Sam Bankman-Fried plans to testify at his New York fraud trial, his lawyer says
A convict doing time in a Maine federal prison for a gun arrest has now been charged with murder for a caught-on-camera shooting at an East Harlem liquor store last year, police said Wednesday.
The head of Florida’s university system has directed schools to disband campus chapters of a pro-Palestinian student group he alleges are in “support of terrorism.”
Funeral services were being held Wednesday in Corinth, Mississippi, for longtime U.S. District Judge Neal Brooks Biggers Jr. He died Oct. 15 in Oxford at age 88. Biggers became a federal judge in 1984. He issued a ruling in 1996 that a public school was violating the Constitution by allowing Christian prayers over the intercom. In 2002, he issued a ruling that required Mississippi to put millions more dollars into its three historically Black universities. That case had been filed by Black plaintiffs who said Mississippi maintained inequality in its higher education system by giving predominantly white universities more money.
NEW YORK — Music royalty and chart-topping hit-makers from the worlds of R&B, country, pop, hip-hop and rock are among the lineup for this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Jury selection continues in the federal trial of the captain of a scuba dive boat that caught fire in 2019, killing 34 people on board and becoming the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history. Captain Jerry Boylan is charged with one count of misconduct or neglect of ship officer. He has pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing. Wednesday is the second day of jury selection. Opening statements are set to begin after the jury is chosen. Many family members of those who died stood outside court waiting. The boat caught fire before dawn on the final day of a three-day scuba diving excursion.
“Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe is helping bring the harrowing story of his “Harry Potter” stunt double’s paralysis from an on-set accident to the screen in a new documentary for HBO.
The United Auto Workers union appears to be edging closer to a tentative contract agreement with Ford that would be critical to ending the union’s 6-week-old strikes against the three major Detroit automakers, two people with knowledge of the talks said Wednesday. The people said the union has made a counter-offer to Ford that proposes a 25% general wage increase over the life of a new four-year contract and that negotiations on Tuesday extended well into Wednesday morning. Previously Ford, Stellantis and General Motors had all offered 23% pay increases.
A heated debate has emerged about the once-unimaginable shooting of a teacher by her 6-year-old student: How should society take care of the teacher? Should she only get workers' compensation? Or does she deserve millions of dollars for a school system’s alleged failures to protect her? Lawyers are expected to argue over those questions Friday in Newport News, Virginia. Abby Zwerner is suing the public schools for $40 million. Her lawyers are expected to ask the judge to allow her lawsuit to proceed. The school board is expected to argue for workers’ compensation. It provides up to 500 weeks pay and lifetime medical care for her injuries.
- The Church of Scientology of Denmark welcomed hundreds of visitors who toured the Church to learn about Scientology -
The setting for HBO’s “The Gilded Age” is 1880s New York, nearly half a century before zippers would appear on garments. And yet there they are, running up the backs of women’s gowns in Season 2, suggesting the show’s budget is no match for the illusion it so desperately hopes to peddle.
A lot of what I initially adored about "The Gilded Age" remains in the second season, which kicks off at 9 p.m. ET Sunday on HBO. There's the rich attention to detail that instantly transports you back to 1880s New York City. You get the sense that the set designer went the extra mile to get…
Apple Inc. is raising the prices for its AppleTV+ streaming and Arcade gaming plans as well as its bundled Apple One service that includes streaming, music and other subscriptions. Arcade will now cost $6.99, up from $4.99. AppleTV+ is now $9.99, up from $6.99. Apple One will increase to $19.95 from $16.95 per month for the individual plan and to $25.95 from $22.95 for the family plan. Apple One includes subscriptions for Apple Music, TV, Arcade and 200 gigabytes of iCloud storage. Other streaming services such as Netflix have also been raising their prices.
Pope Francis’ big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church is heading into its final stretch. The Vatican released its first document, a letter from the 364 members to rank-and-file faithful. It updates them in general terms on where things stand in their deliberations. It was voted on by the assembly, which for the first time has included 54 women voting alongside bishops. Francis called the meeting back in 2021 as part of his efforts to reform the church. He wants to make it more responsive to the needs of the faithful today and empower the laity to have a greater say in its governance.
A man who prosecutors say pepper-sprayed pro-Palestinian protesters in Illinois has been charged with hate crimes and aggravated battery. Cook County prosecutors say they charged a 33-year-old man who used pepper spray against demonstrators Sunday at a pro-Palestinian protest near an Israel solidarity event. Police and event organizers have said about 1,000 people gathered Sunday at a banquet hall in a northern Chicago suburb to show solidarity with Israel while several hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied outside. Prosecutors previously declined to file charges against another man who fired a gun into the air at the same location, saying their review of evidence determined he acted in self-defense.
