(Reuters) - The jury in the bank and tax fraud trial of President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, stopped its work on Friday afternoon and will meet for their third day of deliberations on Monday at 9:30 a.m. (1330 GMT), according to the judge in the case. Reporting by Nathan Layne; Writing by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Alistair BellOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The judge in the trial of ex-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort says he will not release the names of jurors because of fears for their safety.Judge TS Ellis also said he had received threats himself over the case.Mr Manafort denies charges of bank and tax fraud, in the first trial stemming from the inquiry into alleged Russian meddling into the 2016 US elections.The court in Alexandria, Virginia, has heard closing arguments and the jury has retired to consider a verdict. Prosecutors say the 69-year-old dodged taxes on millions of dollars he made lobbying for Ukrainian politicians. On Friday, US President Donald Trump said Mr Manafort was a "very good person", describing the trial as "very sad". Manafort lawyer attacks deputy's 'lies' Manafort: Trump's former campaign chair Speaking in court while jurors deliberated for a second day, Judge Ellis said: "I had no idea this case would excite these emotions... I don't feel right if I release their names,"I've received criticism and threats. I imagine they would, too."The judge added that he was being protected by US marshals.A number of media outlets had earlier requested the names of jurors. Jury lists are considered to be public unless a judge bans any access to them.The judge later allowed the jurors - six men and six women - to finish their work for the day because one of them had a social engagement.If found guilty on the fraud charges, Mr Manafort could spend the rest of his life in jail. Who's who in Russia drama? How Trump-Russia scandal has unfolded What is the special counsel? Mr Manafort managed Mr Trump's campaign for several months in 2016 - and he was in charge when Mr Trump won the Republican party's nomination.Last October, he was charged by special counsel Robert Mueller as a part of the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.The allegations against him, however, are not linked to Mr Trump and instead centre on his consultancy work with pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine.The Ukrainian government found ledgers pledging more than $12m (£9.2m) in cash to Mr Manafort for his advisory work with former President Viktor Yanukovych while he was in office, the New York Times reported.It has also been alleged that he secretly worked for a Russian billionaire to assist President Putin's political goals in other parts of the former USSR. Mr Manafort denied the allegation.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - In a break with convention, President Donald Trump weighed in on a criminal trial as the jury considered a verdict on Friday, calling the tax and bank fraud case against Paul Manafort “very sad” and lauding his former campaign chairman as a “very good person.” A federal court jury in Alexandria, Virginia completed its second day of deliberations without reaching a verdict in the first trial stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 15-month-old investigation of Russia’s role in the 2016 U.S. election. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, presiding over the case, said he personally had received threats related to the trial and was being protected by U.S. marshals. Ellis revealed the threats as he rejected a motion by a group of news organizations to make public the names of the jurors, saying he was concerned about their “peace and safety.” “I had no idea this case would excite these emotions ... I don’t feel right if I release their names,” the judge said. In remarks to reporters at the White House, Trump again called Mueller’s investigation, which had cast a cloud over his presidency, a “rigged witch hunt,” but sidestepped a question about whether he would issue a presidential pardon for Manafort. “I think the whole Manafort trial is very sad, when you look at what’s going on there. I think it’s a very sad day for our country,” Trump said. “He worked for me for a very short period of time. But you know what? He happens to be a very good person. And I think it’s very sad what they’ve done to Paul Manafort.” Trump made his comments while the jurors, mulling 18 criminal counts against Manafort, deliberated behind closed doors on Friday morning. As president, Trump has the power to pardon Manafort on the federal charges. He has already issued a number of pardons, including for a political ally, former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio. Asked by a reporter on Friday if he would pardon Manafort, Trump said, “I don’t talk about that now.” The jurors are not sequestered but have been instructed not to watch news reports or talk to others about the case. Deliberations by the six women and six men in the jury were set to resume on Monday morning. PRO-RUSSIAN POLITICIANS FILE PHOTO: Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort arrives for arraignment on a third superseding indictment against him by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on charges of witness tampering, at U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., June 15, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoProsecutors accused Manafort, 69, of hiding from U.S. tax authorities $16 million in money he earned as a political consultant for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine to fund an opulent lifestyle and then lying to banks to secure $20 million in loans after his Ukrainian income dried up and he needed cash. Manafort faces five counts of filing false tax returns, four counts of failing to disclose his offshore bank accounts and nine counts of bank fraud. If convicted on all counts, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. The charges largely predate Manafort’s five months working on Trump’s campaign during a pivotal period in the 2016 presidential race, including three months as campaign chairman. It is unusual for a U.S. president to comment about the character of a defendant in an ongoing trial and criticize the legal proceedings. It was not the first time Trump has weighed in since Manafort’s trial began on July 31. On the first day of testimony, Trump said Manafort had been treated worse than 1920s gangster Al Capone. Trump has made previous comments criticizing various federal judges and courts and has been harshly critical of Mueller, a former FBI director who is investigating whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia, an allegation the president and Moscow deny. On Friday, he accused Mueller of having “a lot of conflicts,” but said the special counsel should be allowed to finish a report on his investigation. Prohibitions on jurors reading about a case they are deciding are difficult to enforce in the smartphone era, Cornell University criminal law professor Jens David Ohlin said. Slideshow (5 Images)“We trust jurors to be on their best behavior and wall themselves off but that kind of goes against human nature,” Ohlin said. “I think it was very ill-advised for the president to do this. He should have kept his mouth shut,” Ohlin added. The prosecution could request a mistrial, but such a maneuver was very unlikely, Ohlin said. The jury sent a note on Thursday afternoon asking Ellis four questions including one about defining “reasonable doubt.” In a criminal case, a jury must find a defendant guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Reporting by Nathan Layne and Karen Freifeld; Additional reporting by Jan Wolfe and Ginger Gibson; Writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Alistair Bell and Toni ReinholdOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The judge in the trial of Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has said he will not release the names of the jurors in the high-profile case because he has received threats and fears for their safety.Judge TS Ellis, who spoke in court as the jury convened for its second day of deliberations on Friday, explained his decision not to release the names and addresses of jurors to the media due to concerns about their “peace and safety”. “I had no idea this case would excite these emotions,” Ellis said. “I don’t feel right if I release their names.”Ellis also revealed he had personally been threatened and was being protected by US marshals. Jury lists are usually made public unless a judge articulates a reason for keeping them secret.