AFP

Rapper Tory Lanez told Megan Thee Stallion to “Dance, bitch” as he shot at her feet during an argument in Hollywood, a jury in Los Angeles was told Monday.

Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, faces a raft of charges relating to a 2020 dispute with the rap queen, including assault with a semiautomatic firearm and using a firearm to inflict great bodily injury.

Prosecutor Alexander Bott said Lanez and a bikini-clad Megan Thee Stallion — real name Megan Pete — got into a row as they drove away from a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s house in July 2020.

Bott told the jury the “Hot Girl Summer” artist had insulted Lanez and demanded to be let out of the luxury SUV they were travelling in.

As she stood on the road, Lanez told her “Dance, bitch” and fired five rounds in her direction.

She left a trail of blood at the scene, before getting back into the vehicle, which was subsequently stopped by police.

A gun that was still warm to the touch was found on the floor near where Lanez had been sitting, Bott said.

Minutes after the shooting, a female friend texted Megan Thee Stallion’s security detail: “Help… Tory shot meg.” 

In a later phone call, Lanez “profusely apologized for his actions” and claimed he was “just too drunk,” Bott told jurors.

Megan Thee Stallion is expected to take the stand on Tuesday.

For Lanez, attorney George Mgdesyan said the jury needed to keep an open mind.

He insisted this was a “case about jealousy,” and that he would prove the accusation were lies.

Earlier court hearings have been told that Megan Thee Stallion initially told doctors who treated her injured feet that she had cut them on broken glass.

Several bullet fragments were removed from her feet, but some remain and she told investigating officers that she had difficulty walking in certain shoes.

She initially denied Lanez had shot at her — but later said she had done so for fear he would get into trouble.

Megan Thee Stallion subsequently posted a video to Instagram Live in which she said “Tory shot me. You shot me and you got your publicist and your people… lying… Stop lying.”

An alleged former Libyan intelligence agent accused of making the bomb that blew up a Pan Am jet over Scotland in 1988, killing 270 people, appeared in a US court Monday to face charges for the deadliest-ever terror attack in Britain.

Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Kheir al-Marimi, who allegedly worked as an intelligence operative for the regime of Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi between 1973 and 2011, faces three counts related to the Lockerbie bombing.

Federal prosecutors said they did not intend to seek the death penalty but Masud could face life in prison if convicted of “destruction of an aircraft resulting in death” and two other related charges.

The judge presiding over the hearing in a US District Court in Washington read the 71-year-old Masud the charges and his rights before ordering him held without bond until a detention hearing on December 27.

The balding and white-bearded Masud was provided with an Arabic interpreter for the hearing, his first court appearance since being brought to the United States.

Scottish prosecutors announced Sunday that the Tunisian-born Masud was in American hands, but officials have not provided any details on how he had been transferred to US custody.

“Yesterday, the United States lawfully took custody of Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Kheir Al-Marimi and brought him to the United States,” Homeland Security advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall said in a statement.

“This action underscores the Biden Administration’s unwavering commitment to enforcing the rule of law and holding accountable those who inflict harm on Americans in acts of terrorism,” she added.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said Masud’s arrest was “an important step forward in our mission to honor the victims and pursue justice on behalf of their loved ones.

“American and Scottish law enforcement have worked tirelessly to identify, find, and bring to justice the perpetrators of this horrific attack,” Garland said.

– ‘Kadhafi thanked him’ –

Only one person has been convicted for the December 21, 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

The New York-bound aircraft was blown up 38 minutes after it took off from London, sending the main fuselage plunging to the ground in the town of Lockerbie and spreading debris over a vast area.

The bombing killed all 259 people on the jumbo jet, including 190 Americans, and 11 people on the ground.

Two alleged Libyan intelligence operatives — Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi and Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah — were charged with the bombing and tried by a Scottish court in the Netherlands.

Megrahi spent seven years in a Scottish prison after his conviction in 2001 while Fhimah was acquitted.

Megrahi died in Libya in 2012, always maintaining his innocence.

His family lodged a bid for a posthumous appeal to clear his name in 2017, but Scotland’s High Court upheld his conviction in 2021.

Masud’s fate has been tied up in the warring factionalism of Libyan politics that followed Kadhafi’s ouster and death in 2011.

Masud was reportedly imprisoned in Libya for his alleged involvement in attacks on Libyan opposition figures in 2011.

According to a September 2015 article in The New Yorker, Masud was sentenced that year to 10 years in prison in Libya after being accused of using remote-detonated bombs against Libyan opposition members in 2011.

The Lockerbie probe was relaunched in 2016 when Washington learned of Masud’s arrest and his reported confession of involvement to the new Libyan regime in 2012.

According to an affidavit from an FBI agent involved in the probe, Masud worked as a “technical expert” for Libya’s External Security Organization, building explosive devices and earning the rank of colonel.

Masud confessed in a 2012 interview with a Libyan law enforcement officer to assembling the bomb that brought down Flight 103, the affidavit said.

