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The 26-year-old man charged in last week’s killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom on Tuesday, where he was denied bail and his lawyer said he'd fight extradition to New York City, where the attack happened. Luigi Nicholas Mangione was arrested Monday in last Wednesday's attack on Brian Thompson after they say a worker at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, alerted authorities to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. When arrested, Mangione had on him a gun that investigators believe was used in the attack and writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. As Mangione arrived at the courthouse Tuesday, he struggled with officers and shouted something that was partly unintelligible but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” Mangione is being held on Pennsylvania charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Here are some of the latest developments: What's the latest? Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Mangione mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. Judge David Consiglio denied bail to Mangione, whose attorney, Thomas Dickey, told the court that his client did not agree to extradition and wants a hearing on the matter. Blair County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney Peter Weeks said that although Mangione's fighting extradition will create “extra hoops” for law enforcement to jump through, it won’t be a substantial barrier to sending him to New York. What evidence has been gathered? In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Monday that Mangione also had a ghost gun, a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Officers also found a sound suppressor, or silencer, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” she said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, the commissioner said. What do we know about Mangione? Kenny said Mangione was born and raised in Maryland, has ties to San Francisco and that his last known address is in Honolulu. Mangione, who was valedictorian of his Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press on Monday. Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain with corporate greed, said a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, which was based on a review of the suspect’s hand-written notes and social media postings. The defendant appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown and may have been inspired by “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski, whom he called a “political revolutionary,” the document said. The shooting and a quick escape Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. on Wednesday. Eleven minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park, according to police. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack, police said. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspect exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene, Matt O'Brien, Sean Murphy and Cedar Attanasio contributed to this report.
OpenAI wants to remove a clause about AGI from its Microsoft contract to encourage additional investments, report saysEXCLUSIVE Controversial proposal for Elon Musk's DOGE that would save billions for Americans picks up steam DOGE scores support from another top Democrat CLICK HERE: Sign up for DailyMail.com's daily U.S. politics newsletter By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, POLITICAL REPORTER ON CAPITOL HILL, FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 21:17 GMT, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 21:37 GMT, 10 December 2024 e-mail 114 View comments One of the most controversial proposals from Elon Musk 's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is gaining support as he and lawmakers look to cut costs. President-elect Donald Trump has tapped the Tesla CEO and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to cut trillions of dollars in federal spending as the U.S. national debt continues to balloon to staggering new highs inflated by runaway expenditures over the few last decades. As it stands, that debt totals $36.2 trillion dollars, but Musk estimates that DOGE could cut 'at least $2 trillion' from the current White House 's $6.5 trillion budget in the near term. The next natural questions is where should these cuts will come from. Musk and Ramaswamy are reportedly considering stripping all taxpayer-funded foreign aid , which would send shock waves internationally. The United States spent an estimated $70 billion in foreign aid in fiscal year 2022 to help economic development and humanitarian causes and other interests. And America has allotted a whopping $175 billion total in foreign aid to Ukraine alone since the outbreak of its war with Russia in 2022. But the spigots spewing U.S. taxpayer dollars abroad may soon be turned off. South Carolina Republican Rep. Ralph Norman told DailyMail.com DOGE 'absolutely' should target foreign aid, though he admitted slashing funding to Israel is off the table. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., similarly told DailyMail.com that 'foreign aid for every country except Israel' should be cut. Elon Musk met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week to speak about DOGE initiatives Former Texas Rep. Ron Paul asked to help DOGE with its cost cutting efforts, Musk agreed that he could help advise the team A search and rescue operation is underway after a Russian missile strike, Zaporizhzhia, southeastern Ukraine on December 10, 2024. Paul and Musk have both called for eliminating foreign aid to countries like Ukraine and elsewhere to help achieve DOGE's cost saving goals 'Here’s an easy one for @DOGE !' three-time presidential candidate and former lawmaker Ron Paul posted on X recently. 'Eliminate foreign aid!' 'It’s taking money from the poor and middle class in the US and giving it to the rich in poor countries - with a cut to the facilitators in between! Americans don’t want their government to borrow more money to spend on foreign aid,' the post continued. 'Besides, it is the immoral transfer of wealth and is unconstitutional.' Musk has posted about the libertarian: 'Would be great to have Ron Paul as part of the Department of Government Efficiency!' Democrats, however, bristle at DOGE's sweeping mandate, and the thought of unraveling expenditures approved by Congress. 'Well, I think $2 trillion is an unrealistic figure,' Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told DailyMail.com of DOGE's objective. At 85-years-old Hoyer is one of the longest serving congressmen first joined the House in 1981. During that year the national debt sat at $988 billion, a modest number compared to today's jaw-dropping $36 trillion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) posing for a picture with servicemen holding a Ukrainian flag. The U.S. has sent nearly $200 billion dollars to the country in recent years President Joe Biden has repeatedly urged Congress to pass additional funding for Ukraine. He is reportedly planning on pushing for an additional $1 billion to the country soon The veteran Maryland Democrat was not optimistic that the Musk-led initiative would create meaningful cuts, and he seemed opposed to lessening the scope of government. Hoyer said he would urge DOGE only to cut things 'that can be affected without adversely affecting the services that people need and that the Congress has voted for.' But most lawmakers were keen on other ways to whittle down waste too. 'So the whole key to me is pick the low hanging fruit, the DEI things comes to mind, transgender surgeries, all that kind of things,' Norman floated as quick DOGE targets. 'The Farm Bill's SNAP, look at the waste that's going there,' he added about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as food stamps. The food subsidy program costed the U.S. roughly $115 billion in 2023, per federal data. 'Every government agency has created new grant programs,' Comer said. 'We've got all this money and energy spending on solar and wind and energy initiatives in the green New Deal that people don't think are working out.' 