'Worse than death itself': Survivors describe Libya floods
Residents of Derna tell the BBC how they got out alive as floodwaters smashed through the city.
2023-09-14 22:23
Hundreds of police officers hunted for Danelo Cavalcante for two weeks. A dog secured his capture
As escaped murder convict Danelo Cavalcante was escorted out of the woods of a Pennsylvania town on Wednesday morning, his face bore the mark left by the four-legged hero who subdued him. Calvalcante was finally taken back into custody after a 14-day multi-agency manhunt that spanned more than 25 miles. For nearly two weeks, Cavalcante eluded hundreds of SWAT, FBI, state, federal and local enforcement officers in full combat gear, as well as tracking dogs, and police on horseback and on aircraft. It was a US Border Patrol’s tactical unit (BORTAC) that finally made the capture shortly after 8am. Dozens of agents in the special operations unit celebrated the major development with a victory photo next to a defeated, bloodied and handcuffed Cavalcante. The key participant in the imminent capture, a K-9 who surprised Cavalcante and tackled him to the ground, also posed front row next to its handler for the photo. A Border Patrol spokesperson told The Independent that the K-9 behind the heroic efforts is a four-year-old Belgian Malinois named Yoda. Pennsylvania State Police Lt Col George Bivens said that Cavalcante began to crawl through heavy underbrush as border patrol agents closed in on him. Yoda then set out to subdue Cavalcante and left the escaped killer with a gnarly scalp wound that bled onto his face. “K9s play a very important role, not only for tracking but also in a circumstance like this, safely capturing someone,” Mr Bivens said. “Far better than having a patrol dog subdue the individual and then have to use lethal force. Our intention is always to use other means.” Mr Bivens said the K9s that participated in the search are typically used to simply detain suspects without causing additional injuries. According to the Border Patrol’s website, the dogs are “trained in human detection, tracking and the physical apprehension of violent subjects is singularly suited for this need.” Border Patrol said that it worked together with state police and other local and federal agencies to corner Cavalcante and secure his arrest. Agents from Buffalo, Detroit, Washington and Vermont and Border Patrol’s Special Operations Group in El Paso, Texas, participated in the capture. “Today’s actions are the latest demonstration of how our agents and officers bring incredible capability, additional interagency communications technology, and dedication to keep our communities safe,” a spokesperson said. “Most importantly, all those involved in the search were able to return home safe following the end to this manhunt.” BORTAC agents are deployed to specialised missions across the country and are described as “highly skilled at tracking humans in all terrain and in all environments.” Cavalcante’s escape from a Pennsylvania prison on 31 August ensued a frantic manhunt for the convicted killer in the vast wooded terrains of Chester County. Residents gripped by fear followed pleas by police to secure their homes, as three school districts in the area and a large botanical garden were forced. Law enforcement faced criticism for Cavalcante’s success in eluding officers and sneaking past the search perimeter. The initial four-square-mile search area had to be expanded to 10 square miles and then dropped altogether after Cavalcante managed to steal a vehicle and drive more than 25 miles from his initial hiding spot. Then on Monday night, Cavalcante broke into a garage in South Coventry Township and stole a .22 rifle with a scope and a flashlight on it. The homeowner opened fire on Cavalcante with his pistol but the fugitive was not injured. Authorities blamed the vast wooded area and the weather for their failure to capture Cavalcante sooner, noting that no perimeter could be secured completely. Retired Las Vegas Police Lt Randy Sutton agreed that the biggest challenges law enforcement faced were weather and containment-related. Aircraft with thermal technology had been flying over Cavalcante’s hiding area, but high temperatures likely prevented human signals from being detected. “It is absolutely impossible to contain a subject within a perimeter if it has not been diminished to an area where the manpower could be completely surrounded,” Mr Sutton, founder of the nonprofit The Wounded Blue, told The Independent. “It is not unusual for individuals to escape from perimeters, and that is why there is flexibility [in] changing those parameters. Law enforcement did just that and is what eventually led to the capture of the suspect.” He added: “The suspect could’ve been captured earlier had additional resources in the terms of manpower and technology been employed but once again, there is no full-proof method when it comes to a manhunt. “This individual could’ve [held] up for many more days or even weeks, had he located an unoccupied structure and remained there.” The first possible sign of Cavalcante that alerted searchers shortly after midnight Tuesday was a burglar alarm. Law enforcement personnel investigated it and did not find Cavalcante. But the alarm attracted nearby search teams to the area and around 1am, a Drug Enforcement Administration plane with a thermal imaging camera picked up a heat signal that searchers on the ground began to track and encircle. Storms moving in with rain and lightning forced the plane to leave the area while search teams stayed put and tried to secure a perimeter around where the heat signal had been to prevent Cavalcante from slipping away once again. Later in the morning, the plane returned along with more search teams. Border patrol agents then moved in on Cavalcante in a wooded area, about a half-mile away from where the burglary alarm went off. Cavalcante was wearing an Eagles hoodie and what appeared to be his prison