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NEW YORK -- With Donald Trump's fixer-turned-foe Michael Cohen expected to take the witness stand Monday, the judge in the former president's hush money case issued prosecutors a stern warning: Get Cohen to stop his taunting posts and jabs at Trump.

Judge Juan M. Merchan's comments came as a dramatic and consequential week in the first criminal trial of a former American president drew to a close Friday. The prosecution could rest its case by the end of next week, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said.

Prosecutors have been building up their case ahead of important testimony from Cohen, who arranged the $130,000 payout to porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep her from going public ahead of the 2016 election about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. Trump denies ever having sex with Daniels.

The judge's warning underscores how Cohen is not only the prosecutors' most crucial witness, but their most complicated. Once a Trump loyalist, he has become one of his fiercest critics since pleading guilty to federal charges, routinely bashing and mocking the former president on social media.

Defense attorneys will argue that the now-disbarred lawyer who served prison time is out to get Trump and cannot be believed.

Two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Cohen is expected to take the stand Monday. The people could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

Trump's lawyers complained after Cohen in a social media video this week wore a shirt featuring a figure resembling the former president behind bars. The defense has argued it's unfair that Trump is under a gag order that prevents him from speaking publicly about witnesses while Cohen is free to speak badly about Trump.

"It's becoming a problem every single day that President Trump is not allowed to respond to this witness, but this witness is allowed to continue to talk," defense attorney Todd Blanche said.

Merchan told prosecutors they should inform Cohen "that the judge is asking him to refrain from making any more statements" about the case or about Trump. Prosecutors told the judge they already requested that Cohen and other witnesses not talk about the case, but they have no direct means of controlling witnesses' behavior.

Cohen did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday from The Associated Press.

As the third week of testimony wrapped up, the case that ultimately hinges on record-keeping returned to deeply technical testimony -- a sharp contrast from Daniels' dramatic account of the alleged sexual encounter with Trump that riveted jurors earlier this week.

Witnesses in the case have seesawed between bookkeepers and bankers with testimony about records and finances to Daniels and others with unflattering stories about Trump and the tabloid world machinations meant to keep them secret. Despite all the drama, in the end, the trial is about money changing hands -- business transactions -- and whether those payments were made to illegally influence the 2016 election.

Friday's testimony appeared to test jurors' patience at times. One juror stifled a yawn while another stretched out his arms. Others shifted their gaze around the room or stared up at the ceiling.

Trump, who was visibly angry during much of Daniels' testimony, chatted frequently with his lawyers and read through a stack of papers on the table in front of him as jurors heard from witnesses such as AT&T and Verizon workers, who authenticated phone records.

Leaving the courthouse, Trump addressed the allegation at the heart of the case: that he falsified his company's records to conceal the nature of hush money reimbursements to Cohen. Trump's lawyers have portrayed the ledger entries at issue in the case as pro forma actions performed by a Trump Organization employee.

"A very good bookkeeper marked a legal expense as a legal expense," Trump said. "He was a lawyer, not a fixer," he added, referring to Cohen.

Back on the witness stand Friday morning was Madeleine Westerhout, a former Trump White House aide. Prosecutors used Westerhout's testimony to detail the process by which Trump got personal mail -- including checks to sign -- while in the White House. It's relevant because that's how he received and signed the checks that reimbursed Cohen for the payment to Daniels, prosecutors say.

While questioning Westerhout, Trump's attorney elicited testimony aimed at supporting the defense's argument that Daniels was paid to stay silent in order to protect Trump's family, not his campaign.

Westerhout told jurors that Trump was "very upset" when The Wall Street Journal published a 2018 story about the hush money deal with Daniels.

"My understanding was that he knew it would be hurtful to his family," Westerhout said, though she acknowledged she didn't recall him saying so specifically.

Jurors also saw social media posts showing that Trump initially praised Cohen after the then-lawyer came under federal investigation. Trump started bashing him after Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign-finance violations, along with other crimes, and claimed Trump directed him to arrange the payment for Daniels. Trump was never charged with any crime related to that federal investigation.

Daniels' story of an alleged sexual encounter with Trump was a crucial building block for prosecutors, who are seeking to show that the Republican and his allies buried unflattering stories in the waning weeks of the 2016 presidential election in an effort to illegally influence the race.

Over more than 7 hours of testimony, Daniels relayed in graphic detail what she says happened after the two met at a 2006 celebrity golf outing at Lake Tahoe where sponsors included the adult film studio where she worked. Daniels explained how she felt surprise, fear and discomfort, even as she consented to sex with Trump.

