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Trump arrives in New York court as defense case nears end in fraud trial

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:53 GMT

Former President Trump is back in the New York courtroom where his civil fraud trial is underway as the defense nears the end of its case. The former president was last in court a month ago, when he took the witness stand himself to defend his business practices and lambast those involved in the case as politically motivated “Trump haters.”The New York attorney general’s office accused Trump, his business and several executives — including Trump’s adult sons — of falsely adjusting the value of the business’s assets to receive lower taxes and better insurance coverage in a lawsuit filed last year. On Thursday, he voluntarily returned to the Manhattan state Supreme Court as a spectator. New York University accounting professor Eli Bartov, the defense’s last expert witness, is expected to testify Thursday and Friday. Trump is set to take the stand once more on Monday as the defense’s final overall witness. Before heading to court Thursday morning, the former president ca...

How nations are losing a global race to tackle AI’s harms

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:53 GMT

BRUSSELS — When European Union leaders introduced a 125-page draft law to regulate artificial intelligence in April 2021, they hailed it as a global model for handling the technology.EU lawmakers had gotten input from thousands of experts for three years about AI, when the topic was not even on the table in other countries. The result was a “landmark” policy that was “future-proof,” declared Margrethe Vestager, the head of digital policy for the 27-nation bloc.Then came ChatGPT.The eerily humanlike chatbot, which went viral last year by generating its own answers to prompts, blindsided EU policymakers. The type of AI that powered ChatGPT was not mentioned in the draft law and was not a major focus of discussions about the policy. Lawmakers and their aides peppered one another with calls and texts to address the gap, as tech executives warned that overly aggressive regulations could put Europe at an economic disadvantage.Even now, EU lawmakers are arguing over what to do, putting the...

Grand opening for Hudson theater after name change, renovations

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:53 GMT

HUDSON, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Spotlight Theater of Hudson, formerly known as Spotlight Cinemas Hudson/Movieplex 8, is holding a grand opening from December 8 to December 10. Under new ownership, the movie theater went through a name change and renovations. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The grand opening includes deals, giveaways, special screenings, and a red carpet. Santa will be making an appearance from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday. There will be a hot chocolate bar as well as the normal concessions.New releases at Spotlight Theater include "Napoleon," "Wish," "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," "Trolls Band Together," "The Boy and the Heron," and "Godzilla Minus One." In addition to the current movie lineup, the theater will be showing a holiday movie lineup that includes "Dr. Seuss' The Grinch," "Arthur Christmas," "Elf," and "White Christmas." Burger joint opening in former McDonald’s space in Empire Stat...

Colonie man arrested in connection to 2022 shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:53 GMT

COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Colonie man was arrested on Tuesday in connection to a February 2022 shooting that happened in Lansingburgh. Terrance Miles, 38, faces several charges. Saint Rose students protest college closure, demand answers On February 6, 2022, Troy Police responded to a shooting on 124th Street in Lansingburgh for reports of a shooting. The next month, an arrest warrant was issued for Miles following an extensive investigation. On Tuesday, Troy Police executed a search warrant in connection to the shooting on Bauer Drive in Colonie. Miles was arrested following the execution of the warrant. Hudson man arrested on stolen gun, drug charges Charges:First-degree reckless endangermentSecond-degree criminal possession of a weaponMiles was processed at Troy Central Station and was arraigned in Troy City Court. He was remanded to Rensselaer County Jail. This investigation was in conjunction with Colonie Police and the US Marshals Service. Anyone with information on this...

St. Louis County to oversee control burn at Queeny Park

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:53 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY – The St. Louis County Park’s Forestry Division will conduct a controlled burn at Queeny Park today at 11 a.m.The controlled burn is scheduled at 550 Weidman Road on December 12, and Jason Pratte, the St. Louis County Parks Forestry Manager, will be at the location and available to answer questions.There will be a fire briefing at 11 a.m. to go over plans for the controlled burn and safety precautions, with the burn to follow.A controlled burn not only helps promote native grasses and flowers and controls invasive species, but it also contributes to nutrient cycling by returning nutrients to the soil in the form of ash. This can stimulate new growth and improve the overall health of the ecosystem.Controlled burns also help prepare the ground for the regeneration of certain tree species, improve the overall health and age structure of the forest, and reduce the risk of wildfires spreading uncontrollably.

