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Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial will go on after lawyers seek early verdict ending case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:42 GMT

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and JENNIFER PELTZ (Associated Press)NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s lawyers were thwarted Thursday in their longshot bid to put an immediate end to the New York civil fraud trial that threatens the former president’s real estate empire.The judge didn’t rule on the request, but he indicated that the trial will go on as scheduled Monday with Donald Trump Jr. returning to the stand as the first defense witness.Trump’s lawyers had asked Judge Arthur Engoron to cut the trial short and issue a verdict clearing Trump, his company and top executives including Trump Jr. of wrongdoing. They made the request at the halfway point in the trial of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit, arguing that state lawyers had failed to prove their case. James alleges that Trump and other defendants duped banks, insurers and others by inflating his wealth on financial statements.Engoron said the defense’s arguments seeking what’s...

Widespread rainfall, mountain snow possible in San Diego County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:42 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Take advantage of the warm, dry weather this weekend San Diegans as the forecast shows cooling, along with possible rainfall and snow come next week.The National Weather Service (NWS) said Santa Ana winds are expected to continue Thursday, peaking overnight. Wind data from the last 48 hours shows Boucher Hill on Palomar Mountain with the highest clocked speeds in the region at 50 mph. Winds at Sill Hill near Cuyamaca Rancho State Park slightly trailed at 46 mph. Did you see it? Venus and the crescent moon levitate over San Diego Before speeding up overnight, NWS said winds will decrease a bit Thursday afternoon with the dry air expected to stick around. Despite this, weather officials explained that circumstances will remain elevated to "near critical fire weather conditions" for inland areas Thursday.A weak onshore flow is expected to briefly return on Friday before a weak offshore flow returns for the weekend and into early Monday, NWS said. This means winds may b...

17 stolen vehicles recovered from Burlington warehouse, 2 men arrested

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:42 GMT

Police in Halton Region have recovered 17 stolen vehicles worth an estimated $1.5 million from an industrial warehouse in Burlington. Last month, the Halton Regional Police Service identified two suspects of interest believed to be responsible for shipping stolen vehicles overseas.Investigators determined that several stolen vehicles were brought to an industrial warehouse in Burlington and were later observed being loaded onto sea containers. Related: 1,000-plus cars recovered, over 200 arrested in stolen vehicle investigation across Toronto With assistance from the Canada Border Services Agency, police searched the shipping containers and located 17 stolen vehicles worth approximately $1.5 million. On October 24, a search warrant was executed at the Burlington warehouse, and two men were arrested. They were identified as 39-year-old Maxwell Asante and 37-year-old Isaac Osei Appiah, both of Brampton.Asante has been charged with nine counts of trafficking stolen pr...

Demonstrators brawl outside LA’s Museum of Tolerance after screening of Hamas attack video

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:42 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Street fights erupted between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside Los Angeles’ Museum of Tolerance after a private screening of video showing the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants.The Los Angeles Times reported that 150 people attended the private screening of “Bearing Witness to the October 7th Massacre,” that included graphic footage captured by Hamas militants’ body cameras and cellphones and was compiled by the Israel Defense Forces.Outside the museum, demonstrators waved flags and got into shouting matches, before dispersing as the event ended, the newspaper reported. But an hour later, a small group of demonstrators returned and fistfights broke out.“Two reports for battery were taken and will be thoroughly investigated,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement Thursday. “At this time, we do not have suspects in custody relating to the battery, or for any other reason relating to this event.”The video has also b...

Andre Iguodala takes over as acting executive director of NBA players’ union

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:42 GMT

Andre Iguodala is taking over as the acting executive director of the National Basketball Players Association after the resignation of Tamika Tremaglio, the union announced Thursday.Tremaglio, the union said, is “stepping down from the position to pursue new opportunities.” The NBPA’s executive committee has approved Iguodala’s appointment, the union said.Tremaglio was not even two full years into her four-year term as executive director. It was not immediately clear if Iguodala, the four-time NBA champion who retired after last season and was a longtime union officer, would be interested in the job in a permanent capacity.The change atop the union seemed to come as a surprise, given that Tremaglio revealed on Tuesday that she had just met with the Indiana Pacers — the second team she visited with this season, following time with the Atlanta Hawks in October — and was planning to be back in Indianapolis for All-Star weekend in February.“I am honored to take on this role and serve th...