During combative cross-examination, Trump's lawyers sought to paint Daniels as a liar and extortionist who's trying to take down the former president after drawing money and fame from her claims.

After Daniels left the witness stand Thursday, Trump's attorneys pushed for a mistrial over the level of tawdry details she provided, but the judge denied the request.

This criminal case could be the only one of four against the presumptive Republican presidential nominee to go to trial before voters decide in November whether to send him back to the White House. Trump has pleaded innocent and casts himself as the victim of a politically tainted justice system working to deny him another term.

Information for this article was contributed by Eric Tucker, Ruth Brown and Adriana Gomez Licon of The Associated Press.

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Cohen due as N.Y. wrapping up its case | Arkansas Democrat Gazette - Arkansas Online

Representative Jasmine Crockett was sitting in a House Oversight Committee hearing last fall, growing increasingly frustrated as she listened to Republicans accuse President Biden of impeachable offenses without producing any evidence, when she had an idea.

Ms. Crockett, a freshman Democrat from Texas and former defense attorney, summoned an aide and asked them to quickly print out a stack of photos showing the boxes of sensitive government documents stashed by a toilet at Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald J. Trumps club in Palm Beach, Fla.

Moments later, Ms. Crockett was brandishing the photos above her head, accusing Republicans of ignoring clear evidence that Mr. Trump had violated the law while pushing allegations against Mr. Biden for which they had shown no proof.

When we start talking about things that look like evidence, they want to act like they blind, Ms. Crockett said of Republicans, spitting her words with a mix of outrage and bemusement. These are our national secrets, apparently in a toilet, she added, using an expletive to describe the plumbing.

The moment circulated widely on social media. The White House took notice. So did senior House Democrats. Suddenly, it was Ms. Crockett, not the Republicans pursuing Mr. Biden, who was capturing the publics attention.

The performance has become something of a hallmark of the sputtering Republican effort to impeach Mr. Biden, which has faltered in recent weeks as the G.O.P. has come up empty in its efforts to back up its claims of wrongdoing by the president.

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Freshmen Democrats Work to Turn Biden Impeachment Effort on Its Head - The New York Times

No matter the game, no matter the opponent, no matter the score, the Conway boys soccer team is going to stick to what's worked.

The two-time defending champion Wampus Cats spent more than half of Friday's quarterfinals matchup waiting for their unique game plan to pay off.

By the time the final whistle blew, as it had 16 times earlier this season, Conway used that plan to win 3-2 in overtime over Bentonville in the Class 6A boys soccer state tournament at Little Rock Southwest High School.

"That's been us since I got here 11 years ago," Conway Coach Matthew Page said. "It's not conventional, it's not pretty, and everybody probably hates me because of it. But at the end of the day, we win games."

After a scoreless first half, Bentonville (9-8-1) took a lead two minutes into the second half when junior Niko Martinovic rounded the goalkeeper and scored.

Six minutes later, senior Andrei Paley, scored to make it 2-0.

Throughout the game, Conway (17-1-2) utilized its game plan to create dead-ball opportunities. Whether was with free kicks, corner kicks or looping throw-ins.

"We pride ourselves on those," Page said. "Of course, we would love to out-possession every time we play, but sometimes that's not real. So, we got to find other ways to put the ball in the back of the net."

In the 50th minute, Conway's Tripp Strange cut the lead in half with a goal, and in the 69th minute, Sawyer Fredrich tied it with a 25-yard strike over the goalkeeper's head.

With the game headed toward overtime, the Wampus Cats tried to find the finishing touch on one of those long throw-ins that had caused the Tigers headaches. In the 87th minute, one finally hit home as Lincoln Parker found the ball in a scramble to score and make it 3-2.

"This team is a very veteran team," Page said. "We have 15 seniors and all of them play minutes. That's kind of what a veteran team does in high school: They step up, they rose to the challenge."

Friday's win advances Conway to Saturday's state semifinals to face Bryant and one game closer to that all-important three-peat.

The Wampus Cats' senior class has lost five games over the past three seasons. They were freshmen the last time Conway didn't win the state title in 2021, when it fell in the final.

So Page preaches daily about what those teams did to win and with each consecutive title, the challenge becomes that much greater.

"It takes a little bit of luck but a lot of skill, and you don't get luck without practicing and doing the little things right, and that's what we preach every day," Page said. "You got to create your own luck, and these guys do that."

Rogers Heritage 3, Springdale 1

Springdale dominated play to open the game, pinning Rogers Heritage inside its half for most of the first 20 minutes.

