Wednesday Briefing – The New York Times

[ad_1]

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former fixer, returned to the stand yesterday to deal with legal professionals for the Manhattan district attorney’s office, as well as Donald Trump’s lawful group, in the case from the previous president.

Cohen explained to jurors that he received month-to-month checks — most bearing the former president’s signature — that purported to be portion of a authorized “retainer” agreement, but that were being in reality reimbursements for hush cash he had compensated to the porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleges that she experienced a sexual partnership with Trump. Cohen’s testimony was the initially and only personalized account tying Trump to the paperwork at the crux of his situation.

In a barrage of issues, Trump’s lawyers sought to portray Cohen as an opportunist. Trump’s guide law firm, Todd Blanche, pressed Cohen about his social media posts, his attempts to monetize his feud with the former president, his personal legal background and his wish to see Trump behind bars.

Assessment: The defense seemed to be striving to portray Cohen as, “essentially, Trump’s stalker,” my colleague Maggie Haberman wrote — a man after obsessed with the former president who was now equally obsessed with having revenge.

What is next: Trump’s legal professionals indicated that they could phone an qualified witness and that they experienced not decided if they would connect with Trump himself.

Other information: In a blow to Trump, an appeals courtroom upheld the judge’s gag order.


Russian stability agents detained Lt. Gen. Yuri Kuznetsov, a senior typical, early yesterday on an accusation of “large-scale” bribery, in accordance to Russia’s Investigative Committee, a federal law enforcement agency. His detention came times just after Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, unexpectedly changed his long-serving defense minister, Sergei Shoigu.

Prosecutors reported that Basic Kuznetsov gained a bribe from “commercial interests” concerning 2021 and 2023, when he was functioning on the defense of point out strategies. The prosecutors claimed that safety brokers discovered cash equal to $1 million and luxurious things for the duration of a research of his dwelling.

The U.N. has started citing a a lot decrease dying toll for women and kids in Gaza, acknowledging that it has incomplete details about the casualties in the course of Israel’s war on the territory.

The business now cites 4,959 ladies and 7,797 youngsters killed, down from at minimum 9,500 women of all ages and 14,500 youngsters before this thirty day period. Whilst the overall number of casualties — roughly 35,000 — remained broadly the identical, a U.N. formal said that the corporation was awaiting far more figuring out info for about 10,000 of the lifeless, so they have been not bundled in the new breakdown.

Track record: The modify arrived mainly because the U.N. switched to citing a a lot more conservative supply for its figures. The alter has added gasoline to a discussion around the trustworthiness of those people figures, nevertheless a lot of worldwide officers and gurus say that the quantities are commonly reliable.

Gaza: Israeli armed forces leaders have developed increasingly discouraged with the deficiency of a strategy for governing the territory following the war.

Britain’s butlers are still buttling — but not fairly as they when did. These days, the role now requires not only sharpening silver and folding napkins but also way of living administration, akin to a private maitre d’.

Clients’ requests occasionally run to the strange. “The client pointed toward the coastline and claimed, ‘Tonight I’d like to have dinner on top rated of that mountain — be sure to arrange it,’” a single veteran butler reported. A nearby restaurant was known as, then supper and desk configurations for six were flown in with a helicopter.

Lives lived: Alice Munro, the Canadian author and Nobel laureate who was greatly deemed a learn of the limited story, has died. She was 92.

P.G.A. Championship: The tale of Akshay Bhatia commences at Valhalla.

New York City’s streets have always bustled, but lately they’re virtually dangerously unlivable.

Inhabitants clash above targeted visitors, parking and heaps of trash. Vehicles and taxis vie for space, as buses swerve to steer clear of trucks parked in bike lanes. E-bikes are in all places. Much much less pedestrians get killed by motorists these times, but previous yr was the deadliest for cyclists considering the fact that 1999.

“All of this stuff is trying to match into a grid that was made in 1811,” my colleague Dodai Stewart explains in a movie. Aid could be on the way: The city is about to enact the nation’s initially congestion pricing prepare, which would cost most drivers $15 to enter substantially of Manhattan underneath 60th Road.

[ad_2]

Supply backlink