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☆ HBO says 'Harry Potter' series will 'benefit' from J.K. Rowling's involvement
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

Two of the biggest Harry Potter fan communities, MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron, denounced Rowling’s views and severed ties with the author’s future projects. On Sept. 10, she posted the U.K. open casting call for the roles of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley to her 14.2 million followers on X. “Every time we sit down to have a fun conversation about Harry Potter, the conversation becomes angry and depressing, and so we end up not publishing,” she says. “There are so many fans who deeply disagree with what Rowling is saying, but still want to engage in the Harry Potter fandom.”Ironically, while Rowling’s actions have undermined many Potter fans’ dedication to her, they also appear to have strengthened those fans’ solidarity with each other. We can love and enjoy that without the author.”The question now is whether HBO can cast the same spell.

Persons: J.K, Rowling, Harry Potter ”, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Eddie Redmayne —, Harry Potter, Francesca Gardiner, Mark Mylod, ”, Casey Bloys, Harry Potter —, “ J.K, Gardiner, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, “, Potter, She’s, It’s, Melissa Anelli, “ Harry, “ It’s, Maggie Smith, Murray, Kat Miller, MuggleNet, Miller, Radcliffe, “ Potter, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, traumatised detransitioners, rebuking John Oliver —, Lumos, Trump, ” Miller, —, Anelli, Tylor Starr, Starr Organizations: Warner Bros, Discovery, ” HBO, J.K, HBO, Potter Locations: “

☆ Vicky Nguyen shares holiday travel safety tips
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Dateline Nbc | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

When it comes to holiday travel, the most wonderful time of the year can feel like the most stressful. Andrea Canning spoke with Today Show Senior Consumer Investigative Correspondent, Vicky Nguyen, on today’s episode of Dateline: True Crime Weekly and got some travel safety tips you can use year round. In that same vein, getting a nice night of sleep ahead of time and making sure that you’ve packed the car. Canning: Um, OK, so if you’re flying, any tips on how to book holiday travel with regards to making sure everything goes smoothly, you’re not scammed in some way? The most dangerous part of booking an air travel vacation or holiday is that scam that you mentioned, Andrea.

Persons: Andrea Canning, Vicky Nguyen, Vicky, Good, Canning, Andrea, you’ve, I’ve, you’re, It’s, There’s, we’ve, it’s, “ We’re, Everyone’s Organizations: Consumer Investigative, Department of Homeland Security, TSA, DMV Locations: It’s

☆ Icelandic volcano erupts for seventh time in a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A volcano near Iceland’s capital erupted late on Wednesday for the seventh time in a year, spewing fountains of lava and smoke, the country’s meteorological office said, but there were no disruptions to air traffic or infrastructure. The eruption started with little warning at 11:14 p.m. local time Wednesday and created a fissure just under two miles long. The activity is estimated to be considerably smaller than the previous eruption in August, Iceland’s meteorological office that monitors seismic activity said. The first signs of an eruption were recorded just 45 minutes before a massive ground fissure was opened by magma forcing its way through the earth’s crust, Iceland’s meteorological office said. However, there had been no noticeable increase in seismic activity in recent weeks, the meteorological office said.

Persons: “, ”, RUV, ” Magnús Tumi, Reykjanes Organizations: Social, Authorities, Civil Protection, Keflavik Locations: Iceland’s, Reykjavik, Grindavik, Iceland

The suits were brought by the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, an advocacy group serving residents of 24 counties in the state. Federal prosecutors have also alleged that tenant screening checks can be discriminatory. Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana“I sent them my expungement records, but I kept getting denied,” Williams recalled in a phone interview. TransUnion settled the suit without admitting or denying the allegations and paid $15 million, the largest amount recovered in a tenant screening matter, the FTC said. “We want safe communities where people can contribute, can build their lives, and that’s what fair housing laws are here to do.”

