Bankman-Fried charged with using stolen customer funds for $100 million in US political donations
(Reuters) -Sam Bankman-Fried used stolen customer funds to make more than $100 million in campaign contributions ahead of the 2022
2023-08-15 04:15
Husband accused of kidnapping his wife’s lover, beating him to death and hiding body in storage container
A Texas man is accused of kidnapping his wife’s lover before beating him to death, wrapping his body in plastic and hiding him in a storage container. Police say that the violence unfolded after Narciso Cruz Banos found out that his wife Francisca Salazar Carrizales was in a relationship with 32-year-old Francisco Antonio Serrano Romero. Investigators say that the victim was found with his arms bound by a belt and that he had been struck and killed with “a blunt object.” The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says that deputies found the body in a “detached structure” at a property in the city of Tomball after the victim’s wife reported him missing. She raised the alarm after speaking to her husband who sounded injured and told her he was going to stay the night at the house of his boss. Officials say that when she called Mr Banos, he told of the alleged affair and said he had pistol-whipped the victim. “Deputies located a detached structure on the property and found what appeared to be a human body, wrapped in plastic, secured with tape, inside the structure,” authorities stated. Mr Banos, who has lived in the Houston area for 30 years, was booked on Sunday on charges of murder, aggravated kidnapping, and tampering with evidence, namely a human corpse. Francisca Carrizales was also charged with tampering with a human corpse and was booked into the Harris County Jail. Neither Mr Banos nor Ms Carrizales, who have two children together, is a US citizen. A $600,000 bond was set for Mr Banos and a $500,000 bond was set for his wife. He was placed under house arrest and the couple may not have any contact with each other. Read More Oklahoma paediatrician identified as pilot severely injured when plane crashed into power lines Teen missing and several people seriously injured in Lake Austin boat crash Tiffany Gomas: Woman in viral plane rant video shares tearful apology to fellow passengers
2023-08-15 03:48
How -- and when -- is best to donate to those affected by the Maui wildfires?
The destruction and suffering caused by the Maui wildfires in Hawaii prompted many to immediately look for ways to help
2023-08-15 03:21
UBS to pay $1.44 billion to settle 2007 financial crisis-era mortgage fraud case, last of such cases
UBS will pay U.S. authorities $1.44 billion to settle the last lingering legal case over Wall Street’s role in the housing bubble of the early 2000s, which ultimately led to the 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession
2023-08-15 03:18
Nevada Republicans will hold 2024 presidential caucuses on February 8
The Nevada Republican Party will hold its 2024 presidential caucuses on February 8, the party announced Monday.
2023-08-15 02:47
US FDA approves Pfizer's blood cancer therapy
(Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted accelerated approval to Pfizer's therapy for treating patients with a
2023-08-15 02:19
FTX's Bankman-Fried needs depression, ADHD meds in jail, lawyers say
By Luc Cohen Sam Bankman-Fried, the indicted founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, needs access to medications to
2023-08-15 02:17
Biden's climate law has led to 86,000 new jobs and $132 billion in investment, new report says
A year after Democrats passed their sweeping $750 billion climate and health care law, it's leading to a surge of clean energy projects and job creation, according to a recent Bank of America report.
2023-08-15 01:45
Argentina to Devalue Peso by 18% to 350 Per Dollar, Official Says
Argentina’s government finally hit the panic button. After years of trying to avoid a currency devaluation that would
2023-08-15 01:26
Judge rules in favor of young Montana plaintiffs in landmark climate trial
A Montana judge handed a significant victory on Monday to more than a dozen young plaintiffs in the nation's first constitutional climate trial, as extreme weather becomes more deadly and scientists warn the climate crisis is eroding our environment and natural resources.
2023-08-15 01:16
Can Donald Trump pardon himself?
