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Indonesia’s former agriculture minister arrested over alleged corruption

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:20 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s former agriculture minister was arrested Thursday by the country’s anti-graft commission on accusations of bribery, abuse of power and fraud involving contracts with private vendors.Syahrul Yasin Limpo had resigned his position as agriculture minister last week to focus on the impending legal proceedings against him, and he was formally named as a suspect on Wednesday by the Corruption Eradication Commission, known as the KPK.Footage late Thursday showed Limpo arriving at the commission’s office in handcuffs and wearing a black leather jacket, black hat and a mask. He did not respond to journalists’ questions.Limpo’s lawyer, Febri Diansyah, said it was unfortunate that the KPK forcefully arrested his client at his home at night after he had informed the commission that Limpo would come to the KPK on Friday for questioning.Limpo had missed a scheduled appointment with the KPK on Wednesday for interrogation, saying he was away visiting his parents...

Disruption at BWI Marshall Airport sparked by bomb threat, authorities say

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:20 GMT

The large police investigation at BWI Marshall on Wednesday that shut down access to the airport for about an hour and led to a brief ground stop was triggered by a person who told an airport police officer there was a bomb in their car.At about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, the person approached a Maryland Transportation Authority police officer who was patrolling the airport’s lower level.“The individual made statements referencing a possible explosive device in the vehicle, which was parked near the entrance to the airport’s lower level,” the MDTA said in a news release Thursday.The person has not been charged and, after being taken into custody, was transported to the hospital for mental health treatment, authorities said.During the incident Wednesday, officials blocked access to the airport for incoming travelers, which led to major backups on Interstate 195, the main artery to the airport. Passengers at the terminal were asked to remain in place.Investigators from the...

Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone’s parents safely arrive home from Israel

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:20 GMT

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone’s parents have safely arrived home from Israel.They were among about 50 people affiliated with a Naples, Florida-based church who were in the country.Anzalone posted on social media on Thursday morning that his parents are headed home and his mother later posted that the group arrived safely.Sal and Judy Anzalone were in a Jerusalem hotel as Israel vowed an unprecedented offensive against Hamas after the Islamic militant group’s fighters broke through the border fence Saturday and stormed into the country’s south. The war between Israel and Hamas has claimed at least 2,200 lives.Anzalone told The Detroit News on Sunday, after Detroit beat the Carolina Panthers, that all he has been thinking about is his parents.“It’s hard,” Anzalone told the newspaper.Lions coach Dan Campbell said he called Anzalone about his parents when he was informed of their plight Sunday night.The NFC North-leading Lions (4-1) play NFC-South leadi...

Alabama police chief apologies for inaccurate information in fatal shooting

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:20 GMT

DECATUR, Ala. (AP) — A police chief in Alabama has apologized for his department giving “inaccurate information” about what was said before officers shot and killed a homeowner during a dispute with a tow truck driver.Decatur Police Chief Todd Pinion wrote in a statement Wednesday that the department gave an inaccurate description of officers’ commands in “our initial rush to release information” about the Sept. 29 shooting of Steve Perkins. The department inaccurately said officers ordered Perkins to drop his weapon and that he refused to do so. Pinion said what actually happened is the officers identified themselves as “police” and ordered Perkins to “get on the ground.”“I apologize for the inaccurate description of the encounter in our initial statement, and we have already taken steps to improve our public information sharing process,” Pinion wrote.Perkins, 39, was killed by police in front of his home in a confrontation that began with a tow truck driver tryin...

Estes Park among best small towns to visit for Halloween

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:20 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Estes Park is known as one of the best places to see fall colors in the country and is known for The Stanley Hotel, where Stephen King found inspiration for "The Shining."Now, Trips to Discover is acknowledging the mountainside village as one of the best small towns in the U.S. to visit for Halloween. What makes The Stanley Hotel one of the spookiest hotels in the nation? The lost looks at Halloween events and the town's history. You can find activities for people of all ages including shows, live music, craft classes, dining, shopping and touring.The Historic Park Theatre and Cafe in downtown Estes Park shows haunting movies and hosts ghost hunts and historic tours in October.The Estes Park Visitor Center hosts scenic tours for visitors to see wildlife surrounded by the changing colors. This year on Oct. 14 and 15, Garden of the Cats is hosting a cat show, "The Purring: Here's Kitties!" which showcases exotic breeds, championship cats, non-pedigreed felines and e...

