‘Thank you’ cookies sent to North Carolina elections office prompt emergency response

(NEW YORK) — Two Russian military aircraft were detected Wednesday operating in the international airspace off of Alaska, NORAD said.

The aircraft were operating in airspace known as the Air Defense Identification Zone, or ADIZ, that stretches 150 miles from the coastline, an area where aircraft are asked to identify themselves.

“The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace,” NORAD said. “This Russian activity in the Alaska ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.”

The U.S. does not appear to have launched intercepting aircraft, with NORAD saying in a press release that the Russian aircraft were “detected and tracked.”

United States and Canadian fighter jets in July intercepted four Russian and Chinese bombers flying in international airspace near Alaska, officials said at the time.

NORAD did not identify what type of Russian aircraft were involved in Thursday’s incident.

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(LOS ANGELES) — Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón is supporting the Menendez brothers’ new effort to petition California Gov. Gavin Newsom for clemency, which would reduce their sentence or grant a pardon, ABC News has learned.

Gascón plans to submit a letter to that effect by the end of the day Wednesday.

Lyle and Erik Menendez have spent nearly 35 years in prison for the 1989 murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.

Lyle and Erik Menendez were sentenced in 1996 to two consecutive terms of life without parole.

While prosecutors alleged they killed their parents for money, the defense argued the brothers acted in self-defense following years of sexual abuse by their father.

Besides the new clemency route, the brothers have two other possible tracks to freedom.

One path is through resentencing.

Gascón announced last week that he was recommending the brothers’ sentence of life without the possibility of parole be removed, and they should instead be sentenced for murder, which would be a sentence of 50 years to life.

Because both brothers were under 26 at the time of the crimes, with the new sentence, they would be eligible for parole immediately, Gascón said.

“We appreciate what they did while they were in prison,” Gascón said at a news conference of the brothers. “While I disapprove of the way they handled their abuse, we hope that they not only have learned — which appears that they have — but that if they get reintegrated into our community, that they continue to do public good.”

Gascón’s recommendation will go before a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, and if the judge agrees, the decision will next be in the hands of a parole board.

The second possible track for release is the habeas corpus petition filed last year for a review of new evidence not presented at trial.

One piece of evidence is allegations from a former member of the boy band Menudo, who is alleging he was sexually abused by music executive Jose Menendez.

The second piece of evidence is a letter Erik Menendez wrote to his cousin eight months before the murders detailing his alleged abuse. The cousin testified about the alleged abuse at trial, but the letter — which would have corroborated the cousin’s testimony — wasn’t unearthed until several years ago, according to the brothers’ attorney, Mark Geragos.

Through this petition, the court could reverse the convictions or reopen proceedings.

Officials in the DA’s office told ABC News they are “keeping an open mind” to reducing the conviction to a lesser charge based on the new evidence.

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(WINDER, Ga.) — State investigators are revealing new details surrounding the gun a 14-year-old boy allegedly used to kill two teachers and two students at his Georgia high school.

Colt Gray allegedly brought the AR-15-style rifle used in last week’s shooting — a Christmas present from his dad, according to sources — to school on his own, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Thursday. The long gun “could not be broken down,” so the teen hid it in his backpack, the GBI said.

The morning of the shooting, Gray asked his teacher for permission to go to the front office and speak with an unidentified person, the GBI said. The teacher allowed him to leave and take his belongings with him, the GBI said.

The 14-year-old then went to the bathroom and hid from teachers, and later allegedly took out the rifle and started shooting, according to the GBI.

Colt Gray is accused of killing four people and injuring nine others at Apalachee High School on Sept. 4.

Seven of the nine people who were wounded suffered gunshot wounds, the GBI clarified on Thursday.

Colt Gray is charged with four counts of felony murder. More charges will be filed, prosecutors said.

The teen’s father, Colin Gray, is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the GBI said. He is accused of knowingly allowing his son to possess the weapon used in the shooting, according to the GBI.

Investigators believe Colt Gray received the AR-style gun used in the shooting as a Christmas present from his father, according to sources.

Colt Gray and Colin Gray both made their first court appearances on Friday. Neither has entered a plea and both are set to return to court on Dec. 4.

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