Geoff Bennett:
Officials also say Radford had a DUI on his record, which was not previously known to his chain of command. He’s now in custody, and authorities say they’re looking into possible motives for the shooting.
In Russia today, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with President Vladimir Putin for what a Kremlin aide called useful and constructive talks. The meeting comes just days ahead of President Trump’s deadline for Moscow to stop the war in Ukraine or face severe tariffs and other economic penalties.
Afterwards, President Trump said great progress was made, but did not Signal whether he would call off his planned sanctions. Meantime, on the ground in Ukraine, officials say Russia struck a recreational center overnight in the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia. At least two people were killed and a dozen others injured.
Also today, President Trump said there’s a — quote — “good chance” that he could meet with President Putin soon. That comes amid media reports that such a sit-down is in the works, though no meeting has been scheduled and no location has been made public.
In Gaza, local health officials say at least 38 people were killed last night and into today while trying to get aid. A relative of one man killed said he was shot in the head while trying to get flour for his parents. The Israeli military set it fired warning shots at crowds that approached its forces. Beyond that, hospitals in Gaza reported an additional 25 deaths from Israeli airstrikes since yesterday.
It comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be ready to announce further military action in Gaza, including a potential plan to fully reoccupy the territory.
Japan has been marking 80 years since the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima during World War II. At a ceremony today, a moment of silence signaled the time of the blast eight decades ago. The U.S. ambassador joined representatives from 120 countries as Hiroshima’s mayor warned of nuclear threats that still exist today.
The bombing back in 1945 flattened the city, killing some 140,000 people. The U.S. dropped another bomb on Nagasaki three days later. Japan soon surrendered. Today’s anniversary could be the last major milestone for many survivors, as their average age is now over 86 years old.
Here at home, a massive fire in Central California is now the state’s largest blaze of the year. The Gifford Fire has scorched some 131 square miles and was less than 10 percent contained as of earlier today. It’s just one of dozens of large wildfires burning across the West, including the Dragon Bravo Fire, which has burned more than 200 square miles in Arizona’s Grand Canyon.
Wildfires are also raging overseas. In Southern France, a blaze that started Tuesday has claimed a one life and injured more than a dozen others, including firefighters. The country’s prime minister visited the scene, calling it an unprecedented disaster and saying that climate change is to blame.
