Business
Jury Finds Trump Guilty For Sexual Abuse, Awards Accuser $5M
NEW YORK – A jury held Donald Trump accountable for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996, awarding her $5 million in a judgment that could follow the former president as he campaigns for re-election.
The jury returned a split verdict, rejecting Carroll’s claim that she was raped and holding Trump accountable for a lower degree of sexual abuse. The ruling adds to Trump’s legal difficulties while also vindicating Carroll, whose charges Trump had insulted and rejected for years.
She nodded when the decision was read aloud in a federal courtroom in New York City only three hours after deliberations began, then hugged supporters and smiled through tears. Carroll could be heard laughing and crying as the courtroom cleared.
Jurors also judged Trump guilty of defaming Carroll because of her allegations. Jury Trump did not appear at the civil trial and was not there when the judgment was read aloud.
Trump instantly took to Twitter, saying he did not know Carroll and calling the verdict “a disgrace” and “a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time.” He promised to file an appeal.
After the judgment was read, Trump’s lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, shook hands with Carroll and hugged her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan. He told reporters outside the courthouse that the jury’s rejection of the rape claim while finding Trump guilty of sexual abuse was “perplexing” and “strange.”
“Obviously, part of me was very happy that Donald Trump was not labelled a rapist,” he stated.
He justified Trump’s absence by referring to the trial’s “circus atmosphere.” He claimed that having Trump there would create “more of a circus.”
“What else can you say other than ‘I didn’t do it,'” Tacopina replied.
Kaplan said in a written statement that the verdict demonstrated that no one is above the law, “not even the president of the United States.”
Carroll sued Trump to “clear my name and reclaim my life.” Today, Jury the entire globe is aware of this reality. This triumph is for all women who have suffered because they were not believed.”
It was unclear what impact the verdict would have on Trump’s third presidential candidature, if any. He holds a commanding advantage among Republican candidates and has incurred little political consequences in the aftermath of past controversies ranging from the filthy Jury “Access Hollywood” tape to his criminal prosecution in New York.
The jury returned a split verdict.
His Republican opponents remained mute after the verdict, indicating their concern about alienating Trump followers,Jury vital to obtaining the presidential nomination. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, one of the few loud Trump detractors in the race, called the conviction “another Jury example of Donald Trump’s indefensible behaviour.”
Carroll was one of several women who accused Trump of sexual assault or harassment. Jury In a 2019 memoir, she claimed that the Republican raped her in the changing room of a posh Manhattan department shop.
Trump, 76, rejected it, saying he had never met Carroll and had no idea who she was. He has referred to her as a “nut job” who concocted “a fraudulent and false story” to sell a memoir.
Carroll, 79, requested unspecified monetary damages and a retraction of Trump’s allegedly defamatory denials of her claims.
The trial brought up the contentious issue of Trump’s behavior towards women.
Carroll testified for several days, open and at times emotional, and was supported by two friends who claimed that she reported the alleged incident to them shortly afterward.
Jurors also heard from Jessica Leeds, a former stockbroker who said Trump touched her against her will on an airline flight in the 1970s, and Natasha Stoynoff,Jury a journalist who claimed Trump forcibly kissed her when she was interviewing him for a 2005 story.
The jury of six men and three women was also shown a 2005 “Access Hollywood” hot-mic recording of Trump bragging about kissing and grabbing women without their permission.
The Associated Press does not usually name persons who claim to have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Carroll, Leeds, and Stoynoff have.
The ruling comes as Trump confronts an increasing barrage of legal challenges.
He is battling a criminal prosecution in New York involving hush money payments to a porn star. The state attorney general has filed a lawsuit against him, his family, and his company for alleged financial misconduct.
The jury returned a split verdict.
Trump is also dealing with probes into his suspected mismanagement of confidential papers, his behavior during the 2020 election, and his involvement during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurgency at the United States Capitol. Trump denies any wrongdoing in any of these cases.
Carroll, who wrote an advice column for Elle magazine for 27 years, has also written for magazines and “Saturday Night Live.” She and Trump were in overlapping social circles at a 1987 party, where a photo of them and their then-spouses chatting was taken. Trump has stated that he has no recollection of it.
Carroll claims she ended up in a dressing room with Trump after they met at Bergdorf Goodman on an undetermined Thursday evening in the spring of 1996.
Carroll said that they went on an unscheduled trip to the lingerie aisle so he could look for a women’s gift and soon were taunting one other about going on a tiny bodysuit. It appeared to her to be a comedy sketch, similar to her 1986 “Saturday Night Live” sketch in which a man admires himself in a mirror.
However, she claimed that Trump slammed the door, trapped her against a wall, pressed his mouth on hers, ripped her tights down, and raped her as she tried to flee. Carroll claimed she eventually shoved him off with her knee and exited the business.
“I always think back to why I walked in there to get myself into that situation,” she said, her voice shaking, “but I’m proud to say I did get out.”
