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Russia

Prisoner Swap: First Photo Shows New Jersey WSJ Reporter In Release From Russian Captivity Prisoner Swap: First Photo Shows New Jersey WSJ Reporter In Release From Russian Captivity
Prisoner Swap: First Photo Shows New Jersey WSJ Reporter In Release From Russian Captivity Evan Gershkovich is a free man.  The 32-year-old New Jersey native was among three United States residents released from prison in Russia in on Thursday, Aug. 1, in what's being called the biggest prisoner swap between since 1991. Gershkovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, and radio journalism Alsu Kurmasheva, were the prisoners released to American soil. The massive swap freed more than two dozen prisoners from six different countries. A photo shared by President Joe Biden to X shows the former hostages smiling, and proudly displaying an American flag, on an airplane. "…
Pair Convicted In Worldwide Ransomware Attacks, Victimizing NJ Residents: Feds Pair Convicted In Worldwide Ransomware Attacks, Victimizing NJ Residents: Feds
Pair Convicted In Worldwide Ransomware Attacks, Victimizing NJ Residents: Feds Two foreign nationals pleaded guilty and were convicted on Thursday, July 18 to participating in the LockBit ransomware group and to deploying attacks on computer systems in New Jersey and worldwide, authorities said. LockBit was described as "one of the most destructive ransomware groups in the world," by U.S. Justice Department officials. Ruslan Magomedeovic Astamirov, 21, a Russian national from the Chechen Republic and Mikhail Vasiliev, 34, from Bradford, Ontario, a dual citizen in Canada and Russia, pleaded guilty to participating in the LockBit ransomware group that targeted critical …
Heartbreaking Video Of Iraqi Shiite Hostage, Princeton Student Elizabeth Tsurkov Surfaces Heartbreaking Video Of Iraqi Shiite Hostage, Princeton Student Elizabeth Tsurkov Surfaces
Heartbreaking Video Of Iraqi Shiite Hostage, Princeton Student Elizabeth Tsurkov Surfaces A newly posted video suggests that a Princeton University doctoral student kidnapped in Iraq last March is alive. Elizabeth Tsurkov, a citizen of both Russia and Israel, was abducted while doing work for the Ivy League school, according to a July statement from Benjamin Netanyahu's office. The Iran Observer posted the unauthenticated video clip on X on Monday, Nov. 13 claiming Tsurkov is an operative with Mossad — the national intelligence agency of Israel. "I worked for the Mossad and CIA," a translation of the video reads. Israeli Elizabeth Tsurkov, kidnapped in Iraq 7 months ago, …
Princeton Doctoral Student Held Hostage In Iraq, Israeli Officials Say Princeton Doctoral Student Held Hostage In Iraq, Israeli Officials Say
Princeton Doctoral Student Held Hostage In Iraq, Israeli Officials Say A Princeton doctoral student missing for several months is being held hostage in Iraq, Israeli officials said. Elizabeth Tsurkov, a citizen of both Russia and Israel, was abducted in March while doing work for the Ivy League school, according to a statement from Benjamin Netanyahu's office. The 36-year-old was abducted by members of the Shiite group Kataeb Hezbollah, a radical Iran-backed militia group, Netanyahu's office said. Tsurkov had just walked out of a cafe in Iraqi capital Baghdad when she was abducted, the New York Times says citing the researcher's family.  Also a fellow at Wa…
Schumer, McConnell Call For Release Of WSJ Reporter, NJ Native Charged With Espionage Schumer, McConnell Call For Release Of WSJ Reporter, NJ Native Charged With Espionage
Schumer, McConnell Call For Release Of WSJ Reporter, NJ Native Charged With Espionage Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) can agree on one thing: they want reporter Evan Gershkovich, a Mercer County native, to be released after he was charged with espionage in Russia while reporting for the Wall Street Journal. The duo released a rare joint statement on Friday, April 7, calling for his release. Gershkovich was charged with espionage "in the interests of his country," according to Russian state media. "We strongly condemn the wrongful detention of U.S. citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, and de…
Detained WSJ Reporter From NJ Posted Chilling Tweets On Kremlin Coverage Detained WSJ Reporter From NJ Posted Chilling Tweets On Kremlin Coverage
