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Trump slammed in $140M ad blitz over reproductive healthcare stance None - The political group American Bridge 21st Century is launching a new $140 million ad campaign across key battleground states slamming former President Trump's actions on reproductive health care. Ads feature real stories, including a woman's heartbreaking decision to abort due to fetal health issues. Co-founder of American Bridge 21st Century Bradley Beychok joins Morning Joe. May 13, 2024
How Cannes works, from the standing ovations to the juries to the Palm Dog None - CANNES, France -- The Cannes Film Festival is hallowed ground in cinema but understanding its unique landscape can be confounding. The Côte d’Azur festival, which kicked off Tuesday, is a 10-day ballet of spectacle and film where even the photographers wear tuxedos, standing ovations are timed with stopwatches and movies tend to be referred to by the names of their directors — “the Almodóvar,” “the Malick,” “the Coppola.” From the outside, it can seem mad. From the inside, it can be hardly less disorienting. But grasping some of Cannes' quirks and traditions can help you understand just what is unspooling in the south of France and what, exactly, a Palm Dog is. The short answer is that Cannes is the largest and arguably most significant film festival, and few care more deeply about the art of cinema than the French. This is where cinema was born and it’s where it’s most closely guarded. It’s not a coincidence that to enter the Palais des Festivals, the central hub, you must climb 24 red-carpeted steps, as if you’re ascending into some movie nirvana. Cannes is also singularly global, attracting filmmakers, producers and journalists from around the world. It’s a little like an Olympics for film; countries set up their own tents in an international village. Because Cannes is also the largest film market in the world, many who come here are trying to sell their movies or looking to buy up rights. Deal-making, though not quite the frenzy it once was, happens in hotel rooms along the Croisette, aboard yachts docked in the harbor and, yes, on Zoom calls. But aside from being a beacon to filmmakers and executives, Cannes is a draw for its shimmering French Riviera glamour. Since the days of stars like Grace Kelly and Brigitte Bardot, Cannes has been renown as a sun-kissed center stage for fashion. Originally called the International Film Festival, Cannes was born in the lead-up to World War II. Venice had launched the first major film festival in 1932, but in 1938, fascist influence on Venice was pervasive. The French government in 1939 chose the tourist destination of Cannes as the place for a new festival — though because of the war, the first edition wasn’t held until 1946. This year’s festival is the 77th edition. The hive of activity is the Palais, a massive complex by the sea full of cinemas with names like Buñuel, Bazin and, the granddaddy, the Grand Théâtre Lumière. This is where the red carpet runs in Cannes, nightly hosting two or three world premieres beneath a glass canopy flanked by rows of photographers. Festival cars ferry stars and directors who are ushered down the carpet and up the steps. Unlike most movie premieres, there are no reporters on the carpet. Filmmakers and casts instead face questions from the media the day after their premieres, at a press conference preceded by a photo call. The press conferences can be atypically newsy, too; after Danish director Lars von Trier declared “I am a Nazi” at a Cannes press conference in 2011, he was named “persona non grata” by the festival for years. Interpreters translate live for headphone-wearing reporters. Inside the Palais, bleary-eyed attendees are treated to gratis espresso. Down the Croisette, the oceanside, palm tree-lined promenade of Cannes, there are regal old hotels like the Carlton and the Martinez from where festival attendees flow in and out, interviews might be happening on balconies as autograph-seeking fans gather outside in throngs. After-parties are typically held in clubs across the Croisette, by the beach. Unlike public festivals like Toronto or SXSW, Cannes is industry-only and largely out of reach for most moviegoers. That doesn’t stop the desperate, tuxedo-clad ticket seekers who hold signs outside the Palais on the chance someone has an extra, or the photo-takers who stand on small ladders near the red carpet. Cannes is rigorously hierarchical, with a system of color-coded badges regulating access. If you hear about a film being booed at Cannes — even Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” was famously jeered before winning the Palme d’Or — it's usually at a press screening. The premieres, largely attended by industry professionals, are where the prolonged standing ovations take place. But this, like many things at Cannes, is a bit of stagecraft to boost the mythology. After the credits role, a cameraman rushes in, with his footage fed live to the screen. He goes down the aisles, giving the audience a chance to applaud for the director and each star. No one is just cheering for a dark movie screen. Cannes hierarchy is in the lineup, too. Attention focuses most on the films “in competition”: usually around 20 movies competing for the Palme d’Or, the festival’s top award. Past winners include “Apocalypse Now,” “Pulp Fiction,” and “Parasite.” Last year, it went to Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall.” Winners are chosen by a jury of nine that changes every year. This year’s is presided over by Greta Gerwig. Competition is only one section, though. Many high-profile films might play out of competition, as “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is this year. Un Certain Regard gathers a lineup of original or daring films. First and second films play in the sidebar Critics’ Week. There are also midnight selections and the recently launched Premiere sidebar, which also takes some overflow for films that didn’t fit into competition. Restorations and documentaries play in Cannes Classics. And down the Croisette, separate from the official selection, is the Directors' Fortnight or the Quinzaine, a parallel showcase launched in 1969 by a group of French filmmakers after the 1968 Cannes was canceled. There are many other prizes, too, even an unofficial one created by journalists called the Palm Dog (sadly, not the Palme D'Og), for the best canine in Cannes. Last year, that honor went to Messi, the “Anatomy of a Fall” pooch. Created in 2001, the annual award and its spinoff categories is decided by a jury of reporters. Past winners have included Uggie from “The Artist” (2011) and Sayuri, who played the heroic pit bull in “Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood” (2019). As for the reigning champ, Messi captivated the carpet on opening day this year, in town again as a correspawndent of sorts for French television.
