Albertsons’ $24.6 billion merger with Kroger blocked by judgePSG beat Salzburg 3-0 to revitalise Champions League campaignBy MICHAEL R. SISAK NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs tried for a third time Friday to persuade a judge to let him leave jail while he awaits his sex trafficking trial, but a decision won’t come until next week. Judge Arun Subramanian said at a hearing that he will release his decision on Combs’ latest request for bail after Combs’ lawyers and federal prosecutors file letters addressing outstanding issues. Those letters are due at noon on Monday, Subramanian said. Combs’ lawyers pitched having him await trial under around-the-clock surveillance either his mansion on an island near Miami Beach or — after the judge scoffed at that location — an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Their plan essentially amounts to putting Combs on house arrest, with strict limits on who he has contact with. But prosecutors argue that Combs has routinely flouted jail rules and can’t be trusted not to interfere with witnesses or the judicial process. “The argument that he’s a lawless person who doesn’t follow instructions isn’t factually accurate,” Combs lawyer Anthony Ricco argued. “The idea that he’s an out-of-control individual who has to be detained isn’t factually accurate.” Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years with help from a network of associates and employees while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. His trial is slated to begin May 5. The Bad Boy Records founder remains locked up at a Brooklyn federal jail, where he spent his Nov. 4 birthday. Two other judges previously concluded that Combs would be a danger to the community if he is released and an appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs his bail request. Friday’s hearing was the second time Combs was in court this week. On Tuesday, a judge blocked prosecutors from using as evidence papers that were seized from his cell during jail-wide sweep for contraband and weapons at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Related Articles As he entered through a side door, Combs waved to relatives including his mother and several of his children in the courtroom gallery, tapping his hand to his heart and blowing kisses at them. He then hugged his lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, before taking a seat at the defense table. He was not handcuffed or shackled and wore a beige jail uniform, occasionally pulling a pair of reading glasses from his pocket as he peered at papers in front of him. Prosecutors maintain that no bail conditions will mitigate the “risk of obstruction and dangerousness to others” of releasing Combs from jail. Prosecutors contend that while locked up the “I’ll Be Missing You” artist has orchestrated social media campaigns aimed at tainting the jury pool. They allege that he has also attempted to publicly leak materials he thinks would be helpful to his case and is contacting potential witnesses via third parties. “Simply put, the defendant cannot be trusted,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik argued. Combs’ lawyer Teny Geragos countered that, given the strict release conditions proposed, “it would be impossible for him not to follow rules.”
Tang Contemporary Art in Hong Kong welcomes the new year with Oracle , a solo exhibition by Japanese artist and fashion designer Ryunosuke Okazaki . With a focus on prayer, peace and spirituality, Okazaki presents a profound meditation on humanity’s relationship with the sacred through his signature of intricate forms, winding lines and infinite spirals. Drawing from ancient texts like the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki , the exhibition reimagines oracles as living entities imbued with spiritual significance. In this space, they are less an absolute truth and more an unresolved mystery, reflecting humanity’s ongoing dialogue with the divine. This influence is echoed in Okazaki’s artistic exploration which emphasizes materiality as an active participant in creating meaning. Blending the simplicity of Jomon pottery with technological precision, his works evoke a symbiosis between humanity, nature and technology. Hailing from Hiroshima, the artist weaves historical memory and advanced technologies into an alluring exploration of spirituality in the modern age. Through recurring themes of prayer, Zen meditation and the principle of “non-action,” his works muddy the lines between material and spiritual realms, reconnecting art to the ineffable essence of existence. Oracle will open at Tang Contemporary Art Hong Kong on January 11 and will be on view through February 19, 2025. Tang Contemporary Hong Kong 20/F, Landmark South, 39 Yip Kan Street, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong KongNew trains already five years old as first trip arrives
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Florida Atlantic is finalizing the hiring of Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley as its new head coach, a person with knowledge of the decision said Monday. Kittley and the school were working through the remaining details Monday, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the school has yet to announce that the hiring is complete. The Owls are replacing Tom Herman, who was fired two weeks ago with two games left in his second year at the school. Kittley had stints as offensive coordinator at Houston Baptist and Western Kentucky before returning to Texas Tech — his alma mater — in 2022 in the same role. The Red Raiders have averaged 435 yards per game over the last three seasons under Kittley, 22nd best among all FBS teams. This season saw the Red Raiders rank among the nation's best offenses: They were eighth in yards per play, eighth in points per game, 10th in yards per game and did all that at a pace nearly unmatched nationally. Texas Tech averaged 78.25 plays per game this season, just behind Syracuse's 78.33 for the national lead. As a student assistant, then graduate assistant and assistant quarterbacks coach at Texas Tech, Kittley helped coach Patrick Mahomes — the Kansas City Chiefs star, NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion — during his collegiate career. The Owls went 3-9 this season, their fourth consecutive losing record. Lane Kiffin went 27-13 with two bowl wins in his three seasons at FAU; the Owls are 22-35 in five seasons since Kiffin left for Ole Miss after the 2019 campaign. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football