“I’ve received criticism and threats,” Ellis said. “I imagine they would, too.”His comments came hours after Donald Trump defended Manafort as “a good person” and declined to rule out a pardon as a jury spent Friday deliberating the fate of the former campaign chairman.“I think the whole Manafort trial is very sad,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn at the White House, before departing for a fundraiser on Long Island. “I think it’s a very sad day for our country. He happens to be a very good person, and I think it’s very sad what they’ve done to Paul Manafort.”Manafort faces 18 counts of tax evasion and bank fraud. Asked if he would pardon him, Trump said: “I don’t talk about that now.”The president also reiterated a line often pushed by his White House: that Manafort only worked for him for a short time. In fact the 69-year-old political consultant managed the campaign for nearly five months, a pivotal period in which Trump secured the Republican presidential nomination.Trump’s comments came as a jury convened in Alexandria, Virginia, following a three-week trial in which federal prosecutors called 27 witnesses to testify against Manafort. The list included Manafort’s deputy on the Trump campaign, Rick Gates, who struck a plea deal and has been cooperating with the special counsel, Robert Mueller.Although the trial is focused on Manafort’s finances and not Russian interference in the 2016 election, it is the first major test of Mueller’s investigation. Manafort faces up to 305 years in prison.Trump has downplayed the allegations against Manafort before. In a tweet earlier this month, he contrasted his treatment to that of an infamous mobster.“Looking back on history, who was treated worse, Alfonse Capone, legendary mob boss, killer and ‘Public Enemy Number One,’ or Paul Manafort, political operative & Reagan/Dole darling, now serving solitary confinement – although convicted of nothing?” Trump wrote, spelling the gangster’s first name incorrectly.“Where is the Russian Collusion?”Trump has repeatedly sought to discredit Mueller’s investigation as a “witch-hunt”, even as the special counsel has brought indictments against 32 individuals and three companies, securing five guilty pleas.This week the president stripped the fromer CIA director John Brennan of his security clearance and threatened similar action against other former intelligence and law enforcement officials. Most have spoken out against Trump.Although Trump’s move against Brennan prompted fierce criticism in national security circles, the president claimed on Friday he had received a “tremendous response”.“Security clearances are very important to me. Very, very important,” Trump said, adding he would next target a justice department official, Bruce Ohr.Ohr’s wife, Nellie, was employed during the 2016 campaign by Fusion GPS, the firm that commissioned an infamous dossier on Trump’s ties to Russia that was authored by Christopher Steele, a former British spy.Trump denied suggestions he is attempting to silence his critics, saying he had given Brennan a “bigger voice” by stripping his clearance.“There’s no silence,” Trump said. “Many people don’t even know who he is, and now he has a bigger voice. And that’s OK with me because I like taking on voices like that.“I’ve never respected him. I’ve never had a lot of respect.” Topics Paul Manafort Donald Trump Trump-Russia investigation US crime news

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — President Trump refused to say on Friday whether he would pardon Paul Manafort as a federal jury in Alexandria ended its second day of deliberations without reaching a verdict in Mr. Manafort’s financial fraud trial.The jurors are weighing what prosecutors have called overwhelming evidence that Mr. Manafort, Mr. Trump’s former campaign chairman, engaged in a seven-year scheme to hide more than $16 million in income and deceive banks into lending him $20 million.Defense lawyers have suggested that the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, has unfairly targeted Mr. Manafort, a 69-year-old political consultant, and portrayed oversights and bookkeeping mistakes as blatant acts of fraud.Asked on Friday as he departed the White House whether he would pardon Mr. Manafort if he is convicted, Mr. Trump replied: “I don’t talk about that, no. I don’t talk about that.” Mr. Trump’s former lawyer, John M. Dowd, had broached the prospect of a pardon last year with Mr. Manafort’s former lawyer as the special counsel was building the case against him, raising questions that Mr. Dowd was offering a pardon to influence Mr. Manafort’s decision about whether to cooperate in the inquiry.The president described Mr. Manafort as “a very good person” who worked for him only briefly, adding: “The whole Manafort trial is very sad. When you look at what’s going on there, I think it’s a very sad day for our country.”The president’s comments added to the perception that the jury’s decision will be not just a verdict on the actions of Mr. Manafort, but also on the broader Mueller inquiry. Although the charges against Mr. Manafort are not related to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign or whether any Trump associates conspired with Moscow, an acquittal would most likely provoke calls for Mr. Mueller to end his 15-month investigation.The outcome of the 14-day trial is so eagerly anticipated that news camera crews have all but blocked the path to the courthouse from the hotel opposite it, where the defense lawyers and Mr. Manafort’s wife, Kathleen, have been camped out at a high-top table in the corner of the restaurant. Mr. Manafort is being kept in a holding cell on the first floor of the courthouse.Judge T. S. Ellis III of United States District Court said the public’s interest in the trial has deeply surprised him. “I had no idea that this case would excite these emotions,” he said.While he said that “a thirsty press is essential to a free country,” he denied a motion by more than a half dozen news organizations, including The New York Times, to release the jurors’ names. “To do so would create a risk of harm to them,” he said, as well as intimidate prospective jurors in other cases.Without being specific, the judge said the high-profile case had provoked threats, noting that he had protection from federal marshals. “They go where I go,” he said.Judge Ellis also said he had no plans to unseal the transcript of a midtrial conference he held with both sides out of the jury’s earshot, after the Trump campaign was mentioned during questioning. Prosecutors convinced the judge that the discussion should be kept secret because its release could jeopardize an active investigation.Once a verdict is reached, Judge Ellis promised he would unseal the transcripts of other discussions that appear to have been prompted by an unspecified issue involving a juror.A second trial, focused on allegations of money laundering and foreign lobbying, awaits Mr. Manafort next month in Washington, where prosecutors plan to present more than twice as many exhibits as they brought forth in the Alexandria case. Citing the continuing trial, Mr. Manafort’s lawyers have asked for more time to prepare.

