Lopsided loss sinks the reeling Saints further into evaluation mode
NonePDP governors call for unity, economic reforms, justice
NEW YORK (AP) — The founder and former CEO of the failed cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network could face decades in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to federal fraud charges, admitting that he misled customers about the business. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * NEW YORK (AP) — The founder and former CEO of the failed cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network could face decades in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to federal fraud charges, admitting that he misled customers about the business. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? NEW YORK (AP) — The founder and former CEO of the failed cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network could face decades in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to federal fraud charges, admitting that he misled customers about the business. Alexander Mashinsky, 58, of Manhattan, entered the plea in New York federal court to commodities and securities fraud. He admitted illegally manipulating the price of Celsius’s proprietary crypto token while secretly selling his own tokens at inflated prices to pocket about $48 million before Celsius collapsed into bankruptcy in 2022. In court, he admitted that in 2021 he publicly suggested there was regulatory consent for the company’s moves because he knew that customers “would find false comfort” with that. And he said that in 2019, he was selling the crypto tokens even though he told the public that he was not. He said he knew customers would draw false comfort from that too. “I accept full responsibility for my actions,” Mashinsky said of crimes that stretched from 2018 to 2022 as the company pitched itself to customers as a modern-day bank where they could safely deposit crypto assets and earn interest. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release that Mashinsky “orchestrated one of the biggest frauds in the crypto industry” as his company’s assets purportedly grew to about $25 billion at its peak, making it one of the largest crypto platforms in the world. He said Mashinsky used catchy slogans like “Unbank Yourself” to entice prospective customers with a pledge that their money would be as safe in crypto accounts as money would be in a bank. Meanwhile, prosecutors said, Mashinsky and co-conspirators used customer deposits to fund market purchases of the Celsius token to prop up its value. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Machinsky made tens of millions of dollars selling his own CEL tokens at artificially high prices, leaving his customers “holding the bag when the company went bankrupt,” Williams said. An indictment alleged that Mashinsky promoted Celsius through media interviews, his social media accounts and Celsius’ website, along with a weekly “Ask Mashinsky Anything” session broadcast that was posted to Celsius’ website and a YouTube channel. Celsius employees from multiple departments who noticed false and misleading statements in the sessions warned Mashinsky, but they were ignored, the indictment said. A plea agreement Mashinsky made with prosecutors calls for him to be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison and to forfeit over $48 million, which is the amount of money he allegedly made by selling his company’s token. Sentencing was scheduled for April 8. Advertisement AdvertisementAaron Rodgers Reveals How Revamped Jets Coaching Staff Would Impact 2025 Return - Sports IllustratedANKARA Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday said he thinks US President-elect's Donald Trump incoming administration will review its relationship with the PKK terror group. "I think the Trump administration will review its relationship with the PKK (terror group). Because we convey to them at every opportunity how serious we are about this issue," Fidan said during his meeting with journalists in Ankara. On Trump's potential policies after taking office in January, Fidan said: "The impression I got from Trump is that, on certain issues, he will continue his rhetoric but initially leave critical matters to unfold on their own. "He may not make too many radical decisions." On a question about Trump's strategy in Syria and relations with Türkiye, Fidan said: "There are currently not many signs of what Trump will do in Syria. "However, based on some of his approaches during his first term, there are predictions about what he might do today, but I believe that relying solely on this wouldn’t be the most accurate way to think." "As long as the US continues its cooperation with the YPG/PKK (terror group) in Syria, the strategic issue with Türkiye will obviously persist. The US, which follows a security-driven foreign policy, needs to be in the best position to understand Türkiye," he said. Fidan, pointing out that Türkiye will make its stance clear on this issue both through diplomatic moves and its position on the ground, recalled that during Trump’s first term, the US wanted to withdraw from Syria and even attempted to do so. However, he added, the US system at that time did not heed or accept this. "The US sees that we are ready to take every step necessary to ensure our own security in the region. It also sees that we expect a change in their stance on certain issues," the foreign minister said. Fidan emphasized the importance of Türkiye being prepared for every scenario, arguing that his country prefers to address its issues with the Syrian regime in a more structured and diplomatic manner. Recalling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's advanced diplomatic proposal to Syria, Fidan said: "The Syrian side does not seem very willing or open to discussing certain issues, especially during this process." 