Amna Nawaz:
Officials say the situation is now under control. The festival happens every 12 years. More than 400 million people are expected to attend this year over a period of about six weeks.
The State Department raised its travel advisory for the Democratic Republic of Congo to its highest level today, advising Americans not to travel there. The warning comes as the M23 rebel group is reportedly claiming more towns in the Eastern province of South Kivu.
The Rwanda-backed group had already captured Goma this week, saying they had restored peace to the city. In the meantime, soldiers fighting for Congo, including foreign mercenaries, laid down their weapons at the border with Rwanda today. Armed groups have long battled for control of Eastern Congo, which is rich in vital minerals.
Back in this country, federal prosecutors are dropping all criminal proceedings against President Donald Trump’s co-defendants in his classified documents case. Walt Nauta, Mr. Trump’s valet, and Carlos De Oliveira, his Mar-a-Lago property manager, were charged with conspiring to obstruct the FBI’s investigation into the president’s reporting of classified documents.
If approved by an appeals court, today’s move would effectively end the entire case. Separately, Mr. Trump appealed to overturn his conviction in his New York hush money case. He was sentenced earlier this month to what’s known as an unconditional discharge, making him the first person with a criminal record to step into the presidency.
Former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his bribery conviction today. He was found guilty last year of acting as a foreign agent of Egypt and accepting bribes of cash and gold bars in exchange for political favors. Court sketches showed Menendez in tears as he addressed the judge today.
But the judge told him — quote — “You stood at the apex of our political system. Somewhere along the way, you lost your way, and working for the public good became working for your good.”
The longtime Democratic senator maintained his innocence outside court and claimed he was the victim of a political witch-hunt.
