Team claims NASCAR rescinded approval to buy charter
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing that continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate" granted to Trump by voters last month. They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Merchan hasn’t yet set a timetable for a decision. He could decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. An outright dismissal of the New York case would further lift a legal cloud that at one point carried the prospect of derailing Trump’s political future. Last week, special counsel Jack Smith told courts that he was withdrawing both federal cases against Trump — one charging him with hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate, the other with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost — citing longstanding Justice Department policy that shields a president from indictment while in office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, resulting in a historic verdict that made him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office.By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday named Andrew Ferguson as the next chair of the Federal Trade Commission . He will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars’ worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior . Ferguson is already one of the FTC’s five commissioners, which is currently made up of three Democrats and two Republicans. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Related Articles National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television National Politics | What will happen to Social Security under Trump’s tax plan? National Politics | Republican-led states are rolling out plans that could aid Trump’s mass deportation effort The replacement of Khan likely means that the FTC will operate with a lighter touch when it comes to antitrust enforcement. The new chair is expected to appoint new directors of the FTC’s antitrust and consumer protection divisions. “These changes likely will make the FTC more favorable to business than it has been in recent years, though the extent to which is to be determined,” wrote Anthony DiResta, a consumer protection attorney at Holland & Knight, in a recent analysis . Deals that were blocked by the Biden administration could find new life with Trump in command. For example, the new leadership could be more open to a proposed merger between the country’s two biggest supermarket chains, Kroger and Albertsons, which forged a $24.6 billion deal to combine in 2022. Two judges halted the merger Tuesday night. The FTC had filed a lawsuit in federal court earlier this year to block the merger, claiming the deal would eliminate competition, leading to higher prices and lower wages for workers. The two companies say a merger would help them lower prices and compete against bigger rivals like Walmart. One of the judges said the FTC had shown it was likely to prevail in the administrative hearing. Yet given the widespread public concern over high grocery prices, the Trump administration may not fully abandon the FTC’s efforts to block the deal, some experts have said. And the FTC may continue to scrutinize Big Tech firms for any anticompetitive behavior. Many Republican politicians have accused firms such as Meta of censoring conservative views, and some officials in Trump’s orbit, most notably Vice President-elect JD Vance, have previously expressed support for Khan’s scrutiny of Big Tech firms. In addition to Fergson, Trump also announced Tuesday that he had selected Jacob Helberg as the next undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment.Andy Palmer, the "Godfather of EVs," explains how China took the lead in the electric car race. Ex-Nissan COO Palmer got the moniker after developing the Leaf, the world's first mass-market EV. He says Chinese EVs offer "remarkable" value for money and have better battery tech than their Western rivals. The man often known as the "Godfather of EVs" has a warning for automakers thinking of ditching electric vehicles for hybrids. Former Aston Martin CEO and Nissan exec Andy Palmer told Business Insider that delaying transitioning to EVs in favor of selling hybrids was a "fool's errand" and warned automakers doing so risk falling even further behind Chinese EV companies . Palmer's moniker comes from his time as Chief Operating Officer at Nissan. He led the development of the Nissan Leaf , the world's first mass-market electric car, which has sold over half a million units since it launched in 2010. "I wish I could say that it was driven by a motivation to better the world. But actually, it was driven by the Toyota Prius kicking our ass," Palmer told BI. Rather than copying the success of the hybrid Prius , Palmer says he pushed Nissan to build a fully electric vehicle, eventually securing the support of then-CEO Carlos Ghosn . Over a decade later, he's skeptical of automakers — including Aston Martin , the company Palmer ran as CEO