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NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing that continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate" granted to Trump by voters last month. They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . People are also reading... “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Merchan hasn’t yet set a timetable for a decision. He could decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. An outright dismissal of the New York case would further lift a legal cloud that at one point carried the prospect of derailing Trump’s political future. Last week, special counsel Jack Smith told courts that he was withdrawing both federal cases against Trump — one charging him with hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate, the other with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost — citing longstanding Justice Department policy that shields a president from indictment while in office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, resulting in a historic verdict that made him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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WASHINGTON: The cryptocurrency industry is pushing President-elect Donald Trump’s team to kick start his promised crypto policy overhaul when he takes office next month with executive orders that would help push tokens mainstream, according to industry officials. Trump plans to issue a flurry of executive orders and directives on everything from immigration to energy on his first day in office on Jan 20, Reuters reported this month. On the campaign trail, Trump courted crypto cash with promises to be a “crypto president,” and the industry wants him to make good on that pledge with executive orders creating a bitcoin stockpile, ensuring the industry can access banking services, and creating a crypto council, the people said. They are pushing for those executive orders within Trump’s first 100 days in office, and expect at least one could come on Jan 20, said two other people with knowledge of the matter. “Given the tenor of the campaign, it would be imperative for executive orders to really set out what the actual priorities will be on day one and provide some kind of roadmap,” said Rebecca Rettig, chief legal and policy officer at crypto company Polygon Labs. Worried about crime and volatility, President Joe Biden’s regulators cracked down on crypto companies, but Trump has pledged to reverse course. His crypto policy team is already taking shape, with the announcement this month of crypto-friendly Securities and Exchange Commission chair Paul Atkins and White House crypto czar David Sacks. “There has been an effort in the Washington bureaucratic swamp to stifle innovation... but President Trump will deliver on his promise to encourage American leadership in crypto,” Trump transition team spokesperson Brian Hughes said in a statement. Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, hit new records above $107,000 this month after Trump reiterated his plan, first unveiled in a speech in July, for a strategic bitcoin reserve. Bitcoin has since fallen back below $100,000. Analysts are divided on whether Trump could use executive powers to create the reserve, potentially via the Treasury Department, or whether an act of Congress would be necessary. One industry group, the Bitcoin Policy Institute, has gone as far as to draft a text of a potential executive order Trump could use to establish such a stockpile. That draft would designate bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset and require the Treasury Secretary to spend $21 billion over a year to amass a national bitcoin stockpile, according to the draft seen by Reuters. Zack Shapiro, the Bitcoin Policy Institute’s head of policy, said the United States should get ahead of geopolitical rivals in monetizing bitcoin, “rather than have the price run up without the United States having any reserves.” He declined to say if the group had shared the draft with Trump’s team. Trump also said in July that he would not let banks “choke” crypto firms out of the traditional financial system, and some executives expect he will also try to address that issue with an executive order. Crypto companies have long complained that banks won’t work with them due to regulatory scrutiny, although regulators say banks are free to lend to crypto firms that follow the law. While an executive order directing bank regulators to go easy on crypto would send a signal to agency officials and provide them with political cover, it’s unlikely to have legal force since federal bank regulators are independent, some executives warned. “(They) are not going to change policy on the ground on day one,” said Jonah Krane, partner at financial firm Klaros Group. “But they will tell you what direction this administration wants to head.” Trump has also said he’ll create a crypto industry council and his team is discussing how to structure and staff it. Previous administrations have stood up specialized councils via executive orders, executives noted. More broadly, Trump could also try to address crypto complaints that existing regulations are not fit for the industry with an executive order articulating core principles for crypto regulation, similar to an order Trump issued in 2017 directing regulators to review banking rules. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you get something like an executive order early on that directs the agencies to re-examine their rules in this space,” Krane added. – Reuters

Columbia defeats Merchant Marine 98-49EastEnders’ Shona McGarty teases soap return to save Bianca and Sonia from killer psycho Reiss for 40th anniversary(Reuters) – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron shared an intense series of handshakes on Saturday, reminiscent of the white-knuckled grip-off that marked a meeting between the two leaders more than seven years ago. Visiting Paris to attend the reopening of the Notre-Dame cathedral, Trump was greeted by Macron at the steps of the Elysee Palace. It was Trump’s first foreign trip since winning the Nov. 5 U.S. election. Exiting his vehicle, Trump pulled Macron’s right hand towards his body as the two hugged and gripped each other with clenched fists, shaking firmly back and forth. While friendly, it appeared both men were holding on tight. As they ascended the steps of the palace and turned again towards the cameras, Trump positioned his hand above Macron’s and pushed down firmly as they locked hands for a second time. The sequence triggered approval from some Trump supporters online, who saw in the president-elect’s actions a concerted attempt to intimidate Macron. “President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake,” an account who goes by the username @BehizyTweets posted on the social media platform X. “Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him.” The two men have a history of intense handshakes. When they met for the first time in May 2017 ahead of a NATO summit in Brussels, each man gripped each other’s right hand so firmly that their knuckles turned white and their jaws seemed to clench as they sat for a face-to-face meeting. Macron told a newspaper in 2017 that the white-knuckle handshake was “not innocent” and “a moment of truth” aimed at showing his U.S. counterpart, whose first term ended in January 2021, that he would not be intimidated. Trump and Macron were joined later on Saturday by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The meeting occurred with world leaders in Paris to celebrate Notre-Dame’s restoration five years after it was ravaged by fire. Trump and Macron shared another firm and prolonged handshake outside the cathedral, though it fell short of the intensity of the 2017 grip-off, according to social media influencer Collin Rugg. “The handshake battle between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron continues,” Rugg posted on X. “Their handshake at the Notre Dame Cathedral lasted for 17 seconds, coming short of their previous record of 29 seconds.”