“Masud confirmed that the bombing operation of Pan Am Flight 103 was ordered by Libyan intelligence leadership,” it said.

“Masud confirmed that after the operation, Kadhafi thanked him and other members of the team for their successful attack on the United States.”

– Blinken credits ‘diplomatic effort’ –

According to the FBI agent’s affidavit, Masud also admitted to committing the April 1986 bombing of the LaBelle Discotheque in Berlin which killed two US service members and a Turkish woman.

In a statement US Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked those who helped bring Masud into US custody “following an intensive diplomatic effort.”

“The prosecution of Masud is the product of years of cooperation between US and Scottish authorities and the efforts of Libyan authorities over many years,” Blinken said.

The original animatronic model used to bring big-eyed alien E.T. to life in Steven Spielberg’s tear-jerker movie is up for auction.

The extra-friendly extra-terrestrial, whose glowing finger and childlike innocence melted hearts in 1982, became a touchstone of cinema history as audiences welled up over the creature’s bond with an Earthling — and his desperate desire to go home again.

Now the model Spielberg’s team used to create movie magic can be yours — if you’ve got $2-3 million to spare.

With 85 mechanical joints, nearly everything moves, from the eyes, to the neck, and of course that pointy finger that was held aloft as E.T. informed his new friend Elliot that he wanted to “phone home.”

A team of puppeteers helped bring the alien to life opposite Elliot (Henry Thomas) and his little sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore), says Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien’s Auctions.

Movie makers “had to work day and night to create what you see… because it’s not just about creating visuals,” he said.

“It also had to be a working creature. I mean, Drew Barrymore who was the little girl — the sister in the movie — she actually believed that he was a living species.”

If $3 million is a little rich for your blood, but the idea of getting away from it all has appeal, you could always bid on one of the bicycles Elliot and his friends used as they tried to elude the police.

A specially designed BMX bike, which flew across the setting sun in the movie, is expected to fetch up to $50,000.

And if pedaling is not your thing, but zipping through the sky sounds attractive enough, how about a Nimbus 2000 Hero Broom, from “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”? Yours for around $100,000.

The haul of movie memorabilia — which also includes lightsabers from the Star Wars franchise, the staff that Charlton Heston used to part the Red Sea in “The Ten Commandments” and Robert De Niro’s “Raging Bull” boxing gloves — goes under the hammer this weekend in Beverly Hills.

The White House on Monday condemned billionaire Elon Musk’s call for Anthony Fauci, the US infectious disease expert who is a hate figure for many on the right, to be prosecuted over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“These are incredibly dangerous, these personal attacks that we are seeing,” said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, in response to the weekend tweet by Musk that subsequently went viral.

“They are disgusting and they are divorced from reality,” she said.

Musk, the owner of Twitter, took to the site Sunday to urge punishment for Fauci, who led the government’s approach to the pandemic when it hit the country in early 2020.

“My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci,” Musk said, tauntingly playing on the growing practice for people to indicate their preferred gender pronouns.

Musk also posted a meme showing Fauci telling US President Joe Biden, “Just one more lockdown, my king,” in apparent criticism of the coronavirus mitigation measures initially taken in parts of the country in the first year of the pandemic.

Conservatives including former president Donald Trump have made Fauci a focus of their criticisms of the government campaign to battle Covid, and he has faced death threats and had a security team assigned to protect him.

“These personal attacks that we’ve been seeing are dangerous on Dr. Fauci and other public health professionals as well,” said Jean-Pierre. 

“Dr. Fauci has served under seven Republican and Democratic presidents. We cannot forget that…. His work on infectious disease from HIV Aids to COVID has saved countless lives,” she said.

“We are fortunate, I should say, that he has devoted his career and his life and his exceptional talent to America’s public health.”

Republican lawmakers have pledged to grill Fauci when they take control of the House of Representatives in January, after locking horns repeatedly with the top immunologist over Covid vaccines, mask mandates and other pandemic-related issues.

Fauci, 81, is due to step down this month from his roles in government as Biden’s chief medical advisor, as well as director of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases, which he has headed since 1984.

In what was likely his final White House appearance in November, Fauci slammed the proliferation of bad health advice online and said the most difficult thing he had to deal with while helming America’s fight against Covid was the country’s polarization along political lines.

Wall Street stocks surged Monday while European and Asian markets dropped as investors braced for interest rate decisions this week from major central banks, including the Federal Reserve.

The dollar generally rose against its main rivals, while oil prices rebounded following sharp falls last week.

Analysts expect the Fed and the European Central Bank to announce rate hikes at their meetings this week.

And the Bank of England is on course for a ninth straight increase as policymakers try to bring down inflation from the highest levels in decades.

“Following a softer session in Asia, European markets are on edge, opening the week lower ahead of a critical few days,” said Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor.

“The ECB, the Fed and the Bank of England are expected to raise rates by 50 basis points each as the pace of tightening looks set to slow,” Scholar added.

The half-point jumps will still be steep rises, however, as central banks struggle to cool the pace of price increases, particularly in energy and food.

