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Trump Braces For NY Fraud Verdict

Your unbiased daily news brief

Author

James Kratch
February 16, 2024

Good morning and happy Friday! A private moon lander had a successful launch early yesterday morning as it aims to make the first American lunar landing in over 50 years. Meanwhile, pretty much anyone can send anything (within reason) into orbit if they have enough cash. Sent In Space has shot a baby stroller, among other things, into the cosmos so far; the company's founder said missions can cost up to six figures depending on the complexity. Have a great weekend!

In Today’s Brief

  • Kansas City: Dispute led to shooting

  • Ebola: Breakthrough vaccine results

  • Manchin: Continues presidential tease

  • Ford: CEO’s post-strike factory threat

  • CNN: Plans to slash talent salaries

... and more

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Top Tips

1) The Trump show

Former President Donald Trump is riding a legal rollercoaster to end the week.

  • Yesterday: A New York judge said jury selection in Trump's state trial regarding hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels begins March 25. That decision came as Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis testified in a misconduct hearing in Georgia; Trump's state election interference charges are in jeopardy following the revelation Willis had a relationship with the case's appointed prosecutor.

  • Today: A verdict in Trump's New York civil business fraud trial is expected. Trump faces a potential penalty of almost $400M and could be banned from the state's real estate business.

  • Don't forget: The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision on Trump's presidential immunity appeal in his federal election interference relatively soon. If it declines to hear it, that trial could be expedited as well.

2) Elon’s vendetta

Elon Musk is not letting up in his feud with Delaware.

  • Catch up: Many companies are incorporated in the state due to its chancery court system and business-friendly laws. A judge there recently blocked Musk's $56B pay package as Tesla CEO following a shareholder lawsuit.

  • The backlash: The billionaire has pulled his Neuralink and SpaceX holdings out of the state and incorporated them in Texas. He plans a Tesla shareholder vote on a Texas move and has encouraged other companies to follow him and exit Delaware.

  • Big picture: Texas (and other states) were working to challenge Delaware's supremacy before this saga. But experts say it is unlikely Musk will inspire a groundswell that drastically changes where companies are incorporated.

3) Old school

The SAT is on the comeback trail.

  • Catch up: Many colleges and universities stopped requiring standardized testing scores in admissions packages during the coronavirus pandemic. The decision to shelve the SAT and ACT was driven by equity and practicality concerns.

  • But now ... Dartmouth announced it will once again require the scores next year, becoming the first Ivy League school to pivot back. Yale is also considering a return while Georgetown and MIT have already gone back as well.

  • Big picture: Over 2K schools nationwide still do not require the scores, and some experts argue high school GPAs are a better indicator of merit and future success. But Dartmouth said its data suggests the test scores enhanced its selection process, and it seems likely schools will gradually return toward requiring the tests.

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Quick Tips

U.S. News

  • Kansas City police believe a personal dispute led to a deadly shooting at the Chiefs' Super Bowl victory parade. Two juveniles are in custody; an adult was released with no charges (More)

  • Special Counsel Robert Hur will publicly testify at the House Judiciary Committee in March. The White House has criticized Hur's assessment of President Biden's memory in his investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents (More)

  • Illegal migration arrests at the southern border fell 50% MoM in January. There were 125K arrests made after a record-setting 250K in December (More)

World News

  • A new Ebola virus vaccine cuts mortality rates in half. The typical death rate is about 50%; the vaccine appears to be effective when administered after infection (More)

  • Japan and the United Kingdom have entered recessions. The nations' GDP has shrank in consecutive quarters, which is considered the technical definition by economists (More)

  • Seventy-two journalists were killed in Gaza last year after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, according to a press freedom group. Committee to Protect Journalists said it is the most journalists killed in a single country in a year (More)

Campaign News

  • West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin continued to hint at a third-party presidential run during a speech in Ohio. Manchin mentioned Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and former Ohio Sen. Rob Portman as hypothetical running mates (More)

  • Former President Trump is being considered to deliver the Republican response to President Biden's State of the Union address on March 7. Trump is reportedly leaning against it; GOP congressional leadership has the final call (More)

  • South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn confirmed he will run for re-election despite resigning his Democratic House leadership role. Clyburn, 83, was first elected in 1992 (More)

Business & Markets

  • Major indexes closed up yesterday, continuing a rally after Tuesday's sell-off. The S&P 500 closed at a new record high (Dow +0.91%, Nasdaq +0.30%, S&P 500 +0.58%).

  • Ford CEO Jim Farley said the automaker is rethinking where it builds vehicles following last year's UAW strike. Ford employs 57K members of the union; it could shift production to Mexico (More)

  • The Department of Justice plans to scrutinize a sports streaming pact between Disney, FOX and Warner Bros. The three media giants plan to launch the platform later this year (More)

Entertainment & Sports

  • CNN reportedly plans to cut anchor salaries this year to fund new CEO Mark Thompson's overhaul plans. The network reportedly pays $50M annually to its top on-air talents (More)

  • The 2024 Met Gala theme will be "The Garden of Time." The annual event will take place May 6 in New York; the theme is based on a 1962 short story of the same name (More)

  • EA Sports confirmed it will release its first college football video game in 11 years this summer. The developer said a full reveal of College Football '25 will come in May (More)

Quick Hitters

  • Feel Good: Baxter the dog went missing in 2020 while living in Colorado. Four years later, she has been reunited with her owner after being discovered over 500 miles away in New Mexico.

  • Globe Trot: Luisa Yu decided she wanted to visit every country in the world when she was 23. Over a half-century later, she has accomplished a goal that began as an exchange student from the Phillippines.

  • Take Note: Research on lab mice suggests excess zinc in the inner ear causes noise-related hearing issues. Scientists believe drugs that soak up zinc may prevent or even reverse hearing loss from causes such as gunfire or a concert.

  • Very Cool: James Cook creates meticulous drawings ... with a typewriter. His incredible text-based art has earned him worldwide acclaim.

  • Cooking Hack:  Would you like crispier, fluffier crust the next time you make homemade pizza? Add champagne -- or sparking water -- to the dough and be amazed.

  • Be Well: Pop quiz: What’s the body’s most abundant protein? The answer: Collagen. NativePath's Certified Grass-Fed Collagen Powder is made from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows and contains 18 grams of protein per suggested serving. Start incorporating it daily to support skin elasticity, joint health, bone strength, and muscle growth and maintenance.*

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Warner Bros. released a new trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which comes out next month and will see the titans join forces.

Looking Ahead …

We started the newsletter in space and we will end it on the ground. Or, odds are, in the ocean. A defunct European Space Agency satellite will crash back to Earth sometime this month. It's about the size of a school bus and weighs 5K pounds, but scientists expect most of it to burn off before safely landing in a body of water, since that makes up 70% of the planet.

Question of the Day — Friday Trivia Edition

Which astronaut was NOT on Apollo 13?

Choose one ...

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Yesterday’s results:

Where would you put a NBA expansion team?

  • Las Vegas (47%)

  • Seattle (27%)

  • Other* (14%)

  • Mexico City (12%)

* — Boise, Buffalo, Kansas City, Madrid, Montreal, Nashville, Oakland and Nome, Alaska (!) were among the suggestions