FILE PHOTO: Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort arrives for arraignment on a third superseding indictment against him by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on charges of witness tampering, at U.S. District Court in Washington, DC, U.S., June 15, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday called the financial fraud trial of his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, “sad” and said he was a very good person, weighing in as a jury in Virginia deliberates. Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Susan HeaveyOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - In a break with convention, President Donald Trump weighed in on a criminal trial as the jury considered a verdict on Friday, calling the tax and bank fraud case against Paul Manafort “very sad” and lauding his former campaign chairman as a “very good person.” A federal court jury in Alexandria, Virginia completed its second day of deliberations without reaching a verdict in the first trial stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 15-month-old investigation of Russia’s role in the 2016 U.S. election. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, presiding over the case, said he personally had received threats related to the trial and was being protected by U.S. marshals. Ellis revealed the threats as he rejected a motion by a group of news organizations to make public the names of the jurors, saying he was concerned about their “peace and safety.” “I had no idea this case would excite these emotions ... I don’t feel right if I release their names,” the judge said. In remarks to reporters at the White House, Trump again called Mueller’s investigation, which had cast a cloud over his presidency, a “rigged witch hunt,” but sidestepped a question about whether he would issue a presidential pardon for Manafort. “I think the whole Manafort trial is very sad, when you look at what’s going on there. I think it’s a very sad day for our country,” Trump said. “He worked for me for a very short period of time. But you know what? He happens to be a very good person. And I think it’s very sad what they’ve done to Paul Manafort.” Trump made his comments while the jurors, mulling 18 criminal counts against Manafort, deliberated behind closed doors on Friday morning. As president, Trump has the power to pardon Manafort on the federal charges. He has already issued a number of pardons, including for a political ally, former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio. Asked by a reporter on Friday if he would pardon Manafort, Trump said, “I don’t talk about that now.” The jurors are not sequestered but have been instructed not to watch news reports or talk to others about the case. Deliberations by the six women and six men in the jury were set to resume on Monday morning. PRO-RUSSIAN POLITICIANS FILE PHOTO: Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort arrives for arraignment on a third superseding indictment against him by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on charges of witness tampering, at U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., June 15, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoProsecutors accused Manafort, 69, of hiding from U.S. tax authorities $16 million in money he earned as a political consultant for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine to fund an opulent lifestyle and then lying to banks to secure $20 million in loans after his Ukrainian income dried up and he needed cash. Manafort faces five counts of filing false tax returns, four counts of failing to disclose his offshore bank accounts and nine counts of bank fraud. If convicted on all counts, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. The charges largely predate Manafort’s five months working on Trump’s campaign during a pivotal period in the 2016 presidential race, including three months as campaign chairman. It is unusual for a U.S. president to comment about the character of a defendant in an ongoing trial and criticize the legal proceedings. It was not the first time Trump has weighed in since Manafort’s trial began on July 31. On the first day of testimony, Trump said Manafort had been treated worse than 1920s gangster Al Capone. Trump has made previous comments criticizing various federal judges and courts and has been harshly critical of Mueller, a former FBI director who is investigating whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia, an allegation the president and Moscow deny. On Friday, he accused Mueller of having “a lot of conflicts,” but said the special counsel should be allowed to finish a report on his investigation. Prohibitions on jurors reading about a case they are deciding are difficult to enforce in the smartphone era, Cornell University criminal law professor Jens David Ohlin said. Slideshow (5 Images)“We trust jurors to be on their best behavior and wall themselves off but that kind of goes against human nature,” Ohlin said. “I think it was very ill-advised for the president to do this. He should have kept his mouth shut,” Ohlin added. The prosecution could request a mistrial, but such a maneuver was very unlikely, Ohlin said. The jury sent a note on Thursday afternoon asking Ellis four questions including one about defining “reasonable doubt.” In a criminal case, a jury must find a defendant guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Reporting by Nathan Layne and Karen Freifeld; Additional reporting by Jan Wolfe and Ginger Gibson; Writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Alistair Bell and Toni ReinholdOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - In a break with convention, President Donald Trump weighed in on a criminal trial as the jury considered a verdict on Friday, calling the tax and bank fraud case against Paul Manafort “very sad” and lauding his former campaign chairman as a “very good person.” A federal court jury in Alexandria, Virginia completed its second day of deliberations without reaching a verdict in the first trial stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 15-month-old investigation of Russia’s role in the 2016 U.S. election. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, presiding over the case, said he personally had received threats related to the trial and was being protected by U.S. marshals. Ellis revealed the threats as he rejected a motion by a group of news organizations to make public the names of the jurors, saying he was concerned about their “peace and safety.” “I had no idea this case would excite these emotions ... I don’t feel right if I release their names,” the judge said. In remarks to reporters at the White House, Trump again called Mueller’s investigation, which had cast a cloud over his presidency, a “rigged witch hunt,” but sidestepped a question about whether he would issue a presidential pardon for Manafort. “I think the whole Manafort trial is very sad, when you look at what’s going on there. I think it’s a very sad day for our country,” Trump said. “He worked for me for a very short period of time. But you know what? He happens to be a very good person. And I think it’s very sad what they’ve done to Paul Manafort.” Trump made his comments while the jurors, mulling 18 criminal counts against Manafort, deliberated behind closed doors on Friday morning. As president, Trump has the power to pardon Manafort on the federal charges. He has already issued a number of pardons, including for a political ally, former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio. Asked by a reporter on Friday if he would pardon Manafort, Trump said, “I don’t talk about that