Legal Marijuana Now Party loses major status with Minnesota Supreme Court ruling None - The Minnesota Supreme Court on Friday booted the Legal Marijuana Now Party as a major political party in the state ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Supreme Court on Friday booted the Legal Marijuana Now Party as a major political party in the state. The court’s decision means Democrats and Republicans will be the only political players to have automatic ballot access for candidates, as well as other major party benefits, such as legal protection and public subsidy dollars, Minnesota Public Radio reported. “LMNP will appeal Friday’s ruling by the state Supreme Court that attempts to decertify the party, and the U.S. Supreme Court will likely find Minnesota’s DFL-written election law to be unconstitutional,” Legal Marijuana Now MN said in a Facebook post Friday. In February, the chair of Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party asked the court to decertify the Legal Marijuana Now Party, alleging it hasn't met legal requirements to be a major party, according to the opinion. Because the party “did not maintain a state central committee subject to the state convention’s control,” as state law requires, and the party's constitutional challenge to the law failed, the Legal Marijuana Now Party “has not satisfied the requirements to be a major political party” in the state, according to the court's decision. In a statement, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon's office said the party will need to a file a notice “that it met the requirements to be listed as a minor political party.” Candidates for the Legal Marijuana Now Party may still appear on the November ballot if they gather enough petition signatures, varying by amount for various races, his office said.
Argentina reports its first single-digit inflation in 6 months as markets swoon and costs hit home None - Government data in Argentina shows that the country’s monthly inflation rate has eased sharply to a single-digit rate in April for the first time in half a year Argentina reports its first single-digit inflation in 6 months as markets swoon and costs hit home BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Argentina’s monthly inflation rate eased sharply to a single-digit rate in April for the first time in half a year, data released Tuesday showed, a closely watched indicator that bolsters President Javier Milei’s severe austerity program aimed at fixing the country’s troubled economy. Prices rose at a rate of 8.8% last month, the Argentine government statistics agency reported, down from a monthly rate of 11% in March and well below a peak of 25% last December, when Milei became president with a mission to combat Argentina’s dizzying inflation, among the highest in the world. “Inflation is being pulverized,” Manuel Adorni, the presidential spokesperson, posted on social media platform X after the announcement. “Its death certificate is being signed.” Although praised by the International Monetary Fund and cheered by market watchers, Milei’s cost-cutting and deregulation campaign has, at least in the short term, squeezed families whose money has plummeted in value while the cost of nearly everything has skyrocketed. Annual inflation, the statistics agency reported Tuesday, climbed slightly to 289.4%. “People are in pain,” said 23-year-old Augustin Perez, a supermarket worker in the suburbs of Buenos Aires who said his rent had soared by 90% since Milei deregulated the real estate market and his electricity bill had nearly tripled since the government slashed subsidies. “They say things are getting better, but how? I don’t understand.” Milei’s social media feed in recent weeks has become a stream of good economic news: Argentine bonds posting some of the best gains among emerging markets, officials celebrating its first quarterly surplus since 2008 and the IMF announcing Monday it would release another $800 million loan — a symbolic vote of confidence in Milei’s overhaul. “The important thing is to score goals now,” Milei said at an event Tuesday honoring former President Carlos Menem, a divisive figure whose success driving hyperinflation down to single digits through free-market policies Milei repeatedly references. "We are beating inflation.” Even so, some experts warn that falling inflation isn’t necessarily an economic victory — rather the symptom of a painful recession. The IMF expects Argentina’s gross domestic product to shrink by 2.8% this year. “You’ve had a massive collapse in private spending, which explains why consumption has dropped dramatically and why inflation is also falling,” said Monica de Bolle, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics who studies emerging markets. “People are worse off than they were before. That leads them to spend less.” Signs of an economic slowdown are everywhere in Buenos Aires — the lines snaking outside discounted groceries, the empty seats in the city’s typically booming restaurants, the growing strikes and protests. At an open-air market in the capital's Liniers neighborhood, Lidia Pacheco makes a beeline for the garbage dump. Several times a week, the 45-year-old mother of four rummages through the pungent pile to salvage the tomatoes with the least mold. “This place saves me,” Pacheco said. Sky-high prices have forced her to stick to worn-out clothes and shoes and change her diet to the point of giving up yerba mate, Argentina’s ubiquitous national drink brewed from bitter leaves. “Whatever I earn from selling clothes goes to eating,” she said. Argentina's retail sales in the first quarter of 2024 fell nearly 20% compared to the year before, a clip comparable to that of the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. The consumption of beef — an Argentine classic — dropped to its lowest level in three decades this quarter, the government reported, prompting panicked editorials about a crisis in Argentina's national psyche. “Now I buy pork and chicken instead,” said Leonardo Buono, 51-year-old hospital worker. “It’s an intense shock, this economic adjustment.” Milei, a self-proclaimed “anarcho-capitalist” and former TV personality, warned his policies would hurt at first. He campaigned brandishing a chainsaw to symbolize all the cutting he would do to Argentina’s bloated state, a dramatic change from successive left-leaning Peronist governments that ran vast budget deficits financed by printing money. Promising the pain would pay off, he slashed spending on everything from construction and cultural centers to education and energy subsidies, from soup kitchens and social programs to pensions and public companies. He has also devalued the Argentine peso by 54%, helping close the chasm between the peso’s official and black-market exchange rates but also fueling inflation. Inflation in the first four months of 2024 surged by 65%, the government statistics agency reported Tuesday. Prices in shops and restaurants have reached levels similar to those in the U.S. and Europe. But Argentine wages have remained stagnant or declined, with the monthly minimum wage for regulated workers just $264 as of this month, with workers in the informal economy often paid less. Today that sum can buy scarcely more than a few nice meals at Don Julio, a famous Buenos Aires steakhouse. Nearly 60% of the country’s 46 million people now live in poverty, a 20-year high, according to a study in January by Argentina’s Catholic University. Even as discontent appears to rise, the president’s approval ratings have remained high, around 50%, according to a survey this month by Argentine consulting firm Circuitos — possibly a result of Milei’s success blaming his predecessors for the crisis. “It’s not his fault, it’s the Peronists who ruined the country, and Milei is trying to do his best,” said Rainer Silva, a Venezuelan taxi driver who fled his own country’s economic collapse for Argentina five years ago. “He’s like Trump, everyone’s against him.” Argentina’s powerful trade unions and leftist political parties have pushed back against Milei with weekly street protests, but haven’t managed to galvanize a broad swath of society. That could change — last week, a massive protest against budget cuts to public universities visibly hit a nerve, drawing hundreds of thousands of people. “The current situation is completely unsustainable," said de Bolle, the economy expert. ___ Associated Press writer Almudena Calatrava contributed to this report.