Persons: Don Mullen, Goldman Sachs, ”, Amy Nelson, we’ve, Brady Ripperger, Ericka Fotsch, Blackstone, Tricon, Marckus Williams, Williams, ” Williams, TransUnion, Nelson, “ Organizations: Blackstone Group, New, Pretium Partners, Goldman, Fair Housing, of Central, ” Staff, of Central Indiana, Tricon, Blackstone, National Consumer Law Center, Progress, of, NBC News, Housing, of Central Indiana “, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial, FTC, Indiana Locations: Indianapolis, California, New York City, of Central Indiana, Indiana, Eastern, of Missouri, Kinloch

Americans will see the new Trump administration enact changes at a pace that is “like nothing you’ve seen in history,” a Trump campaign official said. Trump’s transition team is also fielding requests from overseas to host his first foreign trip. Coming off a decisive victory on Nov. 5, Trump has moved swiftly to build out the Cabinet and a senior White House team that will execute his plans. “The thing to realize is Trump is no dummy,” said Stephen Moore, a senior economic adviser in Trump’s campaign. Noem campaigned for Trump, though a person close to Trump was surprised he tapped her for the job.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Joe Biden’s, Biden, Karoline Leavitt, “, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ron Klain, Donald Trump Jr, Mike Pompeo, “ Don, that’s, ” Trump, ”, Stephen Moore, he’s, ” Moore, Will Trump, We’re, Newt Gingrich, Gingrich, ” Gingrich, Ronald Reagan’s, Chad Wolf, Harris, Kristi Noem, hasn’t, Noem, ’ ” Trump, Grover Cleveland Organizations: WASHINGTON, ., NBC, Trump, Trump’s, White House, Policy Institute, CIA, Security, NBC News, Migration Policy Institute, DHS, Biden, Department of Homeland Security, Cricket, ”, Cleveland Locations: Jan, West Palm Beach , Florida, Ukraine, Russia, Washington, America, South Dakota, U.S, China

☆ Ray Dalio says to understand Trump's 2nd administration, you should study how far-right governments in the 1930s worked
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementRay Dalio said Trump's approach to governance was tried by hard-right states in the 1930s. Dalio, who often publishes personal remarks on the global economy, wrote a LinkedIn commentary on Wednesday with his predictions for a second Trump administration. Advertisement"Think of Gordon Gekko and the perspective he conveyed in his 'greed is good' speech," Dalio wrote of Trump's approach, referring to Michael Douglas' character from "Wall Street," the 1987 film. Dalio wrote that he isn't saying Trump's administration would be fascist or that Trump would behave like fascist leaders. Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesTheir mission, Dalio wrote, is to "create maximum economic strength and fight foreign enemies."

Persons: Ray Dalio, Trump, Donald Trump, Trump's, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Gordon Gekko, Dalio, Michael Douglas, Ramaswamy, Marco Rubio, Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, Brandon Bell, Pete Hegseth, Elise Stefanik Organizations: Bridgewater Associates, of Government, Trump, SpaceX, Fox News, Defense Secretary, New York, United Nations, US Senate, Republican, Business Locations: United States, Washington, China

☆ AI systems could 'turn against humans': Tech pioneer Yoshua Bengio warns of artificial intelligence risks
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Lucy Handley | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Professor Yoshua Bengio, at the One Young World Summit in Montreal, Canada, on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024Famed computer scientist Yoshua Bengio — an artificial intelligence pioneer — has warned of the nascent technology's potential negative effects on society and called for more research to mitigate its risks. Machines could soon have most of the cognitive abilities of humans, he said — artificial general intelligence (AGI) is a type of AI technology that aims to equal or better human intellect. Yoshua Bengio Head of the Montreal Institute for Learning AlgorithmsSuch outcomes are possible within decades, he said. There are arguments to suggest that the way AI machines are currently being trained "would lead to systems that turn against humans," Bengio said. Yoshua Bengio Head of the Montreal Institute for Learning AlgorithmsCompanies developing AI must also be liable for their actions, according to the computer scientist.

Persons: Yoshua Bengio, —, Bengio, CNBC's Tania Bryer, That's, we're, OpenAIhas, It’s, Yoshua, — that's, OpenAI Organizations: Young, Summit, University of Montreal, Montreal Institute, Machines, Intelligence, CNBC, Learning Locations: Montreal, Canada, AGI, U.S, Rwanda, Swiss

☆ Brazil ex-President Jair Bolsonaro indicted over alleged knowledge of coup plot
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Jennifer Hauser | Julia Vargas Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Brazilian authorities have indicted ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, accusing him of “full knowledge” of a 2022 plot to kill his successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and overturn the results of the presidential election. On Thursday, Brazil’s federal police indicted 37 individuals including Bolsonaro, as part of the investigation into the fallout of the 2022 presidential elections, in which Bolsonaro’s bid for reelection was defeated, CNN Brasil reports. Police reportedly allege that Bolsonaro had “full knowledge” of a plan to prevent Lula and his government from taking office after his election victory. Earlier this week, Brazilian police arrested five people, including a former adviser to Bolsonaro, over the alleged plots. In October 2022, Lula narrowly beat Bolsonaro in the presidential election.

