Court overturns ex-state attorney's mortgage fraud conviction but upholds perjury convictions
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 2-1 decision that jury instruction in the mortgage fraud case was 'erroneously overbroad' concerning the proper court venue. The case was tried in Maryland relating to property she bought in Florida.
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Vancouver Sun
4 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Vancouver's African Descent Festival shutters amid dispute over city-imposed costs
Organizers of the African Descent Festival say they feel 'scammed' by Vancouver officials who hit them with hefty policing fees — charges they claim were meant to block their event. But city officials insist the festival failed to meet safety and planning requirements. The vibrant celebration of Black culture, held annually since 2015, was abruptly shut down Friday morning as police moved in to disperse attendees. Barricades remain at English Bay Beach, where the weekend-long festival was scheduled for Aug. 9 to 10. 'I was shocked when I arrived,' said Yasin Kiraga Misago, executive director of the African Descent Society B.C., which operates the festival. 'Almost 100 police officers with heavy weapons surrounded me, and park rangers all around the beach.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. In a statement Friday, the Vancouver park board said the festival was halted because it had not resolved 'outstanding issues from previous events' in time to receive an event permit. It did not specify the safety or operational concerns, but said it had offered alternatives, including relocating to Thornton Park or postponing the event, options it says that 'were declined by organizers.' But Kiraga Misago said the issue comes down to money. He said the society faced unexpected police security bills of about $45,000 for the 2023 and 2024 English Bay festivals — charges he says were never clearly communicated. Kiraga Misago said he was told by the park board that the festival could only move forward once these outstanding fees were paid. Despite making two payments totalling over $11,000, the event's permit was denied. 'It's happened in the past where the city has given us a permit last minute on the day of. I assumed that's what was going to happen this year,' the organizer said. On Aug. 1, park board general manager Steve Jackson sent a letter confirming the permit denial, warning Kiraga Misago that if the society attempted to proceed with the African Descent Festival at English Bay without a permit, it would violate municipal bylaws, could face legal action and would be billed for city costs. 'This is a significant risk. We encourage you to consult with your insurer to ensure that you will have appropriate and valid insurance coverage in the circumstance,' it reads. Kiraga Misago believes the fees were set up as a barrier to keep the event out of English Bay, a site with deep historical significance to Vancouver's Black community. 'It is too much money,' he said. 'I feel like it's a scam.' Kiraga Misago says the society has now lost roughly $500,000 in planning expenses, including production costs, musician bookings, and stage equipment. More than 100 vendors had registered, and an additional 30 security officers were planned. The festival, free and open to the public, typically draws more than 45,000 people each year. 'If they remove the barricades and allow us to set up the stage, we would love to continue the festival,' the organizer said Friday. 'We are here to celebrate the legacy of the African community's contribution here in Vancouver.' sgrochowski@
Winnipeg Free Press
5 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Iraqi prime minister removes paramilitary commanders after deadly clash with police
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's prime minister approved sweeping disciplinary and legal measures against senior commanders in a paramilitary force after clashes with police at a government facility that left three people dead last month, his office said Saturday. Gunmen descended on the agricultural directorate in Baghdad's Karkh district on July 27 and clashed with federal police. The raid came after the former head of the directorate was ousted and a new one appointed. A government-commissioned investigation found that the former director — who was implicated in corruption cases — had called in members of the Kataib Hezbollah militia to stage the attack, Sabah Al-Numan, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, said in a statement Saturday. Al-Sudani, who also serves as commander in chief of the armed forces, ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the attack. Kataib Hezbollah is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of mostly Shiite, Iran-backed militias that formed to fight the Islamic State extremist group as it rampaged across the country more than a decade ago. The PMF was formally placed under the control of the Iraqi military in 2016, but in practice it still operates with significant autonomy. Some groups within the coalition have periodically launched drone attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Syria. The Kataib Hezbollah fighters who staged the attack in Karkh were affiliated with the 45th and 46th Brigades of the PMF, the government statement said. Al-Sudani approved recommendations to remove the commanders of those two brigades, refer all those involved in the raid to the judiciary, and open an investigation into 'negligence in leadership and control duties' in the PMF command, it said. The report also cited structural failings within the PMF, noting the presence of formations that act outside the chain of command. The relationship between the Iraqi state and the PMF has been a point of tension with the United States as Iraq attempts to balance its relations with Washington and Tehran. The Iraqi parliament is discussing legislation that would solidify the relationship between the military and the PMF, drawing objections from Washington, which considers some of the armed groups in the coalition, including Kataib Hezbollah, to be terrorist organizations. In an interview with The Associated Press last month, Al-Sudani defended the proposed legislation, saying it's part of an effort to ensure that arms are controlled by the state. 'Security agencies must operate under laws and be subject to them and be held accountable,' he said.
Toronto Star
5 hours ago
- Toronto Star
CDC shooter believed COVID vaccine made him suicidal, his father tells police
ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia man who opened fire on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters, shooting dozens of rounds into the sprawling complex and killing a police officer, had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Saturday. The 30-year-old shooter also tried to get into the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta but was stopped by guards before driving to a pharmacy across the street and opening fire late Friday afternoon, the official said. He was armed with five firearms, including at least one long gun, the official said, speaking condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.