Alibaba's profit in Q4 tumbles due to equity investments, New York-listed stock plunges None - Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding on Tuesday posted a greater-than-expected decline in profit for the fourth quarter due to its equity investments, sending its stock price plunging in New York HONG KONG -- Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding on Tuesday posted a greater-than-expected decline in profit for the fourth quarter due to its equity investments, sending its stock price plunging in New York. Its net income for the quarter ended March was 3.3 billion yuan ($453 million), down 86% compared to the same time last year and missing analyst estimates. Alibaba said this was primarily due to a lower market value of its equity investments. Revenue however beat estimates and was up 7% to 221.8 billion yuan ($30.73 billion), as the company in recent months refocused its efforts to grow its e-commerce business amid growing competition from rivals such as Pinduoduo and Douyin as well as a slowing Chinese economy. “This quarter’s results demonstrate that our strategies are working and we are returning to growth,” said Eddie Wu, Alibaba CEO, in an earnings call. Quarterly revenue for its e-commerce platforms Taobao and Tmall grew 4% compared to the same time last year. Revenue for its cloud unit rose by double-digits year over year, with artificial intelligence-related revenue from external customers growing at triple digits, the company said. It did not provide detailed figures for its cloud business. Alibaba also said Tuesday that it aimed to convert its secondary listing in Hong Kong to a primary listing by the end of August this year. The company’s shares declined over 7% in New York Tuesday following the results. Alibaba’s stock price has fallen over 70% from its peak in October 2020. The Hangzhou-based e-commerce firm has grappled with investor confidence in recent years, following a regulatory crackdown in the technology industry and rising competition in the e-commerce industry. The company last year underwent a major restructuring and split its businesses into six units, with the aim of maximizing shareholder value. The units would be able to raise their own capital and eventually go public. However, plans to take Alibaba’s logistics arm and cloud business were eventually scrapped amid what Alibaba said were “challenging IPO market conditions.”
Video GameStop stock soars 120% None - 2020’s DNC and RNC are different than any before
'It's a real thing': Drivers and passengers report motion sickness in EVs None - An oft-touted advantage of owning an electric vehicle is one-pedal driving, when drivers can slow down a vehicle simply by lifting off the throttle. But as more Americans swap their gas-powered cars and trucks for an EV, some are also realizing there are drawbacks to the one-pedal lifestyle. "It can cause some people to get sick," John Voelcker, a former editor of Green Car Reports and a contributing editor at Car and Driver, told ABC News. "Strong regenerative braking, which recaptures max energy, can cause motion sickness. There is a learning curve to lifting off the accelerator in an EV ... you have to modulate it." Voelcker said he has felt queasy at least twice while riding in the back seat of a Tesla. "The drivers didn't know how to modulate Tesla's strong regen braking," he recalled. "I was thrown around a little bit." Ed Kim, president and chief analyst of AutoPacific, said Teslas are the "worst offenders" because they can be "very jerky and really abrupt." "Most automakers have tuned the throttles to be jumpy in EVs to emphasize the power, but the side effect is that they can lurch and make some occupants car sick. You have to be so careful on how to apply the throttle ... if not, it can lead to an abrupt seesaw motion for passengers," Kim told ABC News. A driver is seen inside of a Tesla Model Y car during its presentation at the Automobile Club, Sept. 5, 2020, in Budapest, Hungary. Attila Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images Kim said his wife has gotten nauseous in a Tesla Model Y and he's heard of similar experiences from other motorists. The extremely quick acceleration of EVs can be disorienting to Americans who learned how to drive with an gasoline engine. "EVs have so much torque -- you tap the throttle and the thing just takes off. The abruptness of power delivery can be unsettling to some people. If you set really high regenerative braking, the car lurches forward and rocks and back forth a lot," he said. Dr. D.J. Verret, an ear, nose and throat doctor in Texas, said motion sickness in EVs "is a real thing." Verret pointed out that the lack of sound in an EV can also worsen the experience for passengers, especially those already prone to motion sickness. "The brain sets up a model for what it expects in certain situations," he told ABC News. "In combustion cars, you hear the engine revving and know someone is stepping on the accelerator. The car moves forward. In an EV, the auditory and visual inputs don't fit the model that you are actually moving." Passengers are more susceptible to dizziness and nausea in an EV than drivers, especially when they're in the back seat. "If you're the driver, your head moves when you turn the wheel to the left," he said. "Our brain is responding to what it's expecting to happen. If you're a passenger, you can't see those motions. If you have a certain lateral acceleration -- like turning a corner fast -- that will increase your potential for dizziness and motion sickness." Monica Jones, an associate research scientist at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, has been studying motion sickness for years. It's a topic that's gathering "a lot of interest," she told ABC News, adding that researchers are still not clear on why some people are more sensitive to motion sickness. She recently completed a study with an automaker that looked at longitudinal jerk, "which is what happens with regen braking," she said. Jones and her team modulated the jerk in an automated vehicle while maintaining its peak acceleration. Participants were "very sensitive to the jerk," she said. "Motion sickness ratings increased on average throughout the duration of the trial and significant interactions were observed between levels of longitudinal jerk and time," she said. "The highest rate of accumulation or earliest onset of motion sickness was observed for the jerk condition with the highest magnitude." Jones said this research could help automakers ameliorate motion sickness in EVs as they continue to refine the technology with newer models. "One-pedal driving is a very different experience than combustion engines," she said. "Even if you learn how to effectively do one-pedal driving, uncertainty in the environment -- like traffic -- can still cause