Putin says Russia’s ready to improve ties with the US

MOSCOW — Russia is ready to improve ties with the United States and work with whomever is elected its next president, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. He said his talks with U.S. Secretary John Kerry earlier this week showed that Washington is ready to “move toward settling the issues that can only be settled through joint efforts.”Addressing Russia’s strained relations with some of its neighbors at his annual news conference, attended by hundreds of Russian and foreign journalists, Putin said he saw no possibility of overcoming the tensions with Turkey under its current leadership, and wanted to see the conflict in Ukraine settled as soon as possible.Putin said the Russian military operation in Syria will continue until a political process starts, but it is up to the Syrians to decide when to stop fighting and sit down for talks. “We aren’t going to be more Syrian than the Syrians themselves,” he added.He also offered assurances that the Russian economy was showing signs of stabilization despite plummeting oil prices, in fielding an array of questions from journalists representing state-owned media organizations about whether the government was coping with the challenges and whether the country could afford waging a war.Driver dodges death when large metal beam pierces windshieldSAN JOSE, Calif. — Northern California authorities say a driver is lucky to be alive after a large metal beam pierced the windshield of his SUV while on a San Jose freeway.San Jose Fire Department Capt. Christopher Salcido says the beam fell off of a flatbed truck, crashing through the windshield and lodging itself into the driver’s seat of the BMW. The driver, 66-year-old Don Lee of San Jose, California, suffered a small scratch to his right arm.Both vehicles were traveling at 60 mph when the incident occurred around noon Friday on I-280.Twenty-two-year-old Javier Zambrano of Los Banos was driving the Ford flatbed truck carrying the beam. California Highway Patrol spokesman Ross Lee says Zambrano will be cited for spilling a load once the investigation is complete.Police seek public’s help in finding missing ‘SWAT Cat’BOSTON — SWAT cat is missing.The Boston Police Department’s SWAT team is looking for a stray that’s become its unofficial mascot.The department posted a note on Facebook this week seeking help finding “SWAT Cat,” which has white, black and light orange fur. The note includes a picture of the feline lounging on the hood of an armored tactical truck.The department says the cat has been beloved part of the team since 2013.The department says “SWAT Cat” would show up for chow time with the unit and roll over for belly rubs from officers. The cat hasn’t been seen for about three weeks.The department’s Facebook post that it was sad the cat wasn’t around anymore because she’d become like family.— The Associated Press