You could think of "The Killer" as a character study of someone who has no character.
A 60-year-old Detroit man will serve 15 months of probation after threatening to kill Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The Michigan Attorney General's office says Wednesday that James Toepler was sentenced Tuesday under a specialized mental health treatment court. He also was ordered to have no contact with Whitmer or Benson. Toepler is also to have no contact with their offices, no malicious contact with 911 emergency response service or Secretary of State branch offices. Toepler pleaded no contest in September to one count of malicious use of telecommunications services. The threats were made June 23, 2021, in a telephone call to the Detroit Police Department’s 911 Call Center.
Environmental groups are urging a moratorium on deep-sea mining ahead of an international meeting in Jamaica where an obscure U.N. body will debate the issue amid fears it could soon authorize the world’s first license to harvest minerals from the ocean floor. More than 20 countries have called for a moratorium or a precautionary pause. Monaco this month becoming the latest to oppose deep-sea mining ahead of Monday’s U.N. International Seabed Authority’s council meeting in Jamaica that will last almost two weeks. Companies including Samsung and BMW also have pledged to avoid using minerals mined from the deep sea.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making just their third visit to Western New York in facing the Buffalo Bills in a non-conference matchup on Thursday night. The Bucs are 3-3 overall, but 0-2 since their bye week. The Bills are 4-3 but 1-2 in their past three outings in part because of injuries and a slow-starting Josh Allen-led offense. Buffalo has combined to score just 10 points in the first half of its past three games. Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield has been efficient and also among the NFL's least-sacked QBs this season.
The estranged son of Nashville’s top cop, who was wanted for gunning down two police officers in a Dollar General parking lot, was found dead from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Former Argentine presidential candidate Patricia Bullrich endorsed right-wing populist Javier Milei on Wednesday for next month’s runoff. She placed third in Sunday’s election behind Milei and Economy Minister Sergio Massa. Bullrich made sure to emphasize that the support for Milei was only from her presidential team and that neither the center-right PRO party she leads, nor the broader United for Change coalition, backed the decision. Since Sunday’s vote there have been tensions within the center-right United for Change about who its members would support ahead of the Nov. 19 runoff that will decide who will lead South America’s second-largest economy.
Voters in a Tennessee city have firmly rejected a far-right mayoral candidate after she refused to denounce white supremacists who showed up to support her at a candidate forum. Unofficial results show Gabrielle Hanson lost Tuesday by a wide margin to the incumbent Franklin mayor, Ken Moore. Hanson had been an alderman for Franklin, about 20 miles south of Nashville, but she loses that seat because of her mayoral run. Reporters covering Hanson's campaign were targeted with flyers and threats. Moore said during his election night party that Franklin residents will not tolerate “divisiveness, hate and anger.”
Bitcoin is having another moment. The world’s largest cryptocurrency soared to almost $35,000 this week, marking its highest value in nearly 18 months. The recent rally for volatile bitcoin coincides with the prospect of exchange-traded funds being launched based on spot bitcoin. Industry advocates say that could make entering the cryptoverse easier, while lowering some of the well-documented risks associated with investing in cryptocurrencies. A green light from federal regulators hasn’t arrived yet, but recent wins for some crypto fund managers with their applications for bitcoin ETFs have improved odds that approval could be down the road, and perhaps in the coming months. Still, much remains uncertain.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 25, 2023--
Israel on Wednesday said it will deny visas to United Nations officials “to teach them a lesson,” following recent comments by the U.N. chief about the Israel-Hamas war.
A Colorado judge chided a welding company that tried to pay off a $23,500 settlement with a subcontractor by sending the money in loose coins that weighed 3 tons. Judge Joseph Findley ruled Monday that JMF Enterprises “acted maliciously and in bad faith” by delivering a custom made metal box containing the coins that was too heavy to be carried in the freight elevator at the offices for the subcontractor's lawyer, let alone the forklift required to carry it. He ordered JMF to pay by a more conventional method like a check. He also said it would also now have write a larger one to cover an estimated $8,000 in legal fees.
On Friday, an extensive reissue box set of the classic Prince & the New Power Generation 1991 album “Diamonds and Pearls” will be released. The Associated Press' Ron Harris writes that the newly remastered “Diamonds and Pearls” is a gem, though Prince's New Power Generation phase lacks a bit of the soulful authenticity of his previous era and backing band, The Revolution. Still, standout tracks like “Cream” are nicely reworked and previously unreleased songs like “I Pledge Allegiance to Your Love” are a treasure from Prince's vault. All told, this massive special release is a must-have for Prince fans who have been partying like it’s 1999 since roughly 1982.