motion sickness." There are EVs available now that ride similarly to an internal combustion engine vehicle, a bonus for those looking to avoid a Tesla-like ride. Hyundai's new Ioniq 5 N, a chic hatch that makes 641 horsepower, comes with fake gearing and artificial engine noises, delivering a gas-powered experience on and off the track. Matt Farah, host of the popular "The Smoking Tire" podcast and editor-at-large for Road & Track, said he was so blown away by the Ioniq 5 N that his perspective on EVs has changed. "We now know it's possible to make an EV fun," he told ABC News. "The synthetic gearbox and synthetic noises successfully mimic what we like about gasoline sports cars." The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has artificial engine noises and gearing that mimic an internal combustion engine vehicle. Hyundai Farah said he, too, has been queasy in an EV before, especially when going really fast or doing full throttle launches. "If I do two or three launches in a row in an EV, I don't feel great after," he said. "The way an EV motor delivers power -- and the absence of sound -- are what make you feel dizzy going fast in one." Hyundai's decision to include the fake gearing and noises (N e-shift and N active sound+) "were not created to alleviate queasiness or motion sickness, although it is possible that these features might indirectly help reduce some of those effects for electric vehicle drivers," a company spokesperson told ABC News. Either way, Farah, who test drove the Ioniq 5 N in California last month, said more automakers should follow Hyundai's example. "You have more control over what the car is doing with the gears. You want to control what the car is doing -- that is the point of driving," he said. "You realize the sound is fake, but after a few minutes of driving, it's giving what you need and it works." The Cadillac Lyriq, a sleek electric sport utility vehicle that went into production last year, may not have fake engine noises but its tuning and drive quality has won over motorists who are anti one-pedal driving. "It's the closest approximation to an ICE car that I have seen in a while," Voelcker said. Kevin Cansiani, an engineer who worked on the Cadillac Lyriq, said the electric SUV delivers seamless torque when the throttle is pressed. Cadillac The Lyriq does not lurch forward unexpectedly like some of the other electric SUVs, Kim pointed out. "The acceleration is more gentle," he said. "The passenger experience is more like a traditional gas car -- no matter who drives it." Kevin Cansiani, a senior engineer at Cadillac, told ABC News the Lyriq drives even better than an ICE car. "My gripe with ICE transmissions are those shifts and jerks you always get," he said. "With the Lyriq, there's just this feeling of seamless torque. The goal of the engineers was to make the Lyriq have a premium drive quality." Cansiani 's team tuned the Lyriq so that passengers and drivers alike would not be affected by the SUV's throttle response. "We came up with a common set of throttle mapping and had specific drive scorecards. We took objective measurements on jerk -- that sting you feel," he said. The Lyriq offers three regen modes -- off, normal or high. Cansiani said the majority of Lyriq customers choose the normal mode for the "instant feel of negative torque." And driving with the regen off won't impact range, Cansiani noted. "You're not losing a lot of range," he said. "We have blended braking on the Lyriq. The brake pedal, when pressed, will command as much regen as possible. When maxed out, only then will it transition to friction braking." For electric car rookies, there are ways to minimize the shock when driving some EVs on the market. "People who are newer to EVs are not accustomed to how powerful and torquey these things can be," Kim noted, adding that it's relatively easy to get comfortable with the tech. He recommended that drivers set up eco mode in their EVs to make the throttle less sensitive. "It will give you a more relaxed driving style," he said. His other suggestion was that engineers adjust the throttle mapping in an electric vehicle so it more closely mimics how a gasoline-powered car moves and operates. Voelcker said regen braking is different on every EV and some vehicles may be better than others for those with a lead foot. He personally is a fan of the driving technique: "I don't touch the brakes. The car does the braking for you." Worst case scenario for those who are having trouble with the EV's stop-start manner? Shut off the regen entirely, Voelcker said. "It's about muscle control in the foot," he explained. "People who drive gas cars, they don't glide. They accelerate to the stop sign then slam on the brakes." He added, "A lot of motion sickness, honestly, is because of the driver."
A fire burns down a shopping complex housing 1,400 outlets in Poland's capital None - A major fire broke out in a vast shopping complex in the Polish capital that housed some 1,400 shops and service outlets WARSAW, Poland -- A major fire broke out Sunday morning in a vast shopping complex in the Polish capital that housed some 1,400 shops and service outlets and where many of the vendors were from Vietnam. Huge plumes of black smoke could be seen rising over the vast area. The fire department said that more than 80% of the Marywilska 44 shopping complex burned in the Bialoleka district of Warsaw, and that the roof caved in. Police reported no injuries, but traders were in despair at the loss of their livelihoods. The Gazeta Wyborcza daily reported that some Vietnamese vendors wanted to enter to save their goods from the complex, but were blocked by security guards. The Association of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs in Poland said the blaze meant “great financial losses for merchants,” calling it a “terrible tragedy for thousands of merchants and their families.” Chemical and environmental rescue specialists were among the large numbers of rescue officials who took part in the operation. Authorities sent a text message warning Warsaw residents about the fire, and telling them to stay home with the windows closed. Mirbud, an industrial construction company listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, owns the shopping center. Warsaw police said it had begun investigating the blaze, which began at around 3:30 a.m. local time (0130 GMT), but hadn't yet determined the cause. The Warsaw city administration planned on Monday to discuss financial support for the small traders whose livelihoods were destroyed. Shopping centers and large shops are usually closed on Sunday because of a ban on trade imposed by the previous government, which had close ties to the Catholic church. However, small business owners are exempt from the ban, and many of the small shops at the center worked on Sundays.
