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Sheriff had cause to take Maine mass shooting killer into protective custody beforehand, report says

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Sheriff had cause to take Maine mass shooting killer into protective custody beforehand, report says

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A sheriff’s office investigating a mass shooting in Maine had cause to take the killer into protective custody beforehand and to remove his guns, according to a report issued by an independent commission Friday.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey assembled the commission to review both the events leading up to Oct. 25, when Army reservist Robert Card killed 18 people in a bowling alley and a bar, and the response to the tragedy.

Led by a former chief justice of Maine’s highest court, the commission also included a former U.S. attorney and the former chief forensic psychologist for the state. It held seven sessions starting in November, hearing from law enforcement, survivors and victims’ family members and members of the U.S. Army Reserve as it explored whether anything could have been done to prevent the tragedy and what changes should be made going forward.

Card, who was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot after a two-day search, was well known to law enforcement, and his family and fellow service members had raised flags about his behavior, deteriorating mental health and potential for violence before the shootings.

In May, relatives warned police that Card had grown paranoid, and they expressed concern about his access to guns. In July, Card was hospitalized in a psychiatric unit for two weeks after shoving a fellow reservist and locking himself in a motel room. In August, the Army barred him from handling weapons while on duty and declared him nondeployable. And in September, a fellow reservist texted an Army supervisor about his growing concerns about Card, saying, “I believe he’s going to snap and do a mass shooting.”

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But law enforcement officials told commission members that Maine’s yellow flag law makes it difficult to remove guns from potentially dangerous people.

“I couldn’t get him to the door. I can’t make him open the door,” said Sgt. Aaron Skolfield, who visited Card’s home for a welfare check in September. “If I had kicked in the door, that would’ve been a violation of the law.”

In later testimony, those involved in the search for Card in the shooting’s aftermath acknowledged potential missed opportunities to find him and end the search that locked down the community and terrified residents. Some of the most emotional testimony came family members who tearfully described scenes of blood, chaos and panic followed by unfathomable loss.

Rachael Sloat, who was engaged to be married to shooting victim Peton Berwer Ross, told the committee that her heart breaks every time their 2-year-old daughter asks for her daddy.

“Where are you?” she said. “Every politician, every member of law enforcement, every registered voter in the country – I want you to hear those words. ‘Where are you?’ Because my fellow Americans, where are you? We failed my little girl.”

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Zelenskyy lambastes Putin over Christmas strikes: 'What could be more inhumane?'

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Zelenskyy lambastes Putin over Christmas strikes: 'What could be more inhumane?'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy excoriated Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday for launching attacks against energy infrastructure on Christmas Day.

Zelenskyy suggested the attacks were “inhumane,” but said they would not ruin Christmas.

“Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane? Over 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, and more than a hundred attack drones. The targets are our energy infrastructure. They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine,” he declared in a post on X.

The Russian Defence Ministry acknowledged a “massive strike” on its part, saying it hit energy facilities that supported Ukraine’s “military-industrial complex,” Reuters reported.

“The aim of the strike was achieved. All facilities have been hit,” the ministry said.

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RUSSIA BATTERS UKRAINE POWER GRID AMID RISING CONCERN PUTIN COULD ORDER BALLISTIC MISSILE ATTACK THIS WEEKEND

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy talks with the media during the European Council Meeting in Brussels on Thursday. (Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)

Strikes against Ukrainian fuel and energy sources involved 78 air, ground and sea-launched missiles, in addition to 106 Shaheds and other kinds of drones, Ukraine’s air force claimed, according to The Associated Press.

“Unfortunately, there have been hits. As of now, there are power outages in several regions. Power engineers are working to restore power supply as soon as possible,” Zelenskyy noted. 

Still, the Ukrainian leader declared that “Russian evil will not break Ukraine and will not spoil Christmas.”

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US CITIZEN IMPRISONED IN RUSSIA GIVEN NEW 15-YEAR SENTENCE IN WAKE OF ESPIONAGE CONVICTION

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his annual end-of-year press conference in Moscow on Thursday. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. has provided billions of dollars’ worth of aid to help Ukraine fight the Russian onslaught that erupted in 2022, but Americans and their congressional representatives have been divided regarding whether the U.S. should continue supplying aid to Ukraine.

President-elect Trump, who will take office on Jan. 20, has called for a cease-fire and negotiations.

TRUMP MEETS WITH MACRON, ZELENSKYY AHEAD OF NOTRE DAME REOPENING CEREMONY IN PARIS

President-elect Trump

President-elect Trump looks on during Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix on Sunday.  (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

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In a post on Truth Social this month, Trump declared that “Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.”

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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Five journalists killed in Israeli strike near Gaza hospital

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Five journalists killed in Israeli strike near Gaza hospital

Journalists from Al-Quds Today were covering events at al-Awda Hospital when their vehicle was struck.

Five journalists have been killed in an Israeli strike in the vicinity of a hospital in central Gaza, according to Palestinian authorities and media reports.

The journalists from the Al-Quds Today channel were covering events near al-Awda Hospital, located in the Nuseirat refugee camp, when their broadcasting van was hit by an Israeli air strike, Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif reported early on Thursday morning.