Detained WSJ Reporter From NJ Posted Chilling Tweets On Kremlin Coverage Resurfaced tweets show Evan Gershkovich knew the perils of reporting on the Kremlin.  The Wall Street Journal reporter and 31-year-old Mercer County native remains detained in Russia, for allegedly trying to obtain classified information, and was detained in Yekaterinburg, Russia's Federal Security Service said Thursday, March 30. Gershkovich, who grew up in Princeton and played soccer for Bowdoin College, sent out the following tweet in July 2022: Ilya Yashin, one of the last prominent opposition politicians in Russia, is now facing 10 years in prison for spreading fake news about the…
Russia Detains NJ Soccer Player, WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich On Espionage Charges Russia Detains NJ Soccer Player, WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich On Espionage Charges
Russia Detains NJ Soccer Player, WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich On Espionage Charges Wall Street Journal reporter and 31-year-old New Jersey native Evan Gershkovich has been detained by Russian security agents on espionage charges, according to various news reports. Gershkovich, who grew up in Princeton, was allegedly trying to obtain classified information, and was detained in Yekaterinburg, Russia's Federal Security Service said Thursday, March 30. Gershkovich, who played soccer for Bowdoin College, is the first American correspondent to be detained on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War. In 1986, U.S. News and World Report reporter Nicholas Daniloff was arres…
Victim Of Rt. 611 Crash 'Thought The Best Of People' Victim Of Rt. 611 Crash 'Thought The Best Of People'
Victim Of Rt. 611 Crash 'Thought The Best Of People' Funeral services have been set for the 32-year-old woman who died of injuries sustained in a Ridgelsville crash last weekend. Anna "Anya" Hauber, of Nockamixon Township, was adopted with her sister was born in Russia and adopted by her parents, Charles and Karen Hauber, of Broomall, on Dec. 2, 2005 — along with her younger sister, Kristina, according to her obituary. Anya studied graphic design at Delaware County Community College after graduating from the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School in June 2010, her obituary reads. She enjoyed cooking, ballet in her teen years, p…
Five New Tiger Cubs Born At Six Flags Wild Safari Five New Tiger Cubs Born At Six Flags Wild Safari
Five New Tiger Cubs Born At Six Flags Wild Safari Siberian tiger Nadya gave birth to an extremely rare litter of five furry cubs at Six Flags Wild Safari. While most tiger births range from two to four cubs, this uncommon birth is also significant because as an endangered species, Nadya’s litter is equivalent to 1 percent of the world’s wild Siberian tiger population, park officials said. Siberian tigers, also known as Amur tigers, are critically endangered with an estimated wild population of only 500 due to poaching, hunting and habitat loss. As the largest cats in the world, they average 11 feet long with a three-foot tail. Despite orig…
Bergen County Man Who Left Lucrative Job To Make Puzzles For Cats Shines On Shark Tank Bergen County Man Who Left Lucrative Job To Make Puzzles For Cats Shines On Shark Tank
Bergen County Man Who Left Lucrative Job To Make Puzzles For Cats Shines On Shark Tank A Bergen County man who years ago left a lucrative gig to pursue his passion making puzzles for cats is getting a boost for his business after a "Shark Tank" pitch. Andrey Grigoryev, of Fort Lee, made a puzzle feeder and cat toy after noticing his own cat was bored with his toys years ago. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cat Amazing (@catamazingtoy) AndreyABC/Christopher Willard "Mooky’s inspiration and patience, together with Andrey’s obedience and opposable thumbs, eventually bore fruit," the Cat Amazing website reads. "Sur…
Biden Tapping US Petroleum Reserve To Relieve Pump Prices Biden Tapping US Petroleum Reserve To Relieve Pump Prices
Biden Tapping US Petroleum Reserve To Relieve Pump Prices US President Joe Biden will be tapping the country's petroleum reserves in an effort to save American drivers some cash. One million barrels of oil a day will be released for six months, totaling180 million barrels, from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The soaring gas prices are in part caused by the US ban on oil imports from Russia due to its Ukrainian invasion. The national average for a gallon of gas had fallen to $4.18 as of April 4. Gas price comparisonAAA “The upward push on oil prices caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine is meeting stronger downward pressure from the plann…
