A New York appellate judge on Wednesday refused to halt collection of Donald Trump’s $454 million civil fraud penalty while he appeals, rejecting the former president’s request that he be allowed to post a bond covering just a fraction of what he owes. Judge Anil Singh of the state’s mid-level appeals court ruled that Trump must post a bond covering …

In the Texas Panhandle, the Smokehouse Creek Fire that broke out earlier this week has since extended to nearly 1.1 million acres, firefighters said Thursday, quickly becoming the “largest and most destructive” in state history. The historic blaze has now merged with another wildfire to stretch across a huge swath of the Panhandle. As of Friday, the fire located in …

UPDATE (2/29/2024): Former President Donald Trump has appealed a Cook County judge’s ruling to remove him from the ballot in Illinois’ primary election. CHICAGO (CBS) — A Cook County judge on Wednesday ordered the Illinois Board of Elections to remove former President Donald Trump from the Illinois primary ballot – but also put the order on hold, pending a likely …