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Taliban Suicide Bomb in Pakistan Kills at Least 10

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10 people were killed Monday in a suicide attack on a court complex in northwest Pakistan, NBC News reported.

A splinter group of the Pakistan Taliban claimed the attack. It occurred in the Shabqadar neighborhood of Charsadda in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A spokesman for the group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaatul Ahrar (TTP-JA) said it carried out the killings to avenge the hanging of a death-row prisoner regarded by some as a hero of Islam.

"A suicide bomber tried to enter the judicial complex but he blew himself up at the main entrance when police stopped him," local police chief Sohail Khalid told NBC News.

The dead included four women and two police officials while 27 others people were injured, he said.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Hillary Clinton Denies Bernie Sanders a Win at Flint Debate

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Sunday night's Democratic presidential debate in Flint, Michigan should have been an easy win for candidate Bernie Sanders, according to NBC News. 

In a city where manufacturing jobs have been replaced by poisoned water, the atmosphere was ripe for a discussion of trade policies, corporate greed and government spending cuts that have led to horrible consequences. 

Sanders fought as if his life depended on it — and it just might, as he has fallen dangerously behind candidate Hillary Clinton in the delegate count.

But Clinton came prepared to the CNN debate and more than held her own, preventing Sanders from the clear victory he needs to change the trajectory of the race ahead of Michigan's primary Tuesday.



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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12-Year-Old Boy on Bike Struck by Car in Tolland

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Connecticut State Police are on scene for a serious crash involving a cyclist in Tolland.

Tolland Fire Chief John Littell says they found a 12-year-old boy in the middle of the road, after he was struck by a car near Burbank Road and Peter Green Road.

The boy was flown to Connecticut Children's Medical Center by Life Star. His condition remains unclear.

Officials say the boy was with a friend, who was not injured.

Burbank Road was shut down for several hours, but has reopened.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

NYPD Ends Manhattan Arrests for Public Urination, Drinking

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A number of offenses that could have landed New Yorkers in handcuffs will now result in just a summons. 

People who commit low-level crimes — like littering, public urination, taking up two subway seats or public consumption of alcohol — will no longer be subject to arrest in Manhattan starting Monday.

Before Monday's policy went into effect, officers had to arrest someone committing a low-level crime if he or she had an open summons. More than 1 million New Yorkers have open summonses for failing to appear in court, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. 

Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance announced on Tuesday that people who commit minor offenses in the borough would be issued summonses rather than being slapped in cuffs, unless there is a demonstrated public safety reason to arrest a suspect.

The three officials said that the move could result in 10,000 fewer cases a year and will free up NYPD officers to investigate more serious offenses.

"Through this initiative, we are devoting our resources to best protect and serve New Yorkers," Vance said. "By ensuring courts are not unnecessarily bogged down with minor offenses committed by those who pose no threat to public safety, we help focus police and prosecutorial resources on those who commit serious crimes." 

Offenders with open warrants will still be taken into custody but will only have to deal with a summons, not a new criminal case.

Under the new policy, which goes into effect on Monday, the Manhattan DA's office won't prosecute violations like public consumption of alcohol, public urination and subway offenses like riding between train cars. 

They'll still prosecute other minor violations and crimes that would currently not automatically result in an arrest, such as driving while impaired. 

Some in the city say they were worried that the change would cause quality of life to dip.

"I can see people littering and taking advantage and maybe urinating and doing all the other things," said Carlos Cuevas of Inwood. "I hope for the best."

The New York City Civil Liberties Union applauded the move but said other boroughs would benefit more from the policy change, which only applies to Manhattan. 

"Manhattan is not the center where most of these offenses are being enforced," said Johanna Miller. "We see the most aggressive enforcement in communities of color and mostly in the outer boroughs."



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Man Accused of Stealing an 85-Year-Old Woman’s Purse Arrested

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A man accused of stealing an 85-year-old woman's purse in Hamden last month has been arrested. 

Police identified the suspect as Jeffrey Small 47, of New Haven. He is being held on $35,000 bond.

Police said they responded to the 2200 block of Dixwell Avenue at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20 and learned that the victim was sitting in her car in the parking lot of 2335 Dixwell Ave. when a tall man in his 40s, since identified as Small, approached her and asked for cash, police said.

