International News
Ex CNN Producer Sentenced For 19-Year In Prison
A former television producer previously associated with CNN has been sentenced to over 19 years in prison and an additional 15 years of supervised release by a U.S. District Court in Vermont.
The individual, identified as John Griffin from Stamford, Connecticut, had pleaded guilty to charges of enticing a 9-year-old girl into participating in illegal sexual activities at his ski house in Vermont.
The guilty plea, which was made in federal court in December of 2022, involved Griffin’s use of interstate commerce to coerce and manipulate the young girl into engaging in sexual acts.
In exchange for his plea, two counts of enticement of a minor were dropped by the government. At the time of the plea deal, Griffin was 45 years old.
It is worth noting that Griffin initially entered a not guilty plea in 2021 but later changed his plea. In addition to the prison sentence and supervised release, he has also been ordered to provide restitution to the victims involved in the case.
In accordance with the plea deal, it was revealed that John Griffin connected with a woman through a website in the summer of 2020.
He managed to persuade the woman to accompany her daughter to his ski residence in Ludlow, Vermont, where he intended to engage in sexual activities.
According to court records, Griffin provided compensation to the woman and her daughter for their travel expenses, flying them from Nevada to Boston.
He then personally picked them up and drove them to his Vermont home. It was during their stay at his residence that the girl reported being sexually assaulted by Griffin.
On December 10, 2021, Griffin was arrested, one day after a grand jury indicted him. He had been employed by CNN for approximately eight years, but the network terminated his employment following his arrest.
As part of his sentencing, John Griffin has been subjected to certain restrictions regarding his contact with individuals under the age of 18.
He is strictly prohibited from having any contact with minors unless an adult, approved by a probation officer, is present.
Additionally, Griffin is not allowed to be present in locations where children tend to gather, such as schools, playgrounds, or theme parks, unless prior approval has been obtained from the probation office.
A helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi yencountered a “hard landing” on Sunday.
According to report, the incident took place near Jolfa, a city situated on the border with Azerbaijan, within Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran.
However, details regarding the incident were not disclosed.
The Associated Press noted uncertainty regarding whether bh Raisi was onboard the helicopter during the incident.
Despite rescue efforts, adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain and wind, have hindered access to the site, according to state TV.
Before the helicopter incident, President Ebrahim Raisi had been in Azerbaijan on Sunday to participate in the inauguration of a dam alongside Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
This dam marks the third joint construction project between the two nations on the Aras River.
Despite Iran’s diverse helicopter fleet, obtaining parts is hindered by international sanctions, with much of its military air fleet dating back to pre-1979 Islamic Revolution era.
Raisi, aged 63, is known for his hard-line stance and previously served as the country’s judiciary leader.
Considered a protégé of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, some analysts speculate that Raisi could succeed the 85-year-old leader in the event of his resignation or demise.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military prevented an attempted coup on Sunday near President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices in Kinshasa, as reported by an army spokesperson.The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military prevented an attempted coup on Sunday near President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices in Kinshasa, as reported by an army spokesperson.
According to him, the plot, involving both foreigners and Congolese citizens, unfolded in the early hours outside the residence of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the Gombe district, close to the president’s offices at the Palais de la Nation.
General Sylvain Ekenge announced on national television that the defence and security forces had successfully thwarted the coup attempt.
He said “An attempted coup d’etat has been stopped by the defence and security forces. The foreigners and Congolese…including their leader” would “all no longer cause any harm”.
Shots were heard near the Palais de la Nation during the attempted coup, as confirmed by various sources.
General Ekenge didn’t elaborate further on the incident, and AFP’s attempts to get additional information from official sources remain unanswered.
However by late morning, the city appeared calm.
Early social media reports suggested an armed attack on Kamerhe’s residence, with some assailants heading towards the Palais de la Nation.
“This morning, there was an armed attack at the residence of the economy minister,” wrote Japan’s ambassador Hidetoshi Ogawa on X.
He stated that Kamerhe “was not harmed, but two policemen and an assailant were killed according to sources.”
France’s ambassador reported hearing automatic weapons fire in the area and advised French nationals to steer clear of the location.
Videos circulating on social media depicted individuals in military attire at the Palais de la Nation, waving flags of Zaire, the former name of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the regime of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was ousted in 1997.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister, Robert Fico, was shot in a gun attack on Wednesday afternoon in Handlova, Slovakia.
He sustained injuries to his head and chest and was airlifted to the nearest hospital for medical attention.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attack on social media platform X, emphasizing its undemocratic nature.
She expressed sympathy for Fico and his family.
The Slovak Prime Minister is expected to make a statement regarding the assassination attempt shortly.
More to follow……
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