CNN and ABC Snag the TV Coups of the Year None - All of a sudden on Wednesday morning, the TV booking of the year was up for grabs. Since 1987, presidential debates have been simulcast on every major channel in the country. But President Biden’s shock announcement that he would skip this fall’s preplanned matchups in favor of debates sponsored by individual news outlets sent network executives into a scramble. Such debates typically take months to plan. Instead, in three hours, CNN and ABC News outmaneuvered their rivals to land a pair of prime-time face-offs between Mr. Biden and former President Donald J. Trump that promise enormous ratings and prestige. Given the circumstances, some improvisation was involved. CNN’s chairman, Mark Thompson, was backstage at Madison Square Garden, about to deliver a crucial presentation to network advertisers. He began rewriting his remarks after aides confirmed over the phone that both candidates had agreed to a CNN debate on June 27. Mr. Thompson took out his reading glasses to deliver the announcement onstage, reading from a script scrawled across a creased notecard. Debra OConnell, the head of ABC News, was deep into an annual meeting with regional affiliates when word came in. Because her network also airs major sports and entertainment events, her team had to coordinate with executives at Disney, ABC’s parent company, to find a free night on the schedule. Soon after, ABC announced a Sept. 10 debate.
Sen. Mitt Romney weighs in on Biden and Trump agreeing to debate None - Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, weighed in on President Biden and former President Donald Trump agreeing to participate in general election debates. Romney said he thinks Americans have low expectations for Biden and high expectations for Trump and his competitiveness.May 15, 2024
‘We’ll do what we have to’: Netanyahu on entering Rafah None - ‘We’ll do what we have to’: Netanyahu on entering Rafah As the Biden administration withholds certain weapons from Israel, NBC News international correspondent Raf Sanchez reports on the disagreements between the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a Rafah ground offensive.May 15, 2024
The US says Boeing violated a 2021 settlement. That doesn't mean the company will face charges None - The Justice Department says Boeing has violated terms of a deal that allowed the giant aircraft manufacturer to avoid prosecution for fraud in 2021 The US says Boeing violated a 2021 settlement. That doesn't mean the company will face charges The Justice Department's determination that Boeing violated corporate probation for deceiving federal regulators does not necessarily mean federal prosecutors will revive criminal charges against the giant aircraft manufacturer. But we should know within weeks whether Boeing will face another day in court. The Justice Department said in a court filing Tuesday that Boeing had violated terms of a 2021 settlement that allowed it to avoid prosecution for actions that led up to two deadly crashes involving the company's 737 Max jetliners more than five years ago. Prosecutors indicated they haven’t decided what to do next. What follows is an explanation of the Justice Department’s options and other things to know about the case. The Justice Department says Boeing failed to meet terms of the settlement, which required the company to set up and maintain a program to detect and prevent violations of U.S. anti-fraud laws. Notably, the government did not say whether Boeing actually committed any acts of fraud. The crashes, which happened in Indonesia in 2018 and in Ethiopia in 2019, killed a total of 346 people. After the second one, the Justice Department investigated how Boeing convinced the Federal Aviation Administration to certify the 737 Max. Prosecutors determined that Boeing committed fraud against the United States by deceiving the FAA about elements of a key flight-control system that was later implicated in the crashes. Boeing and the Justice Department secretly negotiated a settlement – called a deferred prosecution agreement – in which Boeing blamed the deception on two low-level employees and agreed to pay $2.5 billion, mostly to its airline customers. In exchange, the government agreed to drop a single criminal count of fraud if Boeing kept clean for three years. The three-year probationary period was about to expire when a door plug on a new 737 Max blew out during Alaska Airlines flight 1282 in January. The incident prompted new investigations of the company, including one by the Justice Department. Accident investigators determined that four bolts that help secure the door plug were missing after the panel was removed for work at a Boeing factory near Seattle. Boeing told federal officials it had no documentation about the repair job. At a meeting last month with families of people killed in the Max crashes, Justice Department officials said Boeing's lack of information could be a violation of the settlement agreement, according to two lawyers who were present. The FBI told passengers on the Alaska flight they might be victims of a crime. The Arlington, Virginia, company disputes the Justice Department’s finding. “We believe that we have honored the terms of that agreement, and look forward to the opportunity to respond to the Department on this issue,” a Boeing spokesperson said in a statement. The company said it has always been transparent in its communications about the agreement, "including in response to (the Justice Department's) questions following the Alaska Airlines 1282 accident.” Boeing has until June 13 to formally respond to the allegation that it violated the deferred prosecution agreement, which was filed in federal district court in Fort Worth, Texas. The Justice Department said it would consider the company's comments “in determining whether to pursue prosecution.” Prosecutors said they would meet in Washington on May 31 with families of passengers who died in the two Max crashes to explain the determination that Boeing has failed to comply with the settlement and get relatives' input. Family members were angry and disappointed after a similar meeting last month. The Justice Department told U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor — who upheld the 2021 agreement — that Boeing could be prosecuted for any crime the government knows about, but it did not say what those might be. The department also did not disclose the alleged actions by the company that prosecutors determined breached the 2021 settlement. Although government prosecutors could revive their original fraud charge, they also may choose to keep Boeing on probation for the 737 Max-related fraud or to ask the judge to permanently dismiss the charge – in effect, ending the case. It would be unusual — but not unprecedented — for the government to call off a corporate plea deal. Last year, Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson pleaded guilty and paid a $206 million criminal penalty after breaking a deferred prosecution agreement. The Justice Department said it would notify the judge of its decision about Boeing no later than July 7.
