Russian lieutenant general shot by assailant in Moscow, investigators say
Russian Police officers walk next to the entrance of a residential building on Volokolamsk Highway, where an assassination attempt on General Lieutenant Alexeyev (Alekseev) was made earlier in the morning, on February 6, 2026, in Moscow, . (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alexeyev, a high-ranking Defense Ministry official, was shot and injured in an ambush-style attack on Friday in a residential area of Moscow, according to the Investigative Committee of Russia and state-affiliated media.
“According to investigators, on Feb. 6, 2026, in a residential building located on Volokolamskoye Highway in Moscow, an as-yet-unidentified individual fired several shots at a man and fled the scene,” Svetlana Petrenko, the committee’s spokesperson, said in Russian on the Telegram messaging app.
The victim was transported to a local hospital, Petrenko said. She did not immediately describe the extent of his injuries.
State-affiliated news outlet TASS identified the victim as Alexeyev, adding that a criminal investigation had been launched.
“Special services are currently doing their job,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. “Of course, this has been reported to the head of state. We wish the general a speedy recovery.”
Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, claimed without evidence that Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, may be responsible for the shooting. He suggested that it may be an attempt by Ukraine to disrupt negotiations between Washington, Kyiv and Moscow.
“The regime is ready to do anything to convince its Western sponsors not to lag behind the United States in their desire to derail the process of achieving a just settlement,” Lavrov told reporters at a briefing on Friday.
ABC News’ Joe Simonetti, Dragana Jovanovic and Anna Sergeeva contributed to this report.
A general view at the Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, February 3, 2026 in Predazzo, Italy. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
(MILAN) — Hosting the Winter Olympics will be more challenging in the future as global warming impacts host cities traditionally known for climates suitable for competitions such as skiing and snowboarding, according to climate scientists.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are about to kick off, but the Milano Cortina Games will take place in a much warmer world than in years past.
Average temperatures in Cortina, Italy, have risen by 6.4 degrees Fahrenheit since the region first hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, according to a recent analysis by Climate Central. The warming trends have led to fewer freezing days and a shortage of naturally made snow.
“The number of freezing days, which is what you need to have snow, has dropped by almost 20%,” Marcene Mitchell, senior vice president for climate change for the World Wildlife Fund, told ABC News.
As a result, event organizers were required to ship in 3 million cubic yards of artificial snow, despite the games taking place in the high altitudes of the Italian Alps.
The artificial snow is not as safe, Mitchell said, explaining that it’s “icier” and a “riskier” surface for athletes to compete on.
The energy to make and ship the artificial snow also exacerbates the carbon footprint of the competitions that require snow, the climate experts said.
“To create artificial snow requires massive amounts of water and energy,” Mitchell said.
Warmer-than-freezing temperatures can also alter the consistency of the snow — turning it to slush — which can cause delays as crews work to smooth the slopes, Carlos Martinez, senior climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told ABC News.
Some of the most popular outdoor sports, such as skiing and snowboarding competitions, are impacted, Martinez said.
The warming planet is impacting a number of regions that would have previously been considered suitable to host the games. Every host location of the Winter Games since 1950 has warmed since then, according to Climate Central. Out of 93 potential host sites, only 52 would have reliable conditions for the Winter Olympics by the 2050s, according to a 2024 study.
“Globally, winters are changing drastically,” Jon Meyer, assistant Utah state climatologist, told ABC News.
The impact on snowpacks is being felt on all continents, Meyer added.
The French Alps, the host of the 2030 games, have lost about a third of their snowfall over the past century, according to recent research.
Utah is slated to host the 2034 Winter Olympics. While a single season isn’t an indicator of future snowfall, Salt Lake City has only amassed .10 inches of snow this winter season, compared to an average of 33.4 inches typically accumulated by early February. One ski resort outside Salt Lake City has only seen 143 inches of snow so far this season — 150 inches below average.
“Just totally uncharted territory for the amount of low-elevation and mid-elevation snowfall Utah has seen, and that’s a pattern that’s played out across much of the Western U.S.,” Meyer said.
