International

Teenager gets life jail for gunning down mother

Published

6 months ago

September 21, 2024

Teenager gets life jail for gunning down mother

American teenage k!ller, Carly Gregg, who fatally shot her mother and attempted to kill her stepfather, has been sentenced to life in prison.

The jury in Rankin County, Mississippi, found Gregg, 15, guilty on all counts, and prosecutor Kathryn Newman said Gregg had shown “zero remorse.”

The teen was charged with murder and aggravated assault in the March 19 shooting that killed her mother, 40-year-old Ashley Smylie, and wounded her stepfather, Heath Smylie. She was also charged with tampering with evidence for hiding a security camera after the shooting.

On the first and second counts, Gregg was sentenced to life in prison. On the third count, she received 10 years.

Gregg was 14 at the time of the March 19 shooting, in which prosecutors argued she killed her 40-year-old mother, Ashely Smylie, with the mother’s gun inside the family’s Brandon, Miss., home, according to The Clarion-Ledger, WLBT, and WJTV.

Later, the teenager lay in wait in an apparent ambush designed to shoot and kill her stepfather, 39-year-old Heath Smylie, when he arrived home, prosecutors said Gregg then fled but was later arrested near the home.

While Gregg’s defence team did not deny she killed her mother, the attorneys contended that the teenager was experiencing a mental health crisis on the day of the killing and didn’t remember the shooting.

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Dr Andrew Clark, a child psychologist, testified on Tuesday, Sept. 17, that on the day of the shooting, Gregg was “grumpy and irritable” and couldn’t focus in class at Northwest Rankin High School, where her mother was a math teacher, according to The Clarion-Ledger.

Clark also said the teenager claimed her memory “went blank” that day after letting her dog out in the backyard.

Clark further testified that Gregg dealt with symptoms of depression and was previously prescribed medication that made her feel numb, The Clarion-Ledger reported. Clark also testified that Gregg heard voices, which were “getting worse” prior to the shooting, and that she had a history of self-harm.

After returning home with her mother, prosecutors said Gregg went straight into her parents’ bedroom to retrieve a .357 Magnum pistol from beneath their mattress, according to video from the courtroom shared by Court TV.

Hiding the gun behind her back, Gregg went to her own bedroom and confronted her mother, fatally shooting her three times, Mississippi state prosecutor Kathryn White Newman said, according to The Clarion-Ledger, WLBT, and WJTV.

According to Newman, Gregg invited her friend a short while later. When Gregg answered the door, she asked the friend, “Are you squeamish around dead bodies?” before leading the friend to her bedroom, where Gregg’s mother was dead on the floor from three gunshots, CourtTV and WAPT reported.

During closing arguments earlier this week, State Attorney Michael Smith told the jury she was aware of her actions at the time of the shooting, per WAPT.

“We would ask that you go back there and find her guilty of all three because she was not insane at the time that this happened,” Smith said, per the outlet. “She knew exactly what she was doing, and she knew the difference between right and wrong.”

Teenager gets life jail for gunning down mother

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International

Gaza: Iran begins talks with S’Arabia, Egypt as Israel renews attacks

Published

8 hours ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Gaza: Iran begins talks with S’Arabia, Egypt as Israel renews attacks

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Saturday exchanged views with his Saudi Arabian and Egyptian counterparts on Israel’s renewed attacks on Gaza.

In a phone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Araghchi strongly condemned Israel’s attacks in Gaza, and urged other countries in the region to take collective action, said the Iranian Foreign Ministry in a statement.

For his part, Faisal reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of Israeli aggressions and emphasized regional coordination to prevent further escalation.

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In a separate phone call with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Araghchi condemned Israel’s renewed attacks on Gaza as well as obstruction of humanitarian aid delivery to the Palestinian coastal enclave “in flagrant violation” of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

The Egyptian foreign minister underscored the need for consultations and diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.

Both Egyptian and Iranian ministers agreed to maintain consultations on regional developments.

Gaza: Iran begins talks with S’Arabia, Egypt as Israel renews attacks

Xinhua

International

Three killed,15 injured in U.S. park shooting

Published

9 hours ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Three killed,15 injured in U.S. park shooting

Three people were killed and 15 others injured in a shooting at Young Park in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Friday night, police said.

The violence erupted during an unauthorised car show that had drawn around 200 people.

Las Cruces Police Chief, Jeremy Story, said officers arrived at the scene around 10 p.m. to find chaos, with 50 to 60 shell casings, all from handguns, scattered across the park.

The shooting involved multiple weapons and appeared to stem from an ongoing conflict between two groups, Story said, adding that several bystanders were caught in the crossfire.

The deceased were identified as two 19-year-old men and a 16-year-old boy. The names of the victims, including those injured, have not yet been released.

The wounded, ranging in age from 16 to 36, were either treated at the scene or taken to area hospitals.

Las Cruces Fire Chief Michael Daniels said seven victims were treated at the spot, including two who died due to their injuries.

Eleven others were transported to hospitals in Las Cruces or the University Medical Center of El Paso, a regional trauma center. By Saturday, four had been released, while seven remained hospitalised. The conditions of the remaining four were unclear.

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The police are working with the New Mexico State Police, Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate the incident.

Authorities are asking for eye witness accounts and any video footage to help identify the suspects.

“This horrendous, senseless act is a stark reminder of the blatant disregard for law and order,” Story said, while vowing to find and hold all perpetrators accountable.

Story acknowledged that illegal car shows at Young Park have been a recurring issue and that police presence had been greater in the past. However, due to staffing shortages, there were “no units available for most of the night” on Friday.

The city has purchased surveillance technology for all its parks as part of a real-time crime center, but it has not yet been installed.

Las Cruces City Councilor and Mayor Pro Tem Johana Bencomo, expressed her grief over the tragedy.

“A tragedy like this feels like a nightmare just waiting to come true at any possible moment,” she wrote on Instagram.

Las Cruces, located along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, is about 40 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Police remained at the scene Saturday, keeping the area closed to traffic as the investigation continued.

The incident has intensified discussions about crime and gun violence in New Mexico.

New Mexico Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham recently signed legislation imposing harsher penalties for crimes like vehicle theft and fentanyl trafficking while also banning devices that convert guns into automatic weapons.

The state also expanded its red-flag gun law and increased funding for addiction and mental health treatment.

The New Mexico Senate held a moment of silence late Friday in response to the tragedy.

Three killed,15 injured in U.S. park shooting

International

Canada offers cybersecurity training with job placements for immigrants

Published

1 day ago

March 22, 2025

Trends Admin

Canada offers cybersecurity training with job placements for immigrants

The Canadian government, in collaboration with private sector partners, is offering a cybersecurity training programme in Calgary designed to support immigrants in securing employment in the growing tech industry.

The initiative provides hands-on learning and job placement opportunities in one of 16 entry-level cybersecurity roles. Participants will earn industry-recognized micro-credentials, equipping them with the skills needed to launch their careers.

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Funded by the Alberta Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade, the programme is delivered in partnership with ReTrain Canada and Manpower Canada. The 12-week training session, scheduled for March, will run Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Through this initiative, participants will gain expertise in cybersecurity fundamentals, encryption techniques, and applied penetration testing—all at no cost—while also receiving practical work experience to enhance their employability.