'We spent all this money to run broadband, yet nobody's hooked on to the broadband,' he added. 'The list goes on and on and on of money that has just been absolutely wasted, all this money spent on charging stations, and yet no charging stations were built.' He said funding could be taken from agency's whose usefulness has also been diminished over time, like the United States Postal Service. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., a physician, suggested that DOGE look into cutting Medicare and Medicaid fraud, which he says would cut hundreds of billions of dollars in government spending over the next 10 years. The U.S. has recently approved Ukraine to use its advanced HIMARS weapons system to attack deep in Russian territory Republicans were against slashing foreign aid funding for Israel despite being open to cutting the funding for Ukraine and other nations Medicaid fraud $413 billion in the next 10 years,' he said, arguing that reforms in this sector would make far more meaningful spending cuts than suspending foreign aid payments. 'At least with foreign investment you don't end up isolationist,' he told DailyMail.com. 'Every isolationist country in history has gone the way of the dodo,' he said referring to the extinct bird. The Republican claimed that adding income verification for the federal health programs would immediately cut cost. 'If you want to talk about waste, fraud and abuse on the way we do claims ... we spent 25 percent of every dollar spent on health care, actually it's more than that now, on administrative costs.' 'We can modify this without a lot of pain,' he said with a smile. Politics Elon Musk Israel Share or comment on this article: Controversial proposal for Elon Musk's DOGE that would save billions for Americans picks up steam e-mail Add commentCloverdale student making ‘stress ball hoodies’
Rivalry Closes Third Tranche Of Non-Brokered Private PlacementFrom wealth and success to murder suspect, the life of Luigi Mangione took a hard turn
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Recycling wind turbine blades: A farmer’s ingenuityFor the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter , with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that’s the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it’s going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn’t seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There’s reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He’s also the rare baseball player who has true international appeal . His every move ( like his unexpected marriage announcement ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers’ coffers. RELATED COVERAGE Shortstop Willy Adames and San Francisco Giants finalize $182 million, 7-year contract Nolan Arenado open to switch from third base to first and leaving Cardinals for a team he approves Baltimore Orioles finalize deals with Tyler O’Neill and Gary Sánchez Then there’s Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It’s rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a $330 million contract to join the Phillies. Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation’s great players but didn’t hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It’s a major factor that led to him signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted among the top 30 picks in the 2024 draft . Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn’t been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn’t been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto’s deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn’t in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that’s what makes Soto so unique. And it’s also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlbNEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing 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 dismissal is warranted because of the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” 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. The Manhattan district attorney, 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. 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.” 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. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. Merchan could also 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. 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 pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers 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. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes.
Rajasthan Govt Issues Deepfake Advisory To Combat Rising Cyber FraudMusk causes uproar by backing German far-right party ahead of key electionsEx-Giants receiver takes dig at Tom Brady after his heavy criticism of Daniel JonesWASHINGTON (AP) — The picture of who will be in charge of executing President-elect Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration and border policies has come into sharper focus after he announced his picks to head Customs and Border Protection and also the agency tasked with deporting immigrants in the country illegally. Trump said late Thursday he was tapping Rodney Scott, a former Border Patrol chief who’s been a vocal supporter of tougher enforcement measures, for CBP commissioner. As acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Trump said he’d nominate Caleb Vitello, a career ICE official with more than 23 years in the agency who most recently has been the assistant director for firearms and tactical programs. They will work with an immigration leadership team that includes South Dakota Gov. ; former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement head ; and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Scott led during Trump’s first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country’s borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he joined the agency, San Diego was by far the busiest corridor for illegal crossings. Traffic plummeted after the government dramatically increased enforcement there, but critics note the effort pushed people to remote parts of California and Arizona. San Diego was also where wall construction began in the 1990s, which shaped Scott’s belief that barriers work. He was named San Diego sector chief in 2017. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump’s policies. “He’s well known. He does know these issues and obviously is trusted by the administration,” said Gil Kerlikowske, the CBP commissioner under the Obama administration. Kerlikowske took issue with some of Scott’s past actions, including his refusal to fall in line with a Biden administration directive to stop using terms like “illegal alien” in favor of descriptions like “migrant,” and his decision as San Diego sector chief to fire tear gas into Mexico to disperse protesters. “You don’t launch projectiles into a foreign country,” Kerlikowske said. At the time , saying they were being assaulted by “a hail of rocks.” While much of the focus of Trump’s administration may be on illegal immigration and security along the U.S.-Mexico border, Kerlikowske also stressed the importance of other parts of Customs and Border Protection’s mission. The agency is responsible for securing trade and international travel at airports, ports and land crossings around the country. Whoever runs the agency has to make sure that billions of dollars worth of trade and millions of passengers move swiftly and safely into and out of the country. And if Trump makes good on promises to ratchet up tariffs on Mexico, China and Canada, CBP will play an integral role in enforcing them. “There’s a huge amount of other responsibility on trade, on tourism, on cyber that take a significant amount of time and have a huge impact on the economy if it’s not done right,” Kerlikowske said. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda. He has appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He’s also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. In a 2023 interview with The Associated Press, he advocated for a return to Trump-era immigration policies and more pressure on Mexico to enforce immigration on its side of the border.