pants when he was apprehended. Officers cleaned his bloodied face and proceeded to cut off his clothing before he was escorted inside a tactical vehicle. “Folks, whoever had their Eagles’ hoodie stolen,” Gov Josh Shapiro joked at a press conference after the arrest. “If you could let us know, I’ll do my best to get you one of those new Kelly Green ones.” Cavalcante was transported to PSP’s Avondale barracks, where he will be interviewed. He is then expected to be moved to a state-run prison facility. The capture likely brought ease to members of the suburban community, especially the family of Cavalcante’s murder victim Deborah Brandao. Prosecutors said during his trial last month that Cavalcante stabbed Brandao roughly 40 times in April 2021 to prevent her from telling American authorities that he was wanted for murder in Brazil. “Our nightmare is finally over and the good guys won,” Chester County District Attorney Deborah Ryan said. “We never lost faith that this capture would take place and knew it was just a matter of time.” Read More Danelo Cavalcante capture details revealed as escaped prisoner treated for dog bite: Live updates Pennsylvania fugitive Danelo Cavalcante is captured hiding under logs in shed two weeks after prison escape Pennsylvania police take group photo with captured fugitive Danelo Cavalcante
2023-09-14 22:21
SoftBank-backed Arm's long march to $54.5 billion US listing
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2023-09-14 20:57
Wall Street's mood is improving — but it's far from upbeat
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2023-09-14 20:22
Kris Jenner appears to be planning her own loungewear line
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2023-09-14 19:27
Russian air defence system destroyed in Crimea in Ukrainian attack
A Ukrainian official tells the BBC the air defence system was destroyed in a cruise missile attack.
2023-09-14 19:15
Danelo Cavalcante evaded capture for two weeks on run by burying his faeces and surviving on watermelon
Escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante has revealed that he managed to evade capture for two weeks on the run by burying his own faeces and surviving on watermelon. Cavalcante escaped Chester County Prison in Pennsylvania back on 31 August after he was handed a life sentence for murdering his former girlfriend. It was not until almost two weeks later – on the morning of 13 September – that the escaped prisoner was finally back in handcuffs, after he was captured by a tactical team and police K-9 in a wooded area. Since his capture, investigators have now revealed that Cavalcante complied with their questions and told them various details about his time on the run from the police. Supervisory Deputy US Marshall Robert Clark, who conducted the manhunt that eventually led to his capture, spoke to NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo about the aftermath of his arrest. Mr Clark said that the fugitive was “brutally honest” about his two weeks evading capture from law enforcement and the measures he went to to survive and stay hidden. Various investigators, from US Marshalls, PA State police to county police, all wanted to interview him, but were unsure what to expect, he said. “We took a Brazilian law enforcement interpreter, and we asked if he wanted to talk and he did,” Mr Clark told NewsNation, saying that by Cavalcante agreeing, they were able to fill in the gaps in their investigation. According to Mr Clark, the fugitive said that, within the first three days, he didn’t move far from Chester County Prison. After that, Cavalcante said that he ate watermelon he stole from a farm, drank water from a stream and hid within dense thickets where, unless someone stepped on him, he would be able to remain hidden from sight. To cover his tracks, he would hide his faeces under leaves. There were several close calls with search teams, the fugitive also allegedly admitted. “He did say on three occasions law enforcement officers did almost step on him. They were about seven to eight yards away from him,” Mr Clark said. “We believe he was brutally honest. He described things such as hiding his faecal matter under leaves so that we couldn’t detect them.” The officers even asked how Cavalcante managed to change his appearance by becoming clean-shaven while on the run, questioning whether someone had helped him. His answer was simple: the backpack he was pictured with, held a single razor. The investigators and Mr Clark found Cavalcante’s story “credible” and “candid,” as he went into detail about how he moved out of the first perimeter by scoping out an area he could escape across. Cavalcante told officials that he noticed more and more of a law enforcement presence and became aware of aerial assets and helicopters. He apparently also told investigators about the vehicle he stole on 10 September, that police found abandoned in a field behind a barn 15 miles outside of Phoenixville. He also spoke about the stolen firearm, which he obtained after breaking into a resident’s garage, Mr Clark said. Had he not been captured – with the help of a K-9 that bit him on the top of his head – Cavalcante planned to flee the country. “He intended to carjack somebody in the community and head north to Canada, or either or try to get back to Puerto Rico. He said he was going to do that in the next 24 hours. And that was the reason he kept that firearm. He knew he needed a weapon in order to get a vehicle,” Mr Clark said. Cavalcante also told law enforcement that Mexico was on the list of possible places he may have fled to, according to Steve Keeley from Fox 29. “Cavalcante said his endgame was to carjack someone in next day because he noticed increasing aerial search helicopters & airplanes… He only moved at night, no days,” Mr Keeley said on X. Mr Keeley’s source also matched what Mr Clark said about the fugitive conducting his own surveillance during his escape, both of the perimeter around