Persons: Jair Bolsonaro, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Bolsonaro, Lula, Lula’s, Geraldo Alckmin, Alexandre de Moraes, Moraes, Mário Fernandes –, Bolsonaro’s, Flavio Bolsonaro, ” Organizations: CNN, CNN Brasil, Police, Supreme, Brazilian Locations: Brasilia

☆ McDonald's is bringing back cheap fast food with its McValue menu
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Nora Redmond | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementMcDonald's is launching a new value menu to attract budget-conscious customers in the US. The chain has raised prices in recent years in response to inflation, putting off some customers. McDonald's is preparing to launch its new value menu in the US to win back cash-strapped shoppers. The chain has touted this new menu in recent earnings calls, saying it plans to roll it out in Q1 next year. But McDonald's is investing $100 million to regain trust, per a memo sent to employees seen by CNN.

Persons: McDonald's Organizations: Bloomberg, US Centers for Disease Control, CNN

☆ ‘A lot of fear:’ Trump’s deportation proposals are already rattling workers
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

“People are afraid of walking the streets right now; there’s a lot of fear … a lot of fear,” Sanchez said. “Shrinking worker (supply) in a period in which those sectors need more workers and are having a hard time finding workers will clearly generate a slowdown,” Peri said. Although temporary farm visas — known as H-2A — do exist, there is no legal way to have year-round foreign workers. “We know [undocumented immigrants] are working, they’re not sitting at home,” he said. “The slowing in immigration that’s broadly anticipated will probably show up in tighter labor markets for lower-skilled workers,” he said in an interview.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Sam Sanchez, ”, Sanchez, ” Sanchez, Giovanni Peri, Peri, Ron Estrada, “, ” Estrada, farmworkers, Joe Sohm, Farmworker Justice’s Estrada, Carolinians, they’re, “ They’ve, Biden, Trump, Michael Feroli, Julia Pollak, Scott Olson, it’s, Joe Brusuelas, ” Karoline Leavitt, Vance, Joanne Eriaku, Eriaku, she’s Organizations: CNN, Chicago, Coast Hospitality Group, “, Global Migration, University of California, Davis, UCDavis, Migration Center . Business, Biden, Farmworker, North Carolina Growers Association, Congressional, CBO, JPMorgan, Republican National Convention, RSM, Trump, United Nations, UN, Social Locations: America, Mexico, Little, San Francisco, Chicago, ”, Milwaukee, Chicago’s Little, Springfield , Ohio, New York City, Uganda, Eriaku, Kenya, United States

☆ Trump wants the power to single-handedly choke off government spending. Lawmakers aren't sweating it yet.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementTrump wants the power to refuse to spend federal dollars that Congress has already approved. Impoundment has been floated as one way that Trump could singlehandedly enact DOGE's recommended cuts to the federal budget. Meanwhile, lawmakers on Capitol Hill — including those on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees that control government spending — don't seem concerned about Trump's impoundment power grab just yet. He added that there "would be a problem" if Trump tried to impound funding approved by both chambers of Congress. AdvertisementWhat Trump could do with such sweeping powersEven if Congress won't grant Trump impoundment powers, he has another potentially more attractive avenue — the courts.

Persons: He's, Nixon, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Donald Trump, doesn't, it's, Richard Nixon, Trump, DOGE's, Republican Sen, Shelly Moore Capito, haven't, I've, Robert Aderholt, Rosa DeLauro, Mark Amodei, Joe Morelle, appropriators aren't, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Mark Paoletta, there's, Daniel Schuman, Schuman, shouldn't, Vance, Karoline Leavitt Organizations: Trump, Congress, Department of Government, Capitol, Committees, Republican, West Virginia, Alabama, Democrats, Republicans, Senate, tinker, Nevada Republican, Democratic, GOP, The Washington, Trump administration's Office, Management, American Governance Institute Locations: West, Connecticut, Nevada, New York

☆ Opinion | Don’t Do Trump’s Work for Him on Mass Deportations
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Dara Lind | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Donald Trump’s team has construed his victory as a mandate for carrying out what it has described as mass deportations. The constraints on a mass deportation operation are logistical more than legal. So the question is not whether mass deportation will happen. It’s how big Mr. Trump and his administration will go, and how quickly. How far are they willing to bend or break the rules to make their numbers?

