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King Charles III is in Kenya for a state visit, his first to a Commonwealth country as monarch

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:34 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — King Charles III is in Kenya for a four-day trip, his first state visit to a Commonwealth country as monarch, underscoring his commitment to an organization that’s been central to Britain’s global power and prestige since World War II. It’s also a visit full of symbolism as Charles’ mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, learned that she had become U.K. monarch while visiting a game preserve in the East African nation in 1952.The king and Queen Camilla touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport late on Monday. The royal couple was received by Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi and British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan.On Tuesday morning, President William Ruto hosted a ceremonial welcome for Charles at State House, complete with a red carpet and a 21-gun salute from the Kenya navy. Charles later planted an African fern tree seedling at the lawn.Camilla accompanied the king while wearing an Anna...

Protesters gather outside Md. Sen. Cardin’s office to call for cease-fire in Gaza

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:34 GMT

Protesters gather in the rain outside Md. Sen. Ben Cardin's Rockville office to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. (WTOP/Kyle Cooper) Protesters gather in the rain outside Md. Sen. Ben Cardin's Rockville office to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. (WTOP/Kyle Cooper) Dozens gathered outside Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin’s office in Rockville on Monday night to call for a cease-fire amid the ongoing war in Gaza.The protest was organized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The director of the organization’s Maryland office told WTOP they opted for Cardin’s office because he is chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.“We’re encouraging Sen. Cardin to introduce a resolution in the Se...

Death investigation underway at Aventura condominium complex

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:34 GMT

A discovery rattled the tranquility of Aventura as a body was found outside of a condominium complex in Aventura.The incident unfolded at the Turnberry On the Green Condominium at 19501 W Country Club Drive, Tuesday. Video footage from earlier in the day revealed the area blocked off with a yellow tarp covering the body, while police investigators were examining the scene.Initial investigations suggest that there is no immediate threat to the public, as officers have engaged with a witness who also heard the gunshots.“I didn’t know where the person was, where it came from. I go to get out and I see the body,” said the witness. “They’re just like, ‘Go, go, go,’ and I left. This is Aventura. You don’t expect that here.”At the time of this report, authorities are actively working to unravel the circumstances that led to this shooting incident. If you have any information on this crime, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS....

Nigel Farage says he’ll be fine in reality TV jungle after dealing with EU ‘snakes’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:34 GMT

LONDON — Nigel Farage could be heading to the jungle — no problem after dealing with “snakes” in the European Parliament.The former Brexit Party leader announced he is considering a run on “I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here,” a long-running British reality TV show that sees contestants shipped off to the Australian jungle to face a host of grueling tasks in a bid to triumph in a public vote.Speaking on GB News, Farage insisted he’d be up to the job because he was “used to going through tough times and living with snakes of all different sizes” during his two-decade spell as an MEP.“I mean, the ghastly people I had to be with in the last few months in Brussels,” he told host Mark Dolan.“Coffee bars wouldn’t serve me, restaurants wouldn’t serve me, and even my favorite pub said ‘we can’t serve you anymore because we’ll lose all our business.'”Farage said he had previously “ruled out being on the sho...

France arrests Russian oligarch in money-laundering, sanctions probe

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:34 GMT

French police detained Russian billionaire oligarch Alexei Kuzmichev on Monday, in an investigation into money laundering, tax fraud and violations of international sanctions.As part of a preliminary probe by France’s anti-corruption office (OCLCIFF), police on Monday carried out multiple searches at several locations in France, including Kuzmichev’s property in Paris, a spokesperson for France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) confirmed to POLITICO.Kuzmichev was detained Monday and remained in custody on Tuesday.According to French daily Le Monde, Monday’s raids included more than 60 officers and Kuzmichev’s villa in Saint-Tropez was also searched.Kuzmichev, a shareholder of Alfa Group, one of Russia’s largest private investment firms, was sanctioned by the EU along with several other Alfa Group shareholders after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. The EU considers Kuzmichev “one of the most infl...

