Whereabouts of N.Y. escapees unknown
DANNEMORA, N.Y. – Two convicted murderers who used power tools to cut their way out of a prison near the Canadian border could be nearby or “in Mexico by now,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday.
The intense manhunt focused on the fields and Adirondack woods near the prison in upstate New York after the inmates’ escape apparently was hampered by a prison employee’s decision to back out as their getaway driver nine days ago.
The inmates, Richard Matt and David Sweat, planned to have the now-jailed prison worker drive them about seven hours away to an unknown destination, District Attorney Andrew Wylie told CNN.
But prison tailor shop instructor Joyce Mitchell backed out of the plan at the last minute, Wylie said.
Average gas prices rise by 3 cents in U.S.
CAMARILLO, Calif. – U.S. gasoline prices have risen again but at a slower pace. The national average price of regular jumped 3 cents a gallon in the last two weeks to $2.87 a gallon.
Analyst Trilby Lundberg says it’s the smallest hike in nine weeks. The average is 82 cents a gallon lower than a year ago.
The highest price in the continental United States was $3.62 in San Diego. The lowest was $2.45 in Tucson, Arizona.
Greek bailout talks end in knots
BRUSSELS – The European Commission said Sunday that weekend talks to find common ground between international creditors and Greece were unsuccessful and left a wide rift that needs to be closed within two weeks to avoid a possible Greek default.
An EU Commission official, who refused to be identified because of the sensitivity of the negotiations, said “the talks did not succeed as there remains a significant gap between the plans of the Greek authorities and” the demands of the international creditors.
On top of that, the official said that for the EU’s executive, “the Greek proposals remain incomplete.” The official refused to be more precise.
Pentagon may move weapons to Baltics
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon is considering positioning heavy weaponry and equipment in Baltic states and Eastern Europe to support training with regional allies, officials said Saturday, a move that could heighten tensions with Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.
Capt. Greg Hicks, a military spokesman, said Gen. Philip Breedlove, the commander of U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Europe, made a recommendation related to pre-positioning of equipment to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter. “The decision rests with (Carter),” Hicks said.
Hicks declined to characterize Breedlove’s recommendation. But officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said that the proposal, if approved, would put equipment such as Humvees or Bradley fighting vehicles at sites in countries that might include Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria or Hungary.
Officials said no decision has been made but suggested that Carter could approve the proposal ahead of a NATO ministerial meeting later this month.
Associated Press and The Washington Post