The woman reached into her purse, planning to give Small “a few dollars,” but he grabbed her purse and ran away, heading south on Dixwell Avenue, according to police.

The victim ran after Small for a little bit and found her purse on the ground, but $50 and some credit cards had been stolen.

Police said they responded to the parking lot of 2335 Dixwell Avenue on Sunday after receiving a complaint about a person aggressively approaching people and asking for money.

There, they found Small and arrested him on a warrant and brought him to police headquarters.

Small was charged with robbery in the third degree and larceny in the second degree.

Small is due back in court on April 4.



Photo Credit: Hamden Police

Man Critically Injured in New Haven Hit-and-Run

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A man who was hit by a car in New Haven early Monday morning is in critical condition and police are looking for the driver, who they said fled the scene.

The pedestrian was hit at Grand Avenue and Poplar Street.

Officials said the driver hit a tree, then hit the man.

The victim was taken to Yale-New Haven, where he is in critical condition.

The road was closed, but has since reopened.
 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Crews Respond to Fire in Wilton

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Wilton police are asking people to avoid Belden Hill Road in Wilton as firefighters battle a structure fire, according to Wilton Emergency management.

People are asked to avoid the street between Old Belden Hill Road and the Norwalk town line and find alternative routes.

The Wilton Community Emergency Response Team is responding to help with foot and vehicular traffic.

No additional information was available.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

May in March: 70s Arrive Wednesday

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Temperatures will rise each day heading into the middle part of this week, eventually topping out in the 70s!

Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy, with highs nearing 60.

Wednesday will be the warmest day of the week, with temperatures skyrocketing into the lower and perhaps middle 70s inland, but only near 60 on the shoreline.

The water in Long Island Sound is currently around 40 degrees, so that's why locations near the water will be dramatically cooler.

A few showers are possible Thursday. The potential for 70 degrees is there on Thursday as well, though it is unlikely because a backdoor cold front will be in the area.

Records are in jeopardy.

In the Harford area, record maxes are 72, 70 and 75 for the period Wednesday through Friday.

In the Bridgeport area, record maxes are 60, 70 and 67 for the period Wednesday through Friday.

A number of record warm low temperatures may also fall by the time this week is out.

Friday probably turns out dry with an abundance of clouds, with temperatures near 60.

The weekend could start out with showers on Saturday before drying out on Sunday, though confidence is very low at that time range.

Temperatures will be in the 50s this weekend.


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Ron Reagan on His Mother: 'Totally Dedicated to Her Husband'

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Ron Reagan, the son of President Ronald Reagan and former first lady Nancy Reagan, said his mother was "totally dedicated to her husband" and loved him "more than anything in the world."

Ron Reagan told NBC's "Today" show that the "Ronald Reagan we all came to know as president would not have existed without Nancy Reagan."

He said the assassination attempt on his father just 70 days into his presidency left his mother with "anxiety and fear." 

"I don't think she ever had another day during his presidency where there wasn't some fear involved and in particularly when he went out in public," Ron Reagan said. "He meant everything to her."



Photo Credit: Photo by Dirck Halstead/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images
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US Airstrike Kills More Than 150 Al-Shabab Militants

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A massice U.S. airstrike in Somalia overnight Sunday killed more than 150 members of the al-Shabab terrorist group, senior defense officials told NBC News.

 

The dead were among the 200 or so fighters at a training camp some 120 miles north of Mogadishu who were preparing for an "imminent large-scale attack" against U.S. and regional governmental forces, officials told NBC News.

 

While the officials did not identify the al-Shabab targets, American special forces have been training Somali forces in the east African nation.

Al-Shabab has been responsible for terrorist attacks throughout East Africa, including the massacre of 67 civilians at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya in September 2013.


 



Photo Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Driver Was Trapped in Truck Suspended on Wires in Newington

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A pickup was suspended on wires after a crash on Fenn Road in Newington and the driver was still in the truck as emergency crews responded. 

The truck crashed at Fenn Road and Ella Grasso Road around 6:20 a.m.

The driver complained of minor injuries and was taken to a hospital in central Connecticut.