The lack of snowfall will likely put regions in the West at risk of drought conditions and lower water supplies in the coming seasons, Meyer added.
Elsewhere in the world, warming will be an “ongoing” issue for the Winter Olympics, Martinez said.
“You can’t hold the Winter Olympics without winter, and this is exactly what’s happening with climate change around the world,” Mitchell said.
The Hookers’ boat, “Soulmate,” is seen in Marsh Harbor on Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas, April 8, 2026. (ABC News)
(NEW YORK) — The husband of a woman who was reported missing in the Bahamas after going overboard on a dinghy has been arrested, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
Lynette Hooker, 55, of Michigan, and her husband, Brian Hooker, 58, had departed Hope Town on the Abaco Islands for Elbow Cay around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
The couple was en route to their yacht, “Soulmate,” when bad weather caused Lynette Hooker to fall overboard, her husband told authorities.
Brian Hooker was arrested Wednesday evening and was being questioned in connection with his wife’s disappearance, police said. No further details were released.
According to his attorney, Brian Hooker has been “cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of an ongoing investigation.”
The husband “categorically denies the allegations made against him,” the attorney, Terrel Butler, said in a statement on Thursday.
“Mr. Hooker cannot provide further comments to the media or the public at this time while the investigations are ongoing,” Butler added. “It is crucial to mention the importance of maintaining the integrity of the legal process.”
The arrest comes after multiple sources told ABC News a criminal investigation had been opened into whether there was any wrongdoing in the case.
The U.S. Coast Guard will be leading the probe, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
The search is ongoing for Lynette Hooker, according to police.
Her husband told police the strong currents on Saturday took her out to sea, authorities said. She was holding the boat key when she went overboard, causing the 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy’s engine to shut off, police noted.
Her husband spoke out for the first time on Wednesday, saying he is “heartbroken over the recent boat accident.”
In a statement posted to social media, Brian Hooker said “unpredictable seas and high winds” caused his “beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy” near Elbow Cay.
“Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus,” he said.
Brian Hooker subsequently paddled the boat back to shore, arriving at around 4 a.m. Sunday to a marina, where he reported his wife overboard to an individual who then alerted police, authorities said.
The search and rescue operation has been conducted by land, sea and air and involved multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.
Brian Hooker thanked the agencies “who have worked tirelessly in an ongoing effort to bring Lynette back to us.”
“Thank you to everyone for keeping Lynette in your thoughts and for your support of our family during this difficult time,” he said.
The investigation and search efforts are ongoing, police said Tuesday.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has called for a “full and complete investigation” into her mother’s disappearance.
She told ABC News her mother is fit and a good swimmer, and described what her stepfather told her about his wife’s disappearance.
“He said that my mom’s missing and that she fell out of the boat and that he threw a life jacket to her or something, and he doesn’t know if she got it or not,” she said.
“I just hope we find her,” she added.
The Hookers are avid sailors, documenting their travels on social media under the name “The Sailing Hookers.”
The U.S. State Department is “aware of reports regarding a missing American near Elbow Cay” and is “working with Bahamian authorities to provide assistance,” a spokesperson for the agency said Monday.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi (C), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel (L) and U.S. Attorney for Washington, DC Jeanine Pirro make a press announcement at the Department of Justice on February 6, 2026 in Washington, DC. Bondi announced the FBI has captured and extradited Zubayr al-Bakoush, a suspect in the 2012 attack on the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — A suspect in the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya, has been arrested and brought back to the United States, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday.
Zubayr al-Bakoush was brought back to Andrews Air Force Base at 3 a.m., she said.
On Sept. 11, 2012, a group of men stormed into the diplomatic compound in Benghazi. Four Americans were killed in the attack.
The suspect is charged with the murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others, according to the U.S. attorney.
“Bakoush was first charged by complaint in 2015 which was sealed for 11 years, an indictment, an eight count indictment, has been unsealed, and it charges Bakoush with the murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens, the murder of State Department employee Sean Smith, the attempted murder of State Department Special Agent Scott Wicklund and conspiracy to provide materials for terrorists and support that resulted in the death of four Americans, as well as arson at the special mission,” U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro said alongside the Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
