Prigozhin charges dropped as he arrives in Belarus: June 27 rundown

KARAH RUCKER: COMING UP – CLEAN UP IN MOSCOW AFTER A MUTINY FROM WITHIN.

HOW THE WHITE HOUSE IS REACTING TO THE WAGNER GROUP’S UPHEAVAL.

AND IF BEING STUCK IN NEW YORK CITY TRAFFIC WASN’T BAD ENOUGH – IT COULD SOON COST YOU AN EXTRA FEE DRIVING IN THE BUSY CITY IN A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND TRAFFIC TOLL. THE RUNDOWN STARTS NOW. THIS IS STRAIGHT-ARROW NEWS. 

BRINGING YOU UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I’M KARAH RUCKER.

MUTINY CHARGES AGAINST PRIGOZHIN DROPPED

NEW THIS MORNING — RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES ANNOUNCED THEY HAVE CLOSED A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO WAGNER GROUP CHIEF YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN. JUST AS WE HAD REPORTED YESTERDAY — THE INVESTIGATION LED TO NO CHARGES AGAINST HIM — NOR ANY OF THE WAGNER GROUP MERCENARIES WHO STAGED A MUTINY ON RUSSIA OVER THE WEEKEND.

A JET LINKED TO PRIGOZHIN ARRIVED IN BELARUS TODAY. THAT’S WHERE PRIGOZHIN WAS EXPECTED TO GO FOLLOWING THE DEAL HE STRUCK WITH THE KREMLIN TO END THE GROUP’S MARCH ON MOSCOW. DESPITE LETTING PRIGOZHIN OFF THE HOOK — RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN BLASTED ORGANIZERS OF THE REBELLION AS TRAITORS WHO ARE PLAYING INTO THE HANDS OF UKRAINE AND ITS ALLIES. ALL THIS — AS THE U-S CONTINUES TO MONITOR WHAT THE REVOLT MEANS FOR THE WAR.

John Kirby | White House National Security Council spokesman:  “I’ll emphasize, as the president did just a little bit ago, that it’s too early to speculate on the impact these events might have or to reach any definitive conclusions, except one, of course, and that is that no matter what happens next, we’re going to stay closely coordinated with those allies and partners, and we’re going to continue to stand with Ukraine.”

U.S. TO SEND $500M IN WEAPONS, MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE

AND SPEAKING OF STANDING WITH UKRAINE — THE WAR-TORN NATION WILL BE RECEIVING ANOTHER 500 MILLION DOLLAR AID PACKAGE FROM THE U-S – EXPECTED TO BE ANNOUNCED BY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TODAY.

AS UKRAINE CONTINUES ITS COUNTER-OFFENSIVE – IT WILL BE RECEIVING AN ARRAY OF ASSISTANCE FROM THE U.S. THE PACKAGE WILL INCLUDE THE SHIPMENT OF MORE THAN 50 HEAVILY ARMORED MILITARY VEHICLES AND MISSILES TO REPLENISH ITS AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS.

SINCE THE START OF THE WAR – THIS WILL BE THE 41ST TIME THAT THE U.S. HAS PROVIDED MILITARY WEAPONS THROUGH PRESIDENTIAL DRAWDOWN AUTHORITY —

WHICH ALLOWS THE PENTAGON TO QUICKLY TAKE ITEMS FROM ITS OWN STOCKS AND DELIVER THEM TO UKRAINE.

Matthew Miller | State Department Spokesman: “We continue to supply the Ukrainians with the equipment they need to conduct the counter defense, counter offensive and to defend themselves long term. We continue to have intelligence sharing channels with the Ukrainians. We continue to have military channels. We continue to have diplomatic channels that are open with Ukraine.”

THE 500 MILLION DOLLAR AID PACKAGE WILL COME IN ADDITION TO 6.2 BILLION DOLLARS PLEDGED TO GO TO UKRAINE FOLLOWING A PENTAGON ACCOUNTING ERROR THAT WE FOLLOWED CLOSELY LAST WEEK.

TO CATCH UP ON HOW THE PENTAGON MISCALCULATED AID TO UKRAINE BY THE BILLIONS — FIND OUR REPORT AT S-A-N DOT COM.