There were delays in the area until first responders cleared the scene.
 



Photo Credit: Citywide Comm LLC

Father Accused of Hurting Baby Makes Court Appearance

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A West Haven father accused of squeezing his baby daughter and hurting her appeared in court on Monday and struggled to stay awake as a judge read terms of a protective order.  

Police said they responded to the home on North Place after the 21-month-old baby girl’s mother called 911 at 1:20 a.m. on Monday to report he injured the child.

The mother told police that 34-year-old Lamar Heyward is addicted to PCP and put a pillow on top of the sleeping child, then picked her up and squeezed her tight against his chest.

The woman said she and a roommate couldn’t get Heyward to stop squeezing the baby as the child vomited.

When police arrived, Heyward was still holding the baby and squeezing her, police said.

Heyward refused to listen to police, who had to use force to get the baby away from Heyward, according to a news release.

The child was transported to Yale-Pediatric Hospital to be treated. Her injuries are minor, police said.

Heyward, who is on probation for stalking, breach of peace and other crimes, was arrested and charged with risk of injury to a child, reckless endangerment in the first degree, interfering with police and disorderly conduct.

Bond was set at $100,000 and he's due back in court in two weeks.

Officials said he has a criminal history dating back to 2007. More charges are possible. 



Photo Credit: West Haven PoliCe

Police Search for “Wolverine” Who Hit Man in New Haven and Fled

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Police are looking for a “Wolverine” with “vampire teeth” who hit a pedestrian in New Haven early Monday morning and caused serious injuries.

Police said a 54-year-old New Haven man was seriously injured when a white Honda Accord hit him as he tried to cross Grand Avenue, between Poplar and Ferry streets, at 12:06 a.m.

The driver who hit the victim fled the scene, police said.

One witness described the driver as a “Wolverine” – short and stocky with “vampire teeth.” He was wearing a white shirt, jeans and white sneakers and hit a tree before hitting the victim, police said.

The vehicle is a two-door coup with tinted windows thought to be close to a 1999-2000 model. The windshield or a passenger-side window is broken and broken safety glass littered the scene.

The victim suffered head and body trauma, including a shattered leg, according to police, who said his condition was upgraded from critical to serious, but stable.

The pedestrian was not in or near a pedestrian crossing at the time he was struck, police said.

Officers from the department’s crash team were called to the scene to investigate.
 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

East Haven High School Student Killed in Crash

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 A 16-year-old East Haven High School student was killed in a crash on Friday afternoon and an online fundraiser has been set up to raise money to cover funeral expenses.

Police said Shawn Franco, a 16-year-old sophomore at East Haven High School, was driving on a curve of South End Road on the East Haven-New Haven town line just before 2:30 p.m. on Friday when he a vehicle driven by 64-year-old Janice Markey, of New Haven, head-on.

Franco succumbed to injuries after the crash and Markey was transported to a hospital to be treated for suffered serious injuries, police said.  

Crisis teams have been activated at the high school, where Franco's friends are in mourning.

“He shouldn’t have died at 16 years old,” said Lindsey Rispoli, of East Haven, who knew Franco and lives at the home near where the crash happened.

“My friend said his name and how he died and I broke down. We’re all helping each other through it,” Rispoli said.

Jennifer Rispoli, Lindsey’s mother, said the crash is tragic and that vehicles race regularly on the narrow street.

“Very dangerous. Very dangerous road, especially right there the accident happened,” she said. “It’s just unfortunate that he had to lose his life.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for Franco’s funeral. 

Police are investigating and ask anyone with information about the crash to call 203-468-3820.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Boston Marathon Bombing Survivor Killed in Overseas Crash

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Boston Marathon bombing survivor Victoria McGrath and a fellow Northeastern University student have been killed in a car crash overseas.

"We are stunned, shocked and heartbroken," McGrath's mother, Jill McGrath, wrote in an email. 

Another relative told the Boston Herald that the accident occurred in Dubai.

"Northeastern University has confirmed that two undergraduate students have been tragically killed in a car accident overseas," the school said in a statement Monday. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Victoria McGrath and Priscilla Perez Torres in this extremely difficult time."