now.” The jurors are not sequestered but have been instructed not to watch news reports or talk to others about the case. Deliberations by the six women and six men in the jury were set to resume on Monday morning. PRO-RUSSIAN POLITICIANS FILE PHOTO: Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort arrives for arraignment on a third superseding indictment against him by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on charges of witness tampering, at U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., June 15, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoProsecutors accused Manafort, 69, of hiding from U.S. tax authorities $16 million in money he earned as a political consultant for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine to fund an opulent lifestyle and then lying to banks to secure $20 million in loans after his Ukrainian income dried up and he needed cash. Manafort faces five counts of filing false tax returns, four counts of failing to disclose his offshore bank accounts and nine counts of bank fraud. If convicted on all counts, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. The charges largely predate Manafort’s five months working on Trump’s campaign during a pivotal period in the 2016 presidential race, including three months as campaign chairman. It is unusual for a U.S. president to comment about the character of a defendant in an ongoing trial and criticize the legal proceedings. It was not the first time Trump has weighed in since Manafort’s trial began on July 31. On the first day of testimony, Trump said Manafort had been treated worse than 1920s gangster Al Capone. Trump has made previous comments criticizing various federal judges and courts and has been harshly critical of Mueller, a former FBI director who is investigating whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia, an allegation the president and Moscow deny. On Friday, he accused Mueller of having “a lot of conflicts,” but said the special counsel should be allowed to finish a report on his investigation. Prohibitions on jurors reading about a case they are deciding are difficult to enforce in the smartphone era, Cornell University criminal law professor Jens David Ohlin said. Slideshow (5 Images)“We trust jurors to be on their best behavior and wall themselves off but that kind of goes against human nature,” Ohlin said. “I think it was very ill-advised for the president to do this. He should have kept his mouth shut,” Ohlin added. The prosecution could request a mistrial, but such a maneuver was very unlikely, Ohlin said. The jury sent a note on Thursday afternoon asking Ellis four questions including one about defining “reasonable doubt.” In a criminal case, a jury must find a defendant guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Reporting by Nathan Layne and Karen Freifeld; Additional reporting by Jan Wolfe and Ginger Gibson; Writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Alistair Bell and Toni ReinholdOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is poised to revoke California's authority to set auto mileage standards, asserting that only the federal government has the power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy.Conservative and free-market groups have been asked to attend a formal announcement of the rollback set for Wednesday afternoon at Environmental Protection Agency headquarters in Washington.Gloria Bergquist, spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said Tuesday that her group was among those invited to the event featuring EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.The move comes after the Justice Department recently opened an antitrust investigation into a deal between California and four automakers for tougher pollution and related mileage requirements than those sought by President Donald Trump. Trump also has sought to relax Obama-era federal mileage standards nationwide, weakening a key effort by his Democratic predecessor to slow climate change.Top California officials and environmental groups pledged legal action to stop the rollback.The White House declined to comment Tuesday, referring questions to EPA. EPA's press office did not respond to a phone message and email seeking comment.But EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler told the National Automobile Dealers Association on Tuesday that the Trump administration would move "in the very near future" to take steps toward establishing one nationwide set of fuel-economy standards."We embrace federalism and the role of the states, but federalism does not mean that one state can dictate standards for the nation," he said, adding that higher fuel economy standards would hurt consumers by increasing the average sticker price of new cars and requiring automakers to produce more electric vehicles.Let our news meet your inbox. The news and stories that matters, delivered weekday mornings.Word of the pending announcement came as Trump traveled to California on Tuesday for an overnight trip that includes GOP fundraising events near San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.California's authority to set its own, tougher emissions standards goes back to a waiver issued by Congress during passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970. The state has long pushed automakers to adopt more fuel-efficient passenger vehicles that emit less pollution. A dozen states and the District of Columbia also follow California's fuel economy standards.California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Tuesday that the Trump administration's action will hurt both U.S. automakers and American families. He said California would fight the administration in federal court."You have no basis and no authority to pull this waiver," Becerra, a Democrat, said in a statement, referring to Trump. "We're ready to fight for a future that you seem unable to comprehend."California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the White House "has abdicated its responsibility to the rest of the world on cutting emissions and fighting global warming.""California won't ever wait for permission from Washington to protect the health and safety of children and families," said Newsom, a Democrat.The deal struck in July between California and four of the world's largest automakers — Ford, Honda, BMW and Volkswagen — bypassed the Trump administration's plan to freeze emissions and fuel economy standards adopted under Obama at 2021 levels.The four automakers agreed with California to reduce emissions by 3.7% per year starting with the 2022 model year, through 2026. That compares with 4.7% yearly reductions through 2025 under the Obama standards. Emissions standards are closely linked with fuel economy requirements because vehicles pollute less if they burn fewer gallons of fuel.The U.S. transportation sector is the nation's biggest single source of planet-warming greenhouse gasses.Wheeler said Tuesday: "California will be able to keep in place and enforce programs to address smog and other forms of air pollution caused by motor vehicles." But fuel economy has been one of the key regulatory tools the state has used to reduce harmful emissions.Environmentalists condemned the Trump administration's expected announcement."Everyone wins when we adopt strong clean car standards as our public policy," said Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund. "Strong clean car standards give us healthier air to breathe, help protect us from the urgent threat of climate change and save Americans hundreds of dollars a year in gas expenses."Associated Press writer Adam Beam contributed to this report from Sacramento, California.