'We do not want governorship under influence of PKK' Fidan explained that Türkiye has been closely following the situation in Iraq's northern Kirkuk province and is opposed to population and demographic changes. Türkiye has serious contacts with the Iraqi Turkmen Front, he said. Referring to the issue of selecting the governor of Kirkuk, Fidan said: "We do not want to see a governorship in Kirkuk that will be under the influence of the PKK (terror group)." Fidan emphasized that, regardless of the outcome, the rotational governorship agreement and the continuation of Kirkuk’s original components living in the way they have mutually agreed upon must be upheld. In response to a question about whether Iraq is attempting to play a facilitating role in Türkiye-Syria relations, Fidan replied that Iraq does have such an intention. He added that Türkiye would appreciate these efforts and, if Iraq wishes to host such initiatives, Türkiye would be open to it. Türkiye prefers to pursue solution in Cyprus with UN, not EU About the Cyprus issue, Fidan said the EU made a historic mistake on the dispute, and for this reason Türkiye has been compelled to take a position on the matter. He emphasized that Ankara prefers to pursue a solution with the UN and not the EU. Fidan said Türkiye is open to good intentions and seeks a solution that reflects the current practical realities on the island. Nuclear risk in Ukraine war Regarding the Russian president's statements on Ukraine and the country's updated nuclear doctrine, Fidan recalled that Vladimir Putin's mention of a global war is a situation Türkiye has been constantly warning about. He said the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have deepened, and polarization has increased. Fidan said North Korea has become an active party to the war by sending troops, and reminded that the US and Europe have openly taken sides in the conflict by sending weapons. ICC's decision 'historic event' Responding to claims regarding Hamas political bureau's relocation to Türkiye, Fidan said: "As Türkiye, we have denied these rumors." Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman clarified the movement's political bureau had not been moved to Türkiye, adding that Qatar also denied such rumors. Fidan said the US is pressuring Hamas, but current conditions put forward for a cease-fire in Gaza have not yet been accepted by Hamas. Regarding the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Fidan said: "The decision made by the ICC is a historic event." About the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Fidan said an international initiative should be launched to deliver food to the blockaded enclave. *Writing by Muhammed Enes Calli in Istanbul
T he misogyny and anti-trans rhetoric that were hallmarks of the 2024 election campaign have seemingly ramped up since Donald Trump ’s win, prompting some women, queer and trans people to respond by buying guns – and learning how to defend themselves from potential attackers. The Guardian spoke to various Americans from marginalized groups taking firearms classes, arming themselves with stun guns and pepper spray and taking their friends shooting in an effort to protect themselves from bigots they fear will be emboldened by the president-elect’s return to power. A few left-leaning gun clubs say their numbers are increasing dramatically. “I am thinking about carrying every day,” said Ashley Parten, 38, a Douglasville, Georgia, resident who purchased stun guns for herself, her daughter and three nieces after the election. Parten, who is Black and bisexual, is also eyeing a maroon handgun that she plans on buying after taking a firearms class. “We all feel the need to make sure that we’re aware of our surroundings and protect ourselves in general, but even more so now,” she said. Earlier this week, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, in effect targeted Sarah McBride, the first openly trans person elected to Congress, by stating single-sex bathrooms in the Capitol “are reserved for individuals of that biological sex”. Trump, whose campaign released a firehose of anti-trans attack ads , has promised to ban gender-affirming care for minors and “keep men out of women’s sports”. The president-elect and several of his cabinet picks are also facing sexual misconduct allegations; he and his allies have bragged about the overturning of Roe v Wade and denigrated childfree women. “Our identities are politicized every single day,” said Parten. A few days after Trump’s first presidential win in November 2016, Parten said she was filling up with gas in Charleston, South Carolina, when a white man in a red Mga hat shoved her against the pump. She says she elbowed the man and then drove off. “He told me that my N-word president couldn’t protect me any more, because it was Trump country,” she recalled. Some firearms sellers and trainers who serve marginalized groups said they had seen an explosion of interest following the election. “It’s been massively overwhelming,” said Tom Nguyen, founder of LA Progressive Shooters, a gun club that caters to Bipoc and LGBTQ+ people. His beginner pistol course is sold out until June 2025 and he says he’s been “getting more bookings on a daily basis, every single day since the election than I ever have in the past four years that I’ve been doing this work”. The nationwide Liberal Gun Club said it had fielded thousands of new membership requests since the election, about half of which have come from women, with queer and trans people also accounting for a bulk of newcomers. One Wisconsin-based instructor has already trained 100 new members, according to the club spokesperson, Lara Smith. The Pink Pistols, a national gun group catering to LGBTQ+ people, said it had opened six new chapters since the election. Politically motivated gun sales aren’t new, nor are they unique to progressive voters. Barack Obama’s 2008 election resulted in a sustained surge in gun sales throughout his tenure. Just a few days before the election, Michael Cargill, who owns Central Texas Gun Works in Austin, said he saw a spike in sales from conservatives