She never phoned the cops or noted it in her diary. Carroll claimed she remained silent, fearing Trump’s retaliation, embarrassment, and concern that people would hold her responsible for the incident.
The jury gave Carroll $2 million for Trump’s sexual abuse and $20,000 in punitive damages. Jurors awarded $1 million in defamation damages for Trump’s October statement, $1.7 million in reputational damages, and $280,000 in punitive damages.
Tacopina told jurors Carroll made up her charges after seeing a 2012 “Law and Order” episode in which a woman is raped in the dressing room of a Bergdorf Goodman store’s lingerie section.
Carroll “cannot produce any objective evidence to back up her claim because it didn’t happen,” he told the jury. He accused her of “advancing a false rape claim for money, political reasons, and status.”
In questioning Carroll, he sought to doubt her account of fending off the significantly heavier Trump without dropping her bags or ripping her tights and without anyone in the lingerie department hearing or seeing them.
The lawyer pressured her on not yelling, looking for help when fleeing the store, or seeking medical attention, security video, or police, according to her own story.
Carroll chastised him.
“I’m telling you he raped me, whether I screamed or not,” she added.
Since the legal time limit has long passed, Trump cannot be charged with assaulting Carroll.
She filed her legal action as a defamation complaint for similar grounds, claiming that Trump’s insulting denials had subjected her to hostility, damaged her reputation, and harmed her career.
Then, beginning last autumn, New York State allowed victims to sue for sexual assault charges that would otherwise be too late. Carroll was among the first to file a claim.
SOURCE – (AP)
Business
Forced Sale Google Chrome Could Fetch $20 Billion
Antitrust officials in the US could force the sale of Google’s Chrome browser for up to $20 billion, demonstrating the tremendous worth of the world’s most popular web browser.
Bloomberg Intelligence attributes Chrome’s projected worth to its more than 3 billion monthly active users. The US Department of Justice is preparing to request a federal judge order the browser’s separation from Google’s parent company, Alphabet.
Chrome’s worth comes from its overwhelming 61% market share and its crucial role in Google’s advertising ecosystem. User data enables businesses to better target adverts, and the browser also acts as an important distribution mechanism for Google’s AI technologies.
Industry analysts think it may be difficult to find a suitable buyer. While tech behemoths like Amazon could finance the purchase, they would likely face regulatory scrutiny.
AI businesses, such as OpenAI, may emerge as more viable contenders. They could potentially leverage Chrome to broaden their reach and develop an advertising business.
“It’s not directly monetizable,” one analyst told Bloomberg. “It functions as a gateway to other things. It’s unclear how you would assess that in terms of pure revenue generation.”
Google opposes prospective sales, claiming that they will hamper innovation. The firm does not break out Chrome’s revenue individually in its financial filings, even though the browser’s user data plays an important part in the company’s principal revenue stream, advertising.
The DOJ’s suggestion follows Judge Amit Mehta’s August decision that Google had illegally monopolized the search industry. The judge will consider the recommended remedies at a two-week hearing in April 2024, with a final judgment due in August 2025.
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Business
Bitcoin Has Set a New Record And Is Approaching $100,000.
(VOR News) – Bitcoin broke beyond the $98,000 mark for the first time on Thursday as investors awaited Donald Trump’s second term as president. All of this happened during the day. As such, cryptocurrency has reached a significant turning point.
According to Coin Metrics, the top cryptocurrency was trading at $97,541.61 during the most recent trading session. Merchants provided this information. This suggests a price gain of more than three percent during the previous trading session.
When the period began, Bitcoin peaked at $98,367.00.
During the premarket trading session, MicroStrategy, a platform that facilitates cryptocurrency foreign exchange trading and serves as a bitcoin proxy, saw a 13% gain. Coinbase, on the other hand, had a 2% rise during that period. Furthermore, all of these increases occurred simultaneously.
The market value of Mara Holdings increased by 9%, which helped raise the valuation of mining companies overall. This was among the factors that led to the total rise.
Because of the widespread belief that President Trump will usher in a new era of prosperity for cryptocurrencies, one marked by more favorable laws and the possible creation of a national strategic bitcoin reserve, the price of Bitcoin has been rising steadily this month.
The most recent change brought about by the increase was the consequence of higher financing rates and more open interest in the futures market during Asian trading hours. The rise was the catalyst for this change. This action was prompted by the ensuing rush.
Throughout its lifespan, this legislation was the catalyst for this change for a variety of reasons. At the same time, spot market premiums decreased, according to CryptoQuant statistics. All of this happened at the same time.
Furthermore, a number of short liquidations have been sparked by the recent spikes in Bitcoin’s price, which has caused the price to rise overnight. As a result, the price has gone up much more. As a result, the total number of short liquidations has increased.
According to CoinGlass, these liquidations have effectively produced more than $88 million in capital during the last 24 hours.
Rob Ginsberg, an analyst at Wolfe Research, noted in a study released on Wednesday that “historically, following previous movements of this magnitude, Bitcoin has either entered a consolidation phase or disregarded the overbought condition as investors accumulate.” This phrase relates to the fact that this particular move has happened before.
