CBC News Barbados

By Kara Scannell, CNN New York (CNN) — Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs filed a motion late Wednesday accusing the government of leaking a video of the hip-hop mogul beating his former girlfriend and other evidence to the media, asking a judge to potentially bar the footage from a trial. The motion filed in the Southern District of New York references the 2016 hotel surveillance video published exclusively by CNN that shows Combs dragging and kicking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Combs’ lawyers accused the government of leaking the video to CNN. They did not provide evidence for their claims. CNN declined to comment. In a letter to the judge Wednesday night Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, wrote that “the Government was not in possession of the video before its publication by CNN” and that there is no “factual basis” for Combs’ assertion that authorities leaked the video to CNN or in violation of grand jury secrecy rules. The musician and producer is currently in federal custody as he awaits trial on counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty. Combs is also facing multiple civil lawsuits accusing him of a range of sexual misconduct and other illegal activity. The motion filed by Combs’ attorneys also alleges that authorities alerted the media about the searches in March of his homes in Los Angeles and Miami. The motion claims the leaks “taint the jury pool and deprive Mr. Combs of his right to a fair trial.” Combs’ attorneys asked the judge to impose a gag order prohibiting the government from providing information about evidence in the case to the media. His attorneys claim the alleged leaks make it hard for Combs to get a fair trial. They contend the leaks came from agents of the Department of Homeland Security, whose Homeland Security Investigations division conducted the search, and not from prosecutors on the case. Spokespersons for HSI New York and the US attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment. Combs’ attorneys said prosecutors informed them that they did not obtain the hotel surveillance video through the grand jury process and that DHS agents were not in possession of the video until after CNN aired it. Combs initially denied allegations of abusing Ventura, which were included in a November 2023 lawsuit she filed before the video was made public. Following the release of the video, Combs apologized. CNN’s Lisa Respers France contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Wednesday said it had successfully rescued 11 Venezuelan women, who were allegedly victims of human trafficking. It said that the operation on Tuesday also led to the arrest of three suspects, two males and one female, believed to be connected to a human trafficking ring operating in Cunupia, a town in Central Trinidad. The police said that after gathering intelligence on a suspected human trafficking operation and conducting extensive surveillance, a team of officers proceeded to a residence in Cunupia and that during the operation, the officers found 11 persons who were allegedly being held against their will. “The Central Divisional Task Force (Area North) and the Counter Trafficking Unit provided crucial assistance throughout the operation. Several items of evidential value were also seized at the scene to aid ongoing investigations,” the TTPS said, adding that the three suspects arrested are now in custody as further investigations continue. The Immigration Department was also contacted to assist with the victims, who are currently receiving support services. “The TTPS remains resolute in its fight against the scourge of human trafficking and is committed to bringing all perpetrators to justice, while ensuring the safety and well-being of victims. “If you see something say something; report any suspicious activities related to human trafficking or exploitation to the TTPS or the Counter Trafficking Unit. Your information is crucial and can help save innocent lives and dismantle these criminal networks,” the TTPS added.

(CNN) — Officials in Florida will assess the damage in their cities today as Hurricane Milton sweeps across the state. Milton made landfall Wednesday night near Siesta Key, Florida, as a dangerous Category 3 storm before weakening to a Category 1, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm has dumped up to 18 inches of rain in the Tampa Bay Area and brought flash flooding to St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Venice and other communities. Milton has dropped about 16 inches of rain on St. Petersburg, representing a more than a 1-in-1000 year rainfall for the area. Meanwhile, deaths were reported in St. Lucie County, Florida, after a tornado tore through a mobile home retirement community, the county sheriff told CNN. Meanwhile, more than three million homes and businesses across Florida are without power today, according to PowerOutage.us. Outages will only keep ticking upward as Milton’s far-reaching winds push through central Florida and the state’s east coast. Cities like Lakeland, Kissimmee, Orlando and Cape Canaveral are all in the forecasted path. Nationwide, hospitals are rationing IV fluids and postponing some surgeries as the national supply chain reels from severe disruptions triggered by back-to-back hurricanes. The federal government is now considering alternative manufacturing sites and temporary imports to address the shortage of critical fluids.