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By Mike Scarcella WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) – Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire testified on Wednesday at the U.S. criminal tax trial of Tom Goldstein, telling jurors in Greenbelt, Maryland that he once hired the prominent American lawyer to help recover more than $7 million in poker winnings. Maguire said he met Goldstein, a former top U.S. Supreme Court lawyer, through “poker circles.” The actor, who starred as Spider-Man in Sam Raimi’s 2002 blockbuster film, recounted learning poker in his youth, before later playing in casinos and at private homes. Federal prosecutors allege that Goldstein concealed his true finances while leading a “high roller” lifestyle as a high-stakes card player. Maguire turned to Goldstein in 2020 and 2021 to recover more than $7 million that the actor said he won playing poker with a Texas businessman. Maguire, who is not accused of wrongdoing, testified that Goldstein had him route his $500,000 legal fee to a third party rather than pay it directly to Goldstein. Prosecutors, who called Maguire to testify on the eighth day of trial, allege Goldstein used the payment to pay off one of his own poker debts. A lawyer for Goldstein said that it was common in the poker world to have three-way transactions to resolve debts. Maguire declined to comment after his testimony. Goldstein pleaded not guilty last year to charges he failed to report millions of dollars he won in poker games, lied on loan documents and made improper payments through his law firm Goldstein & Russell.  He contends that he relied on his accountants and law office managers for tax and financial matters, and never willfully violated any federal laws. Goldstein co-founded the SCOTUSblog news website and argued more than 40 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court before retiring in 2023. His trial is expected to last about four weeks. Professional poker player Vivek Rajkumar also testified on Wednesday and recounted having won $200,000 to $300,000 in matches with Goldstein. “He was an unpredictable player, I would say — definitely capable of bluffing,” Rajkumar said, describing his opponent. “A smart player, but wasn't afraid to gamble.” (Reporting by Mike Scarcella; Editing by David Bario, Rod Nickel)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Mike Scarcella WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) – Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire testified on Wednesday at the U.S. criminal tax trial of Tom Goldstein, telling jurors in Greenbelt, Maryland that he once hired the prominent American lawyer to help recover more than $7 million in poker winnings. Maguire said he met Goldstein, a former top U.S. Supreme Court lawyer, through “poker circles.” The actor, who starred as Spider-Man in Sam Raimi’s 2002 blockbuster film, recounted learning poker in his youth, before later playing in casinos and at private homes. Federal prosecutors allege that Goldstein concealed his true finances while leading a “high roller” lifestyle as a high-stakes card player. Maguire turned to Goldstein in 2020 and 2021 to recover more than $7 million that the actor said he won playing poker with a Texas businessman. Maguire, who is not accused of wrongdoing, testified that Goldstein had him route his $500,000 legal fee to a third party rather than pay it directly to Goldstein. Prosecutors, who called Maguire to testify on the eighth day of trial, allege Goldstein used the payment to pay off one of his own poker debts. A lawyer for Goldstein said that it was common in the poker world to have three-way transactions to resolve debts. Maguire declined to comment after his testimony. Goldstein pleaded not guilty last year to charges he failed to report millions of dollars he won in poker games, lied on loan documents and made improper payments through his law firm Goldstein & Russell.  He contends that he relied on his accountants and law office managers for tax and financial matters, and never willfully violated any federal laws. Goldstein co-founded the SCOTUSblog news website and argued more than 40 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court before retiring in 2023. His trial is expected to last about four weeks. Professional poker player Vivek Rajkumar also testified on Wednesday and recounted having won $200,000 to $300,000 in matches with Goldstein. “He was an unpredictable player, I would say — definitely capable of bluffing,” Rajkumar said, describing his opponent. “A smart player, but wasn't afraid to gamble.” (Reporting by Mike Scarcella; Editing by David Bario, Rod Nickel)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Mike Scarcella WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) – Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire testified on Wednesday at the U.S. criminal tax trial of Tom Goldstein, telling jurors in Greenbelt, Maryland that he once hired the prominent American lawyer to help recover more than $7 million in poker winnings. Maguire said he met Goldstein, a former top U.S. Supreme Court