Enlarge this image Bolivian President Evo Morales (center) gave a brief statement Monday after the judgment was delivered on a request by Bolivia for judges to order Chile to enter talks over granting its landlocked neighbor access to the Pacific Ocean. Peter Dejong/AP hide caption toggle caption Peter Dejong/AP Bolivian President Evo Morales (center) gave a brief statement Monday after the judgment was delivered on a request by Bolivia for judges to order Chile to enter talks over granting its landlocked neighbor access to the Pacific Ocean. Peter Dejong/AP The top U.N. court has dashed hopes for Bolivians longing for something they haven't had for more than a century: Access to the Pacific Ocean. In a judgment on Monday, the International Court of Justice stated that it did not find that Bolivia's neighbor Chile has a legal obligation to enter into negotiations with Bolivia about access to the ocean. The vote on the decision was 12-3. Africa Ethiopia-Eritrea Border Reopens, 20 Years After War And Bad Blood It's a crushing blow to Bolivian President Evo Morales, who traveled to The Hague to hear the court's judgment. According to Reuters, he has "bolstered his popularity with the nationalistic bid for sea access" as he prepares for a campaign for a fourth term next year.As the judgment was read, the BBC reported, "Morales's face turned increasingly sombre." Long, thin Chile has nearly 4,000 miles of coastline. And for Bolivians, regaining ocean access is "part of the national narrative," as NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro has reported: "It still has a navy, even though the country is stranded high in the Andes. Every year, Bolivians mark the Day of the Sea, where politicians give speeches and people listen to the recorded sound of seagulls."When Bolivia gained its independence from Spain, it had nearly 250 miles of coastline, court documents state. But during the War of the Pacific, which started in 1879, Chile seized Bolivia's coastal territory. In 1904, a peace treaty between Chile and Bolivia further solidified Chile's claim to the coast, saying the land belonged to Chile "absolutely and in perpetuity," according to the ICJ. In the years since then, Chile has at times said it was open to discussing the matter with Bolivia. Bolivia claimed that that created "an obligation to negotiate Bolivia's sovereign access to the sea." The court did not find that argument compelling, however, because Chile's declarations "are expressed not in terms of undertaking a legal obligation but of willingness to enter into negotiations." The court also dismissed seven other lines of argument from Bolivia which it said compelled Chile to enter negotiations. The decision is final and binding. Still, Bolivia's push to gain Pacific access isn't necessarily over. As court president Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf wrote in the judgment, "the Court's finding should not be understood as precluding the Parties from continuing their dialogue and exchanges, in a spirit of good neighbourliness, to address the issues relating to the landlocked situation of Bolivia, the solution to which they have both recognized to be a matter of mutual interest." National Port Of Baltimore Seeks Boost From Panama Canal Expansion "The demand by Bolivia's government had no foundation, neither historical, political or legal, and that is why it was categorically rejected," said Chile's president, Sebastian Pinera, according to a Reuters translation. He added that the move caused the two countries to lose "five years in healthy and necessary relations."Many Bolivians were crestfallen by the news. The AP reports that crowds gathered to watch the ruling in a public square in La Paz. "While there had been folkloric dances and celebrations before the ruling, people walked away in silence afterward," the wire service reported. At the moment, the BBC reports, "much of Bolivia's trade passes through Chilean ports and Bolivia argued that having sovereign access to the Pacific Ocean was key to its economy and would have boosted growth."

A student activist who was arrested in California 36 hours after reading a poem critical of immigration policy is being supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, which is arguing that his arrest violates the first amendment.Jose Bello read the poem, Dear America, at a public forum held by the Kern County board of supervisors in May. Written after his detention by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in 2018, the poem reads: “We demand our respect. We want our dignity back. / Our roots run deep in this country, now that’s a true fact … We don’t want your jobs. We don’t want your money. / We’re here to work hard, pay taxes, and study.”“I’m here to let you know, we want to feel safe – whether we’re Brown, Asian, or Black,” wrote Bello.The farmworker and student at Bakersfield College, who arrived in the US aged three and has a son who is an American citizen, was released in August last year after community groups helped to raise his $10,000 (£7,900) bond. He was rearrested on 15 May, less than two days after he read his poem attacking the agency, and returned to the Mesa Verde detention centre.The ACLU has filed a petition in the San Francisco district court for a writ of habeas corpus. The petition argues that the arrest violates the first amendment because ICE agents targeted activists who publicly criticised its immigration enforcement practices. It asks that Bello be released while his case goes through the courts, or that his bail be reduced. His bond is set at $50,000, an amount the ACLU called “hugely unjust”, given Bello’s annual income of $20,000.“The close succession of these two events,” says the filing, “strongly indicates that ICE acted in retaliation against Mr Bello for his speech expressing views against the agency’s actions. His arrest and detention violate the first amendment’s prohibition on government retaliation for protected speech and its related prohibition on viewpoint discrimination. If left unaddressed, ICE’s actions will chill immigrant speakers from sharing criticisms of the agency at the very same time that its escalating aggression and increasing use of detention are at the centre of public debate.”Rosa Lopez, a policy advocate and organiser at ACLU’s southern California branch, said Bello was “a beloved young activist with many allies and supporters … His poem spoke out against the administration’s cruel and inhumane immigration policies, and he is being persecuted for it. We can’t and won’t allow ICE or other law enforcement agencies to intimidate us to stay silent.”One of Bello’s teachers, Octavio Barajas, described him as “an outstanding, high-achieving student … whose leaderships skills outside the classroom have motivated many to involve themselves in current issues … He deserves a chance to continue to contribute to our country in his principled and upright ways.”PEN America said Bello’s arrest was “cause for serious concern for all those who support freedom of expression and first amendment rights”.“We are deeply concerned by these events, which raise the question as to whether Bello was targeted by ICE for his criticism of the agency,” said the director of the organisation’s US free speech programmes, Nora Benavidez. “It appears we’re seeing a targeted attempt to silence those who speak critically of immigration policy. ICE’s obligations as a government agency include respect for and adherence to the first amendment, but actions like these call into question the agency’s commitment to the constitutional right to free speech.”ICE has refused to comment on Bello’s case, “due to privacy laws”. Topics Books PEN California US immigration Poetry Migration news

Enlarge this image Dozens of members of the University of Washington marching band, shown here in 2017, were transported to hospitals after a bus overturned on Thursday. Christopher Mast/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Christopher Mast/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images Dozens of members of the University of Washington marching band, shown here in 2017, were transported to hospitals after a bus overturned on Thursday. Christopher Mast/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images Dozens of people have been hospitalized after a charter bus transporting members of the University of Washington marching band rolled on a Washington interstate Thursday, according to Washington State Patrol. Trooper John Bryant said "40-45 plus" people were transported to hospitals but that none of the injuries were serious. He said there were 56 people total on the bus. "The injuries reported were cuts, complaints of general pain and back pain, but the injuries are not believed to be critical," UW spokesperson Victor Balta said in a statement. "The University is doing everything it can to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff, and to get them back on their journey to Pullman."The Husky Marching Band was headed to Eastern Washington to perform at Friday's Apple Cup football game between Washington and Washington State.According to Bryant, the bus rolled at about 5:30 p.m. local time and was one of six carrying UW band members. It wasn't immediately clear why the bus rolled over, though Bryant warned incoming media members to drive carefully because the road was icy. He shared photos from the scene of the overturned bus, with the bumper partially ripped off and misshapen front window frames. The Two-Way Kansas State Imposes Sanctions In Halftime Show Controversy Bryant initially said 20 to 25 band members were transported to hospitals, but raised that number about two hours later. The band members who were uninjured regrouped at an elementary school in the small town of George, Wash., where they received a warm welcome from the local community. One member of the band group said in a post on Twitter, "families left their thanksgiving dinners to bring us leftovers and hot food."The people in George rallying to help the band even included fans of their rivals from Washington State University, according to a tweet from UW Cheer. The band has not officially said whether they plan to perform at the Friday evening game. But if they do, the opposing WSU Marching Band is asking their own fans to give the band a warm welcome. "If the wonderful @huskyband is able to come down tomorrow after tonight's accident, DO NOT boo those kids," WSU Marching Band said in a tweet. "Applaud their efforts and sacrifice to be here supporting their team and university."

