FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP (Shutterstock).

Questions have arisen whether the $175 million bond submitted by former president Donald Trump in a civil fraud case was “deficient.”

A “notice of exception” was filed on Thursday by New York Attorney General Letitia James, arguing that the underwriter – Knight Specialty Insurance – may not be qualified to post a bond, as it’s not a licensed insurer in the state of New York.

The $175 million bond was a “placeholder” to prevent Trump from having to immediately pay $464 million from his conviction on charges he and others falsified financial records to obtain loans and get favorable interest rates. 

Trump is appealing the judgment. If he wins the appeal, he would get the $175 million back. If not, he would owe the $464 million plus interest.

Israel disciplines officers over drone strike

Two senior officers have been sacked from their jobs and three senior commanders have received reprimands  over their role in the drone strike that killed seven aid workers earlier this week in Gaza.

HAMAS vs. Israel (Shutterstock).

The seven workers were with the World Central Kitchen, which was bringing humanitarian help in the form of water, food and medical supplies to Gazans.

After President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that American support for Israel would depend on the steps made to alleviate the crisis in Palestine, promises were made to allow new routes for the transit of needed supples.

The drone strikes, it’s reported, were based on incorrect information that one of the workers on a food convoy was armed.

Biden tours site of bridge collapse

SHIP VS. bridge in Baltimore (US Army photo).

President Joe Biden toured the area of the Baltimore bridge collapse on Friday, promising to direct more federal help to Baltimore.

“I’m here to say your nation has your back and I mean it,” said Biden at the site of where the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the water after being struck by an out-of-control ship.

The loss of the bridge shuts down a major link in the port area and is expected to have a major impact on the local economy. An estimated $200 million in cargo typically transits the port daily, especially importing and exporting motor vehicles.

Six people – workers repairing potholes on the span – fell into the water and were drowned. Two others were rescued.

Earthquake rattles the East Coast

A QUAKE in New York rattled the East Coast (Shutterstock).

California is the state that gets all the teasing about earthquakes, but New York City and the rest of the East Coast got a taste of tectonic movement on Friday when a 4.8 temblor struck.

There were no serious injuries reported and no major damages, but many people ran out of their workplaces and homes as the quake began to shake their surroundings. As many as 4.2 million people may have felt the earth move, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The epicenter was located about 75 miles west of New York City and the quakes’ effects reached all the way to New England.

Weather: Sunny days are here again

Now that we’ve put the rain behind us for a while, we in our West Orange County area can look forward to a sunny Saturday. The daytime high should be 65 with an overnight low of 47.  Sunday will likely be 66 with a low of 48 under partly cloudy skies. Monday will be similar but warmer at 70 (49). The sun returns on Tuesday with a high of 79 (53).