Talk of the Town
(LONDON) — An American fighter jet appears to have been shot down by Iran, according to three U.S. officials. Search and rescue operations are currently underway, the officials said.
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(LONDON) — Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Beijing this week for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Putin is scheduled to be welcomed at the airport upon landing in Beijing on Tuesday, according to the Kremlin, which said he will be greeted by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Then on Wednesday, talks between Putin and Xi are set to occur at the Grand Hall of the People, followed by a formal reception, according to the Kremlin.
The two leaders “will discuss China-Russia relations, cooperation in various fields and international and regional issues of mutual interest,” the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The state visit marks Putin’s 25th trip to China, according to the spokesperson.
The visit comes after last week’s high-stakes, multi-day summit between Xi and President Donald Trump in Beijing.
The two discussed the U.S. war in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, fentanyl and increasing Chinese purchases of American farm products, according to a White House official.
Xi also warned that if the issue of Taiwan is handled “improperly,” the two nations could “come into conflict,” according to China’s official state broadcaster Xinhua.
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(NEW YORK) — The husband of a woman who was reported missing in the Bahamas after going overboard on a dinghy has been arrested, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
Lynette Hooker, 55, of Michigan, and her husband, Brian Hooker, 58, had departed Hope Town on the Abaco Islands for Elbow Cay around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
The couple was en route to their yacht, “Soulmate,” when bad weather caused Lynette Hooker to fall overboard, her husband told authorities.
Brian Hooker was arrested Wednesday evening and was being questioned in connection with his wife’s disappearance, police said. No further details were released.
According to his attorney, Brian Hooker has been “cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of an ongoing investigation.”
The husband “categorically denies the allegations made against him,” the attorney, Terrel Butler, said in a statement on Thursday.
“Mr. Hooker cannot provide further comments to the media or the public at this time while the investigations are ongoing,” Butler added. “It is crucial to mention the importance of maintaining the integrity of the legal process.”
The arrest comes after multiple sources told ABC News a criminal investigation had been opened into whether there was any wrongdoing in the case.
The U.S. Coast Guard will be leading the probe, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
The search is ongoing for Lynette Hooker, according to police.
Her husband told police the strong currents on Saturday took her out to sea, authorities said. She was holding the boat key when she went overboard, causing the 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy’s engine to shut off, police noted.
Her husband spoke out for the first time on Wednesday, saying he is “heartbroken over the recent boat accident.”
In a statement posted to social media, Brian Hooker said “unpredictable seas and high winds” caused his “beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy” near Elbow Cay.
“Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus,” he said.
Brian Hooker subsequently paddled the boat back to shore, arriving at around 4 a.m. Sunday to a marina, where he reported his wife overboard to an individual who then alerted police, authorities said.
The search and rescue operation has been conducted by land, sea and air and involved multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.
Brian Hooker thanked the agencies “who have worked tirelessly in an ongoing effort to bring Lynette back to us.”
“Thank you to everyone for keeping Lynette in your thoughts and for your support of our family during this difficult time,” he said.
The investigation and search efforts are ongoing, police said Tuesday.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has called for a “full and complete investigation” into her mother’s disappearance.
She told ABC News her mother is fit and a good swimmer, and described what her stepfather told her about his wife’s disappearance.
“He said that my mom’s missing and that she fell out of the boat and that he threw a life jacket to her or something, and he doesn’t know if she got it or not,” she said.
“I just hope we find her,” she added.
The Hookers are avid sailors, documenting their travels on social media under the name “The Sailing Hookers.”
The U.S. State Department is “aware of reports regarding a missing American near Elbow Cay” and is “working with Bahamian authorities to provide assistance,” a spokesperson for the agency said Monday.
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(LONDON) — King Charles and Queen Camilla will make an official state visit to the U.S. this spring, Buckingham Palace announced Tuesday.
The British royals are embarking on the trip to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s independence and were invited by President Donald Trump, according to the palace.
In a social media post, Trump said the royal visit will take place April 27-30. It will include a banquet dinner at the White House on Tuesday, April 28, he noted.
After visiting the U.S., Charles will also visit Bermuda, a British overseas territory, making his first visit to the island as monarch.
Queen Elizabeth II made the last state visit to the U.S. in May 2007 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement in Virginia.
Charles and Camilla‘s visit comes during a tense period amid the ongoing U.K. police inquiry into the Jeffrey Epstein files and the Iran war.
It is unclear if Charles will visit with his second son, Prince Harry, who lives in California with his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and their two children.
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