Month: September 2024

The indictment will remain under seal until Weinstein’s arraignment on the new charges, which is scheduled for September 18. 

Weinstein, 72, is recovering from emergency heart surgery Monday at a Manhattan hospital to remove fluid on his heart and lungs and was not at Thursday’s hearing. 

Prosecutors retrying Weinstein’s overturned rape conviction disclosed last week that they had begun presenting to a grand jury evidence of up to three additional allegations against Weinstein, dating as far back as the mid-2000s. 

They include alleged sexual assaults at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, now known as the Roxy Hotel, and in a Lower Manhattan residential building between late 2005 and mid-2006, and an alleged sexual assault at a Tribeca hotel in May 2016. 

Because the indictment is under seal, it was not known whether the new charges involved some or all of the additional allegations. 

Prosecutors had been seeking to retry Weinstein after New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, overturned his 2020 conviction on rape and sexual assault charges earlier this year and ordered a new trial. 

It remains to be seen whether the new charges will be included in the retrial, as prosecutors hope, or handled as a separate case by the court. 

The new charges come after prosecutors in Britain announced last week that they would no longer pursue charges of indecent assault against Weinstein, who was the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement in 2017 when women began going public with accounts of his behavior. 

Weinstein, who co-founded the film and television production company Miramax, has long maintained that any sexual activity was consensual. 

At Thursday’s hearing, Judge Curtis Farber ruled that because of Weinstein’s health concerns, he will be allowed to remain at Bellevue Hospital indefinitely instead of being moved back to the city’s Rikers Island jail complex. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office had signaled for months that new charges were imminent against Weinstein, who was once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood, having produced films such as Pulp Fiction and The Crying Game. 

In July, prosecutors told a judge they were actively pursuing claims of rape that occurred in Manhattan within the statute of limitations. 

They said some potential accusers who were not ready to come forward during Weinstein’s first New York trial had indicated they were now willing to testify. 

New York’s highest court threw out Weinstein’s 2020 conviction in April after determining the trial judge unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations from other women that were not part of the case. 

Prosecutors have said one of the accusers in that case, Jessica Mann, is prepared to testify against him again. It’s unclear if the second accuser, Mimi Haley, would participate. Her lawyer, Gloria Allred, declined to comment. 

The Associated Press does not generally identify people alleging sexual assault unless they consent to be named, as Haley and Mann did. 

Weinstein, who had been serving a 23-year sentence in New York when his conviction was quashed, was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape. 

His 16-year prison sentence in that case still stands, but his lawyers appealed in June, arguing he did not get a fair trial in Los Angeles. Weinstein has remained in custody in New York’s Rikers Island jail complex while awaiting the retrial.

General Michael Langley, head of the U.S. Africa Command, said that after meeting this past weekend with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his top military official, Major General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow, he’s confident the country can manage its own security after the December withdrawal of the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia, known as ATMIS.

Langley’s remarks, in a virtual briefing to reporters Thursday, came 2 1/2 years after the multidimensional mission was authorized by the U.N. Security Council, in part to help stabilize the country following years of insurgency by the militant group al-Shabab.

Langley said that Somali authorities have told him military operations in the southern and central parts of the country are focused on liberating some areas from the militants and stabilizing others.

“The operations are ebbing and flowing,” Langley said. “I’ll just use some of their narratives. They have a young army, it’s a building army, so there are some successes and some setbacks, but I think the morale across the forces is building and they are very enthusiastic they’re going to be able to keep al-Shabab back on their heels going forward in future operations.”

In a briefing to the Security Council in June, Mohamed el-Amine Souef, head of ATMIS, told the council that the threat posed by al-Shabab remains unpredictable. Citing a recent attack on Somali security forces in the Galmudug region, and a mortar attack on the ATMIS camp in Baidoa, he said the group still retains the ability to conduct devastating assaults.

Although Somali forces supported by ATMIS have achieved significant gains in the fight against al-Shabab, support from international partners is essential to maintain the momentum, he said.

After visiting Somalia, Langley arrived in Kenya, which contributes troops to ATMIS, where he said he plans to engage with the Kenyan military leadership to explore future prospects on how to help the Somali army hit its operational objectives.

“They have been a tremendous partner with the Somali national army, institutionalizing, professionalizing, helping them to be able to operate in various areas, collaborating along the border to ensure the defeat of al-Shabab,” Langley said.

In West Africa, U.S. troops recently withdrew from Niger, where they were ordered to leave after a military junta took power. Juntas that took power by force also rule Mali and Burkina Faso.

Langley said the way forward on security cooperation across the Sahel is still to be determined, but added that U.S. forces will stay engaged.

“In the interim, yes, we are pivoting to some degree on like-minded countries with democratic values and shared objectives and shared challenges across the coast of West Africa,” he said. “So yes, we are in talks with Cote D’Ivoire, in talks with Ghana and Benin, as well as we start to reset and calibrate some of our assets.”

He said those countries are facing threats from terrorist groups like al-Qaida and Islamic State, which initially operated in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, but are now moving toward other countries across the region.

Buckle up because Psaraki is about to become your new obsession.

Imagine this: a warm evening, the faintest whisper of salt in the air (Brooklyn may not be the Aegean, but it sure gets close), and a table brimming with the kind of Greek flavors that make you forget everything else. This isn’t just dinner; it’s an experience.

And trust me, coming from a half-Greek Texas girl who knows her way around a good meal, Psaraki is the kind of place that’ll leave you longing for more.

James Paloumbis, the mastermind behind this Mediterranean jewel, brings 28 years of NYC’s restaurant savvy to every detail here. Walking into Psaraki feels like stepping into a chic seaside taverna — only here, you’re treated to views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan skyline, and the Williamsburg Bridge.

It’s a mesmerizing juxtaposition: the tranquil ambiance of a Greek escape with the raw energy of New York just across the water. There’s a certain electricity in the air that makes the whole experience irresistibly seductive.

Now, let’s talk about the food — because this is where Psaraki truly sets hearts (and appetites) racing. 

James has a philosophy: homemade in the truest sense of the word. His dishes aren’t just inspired by family recipes; they are family recipes, passed down through generations, crafted with love, and brought to life on your plate.

The Fisherman’s Table Experience is the highlight — a stunning, shareable feast featuring classics like horiatiki, saganaki, calamari, octopus, and branzino. Each dish arrives perfectly prepared, every bite a beautiful homage to Greek culinary tradition. And for those with dietary needs, everything fried is, miraculously, gluten-free. Sophisticated and inclusive? Yes, please.

But what’s a sultry summer evening without a cocktail to match? Psaraki’s drink menu reads like a Mediterranean dream.

The Psaraki Spritz, with Otto’s Athens Vermouth and Pink Grapefruit Soda, is as refreshing as a breeze off the Santorini coast, while the Green Tears, a smoky concoction of Mezcal, Skinos, basil syrup, and lemon, is bold, intriguing, and undeniably irresistible.

Whether you’re here for a romantic evening, a gathering with friends, or a solo indulgence, Psaraki strikes the perfect balance between laid-back Greek hospitality and cosmopolitan sophistication. James Paloumbis and his team are passionate about what they do, pouring their heart into every dish, every drink, and every detail of your evening.

So go ahead, make that reservation—you’re in for a refined and unforgettable escape, Greek-style.

Psaraki, 420 Kent Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (212) 220-5035. psaraki.com.