stocking up on firearms and ammo because they believed Kamala Harris winning would result in a second amendment crackdown. (The US vice-president has said she owns a Glock.) Cargill, a Black, gay Republican, said his firearms classes have doubled in size since Trump’s win and are now at capacity. The influx is primarily coming from women and LGBTQ+ people worried about their rights and potential “civil unrest”, he said. The manosphere , an anti-feminist online ecosystem, has embraced Trump’s win with posts celebrating male dominance and the loss of bodily autonomy for women and LGBTQ+ people. Sign up to The Stakes — Presidential Transition We will guide you through the aftermath of the US election and the transition to a Trump presidency after newsletter promotion After the election, the white nationalist podcaster Nick Fuentes wrote on X: “Your body, my choice. Forever.” Smith, the Liberal Gun Club spokesperson, said many new members said the post motivated them to join. “If there’s men out there that really think like that, I want at least a fighting chance if I ever encounter one,” said Kylee Ortega, a 24-year-old Texan who bought a pink stun gun featuring a cartoon Grim Reaper and a strawberry keychain that can be used to stab people. Trans gun enthusiasts and content creators are also hearing from their previously gun-shy friends who want to learn defensive shooting. Jessie McGrath, 63, a lifelong Republican who is trans, grew up around guns on farms in Colorado and Nebraska. She decided to vote for Harris when Republicans started attacking gender-affirming care and “wanting to basically outlaw my ability to exist”. She ended up being a delegate at the Democratic national convention. “Government getting involved in making healthcare decisions is something that I never thought I would see the Republican party doing,” she said. McGrath, a veteran and prosecutor, now splits her time between Los Angeles and Omaha, and said she plans on taking a group of friends shooting when she’s back in Nebraska next month. “I’ve seen a huge uptick in women who don’t like guns who are thinking about at least getting trained on it,” she said. “It is a real, valid feeling that these people have, because the attacks have gotten larger. They’ve gotten more vitriolic.” While many women and LGBTQ+ folks cite protection as a reason for owning a gun, and may feel comforted having one, Harvard University research shows that it’s relatively rare to use a gun in self-defense. A meta-analysis by the University of California, San Francisco found that women with access to firearms are three times more likely to be killed than women who don’t have access. Tacticool Girlfriend, a trans woman and gun YouTuber with more than 62,000 subscribers, said she was concerned that people were panic-buying guns because of Trump’s win. “Guns are not going to answer most of people’s problems, even in the realm of self-defense. Training to use and carry pepper spray and studying martial arts will always be far more practical and useful in everyday self-defense scenarios,” she said, noting that gun ownership is costly in both time and money. “If you can’t dry-fire at least once a week and go out to the range once a month on average, you’re likely to become more of a liability to yourself and everyone around you in the event that you ever needed a gun.”
Offensive struggles have also been a major problem for Inter Milan, with the team often failing to find the back of the net. The absence of a clinical striker has been evident, as the team has struggled to convert their chances into goals. This lack of firepower has put additional pressure on the defense, as they have been forced to try and keep clean sheets in order to secure points.
Leicester set to appoint Van Nistelrooy - reportsHP Inc. HPQ shares are trading lower Wednesday after the company reported its fourth-quarter financial results and issued guidance for the upcoming quarter that fell short of analyst expectations. Here’s what you need to know. What To Know: HP posted adjusted earnings per share of 93 cents for the quarter, which matched the consensus estimate. Revenue came in at $14.05 billion, surpassing the $13.99 billion estimate. The company’s top-line results were up from $13.82 billion reported in the same period last year, according to Benzinga Pro. HP noted that net cash provided by operating activities in the quarter was $1.6 billion. The company also generated $1.5 billion in free cash flow. HP ended the quarter with $7.7 billion in inventory. In addition to the quarterly results, HP announced a 5% increase in its dividend, raising the quarterly payout from $0.2756 to $0.2894 per share. The increased dividend is payable on Jan. 2 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 11. HP projected adjusted earnings of 70 cents to 76 cents per share for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, versus estimates of 85 cents per share. For the full fiscal year, the company forecasted earnings between $3.45 and $3.75 per share, compared to estimates of $3.60 per share. CEO Enrique Lores highlighted revenue growth in the Personal Systems and Print divisions, expressing optimism about the company’s ability to “capitalize on the commercial opportunity and lead the future of work.” Analysts responded to the print by maintaining Neutral ratings and adjusting price targets: Barclays analyst Tim Long maintained an Equal-Weight rating and raised the price target from $32 to $35. TD Cowen analyst Krish Sankar maintained a Hold rating and raised the price target from $32 to $39. Citigroup analyst Asiya Merchant maintained a Neutral rating and lowered the price target from $37 to $36.50. HP Price Action: HP shares were down 12.5% at $34.17 at the time of writing, according to Benzinga Pro. Read Next: Iris Energy, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Urban Outfitters And Other Big Stocks Moving Higher On Wednesday Image via Shutterstock. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.