Donald Trump has already been indicted three times this year, twice at the federal level. In April, he was arraigned in New York and pleaded not guilty to state charges after receiving an indictment from Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg accusing him of manipulating his business records to conceal hush money payments allegedly made to porn actress Stormy Daniels in 2016 to stop her discussing an extramarital affair they are said to have had in 2006 in time to derail his presidential run. Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith then handed him a federal indictment in May over his alleged mishandling of classified government documents following the conclusion of his one-term presidency and then another in August over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election result, accusing him of conspiracy to defraud the United States, tampering with a witness and conspiracy against the rights of citizens. In both cases, Mr Trump again pleaded not guilty to all charges. But that’s not all. He could be about to face a fourth indictment, this time from Fani Willis, district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, over his attempts to influence the 2020 vote count in that crucial swing state, which turned blue for Joe Biden and prompted Mr Trump to pressure local secretary of state Brad Raffensperger into helping him “find” the 11,780 ballots he needed to win, a conversation that was recorded and described as “worse than Watergate” by veteran Washington Post journalist Carl Bernstein. While Ms Willis hasn’t confirmed that an indictment will be handed down this week, her earlier statements and security measures surrounding the Fulton County courthouse indicate that movement is imminent in the case. No former or sitting president of the United States has ever been formally charged with a crime before, so for Mr Trump to have received multiple indictments is already history-making, another ignominious claim to fame for the first American commander-in-chief ever to have been impeached twice. The prospect of Mr Trump winning the presidency again in November 2024 and then attempting to use his presidential pardoning powers to excuse himself is a fascinating prospect that could yet become a reality. As president between 2017 and 2021, Mr Trump cheerily used his executive clemency powers to hand out pardons to no fewer than 237 people, from Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio to right-wing content creator Dinesh D’Souza by way of cronies like Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort and George Papadopoulos. Whether he had the authority to pardon himself was a key question at the time he left office in the aftermath of the deadly Capitol riot of 6 January 2021, which, ultimately, never had to be answered because he did not attempt to do so. The broad consensus among legal experts back then was that there was no stipulation in place to actually prohibit such an act but, given that there was no precedent for it either, it would likely be subjected to a lawsuit calling into question its legal validity. While Mr Trump is now a private citizen and therefore has no such powers, he does find himself in the extraordinary position of being thrice-indicted while simultaneously leading the pack for the Republican Party’s nomination to be its candidate for president in 2024, leaving such rivals as Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott and Chris Christie eating his dust in the polls. There is nothing in the US Constitution to stop someone from running a presidential campaign while under indictment or even having been convicted of a crime, although its 14th Amendment does prevent anyone from running who has taken an oath of office and thereafter engaged in “insurrection or rebellion” against the country, which could ultimately cause problems for Mr Trump should he be convicted over Mr Smith’s charges pertaining to the Capitol riot. Unless that comes to pass, however, he is free to run for the White House once more. But what would happen if he were to actually win and attempt to use his reinstated pardoning powers for his own benefit is where matters get really knotty. Firstly, presidential pardons are only applicable to federal crimes. While that means he could potentially absolve himself in the classified documents and 2020 election cases brought by Mr Smith, he could not do the same in the indictment brought by Mr Bragg, which is a state affair. Second, the Constitution bans presidents from pardoning themselves from impeachments, meaning any conduct Mr Trump is found guilty of committing in connection with impeachment would not be eligible for a pardon. Third, any pardon would almost certainly result in a Supreme Court case and the court might not be inclined to side with Mr Trump, despite the current conservative majority on its benches. A Justice Department memo from 1974 stated: “Under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case, the president cannot pardon himself.” While that memo is not law, it could be used to argue for precedent should the situation go to court. Therefore, if a scenario were to arise in which Mr Trump won the 2024 election but was convicted on charges in the state case (a trial is scheduled for March) or in the federal case relating to the Capitol riot, over which he was impeached, he would not be allowed to pardon himself, likely resulting in a massive and costly legal fight to spare him jail time. If he found himself unable to avoid that outcome, the situation would almost certainly lead to a third impeachment or his removal from office via the 25th Amendment, which allows the Cabinet to remove a president who is unable to perform their duties. There are many duties and trappings of the presidency an incarcerated person would simply not be able to carry out from a prison cell, like the viewing of classified materials, to name just one. We are still very much in hypothetical territory at this point, with any potential conviction for Mr Trump still a long way off and little more than a distant possibility. But the conversations he has started with his latest bid for the presidency have already pushed parts of theoretical US constitutional law far further than many experts ever believed they might live to see. Read More Trump judge demands court hearing as Jack Smith and ex-president spar over protective order – latest Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon sides with Trump again in classified documents case Former Republican official in Georgia subpoenaed over Trump efforts to change election result Trump and Biden tied in hypothetical 2024 rematch, poll finds Prosecutors have started presenting Georgia election investigation to grand jury Hunter Biden's lawyers say gun portion of plea deal remains valid after special counsel announcement Trump assails judge in 2020 election case after she warned him not to make inflammatory remarks
2023-08-15 00:58
Biden administration releases 'legal resources' for colleges in response to Supreme Court's affirmative action decision
The Biden administration is releasing new guidance and "legal resources" for colleges and universities that want to ensure student diversity in the admissions process after the Supreme Court gutted affirmative action in June.
2023-08-15 00:54