Sheriff Gregory Tony, federal officials announce 17 BSO deputies charged in PPP loan fraud case

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:20 GMT

Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony and federal investigators announced that 17 BSO deputies were charged in an elaborate cash crime revolving around Paycheck Protection Program loans during the coronavirus pandemic.During a press conference on Thursday, Tony revealed that in 2021, they were investigating one employee due to policy violations. They then looked at all 5,550 BSO employees to see who had applied for loans.Once criminal action was discovered, the case was refereed to federal officials. According to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe, the employees took more than $500,000 from the federal government.According to Florida Bulldog investigative reporter Dan Christensen, he reported that between 50 and 70 BSO employees will soon be charged with fraud.Christensen spoke with 7News on Wednesday.“I’ve heard- the word that’s going around at Broward Sheriff’s Office is 50 to 70 employees, mostly deputies, sworn deputies, detention deputies and...

Florida citrus forecast improves over last year when hurricanes hit state

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:20 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The forecast for Florida citrus, the state’s signature crop, is expected to improve in the upcoming season compared to last year when twin hurricanes battered the state at the start of the citrus season, according to estimates released Thursday.Florida is expected to produce 20.5 million boxes of oranges during the upcoming season, up from 15.8 million boxes last season, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.Florida growers are expected to harvest 1.9 million boxes of grapefruit during the 2023-2024 season, which lasts through next spring, up from 1.8 million boxes last season.The production of tangerines and mandarins also was forecast to be up, going from 480,000 boxes last season to an expected 500,000 boxes in the upcoming season.Florida had been the leading producer of oranges in the U.S. until last season when the state was battered by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. California surpassed the Sunshine State in orange production.The decline in orange pr...

Israel-Hamas war: UK readies navy in eastern Mediterranean to ‘prevent escalation’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:20 GMT

LONDON — U.K. military assets including surveillance aircraft and naval patrols will be deployed in the eastern Mediterranean to support Israel, Rishi Sunak announced Thursday evening.No. 10 Downing Street said that Royal Air Force aircraft will on Friday begin patrols to track threats to stability in the region, while a navy “task group” — including two Royal Navy ships — will be moved to the eastern Mediterranean to assist with humanitarian efforts. The British government said the military package is intended to prevent escalation and hammer home its support for Israel. Sunak has declared repeatedly that the U.K. “stands with Israel” and offered unequivocal support, since Hamas’ surprise attacks on Saturday.“Alongside our allies, deployment of our world class military will support efforts to ensure regional stability and prevent further escalation,” the prime minister said in a statement.“Our military and diplomatic teams across the region ...

Lieutenant Governor Driscoll Warns Mass. Shelters “Definitely At Capacity”

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:20 GMT

Massachusetts is going to run out of places to shelter newly arriving immigrants and other families without housing “very, very soon,” leaving the one state in the country that has a legal obligation to shelter unhoused families in a position where “there is not going to be literally any room at the inn,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said Thursday morning.Driscoll said Thursday morning that Massachusetts has almost 7,500 families (close to 23,000 people) enrolled in the Massachusetts emergency assistance shelter system. She said during a live interview on El Mundo’s La Hora del Café that “we’re really running out of capacity” and renewed the administration’s calls for the federal government to speed up the work authorization process for immigrants and to establish new congregate shelters.“Folks are coming in through the border because they’re fleeing horrific circumstances. But when you have this many people in a shelter...

Trump sharply criticizes Netanyahu over intelligence failure in latest sign of soured relationship

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:25:20 GMT

Washington (CNN) — Former President Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the Israeli prime minister was caught unprepared by Hamas’ attack and praising the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah as “very smart.”The remarks reflect the soured relationship between the two men and are notable at a time when Trump’s Republican presidential rivals have uniformly sought to position themselves as steadfast supporters of Netanyahu during Israel’s war with Hamas.“(Netanyahu) has been hurt very badly because of what’s happened here. He was not prepared. He was not prepared, and Israel was not prepared,” Trump told Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade in an interview clip that aired Wednesday night.Trump went further at a campaign event in West Palm Beach, Florida.“When I see sometimes the intelligence, you talk about the intelligence, or you talk about some of the things that went wrong over the last week, they’ve got to straighten it out because they’r...