Trending News Today Live Updates: In today's fast-paced world, staying informed about the latest developments is more important than ever. Trending News Today brings you the most current and impactful stories from across the globe, covering a wide range of topics including politics, technology, entertainment, sports, and social issues. Whether it's a significant political event, a groundbreaking technological innovation, or the latest in pop culture, we provide you with up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis. Our goal is to ensure that you're always in the loop, aware of the trends that are shaping the world around us. Stay tuned for the latest news that matters. Trends News Today Live: Cambridge University stands strong with Ally Louks targeted by misogynistic trolls after PhD triumph Trends News Today Live: Bengaluru engineer Varun Hasija quit his ₹1 crore job to prioritize happiness—And the internet can't stop reactingITV viewers have been left baffled by a celebrity special of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? The ITV quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire ? , fronted by host Jeremy Clarkson , saw one of its celebrity guests struggle and use up not one but two lifelines in the first five minutes of the hot seat. The ITV celebrity special featured Jools Holland , Nina Wadia and Ugo Mony in the hot seat aiming to earn money for charities and climb the money leaderboard. However music guru Jools Holland struggled to reach the £1,000 mark, calling in his 'ask the audience' and 'phone a friend' lifelines for his fourth and fifth questions. For his fourth question, which would earn him £500, Jools was asked "In March 2020, who began hosting online fitness workouts for children under the title 'P.E. with Joe'?" Turning to the audience, they overwhelming replied that it was sports guru Joe Wicks rather than any of the other Joe choices, including former US president Joe Biden . More on ITV Jools' next question asked him to draw on his film knowledge, when he was asked "Which of these is a tagline for the Hitchcock film 'Psycho'?" Calling a friend, Jools was pushed towards the right answer of "Check in. Unpack. Relax. Take a shower.", which hints at the infamous shower scene from the classic movie. Whilst Jools had used up two of his three lifelines in the first five questions, his cries for help had not gone unnoticed by viewers at home. Taking to social media , one stunned viewer wrote on X: "He used two lifelines at that in the first five questions! Bloody hell. Even Joey bloody Essex knows more than Jools Holland!" Most read in News TV Another posted: "What the heck? Jools Holland used Phone A Friend on the Psycho question? JOOLS HOLLAND?!? I thought he was clever!" "I genuinely thought Jools Holland would be much better than this," added a third. Another posted: "Wow. It’s a good job Jools can play the piano well because he’s bloody useless at this...." "Oh Jools I thought you would do better, but I guess you either know it or you don’t," shared another. With another question asking Jools to draw on his music knowledge, he was quizzed about The Spice Girls . He dithered, as one viewer pointed out on social media: " Jools Holland getting a Spice Girls question when he appeared in the movie Spiceworld." The music icon eventually bowed out at £16,000, which he dedicated to two charities, The Princes Trust & Caring Hands.
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A global report released Wednesday by the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) predicts that artificial intelligence (AI) will significantly impact the creative industries, with workers in music and audiovisual fields expected to lose nearly 25% of their income by 2028. The report raises concerns about how the rapid growth of GenAI, or generative AI, projected to expand from €3 billion (approx. $3.16 billion) in 2023 to €64 billion by 2028, could disrupt traditional revenue streams for creators. See Also: Streaming, Vinyl Propel Music Copyright Value To $45.5 Billion CISAC, which represents over 5 million creators worldwide, warns that the unchecked development of AI will benefit tech companies while threatening creators' rights and incomes. GenAI models, which use unlicensed reproductions of creative works, are set to compete directly with human-generated content, reducing job opportunities and earnings. The report states that AI-generated music could account for 20% of revenue on traditional streaming platforms and 60% of music library revenue by 2028. Meanwhile, developers and providers of AI in music and audiovisual industries are expected to earn billions from unlicensed uses of creators' works. Australia And New Zealand Take Action While the report details global risks, it points to Australia and New Zealand as examples of proactive policymaking. Björn Ulvaeus , CISAC president and former ABBA band member, praised the two countries for their efforts to create AI policies that protect creators while fostering innovation. "In Australia, the new Senate select committee on AI report is encouraging and promising," said Ulvaeus. "By setting a gold standard in AI policy, one that protects creators' rights while fostering responsible and innovative technological development, Australia and New Zealand can ensure that AI serves as a tool to enhance human creativity rather than replace it." Moreover, Australia's Senate recently issued a report recommending standalone legislation and stronger protections for creative workers. Music Creators At Risk The CISAC report concludes that without regulation, creators face a double threat: loss of income from copyright violations by large language models and reduced opportunities as AI-generated content competes with traditional works. "AI has the power to unlock new opportunities, but if badly regulated, it also has the power to cause great damage to human creators, their careers, and livelihoods," Ulvaeus added. In related news, earlier this year Sony Music Group SONY warned companies and music streaming services that it prohibits the use of its content for data mining, web scraping, or AI training. This applies to all content under Sony Music Publishing and Sony Music Entertainment. Furthermore, over 200 prominent musicians, including Billie Eilish , Katy Perry , Smokey Robinson and others, united to issue an open letter to artificial intelligence (AI) developers, tech companies and digital platforms. Read Next: 2024 Was World’s Taylor Swift Era Once Again: Spotify Reveals Top Artists, Songs, Albums, Podcasts Image credits: Shutterstock. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The US tech giant said it now supported 550,000 jobs in the UK through direct employment, its supply chain and the economy around its App Store – with app developers having earned nearly £9 billion since it launched in 2008. Apple said its engineering teams were carrying out critical work on the firm’s biggest services, including key technology within Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s suite of generative AI-powered tools which are expected to launch in the UK for the first time this week. Elsewhere, the firm said its growing TV empire, spearheaded by its Apple TV+ streaming service and production arm, had also helped boost its investment in the UK with Apple TV+ production in this country tripling in the last two years, the company said. Chief executive Tim Cook said: “We’ve been serving customers in the UK for more than 40 years, and we’re proud of our deep connection with communities across this country. “We’re thrilled to be growing our Apple teams here, and to keep supporting the extraordinary innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of technology in so many ways.” The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said companies such as Apple were “intrinsic” to the UK’s prosperity by boosting jobs. “This government is laser focused on creating the right conditions for growth to help put more money in people’s pockets. “That’s what underpins the Plan for Change and is what has driven £63 billion worth of inward investment in the UK through our first international investment summit. “Companies like Apple are intrinsic to the success of our nation’s prosperity – helping deliver jobs, innovative technology, and boost infrastructure.”ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cole Anthony drove for a layup with 0.2 seconds left to complete the Orlando Magic’s 17-point fourth-quarter comeback Sunday in a 102-101 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Cam Thomas missed a jumper from the corner at the final horn. Anthony scored 10, and Tristan da Silva scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for Orlando, which was down 71-51 midway through the third quarter. Goga Bitadze added 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. The Magic’s comeback was their second in eight days after Orlando rallied from 25 points down to beat Miami 121-114 on Dec. 21. Thomas came off the bench with 25 points to lead the Nets in his first game since Nov. 25. Jalen Wilson added 16 points including two free throws with 6.2 seconds left. Thomas, Brooklyn’s leading scorer with 24.7 points per game, played 25 minutes after missing 13 games with a strained left hamstring. Takeaways Nets: Losing for the seventh time in nine games, the Nets played for the first time without Dorian Finney-Smith, who was traded early Sunday to the Los Angeles Lakers. In their four games against the Magic this season, the Nets used 11 different starters. Only Cam Johnson started all four games. Magic: The Magic completed a four-game season series sweep of the Nets and concluded a 3-4 holiday home stretch. They overcame double-digit second-half deficits in all three of their wins against Miami, Boston and Brooklyn. Key moment A 3-pointer by Anthony, who did not play in the first half, launched a 13-0 Orlando run after they had fallen behind by 20 points. Key stat The Nets shot 13 for 30 from 3-point range. Up next The Nets are at Toronto and the Magic are at Detroit on Wednesday night. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner appears to be trying to mount a political comeback and has officially registered  to run for an East Village City Council seat. The once-promising politician , now infamous after being brought down by two very public sexting scandals  and serving time in prison for sexting a minor , filed the paperwork formalizing his status as a candidate last week after publicly toying with the idea of running for the Council seat. Weiner said Tuesday his account with the city’s campaign finance board should be considered “exploratory” and that he hasnât yet decided on whether to actually run. Weiner said he filed the paperwork because a local Democratic club required it to be considered at a candidates forum Thursday. âSo here I am,” he said. “I’m doing this one step at a time,” Weiner said in a phone interview that was interrupted multiple times as he tried to usher his dog, a pit terrier lab mix named Billy, into his apartment after returning from a walk. The race to replace Council Member Carlina Rivera , who cannot run in 2025 due to term limits, is shaping up to be among the most competitive Council races. Also in the running for the seat are current Assemblyman Harvey Epstein and Andrea Gordillo, Manhattan Community Board 3 chair. The former U.S. representative said he has some âvolunteersâ already working for him, but no paid staff or fundraising mechanisms at the moment. He also said that heâll be putting out a book called â25 ideas for 25â that will be âcoming out soon.â âThat’ll be the next thing I’ll do and I’ll be going to places and talking to people and we’ll see what happens,” Weiner said. Weiner hasnât held public office since 2011, when he was ousted from his congressional seat because of a sexting scandal involving multiple women, including a minor. Two years later, subsequent sexts revealed his online pseudonym âCarlos Dangerâ and destroyed his 2013 bid for mayor. He was later caught sending inappropriate photos to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina and eventually sentenced to around a year and a half behind bars for the incident. Weiner was previously married to Huma Abedin, a top aide to Hilary Clinton during her 2016 run against Donald Trump. Investigators reviewing Weinerâs online activity accidentally uncovered emails that led then-FBI Director James Comey to reopen an investigation of Clintonâs emails â an infamous political scandal in its own right. Weiner declined to comment on how he’d wrestle with his checkered past during a potential campaign. âRunning for office is a privilege, and those who seek to represent this district must have a clear understanding of the challenges our families face,” Council member Rivera said in a statement. “The democratic process is a cornerstone of our society, and every voice matters in moving us forward. I encourage my neighbors to engage fully in the primary process and make an informed choice that will help shape a brighter future.âApple’s UK engineering teams have ‘doubled in size in five years’
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The 26-year-old man charged in last week’s killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom on Tuesday, where he was denied bail and his lawyer said he'd fight extradition to New York City, where the attack happened. Luigi Nicholas Mangione was arrested Monday in last Wednesday's attack on Brian Thompson after they say a worker at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, alerted authorities to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. When arrested, Mangione had on him a gun that investigators believe was used in the attack and writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. As Mangione arrived at the courthouse Tuesday, he struggled with officers and shouted something that was partly unintelligible but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” Mangione is being held on Pennsylvania charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Here are some of the latest developments: What's the latest? Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Mangione mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. Judge David Consiglio denied bail to Mangione, whose attorney, Thomas Dickey, told the court that his client did not agree to extradition and wants a hearing on the matter. Blair County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney Peter Weeks said that although Mangione's fighting extradition will create “extra hoops” for law enforcement to jump through, it won’t be a substantial barrier to sending him to New York. What evidence has been gathered? In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Monday that Mangione also had a ghost gun, a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Officers also found a sound suppressor, or silencer, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” she said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, the commissioner said. What do we know about Mangione? Kenny said Mangione was born and raised in Maryland, has ties to San Francisco and that his last known address is in Honolulu. Mangione, who was valedictorian of his Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press on Monday. Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain with corporate greed, said a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, which was based on a review of the suspect’s hand-written notes and social media postings. The defendant appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown and may have been inspired by “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski, whom he called a “political revolutionary,” the document said. The shooting and a quick escape Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. on Wednesday. Eleven minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park, according to police. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack, police said. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspect exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene, Matt O'Brien, Sean Murphy and Cedar Attanasio contributed to this report.
OpenAI wants to remove a clause about AGI from its Microsoft contract to encourage additional investments, report saysEXCLUSIVE Controversial proposal for Elon Musk's DOGE that would save billions for Americans picks up steam DOGE scores support from another top Democrat CLICK HERE: Sign up for DailyMail.com's daily U.S. politics newsletter By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, POLITICAL REPORTER ON CAPITOL HILL, FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 21:17 GMT, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 21:37 GMT, 10 December 2024 e-mail 114 View comments One of the most controversial proposals from Elon Musk 's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is gaining support as he and lawmakers look to cut costs. President-elect Donald Trump has tapped the Tesla CEO and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to cut trillions of dollars in federal spending as the U.S. national debt continues to balloon to staggering new highs inflated by runaway expenditures over the few last decades. As it stands, that debt totals $36.2 trillion dollars, but Musk estimates that DOGE could cut 'at least $2 trillion' from the current White House 's $6.5 trillion budget in the near term. The next natural questions is where should these cuts will come from. Musk and Ramaswamy are reportedly considering stripping all taxpayer-funded foreign aid , which would send shock waves internationally. The United States spent an estimated $70 billion in foreign aid in fiscal year 2022 to help economic development and humanitarian causes and other interests. And America has allotted a whopping $175 billion total in foreign aid to Ukraine alone since the outbreak of its war with Russia in 2022. But the spigots spewing U.S. taxpayer dollars abroad may soon be turned off. South Carolina Republican Rep. Ralph Norman told DailyMail.com DOGE 'absolutely' should target foreign aid, though he admitted slashing funding to Israel is off the table. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., similarly told DailyMail.com that 'foreign aid for every country except Israel' should be cut. Elon Musk met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill last week to speak about DOGE initiatives Former Texas Rep. Ron Paul asked to help DOGE with its cost cutting efforts, Musk agreed that he could help advise the team A search and rescue operation is underway after a Russian missile strike, Zaporizhzhia, southeastern Ukraine on December 10, 2024. Paul and Musk have both called for eliminating foreign aid to countries like Ukraine and elsewhere to help achieve DOGE's cost saving goals 'Here’s an easy one for @DOGE !' three-time presidential candidate and former lawmaker Ron Paul posted on X recently. 'Eliminate foreign aid!' 'It’s taking money from the poor and middle class in the US and giving it to the rich in poor countries - with a cut to the facilitators in between! Americans don’t want their government to borrow more money to spend on foreign aid,' the post continued. 'Besides, it is the immoral transfer of wealth and is unconstitutional.' Musk has posted about the libertarian: 'Would be great to have Ron Paul as part of the Department of Government Efficiency!' Democrats, however, bristle at DOGE's sweeping mandate, and the thought of unraveling expenditures approved by Congress. 'Well, I think $2 trillion is an unrealistic figure,' Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told DailyMail.com of DOGE's objective. At 85-years-old Hoyer is one of the longest serving congressmen first joined the House in 1981. During that year the national debt sat at $988 billion, a modest number compared to today's jaw-dropping $36 trillion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) posing for a picture with servicemen holding a Ukrainian flag. The U.S. has sent nearly $200 billion dollars to the country in recent years President Joe Biden has repeatedly urged Congress to pass additional funding for Ukraine. He is reportedly planning on pushing for an additional $1 billion to the country soon The veteran Maryland Democrat was not optimistic that the Musk-led initiative would create meaningful cuts, and he seemed opposed to lessening the scope of government. Hoyer said he would urge DOGE only to cut things 'that can be affected without adversely affecting the services that people need and that the Congress has voted for.' But most lawmakers were keen on other ways to whittle down waste too. 'So the whole key to me is pick the low hanging fruit, the DEI things comes to mind, transgender surgeries, all that kind of things,' Norman floated as quick DOGE targets. 'The Farm Bill's SNAP, look at the waste that's going there,' he added about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as food stamps. The food subsidy program costed the U.S. roughly $115 billion in 2023, per federal data. 'Every government agency has created new grant programs,' Comer said. 'We've got all this money and energy spending on solar and wind and energy initiatives in the green New Deal that people don't think are working out.' 'We spent all this money to run broadband, yet nobody's hooked on to the broadband,' he added. 'The list goes on and on and on of money that has just been absolutely wasted, all this money spent on charging stations, and yet no charging stations were built.' He said funding could be taken from agency's whose usefulness has also been diminished over time, like the United States Postal Service. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., a physician, suggested that DOGE look into cutting Medicare and Medicaid fraud, which he says would cut hundreds of billions of dollars in government spending over the next 10 years. The U.S. has recently approved Ukraine to use its advanced HIMARS weapons system to attack deep in Russian territory Republicans were against slashing foreign aid funding for Israel despite being open to cutting the funding for Ukraine and other nations Medicaid fraud $413 billion in the next 10 years,' he said, arguing that reforms in this sector would make far more meaningful spending cuts than suspending foreign aid payments. 'At least with foreign investment you don't end up isolationist,' he told DailyMail.com. 'Every isolationist country in history has gone the way of the dodo,' he said referring to the extinct bird. The Republican claimed that adding income verification for the federal health programs would immediately cut cost. 'If you want to talk about waste, fraud and abuse on the way we do claims ... we spent 25 percent of every dollar spent on health care, actually it's more than that now, on administrative costs.' 'We can modify this without a lot of pain,' he said with a smile. Politics Elon Musk Israel Share or comment on this article: Controversial proposal for Elon Musk's DOGE that would save billions for Americans picks up steam e-mail Add commentCloverdale student making ‘stress ball hoodies’