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, Stephen Miller, Tom Homan, Trump’s Organizations: Department of Homeland Security

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Netflix, Alphabet, Nvidia, BJ's Wholesale Club and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Pia Singh | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Nvidia — Shares of the chipmaker dipped about 1% in midday trading, after gyrating earlier in the session. Analysts polled by LSEG had called for earnings of 75 cents per share on $33.16 billion in revenue. Baidu — U.S. shares of the Chinese search engine fell about 5% after Baidu's third-quarter revenue declined by 3% compared to the year-ago period . BJ's Wholesale Club — Shares moved 9% higher after the warehouse club's third-quarter adjusted earnings beat the Street's estimates. The company said it will increase its membership fee and announced plans to repurchase $1 billion shares.

Persons: LSEG, Snowflake, Sridhar Ramaswamy, Merus, Goldman Sachs, — Stocks, Michael Novogratz, MicroStrategy, Miner Mara Holdings, BJ's, PDD, — CNBC's Sean Conlon, Yun Li, Michelle Fox Organizations: Nvidia —, Nvidia, Baidu, Department of Justice, Google, Chrome, Netflix, of America, —, Galaxy Digital, Miner, BJ's Wholesale, PDD Holdings

☆ Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg says the company's staff 'spend more time arguing' than strategizing about how to beat Airbus: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The CEO also spoke with President-elect Donald Trump about the impact of his potential tariffs. Boeing's CEO Kelly Ortberg has a stern warning for his staff — stop squabbling and get to work. During the meeting, Ortberg also told staff not to "sit at the water cooler and bitch about people," per The WSJ's transcription of the recording. AdvertisementThe WSJ also reported that Ortberg has spoken with President-elect Donald Trump about the impact of potential tariffs on Boeing. Ortberg told staff that a potential trade war with China might impact the company's plane exports to Chinese airlines.

Persons: Kelly Ortberg, Ortberg, Donald Trump Organizations: Airbus, WSJ, Boeing, Business Insider, Trump, Seattle Times, Society of Professional Engineering Employees, Aerospace, . Aviation, Avia Solutions, Max Locations: Boeing's hourlong, China, Washington, Oregon

☆ Opinion | Democrats, It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Our Neoliberal Era
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Antonio Delgado | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the months ahead, Democratic Party officials and operatives will analyze election returns and voting patterns to try to make sense of what happened on Election Day. Like Goldwater after 1964, the Democratic Party can seize defeat to establish a new order — but the era of tinkering around the edges is over. Look no further than solid blue New York: Vice President Kamala Harris had the worst statewide performance for a Democrat since 1988. The contemporary Democratic Party emerged from the “greed is good” era of the 1980s in part by co-opting pieces of the Reagan agenda. President Bill Clinton built a coalition — part working class, part Wall Street — that led Democrats back to the White House without redefining the political system.

Persons: Goldwater, Ronald Reagan’s, Donald Trump didn’t, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s, Reagan, Bill Clinton, ” Organizations: Democratic Party, Democratic, Democrat Locations: York, New York City

☆ It looks like Donald Trump will get to fly on his cut-price Air Force One after all
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementDonald Trump renegotiated a deal with Boeing for a new Air Force One in his first term as president. Following years of delays, billions of dollars, and his return to the presidency, Donald Trump is set to fly on the new Air Force One after all. In 2015, the Air Force again chose Boeing to build two new planes, this time based on the larger 747-8. The VC-25B project is known as the "Next Air Force One." Courtesy of the Air ForceWhile the government is paying $3.9 billion for the new jets, Boeing has suffered from the Next Air Force One.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Dennis Muilenburg, Donald J, Boeing's, Joe Biden, Kennedy, Dave Calhoun, wasn't Organizations: Boeing, Air Force One, Next Air Force, Air Force, Force, Trump, ABC, Trump Shuttle, Reuters, Street Journal, Business Locations: Russian, United States

☆ Elon Musk and Grimes have ended their custody dispute in Texas
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementThe Travis County clerk's office told BI Elon Musk and Grimes have ended their custody dispute. Musk sued Grimes in the Texas court last year, and Grimes countersued in San Francisco. Elon Musk and Grimes' legal dispute in Texas over their three children has been resolved. Related VideoRepresentatives for Musk and Grimes did not respond to a request for comment. Musk first filed the custody lawsuit against Grimes in September 2023.