Jet Of One Of Richest Men In World Tracked At Teterboro Airport Jet Of One Of Richest Men In World Tracked At Teterboro Airport
Jet Of One Of Richest Men In World Tracked At Teterboro Airport A Twitter account that tracks private jets of Russian oligarchs says that a jet belonging to of the world's richest men flew out of Teterboro Airport Thursday, March 24. Ukrainian-born Leonard Blavatnik's jet N600EB left the airport around 9:25 a.m., Russian Oligarch Jets said citing flight-tracking service ADSB Exchange.  ROJ's Twitter page is run by the same Florida teen who Elon Musk paid to stop tracking his private jet. The tweet quickly began racking up comments: "Atlantic City trip?" one person said. "Hoagies run?" another joked. Blavatnik, a naturaliz…
Russia-Ukraine War To Have Seismic Effect On Jersey Shore Economy This Summer: Report Russia-Ukraine War To Have Seismic Effect On Jersey Shore Economy This Summer: Report
Russia-Ukraine War To Have Seismic Effect On Jersey Shore Economy This Summer: Report Russia's invasion of Ukraine is expected to make a major impact in Jersey Shore towns that rely on seasonal workers from Eastern Europe each summer, according to a recent report by Yahoo. The workers who annually participate in the State Department's J-1 visa summer work travel program likely won't be able to make it to the US this year, the outlet said. And so, businesses that rely on them could be kept closed, that is, if they don't find employees to fill empty positions. Adding insult to injury, many businesses were relying on increased revenue in Summer 2022 to make up for the dip …
Son Of Notorious Player In Giuliani, Trump Scandal Is Leading Pro-Ukraine Influencer On TikTok Son Of Notorious Player In Giuliani, Trump Scandal Is Leading Pro-Ukraine Influencer On TikTok
Son Of Notorious Player In Giuliani, Trump Scandal Is Leading Pro-Ukraine Influencer On TikTok Let's get one thing straight: Aaron Parnas is not his dad. The 22-year-old, who completed law school at George Washington University, has become a top news source on the Russian-Ukrainian war. He posts his content to TikTok, and was among a handful of influencers invited to a White House press briefing on the Russian invasion — specifically for TikTokers — to help combat misinformation about the war. Meanwhile, his dad, Lev Parnas, played a key role in former President Trump's campaign in pressuring Ukraine into finding damaging information on then-rival and former Vice President Joe Biden…
Award-Winning US Journalist Killed In Ukraine By Russians, Say Police Alongside Photo Of Body Award-Winning US Journalist Killed In Ukraine By Russians, Say Police Alongside Photo Of Body
Award-Winning US Journalist Killed In Ukraine By Russians, Say Police Alongside Photo Of Body A Peabody Award-winning documentarian who formerly contributed to the New York Times was killed by Russian forces in Ukraine, authorities said. Video journalist Brent Renaud, 51, was shot by Russian troops who opened fire on a car near the Romanivsky Bridge in Irpin, Kyiv Chief of Police Andrey Nebitov said. Nebitov released a disturbing image of Renaud's body, along with identifying documents. Two other reporters were hospitalized with gunshot wounds. "The occupants cynical kill even journalists of the international media who try to show the truth about the inaction of Russ…
Russia-Ukraine Conflict Has NJ's Gas Prices Hovering Just Below $4 Russia-Ukraine Conflict Has NJ's Gas Prices Hovering Just Below $4
Russia-Ukraine Conflict Has NJ's Gas Prices Hovering Just Below $4 Gas prices in New Jersey are skyrocketing due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, hovering just under $4 a gallon. The national average for a gallon of regular gas shot up 11 cents to $3.72 as of Wednesday since Monday, AAA reports. Surging oil prices will likely cause the price at the pump to climb even higher, experts say. Have #gasprices spiked where you live? 🚀 😳 Yesterday alone we saw the national average price of gas rise almost 6¢/gal. — GasBuddy (@GasBuddy) March 3, 2022 West Texas Intermediate climbed to $7.19, settling at $110.60 by the end of Wednesday's formal trading session…
Ex-Fox News Producer Charged In NY Federal Court With Helping Sanctioned Russian Oligarch Ex-Fox News Producer Charged In NY Federal Court With Helping Sanctioned Russian Oligarch