Footage from the scene circulating on social media shows a vehicle engulfed in flames.

A screenshot taken from a video of the white-coloured van shows the word “press” in large red lettering across the back of the vehicle.

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The deceased journalists have been named as Fadi Hassouna, Ibrahim al-Sheikh Ali, Mohammed al-Ladah, Faisal Abu al-Qumsan and Ayman al-Jadi.

Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif said that Ayman al-Jadi had been waiting for his wife in front of the hospital while she was in labour to give birth to their first child.

Civil defence teams retrieved the bodies of the victims and extinguished a fire at the scene, the Quds News Network said.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli authorities.

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The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) earlier this month condemned Israel’s killing of four Palestinian journalists in the space of a week, calling on the international community to hold the country accountable for its attacks against the media.

At least 141 journalists have been killed in Israel’s war in Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to the CPJ.

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Consejos para disfrutar de las celebraciones de fin de año, sin estrés

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Consejos para disfrutar de las celebraciones de fin de año, sin estrés

NUEVA YORK (AP) — Todos conocemos los factores de estrés: obligaciones sociales, rencillas familiares, divisiones políticas, estrés financiero y el deseo de mantenerse alegre y generoso todo el tiempo.

Así que aquí va un recordatorio sobre cómo desterrar a tu perfeccionista interior y disfrutar verdaderamente de la temporada festiva:

“Realmente ayuda dejar de lado algunos de los ‘deberías’”, dice Lynn F. Bufka, jefa de práctica de la Asociación Estadounidense de Psicología. “Decide cuál es la cosa que más importa, y las cosas que te brindan más alegría, y suelta las demás”.

Las tradiciones pueden cambiar y evolucionar, y cuanto más flexibles sean las cosas, más fácil será para todos, dice Bufka.

“Concentra tu energía en crear un espacio cálido para que las personas que amas se reúnan y relajen, se pongan al día y celebren unos a otros. Eso es literalmente todo lo que importa”, concuerda Lauren Iannotti, editora en jefe de Real Simple.

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Algunos consejos:

Concéntrate en lo que te hace feliz

Podrías decidir que la conversación es tu objetivo principal y no preocuparte en absoluto por la decoración, dice Bufka. O si la decoración de la mesa es lo que amas, invierte tu energía allí y no te preocupes tanto por otros aspectos.

“Idealmente, debería tratarse de enfocarse en el amor, y eso no significa lo mismo para todos”, dice Bufka.

Permite que otros hagan las cosas por ti.

“La gente quiere ayudar, ¡déjalos!”, dice Iannotti. “Si no te ENCANTA cocinar todas esas guarniciones, o tienes poco tiempo, no hay ninguna vergüenza en aceptar que tu hermana haga el relleno. O busca ayuda de los profesionales: apoya a un restaurante local haciendo un pedido de catering”.

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Otra opción es que “cada uno traiga un plato distintivo”, dice Ianotti. “Ahorrarás tiempo y dinero en la preparación y la cocina y tus invitados podrán mostrar sus habilidades”.

Darte permiso para tomar atajos

“Está bien si la casa está un poco desordenada o si la cena se sirve unos minutos tarde”, dice Iannotti. “Si las personas que has invitado están más interesadas en evaluar tu desempeño que en pasar un buen rato, pueden discutirlo con su terapeuta”. (Por cierto, no lo están, añade ella).

Y no dudes en dejar que la gente se sirva por sí misma, cuando sea posible. “Si no tienes tiempo para jugar a ser el barman, crea una bebida insignia con anticipación que puedas servir a todos tus invitados. También puedes simplemente dejar algunos mezcladores para que los invitados se sirvan y hagan sus propias creaciones”, sugiere Caroline Utz, directora editorial y de estrategia en The Spruce.

Está bien tener tiempo a solas

Las cosas funcionarán lo suficientemente bien si no lo supervisas todo, así que cuídate. Tómate pausas o caminatas si eso te ayuda a mantenerte centrado.

“Aunque el mindfulness se está convirtiendo en un término demasiado utilizado en la sociedad actual, hay algo valioso que podemos tomar de esto y aplicar a la temporada de fin de año”, dice Brook Choulet, psiquiatra deportiva y de rendimiento de concierge y fundadora de Choulet Performance Psychiatry.

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Ella recomienda “programar microdescansos intencionales” para hacer algo que disfrutes.

“Por ejemplo, podrías programar una llamada telefónica con un amigo de otro estado, tomar un paseo de 15 minutos al aire libre, o incluso ajustar el temporizador y tomar un baño de 15 minutos sin interrupciones”, dijo.

Espera algo de discordia y no te alarmes por ello

“Si te preocupa la polarización y entrar en conversaciones incómodas, intenta pensar en maneras en que puedas terminar una conversación o cambiarla de dirección”, dice Bufka.

Ella recomienda preparar algunas frases de antemano para ayudar a terminar la conversación o cambiarla de dirección.

En resumen, tener la intención de una temporada festiva menos perfecta puede ser justo lo que necesitas.

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Katherine Roth cubre temas de vida y estilo y otros temas para The Associated Press desde Nueva York.

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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

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