Persons: Grimes, Musk, Grimes countersued, Elon Musk, Claire Boucher Organizations: Elon, Musk, San Francisco Superior Locations: Travis, Texas, San Francisco, Travis County

☆ Billionaire Citadel founder Ken Griffin's advice for Donald Trump: Don't cut taxes, let ambitious immigrants into the US, and hire Apollo CEO Marc Rowan
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Bradley Saacks | Michelle Abrego | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementBillionaire Ken Griffin cautioned the incoming Trump administration from adopting extreme policies. Speaking in New York Thursday, Griffin lauded the work of immigrants and warned against cutting taxes. AdvertisementGriffin's plea to Marc RowanGriffin is not the first Wall Street leader to push for a more moderate immigration and tax policy approach. AdvertisementRoman said that tax cuts and tariffs will increase the government deficit, leaving the Trump administration with less room for error in choosing policies. In a Reuters article two days after the election, an unnamed Wall Street leader hoped Trump's aides would rein in extreme policies that could increase the deficit.

Persons: Ken Griffin, Griffin, Marc Rowan, Donald Trump, I'm, Peng Zhao, Marc Rowan Griffin, Manny Roman, Bloomberg's Erik Schatzker, Trump, Trump's, Rowan Organizations: Trump, Treasury, Billionaire Citadel, Republican Party, Economic, of New, Citadel Securities, Reuters Locations: New York, of New York, American, Illinois, California, Florida

☆ Judge asks if Diddy retroactively wrote 'Legal' on his jail notes to implicate sex-trafficking prosecutors
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The judge in the Sean "Diddy" Combs sex-trafficking case is demanding answers for an apparent discrepancy concerning hand-written notes from the rap mogul's Brooklyn jail cell. AdvertisementNow Combs' judge, US District Court Justice Arun Subramanian, who has been doing some sleuthing into the matter on his own, is weighing in. "The Court notes that the sealed exhibit to the Government's brief at Dkt. 72-1 includes photographs of two intact legal pads taken at the time of the BOP sweep. On Tuesday, Slavik said Combs' jailhouse notes are evidence in an ongoing grand jury investigation into potential obstruction of justice charges.

Persons: Sean, Diddy, Combs, —, Marc Agnifilo, gesturing, Christy Slavik, Arun Subramanian, wasn't, Slavik Organizations: of Prisons, US Locations: Brooklyn, Manhattan, Dkt

She wrote two more bills that same week supporting Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, who were behind two of the biggest US national security leaks of the 21st Century. Both men are broadly seen as enemies of the state within the intelligence community. Gabbard proposed repealing Patriot ActIf confirmed, Gabbard will be the most markedly anti-surveillance official to lead the intelligence community in the post-9/11 era. Some prominent Republicans like former Trump national security adviser John Bolton and former Trump UN ambassador and 2024 GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley have come out against her. Scott Olson/Getty ImagesGabbard is in many ways a stranger to the intelligence community.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, spymaster, Tulsi Gabbard, Daniel Ellsberg, Gabbard, ”, Ellsberg, Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, It’s, MAGA, Trump, Assange, Marco Rubio, Elise Stefanik, Mike Waltz, she’s, scot, Jamil Jaffer, George W, Bush, White, George Mason University’s, Snowden, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Assange —, Sen, Rand Paul, Justin Amash, Matt Gaetz, Gabbard’s Snowden, Bill Pugliano, Tulsi, Drew Angerer, Glenn Gerstell, —, Gerstell, ” Gerstell, She’s, neocons, ” “, Vladimir Putin’s, Biden, “, Hannity, Steven Ferdman, cynically, John Bolton, Nikki Haley, DNI, ” Haley, Hillary Clinton, Assad, Obama, Tom Williams, CNN Gabbard, Bashar Assad, Nancy Pelosi, Gabbard’s, we’ve, Trump’s, Qasem Soleimani, ” ‘, Donald Trump, Scott Olson, Democratic Sen, Chuck Schumer, ” Gabbard Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Pentagon, The New York Times, Washington Post, US, National Intelligence, Republican Party, WikiLeaks, National Security Institute, George, National Security Agency, — Democratic, Trump, FBI, Fox, Patriot, Foreign Intelligence, Congress, Capitol, Defense Department, Democrat, Republican, NATO, Fox News Channel Studios, Trump UN, GOP, blindsided, Hawaii National Guard, House Armed Services Committee, Syrian, ISIS, Democratic Party, Lawmakers, Gabbard Locations: Syria, Ukraine, Russia, Alexandria, —, Washington, Detroit , Michigan, Gabbard, Washington ,, China, Hawaii, American, Moscow, New York City, Kremlin, Iraq, Lebanon, Ohio, La Crosse , Wisconsin, United States