JUDGE TO DECIDE ON MOVING TRUMP CRIMINAL CASE

HAPPENING TODAY – A U.S. JUDGE IS SET TO HEAR ARGUMENTS OVER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S ATTEMPT TO MOVE HIS CRIMINAL CASE IN NEW YORK **OUT OF THE STATE – AND INTO A FEDERAL COURT – WHERE HE COULD POTENTIALLY TRY TO GET THE CASE DISMISSED.

TRUMP’S LAWYERS SOUGHT TO MOVE THE CASE TO FEDERAL COURT SOON AFTER TRUMP PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN APRIL TO CHARGES THAT HE FALSIFIED BUSINESS RECORDS IN A HUSH-MONEY SCHEME.

MOVING THE CASE TO FEDERAL COURT WOULD ALSO CAST A WIDER NET OF POTENTIAL JURORS RATHER THAN ONLY SELECTING FROM MANHATTAN —

A CITY WITH MUCH DISDAIN FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT.

IF THE CASE STAYS IN STATE COURT — THE TRIAL WILL BEGIN MARCH 25TH OF NEXT YEAR– IN THE THICK OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY SEASON. THE JUDGE WILL HEAR ARGUMENTS BUT IS NOT EXPECTED TO IMMEDIATELY RULE TODAY.

PROSECUTORS SEEK DEATH PENALTY AGAINST IDAHO MURDER SUSPECT

JUST AS BRYAN KOHBERGER IS EXPECTED BACK IN COURT TODAY – PROSECUTORS SAY THEY WILL SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY AGAINST HIM. KOHBERGER IS SUSPECTED OF MURDERING FOUR “UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO STUDENTS” LAST YEAR. PROSECUTORS SAY KOHBERGER EXHIBITED “UTTER DISREGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE” 

COMMITTING SUCH A HEINOUS CRIME.

EARLIER THIS YEAR – KOHBERGER PLEADED NOT GUILTY. KOHBERGER, 28 YEARS OLD AND A FORMER P-H-D STUDENT, IS EXPECTED TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY FOR A PRELIMINARY HEARING. TRIAL IS SET TO BEGIN OCTOBER SECOND.

FIRST LOCALLY-ACQUIRED MALARIA CASES IN 20 YEARS

THE C-D-C HAS ISSUED A WARNING OVER THE RETURN OF **LOCALLY-ACQUIRED CASES OF MALARIA – THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS CASES HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED IN THE U.S. WITH NO LINKS TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY. THERE ARE FIVE TOTAL CASES – FOUR IN FLORIDA AND ONE IN TEXAS. THE CASES IN THE TWO STATES ARE ALSO SAID TO HAVE NO LINKS TO ONE ANOTHER. MALARIA IS TRANSMITTED WHEN A PERSON IS BITTEN BY AN INFECTED MOSQUITO. A HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED IN BOTH TEXAS AND FLORIDA.

NEW YORK TRAFFIC CONGESTION PRICING PLAN APPROVED

A PLAN TO REDUCE TRAFFIC AND CAR POLLUTION IN NEW YORK CITY HAS CLEARED ITS FINAL LEGAL HURDLE – PAVING WAY FOR THE NATION’S FIRST EVER “CONGESTION PRICING PLAN” – A FEE FOR DRIVERS WHO ARE ENTERING MANHATTAN ON ONE OF THE BUSIEST ROADS IN THE NATION.

THE NEW TOLL FOR DRIVERS WHO WANT TO ENTER MANHATTAN COULD BEGIN AS EARLY AS NEXT YEAR. NEW YORK RECEIVED A KEY GREEN LIGHT FROM WASHINGTON FOR ITS PROPOSED PLAN – NOW ALL THAT’S LEFT IS FOR OFFICIALS TO DECIDE A PRICE-POINT.

ONE VERSION OF ITS PLAN HAD PRICES AS HIGH AS 23 DOLLARS FOR A RUSH-HOUR TRIP INTO MIDTOWN – AND 17 DOLLARS DURING OFF-PEAK HOURS. THE MONEY RAISED THROUGH THE “TRAFFIC TOLL” WOULD THEN GO TOWARD NEW YORK’S PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES.

THANKS FOR JOINING US ON THE RUNDOWN.

WE’RE ON A MISSION TO BRING BACK TRUSTWORTHY JOURNALISM BY SERVING ONLY YOU — NOT AN AGENDA. 

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR WORK AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.

AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND THE LATEST RUNDOWN EPISODES AVAILABLE AS A PODCAST ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. 

HAVE A GREAT DAY!