lawyer, through “poker circles.” The actor, who starred as Spider-Man in Sam Raimi’s 2002 blockbuster film, recounted learning poker in his youth, before later playing in casinos and at private homes. Federal prosecutors allege that Goldstein concealed his true finances while leading a “high roller” lifestyle as a high-stakes card player. Maguire turned to Goldstein in 2020 and 2021 to recover more than $7 million that the actor said he won playing poker with a Texas businessman. Maguire, who is not accused of wrongdoing, testified that Goldstein had him route his $500,000 legal fee to a third party rather than pay it directly to Goldstein. Prosecutors, who called Maguire to testify on the eighth day of trial, allege Goldstein used the payment to pay off one of his own poker debts. A lawyer for Goldstein said that it was common in the poker world to have three-way transactions to resolve debts. Maguire declined to comment after his testimony. Goldstein pleaded not guilty last year to charges he failed to report millions of dollars he won in poker games, lied on loan documents and made improper payments through his law firm Goldstein & Russell.  He contends that he relied on his accountants and law office managers for tax and financial matters, and never willfully violated any federal laws. Goldstein co-founded the SCOTUSblog news website and argued more than 40 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court before retiring in 2023. His trial is expected to last about four weeks. Professional poker player Vivek Rajkumar also testified on Wednesday and recounted having won $200,000 to $300,000 in matches with Goldstein. “He was an unpredictable player, I would say — definitely capable of bluffing,” Rajkumar said, describing his opponent. “A smart player, but wasn't afraid to gamble.” (Reporting by Mike Scarcella; Editing by David Bario, Rod Nickel)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Andrew Hay Jan 28 (Reuters) – Bruce Springsteen on Wednesday released a protest song honoring Alex Pretti and Renee Good, two Minneapolis residents killed in what he called the "state of terror" visited on the city by President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration raids.  Springsteen said he wrote  "Streets of Minneapolis" on Saturday, the day Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot dead by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Good, 37, a mother of three, was shot dead by an ICE agent on Jan. 7. "It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good," the singer wrote in a social media post. In "Streets of Minneapolis" the 76-year-old star sings of the immigration crackdown in the Minnesota city where residents like Pretti and Good have followed federal agents to record their operations and confront officers. The song lauds Minnesotans for resisting "smoke and rubber bullets" and using "whistles and phones" against "Miller and Noem's dirty lies." Stephen Miller is President Donald Trump's Homeland Security Advisor and Kristi Noem is U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. A chorus joins him on the line "ICE out now!" Following Pretti's shooting, Noem said Pretti had brandished a gun and Miller called him an "assassin" who tried to murder federal agents. Both claims were disproved by bystander videos. In a statement, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Trump's administration was "focused on encouraging state and local Democrats to work with federal law enforcement officers on removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from their communities – not random songs with irrelevant opinions and inaccurate information." Springsteen has been a critic of Trump in both his terms. Known by his fans as "The Boss," the rocker has also written songs that critique mistreatment of veterans and the working class. His 2001 “American Skin (41 Shots)” attacks police brutality and racism, and was inspired by the killing of immigrant Amadou Diallo by New York police. His latest song ends with the refrain "we'll remember the names of those who died on the streets of Minneapolis," and the sounds of protesters chanting. (Reporting by Andrew Hay in New Mexico; editing by Donna Bryson and David Gregorio)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) – U.S. singer Chris Brown appeared in a London court on Wednesday for a brief hearing ahead of his trial later this year on charges of attacking a music producer in a London nightclub. Brown last year denied attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm, and also a less serious charge of assault causing actual bodily harm, over what prosecutors say was an "unprovoked attack" with a bottle in 2023. The 36-year-old attended London's Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday and spoke only to confirm his name. Brown entered the dock and shook hands with his co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, 39, who has also denied the charges against him. Around a dozen supporters sat in the public gallery behind them and waved as he left the dock. The pair's trial is due to begin in October. They were both granted bail ahead of a further preliminary hearing in April. Brown, a two-time Grammy Award winner known for hits such as "Loyal", "Run It" and "Under the Influence", was granted bail in May after paying 5 million pounds ($6.89 million) in order to begin his "Breezy Bowl XX" tour, which ended in October. The R&B star was arrested at a hotel in Manchester, northern England last year after returning to Britain for the first time since the incident. ($1 = 0.7256 pounds) (Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by Sarah Young)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