☆ Who is Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon facing a life sentence in a national security trial?
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Now 77, he's facing a life sentence in a national security trial in Hong Kong. I would just relay to him what happened in Hong Kong when he asked me," Lai said in court, per Reuters. This mass sentencing of Hong Kong's activists was also based on charges under Hong Kong's national security law. Related storiesThe imposition of the national security law marked the effective end of Hong Kong's political autonomy from China. "Above all else, the implementation rules have the potential to radically criminalize online speech in Hong Kong," Woodhams said.

Persons: Jimmy Lai, Kong's, Lai, Hong Kong's, Mike Pence Organizations: Hong Kong, Apple, China, White House, Democracy Locations: Hong, Hong Kong, China, Northern California

☆ The US is ramping up sanctions by targeting the last major Russian bank not yet blacklisted
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementThe US levied sanctions on Gazprombank, the last major Russian bank not yet blacklisted. Washington is clamping down on Gazprombank, Russia's last major lender operating free of US sanctions. Up until this point, Washington refrained from sanctions in order to maintain gas flows between Russia and remaining European customers. "Today's sanctions targeting Russia's largest remaining non-designated bank, as well as dozens of other financial institutions and officials in Russia, will further diminish and degrade Russia's war machine," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said. The so-called System for Transfer of Financial Messages is used to evade sanctions and fund Russia's war effort, the US said.

Persons: Russia's, Washington, Janet Yellen, OMV Organizations: Treasury, Treasury Department, Russia, Kremlin Locations: Russian, Russia, Europe, Washington, Ukraine, Austrian

The man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students two years ago may be punished with the death penalty if he is convicted, the trial judge has ruled. Idaho's alternative to the death penalty for a first-degree murder conviction is life in prison with at least 10 years served before becoming eligible for parole. Prosecutors had said in court filings that four aggravating factors exist in the case against Kohberger, who turns 30 on Thursday, making the crime more severe and meriting the death penalty. From top left, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle. A motive remains unclear for the killings of housemates Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, in November 2022.

Persons: Bryan Kohberger's, Steven Hippler, Hippler, Defendant, Prosecutors, Kohberger, Jeff Nye, Nye, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, Xana, Hipple, Thomas Creech, —, Anne Taylor, Taylor, Xana Kernodle, Steve Goncalves, Kaylee Organizations: University of Idaho, Washington State University, NBC News Locations: Boise , Idaho, Idaho, Xana Kernodle . Idaho, Pullman, Washington, Boise, Latah County

☆ Court ruling stops Louisiana from requiring Ten Commandments in classrooms for now
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana’s plan to make all of the state’s public school classrooms post the Ten Commandments next year remains on hold under an order Wednesday by a federal appeals court in New Orleans. The state contends that deGravelles’ order affects only the five school districts that are defendants in a legal challenge. Jeff Landry signed the bill into law in June, prompting a group of Louisiana public school parents of different faiths to sue. Murrill, the Republican attorney general, has said she disagreed with deGravelles’ ruling and that the law is constitutional under Supreme Court precedents. In recent years, similar bills requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms have been proposed in states including Texas, Oklahoma and Utah.

Persons: John deGravelles, deGravelles, “ We’re, ”, Sam Grover, Liz Murrill, ” DeGravelles, Jeff Landry, Murrill Organizations: ORLEANS, U.S, Circuit, Appeals, District, Religion, “, GOP, Republican Gov, Republican Locations: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St, Tammany, Orleans, Vernon, —, Texas , Oklahoma, Utah, Kentucky

Donald Trump's attorneys are demanding the judge who presided over his New York hush money trial and conviction immediately throw out the case, saying it would be "uniquely destabilizing to the country" otherwise. The letter also cited presidential immunity as a reason to dismiss the case, and maintained Trump is already protected by it. "Just as a sitting President is completely immune from any criminal process, so too is President Trump as President-elect," the letter said. The attorneys have argued he can't be sentenced while in office because it would interfere with his constitutional duties. Trump was convicted earlier this year on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels.

Persons: Donald, Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, Judge Juan Merchan, “, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Alvin Bragg's Organizations: Trump, Justice Department's Locations: York, Manhattan

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