Longwood Gardens and on the house where he stole the firearm from. Mr Clark said his US Marshall colleagues described Cavalcante during the interview as “calm, cool, [and] didn’t have any attitude to him”. Cavalcante was finally caught when Pennsylvania officials closed in on him on Wednesday morning. He was crawling through heavy underbush trying to get away, but was stopped by a four-year-old K-9 called Yoda, who was dispatched to grab hold of him by biting him on his head. After he was captured, a large group of officers took a group photo with the criminal now back in handcuffs, something they have since come under fire for. Cavalcante was serving a life sentence in prison for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfiend Deborah Brandao. He is also wanted for a murder he committed in 2017 in Brazil. Read More Captured killer Danelo Cavalcante reveals how he survived on run as police under fire for group photo: Live Hundreds of police officers hunted for Danelo Cavalcante for two weeks. A dog secured his capture Pennsylvania fugitive Danelo Cavalcante is captured hiding under logs in shed two weeks after prison escape
2023-09-14 18:16
CEOs from Alphabet, Walmart, Pfizer meet White House officials on refugees
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2023-09-14 18:15
More than 3,000 arrested as massive climate protests block major Netherlands motorway for fifth day
Police in the Netherlands arrested over 3,000 climate activists this week during ongoing protests against government subsidies given to planet-heating fossil fuels. The protests continued on the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday with hundreds of people blocking a major highway which connects to The Hague, the seat of the Dutch government. Local police said activists marched onto the A12 highway and blocked all incoming traffic to the city, the news agency ANP reported. Authorities warned protesters to stay off the road and police detained over 3,000 people who ignored orders to leave. All the detained protesters have been released after being removed from the scene. On Monday, the police deployed water cannons to disperse the crowd, with photos and videos showing activists drenched in water and some being taken off the scene. No injuries have been reported, authorities said. “25,000 People Block Amsterdam A12 Motorway,” said Just Stop Oil on Monday, another group of climate activists, sharing a video of protestors holding banners as police fired water cannons. In one video, activists could be heard chanting: “What do we want? Climate justice!” On Saturday an estimated 10,000 activists joined the protest, while on Sunday several hundreds blocked the road, Reuters news agency reported. The protests, one of the latest in recent days, were organised by climate protestors from Extinction Rebellion, a global environmental movement. The group said it would continue till the Dutch government stopped using public funds to subsidise the oil and gas industry, as they have done in recent months. According to a report published last week by the Center for Research on Multinational Corporations, these subsidies total around €37.5bn (£32.23bn) each year. Burning fossil fuels – such as coal, oil and gas – is responsible for the majority of carbon pollution that is heating the world and fuelling more extreme weather and disasters. Scientific assessments have found that the global average temperature has already risen by about 1.2 degrees Celsius and it is set to rise more, triggering worse extreme heatwaves, droughts, hurricanes and wildfires. The year 2023 has seen the hottest summer on record, the United Nations confirmed this month with temperatures between June to August standing at 1.5C higher than normal. Read More Just Stop Oil: Are the climate group’s demonstrations at sporting events against the law? Sadiq Khan says Just Stop Oil ‘really important’ amid Pride parade sponsors row UK police have new expanded powers to crack down on protests Climate activists attack Walmart heiress’ $300m yacht – again What we know about 2023 Burning Man’s flooding chaos Hurricane Lee tracker: Alerts issued across coastal New England as storm pivots north
2023-09-14 17:53
UNC lockdown updates: Horror as armed person waves gun at Chapel Hill bagel shop weeks after campus shooting
The University of North Carolina’s Chapel Hill campus was put on lockdown for the second time in two weeks after an armed person waved a gun inside a bagel shop. An alert was sent out at 12.54pm ET on Wednesday, asking students and staff to “go inside now” and to “avoid windows” because of the threat “on or near campus”. An all-clear alert was put out at 2.10pm. An official told The Daily Tar Heel that the incident came when the suspect allegedly brandished a gun at Alpine Bagel over an employment-related conflict. No shots were fired and police said that suspect Mickel Deonte Harris, 27, was arrested at around 2.45pm just north of the campus. This marks the second terrifying incident at the school in just over two weeks. On 28 August, the campus was on lockdown for hours amid reports of an “armed and dangerous person”. That person was identified as Tailei Qi, a 34-year-old graduate student who allegedly shot and killed Zijie Yan, an associate professor in the Department of Applied Physical Sciences. Read More UNC campus on lockdown over ‘armed and dangerous person’ two weeks after shooting Students criticize the University of North Carolina's response to an active shooter emergency Audio reveals 911 caller in University of North Carolina shooting immediately identified a suspect Who was UNC Chapel Hill shooting victim Zijie Yan?
2023-09-14 17:49
House Republicans wrestle with key decisions as they plot next steps on impeachment inquiry
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2023-09-14 17:28
Kim Jong Un: The US wants to engage North Korea but doesn't know how
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2023-09-14 16:20