Latest news with #Toyota4Runners
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Halton's most wanted: One arrested, one still on the run
One of Halton's most wanted suspects has been arrested in Montreal, while another remains at large, according to Halton Regional Police. On June 4, officers from the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS), with assistance from Montreal authorities, arrested Raffaele-Giulio Draicchio, 26, who was initially charged in February 2024 in connection with an auto theft investigation in Oakville. At the time, Draicchio and three other individuals were arrested after being found in possession of two stolen Toyota 4Runners, along with various tools and devices commonly associated with high-tech auto theft. Draicchio was charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000 (three counts), possession of break-in instruments, possession of an automobile master key, and possession of a device to obtain computer services. He was later released on bail, but failed to appear in court in May 2025. As a result, police laid an additional charge of failing to re-attend court. He was transported back to Halton following his arrest and was held for a bail hearing. His arrest comes as part of the HRPS's Halton's Most Wanted program, which launched on Jan. 20, 2025. The initiative aims to publicize the names and faces of the region's most dangerous offenders in an effort to generate investigative leads and bring them to justice. Despite this recent development, police say Matthew Flannigan, 33, remains outstanding and is considered dangerous. On July 22, 2023, Flannigan was stopped by an officer on Plains Road East in Burlington. Police allege the officer had grounds to arrest Flannigan under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, but a violent struggle ensued. The officer sustained a broken leg, and Flannigan fled the scene at high speed. He has not been seen since. Flannigan is wanted on multiple charges, including unauthorized possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a prohibited device, possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order (two counts), and possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition. He is described as 33 years old, 170 pounds, five-foot-nine, with brown eyes, long brown hair that may be braided, a scruffy beard, and tattoos of skulls on both forearms, as well as the letters 'ABG' on the side of his neck. Police advise the public not to approach Flannigan if spotted. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777, ext. 2316. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at . A cash reward of up to $2,000 may be available for information leading to an arrest. Photos and additional details about both individuals can be found at Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former state senator believes Ukraine can still end the war, if given right weapons
Former State Sen. Tom Brewer and Don Hutchens, a former head of the Nebraska Corn Board, survey a combine, provided by the Howard Buffett Foundation, that was destroyed by a Russian missile in Rivne, Ukraine. (Courtesy of John Grinvalds) LINCOLN — After his fifth goodwill and fact-finding trip to war-torn Ukraine, a former Nebraska state legislator and decorated veteran still feels that Ukraine can prevail in its war with Russia if given the right weapons. And former State Sen. Tom Brewer, who represented north-central Nebraska, said he sees a possible reckoning ahead for President Donald Trump in his dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin, he said, has never been truthful in his negotiations over the war, and his latest flirtations with peace talks may turn out to just be a delaying tactic to allow Russian forces to get organized for a summer offensive. 'There's a huge game of chess that's being played right now,' Brewer said in a recent interview. 'I think the next month will bring to light that Putin is not serious about negotiations, he's just buying time.' 'If you look at history, the Russians have never been honest about any of the negotiating they've done,' he added. 'Why would they start now?' Brewer, now 66, is at an age when most veterans are working on their golf game or heading out on a fishing trip. He's had more than 70 surgeries to repair war wounds and a bad back. The trip by plane, train, bus and eventually Toyota 4Runners in the dark of night is long and grueling, over roads pock-marked by missile strikes. But he keeps going back to Ukraine in part because he admires their freedom-loving spirit and in part because he feels his military experience — six tours of duty in Afghanistan and experience with artillery and helicopters — could help their war effort. Eventually, he believes he could also help the reconstruction of a country known as the 'bread basket of Europe.' On this latest trip he was accompanied by Don Hutchens, a retired head of the