London, Frankfurt and Paris all closed lower. 

Wall Street stocks ended higher, as bargain hunters moved in following losses at the end of last week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.6 percent and the S&P 500 closed 1.4 percent up.

Ahead of the Fed’s policy meeting, investors are set to digest US inflation data due Tuesday.

“It will be a fitting hump day on Wednesday, because the (inflation) data and the Fed decision are big humps the market needs to get over if it wants to make a run at a year-end rally,” said market analyst Patrick O’Hare at Briefing.com.

“If either, or both, disappoint in a meaningful way, then a year-end rally becomes a more challenging proposition.”

Traders are also keeping an eye on developments in China as it moves away from a zero-Covid policy that has hammered its economy, the world’s second largest after the United States.

The shift comes after widespread protests following nearly three years of strict controls.

Uncertainty surrounding the strength of China’s demand recovery has hit oil prices hard, with crude futures shedding more than 10 percent last week, but they rebounded on Monday.

“The gradual easing of Chinese Covid restrictions is… expected to lead to a further upswing in demand,” said Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

But investors are wary of whether the relaxation of restrictions will lead to a swift rebound as Covid cases are expected to jump.

“The recent volatility in crude oil highlights the ongoing questions over whether the Chinese economy is truly ready to return or on the cusp of yet another series of restrictions,” said Joshua Mahony, senior market analyst at online trading platform IG.

– Key figures around 2140 GMT –

New York – Dow: UP 1.6 percent at 34,005.04 (close)

New York – S&P 500: UP 1.4 percent at 3,990.56 (close)

New York – Nasdaq: UP 1.3 percent at 11,143.74 (close)

EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.5 percent at 3,921.82 (close)

London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,445.97 (close) 

Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.5 percent at 14,306.63 (close)

Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 percent at 6,650.55 (close)

Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.2 percent at 27,842.33 (close)

Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 2.2 percent at 19,463.63 (close)

Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.9 percent at 3,179.04 (close)

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0539 from $1.0546

Dollar/yen: UP at 137.66 yen from 136.57 yen

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2268 from $1.2262

Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.87 pence from 85.90 pence

West Texas Intermediate: UP 3.0 percent at $73.17 per barrel

Brent North Sea crude: UP 2.5 percent at $77.99 per barrel

burs-rl-bys/bgs

Fifty-five websites have been seized for illegally live-streaming matches from the World Cup in Qatar, the US Justice Department said Monday.

The websites were shut down after a FIFA representative identified sites being used to distribute copyright-infringing content without the authorization of the soccer world governing body, the department said in a statement.

FIFA holds exclusive rights to the World Cup, which has reached the semi-final stage.

“While many may believe that such websites do not constitute serious threats, the infringement upon rights holders of any intellectual property is a growing threat to our economic viability,” said special agent James Harris of the Homeland Security Department.

“The impact can be felt across multiple industries, and it can be the conduit to other forms of criminal activity,” Harris said.

The Justice Department did not identify the seized websites but said visitors to the sites would be redirected to another site for additional information.

The United States slapped sanctions on the son of Zimbabwe’s president and three others for alleged involvement in corruption Monday, one day before President Joe Biden hosts a summit with African leaders in Washington.

The US Treasury Department sanctioned Emmerson Mnangagwa Jr, son of Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, for his involvement with Kudakwashe Tagwirei and his company, Sakunda Holdings, which were singled out for sanctions related to alleged corruption and human rights violations in 2020.

The Treasury also placed Tagwirei’s wife Sandra Mpunga, Nqobile Magwizi, and Obey Chimuka, and two companies controlled by Chumuka, Fossil Agro and Fossil Contracting, for their involvement with Sakunda.

It said Tagwirei has been granted favorable state contracts and special access to hard currency, and “in turn… provided high priced items such as expensive cars to senior-level Zimbabwean government officials.”

“Since former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s 2017 departure, Tagwirei used a combination of opaque business dealings and his ongoing relationship with President Mnangagwa to grow his business empire dramatically and rake in millions of US dollars,” it said.

Mpunga is executive director of Sakunda and Magwizi is chief marketing officer, according to Treasury.

It said Chimuka is close to Tagwirei and has benefitted from large government program contracts, also involving Sakunda, which “failed to account for billions of dollars in disbursements.”

Meanwhile Mnangagwa Jr. “has been in charge of the president’s business interests related to Tagwirei,” according to the Treasury.

The sanctions announcement came one day before Biden hosts nearly 50 heads of state from the African continent for the US-Africa Leaders summit.

President Mnangagwa is not planning to attend; instead, Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister Frederick Shava will represent the country, according to a list of expected attendees.

Mnangagwa came to power in 2017 after generals forced long-time ruler Mugabe to resign.

In October the ruling ZANU-PF party handed 80-year-old Mnangagwa a five-year term as party leader during its annual congress, opening the door for him to run for reelection as president in 2023.

But his leadership remains criticized for corruption and rights violations, including a crackdown on dissent that saw two opposition lawmakers and 16 opposition supporters imprisoned from June to November.