In a letter to the Northeastern community, university President Joseph E. Aoun said "Victoria and Priscilla were vibrant, beloved members of our community, and their passing leaves a grievous absence in our community and in our hearts. This is a heartbreaking loss to their families, friends, and to all of us in the Northeastern family."

Both students were members of the Class of 2016. McGrath, 23, was from Weston, Connecticut, and Perez Torres was from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

Three people were killed and more than 260 others injured when twin bombs placed near the Boston Marathon finish line exploded on April 15, 2013. McGrath, who was 20-years-old at the time, was five feet away from the first bomb when it went off, badly injuring her leg. 

Bruce Mendelsohn, a former U.S. Army officer who happened to be in the area, used a T-shirt to tie a tourniquet on her leg, and Boston firefighter James Plourde carried her to a medical tent. The image of Plourde carrying McGrath became one of the iconic photos of the marathon bombings.

McGrath later met both men while she was recovering from her injuries at Tufts Medical Center.

Plourde issued a statement Monday saying his family is "devastated" at the loss of its friend. "It's been said that I helped to save her life, but the truth is Victoria saved my life after the marathon as her love, support and friendship helped myself and my family deal with the acts of 4/15/13. Our thoughts and prayers to out to the McGrath and Perez Torres families as they deal with this unimaginable tragedy. #BostonStrong."

Tufts Medical Center also issued a statement Monday saying, "Our hearts ache for the family & friends of our former patient Victoria McGrath. She made a lasting impact on those who knew her."

Marathon bombing hero Carlos Arredondo told necn on Monday that he knew McGrath from attending various events with fellow survivors.

"My heart goes out to the family and friends," he said. "She was always a very kind person to all of us. We all miss her today."

Details on the crash were not immediately available. The Associated Press said the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi declined to comment.



Photo Credit: necn
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U.S., Connecticut Flags Lowered in Honor of Nancy Reagan

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The governor has ordered that flags be lowered to half-staff in honor of former First Lady Nancy Reagan, who died over the weekend at the age of 94.

Gov. Dannel Malloy said the flags will be lowered in accordance with a proclamation from President Barack Obama.

U.S. and state flags in Connecticut will fly at half-staff beginning immediately until sunset on the day of interment.

Nancy Reagan died on Sunday at her home in Bel-Air, California, of congestive heart failure, her assistant, Allison Borio, told The Associated Press.



Photo Credit: Photo by Dirck Halstead/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images

Parents End Silence After Losing Son to Heroin Overdose

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Parents of an Ellington man who lost his life to heroin want others to hear their son's story as a warning to others about the dangers of opioid addiction.

Tim Lally died in January after being rushed to Rockville General Hospital suffering from a heroin overdose. The Lallys received a call at 5 a.m. from a doctor.

"Tim was there. He was brought in on an apparent heroin overdose," John Lally, Tim's father said. "They told us he'd been in cardiac arrest, his heart had stopped. We went to the emergency room, my wife and I ran down there, I called our other son, he ran down there and we met at the emergency room and found out that Tim was kicked out of the sober home days before, even before he was here to visit and he never told us."

Tim died 36 hours later when John and his wife, Laura, decided to take Tim off life support.

His parents describe him as a happy kid, who's downfall began with anxiety and depression. That led to Tim using pot, prescription pain pills and eventually heroin. He had been in and out of treatment, but went back to using.

"There's a stigma about people who abuse drugs, who are addicts," John said. "Many of us in society think of these as bad people, as throw-aways, as 'well, they brought it on themselves, they deserve what they get. Why should we spend tax dollars, why should we go out of our way to help people who intentionally destroy themselves.'"

John blames bad choices for his son's path to heroin. He wants others to understand that heroin addiction happens in families regardless of race, location, status or education.

"Tim struggled with drug abuse for 2 or 3 years that we knew of, and we didn't share with friends or family, so I understand that, but when Tim died, we decided 'we got to stop this, we have to talk about this.' People have to understand, this doesn't, this happens to good people from good families, and it can happen anywhere in any town," John said.

The Lallys now have their memories, and a favorite photo of Tim perched on the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of Ireland.