Rivalry Closes Third Tranche Of Non-Brokered Private PlacementFrom wealth and success to murder suspect, the life of Luigi Mangione took a hard turn
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Recycling wind turbine blades: A farmer’s ingenuityFor the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter , with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that’s the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it’s going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn’t seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There’s reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He’s also the rare baseball player who has true international appeal . His every move ( like his unexpected marriage announcement ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers’ coffers. RELATED COVERAGE Shortstop Willy Adames and San Francisco Giants finalize $182 million, 7-year contract Nolan Arenado open to switch from third base to first and leaving Cardinals for a team he approves Baltimore Orioles finalize deals with Tyler O’Neill and Gary Sánchez Then there’s Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It’s rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a $330 million contract to join the Phillies. Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation’s great players but didn’t hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It’s a major factor that led to him signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted among the top 30 picks in the 2024 draft . Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn’t been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn’t been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto’s deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn’t in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that’s what makes Soto so unique. And it’s also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlbNEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing 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 dismissal is warranted because of the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” 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. The Manhattan district attorney, 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. 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.” 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. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. Merchan could also 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. 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 pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers 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. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes.
Rajasthan Govt Issues Deepfake Advisory To Combat Rising Cyber FraudMusk causes uproar by backing German far-right party ahead of key electionsEx-Giants receiver takes dig at Tom Brady after his heavy criticism of Daniel JonesWASHINGTON (AP) — The picture of who will be in charge of executing President-elect Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration and border policies has come into sharper focus after he announced his picks to head Customs and Border Protection and also the agency tasked with deporting immigrants in the country illegally. Trump said late Thursday he was tapping Rodney Scott, a former Border Patrol chief who’s been a vocal supporter of tougher enforcement measures, for CBP commissioner. As acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Trump said he’d nominate Caleb Vitello, a career ICE official with more than 23 years in the agency who most recently has been the assistant director for firearms and tactical programs. They will work with an immigration leadership team that includes South Dakota Gov. ; former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement head ; and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Scott led during Trump’s first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country’s borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he joined the agency, San Diego was by far the busiest corridor for illegal crossings. Traffic plummeted after the government dramatically increased enforcement there, but critics note the effort pushed people to remote parts of California and Arizona. San Diego was also where wall construction began in the 1990s, which shaped Scott’s belief that barriers work. He was named San Diego sector chief in 2017. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump’s policies. “He’s well known. He does know these issues and obviously is trusted by the administration,” said Gil Kerlikowske, the CBP commissioner under the Obama administration. Kerlikowske took issue with some of Scott’s past actions, including his refusal to fall in line with a Biden administration directive to stop using terms like “illegal alien” in favor of descriptions like “migrant,” and his decision as San Diego sector chief to fire tear gas into Mexico to disperse protesters. “You don’t launch projectiles into a foreign country,” Kerlikowske said. At the time , saying they were being assaulted by “a hail of rocks.” While much of the focus of Trump’s administration may be on illegal immigration and security along the U.S.-Mexico border, Kerlikowske also stressed the importance of other parts of Customs and Border Protection’s mission. The agency is responsible for securing trade and international travel at airports, ports and land crossings around the country. Whoever runs the agency has to make sure that billions of dollars worth of trade and millions of passengers move swiftly and safely into and out of the country. And if Trump makes good on promises to ratchet up tariffs on Mexico, China and Canada, CBP will play an integral role in enforcing them. “There’s a huge amount of other responsibility on trade, on tourism, on cyber that take a significant amount of time and have a huge impact on the economy if it’s not done right,” Kerlikowske said. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda. He has appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He’s also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. In a 2023 interview with The Associated Press, he advocated for a return to Trump-era immigration policies and more pressure on Mexico to enforce immigration on its side of the border.