from 2014 to 2020 — who have taken the opposite path and turned to hybrids as EV adoption has slowed . "Hybrids are a road to hell. They are a transition strategy, and the longer you stay on that transition, the less quickly you ramp up into the new world," said Palmer. "If you just delay transitioning to EVs by diluting it with hybrids then you are more uncompetitive for longer, and you allow the Chinese to continue to develop their market and their leadership. I honestly think it's a fool's errand," he added. China races ahead Over the past few years, the auto industry has been shaken by the booming growth of Chinese brands such as BYD , which have conquered their home market with a range of affordable and high-tech EVs and hybrids and are now rapidly expanding abroad. Related stories "The Chinese cars are bloody good. The Chinese vehicles offer remarkable value for money for what they deliver," said Palmer. "Their battery technology's class-leading, and they've concentrated very much on their software," he said. Palmer told BI that the success of China's EV industry was down to the country's long-running industrial strategy. According to one study, the Chinese government has spent at least $230 billion on subsidies for electric vehicle makers since 2009. Palmer, who previously served on the board of Dongfeng Motor Company , a joint venture between Nissan and Chinese state-owned automaker Dongfeng, says he saw firsthand how aggressive China's EV strategy was. "The edict [from the Chinese government] was to move to new energy vehicles," he said. "It starts with an industrial strategy. That's the big thing to learn. For the best part of 14 years, we have not had an industrial strategy," Palmer added. Both the US and Europe have responded to the rise of Chinese automakers by imposing tariffs aimed at protecting their own auto industries , but Palmer said that tariffs would only harm Western companies' ability to compete with their Chinese rivals. "My experience with tariffs is it just makes your indigenous industry lazy. The gap becomes even bigger," he said. Instead, he argued that automakers should prepare for a "survival of the fittest" battle with Chinese automakers, especially in Europe, where the likes of BYD and Xpeng have ambitious expansion plans . "I think the Chinese firms will learn from competing in Europe, because that's the toughest market in the world. If they can do that, then they're going to be unbeatable," Palmer said. Japanese carmakers stumble The surging growth of China's EV giants has put Palmer's former employer Nissan and its Japanese rivals Toyota and Honda under severe pressure. Nissan announced it would lay off 9,000 workers in November , while both Toyota and Honda are facing declining sales in China and slumping profits. In December, it was reported that Nissan and Honda were in merger talks. Palmer says while Toyota's decision to focus on hybrids paid off initially , it has left it and other Japanese automakers exposed as key markets like China transition quickly to EVs. "Toyota took the Japanese industry down a cul-de-sac, which it is going to struggle to recover from," he said. The former Nissan executive said his old company, meanwhile, had "shot itself in the foot" and squandered a promising lineup of electric vehicles and a 10-year lead in EV tech. "My last board meeting in July 2014, I was under enormous attack from the bean counters who were saying; these things don't make money, we are going too fast. I managed to win the day in that meeting, but I left the company," said Palmer. "Nissan finds itself now with a very poor lineup of products and without obvious leadership in EVs, and that's the direct result of poor management," he said. How to get EVs moving again The past year has been tough for electric vehicles . While sales are still growing, the pace of adoption has been slower than expected, causing automakers across the globe to roll back investments . For Palmer, the reason some consumers have proven reluctant to go electric is simple: EVs are too expensive. "Prices have got to align to those of internal combustion engines. And to make that happen, you've got to be able to offer cars with smaller batteries," said Palmer. The average price of an electric vehicle in the US in October was $56,902, according to Kelley Blue Book , compared to $48,623 for gas-powered vehicles. Palmer said that selling cheaper vehicles with smaller batteries and less range would require governments to incentivize the rollout of charging networks to alleviate range anxiety. He added that the West could learn from China's approach to industrial strategy — especially when it comes to batteries, an industry that China dominates . "If the West wants to catch up, I would advocate copying the Chinese," said Palmer. "The alternative is everything is Chinese at the moment — even if you were building your own battery cells, you've still gotta get all the minerals from China. The whole supply chain is stuck," he said.