A new survey finds that the total number of abortions provided in the U.S. after bans started going into effect in some states last year increased slightly. The report found that the numbers fell to nearly zero in states with bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. But it found the numbers surged elsewhere, particularly in the states near those with bans. Clinics that provide abortion medication through online appointments and funding for patients to travel may be factors in the increase. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling cleared the way for the restrictions.
A judge has reinstated all charges, including a murder count, against a former police officer who shot and killed a driver through a rolled-up car window. Wednesday’s ruling came nearly a month after another judge dismissed murder and other charges against Officer Mark Dial in the fatal shooting of Eddie Irizarry. The defense asserted that Dial acted in self-defense when he fired through the driver’s side window of Irizarry’s sedan during a traffic stop in August. Prosecutors cited bodycam video of the fatal encounter to argue the shooting was not justified, and appealed to have the charges against Dial reinstated.
A federal appeals court has upheld a deal that ensured Black representation on Louisiana's highest court. Wednesday's 2-1 ruling from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds a lower court ruling and keeps in place a 1992 federal court agreement that led to a Black justice being elected to Louisiana’s once all-white Supreme Court. State Attorney General and governor-elect Jeff Landry and his staff had argued that the 1992 agreement is no longer needed. Attorneys for the original plaintiffs in the voting rights case and the U.S. Justice Department said the state failed to show it wouldn't revert to old patterns that denied Black voters representation on the state’s highest court.
A federal appeals court has upheld a deal that ensured Black representation on Louisiana's highest court. Wednesday's 2-1 ruling from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds a lower court ruling and keeps in place a 1992 federal court agreement that led to a Black justice being elected to Louisiana’s once all-white Supreme Court. State Attorney General and governor-elect Jeff Landry and his staff had argued that the 1992 agreement is no longer needed. Attorneys for the original plaintiffs in the voting rights case and the U.S. Justice Department said the state failed to show it wouldn't revert to old patterns that denied Black voters representation on the state’s highest court.
Murder charge reinstated against former Philadelphia officer who fatally shot motorist through rolled-up car window.
Dreamily gazing at the album covers of Elvis Presley was not, statistically speaking, a rare habit among American teen girls in the late 1950s and early ’60s. But for Priscilla Ann Wagner, teenage fantasy became a strange and surreal reality. Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla” stars Cailee Spaeny and captures all the dreaminess, absurdity and nightmare of falling in love with Elvis, writes AP Film Writer Jake Coyle in his review. As a movie, it is the diametric opposite of Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis.” Where Luhrmann’s film was lurid and careening, Coppola’s is muted and textured. Her film is a kind of fairy tale that turns claustrophobic and cautionary.
It ain’t the Olympics, but a group of Floridians plan to host competitions themed according to the collective antics of the beer-loving, gator-possessing, rap-sheet heavy, mullet-wearing social media phenomenon known as “Florida Man.” The games will poke fun at Florida’s reputation for producing strange news stories involving guns, drugs, booze and reptiles — or some combination of the four. Organizers say the contests planned for next February in St. Augustine, Florida, includes the the self-explanatory beer-belly wrestling contest, as well as the Evading Arrest Obstacle Course. Contestants will be asked to jump over fences and through yards while being chased by real police officers.
Now comes the hard part for the Pac-12. The Pac-12 has been tons of fun and high quality — ironically — in what will be its last season in its current form. Next year, 10 Pac-12 schools scatter to three other Power Five conferences. Before they go, the conference is trying to break a six-year College Football Playoff drought. To do so it will have to overcome itself. The Pac-12 needs two of its best to breakaway, which is why No. 8 Oregon at No. 13 Utah is one of the most intriguing games of Week 9.
Last week the Latin Recording Academy released the list of artists who will be hitting the stage at the 2023 Latin Grammys and now that list is even longer.
A Queens subway rider was bashed with a chair and scooter by a shirtless stranger who accused him of staring, police said Wednesday.
Krystal Joy Brown has planted her flag on Broadway, first professionally and now personally. The singer and actor just bought an apartment a few blocks from where she’s earning a living at the Hudson Theatre. How perfectly appropriate that Brown is co-starring in a musical love letter to Broadway in a critically acclaimed revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along.” This new “Merrily We Roll Along” is a redemption of sorts for a musical that was considered a flop when it arrived in 1981, a show that goes backward in time from 1976 to 1957 as it examines the friendship of three artists.