Trending News Today Live Updates: In today's fast-paced world, staying informed about the latest developments is more important than ever. Trending News Today brings you the most current and impactful stories from across the globe, covering a wide range of topics including politics, technology, entertainment, sports, and social issues. Whether it's a significant political event, a groundbreaking technological innovation, or the latest in pop culture, we provide you with up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis. Our goal is to ensure that you're always in the loop, aware of the trends that are shaping the world around us. Stay tuned for the latest news that matters. Trends News Today Live: Cambridge University stands strong with Ally Louks targeted by misogynistic trolls after PhD triumph Trends News Today Live: Bengaluru engineer Varun Hasija quit his ₹1 crore job to prioritize happiness—And the internet can't stop reactingITV viewers have been left baffled by a celebrity special of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? The ITV quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire ? , fronted by host Jeremy Clarkson , saw one of its celebrity guests struggle and use up not one but two lifelines in the first five minutes of the hot seat. The ITV celebrity special featured Jools Holland , Nina Wadia and Ugo Mony in the hot seat aiming to earn money for charities and climb the money leaderboard. However music guru Jools Holland struggled to reach the £1,000 mark, calling in his 'ask the audience' and 'phone a friend' lifelines for his fourth and fifth questions. For his fourth question, which would earn him £500, Jools was asked "In March 2020, who began hosting online fitness workouts for children under the title 'P.E. with Joe'?" Turning to the audience, they overwhelming replied that it was sports guru Joe Wicks rather than any of the other Joe choices, including former US president Joe Biden . More on ITV Jools' next question asked him to draw on his film knowledge, when he was asked "Which of these is a tagline for the Hitchcock film 'Psycho'?" Calling a friend, Jools was pushed towards the right answer of "Check in. Unpack. Relax. Take a shower.", which hints at the infamous shower scene from the classic movie. Whilst Jools had used up two of his three lifelines in the first five questions, his cries for help had not gone unnoticed by viewers at home. Taking to social media , one stunned viewer wrote on X: "He used two lifelines at that in the first five questions! Bloody hell. Even Joey bloody Essex knows more than Jools Holland!" Most read in News TV Another posted: "What the heck? Jools Holland used Phone A Friend on the Psycho question? JOOLS HOLLAND?!? I thought he was clever!" "I genuinely thought Jools Holland would be much better than this," added a third. Another posted: "Wow. It’s a good job Jools can play the piano well because he’s bloody useless at this...." "Oh Jools I thought you would do better, but I guess you either know it or you don’t," shared another. With another question asking Jools to draw on his music knowledge, he was quizzed about The Spice Girls . He dithered, as one viewer pointed out on social media: " Jools Holland getting a Spice Girls question when he appeared in the movie Spiceworld." The music icon eventually bowed out at £16,000, which he dedicated to two charities, The Princes Trust & Caring Hands.
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A global report released Wednesday by the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) predicts that artificial intelligence (AI) will significantly impact the creative industries, with workers in music and audiovisual fields expected to lose nearly 25% of their income by 2028. The report raises concerns about how the rapid growth of GenAI, or generative AI, projected to expand from €3 billion (approx. $3.16 billion) in 2023 to €64 billion by 2028, could disrupt traditional revenue streams for creators. See Also: Streaming, Vinyl Propel Music Copyright Value To $45.5 Billion CISAC, which represents over 5 million creators worldwide, warns that the unchecked development of AI will benefit tech companies while threatening creators' rights and incomes. GenAI models, which use unlicensed reproductions of creative works, are set to compete directly with human-generated content, reducing job opportunities and earnings. The report states that AI-generated music could account for 20% of revenue on traditional streaming platforms and 60% of music library revenue by 2028. Meanwhile, developers and providers of AI in music and audiovisual industries are expected to earn billions from unlicensed uses of creators' works. Australia And New Zealand Take Action While the report details global risks, it points to Australia and New Zealand as examples of proactive policymaking. Björn Ulvaeus , CISAC president and former ABBA band member, praised the two countries for their efforts to create AI policies that protect creators while fostering innovation. "In Australia, the new Senate select committee on AI report is encouraging and promising," said Ulvaeus. "By setting a gold standard in AI policy, one that protects creators' rights while fostering responsible and innovative technological development, Australia and New Zealand can ensure that AI serves as a tool to enhance human creativity rather than replace it." Moreover, Australia's Senate recently issued a report recommending standalone legislation and stronger protections for creative workers. Music Creators At Risk The CISAC report concludes that without regulation, creators face a double threat: loss of income from copyright violations by large language models and reduced opportunities as AI-generated content competes with traditional works. "AI has the power to unlock new opportunities, but if badly regulated, it also has the power to cause great damage to human creators, their careers, and livelihoods," Ulvaeus added. In related news, earlier this year Sony Music Group SONY warned companies and music streaming services that it prohibits the use of its content for data mining, web scraping, or AI training. This applies to all content under Sony Music Publishing and Sony Music Entertainment. Furthermore, over 200 prominent musicians, including Billie Eilish , Katy Perry , Smokey Robinson and others, united to issue an open letter to artificial intelligence (AI) developers, tech companies and digital platforms. Read Next: 2024 Was World’s Taylor Swift Era Once Again: Spotify Reveals Top Artists, Songs, Albums, Podcasts Image credits: Shutterstock. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The US tech giant said it now supported 550,000 jobs in the UK through direct employment, its supply chain and the economy around its App Store – with app developers having earned nearly £9 billion since it launched in 2008. Apple said its engineering teams were carrying out critical work on the firm’s biggest services, including key technology within Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s suite of generative AI-powered tools which are expected to launch in the UK for the first time this week. Elsewhere, the firm said its growing TV empire, spearheaded by its Apple TV+ streaming service and production arm, had also helped boost its investment in the UK with Apple TV+ production in this country tripling in the last two years, the company said. Chief executive Tim Cook said: “We’ve been serving customers in the UK for more than 40 years, and we’re proud of our deep connection with communities across this country. “We’re thrilled to be growing our Apple teams here, and to keep supporting the extraordinary innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of technology in so many ways.” The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said companies such as Apple were “intrinsic” to the UK’s prosperity by boosting jobs. “This government is laser focused on creating the right conditions for growth to help put more money in people’s pockets. “That’s what underpins the Plan for Change and is what has driven £63 billion worth of inward investment in the UK through our first international investment summit. “Companies like Apple are intrinsic to the success of our nation’s prosperity – helping deliver jobs, innovative technology, and boost infrastructure.”ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cole Anthony drove for a layup with 0.2 seconds left to complete the Orlando Magic’s 17-point fourth-quarter comeback Sunday in a 102-101 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Cam Thomas missed a jumper from the corner at the final horn. Anthony scored 10, and Tristan da Silva scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for Orlando, which was down 71-51 midway through the third quarter. Goga Bitadze added 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. The Magic’s comeback was their second in eight days after Orlando rallied from 25 points down to beat Miami 121-114 on Dec. 21. Thomas came off the bench with 25 points to lead the Nets in his first game since Nov. 25. Jalen Wilson added 16 points including two free throws with 6.2 seconds left. Thomas, Brooklyn’s leading scorer with 24.7 points per game, played 25 minutes after missing 13 games with a strained left hamstring. Takeaways Nets: Losing for the seventh time in nine games, the Nets played for the first time without Dorian Finney-Smith, who was traded early Sunday to the Los Angeles Lakers. In their four games against the Magic this season, the Nets used 11 different starters. Only Cam Johnson started all four games. Magic: The Magic completed a four-game season series sweep of the Nets and concluded a 3-4 holiday home stretch. They overcame double-digit second-half deficits in all three of their wins against Miami, Boston and Brooklyn. Key moment A 3-pointer by Anthony, who did not play in the first half, launched a 13-0 Orlando run after they had fallen behind by 20 points. Key stat The Nets shot 13 for 30 from 3-point range. Up next The Nets are at Toronto and the Magic are at Detroit on Wednesday night. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner appears to be trying to mount a political comeback and has officially registered  to run for an East Village City Council seat. The once-promising politician , now infamous after being brought down by two very public sexting scandals  and serving time in prison for sexting a minor , filed the paperwork formalizing his status as a candidate last week after publicly toying with the idea of running for the Council seat. Weiner said Tuesday his account with the city’s campaign finance board should be considered “exploratory” and that he hasnât yet decided on whether to actually run. Weiner said he filed the paperwork because a local Democratic club required it to be considered at a candidates forum Thursday. âSo here I am,” he said. “I’m doing this one step at a time,” Weiner said in a phone interview that was interrupted multiple times as he tried to usher his dog, a pit terrier lab mix named Billy, into his apartment after returning from a walk. The race to replace Council Member Carlina Rivera , who cannot run in 2025 due to term limits, is shaping up to be among the most competitive Council races. Also in the running for the seat are current Assemblyman Harvey Epstein and Andrea Gordillo, Manhattan Community Board 3 chair. The former U.S. representative said he has some âvolunteersâ already working for him, but no paid staff or fundraising mechanisms at the moment. He also said that heâll be putting out a book called â25 ideas for 25â that will be âcoming out soon.â âThat’ll be the next thing I’ll do and I’ll be going to places and talking to people and we’ll see what happens,” Weiner said. Weiner hasnât held public office since 2011, when he was ousted from his congressional seat because of a sexting scandal involving multiple women, including a minor. Two years later, subsequent sexts revealed his online pseudonym âCarlos Dangerâ and destroyed his 2013 bid for mayor. He was later caught sending inappropriate photos to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina and eventually sentenced to around a year and a half behind bars for the incident. Weiner was previously married to Huma Abedin, a top aide to Hilary Clinton during her 2016 run against Donald Trump. Investigators reviewing Weinerâs online activity accidentally uncovered emails that led then-FBI Director James Comey to reopen an investigation of Clintonâs emails â an infamous political scandal in its own right. Weiner declined to comment on how he’d wrestle with his checkered past during a potential campaign. âRunning for office is a privilege, and those who seek to represent this district must have a clear understanding of the challenges our families face,” Council member Rivera said in a statement. “The democratic process is a cornerstone of our society, and every voice matters in moving us forward. I encourage my neighbors to engage fully in the primary process and make an informed choice that will help shape a brighter future.âApple’s UK engineering teams have ‘doubled in size in five years’
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