for farmers,” said Austrian Green MEP Sarah Wiener, Parliament’s lead on the file from the environment committee.The bill, proposed by the EU executive in July 2022, aimed to halve the use and risk of chemical pesticides in the EU,...