Chicago city officials on Thursday ordered the Empire actor Jussie Smollett to pay $130,000 to cover the cost of the investigation into his report of a street attack that police say was staged to promote his career.A letter from the city’s legal department to Smollett and his attorneys said that figure covers overtime worked by more than two dozen detectives and officers who spent weeks looking into Smollett’s claim in January, including reviewing video and physical evidence and conducting interviews.Those resources, the letter said, “could have been used for other investigations”. Hours earlier, Donald Trump tweeted that the FBI and the Department of Justice would review the “outrageous” case, calling it an “embarrassment” to the country.Prosecutors infuriated the Chicago mayor, Rahm Emanuel, and the police chief this week when they abruptly dropped 16 felony counts that accused Smollett of making a false police report about being the target of a racist, anti-gay attack in January.Smollett has maintained his innocence and insisted that the attack was real. The prosecution sealed the case, but authorities still say the actor concocted the assault. Prosecutors offered no additional information on Thursday during a court hearing where media attorneys argued that the public has a right to know what happened. The justice department sometimes brings federal cases after state prosecutors have declined to file charges, including after police shootings that the federal government believes might constitute civil rights violations.But department policy generally restricts prosecutors from bringing federal charges after state charges have been resolved, unless they can establish that the potential crime at issue is a federal one and involves “a substantial federal interest”.If Smollett fails to pay, officials could charge him with violating a city ordinance and seek fines, damages and court costs, the letter said.A spokeswoman for Smollett’s attorney Patricia Brown Holmes declined to comment on the letter.In the past, city officials have sought restitution from other people who made false reports and from businesses that pursued city contracts by seeking disadvantaged business status, said a spokesman for the legal department, Bill McCaffrey.Investigators believe Smollett, who is black and openly gay, hired two brothers to stage the 29 January attack in downtown Chicago and that Smollett hoped the attention would help advance his career by provoking public concern. Police also allege that before the attack, Smollett sent a letter that faked threats against himself to the Chicago television studio where Empire is shot.The FBI, which is investigating that letter, has declined to comment.Smollett attorney Tina Glandian said the two brothers are lying. She said Smollett had hired one brother as a personal trainer but had no idea who attacked him along a Chicago street until the brothers were later identified by police.Smollett has repeatedly said the two masked men shouted slurs, wrapped a rope around his neck and poured a substance on him. He also told detectives that the attackers yelled that he was in “Maga country,” an apparent reference to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan, police said.Prosecutors initially charged Smollett with one felony count in February. A grand jury indicted him on 15 more counts earlier this month. But in a stunning reversal on Tuesday, prosecutors abruptly dropped all charges, just five weeks after the allegations were filed.In return, prosecutors said, the actor agreed to let the city keep his $10,000 in bail. During Thursday’s court hearing, prosecutors promised to notify media outlets if Smollett’s lawyers tried to expunge his record. Topics Chicago US crime news

FILE PHOTO: Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort arrives for arraignment on a third superseding indictment against him by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on charges of witness tampering, at U.S. District Court in Washington, DC, U.S., June 15, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - A U.S. Internal Revenue Service agent testified on Wednesday that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who is on trial on tax and bank fraud charges, had $16.5 million in unreported taxable business income between 2010 and 2014. IRS agent Michael Welch said the total includes foreign wire transfers to U.S. vendors like landscapers and clothiers, wire transfers to buy property, and income reclassified as loans. Welch said the monetary figure was based on an accounting method used by Manafort. Reporting by Nathan Layne; Writing by Eric Beech; Editing by Mohammad ZarghamOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. If you’re interested in hearing from The Times regularly about great TV, sign up for our Watching newsletter and get recommendations straight to your inbox.Manafort’s DealSeth Meyers taunted President Trump on Monday after Paul Manafort — Trump’s former campaign chairman — struck a plea deal with the special counsel, Robert Mueller.“Paul Manafort on Friday struck a deal to cooperate with the Mueller investigation. And then Trump struck a door, two walls and Eric.” — SETH MEYERS“Some analysts are claiming that special counsel Robert Mueller may have struck a plea deal with former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort to target high-level Russian officials, not President Trump. Because Trump is a low-level Russian official.” — SETH MEYERSMeyers also jabbed Trump over his new wave of tariffs on Chinese goods, saying the move could end up hurting the president’s own bottom line.“According to reports, President Trump could impose $200 billion in new tariffs on Chinese goods as soon as next Monday. So don’t be surprised if you see prices rise on several Chinese goods — like Trump ties, Trump hats, Trump flags, Trump buttons, Trump socks or everything else Trump makes.” — SETH MEYERS 25 Years in Late NightConan O’Brien returned from a long break Monday night, four days after the 25th anniversary of his debut as the host of “Late Night” on NBC. It was O’Brien’s first job as a late-night host, and he had gotten there in an unorthodox way: He’d been a writer on TV shows, but never a stand-up comic. Last week, O’Brien posted on YouTube a full video of his first-ever “Late Night” episode in 1993.On “Conan” on Monday, he didn’t harp on the milestone. He simply dished out his specialty: a mix of Trump jokes, less political humor and non sequitur skits. (At one point, an actor in the audience pretended to be convinced he was on an airplane — which was the beginning and the end of the joke. This kind of happily half-baked silliness is O’Brien’s gift.)“Starting tomorrow — I’m not making this up — a new version of the Emergency Broadcast System is going to allow President Trump to send texts to all of our cellphones. That’s true, that’s a true thing. Yeah, starting tomorrow, Trump said, ‘I thought I’d try announcing emergencies instead of just causing them.’” — CONAN O’BRIEN“Very heated political environment: At a party last night, Trump supporter and ‘Apprentice’ producer Mark Burnett physically assaulted Tom Arnold. Yeah, Arnold was unhurt and said, ‘It’s nice to be recognized.’” — CONAN O’BRIEN“Walmart announced it’s finally going to open a store in New York City. A Walmart in New York City, yeah. Because it’s New York City, Walmart greeters are going to be allowed to say, ‘Hey, how the [expletive] you doin’?’” — CONAN O’BRIENThe Punchiest Punchlines (Hydrogen-Fuel Edition)“Trump was at an event celebrating Hispanic heritage — and this is nice, he even brought along Jeff Sessions to be the piñata.” — JIMMY FALLON, referring to an event on Monday recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month“Germany today launched service on the world’s first passenger trains that run on hydrogen. Unlike here in New York, where the trains run on occasion.” — SETH MEYERSThe Bits Worth WatchingZoë Kravitz and her dad, Lenny Kravitz, make a good lip-sync charades team.Ethan Hawke remembers tossing the script to “Independence Day” out his car window. He regrets that.What We’re Excited About on Tuesday NightStephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and James Corden all took the night off on Monday but will return Tuesday. And over on “The Tonight Show,” Jimmy Fallon will welcome a full slate of musician guests: Kelly Clarkson, Queen Latifah, Tony Bennett and Diana Krall.Also, Check This OutMonday was an excellent night for HBO and Netflix: At the Emmys, each took home 23 prizes, tying for first place. Here’s our soup-to-nuts recap of the awards show.Plus, Ideas for What to Watch Tonight:Riveting True Crime Documentaries on NetflixThe 25 Best Films of the 21st CenturyThe Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video Right Now