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Five things to know about Panama Canal, in Trump's sightsA Federal Court judge has dismissed an appeal by a “deeply religious” British Columbia health executive who said he was wrongfully denied employment insurance after being fired three years ago for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Darold Sturgeon was fired as executive director of medical affairs for Interior Health in November 2021 after refusing to get the vaccine based on his Christian beliefs. He applied for employment insurance benefits but was denied due to being fired for “misconduct,” with appeals to two levels of the Social Security Tribunal also failing, leading him to seek a judicial review in Federal Court in August 2023. The ruling says Sturgeon believed the tribunal should have examined his assertion under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that the term “misconduct” did not apply to his case “because he was exercising his freedom of religion.” Justice William Pentney says “recent, abundant and unanimous case law” defined a specific and narrow role for the tribunal’s appeal divisions, focusing on an employee’s conduct, and not justification for and employer’s policies or compliance with the Charter. The ruling says Sturgeon’s appeal fell “outside the mandate” of the tribunal and he could have challenged Interior Health’s mandatory vaccine police “through other avenues.” These included advancing a Charter claim, lodging a wrongful dismissal suit or labour grievance, or complaining to the British Columbia Human Rights Commission. “The point is, there were other avenues available to pursue the Charter question; this decision does not cut off the only avenue of relief,” the ruling says. It added of Sturgeon, who represented himself, that “no one has doubted that he acted based on his understanding of his religious obligations,” and that he had “ably advanced his arguments.” “However, despite his sincere and thoughtful arguments, the binding jurisprudence requires that I find against him,” the ruling says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024.Authentic Thai Flavors Arrive in Westchase with the Launch of Osha Thai Kitchen in Houston

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana closed out a historic regular season with a record-setting performance. Now, the 10th-ranked Hoosiers must play the waiting game to see if they will be in the College Football Playoff mix. Kurtis Rourke threw two of his record-tying six touchdown passes to Elijah Sarratt, Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton each ran for scores and the Hoosiers routed rival Purdue 66-0 to reclaim the Old Oaken Bucket — and perhaps clinch a playoff spot Saturday. “It’s been a great season, these guys have had a lot of success, the leadership has been great and it’s been a great year for Indiana,” coach Curt Cignetti said. “We’re not finished yet and we’re not satisfied.” When Cignetti was asked if Indiana earned a playoff spot, he added: “Yeah, absolutely.” Indiana (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) extended its single-season school record for wins with No. 11 by handing Purdue its most lopsided loss in the 125-game series, breaking the previous mark of 52-7 in 1988. It was also Indiana’s largest home win in the series, surpassing the 37-0 victory in 1917 and the largest league win in school history. The only blemish: Indiana was eliminated from the Big Ten championship game when No. 4 Penn State 44-7 beat Maryland earlier in the day. Indiana running back Justice Ellison dives during the first half of an NCAA college football game against the Purdue, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Bloomington, Ind. Credit: AP/Darron Cummings But that didn’t tarnish the celebration for the team with the most losses in FBS competition at 714. “It was a pretty dominant win,” Cignetti said. “I thought we really played well on defense and we missed some opportunities on offense, but it’s a rivalry game.” Purdue (1-11, 0-9) closed the season with another ugly chapter. The Boilermakers lost their last 11 games, suffered three shutouts and six losses of 35 or more points, including Saturday’s — the most lopsided loss in Purdue history, breaking the 66-7 mark set earlier this season. A worker blows snow cleans snow from the field during the first half of an NCAA college football game between Indiana and Purdue, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Bloomington, Ind. Credit: AP/Darron Cummings Purdue went winless in league play for the fourth time since 1946, failed to beat an FBS foe for just the second time in college football’s modern era and was shut out by Indiana for the first time since 1945. The cold, snowy conditions that forced field crew members to use leaf blowers to clear the hash marks and yard lines during the first half only made the sting of this loss worse. “It was the worst performance offensively that I’ve ever seen,” embattled Purdue coach Ryan Walters said. “We couldn’t do anything. I didn’t see this coming. I thought we had a good week of practice, but when we play top-10 teams, we see how far we have to go.” Ellison's 2-yard run midway through the first quarter gave Indiana the lead. The Hoosiers made it 28-0 with three second-quarter scores — a 14-yard pass from Rourke to Ke'Shawn Williams, an 84-yard TD pass from Rourke to Elijah Sarratt and Lawton's 4-yard run. The Boilermakers never recovered. Rourke was 23 of 31 with 349 yards, becoming the third Indiana player with six TD passes in a game. Sarratt caught eight passes for 165 yards as Indiana outgained Purdue 582-67 in total yards. Boilermakers quarterback Hudson Card was 6 of 13 with 35 yards and one interception. He did not play in the second half. Takeaways Purdue: The Boilermakers added another miserable memory to maybe the worst season in school history: Giving away the Old Oaken Bucket. Now the questions begin. What went wrong? What can be fixed? Will coach Ryan Walters return for his third season? Indiana: The Hoosiers rebounded from their first loss with another good showing. Indiana fixed the blocking miscues that plagued it the previous two weeks and even though the Hoosiers fell just short of playing for a Big Ten title, they still hope to be among the expanded playoff field. Poll implications The zaniness of rivalry week could push Indiana up a few spots, though they're more interested in seeing where the playoff selection committee puts the Hoosiers. Up next Purdue: Winter workouts and spring practice. Indiana: Waits to find out its next opponent and word from the CFP committee.

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