Max George's girlfriend Maisie Smith shares three-word message for Wanted singer in hospitalGLOUCESTER - Parents with children in the Gloucester school system may be changing their vacation plans after the school announced makeup days following a more than two-week teacher strike in November. The new plan will see kids head to class during what was supposed to be February vacation, and the last day of school will now be June 26. Family still going to Disney World "I found out today they are making up four of the days for February vacation, taking away all of it," said Karen Ferrant, a mother of four with multiple children in the school district. In January, Ferrant and her family made plans to go to Disney World. The trip costs roughly $15,000, and she says a large portion of that is non-refundable. "We are still going to go. I reached out to the superintendent in an email with my kids' principals, lEPs, and liaisons," said Ferrant. Two-week strike in Gloucester In November, Gloucester teachers went on strike for two weeks hoping for better pay, and eventually they struck a deal with the district. Ferrant sympathizes with the educators and expected the lost school days to be made up, but she hoped it wouldn't impact her plans. "I told them it was already paid for, and I would cooperate in getting anything my kids could do for work in the meantime," said Ferrant. Her family is not alone. Other parents have taken to social media while trying to figure out what to do with their paid vacations. This includes parents in Beverly and Marblehead who also are dealing with makeup day debacles. Each district missed 10 days or more due to strikes. "My sister is a teacher in Beverly, so now she is going to have to work during February, so she is not being able to join [the trip to Disney World]," said Ferrant. Students expected to be in class She says an email went out to parents, one line saying students are expected to be in class for the full day, the next line saying they understand families have vacations planned. While she calls the statement very contradictory, she also admits there aren't many other options. "I believe the teachers will have to plan around it," said Ferrant. Mike Sullivan is a multimedia journalist for WBZ-TV.ESPN — Toledo vs. Pittsburgh at Ford Field (Detroit, MI) ESPN — Kansas State vs. Rutgers at Chase Field (Phoenix, AZ) ESPN — Bowling Green vs. Arkansas State at Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, AL) NHLN — Sweden U20 at Slovakia U20 NHLN — Germany U20 at USA U20 NHLN — Switzerland U20 at Czech Republic U20 NHLN — Canada U20 at Finland U20 NBA TV — Oklahoma City at Indiana NBA TV — Utah at Portland USA — Premier League: Everton vs. Manchester City CBSSN — League One: Blackpool vs. Wrexham USA — Premier League: Aston Villa vs. Newcastle United USA — Premier League: Manchester United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers CBSSN — Scottish Premiership: Rangers F.C. vs. St. Mirren USA — Premier League: Leicester City vs. Liverpool TENNIS — Mixed Coverage: Center Court Live The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff
NoneNASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — We're told the gun used in the murder of United HealthCare CEO Brian Thompson was a so-called ghost gun. Simply put, privately manufactured firearms are guns without serial numbers that can be pieced together with a 3D printer, the computer code and some skill. "Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds, which has allowed a lot of hobbyists and innovators to purchase 3D printers and source CAD files that allow them to print things like frames, and receivers and then construct them at home into a working firearm," said Corell Thomas. Corell Thomas has spent his whole career either in the military or in private security. He is the vice president of operations at Fortified Risk Group. DIY firearms are generally legal in Tennessee. As long as they are not manufactured to be sold, 3D printing a gun for personal use does not require special permissions. "Unless you are intent on selling said 3D printed firearm or giving it to someone, it is technically legal in the state of Tennessee for you to have an unserialized firearm," Thomas said. Certain types of firearms that are regulated under the National Firearms Act cannot be 3D printed without going through the proper protocols. Those include machine guns, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, silencers and destructive devices with suppressors. When it was first enacted in the 1930s, the underlying purpose of the NFA was to discourage transactions of firearms frequently used in crimes. As you can imagine, these guns have both critics and supporters. Groups like Everytown for Gun Safety propose the spread of the computer code that is used to 3D print the firearm or its parts needs to be stopped. Those who want to put an end to 3D printed guns have a bit of an uphill battle as 3D printers have simplified the manufacturing process in other industries, like the automobile and prosthetic industry. "So it becomes the question of where do we draw the line where we're not prohibiting innovation in areas we need it in order to stop a percentage of nefarious actors," Thomas said. Between 2016 and 2021, the ATF received more than 45,000 reports of so-called ghost guns used in a crime. Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at hannah.mcdonald@newschannel5.com . Rebecca: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/a2/d9/fb69982545c59e9836fbe80fe431/rebecca-recommends.png Bree: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/74/78/507118fa415f9ad794a927fe43ca/screenshot-2024-12-09-at-5-09-02-am.png Carrie: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/2e/72/be0f23854c54a228c9d6138c9847/carrie-recommends-header.png Ben: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/df/c4/19fa7c504480938f39a431e3b276/ben-recommends-header.png Amy: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/b9/b6/1408516a4a91b97639b178fc1ba9/amy-recommends-header.png Rhori: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/5b/25/a224d13d47739165c92b94e643db/rhori-recommends-header.png Lelan: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/af/54/833bf879454097a398bd44f723de/lelan-recommends.png Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene. -Bree Smith
The cryptocurrency market has brought various opportunities, and Ethereum presents long-term growth potential for its price, whereas the Avalanche price is sliding down to critical support levels. Emphasis on scalability from Ethereum, coupled with the decline of the Avalanche, also positions it as an interesting asset to watch in light of its continued role in decentralized finance. However, BlockDAG (BDAG) is at the forefront for developers and miners that combine a secure Proof-of-Work (PoW) mining approach with a successful $172 million presale. According to reports, the sales of over 15,000 BlockDAG mining rigs have already gone out, and the very much awaited mainnet will launch in 2025. BlockDAG will excel as the best crypto miner up till this moment, offering miners a promising, rewarding ecosystem. Its firm stance on decentralization along with profitability makes it great for miners preparing for the long haul of 2025. Avalanche Price Dips to Lower Support Levels The Avalanche price has been experiencing persistent pressure downwards, from $60 previously to the current level at $39. Analysts believe that until buyers will intervene to push the price over the 50-day SMA, the downfall may proceed to the important support of $24. Technical indicators strengthen this downtrend; the price bars are seen below the lines of the moving average both on the daily and the 4-hour charts. Despite this downturn, Avalanche still finds itself at the center of conversations regarding blockchain scalability and interoperability. Meanwhile, traders are keenly watching the price of AVAX as it attempts to stay above $24, the level that may break out its next direction in the market. Ethereum Price Prediction: Will ETH Hit $5,000? Ethereum price prediction remains a hot topic as ETH trades around $3,403, showing mixed signals in the short term. Analysts forecast that 2025 could see Ethereum trading between $7,769 and $9,361, driven by its role as the leading DeFi hub. Technical indicators suggest cautious optimism, with the MACD signaling a potential bullish reversal. Historical trends are giving more confidence in the next year. Analyst @Washigorira posted on X, "Historically, the first four months of the year following U.S. elections have always been bullish. I don't make the rules." Many traders believe that this is the reason for an optimistic Ethereum price prediction in early 2025. BlockDAG's Secure PoW Mining: A Win For Decentralization The latest announcement of BlockDAG’s Keccak-256 (SHA-3) miners has energized interest in its presale and mining ecosystem. These miners are designed to enhance decentralization by ensuring fair rewards without compromising network security. By eliminating abrupt halvings in favor of a continuous geometric reduction of block rewards, BlockDAG also offers miners consistent returns, smoothing their profitability over time. The release is well-timed in respect to the overall commitment of the project to Mainnet launch in 2025. The partnerships with the hardware manufacturers will allow SHA-3 miner shipments before the Mainnet is launched in a bid to promote the early adoption of the network. Currently, BDAG is trading at $0.0234, which has increased by 2240% from the batch 1 price of $0.001 per coin. The network's crypto presale has raised over $172 million with more than 17.5 billion coins sold. Along with this, BlockDAG has achieved tremendous success in its miner sales with more than 15,000 mining rigs sold, which generated revenue of over $6 million. These numbers along with the innovative mining approach of BlockDAG have positioned it as a top choice for those