"I look at him, I look at that smile and I remember what a good person he was, and how much love was in him and how much we miss him and how much we'll always miss him," John said.



Photo Credit: Family Photo

GoGo squeeZ Recalls Applesauce Products

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GoGo squeeZ has issued a voluntary recall for some of its non-organic applesauce products over quality concerns after a food product residue was found in two pumps in a factory in Michigan, according to a statement on the company's website.

The company said it is possible the food product residue, found during an inspection by the Michigan State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), may have been incorporated into finished product, but so far there has been no evidence of the residue in the pouches.

Affected products include applesauce pouches with best before dates between Dec. 4, 2015 and March 4, 2017.  The pouches say “Product of USA” on the back and have a five-character production code beginning with the letters "US" and followed by a 3-digit number beginning with 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07 or 08.

Applesauce cartons with best before dates between Dec. 4, 2015 and March 4, 2017 are also being recalled. The cartons say “Product of USA” on the back and have a six-character production code ending with the numbers 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07 or 08.

The company noted the recall does not include the GoGo squeeZ Organic products or their GoGo squeeZ YogurtZ.

"This recall only impacts non-organic products that were made in our Traverse City facility, and no others," GoGo squeeZ CEO Michel Larroche said in a statement on the company's website. 

Larroche said production of GoGo squeeZ applesauce pouches has been suspended "while we work with MDARD officials to continue their investigation, and we will not begin production in this factory again until we are confident the problem is fixed."

No illnesses connected to the recalled items have been reported. Consumers who purchased the recalled items are urged to contact the company at 1-844-275-5841 and visit their FAQ site. There is also voucher site set up by the company to get replacement product.

In 2015 GoGo squeeZ issued a voluntary recall after mold was found in some packages.

“We understand you may be losing patience with us,” Larroche said. “We have worked hard to earn your trust, and we are taking action to make sure we continue to deserve it.”



Photo Credit: GoGoSqueez.com

Wife of Eagles Co-Founder Killed in Accidental Shooting: Police

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The wife of Randy Meisner, a founding member of the Eagles, was fatally shot at their North Hollywood home Sunday when a rifle she was handling discharged, according to police.

Lana Meisner was pronounced dead at the scene after officers responding to a report of a shooting arrived at 7 p.m. to find her suffering from a single gunshot wound, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a news release.

Officers had also been called to the home in the 3700 block of Eureka Drive earlier in the day over a domestic violence incident.

Police said Meisner was moving the rifle out of a closet when the fatal round was fired. When she lifted the rifle, which was inside a case, another item within the case shifted and hit the trigger, causing the gun to discharge.

The Associated Press reported that the 63-year-old had been shot in the head.

"After a thorough investigation by Valley Bureau detective personnel and the Los Angeles (County) Coroner's Office, it was determined that Mrs. Meisner's death was accidental," the news release said.

About an hour and a half before the shooting was reported, police said they received a call from a woman asking for help regarding a possibly intoxicated male. Officers took a domestic violence incident report and left the residence. It was unclear who the woman was or what happened at the home.

"I knew Lana, lovely lady," said neighbor Lucy Bates. "I'm very, very upset this happened."

Police said Randy Meisner was cooperative with investigators. No one has been arrested.

Meisner, who played bass and left the band in 1977, was placed under court-mandated supervision last summer after allegedly threatening murder-suicide with an AK-47 assault rifle and pills, according to a New York Daily News report.

NBC4's Jane Yamamoto contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: KNBC-TV

SCOTUS Voids Ala. Ruling Against Gay Adoption

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The U.S. Supreme Court threw out a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court Monday that refused to recognize a same-sex adoption. 

In an unsigned decision, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized a challenge brought by a woman (known as V.L. in the court documents) who adopted the biological children of her long time partner (known as E.L.) years earlier in Georgia.

Before their breakup, E.L. bore three children and V.L. adopted them in Georgia because the laws were more favorable to their cause there than in Alabama.

After the two women ended their relationship and could not agree on custody, the Alabama court said that the court in Georgia had erred in their ruling and that V.L. had no parental rights to the children. 

The Supreme Court disagreed and said the Georgia ruling must be upheld in Alabama.



Photo Credit: Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
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