The United States has seized an airplane belonging to Venezuela’s hard-line president, Nicolás Maduro, in the Dominican Republic, the Justice Department said Monday.

The Justice Department alleges that the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft was purchased from a company in Florida for about $13 million by people affiliated with Maduro who used a Caribbean-based shell company and smuggled it out of the United States for use by Maduro and his associates, in violation of U.S. sanctions and export controls.

The Justice Department said it worked with the Dominican Republic to seize the plane and transfer it to Florida.

The U.S. has placed numerous sanctions on Venezuelan companies and individuals, including Maduro, for alleged corruption and human rights abuses among other things.

The plane confiscation came a little over a month after Venezuela’s contentious presidential election, in which both Maduro and the main opposition declared victory.

Speaking Aug. 1, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was “overwhelming evidence” that opposition candidate “Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election.”

Last week, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said Maduro will remain the South American country’s de facto president but that the EU rejects the legitimacy of his reelection claim.

Copyright 2024 NPR

TEL AVIV, Israel — A rare call for a general strike in Israel to protest the failure to return hostages held in Gaza led to closures and other disruptions around the country on Monday, including at its main international airport. But it was ignored in some areas, reflecting deep political divisions.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis had poured into the streets late Sunday in grief and anger after six hostages were found dead in Gaza. The families and much of the public blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they could have been returned alive in a deal with Hamas to end the nearly 11-month-old war.

But others support Netanyahu’s strategy of maintaining relentless military pressure on Hamas, whose Oct. 7 attack into Israel triggered the war. They say it will eventually force the militants to give in to Israeli demands, potentially lead to more successful rescues and ultimately annihilate the group.

Israel’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, called for a general strike for Monday, the first since the start of the war. It aims to shut down or disrupt major sectors of the economy, including banking, health care and the country’s main airport.

Airlines at Israel’s main international airport Ben-Gurion were halting outgoing flights between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. Those flights either departed early or were slightly delayed, and travelers were seen lining up at check-in counters despite the limited disruption. Arriving flights were continuing as usual during that time, according to the Israel Airports Authority.

Banks, some large malls and government offices were all closed due to the strike and public transit was limited. Municipalities in Israel’s populated central area, including Tel Aviv, were participating in the strike, leading to shortened school hours and cancellations for public daycares and kindergartens.

Many municipalities, however, including Jerusalem, were not participating in the strike. Israeli media reported that the state appealed to a labor court to cancel the strike, saying it was politically motivated.

The demonstrations on Sunday appeared to be the largest since the start of the war, with organizers estimating that up to 500,000 people joined nationwide events and the main rally held in Tel Aviv. Israeli media estimated that 200,000 to 400,000 took part.

They are demanding that Netanyahu reach a deal to return the remaining roughly 100 hostages held in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead, even if it means leaving a battered Hamas intact and withdrawing from the territory. Many Israelis support this position, but others prioritize the destruction of the militant group over freedom for the hostages.

Netanyahu has pledged “total victory” over Hamas and blames it for the failure of the negotiations, which have dragged on for much of this year.

Israel said Hamas killed all six hostages shortly before Israeli forces arrived in the tunnel where they were being held. Three of them, including an Israeli-American, were reportedly scheduled to be released in the first phase of a cease-fire proposal discussed in July. The Israeli Health Ministry said autopsies had determined the hostages were shot at close range and died on Thursday or Friday.

Netanyahu blamed Hamas, saying “whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal.”

Hamas blamed their deaths on Israel and the United States, accusing them of dragging out the talks by issuing new demands, including for lasting Israeli control over two strategic corridors in Gaza. Hamas has offered to release the hostages in return for an end to the war, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.

One of the six hostages was Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, a native of Berkeley, California, who lost part of his left arm to a grenade in the attack. In April, Hamas issued a video that showed him alive, sparking protests in Israel.

He was one of the best-known hostages, and his parents had led a high-profile campaign for the captives’ release, meeting with President Joe Biden, Pope Francis, and addressing the Democratic National Convention last month.

Biden on Sunday said he was “devastated and outraged.” The White House said he spoke with Goldberg-Polin’s parents and offered condolences.

Some 250 hostages were taken on Oct. 7. Israel now believes about 100 remain in captivity, including 35 who are thought to be dead. More than 100 were freed during a cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Eight have been rescued by Israeli forces. Israeli troops mistakenly killed three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.

Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, when they stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were militants.

The war has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, often multiple times, and plunged the besieged territory into a humanitarian catastrophe.

Copyright 2024 NPR

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – This evening, a cold front enters Northern and Western Maine bringing some showers and thunderstorms with it. These showers will make their way throughout the Northern half of the state past sunset. Rainfall shouldn’t accumulate to more than a tenth of an inch, although some thunderstorm cells could produce more. Showers let up in the overnight hours. Dewpoints will drop significantly overnight, from the sticky 60s down to the dry 40s. Overnight wind gusts reach up to 20 mph. Low temperatures tomorrow morning range from the mid 40s to low 60s with skies mostly clear to start Labor Day.

Monday (Labor Day) will be mostly sunny. A very light and short-lived spot shower is possible in Northern Maine throughout the afternoon. High temperatures will be cool from the upper 50s to mid 70s. Dewpoints are dry in the upper 40s and low 50s. Wind gusts will reach up to 20 mph.

Tuesday will be sunny with patchy morning fog. High pressure from the Great Lakes works into New England. Temperatures remain cool with highs ranging from the low 60s to low 70s. Dewpoints stay dry in the upper 40s and low 50s. Wind gusts will reach up to 25 mph.

Wednesday will be sunny with patchy morning fog. High temperatures increase into the 70s for all of Maine. Dewpoints remain dry in the low to mid 50s.

Thursday will be sunny with patchy morning fog. High temperatures remain throughout the 70s with a couple isolated lower 80s. Dewpoints are comfortable in the mid 50s.

Friday looks to be mostly sunny with some patchy morning fog and will most likely conclude a beautiful week of sunny skies. High temperatures range throughout the 70s. Dewpoints remain comfortable in the mid to upper 50s.

Saturday brings the long-awaited return of shower chances with some slight shower chances across the state. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy. High temperatures range from the upper 60s to mid 70s. Dewpoints in the upper 50s. Shower chances continue Sunday.

MONDAY (LABOR DAY): Mostly sunny skies. High temperatures from upper 50s to mid 70s. Gusty conditions remain. Dewpoints dry off.

TUESDAY: Sunny skies. High temperatures from low 60s to low 70s. Gusty conditions remain with dewpoints still very dry.

WEDNESDAY: Sunny skies. High temperatures throughout the 70s.

THURSDAY: Sunny skies. High temperatures in 70s and low 80s.

FRIDAY: Mostly sunny skies. High temperatures throughout the 70s.

SATURDAY: Partly to mostly cloudy skies. Slight shower chances across Maine. High temperatures from the upper 60s to mid 70s.

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