searching for the best crypto miners in the long run. As BlockDAG gathers pace, it is turning out to be a top option in decentralized blockchain technology and mining. Key Takeaways The cryptocurrency market provides multiple opportunities in the form of different investment and mining strategies. Ethereum's price is expected to be positive towards significant growth by 2025 and is, thus, an asset for long-term portfolios. Avalanche, being under pressure, remains as an asset to watch and test out crucial support levels that can determine its future move. BlockDAG, however, bridged innovativeness with profit. Through its safe method of Proof of Work mining, an over 15,000 mining rigs sold approach, plus forward-looking designs, is a value in itself uniquely offered to its traders as well as to its developers. Its very network shows alignment to requirements for secure and rewarding project opportunities presented by steady miners' awards and the strengthening community network. For the search for best crypto miner for future trends, BlockDAG poses a hopeful opening. Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network Website: https://blockdag.network Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.General Motors says it will move away from the robotaxi business and cease funding its money-losing Cruise autonomous vehicle division. According to a press release issued Tuesday and subsequent conference call that included GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra, the Detroit automaker will instead focus on development of partially automated driver-assist systems like its Super Cruise, which allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel. GM said it would get out of robotaxis "given the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business, along with an increasingly competitive robotaxi market." The company said it will combine Cruise's technical team with its own to work on advanced systems to assist drivers. "The Cruise Board of Directors and the Cruise leadership team are collaborating closely with GM on next steps," Cruise CEO Marc Whitten told CBS News. GM bought then San Francisco-based start-up Cruise Automation in 2016 for at least $1 billion with high hopes of developing a profitable fleet of robotaxis. At the time, Cruise Automation, along with Google, was among the few companies with permits from the state of California to test the cars . Over the years GM invested billions in the subsidiary and eventually bought 90% of the company from investors. GM even announced plans for Cruise to generate $1 billion in annual revenue by 2025, but it scaled back spending on the company after one of its autonomous Chevrolet Bolts dragged a pedestrian on a San Francisco street who was hit by another vehicle in 2023 . The California Public Utilities Commission alleged the company covered up details of the crash and suspended Cruise's driverless testing permit . Soon afterwards, Cruise pulled all its driverless cars off the road nationwide. The incident sparked widespread criticism of the company and its autonomous vehicles. Cruise had already been under fire for a number of collisions that led the company to cut its operating robotaxi fleet in during the summer of 2023. The problems triggered a purge of its leadership — in addition to layoffs that jettisoned about a quarter of its workforce . In January of this year, the company offered to pay $75,000 to settle the investigation by California state regulators into Cruise's failure to disclose details regarding the collision. Despite its troubles, Cruise was still attempting to return to viability. In June, General Motors named Marc Whitten -- one of the key engineers behind the Xbox video game console -- as the division's new chief executive . In August, Cruise announced its robotaxis would join Uber's ride-hailing service in 2025 as part of a multiyear partnership bringing together two companies that once appeared poised to compete for passengers. However, more recent Cruise developments have been costly for GM. In September, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials announced the division would pay a $1.5 million penalty as part of a consent order. Last month, Cruise agreed to an additional $500,000 fine after admitting to filing a false report following the San Francisco pedestrian crash. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office of the Northern District of California, the San Francisco-based company entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in which Cruise admits and accepts responsibility. "Companies with self-driving cars that seek to share our roads and crosswalks must be fully truthful in their reports to their regulators," said Martha Boersch, Chief of the Office of the U.S. Attorney's Criminal Division, said in a statement. Autonomous Vehicles Technology Detroit Robotaxi Cruise San Francisco Auto Industry
Niger junta suspends BBC accusing it of 'spreading false news' in coverage of attack