Edmunds: The five things you need to know before buying your first used Tesla None - Used Teslas aren’t as expensive as you might think, especially with the company’s recent price cuts on its new models Edmunds: The five things you need to know before buying your first used Tesla It’s a good time to be in the market for a used Tesla. Tesla’s significant price cuts over the past year on its new cars have caused the prices of used Teslas to drop significantly. But buying a used Tesla isn’t as straightforward as buying a used Toyota, especially if you’ve never owned one. The car experts at Edmunds outline five general tips for car shoppers who are in the market for a used Tesla. Most shoppers looking for a used Tesla choose between the brand’s two sedans and two SUVs. The Model 3 is Tesla’s smallest and most affordable model. It’s a small sedan that’s about the size of a Honda Civic. The Model Y, Tesla’s most popular model, is a small SUV based on the Model 3 that’s comparable in size to a Toyota RAV4. If the 3 and the Y are too small, or if you want a longer driving range and more power, consider the Model S or Model X. The Model S, which has been on sale the longest, is a sedan roughly the size of a BMW 5 Series. The final model to consider is Tesla’s most expensive, the Model X. If you need an SUV with seating for more than five and like its cool falcon-wing doors, then the X is the Tesla for you. Tesla frequently tinkers with the trim level names, driving ranges, power and features for its vehicles. That makes used Tesla shopping a particular challenge because it can be hard to figure out exactly what you’re getting. For the Model 3 and Y, the base single-motor model is usually called Standard Range or Rear-Wheel Drive. It offers the least range and power. In the middle is the Long Range model, which typically has dual motors for all-wheel drive, more power and the longest range. The top Performance model also has two motors and boasts the most power, but it has less range. In the Model S’ earliest years, they were single-motor models named after the battery pack size, for example, the Model S 60. Tesla later introduced dual-motor all-wheel-drive versions and identified them with a D in the name. Performance versions had a P in the name. Later models were simply called Long Range or Performance. The Plaid is the current performance model, and long-range models are now called All-Wheel Drive. The Model X follows a very similar nomenclature. What happens when you’re looking at a used Tesla and you’re not sure what configuration it is? There’s a menu you can bring up in the vehicle’s touchscreen that will tell you. If you can’t see the vehicle in person, you can input the vehicle’s VIN into the government’s VIN decoder to look up the vehicle’s basic specs, such as its model year and whether it’s a single- or dual-motor. All Teslas come with a four-year/50,000-mile factory warranty. The battery pack and drive unit warranty is the most important and what most Tesla shoppers care about because of the high cost to replace a battery pack. All models come with an eight-year warranty, but depending on the model, the mileage coverage ranges from 100,000 miles to 150,000 miles. Check out Tesla’s vehicle warranty site for full details. An electric vehicle’s battery capacity diminishes slightly with use. That means less driving range over time. It’s not something to be overly worried about; Tesla claims its batteries degrade on average just 12% after 200,000 miles. However, if you’re trying to decide between a few otherwise identical Tesla vehicles, go for the one with the least mileage. There are three ways to buy a used Tesla: directly from Tesla, from a used car dealership, or from a private seller. Buying from Tesla is the best route because the automaker performs a 102-point vehicle inspection and adds a one-year/10,000-mile warranty to the existing factory warranty. And because it’s from Tesla, the listed features are accurate. On the downside, Tesla’s used models can only be purchased online and you can’t test-drive the one you want before purchase. If you go to a used car dealership, you can test-drive the vehicle, but the dealership might not be familiar with Teslas and could inaccurately list its features. Dealerships could also be unfamiliar with Tesla’s electric powertrains, which might affect the accuracy of the inspection they perform. Buying from a private seller might get you a good deal as well as potential insight into how the vehicle was driven and maintained. But buying a vehicle this way can be a hassle. Navigating the used Tesla market can be tricky, but following these tips will help you land the Tesla you want. ____ This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds. Michael Cantu is a contributor at Edmunds.
CEO of Brazil’s oil and gas giant Petrobras steps down following dustup over dividends None - The head of Brazil’s Petrobras is stepping down after a fight over dividends, sending shares of the state-controlled oil and gas giant tumbling CEO of Brazil’s oil and gas giant Petrobras steps down following dustup over dividends RIO DE JANEIRO -- The head of Brazil’s state-controlled oil and gas giant Petrobras has stepped down, the company said Wednesday, following months of tensions with the federal government. Petrobras opted not to pay extraordinary dividends to its shareholders earlier this year, souring relations between Petrobras CEO Jean Paul Prates and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, head of the ruling leftist Workers' Party. Lula had defended that move, calling the market a “voracious dinosaur” after Petrobras' shares plunged following the decision regarding dividends. The company’s shares fell by as much as 9% after the announcement of Prates’ departure, before paring losses. They were down by 7% by Wednesday afternoon. Local newspaper O Globo reported that Lula himself informed Prates of his dismissal. Prates, a former senator for the Workers' Party, will be replaced by engineer and former director of Brazil’s oil and gas regulator ANP, Magda Chambriard. Petrobras appointed the executive director of corporate affairs, Clarice Coppetti, as interim president. Brazil's federal government has a controlling stake in Petrobras, while private investors also hold shares. That often creates a clash of interests between the government and minority shareholders. “Magda Chambriard appears to have a more nationalist vision, that is, of Petrobras serving national interests more than those of shareholders,” said Rafael Schiozer, a finance professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university and think tank. Prates “had a more pro-market vision — he was more concerned with the company’s value creation,” Schiozer added. Chief Financial Officer Sergio Caetano Leite will also step down from his role. Petrobras appointed the current finance executive manager, Carlos Alberto Rechelo Neto, as interim, until the election of a new chief financial officer by the board of directors.
Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill None - Officials say a barge has hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road connecting the city to Pelican Island GALVESTON, Texas -- A barge slammed into a bridge pillar in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a smaller and separate island that is home to a university, officials said. There were no immediate reports of injuries, although officials said one person on the barge was knocked into the water and quickly rescued. The bridge that leads to Pelican Island, north of Galveston, was struck by the barge around 9:50 a.m. when a tugboat backing out of Texas International Terminals, a fuel storage operator next to the bridge, lost control of two barges it was pushing, said David Flores, a bridge superintendent with the Galveston County Navigation District. “The current was very bad, and the tide was high. He lost it,” Flores said. One of the barges hit the bridge and two telephone poles, he said. The accident came weeks after a cargo ship crashed into a support column of the Francis Key Bridge in Baltimore on March 26, killing six construction workers. The accident Wednesday knocked one man off the vessel and into the water, but he was quickly recovered and was not injured, said Galveston County Sheriff's Office Maj. Ray Nolen. The tugboat was pushing bunker barges, which are fuel barges for ships, Flores said. The accident resulted in oil spilling from the barge into the channel off Galveston Bay and crews were working to clean it up, he said. The barge, which is owned by Martin Petroleum, has a 30,000-gallon capacity, but it's not clear how much leaked into the bay, said Galveston County spokesperson Spencer Lewis. He said about 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers) of the waterway were shut down because of the spill. Galveston County Judge Mark Henry said the temporary closure of the waterway should not have a significant impact on water commerce in the area. “This area is somewhat isolated,” Henry told KTRK. “It's not part of the Intracoastal Waterway and it's not part of the Houston Ship Channel. They have other options around this area.” Pelican Island, which is connected to Galveston by the bridge, is home to a large shipyard, Texas A & M University of Galveston, and Seawolf Park, a former immigration station that now attracts tourists to its iconic fishing pier and decommissioned U.S. Navy vessels. There are currently about 180 students, faculty and staff on the university's campus, a spokesperson said. Fire trucks drove over the bridge as workers and law enforcement officials looked at the remnants of the collapsed rail line. Aerial footage showed a large piece of broken concrete and debris from the railroad hanging off the side of the bridge and laying on the barge that officials said rammed into the passageway. Flores said the rail line only serves as protection for the structure and has never been used. A statement posted on the City of Galveston's Facebook page said there were no reports of injuries and that the island is currently inaccessible to car traffic. “Engineers from the Texas Department of Transportation are also enroute to inspect the roadway and determine if there is damage,” the statement said. “The bridge will remain closed until it is deemed safe to use.” Transportation officials were allowing vehicles to exit Pelican Island on Wednesday afternoon, but the bridge remained closed to all other vehicular traffic. Texas A & M directed all non-essential employees at its Galveston campus to leave as soon as possible and said it plans to remain closed until at least Friday. Students who live on campus were allowed to remain there, but university officials warned those who live on campus and leave “should be prepared to remain off campus for an unknown period of time.” Opened in 1960, the Pelican Island Causeway Bridge was rated as “Poor” according to the Federal Highway Administration’s 2023 National Bridge Inventory released last June. The overall rating of a bridge is based on whether the condition of any of its individual components — the deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert, if present — is rated poor or below. In the case of the Pelican Island Causeway Bridge, inspectors rated the deck in “Satisfactory Condition,” the substructure in “Fair Condition” and the superstructure — or the component that absorbs the live traffic load — in “Poor Condition.” The Texas Department of Transportation had been scheduled in the summer of 2025 to begin construction on a project to replace the bridge with a new one. The project was estimated to cost $194 million. In documents provided during a virtual public meeting last year, the department said the bridge has “reached the end of its design lifespan, and needs to be replaced.” The agency said it has spent over $12 million performing maintenance and repairs on the bridge in the past decade. The bridge has one main steel span that measures 164 feet (50 meters), and federal data shows it was last inspected in December 2021. However, it’s unclear from the data if a state inspection took place after the Federal Highway Administration compiled the data. The bridge had an average daily traffic figure of about 9,100 cars and trucks, according to a 2011 estimate. ___ Lozano reported from Houston. Associated Press reporters Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas; Acacia Coronado in Austin, Texas; and Ken Miller in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.
