Latest News Headlines for Tuesday February 6, 2024 – Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has requested Secret Service protection due to a rise in security threats, as reported in several sources this week.
The request follows two recent “swatting” incidents at Haley’s residence on Kiawah Island, one of which occurred while her elderly parents and their caregiver were present. In these incidents, police arrived with drawn guns in response to false reports of violence, known as “swatting.” Haley’s call for protection underscores the escalating security concerns for public figures.
—
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a crucial four-day Middle East trip focused on resolving the hostage situation in Gaza and seeking a prolonged ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In Riyadh, Blinken highlighted the need to address Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and prevent further escalation of the conflict, according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. The trip, which runs through Thursday, includes visits to Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the West Bank, marking Blinken’s fifth trip to the region since the conflict began on October 7th.
—
An Iraq-based militia group, supported by Iran, took responsibility on Monday for a drone attack on an eastern Syrian base used by U.S. forces, which resulted in the deaths of six allied Kurdish fighters.
This attack, which did not result in American casualties, is seen as the first major retaliation by Iran-backed groups against U.S. airstrikes in the region. The U.S. initiated these strikes on Friday against militias within the Islamic Resistance in Iraq as a response to escalated attacks on American bases.
—
A group of migrants was arrested in the Bronx late Monday night for a spree of citywide crimes, including the theft of women’s phones, as reported by the New York Police Department. The police executed a search warrant at a suspected hideout and apprehended seven suspects.
These individuals are expected to face multiple robbery and grand larceny charges. The suspects, believed to be from Venezuela, are linked to at least 62 cases of women being robbed of their pocketbooks and phones, according to police statements.
—
An Oklahoma jury awarded $25 million to Scott Sapulpa after finding a local newspaper guilty of defaming him by mistakenly identifying him as the announcer who made racist comments during a 2021 girls basketball game broadcast.
The Muskogee County jury granted Sapulpa $5 million in actual damages and an additional $20 million in punitive damages. Sapulpa’s attorney, Michael Barkett, expressed relief and hope for his client’s reputation restoration. The jury determined that the newspaper acted with actual malice, which allowed for punitive damages to be considered.
—
South Dakota prosecutors have charged a man with first-degree murder and aggravated eluding in connection with the death of a deputy during a high-speed chase.
Joseph Gene Hoek, 40, is accused of killing Moody County Chief Deputy Ken Prorok, 51, while evading police using tire spikes. At his first court appearance, Hoek was held without bail. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, who is personally prosecuting the case, mentioned the need for further investigation into mitigating factors.
—
A McDonald’s franchisee agreed to a $4.4 million settlement with a teenage girl who sued over sexual assault by a restaurant manager, a registered sex offender, in Pittsburgh, as announced by the victim’s lawyers on Monday.
The agreement compensates the girl, who was 14 at the time of the 2021 assault by Walter A. Garner in the restaurant’s bathroom. Garner, now 44, had previously been imprisoned and was listed on the Megan’s Law website for sexually assaulting a minor.
—
The San Francisco 49ers have expressed concerns about the state of their practice field assigned for the Super Bowl week, citing it as too soft.
An inside source revealed the team’s worries, particularly since sod was recently placed over the turf field at UNLV for their use this week. The source, choosing to remain anonymous, shared this information amid the absence of official statements from the NFL or the 49ers on the matter.
—
In Michigan, firefighters successfully saved two deer that had fallen through weak ice on a frozen lake.
The incident, reported by the Plainfield Township Fire Department on Facebook, involved collaborative efforts with the Cannon Township Fire Department. The deer were found stranded on the ice of Versluis Lake at Versluis Park in Grand Rapids.
Rescue efforts were captured in a video, showing firefighters employing a hovercraft to access the deer floundering in the icy waters.
Once brought to shore, local residents from Waterford Condos assisted in drying and warming the deer, taking measures to avert hypothermia.
