Tuesday, January 14
The legal battle over Trump’s falsified documents case remains unresolved ahead of the inauguration
Business

The legal battle over Trump’s falsified documents case remains unresolved ahead of the inauguration

A judge has ruled against President-elect Donald Trump's attempts to throw out his guilty plea in a case involving allegations of falsifying business records, a case linked to a controversial payout during his 2016 presidential campaign. The ruling comes in context of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity, raising questions about the broader implications of the case. Judge Juan M. Merchan of Manhattan rejected Trump's bid to overturn his guilty plea, delaying any potential resolution until he takes over the presidency next month. Trump's legal team has argued that the charges should be reconsidered, citing his imminent return to the nation's highest office. However, Merchan argued that the guilty plea would stand, despite Trump's renewed status as the inco...
A US court upholds the law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok under penalty of ban
Technology

A US court upholds the law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok under penalty of ban

A US federal court has upheld legislation requiring Chinese tech giant ByteDance to relinquish ownership of the popular social media platform TikTok in the US by early next year or face a nationwide ban. The ruling marks a significant victory for the Justice Department and critics of TikTok, who have long expressed concern about the app's ties to China. However, the decision constitutes a major setback for ByteDance as it now faces the possibility of losing access to the app's 170 million US users. The ruling raises the likelihood of an unprecedented ban on a social networking app widely used in the United States. ByteDance and TikTok are expected to challenge the decision, potentially sending the case to the U.S. Supreme Court or requesting a new hearing by the full appeals cour...
The US Supreme Court will hear arguments over the federal law that threatens a TikTok ban
Recent news

The US Supreme Court will hear arguments over the federal law that threatens a TikTok ban

The US Supreme Court has announced that it will hear arguments on January 10, 2025 on the constitutionality of a federal law that could ban TikTok in the US unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells the platform. The case raises significant questions about free speech and national security, with implications for TikTok's 170 million U.S. users and its content creators. The law, passed in April with bipartisan support and signed by President Joe Biden, set a Jan. 19 deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a nationwide ban. TikTok has argued that the law violates the First Amendment by unduly restricting free expression. Supreme Court intervention and timing The Supreme Court's decision to hear the case marks a critical moment. While the timing of the final ruling...
Biden sets ambitious emissions reduction target while Trump promises to reverse climate progress
Politics

Biden sets ambitious emissions reduction target while Trump promises to reverse climate progress

President Joe Biden announced a bold plan to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60% by 2035, reaffirming his administration's commitment to fighting global warming. This move comes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office next month, vowing to dismantle much of Biden's climate agenda in favor of policies that promote fossil fuel production. Biden's updated goal, which exceeds his previous commitments, aims to keep the United States on track to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in all sectors of the economy by 2050. The formal commitment, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), it will be submitted to the United Nations under the Paris Climate Agreement. This international agreement, adopted in 2015, requires participating nations to outl...
Nissan and Honda are reportedly considering merging for a competitive advantage in the global auto market
Business

Nissan and Honda are reportedly considering merging for a competitive advantage in the global auto market

Japanese automakers Nissan Motor and Honda Motor are reportedly discussing a potential merger The Nikkei newspaper. The move, which could reshape the global automotive landscape, aims to improve their ability to compete in an industry that is rapidly shifting towards electric vehicles, autonomous technology and intensifying competition from Chinese automakers and Tesla . The report suggests that the two companies are considering operating under a holding company, with plans to formalize their intentions through a memorandum of understanding in the near future. Additionally, the potential merger could bring Mitsubishi Motors, in which Nissan holds a 24% stake, under the same corporate umbrella. If realized, the combined Nissan-Honda-Mitsubishi venture would result in annual sales ...
Biden will visit the Vatican and Italy on his final international trip as president
Recent news

Biden will visit the Vatican and Italy on his final international trip as president

US President Joe Biden will visit the Vatican next month, marking what is likely to be his last international trip as president before his term ends. The White House announced that Biden will travel to Rome from January 9 to 12, where he will meet with Pope Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “President Biden will have an audience with the Pope on January 10 to discuss global efforts to promote peace,” the White House said in a statement. Biden will also meet with Italian leaders to highlight the strong relationship between the United States and Italy. Discussions with Prime Minister Meloni are expected to cover Italy's leadership of the G7 over the past year and focus on key international challenges. This trip reflects Biden's ...
Parliament approves financing law to avoid government shutdown, but battle over debt ceiling looms
Politics

Parliament approves financing law to avoid government shutdown, but battle over debt ceiling looms

The Republican-led US House of Representatives passed legislation on Friday to prevent a government shutdown, rejecting President-elect Donald Trump's calls to include billions of dollars in new funding. The bill, which now moves to the Democratic-controlled Senate, must be approved and signed into law by President Joe Biden before current funding expires at midnight Saturday. The bill passed the House with broad bipartisan support in a 366-34 vote, extending federal funding through March 14. The bill allocates $100 billion for disaster relief and $10 billion for farmers, but excludes controversial provisions, including raising the debt ceiling, a controversial Trump issue. he urged Congress to act before he takes office on January 20. Without action, a government shutdown could ...
US new vehicle sales expected to hit highest levels since 2019 due to falling prices and rising inventories
Business

US new vehicle sales expected to hit highest levels since 2019 due to falling prices and rising inventories

The U.S. auto market is poised for its strongest performance in years, with new vehicle sales expected to rise to levels not seen since 2019. Industry analysts expect a recovery in 2025, driven by improved affordability, lower interest rates and a gradual normalization of the vehicle market. stocks after years of supply chain disruptions and inflated prices. Cox Automotive expects new light-duty vehicle sales to reach 16.3 million units in 2025, slightly ahead of forecasts from S&P Global Mobility and Edmunds, which call for sales of about 16.2 million. These estimates represent a modest increase from this year's expected range of 15.9 to 16 million units, and mark a significant rebound from recent lows, although still below the 17 million vehicles sold in 2019. Jessica Caldwell,...
NBA introduces new All-Star Game format to increase competition and fan engagement
Recent news

NBA introduces new All-Star Game format to increase competition and fan engagement

The NBA All-Star Game is set to undergo another major transformation, as the league announced a new three-team mini-tournament format for this year's event in San Francisco. Featuring the league's top 24 players alongside the team that wins the Rising Stars Challenge, this format marks the third significant change to the All-Star format since 2020. The objective of the championship? To make the event more competitive or, at the very least, more entertaining for the fans watching from home. “I think we've reached a point where the modern All-Star Game is as much about entertainment as it is about competition,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday during an interview with Athletic and other media. Reflecting on last year's game in Indianapolis, which featured high-scoring goal...
Apple accused of monitoring employees and limiting discussions about pay and conditions
Technology

Apple accused of monitoring employees and limiting discussions about pay and conditions

Apple is accused of illegally surveilling the personal devices and iCloud accounts of its employees, particularly when they discuss pay and workplace conditions. A new complaint, filed by Domingo Amar Bhakta in a California state court, accuses the tech giant of requiring employees to install software on personal devices used for work. This software supposedly grants Apple access to sensitive personal data, including emails, photo archives, health information, and even data from “smart home” devices. Bhakta, who works in Apple's digital advertising division and has been with the company since 2020, claims that Apple has strict privacy policies that prevent employees from openly discussing their working conditions. These policies supposedly include restrictions on speaking to the ...