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US news digest: garbage-truck crash probation, Indy family killing, Capitol Hill year-end chaos, NATO sub faceoff, Ploutus/Tren de Aragua ATM “jackpotting,” Romney backs higher taxes on the rich, DOJ pressed on Epstein files, and Angels–Skaggs settlement
Buffalo garbage truck crash ends in probation, teen remains severely injured
Sasiya Davis-Johnson, a former Buffalo Department of Public Works garbage truck driver, got three years of probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor third-degree assault and reckless driving for reversing the wrong way on a one-way street and hitting a 17-year-old on Oct. 2, 2024. The teen has been hospitalized for 14 months, is paralyzed from the waist down, has had an amputation, and has undergone more than 30 surgeries. The family is suing the city and others, and prosecutors say the victim consented to the reduced misdemeanor plea.
Capitol Hill’s year-end scramble (hits, misses, and holiday-grade chaos)
A “Take 2025” look at Congress captures lawmakers stampeding to finish last-minute business before the holiday recess. Some manage bipartisan civility, others opt for airing grievances in public like it is a sport, all while the legislative clock runs out and everyone pretends this is a normal way to govern.
NATO attack sub showdown, UK Astute-class vs US Virginia-class
A comparison frames the UK’s Astute-class and the US Virginia-class as NATO’s premier nuclear-powered attack submarines, crucial for tracking and engaging ships and subs. The breakdown hits displacement, speed, operating depth, sensors, stealth, and payload, highlighting Astute’s quieting measures (including anechoic tiling) plus Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk missiles, while Virginia is noted for larger production numbers and fleet-scale design.
Indianapolis man accused of killing father, injuring mother, and fleeing in truck
Police say Bryan Pedigo, 54, fatally beat his 81-year-old father, John Lloyd Pedigo, poured candle wax on his face, and wrapped the body in a rug at a home on South Catherwood Avenue. Officers also found Pedigo’s 79-year-old mother injured and later treated for a brain bleed. Investigators say the father died from multiple blunt-force injuries, and Pedigo allegedly took a 2006 Ford F-150 before being arrested about 90 miles away after license-plate camera tracking. Court records describe shifting accounts, followed by an admission, and he faces charges including attempted murder, aggravated battery, and auto theft, held without bond with trial set for March 2026.
ATM “jackpotting” case grows, Ploutus malware tied to Tren de Aragua indictments
Prosecutors added new charges against an alleged ATM jackpotting gang accused of deploying Ploutus malware across the US to compromise ATMs and siphon millions. Officials link the defendants to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, which US authorities describe as a ruthless terrorist organization, and the indictment pile keeps getting taller.
Romney to fellow rich people, yes, pay more taxes
Mitt Romney argues in a New York Times op-ed that wealthy Americans, including him, should pay higher taxes to help avert the Social Security benefit cut projected for 2034. He even nods to the 2012 campaign era attack ads that painted him as the patron saint of the rich, which is one way to do character growth, and to do it in print.
Democrats warn DOJ on Epstein records deadline under transparency law
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democrats said the Trump-era Justice Department would violate the Epstein Files Transparency Act if it failed to release all documents and records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by Friday’s deadline. They argue the law requires full public disclosure of the materials.
Angels and Tyler Skaggs family reach settlement in wrongful death civil case
The Los Angeles Angels and the family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs agreed to a settlement in a civil case examining whether the team should be held responsible for Skaggs’ fatal overdose.
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This podcast is a fully automated experiment in AI-generated content. Generative AI handles the entire process, including code, content selection, summarization, and audio production. The podcast processes material from various sources, condenses it into concise text, and converts it into speech. No human intervention is involved in the production process.
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