A waiter serves a glass of beer ahead of an Anheuser-Busch InBev shareholders meeting in Brussels, Belgium April 30, 2014. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File photo BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI.BR) faces an EU antitrust fine for preventing cheaper beer imports into Belgium despite its efforts to settle the investigation, people familiar with the matter said. Last year, the European Commission accused the world’s largest brewer of abusing its market dominance in Belgium by impeding cheaper imports into the country of its Jupiler and Leffe brands from neighboring France and the Netherlands. The European Commission typically frowns on attempts to prevent parallel trade in the 28-country bloc, whereby cheaper products in one country are transported for sale in another, seeing such tactics as an obstacle to the single market. The Commission said the result was that Belgian consumers were paying more for the two most popular beer brands in Belgium. AB InBev sells Jupiler and Leffe at lower prices in the Netherlands and France because of the greater competition in these two markets. EU antitrust rules allow companies to settle investigations by offering concessions and regulators to close the case without levying any fine or proving wrongdoing. The Commission normally accepts this option only if it sees it as a quicker way to restore competition to the market. The Commission, which can fine companies up to 10 percent of their global turnover, declined to comment. The sources say a formal decision will take some time before it is announced. AB InBev did not immediately respond to a request for comment The EU competition enforcer said AB InBev’s tactics included changing the packaging of both brands in the Netherlands and France to make them harder to sell in Belgium. Dutch retailers were given limited access to key products and promotions to prevent them from importing products into Belgium. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; additional reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, editing by Robin Emmott and Elaine HardcastleOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a new indictment brought against him in the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election and will face trial in September. Special counsel Robert Mueller, who is running the Russia investigation , is dialing up the legal pressure on Manafort, who has not opted to cooperate with investigators. Manafort’s former business partner Rick Gates, another Trump ex-campaign aide, decided last week to cooperate with the investigation. Manafort is facing two separate indictments on an array of charges, including conspiracy to launder money, filing false tax returns and failing to register as a foreign agent for lobbying work for the pro-Kremlin Ukrainian government of former President Viktor Yanukovych. Judge Amy Berman Jackson set Manafort’s trial to start on 17 September in the US district court for the District of Columbia. Manafort was Trump’s campaign manager for five months in 2016. He was originally indicted last year with Gates, Trump’s former deputy campaign manager. Gates agreed to cooperate with Mueller as part of a plea deal to charges that he lied to investigators and conspired against the United States. Gates’ move was seen as adding to pressure on Manafort to cut a deal himself but he said in a statement issued last Friday after Gates’ plea deal that he maintained his innocence. Topics Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Trump administration US politics Donald Trump news

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a new indictment brought against him in the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election and will face trial in September. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is running the Russia probe, is dialing up the legal pressure on Manafort, who has opted not to cooperate with investigators. Manafort’s former business partner Rick Gates, another Trump ex-campaign official, decided last week to cooperate with the investigation. Manafort is facing two separate indictments on an array of charges, including conspiracy to launder money, filing false tax returns, bank fraud, and failing to register as a foreign agent despite lobbying in the United States for the pro-Kremlin Ukrainian government of former President Viktor Yanukovych. Manafort’s trial is expected to last for several weeks, and could stretch on through November’s midterm elections - making headlines at a time when Republicans are fighting to maintain their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson set the trial to start Sept. 17 in Washington, D.C. Prosecutors allege that Manafort, with Gates’ assistance, laundered more than $30 million and duped banks into lending money. They say the pair used funds from secret offshore accounts to enjoy a life of luxury. None of the charges against the pair make reference to alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election nor accusations of collusion between Moscow and Trump’s campaign. Mueller, appointed by the Department of Justice last year to investigate Russia’s role in the election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign, has a broad mandate that allows him to look into any wrongdoing he uncovers in the probe. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow sought to meddle in the campaign to tilt the vote in favor of Trump, the Republican candidate, including by hacking the emails of leading Democrats and distributing disinformation and propaganda online. Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort departs from U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., February 28, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri GripasRussia has denied the accusations of interference. Trump has said there was no collusion and denied any attempt to obstruct Mueller’s probe. Manafort was Trump’s campaign manager for five months in 2016. He was originally indicted last year with Gates, Trump’s former deputy campaign manager. A court filing on Friday charged that between 2008 and 2017, Gates and Manafort devised a scheme to obtain money and property by making false representations to banks and other financial institutions. Toward the end of that period they worked for Trump’s campaign. Manafort is facing two separate indictments - one filed in the federal court in Washington, D.C., and a second in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. The Washington one charges him with conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy against the United States, making false statements, and charges in connection with failing to register as a foreign agent for Ukraine. The Virginia indictment charges him with bank fraud, filing false tax returns and failing to report foreign bank accounts to the U.S. government. Manafort is expected to appear for a second hearing in the Alexandria court on Friday, where he will also plead not guilty to the charges. Both cases carry possible prison terms of more than a decade each if Manafort, 68, is convicted, according to a court filing by the government on Wednesday. The two separate indictments against him in the District of Columbia and Virginia are seen as unusual. Normally such charges would be consolidated in one court, but Manafort has refused to allow this, which might be a legal tactic meant to make Mueller’s case more difficult. The two parallel cases could complicate matters for both sides, since each indictment to a large extent relies on the same underlying evidence. Slideshow (3 Images)Judge Jackson on Wednesday fretted about this, saying dueling cases could lead to a “duplicative” amount of work, particularly for the defense, and potentially “inconsistent rulings” by the two judges. Gates made a plea deal last week to charges that he lied to investigators and conspired against the United States. The move added to pressure on Manafort to cut a deal himself but he has maintained his innocence. Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Susan Heavey and Alistair BellOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a new indictment brought against him in the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election and will face trial in September. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is running the Russia probe, is dialing up the legal pressure on Manafort, who has opted not to cooperate with investigators. Manafort’s former business partner Rick Gates, another Trump ex-campaign official, decided last week to cooperate with the investigation. Manafort is facing two separate indictments on an array of charges, including conspiracy to launder money, filing false tax returns, bank fraud, and failing to register as a foreign agent despite lobbying in the United States for the pro-Kremlin Ukrainian government of former President Viktor Yanukovych. Manafort’s trial is expected to last for several weeks, and could stretch on through November’s midterm elections - making headlines at a time when Republicans are fighting to maintain their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson set the trial to start Sept. 17 in Washington, D.C. Prosecutors allege that Manafort, with Gates’ assistance, laundered more than $30 million and duped banks into lending money. They say the pair used funds from secret offshore accounts to enjoy a life of luxury. None of the charges against the pair make reference to alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election nor accusations of collusion between Moscow and Trump’s campaign. Mueller, appointed by the Department of Justice last year to investigate Russia’s role in the election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign, has a broad mandate that allows him to look into any wrongdoing he uncovers in the probe. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow sought to meddle in the campaign to tilt the vote in favor of Trump, the Republican candidate, including by hacking the emails of leading Democrats and distributing disinformation and propaganda online. Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort departs from U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., February 28, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri GripasRussia has denied the accusations of interference. Trump has said there was no collusion and denied any attempt to obstruct Mueller’s probe. Manafort was Trump’s campaign manager for five months in 2016. He was originally indicted last year with Gates, Trump’s former deputy campaign manager. A court filing on Friday charged that between 2008 and 2017, Gates and Manafort devised a scheme to obtain money and property by making false representations to banks and other financial institutions. Toward the end of that period they worked for Trump’s campaign. Manafort is facing two separate indictments - one filed in the federal court in Washington, D.C., and a second in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. The Washington one charges him with conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy against the United States, making false statements, and charges in connection with failing to register as a foreign agent for Ukraine. The Virginia indictment charges him with bank fraud, filing false tax returns and failing to report foreign bank accounts to the U.S. government. Manafort is expected to appear for a second hearing in the Alexandria court on Friday, where he will also plead not guilty to the charges. Both cases carry possible prison terms of more than a decade each if Manafort, 68, is convicted, according to a court filing by the government on Wednesday. The two separate indictments against him in the District of Columbia and Virginia are seen as unusual. Normally such charges would be consolidated in one court, but Manafort has refused to allow this, which might be a legal tactic meant to make Mueller’s case more difficult. The two parallel cases could complicate matters for both sides, since each indictment to a large extent relies on the same underlying evidence. Slideshow (3 Images)Judge Jackson on Wednesday fretted about this, saying dueling cases could lead to a “duplicative” amount of work, particularly for the defense, and potentially “inconsistent rulings” by the two judges. Gates made a plea deal last week to charges that he lied to investigators and conspired against the United States. The move added to pressure on Manafort to cut a deal himself but he has maintained his innocence. Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Susan Heavey and Alistair BellOur Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Enlarge this image Firefighters work on the Ranch Fire, part of the Mendocino Complex Fire on Aug. 7. On Thursday Cal Fire asked state lawmakers for an additional $234 million in funding to continue battling wildfires through the end of the year. Noah Berger/AP hide caption toggle caption Noah Berger/AP Firefighters work on the Ranch Fire, part of the Mendocino Complex Fire on Aug. 7. On Thursday Cal Fire asked state lawmakers for an additional $234 million in funding to continue battling wildfires through the end of the year. Noah Berger/AP As fall — usually California's busiest fire season — approaches, officials say the agency that oversees emergency fire responses is running out of money. Cal Fire's director, Ken Pimlott, asked lawmakers for an additional $234 million to be made available as soon as possible, in a letter to state lawmakers on Thursday. He wrote that fires caused by "climate change driven extreme weather conditions" have triggered massive spending across the state. As a result of the record-breaking "intense and large" wildfires in July and August, including the Carr Fire's deadly tornado of flame, Pimlott said less than $11 million of the agency's 2018 $442.8 million budget remains. National PHOTOS: Mendocino Complex Fire Is Now California's Largest Ever Additionally, he noted, more resources have been deployed to several new blazes in recent days, including the Sliger Fire in El Dorado County, which by Thursday that had consumed 104 acres and was at 45 percent containment. Cal Fire continues to battle the Ranch Fire, which has ravaged 410,203 acres — an area larger than Los Angeles — and is 98 percent contained. It is one of the two parts of the Mendocino Complex Fire that grew to become the state's largest recorded wildfire in history. Environment WATCH: Massive 'Fire Tornado' Revealed In Footage Released By Officials The additional funding would "ensure sufficient authority exists to respond to wildfire activity that occurs between September and November," Pimlott explained. Over the last five years, the agency has spent an average of $156 million during those months. The remaining $78 million would be used to buy additional helicopters and o hire more firefighters. The AP reported that Cal Fire has requested additional funding in seven of the past 10 years. But it is first time the appeal has been made so early in the year.