Ex-Fox News Producer Charged In NY Federal Court With Helping Sanctioned Russian Oligarch A founding Fox News producer was indicted in federal court in Manhattan for violating U.S. sanctions against Russia when he helped an oligarch there launch a propaganda network, the Justice Department announced. John Hanick, a 71-year-old U.S. citizen, was discretely seized in London early last month, federal authorities disclosed with the unsealing of an indictment against him on Thursday, March 3. Justice Department officials said they're seeking Hanick's extradition for helping Konstantin Malofeyev establish Tsargrad TV after the oligarch was sanctioned for his role in financing pro-Mosc…
Dee Snider Backs Ukrainians Using Twisted Sister's 'We're Not Gonna Take It' As Battle Cry Dee Snider Backs Ukrainians Using Twisted Sister's 'We're Not Gonna Take It' As Battle Cry
Dee Snider Backs Ukrainians Using Twisted Sister's 'We're Not Gonna Take It' As Battle Cry Dee Snider says it's twisted thinking to wonder why he endorses Ukrainians blasting the popular anthem "We're Not Gonna Take It" in their fight against the Russian invasion after he opposed its use by COVID anti-maskers. “I absolutely approve of Ukrainians using ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ as their battlecry,” Snider tweeted. "My grandfather was Ukrainian before it was swallowed up by the USSR after WW2. This can’t happen to these people again!” Snider, the 66-year-old frontman of Twisted Sister (the heavy metal pride of Bergen County), got initial blowback for using the hashtag #F***RUSSIA …
Ukrainian Basketball Player From NJ Details Narrow Escape From Russian Invasion Ukrainian Basketball Player From NJ Details Narrow Escape From Russian Invasion
Ukrainian Basketball Player From NJ Details Narrow Escape From Russian Invasion "I've never felt so nervous in my life." That's what Newark native Lucious "Lucky" Jones posted on Instagram Thursday, Feb. 24 — the terrifying day Russia invaded Ukraine, immobilizing and instilling fear in millions. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lucky Jones (@_lucky_jones_) Jones, 28, who plays basketball for the Ukrainian team, BC Ternopil, posted footage of himself and his teammates stuck in traffic at the Romanian border, desperate to flee. Around the same time Friday morning that Russia launched an attack on Ukraine's c…
Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine Could Lead To Spikes In These Food Products In Addition To Oil Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine Could Lead To Spikes In These Food Products In Addition To Oil
Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine Could Lead To Spikes In These Food Products In Addition To Oil The Russian invasion of Ukraine is expected to cause a flux in the markets, sending the prices of energy and certain agricultural products through the roof as supply chains are further disrupted. Experts are expecting oil and gas prices to spike due to the European crisis, though some of Russia and Ukraine’s largest exports are expected to impact costs for other products overseas and stateside. Officials said that outside of energy, the price of products such as wheat, barley, corn, copper, and nickel are likely going to be on the rise as supply chains already impacted by the COVID-19 pande…
Russian Invasion Of Ukraine Means Higher NJ Gas Prices Russian Invasion Of Ukraine Means Higher NJ Gas Prices
Russian Invasion Of Ukraine Means Higher NJ Gas Prices “Pain at the pump,” was a concern reporters pushed President Biden on during a press conference about the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. Although Biden urged the energy sector to not move prices, experts say the US is already feeling the pinch since tensions began to escalate between the two nations. “Any disruptions to oil flows from Russia in a context of low spare capacity in other regions could easily send oil prices to $120 (a barrel),” Natasha Kaneva, JPMorgan’s head of global commodities strategy, wrote in a report published earlier in February. Gas prices had already t…
PA Home Health Aide Accused Of Pelosi Laptop Theft Surrenders PA Home Health Aide Accused Of Pelosi Laptop Theft Surrenders
PA Home Health Aide Accused Of Pelosi Laptop Theft Surrenders A 22-year-old Harrisburg home health care aide accused of stealing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's laptop during the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riots surrendered to authorities and was arrested Monday in central Pennsylvania, according to the Department of Justice. Riley June Williams was not charged with theft, rather knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on U.S Capitol grounds, federal authorities said. A caller claiming to be an ex-partner of Williams said friends of hers showed him a YouTube video t…