Officials urge Halloween revelers in Salem to use public transit, celebrate responsibly

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:34 GMT

Tens of thousands of people are set to descend on Salem for Halloween festivities on Tuesday and city officials are urging revelers to take advantage of public transit and celebrate responsibly.Haunted Happenings events, including a hypnosis show, a witches magic circle on the Common, and a fireworks show over the North River run from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.Additional trans have been added between Salem and North Station and Salem and Beverly. The final train to Boston leaves at 10:59 p.m. and the final train to Newburyport leaves at 12:21 a.m.The appeal for safety comes after a man was arraigned in connection with a suspected drunken driving pedestrian crash that left a woman seriously injured and another near-miss involving a suspected drunken driver and a Salem police officer.Stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

A Weather Trick or a Treat?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:34 GMT

Yes, the chillier air is clearly back in place as the coldest air of the season heads into Southern New England over the next few days. With that said, at least it’ll be dry with some sunshine on this Halloween as a bit of a breeze this morning, gradually subsides this afternoon, leaving little wind in place for the Trick-or-Treaters. Temps run in the mid 40s around sunset (5:39pm) and drop into the mid to upper 30s by 9pm. Overall, a manageable chill thanks to the wind not being that strong. Wednesday is a chilly day overall with highs in the low to mid 40s. A few scattered showers pop-up from time to time with the best chance for them early in the morning, across Southeast Mass. For the rest of the area, it’ll be during the midday/afternoon hours that we track some spotty showers. There’s a lot of chilly air just above the surface, so when the showers get going, temps drop off, even getting cold enough for some wet snow flakes to mix in inland, especially across ...

Editorial: Stop killing the Massachusetts economy, governor

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:34 GMT

Gov. Maura Healey and the state Legislature need to stop everything they’re doing and focus on the dismal business tax climate in Massachusetts today!Business is the backbone of our democracy, and neglecting the engine that drives our freedom is irresponsible. Every warning light is blinking, governor, so erase your calendar, roll up your sleeves, and get out your toolbox.The Tax Foundation ranks Massachusetts as the 5th worst state in its Business Tax Climate Index. New Jersey, New York, California, and Connecticut rank lower — but New Hampshire is in the Top 10. That alone should worry Gov. Healey. Last time when drove north it was a quick trip.The sad part is Healey doesn’t seem to care. Neither does Speaker Ron Mariano and state Senate President Karen Spilka. Our Democratic-run government is more adept at knocking down entrepreneurs than helping them out.This Tax Foundation report — showing the Bay State dropping 12 spots in just the past year — sho...

Indonesian police arrest 59 suspected militants over an alleged plot to disrupt 2024 elections

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:34 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s elite counterterrorism police squad arrested at least 59 suspected militants in recent weeks in a nationwide crackdown as the country gears up for elections in 2024, police said Tuesday.The arrests were made in eight provinces since Oct. 2, including 27 suspects who were arrested Friday, said Aswin Siregar, the spokesperson of the squad known as Densus 88. Those arrested believed to have links to banned extremist groups who were allegedly plotting to disrupt next year’s election, he said.Indonesia is the world’s third-largest democracy and the most populous Muslim-majority country. It’s set to vote in simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on Feb. 14. The country has had free and largely peaceful elections since the fall of dictator Suharto in 1998.Siregar said the arrested suspects told investigators during interrogation that “they have planned action to attack security forces to thwart or disrupt next year’s election.”“They ...

Boris Johnson’s aide-turned-enemy Dominic Cummings set to testify at UK COVID-19 inquiry

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:34 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A former top aide who has accused ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson of being unfit for office is scheduled to testify Tuesday at Britain’s public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic.Dominic Cummings, who was the prime minister’s chief adviser during the first months of the pandemic in 2020, follows other aides who have painted a picture of Johnson as a leader who was distracted and indecisive during the country’s biggest peacetime crisis.On Monday, former principal private secretary Martin Reynolds acknowledged there had been a “systemic failure” to prepare for the pandemic and said Johnson blew ”hot and cold” on key issues and hesitated to make important decisions.Another ex-aide, Imran Shafi, alleged that Johnson had asked at a meeting before lockdown was imposed in March 2020, why the economy was being destroyed “for people who will die anyway soon.”Cummings has also claimed Johnson was reluctant to impose lockdowns because he said the virus was primarily killing...