In the 27th minute, the War Eagles (11-8-1) took a 1-0 lead when Elian Hinojosa scored from the top of the box.

Heritage scored from a corner kick in the 44th minute, but Springdale (13-1-5) got one back in the 47th minute to cut the lead to 2-1.

Heritage striker Carter Ligi took advantage of a misplayed touch from a Springdale defender and carried the ball 40 yards to score and go ahead 3-1.

Little Rock Catholic 4, Fayetteville 1

Little Rock Catholic went ahead in the first half to a long-range strike from Danny Nava to take a 1-0 lead.

Fayetteville (9-6) tied it in the 55th minute after a deflected cross was passed to Diego Gonzales, who made it 1-1.

Catholic (13-4-3) answered with a second-half hat trick by Tripp Ortega with goals in the 57th, 68th and 74th minutes.

Bryant 2, Rogers 1 (2OT)

In the 23rd minute, Bryant's Geovanny Luna scored from long range to give the Hornets (13-1-7) a 1-0 lead.

In the 51st minute, Chriss Salinas shot from 20 yards to tie it for the Mounties (11-8).

Both teams traded half-chances throughout the rest of the second half and first overtime period, but neither could find the back of the net.

In the 93rd minute, Bryant's Edwin Ibarra shot the game-winner from outside the box and past the keeper.

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Conway sticks to plan in victory | Arkansas Democrat Gazette - Arkansas Online

The prospect of hosting a fancy dinner party at my house filled my heart with panic, and my redecorating engine with jet fuel. I had been wanting to update my dining room. Suddenly, I had an incentive and a deadline.

"You start seeing everything they don't even notice," said my neighbor, trying to calm my nerves.

"I'm more worried they'll see everything I don't notice," I said.

Aren't we all a little house blind?

The dinner party wasn't my idea. A few months ago, my friend, who is also a friend of the arts, hatched the plan to auction off a dinner for eight, including DC and me, at my house, for an Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra fundraiser.

"You know how your column is 'At Home With Marni?'" was how she framed it. "Well, this would let people actually be at home with Marni. Get it?"

Oh, I got it. If I'd known when I started writing a home design column what all I'd be getting myself into, I would have become a pet therapist. People assume I live up to my words! Before I agreed -- and because no one should pay to eat my cooking -- I called a chef I knew to see if he'd help. Chef Angelo Bersani generously agreed to donate his time to prepare and serve dinner if I paid for the groceries. Done! Chef and I became a package deal on the auction block.

With the food taken care of (Phew!), my focus turned to the dining room, which sits immediately to the right of my home's front entry. You can't miss it. The room has only two walls. The non-wall sides open onto the entry and living room.

Now, because I live in the real world, redecorating for me does not mean tossing all my furniture and starting over. It means working with what I have and making small refinements to get, ideally, big results. The trick, however, is knowing what those small moves are, which is when paralysis sets in.

My next call was to Los Angeles interior designer and long-time friend and colleague Christopher Grubb. "HALP!" I cried! "I have all these illustrious dinner guests coming who think my home is something out of Architectural Digest and they are about to be bitterly disappointed."

Grubb knows I'm prone to hyperbole. He also knows I can follow directions. He agreed to work with me on an hourly basis. He'd call the shots if I did the legwork, which involved shopping for materials, gathering samples, and coordinating workers. This would save him time and me money. Again, Done!

With a chef and a designer on board, I could feel my lungs fully expanding and my blood pressure dropping.

Since Grubb is on the West Coast, and I'm in Florida, we worked virtually. I sent him photos of the dining room and told him my goal was to move away from traditional furnishings to make the room more transitional, a direction he supported. We discussed some ideas, then he gave me my to-do list.

Over the next eight weeks, we exchanged dozens of texts, photos, a few sobbing emojis and made the following small refinements, which yielded big results and just might do the same for a room or two in your home:

Added lampshades. Although I had replaced the dining room's dated light fixture a few years ago, I had not "finished" the fixture off with chandelier shades, which Grubb advised. I test drove three shade styles, ordering one of each and returning the rejects, before settling on a black tapered shade. Because black shades direct light down, not out, they can make lighting more dramatic.

Filled in the art niche. Art niches in walls are common yet often difficult to work with as they limit the size of art you can hang in them. The niche in my dining room's accent wall was 5 feet square and 3 inches deep. Until recently, a large tapestry hung over the niche and covered it. But, as part of my attempt to make the space more contemporary, I sold the tapestry and now had this, uhh, hole in the wall. "Art niches just make you ask why?" said Grubb, who recommended having a drywaller fill it in.