Ohio adult-use marijuana sales approved as part of 2023 ballot measure could begin by mid-June None - COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Recreational marijuana could be available for sale in Ohio by mid-June, after new licensing rules for dispensaries cleared a key legislative hurdle Monday. Adult-use sales have been in limbo in the state since December, when an initiated statute approved by voters went into effect. Ohioans over 21 were immediately able to legally grow and possess cannabis at home, but they had nowhere to legally buy it — prompting concern by Gov. Mike DeWine and some fellow Republicans in the Legislature that openings would be created for a black market. On Monday, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review allowed rules to proceed without objection that clear the way for a dual licensing program that will allow existing medical marijuana dispensaries to also sell non-medical pot products. Jim Canepa, superintendent of the Division of Cannabis Control, said applications will be available by no later than June 7, as the new law requires. “I don't want to give anyone false hopes," he told reporters, when asked whether applications might even be available before then. “We're following the timeline in the initiated statute. We have a small but mighty staff, but there's (a) bandwidth (issue) there.” Canepa didn't want to speculate on how long approval of each application might take, saying it will depend on the circumstances. But Tom Haren, spokesperson for Ohio Cannabis Coaltion and a key backer of last fall's ballot effort, said dispensary operators will be ready right away. He said the Division of Cannabis Control has been ”working tirelessly” over the last several months to meet the deadlines laid out in the law for getting the program up and running, and his members have been trying to match their speed. “Our members have obviously been anticipating the rollout of adult-use sales," he said. “They've been working on getting processes in place, making whatever changes they need to to procedures. We're really excited.” Haren said he anticipates most of Ohio's existing dispensaries will apply to be dual licensees, allowing them to sell both medical and recreational products. Canepa said this is one of several rules packages that must be created to fully implement the program by the final deadline, which is Sept. 7. The new law allows adults 21 and over to buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and to grow up to six plants per individual or 12 plants per household at home. It gave the state nine months to set up a system for legal marijuana purchases, subject to a 10% tax. Sales revenue is to be divided between administrative costs, addiction treatment, municipalities with dispensaries, paying for social equity and jobs programs supporting the cannabis industry itself. Republican state Rep. Jamie Callendar, a long-time supporter of legalizing adult-use cannabis, said the speed with which Cannabis Control, a division of the Ohio Department of Commerce, is gearing up the program validates his contention last year that working through the rules process was better than passing a swiftly negotiated legislative package. DeWine and the Republican-led Ohio Senate struck a deal at the 11th hour on a sweeping rewrite of what voters had approved, angering the issue’s backers and alarming both parties in the House. The bill the Senate passed would have outlawed growing at home, cut the allowable amount of pot that can be possessed to 1 ounce and raised taxes on purchases to 15%. It would also have eliminated tax revenue funding for social equity programs supporting the marijuana industry and direct most of the tax money raised to a general state government fund. But the House adjourned without taking a vote. Callender said legislation will still no doubt be needed to address several issues “not inconsistent with what voters voted on,” such as child safety packaging, prohibiting marketing cannabis to kids, and assuring business owners are protected. “I think at this point we've gotten past a lot of the fears that many of the senators and the Governor's Office had originally, and we've gotten to the point where they're saying, ‘Oh, this is going to work,’” he said.
Son-in-law of top opponent of Venezuela's president pleads guilty to US money laundering charges None - The son-in-law of a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader has pleaded guilty to money laundering charges for his role in a vast bribery conspiracy to siphon over a billion dollars from the state-owned oil company MIAMI -- The son-in-law of a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader has pleaded guilty to money laundering charges for his role in a vast bribery conspiracy to siphon $1.2 billion from the state-owned oil company. As part of his plea agreement announced Tuesday in federal court in Miami, Fernando Vuteff admitted to earning at least $4.1 million from a Spanish real estate company and financial institutions in Europe and Malta used to launder money on behalf of several Venezuelan government insiders. Brian H. Bieber, an attorney for Vuteff, told The Associated Press that his client “accepted full responsibility for his conduct and the role he played in this case” but declined to comment further. The Argentine-born asset manager is the latest caught up in a multiyear investigation, known as Operation Money Flight, targeting corruption inside Venezuela's oil industry, the source of virtually all the OPEC nation's export earnings. Starting in 2006 until around 2018, Vuteff, who is the son-in-law of former Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma, worked with a Swiss banker to recruit wealthy South American clients to offshore accounts in European banks. Among their clients was Raul Gorrin, a powerful media tycoon described in the plea agreement as a “billionaire businessman who was the owner of a Venezuelan television network.” Gorrin was charged separately in 2018 for his role in the alleged conspiracy. According to investigators, the conspirators ginned up a currency-exchange scheme using fake loan agreements with the oil giant PDVSA designed to embezzle between $600 million and $1.2 billion at a time of collapsing production levels. To facilitate the dirty dealmaking, the conspirators paid out millions in bribes, including to family members of one unnamed official identified in Vuteff's plea agreement as “Los Chamos” — Venezuelan slang for “the kids.” The “Chamos” are President Nicolas Maduro's stepsons, two Americans previously told the AP, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the allegations. Vuteff plowed his personal take from the conspiracy into real estate in Miami, Madrid and the capital of Paraguay, as well as a bank account belonging to a shell company in the Caribbean island of Turks and Caicos, according to the plea agreement. Corruption is rampant in Venezuela — the country trails only Somalia in a widely cited ranking of 180 countries for perceived levels of graft — and U.S. prosecutors have uncovered billions in fraud and bribes at PDVSA in recent years. But the Miami probe — the biggest money-laundering case ever lodged against Venezuelan officials and their associates — has slowed of late as several key prosecutors have resigned, the Justice Department has turned its attention to national security probes in China and Russia, and the Biden administration has sought to entice Maduro into allowing free and fair elections. Vuteff's father-in-law, Ledezma, was for years one of Maduro's fiercest opponents, leading massive protests against the self styled socialist leader, before he was arrested in 2015 on allegations he was plotting a coup. He fled house arrest in 2017 and took up residency in Spain. Ledezma, in a statement, said that he was focusing on providing support for his daughter and grandchildren and didn't comment on Vuteff's crimes. “I do not interfere in a process that depends on the judicial administration of a democratic country, whose verdicts must be respected," he said.
Katy Tur: Presence of Trump allies adds ‘mean girl quality’ to the courtroom None - Katy Tur joins Andrea Mitchell and Chris Jansing to share what it was like inside the courtroom - describing the body language and demeanor of both Todd Blanche and Michael Cohen during cross-examination, as well the jurors' reactions and the mood in the room with Trump’s allies present.May 16, 2024
Trump is a ‘hands-on decision-maker’: Stormy Daniels lawyer None - Clark Brewster, the attorney representing Stormy Daniels, joins Katy Tur, Chris Jansing and Andrea Mitchell to dig into Michael Cohen's testimony, saying there is "so much corroborative evidence" of Trump's involvement.May 16, 2024
'Not the end of the story': What to expect in Michael Cohen's re-direct None - 'Not the end of the story': What to expect in Michael Cohen's re-direct Former U.S. attorney Barbara McQuade shares her legal analysis of Michael Cohen’s cross-examination in former President Trump’s criminal trial, saying the prosecution prepared Cohen for the defense’s line of questioning. McQuade also weighs in on what she expects for the prosecution's re-direct.May 16, 2024