Nebraska Corn Board and a veteran of foreign trade missions. They set up a video meeting with University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold and Ukraine's ministers of agriculture and intelligence to lay the groundwork for possible collaboration in rebuilding Ukraine's crop production. Ukraine has lost more than 20% of its farmland since the Russians invaded, according to Alliance Magazine, and an estimated 139,000 square kilometers of land — almost twice the size of Nebraska — are suspected to hold land mines. Brewer said that in areas where the Russians had occupied, anything of value was taken and farm machinery not taken was disabled. Farmers are left using old equipment in hopes of growing a crop, he said. During his trip, Brewer visited associates of Howard Buffett, the son of Omaha billionaire Warren Buffett, who is on track to pass a total of $1 billion in private aid this year given to Ukraine to remove mines and provide new combines, planters and tractors. '(Buffett) has a really good team over there that is well-organized,' he said. 'He's probably more highly thought of than anyone else in the country. If he wanted to run for president he could beat out (Ukraine President Volodymyr) Zelinskyy.' Brewer also visited an orphanage under construction near Kyiv that has been supported by Ukrainian-Americans as well as a hospital where wounded soldiers are fitted for prosthetic limbs. An estimated 52,000 Ukrainians have lost parts of arms and legs in the war, he said, which has left possibly 18,000 children orphaned. Some U.S. military aid is still reaching troops in Ukraine, he said, but the elimination of the USAID agency has meant an end of food shipments to those living in a 'no-man's land' near the front. Despite the pull back of some American aid, the Ukrainians provided a warm welcome back, Brewer said. As after past trips, the former legislator will provide a trip report to the Nebraska delegation in Congress in hopes that makes a difference. On this trip, Brewer watched young Ukrainian soldiers, fueled by Red Bull and vape pens, guiding attack drones and was impressed by the capability of an artillery team unit that got only three week's training on guns the U.S. Army provides months of training to operate. He said that if he was 'king for a day,' the U.S. would provide more long-range missiles so that Russian forces could be moved farther away from the Ukrainian border to deter drone attacks and dropping of unguided 'glide bombs.' Tougher sanctions, Brewer added, could help squeeze the Russian economy to the point that they would give up. The former senator said he is sometimes 'astounded' about how long it took the U.S. to provide the weaponry that is needed. The sounds of drones buzzing overhead is a constant near the front, Brewer said, and the glide bombs, which cannot be detected by anti-missile batteries, have exacted a horrible toll. He said that this war could completely reshape Europe and the future of democracy, and it's important to stop Putin now, or else he will be emboldened to invade more countries. Brewer said he 'hates' the idea that Ukraine would have to give up valuable territory to end the war. 'The only way to defeat (the Russians) is to defeat them on the battlefield,' he said, 'and the only way to do that is give (Ukraine) the right weapons to do it.' 'Even though they've been through three years of war, and even though they've lost an estimated 100,000 civilian and military lives, their spirit is still passionate about staying free,' Brewer said. 'You're not going to see the Ukrainian people say, 'We've had enough.' I think they'll fight until they have nothing left to fight with.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT review: Dancing with the desert dust in Hyundai's new electric off-roader
Nowadays, "overlanding" is all the buzz in the car community. What began with kitted-up Toyota 4Runners and Land Rover Defenders spawned a whole slew of watered-down "soft-roaders" that distill the outdoorsy attitude of harder-core off-roaders into more daily-friendly packages, such as the Subaru Outback Wilderness and the Ford Bronco Sport. The claimed intent behind the rise of these adventure-focused models is for them to be used as practical and efficient crossovers during the week and as capable remote camping carriers on weekends. Fully-electric off-roaders are nothing new, either. Consider the Rivian R1S, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class EV, and the upcoming Scout Traveler from Volkswagen. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT, however, takes on a more modest approach to electric off-roading, retaining the comfortable daily driver elements of the standard Ioniq 5 but adding a slew of upgrades to make off-road trips much easier–and plenty of the thought of taking a fully electric vehicle on a remote, off-road accessible camping trip is slightly nerve-wracking. I mean, what happens if you don't have the necessary range to get back out of the bush? It's not as if you can bring a few spare jerry cans with you, just to be safe. To offset these concerns, the Ioniq 5 XRT offers a respectable 259-mile all-electric range, meaning that you'll still need to be conscious about how far off the grid you travel, but it allows for plenty of exploration. I tend to think of the Ioniq 5 XRT as a more modest, real-world-focused alternative to the Ford Mustang Mach E Rally, which seems to be a bit excessive for what it will actually be used for. What I mean by this is that the Mustang Mach E Rally is very clearly focused on off-road performance rather than adventurous capability. Although it benefits from about the same level of all-electric range, at 265 miles, the Mach E Rally touts figures of 480 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque – much more captivating numbers than the Ioniq 5 XRT's 320 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque, at least on paper. My issue with the Mach E Rally, however, is that if you're traversing lazily groomed off-road trails, 700 lb-ft of torque is almost entirely unnecessary. Sure, if you're thrashing it around a dirt race course, it's a different story entirely, but how often are buyers really going to be doing this?The Mach E Rally makes its performance intentions even more clear with its inclusion of Brembo brake calipers and a "Rallycross-tuned MagneRide Damping System." The Ioniq 5 XRT, however, gets more realistic, purpose-designed enhancements. The Mach E is slightly more expensive, too, with a starting MSRP of $58,995, compared to the Ioniq 5 XRT's $55,400 MSRP, although the Mach E does offer substantially more power for the money. View the 75 images of this gallery on the original article The Ioniq 5 XRT's upgrades over the standard model include a 23mm lift in suspension height, chunkier Continental all-terrain tires, exterior protective cladding with a pixelated, urban camo-esque texture that's happy to get bashed to bits by rocks and twigs, and an enhanced rear departure angle thanks to an upwards-angled rear bumper. Aesthetically, the XRT also benefits from steelie-look aluminum wheels and an embossed rear-end XRT logo. Putting the Ioniq 5 XRT through its paces on an off-road challenge course in Coachella Valley, California, I was thoroughly surprised by the vehicle's ability to take a serious beating. Not only could the crossover handle it well, but its smooth suspension also soaks up every bump and slam, and its supreme build quality shone through without a single creak or squeak permeating my eardrums. All of that meant that I was as comfortable as can be while driving over properly harsh terrain at much higher speeds than I would ever operate one at if my own name was on the registration. When the terrain shifted from bumpy and rocky to a smoother, sandy course, I picked up speed with ease thanks to its plentiful 446 lb-ft of torque, set up the XRT-specific terrain mode to "sand", and pretended I was Walter Röhrl piloting an Audi Quattro Group B rally car. Incredibly, the Ioniq 5 XRT was light on its feet and playful, allowing for the occasional tail-swing, but became sticky as glue before things ever got out of hand, without cutting power to snow mode, and its tires get even stickier. Its wheels refuse to spin at all, even if you try really hard, and its throttle response becomes far more gradual and calculated rather than sudden and abrupt, which prevents it from becoming stuck. In fact, as hard as every driver tried to get the Ioniq 5 XRT stuck, not one of us found any success in our attempts. Though not quite as monstrously capable off-road as an electric G-Wagon, referring to the Ioniq 5 XRT as a "soft-roader" doesn't quite do its capability enough justice. Overall, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT presents an exciting opportunity to add a thrilling adrenaline rush to your next off-road adventure. If you're willing to take on the challenge of bringing a fully electric vehicle on an overland expedition but still require a vehicle that can tackle even the most strenuous daily duties, the Ioniq 5 XRT is a stellar option. Such capability and enjoyability, paired with Hyundai's build quality and the sublime platform that is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in general, is not to be ignored. Are you a fan of the Ioniq 5 XRT's unique and flamboyant style, or do you prefer the Mustang Mach E Rally's 700 lb-ft of torque? Would you confidently explore tough, remote terrain in the all-electric Ioniq 5 N, or would you insist on a petrol-powered, purpose-built off-roader? Let us know how you feel in the comments–we love to hear from you! Love reading Autoblog? Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get exclusive articles, insider insights, and the latest updates delivered right to your inbox. Click here to sign up now!
