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Pennsylvania teacher arrested in Russia on drug charges is wrongfully detained: US officials

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Pennsylvania teacher arrested in Russia on drug charges is wrongfully detained: US officials


A Pennsylvania history teacher arrested in Russia on drug charges has been officially designated as wrongfully detained, US officials announced Friday.

Marc Fogel, a husband and father of two, was arrested in 2021 when he and his wife flew to Russia to teach. He was caught at the airport with what his family said was medically prescribed marijuana that he took for chronic back pain.

Fogel is currently serving a 14-year prison sentence.

The US State Department determined in October that Fogel was wrongfully detained but just confirmed the designation Friday.

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Marc Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, is serving a 14-year prison sentence after being arrested in 2021 at a Russian airport.

Fogel was omitted from a prisoner swap in August that included the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, corporate security executive Paul Whelan and others.

“The United States has been working to secure Marc Fogel’s release for some time,” the State Department said in a statement. “We have long called for his humanitarian release and tried to include him in the August 1 deal, but were unable to.”

In August, a prisoner swap between Russia and the US brought home Marine veteran Paul Whelan. AP
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in Russia in March 2023 and released in August. Russia State TV via Reuters

Fogel’s wife, Jane, and his sons, Ethan and Sam, said in a statement that “The State Department has finally acknowledged what we have known all along — that our husband and father, Marc Fogel, has and continues to be wrongfully detained.

“Now that we have the full force of the U.S. government behind us, we must do everything in our power to bring Marc home as quickly and safely as possible.”

Family members of Marc Fogel rallied outside the White House for his release in July 2023. AP

The designation means the federal government is now legally required to work for his release. His case will be transferred to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, which deals with hostage and detainee releases.

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In making the determination, the State Department considers factors, including if there is credible information that the person is innocent and if the country holding the prisoner is seeking to influence US policy or get concessions from the US government.

With Post wires



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1 killed in crash involving horse and buggy in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania State Police say

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1 killed in crash involving horse and buggy in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania State Police say



One person was killed in a two-vehicle crash involving a horse and buggy in Lancaster County on Wednesday afternoon, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

The crash happened around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 4000 block of Strasburg Road in Salisbury Township, state police said.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene, according to state police.

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Strasburg Road, or Rt. 741, near Hoover Road, is closed in both directions, PennDOT says.

PSP said the Lancaster Patrol Unit, Troop J Forensic Services Unit and Troop J Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Specialists Unit are on scene investigating the crash.



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Police hunt for masked suspects who looted a Pennsylvania Lululemon overnight

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Police hunt for masked suspects who looted a Pennsylvania Lululemon overnight


Pennsylvania police are searching for at least two masked suspects believed to have looted a Lululemon store overnight.

At least two masked men broke into a Lululemon in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, around 2 a.m. Tuesday, police told NBC 10 Philadelphia. Ardmore, a suburb of Philadelphia, is home to about 14,000 people.

The suspected thieves used a sledgehammer to break the glass on the store’s front door, according to police.

Once they gained access, the masked individuals grabbed handfuls of merchandise, security footage shows. The men went in and out of the store several times, grabbing handfuls of items that included coats, vests and shirts from the men’s section, police told local outlet WPVI.

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Surveillance footage shows at least two masked men breaking into a Pennsylvania Lululemon, police say

Surveillance footage shows at least two masked men breaking into a Pennsylvania Lululemon, police say (ABC 6/Lower Merion Police Department)

“This is taking it to another level,” Lower Merion Police Superintendent Andy Block told WPVI.

The suspects then loaded the merchandise into a U-Haul truck. Their truck was last seen at the intersection of Bryn Mawr Avenue and Woodbine Avenue, just a few miles from the store, police said.

The entire incident lasted about five minutes, which Block said is longer than usual for this type of burglary.

“Usually, it is because in a smash-and-grab situation they want to get in and get out before they’re identified or anybody’s notified on it,” Block told CBS Philadelphia.

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Block told WPVI the store is a popular target for robbers, given that many of its items cost more than $100. Now, he expects the alleged thieves have sold or exchanged the items.

“They’re using it on the market, maybe they’re exchanging it for drugs, or they’re selling it on the black market. It’s a highly sought-after item,” he told WPVI.

Thieves took off with handfuls of merchandise from a Pennsylvania Lululemon, according to police

Thieves took off with handfuls of merchandise from a Pennsylvania Lululemon, according to police (AFP via Getty Images)

Even though police say Lululemon is a popular target, Lt. Michael Keenan of the Lower Merion Police Department still called the incident “out of character.”

“This is an out of character, out of type incident where we don’t normally see people smashing windows in the middle of the night. But, certainly this is something that is distinct,” Keenan told NBC 10 Philadelphia.

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The store still opened Tuesday, with a banner covering the smashed glass on the door, according to Fox 29. Gina Picciano, a general manager at a restaurant across the street, said it was a frightening incident.

“I walked out here with my bartender and we looked, and it’s scary that it’s happening right across the way from us,” Picciano told Fox 29.

The same store was previously robbed in May 2024. Thieves stole more than $10,000 worth of merchandise during that incident, NBC 10 Philadelphia reports.

The Independent has contacted the Lower Merion Police Department and Lululemon for comment.



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Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro has $30 million for his reelection bid, a new state record

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Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro has  million for his reelection bid, a new state record


Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro set another campaign finance record for Pennsylvania with $30 million on hand as he seeks a second term this fall, his campaign said Tuesday. Pennsylvania has emerged as the nation’s premier presidential battleground state, and Shapiro’s strong showing in the 2022 governor’s race elevated his profile within the Democratic Party, where he’s viewed as a potential 2028 White House contender. In the general election, Shapiro, 52, is expected to face Stacy Garrity, the twice-elected state treasurer who has been endorsed by the state Republican Party.



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