Ginsberg stated this in reference to the evolution of Bitcoin over time.
Ginsberg’s answer makes reference to Bitcoin’s propensity to go through a period of consolidation. The comment also made reference to this.
He said, “Considering we are emerging from an extended consolidation phase and the price has reached a new high, it suggests that the pursuit is underway.”
The crucial psychological milestone of $100,000 is expected to be reached in the upcoming weeks, and this breakthrough could happen as early as Thursday. It seems likely that this level will be reached. There is a chance that this new development will take place.
This task will be carried out against the backdrop of this historical era. In addition, if Trump were to win a second term, federal budget deficits would increase, inflation would likely increase, and the dollar’s position in international affairs would change.
The administration that Trump would run during his presidency would be responsible for these consequences. All of these characteristics would positively impact the value of Bitcoin as a currency if they were taken into account in the order that they are presented.
The price of bitcoin had risen by more than 130% by the beginning of 2024.
SOUREC: CNBC
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Business
Target Struggles in the Third Quarter: Offers Tempered Holiday Outlook and Price Cuts
(VOR News)—Target’s sales rose modestly during the third quarter; nevertheless, profitability declined due to reduced customer spending attributed to inflation and adverse effects from the ongoing costs associated with the October dockworker strike.
Despite ongoing consumer expenditure in the United States, with more prudence, the Minneapolis retailer did not meet Wall Street’s forecasts for the quarter and similarly disappointed industry analysts with its projections for the year’s final quarter.
Target’s price reductions for Christmas products, including a Thanksgiving promotion that lowered the cost of the holiday feast relative to last year’s total, raise concerns about disappointing quarterly results.
Target’s latest quarter sharply contrasts with competitor Walmart, which reported another quarter of exceptional revenues on Tuesday and provided positive forecasts for the forthcoming holiday season. Amazon disclosed last month that its quarterly profits had risen. Amazon surpassed projections with an 11% rise in quarterly revenue.
Target fell over 21%
Chairman and CEO Brian Cornell stated, “We encountered distinct challenges and financial constraints that impacted our overall performance.”
FactSet reports that Target’s net income for the quarter ended November 2 was $854 million, or $1.85 per share, markedly below the anticipated $2.30 and a decline from $971 million, or $2.10 per share, in the same quarter of the previous year.
Despite an increase in sales to $25.67 billion from $25.4 billion the previous year, they fell short of Wall Street’s projections.
Target announced that for the fiscal fourth quarter, it anticipates earnings per share to fall between $1.85 and $2.45. This amount is below the $2.65 per share forecast by analysts surveyed by FactSet.
The retailer announced that in the third quarter, its comparable sales, derived from stores and digital platforms operational for a minimum of one year, increased by 0.3%.
This is inferior to the second quarter’s 2% growth. Several months of decreases, comprising a 3.7% reduction in the first quarter and a 4.4% reduction in the company’s final quarter of 2023, were counterbalanced by the rise in the April–June period.
Cosmetics sales rose by almost 6%, while food, beverages, and necessities such as shampoo experienced gains in the low single digits relative to the previous year.
The positive attributes were negligible. Target’s quarterly customer traffic rose by 2.4%, which, according to Target officials, represents an increase of 10 million sales transactions compared to the previous year. Digital comparable sales rose by 10.8% due to a 20% enhancement in same-day delivery facilitated by the Target Circle loyalty program and double-digit growth in its drive-up service.
Target challenges.
Target’s food and beverage sales constitute under 25% of overall sales, indicating a greater dependence on luxury items such as apparel and accessories.
Target management acknowledged that, like other retailers, the company had to redirect specific items due to the strike of 45,000 dockworkers, the first occurrence since 1977.
The accumulation of commodities in warehouses escalated operational expenses and diminished corporate earnings.
President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to imposing elevated import tariffs is resulting in difficulties for Target and other enterprises. Trump advocates for a 60% tariff on Chinese imports and a 20% levy on all other products. Cornell stated that, despite meticulously monitoring trends, the corporation has prioritized diversifying its supplier network.
“Currently, there exists considerable uncertainty regarding future developments, and we will exercise our flexibility to adapt as necessary,” he stated on the call.
Buyers remain apprehensive due to ongoing uncertainty, as prices, albeit decreasing, remain elevated compared to a few years prior.
“They are exhibiting significant patience, pursuing promotions and outstanding value on essential pantry items,” Cornell stated during a conference call with reporters. “Over the year, they have consistently focused on discretionary categories and are practicing prudent shopping behaviors.”
Target officials indicated a decline in television purchases, although they expressed interest in incorporating candles, frames, and flowers into their home décor.
Target has been reducing prices to boost sales. Last spring, it reduced costs for numerous essentials, including milk and diapers. Almost fifty percent of the numerous goods offered this Christmas are priced below $20. Target is offering a Thanksgiving dinner bundle for four people at $20, which is $5 less than its 2023 Thanksgiving meal package.
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