CAPE TOWN, Jan 28 (Reuters) – South African actors protested outside parliament in Cape Town on Wednesday along with other members of the local film and television industry who say funding losses are threatening movie-making in the country. Holding placards and wearing shirts that say "Save SA film & TV" and "Save our industry", about 300-400 people attended the demonstration, with another one planned in Pretoria on Thursday.  South Africa has one of Africa's most established film and television industries and has long attracted foreign productions. "We're here today because government has largely ignored the film and television sector," said Unathi Malunga, an entertainment lawyer and former CEO of the South African Screen Federation.  "That has led to a loss of jobs, that has led to business going to other countries, and we are losing out on work as South Africans," she told Reuters.  At the core of the complaints is a rebate system called the South African Film and Television Production Incentive, run by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, which aims to support the local film industry by helping to cover production expenditure for projects that meet certain criteria. A coalition of industry groups said in a memorandum delivered to parliament on Wednesday that meetings to approve projects for rebates had halted, bringing the industry to a standstill, and demanded they resume. They also demanded an investigation into allegations of "mismanagement, maladministration, and governance failures" within the incentive programme, which they did not elaborate on. A DTIC spokesperson declined to comment but said the department would respond directly to the coalition within their stated time frame of 10 days. Industry members held a protest about the same issue last year, but said their concerns were not addressed. "We're not getting funding," said Melanie Du Bois, who has acted in South African soap operas and in the popular Showmax drama series "Spinners". "We want the government to be aware and be held accountable, so that the film industry can once again grow to what it's been and what it should be." (Reporting by Esa Alexander; Writing by Nellie Peyton;Editing by Alison Williams)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

CAPE TOWN, Jan 28 (Reuters) – South African actors protested outside parliament in Cape Town on Wednesday along with other members of the local film and television industry who say funding losses are threatening movie-making in the country. Holding placards and wearing shirts that say "Save SA film & TV" and "Save our industry", about 300-400 people attended the demonstration, with another one planned in Pretoria on Thursday.  South Africa has one of Africa's most established film and television industries and has long attracted foreign productions. "We're here today because government has largely ignored the film and television sector," said Unathi Malunga, an entertainment lawyer and former CEO of the South African Screen Federation.  "That has led to a loss of jobs, that has led to business going to other countries, and we are losing out on work as South Africans," she told Reuters.  At the core of the complaints is a rebate system called the South African Film and Television Production Incentive, run by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, which aims to support the local film industry by helping to cover production expenditure for projects that meet certain criteria. A coalition of industry groups said in a memorandum delivered to parliament on Wednesday that meetings to approve projects for rebates had halted, bringing the industry to a standstill, and demanded they resume. They also demanded an investigation into allegations of "mismanagement, maladministration, and governance failures" within the incentive programme, which they did not elaborate on. A DTIC spokesperson declined to comment but said the department would respond directly to the coalition within their stated time frame of 10 days. Industry members held a protest about the same issue last year, but said their concerns were not addressed. "We're not getting funding," said Melanie Du Bois, who has acted in South African soap operas and in the popular Showmax drama series "Spinners". "We want the government to be aware and be held accountable, so that the film industry can once again grow to what it's been and what it should be." (Reporting by Esa Alexander; Writing by Nellie Peyton;Editing by Alison Williams)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)