Tensions between Dominican Republic and Haiti flare after a brief armed standoff at the border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:42 GMT

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The Dominican Republic on Thursday accused Haiti of multiple border violations in the latest dispute involving their shared frontier on the island of Hispaniola.Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez held a news conference on the issue just days after an armed confrontation between Dominican soldiers and members of a Haitian environmental government brigade.The brief standoff stemmed from apparent confusion over border limits. It occurred Tuesday on the northern tip of the shared island near one of more than 300 concrete barriers that delineate the border.“What happened is a flagrant violation of Dominican territory,” Álvarez said. “We make a strong call to the Haitian authorities to assume control of order in their territory and avoid situations that continue to aggravate the already delicate situation.”A spokesman for the office of Haiti’s prime minister declined comment on Thursday and referred to a statement the government issued on Wednesday i...

Portugal’s president dissolves parliament and calls an early election after prime minister quit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:42 GMT

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said Thursday that he was dissolving the nation’s parliament and calling an early election, the announcement coming two days after Prime Minister António Costa resigned with his government tainted by a corruption scandal.The new election, Rebelo de Sousa said, would be on March 10.Rebelo de Sousa made his decision public during a national televised address after he met with the nation’s Council of State, an advisory body made up of former politicians and other veteran public figures of renown. That came after he had met with the leaders of the parties in parliament on Wednesday.Costa, Rebelo de Sousa said, will stay on as the country’s caretaker prime minister until the election.Costa, a Socialist, has led Portugal since 2015 and won a landslide election just last year.But he stepped down immediately after Portugal was rocked by a major police raid on Tuesday as part of a corruption investigation that include...

Colorado legislature will convene to address skyrocketing property costs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:42 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis hoisted a red baseball bat and smashed emergency glass Thursday in a silly demonstration for a very real crisis — Colorado homeowners are looking down the barrel of a potential 40% jump in property tax bills.After a ballot measure meant to quell soaring property taxes failed in Tuesday’s election, Polis turned to the emergency option of calling a special legislative session to begin Nov. 17 with the goal of providing homeowners relief before the year is out and many are stuck with unaffordable property tax bills.Colorado’s situation isn’t unique. The last several years brought the steepest rise in home values nationwide in decades. The consequent hike in property taxes threatens seniors on fixed incomes and families struggling to afford their mortgage payments. “The cost of inaction is too high,” Polis said at a press conference, the red bat lying on the floor behind him. The Colorado proposition that floundered in Tuesday...

Panel to investigate Maine shooting is established as lawyers serve notice on 20 agencies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:42 GMT

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — The independent commission announced by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills to investigate the shootings that claimed 18 lives in Maine last month includes former judges, prosecutors and mental health professionals, who were directed Thursday by the governor and attorney general to “follow the facts wherever they may lead.” The governor formally created the panel with an executive order Thursday on the same day some victims and family members signaled their intent to sue with requests to 20 state and federal agencies to preserve evidence.“The community of Lewiston, especially the victims and their families, have many unanswered questions. Why did this happen? How did the system fail? What changes are needed to ensure this never happens again?” said attorney Travis Brennan from Berman & Simmons, a Lewiston-based law firm.The shootings at a bowling alley and a nearby bar on Oct. 25 in Lewiston killed 18 people and injured 13 others, making it the deadliest mas...

Lawyers say Canadians facing discipline at work over social media posts on Israel-Hamas war

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:42 GMT

As fighting continues in the Middle East, thousands of people have been killed in the vicious Israel-Hamas war and many have turned to social media to voice their concerns, opinions or to advocate.Some lawyers tell CityNews, since then, there’s been an increase in calls from Canadians who say they are being disciplined at work for their posts, setting off critical discussions on freedom of speech. The Canadian Muslim Legal Support Centre said they’ve seen a 300 per cent increase in calls over the last month. Over 134 Canadians have sought advice because they were either fired, potentially facing termination or suspended. Of those calls, 30 per cent were from non-Muslims.Employers are also unsure of how to navigate these difficult situations.“There’s no precedent like this. There’s nothing that has happened to this magnitude where people are advocating online and that’s bleeding into the workplace,” said Iman Mohamed, a lawyer and t...