Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.
DEFENSE BEGINS IN TAX FRAUD TRIAL OF FORMER HIGH-RANKING UBS EXECUTIVE
Defense witnesses are set to begin testifying Monday in the South Florida trial of a former top executive at Swiss bank UBS AG charged with conspiring with wealthy Americans to hide billions of dollars from the Internal Revenue Service. Raoul Weil’s lawyers have asked U.S. District Judge James Cohn to acquit Weil, claiming the government hasn’t proven its case. Weil faces up to five years in prison if convicted of helping UBS conceal $20 billion in U.S. taxpayer assets.
BLUE OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL OPENS IN ST. PETERSBURG
A seven-day film festival and conservation summit devoted to the ocean kicks off Monday with a 3-D movie about a deep sea dive by James Cameron and ends with a documentary narrated by actor Jeremy Irons about garbage. This is the first year the festival will be held in Florida. It’s scheduled to be held in St. Petersburg in even-numbered years and in Monaco on odd-numbered years.
RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITS $75 MILLION TO NEW ART MUSEUM
Tom James is the executive chairman of Raymond James Financial Inc., which was founded by his father. He has committed up to $75 million of his personal fortune to building a new art museum in St. Petersburg. Though his collection includes other genres, it’s best known for its Western and wildlife art. About 400 of the best examples in those genres would make up the permanent collection that he would give to the museum. He has identified several potential museum sites in St. Petersburg.
SOUTH FLORIDA TEEN ACCUSED OF ROBBING JUDGE
A South Florida teenager is accused of the armed robbery of a judge. The Miami Herald reports 19-year-old Ryan Joseph turned himself in to the state attorney’s office late Saturday. An arrest warrant was issued shortly after Miami-Dade Judge Scott Silverman was robbed in September as he was getting out of his car outside his home. Joseph’s attorney Court Keeley says his client turned himself in as soon as he learned there was a warrant for his arrest. He says he believes police have the wrong guy.
DOLPHINS WIN WHILE BUCCANEERS, JAGUARS LOSE AGAIN
The Miami Dolphins beat the San Diego Charges on Sunday, extending its winning streak to 3. But Florida’s other professional teams lost road games in Ohio. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a road game to the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars.
