A California appeals court will consider reviving the lawsuits of two men who allege Michael Jackson sexually abused them as children. After hearing oral arguments Wednesday, the court could order the two cases to trial. The lawsuits were filed after Jackson’s death by Wade Robson in 2013 and James Safechuck in 2014. The two became known for telling their stories on the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.” They sued two corporations that were owned by Jackson, alleging the companies had a duty to protect them from years of abuse. A judge disagreed, and two years ago threw out the lawsuits. That ruling could soon be overturned.
AP
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New Hampshire prosecutors appeal dismissal of complaints against white nationalists
The New Hampshire Department of Justice has asked a judge to reconsider the dismissal of trespassing complaints against white nationalists accused of displaying “Keep New England White” banners from a highway overpass. Rockingham County Judge David Ruoff dismissed the complaints against the members of the Nationalist Social Club last month, saying the government relied on an overly broad interpretation of the law and infringed on the group’s free speech rights. The attorney general’s office says the men were motivated by race and trespassed on public property when they displayed the banners in Portsmouth last July. In an appeal filed Friday, prosecutors say the judge misapplied the law.
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Interpol issues notice for Lebanese man suspected of trafficking in looted antiquities
Lebanese officials say Interpol has issued an international notice for a Lebanese man suspected of trafficking stolen antiquities, weeks after he was questioned in his native country. The Red Notice from Interpol was unsealed 10 months after a criminal court in New York issued an arrest warrant for Georges Lotfi, 82, charging him with criminal possession of stolen property as well as possessing looted artifacts. Lotfi was questioned by Lebanese authorities earlier this year but denied the charges, claiming that he bought the disputed items from archeologists. The officials say Lotfi claims he sold the antiquities to a museum in the U.S.
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Coast Guard recovers 3 ‘unresponsive people’ during search
The U.S. Coast Guard says it has recovered three “unresponsive people” after searching for four missing fishermen in the waters off of Cape Ann in Massachusetts. The search is ongoing for an additional missing person. Coast Guard aircraft found an overturned vessel about 7 miles (11 kilometers) northeast of Cape Ann on Thursday. The Coast Guard did not initially see anyone in the water. Officials say Michael Sai, and three others, left Hampton Harbor in New Hampshire on Wednesday morning in a 17-foot (5-meter) boat headed for fishing grounds near Jeffreys Ledge, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) offshore.
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Police say 3 foreign skiers killed in Canadian avalanche
Canadian police say three foreign skiers been killed in an avalanche in southeastern British Columbia. Royal Canadian Mounted Police say the three were among 10 skiers who went to the slopes by helicopter and who were caught by the slide on Wednesday. The avalanche took place near the Panorama Mountain Resort, near Invermere, British Columbia. Authorities did not immediately release nationalities of the victims. RCMP Cpl. James Grady says everyone in the group has been accounted for, and four are injured but are expected to recover. He sys all the skiers except the guide were from outside Canada, but did not release their hometowns.
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Louisiana governor apologizes for 1972 deaths of 2 students
Fifty years after two students were shot and killed by a law enforcement officer during a protest at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s governor has signed a formal apology for their unjust killings. The fatal shooting of Leonard Brown and Denver Smith occurred Nov. 16, 1972, after weeks of demonstrations by students protesting poor funding, inadequate services and the disparity of educational opportunities in the state. As a result, then-Gov. Edwin Edwards sent police officers to break up the protests, The Advocate reported. At that time Brown and Smith, both 20, were fatally shot by a still-unidentified officer. No one was ever prosecuted for the killings.
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Chinese police shoot dead would-be bank robber, free hostage
Police in eastern China say they shot dead a would-be bank robber and freed the hostage he had taken. A notice on the social media account of the Tai’an city police department said Tuesday’s attempted robbery began around noon and ended with the suspect’s death about an hour later after officers issued multiple warnings. The notice gave no further details about the suspect, whether he was armed or the name of the bank, saying the case remained under investigation. Violent crime is relatively rare in China, whose ruling Communist Party maintains tight surveillance over citizens and bans private ownership of firearms. However, amid a slowing economy protests have broken out by bilked depositors targeting banks they accuse of malfeasance.
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California sheriff found guilty of corruption
A special civil jury in Northern California has found a former longtime sheriff guilty on all six counts of corruption and willful misconduct in a case involving the issuing of concealed-carry weapons permits in exchange for campaign donations. The Mercury News reports Laurie Smith resigned from her post as sheriff of the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office on Monday when the jury was already deliberating. Her attorney filed a motion to dismiss the case but the judge denied it. Smith had been sheriff of Santa Clara County, home to Silicon Valley, since 1998 when she became the first woman elected sheriff in California. She and her attorney declined to comment Thursday.
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Explosions at Serbia munitions factory force evacuations
A series of explosions at a munitions factory in central Serbia forced the evacuation of workers and nearby residents. The blasts at the Sloboda factory in the town of Cacak early Friday caused a huge fire and panic but no injuries. It was not immediately clear what caused the detonations in an ammunition depot at the factory. Workers hid in the basement when the explosions started. Officials said later Friday they expected the fire to be fully extinguished by next week and the factory to back in operation on Monday.
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White House names generals targeted by Myanmar sanctions
The Biden administration says new sanctions against Myanmar will target the country’s top military officials who ordered this month’s coup in the Southeast Asian country. The sanctions name the top military commander, his deputy and four members of the State Administration Council. The executive order signed by President Joe Biden also allows the Treasury Department to target the spouses and adult children of those being sanctioned. The move will prevent the generals from accessing more than $1 billion in Myanmar government funds held in the United States. The sanctions also will affect businesses controlled by the regime.