Put up wallpaper. To make the open room feel cozier and more intimate, and to distinguish it from the entryway, Grubb suggested covering the now smooth back wall and ceiling with sea-blue grasscloth, which added character and texture to the room.

Replaced mirrors. Although Grubb liked the idea of two mirrors flanking the art on the main wall, he suggested replacing the existing round ones with larger, vertical mirrors to make the room appear taller. Since we were moving toward a more transitional less traditional look, we kept the frames simple.

Added ambiance. With the new furnishings in place, all I needed to do was add the finishing touches -- a fresh centerpiece of pale roses, patterned table linens, crystal and silver, candles and, of course, illustrious guests -- to make the room come together like a symphony.

Marni Jameson is the author of seven books, including "Rightsize Today to Create Your Best Life Tomorrow." You may reach her at marni@marnijameson.com

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OPINION | AT HOME: Dinner party prompts dining room refresh | Arkansas Democrat Gazette - Arkansas Online

After months of resisting efforts by Democratic allies to get him to take a harder line with Israel for its conduct in the war in Gaza, President Biden this week made what may be his most significant statement to date.

For the first time, he threatened to cut off the flow of certain types of weapons if Israel doesnt heed American warnings specifically, if it launches a planned invasion of Rafah that the Biden administration worries could lead to even more extensive civilian casualties.

Its a dicey decision, both politically and foreign policy-wise, from a man without many good options right now.

But in some ways, its been a long time coming. And at the very least it reflects the direction Bidens party has been headed in for months.

An outpouring of support for Israel after Hamass Oct. 7 massacre quickly gave way to liberal skepticism about how Israel had prosecuted its military response. And over the past six months, weve seen the lefts shift away from Israel continue mostly unabated.

Perhaps the most often cited manifestation of that is in the relative sympathies toward Israelis and Palestinians. Democrats had for years drifted toward the Palestinians, with a Gallup poll in early 2023 showing Democrats sympathizing more with them for the first time in the 21st century.

Oct. 7 briefly changed that, but since then, polling from the Economist and YouGov has shown a steady and pretty consistent move toward the Palestinians. About 4 in 10 Americans say their sympathies are about equal between the sides, but those saying they sympathize more with the Israelis has dropped from 34 percent in mid-October to 15 percent today.

About twice as many Democrats chose the Israelis as chose the Palestinians in October; today, Democrats who pick a side choose the Palestinians by double digits.

Weve seen an even bigger shift when it comes to the root of Bidens announcement this week: the idea that Israel is going too far.

In late October, more Democrats (39 percent) said Israels military response was either about right or not harsh enough than said it was too harsh (33 percent).

But Democrats have again shifted steadily away from Israel. Today, a majority of Democrats (54 percent) say its response has been too harsh 30 points more than those who say its been about right or not harsh enough.

Just because people regard Israels actions as too harsh, of course, doesnt mean they necessarily desire a hard line or cutting off aid. But there, too, weve seen Democrats gradually adopt a more skeptical position.

While in early November, Democrats favored maintaining the same levels of Israel aid or increasing it by around a 2-to-1 margin, polls over the past month show a plurality of Democrats now want it decreased.

That number crept as high as 48 percent in an early April poll nearly half of Democrats wanting less money for Israel.

ABC News-Ipsos polling last week showed a similar shift. It asked whether the United States was doing too much to support Israel. The biggest shift away from Israel since January? Among those who described themselves as somewhat liberal. They went from 35 percent saying we were doing too much for Israel in January to 48 percent now.

(Its valid to ask whether people truly know what genocide entails, and Americans tend to apply that label pretty broadly. But it would at least seem to reflect significant unease about how far Israel has gone.)

Given all of that, you begin to see how even a historically pro-Israel Democrat like Biden might come around to a more forceful posture. Hes not actually threatening to reduce the total level of aid; just cutting off offensive weapons that could be used in an incursion into Rafah.

That turn may be in line with a growing segment of his party, but Biden still risks losing the support of key Democratic-leaning constituencies or the broader electorate.

Even these polls, after all, show that scaled-back support of Israel is a minority position with the broader public.

The ABC-Ipsos poll showed 38 percent overall said we were doing too much to support Israel. And the most recent Economist polling shows only about one-third overall say Israels response has been too harsh (34 percent) and that we should decrease aid (34 percent).

The question now is whether Bidens warning will have the desired effect and help tamp down the growing consternation on the American left or whether it will just lead to even more choices among fraught options.

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Biden's Israel red line, and the Democratic Party's shift away from Israel - The Washington Post