Recent arrest made in fatal October Maplewood shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:53 GMT

MAPLEWOOD, Mo. -- An arrest has been made in the case of a fatal shooting in Maplewood in October 2023. The victim was Terron Vales, 32; he was taken to the hospital but later died of his injuries. Maplewood Police recently arrested Justin Vance, 18, of St. Louis, on murder charges. Alderman proposes open-carry trigger law in St. Louis Vance was arrested with the assistance of United States Marshals on December 5. He is currently in custody at the St. Louis County Justice Center and is held on a $1,000,000 bond.In a Fox 2 report in October, Corporal Dustin Hoskins, a spokesman for the Maplewood Police Department, stated that the shooting took place just after 5:40 p.m. in the 2200 block of Yale Avenue. Officers arrived and found Vales in an apartment building courtyard, suffering from a gunshot wound.

Man who wandered from St. Louis VA hospital found safe

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:53 GMT

ST. LOUIS – An endangered silver advisory has been canceled for a veteran who wandered from the VA St. Louis Healthcare System facility.He left the facility when his caregiver momentarily stepped away. He was last seen walking northbound on Spring Avenue. Alderman proposes open-carry trigger law in St. Louis He has since been found safely.

A flaky cheese pie with much meaning

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:53 GMT

By Joan Nathan, The New York TimesFor the members of New York’s Aleppan Jewish community, the tinier the meat- or cheese-filled pastry, the better the cook.At Hanukkah, which this year begins Thursday evening, they take as much pride in their distinctive tradition of using two candles rather than one to light the menorah — representing both the miracle of light and the welcome they received from Syrians after fleeing the Inquisition — as they do in those small meat- or cheese-filled pastries.Rachel Harary Gindi, 92, who was born into this close-knit community, based in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, remembers her mother gathering with her friends to make sambousek, served at holidays. Gindi especially adored the ones filled with cheese, reserved for Sunday evenings when her family traditionally ate a dairy meal.“You couldn’t order them from anywhere,” she said at a recent sambousek-making session at her apartment, which overlooks the Century City neighborhood of Los Angeles. So the on...

Love Has Won documentary drew attention to Colorado cult. But does it make light of cult dangers?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:53 GMT

A documentary series on the Love Has Won cult, which was based in Colorado until its leader died in 2021, is bringing increased attention to its bizarre teachings about 5D ascensions, galactic communications from Robin Williams and the dangerous use of colloidal silver to cure diseases.But a group working to expose the cult’s falsehoods and rescue those trapped in it says the documentary fell short in debunking the myths and explaining how dangerous cults truly are.Amanda Ray, whose brother escaped Love Has Won after becoming entangled in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, said there were missed opportunities to show how abusive Amy Carlson, who led Love Has Won and called herself Mother God, was toward her followers.RELATED: A primer on Love Has Won, the Colorado cult featured in HBO’s new docu-series“It really was a documentary that shared the stories of the current followers just a few weeks after Amy passed,” Ray said. “They were victims of mind contro...

Help! spcaLA issues urgent appeal for pet food donations

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:53 GMT

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is asking the public to donate pet food after a year of "surging animal intake."The shelters are asking for donations of pet food, or funds for canned and dry pet food for kittens, cats, puppies and dogs so they can meet the nutritional needs of the animals.“With the increasing number of homeless and abandoned pets in our care, we find ourselves facing a critical shortage,” says spcaLA President, Madeline Bernstein. “We need about 33 tons of food to make it through a year.”The spcaLA shared the following ways to help:Monetary Donations: Make a tax-deductible donation at spcaLA.comPet Food Donations: Shop and ship needed items from spcaLA’s wish lists or pick up a few items for shelter pets while out shopping this holiday season and drop-off to any spcaLA location during business hours.spcaLA South Bay Pet Adoption Center:12910 Yukon Ave.Hawthorne, CA 90250Wednesday-Sunday: 11am-3pmspcaLA P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village &am...