DETROIT (AP) — Starting in September of 2027, all new passenger vehicles in the U.S. will have to sound a warning if rear-seat passengers don’t buckle up. Related Articles National News | Knife-wielding man shot inside federal courthouse in Harrisburg, PA National News | Former TV host Carlos Watson gets nearly 10 years in prison in case about failed startup Ozy Media National News | Steve Bannon tells Young Republicans Trump may run in 2028. National News | Hannah Kobayashi returns to U.S. after being located in Mexico: report National News | They died in police custody. Their deaths are attributed to a disputed but ‘very real’ phenomenon called excited delirium. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it finalized the rule, which also requires enhanced warnings when front seat belts aren’t fastened. The agency estimates that the new rule will save 50 lives per year and prevent 500 injuries when fully in effect, according to a statement. The new rule will apply to passenger cars, trucks, buses except for school buses, and multipurpose vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds. Before the rule, seat belt warnings were required only for the driver’s seat. Under the new rule, outboard front-seat passengers also must get a warning if they don’t fasten their belts. Front-center seats will not get a warning because NHTSA found that it wouldn’t be cost effective. The agency said most vehicles already have warnings for the outboard passenger seats. The rule also lengthens the duration of audio and visual warnings for the driver’s seat. The front-seat rules are effective starting Sept. 1 of 2026. Rear passengers consistently use seat belts at a lower rate than front passengers, the agency says. In 2022, front belt use was just under 92%, while rear use dropped to about 82%. About half of automobile passengers who died in crashes two years ago weren’t wearing belts, according to NHTSA data. The seat belt rule is the second significant regulation to come from NHTSA in the past two months. In November the agency bolstered its five-star auto safety ratings to include driver assistance technologies and pedestrian protection. Safety advocates want the Department of Transportation, which includes NHTSA, to finish several more rules before the end of the Biden administration, because President-elect Donald Trump has said he’s against new government regulations. Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, urged the department to approve automatic emergency braking for heavy trucks and technology to prevent impaired driving.EVgo Inc. Announces Secondary Offering of Class A Common Stock
There was no guarantee that report on former Rep. would ever see the light of day, especially once the Florida GOP lawmaker abruptly quit his job last month in Congress. But the public on Monday did get to of allegations that played a role in disqualifying Gaetz from to serve as President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general. In , the committee – which is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats – made Gaetz one of only a few former members whose Ethics Committee investigation was made public after they had resigned from office. The committee said it unearthed "substantial evidence" that Gaetz engaged in "prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use" and obstruction of Congress, including paying for sex with a 17-year-old, though he did not know or ask her age at the time. While Gaetz has been of sexual misconduct in the past, the House Ethics Committee investigation into his conduct was thrown into the spotlight when Trump nominated him to be attorney general in the incoming administration. Senators demanded more information about the allegations against Gaetz as they prepared to consider his nomination, with some Republican senators demanding access to the report as some details leaked to the press. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he would "strongly request" the committee . The panel met to consider whether to release the report and in November. Gaetz shortly afterward. In a second vote earlier this month, quietly joined their Democratic colleagues in supporting its release. "The Committee has typically not released its findings after losing jurisdiction in a matter," the report read. "However, there are a few prior instances where the Committee has determined that it was in the public interest to release its findings even after a Member’s resignation from Congress. The Committee does not do so lightly." Here's what to know about the committee's decision to release the report. It is extremely rare that the House Ethics Committee would release a report on a former member of Congress – so much so that has long been considered a way for members plagued by ethics questions to avoid public release of their alleged wrongdoing. "It's an inducement for members to exit that the reports are not released," said Norm Eisen, former co-counsel to the Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee during then-President Trump's first impeachment. "So it encourages a natural sanction of the offender no longer being in a position of public service." In only a handful of cases, the committee has determined that the information is in the public interest despite the lawmaker no longer serving in Congress. For example, the committee released a report in 1987 a few months after former Rep. Bill Boner, D-Tenn., resigned from Congress to become the . The report indicated Boner had taken bribes and misused campaign funds. In another case, the committee continued to investigate sexual harassment allegations against former , D-N.Y., who resigned in 2020, to determine whether other members covered up his conduct. Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., is a member of the committee who voted for the Gaetz report's release. He told USA TODAY it was important to release the document because "the public had the right to know this sort of thing." In cases where there was a "relatively minor incident" the committee will choose not to release the report, Ivey said, adding: "This was anything but that." It was also important to signal to other House members what is expected of them as a member of Congress, Ivey said. "Our job as the watchmen for the Congress is to let our colleagues know when there's conduct that crosses the line," he said. "So that it gives them guidance as to how they should conduct themselves going forward." Others argued the panel was : Much of the information in the report had already leaked, leaving the public to speculate without the full picture. Gaetz and Trump "put these issues in the public eye" by putting him up for attorney general, Eisen said. "They open Pandora's Box, some of the details came out, so at that point it's hard to close Pandora's Box back up." Ethics Committee Chair Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., penned an addendum to the report explaining why several committee members voted against releasing the document. Guest and his other like-minded GOP members "do not challenge the committee's findings," he wrote, but "we take great exception" to the decision to deviate from "well-established standards" and release a report on someone who no longer serves in the House. Doing so is "extremely rare," Guest argued, and may be perceived as an attempt to "weaponize" the committee's investigation process. Releasing the report, he added, was "a dangerous departure with potentially catastrophic consequences." Gaetz has and attacked the credibility of the Ethics Committee. On Monday, he published a series of posts on X with snippets of witness testimony that he argued refute the committee's findings. “Giving funds to someone you are dating - that they didn’t ask for - and that isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?” . “There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses.” The former Florida GOP lawmaker made in federal court Monday to block the committee's release of the findings, claiming the committee was outside of its jurisdiction. But while Gaetz sought a temporary restraining order Monday morning to prevent the report being released, the judge in the case asked Gaetz an hour later to explain why the case was still relevant once the materials were public. Monday evening, Gaetz's attorneys acknowledging that he "has no suffered irreversible and irreparable harm" and agrees with the judge that immediate action is no longer relevant.AUSTIN, TX - JULY 08: Texas Speaker of the House Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, gavels in the 87th Legislature's special session in the House chamber at the State Capitol on July 8, 2021 in Austin, Texas. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott called the legislature Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan decided against running for a third term amid a challenge from others inside the Beaumont Republican's own party. Phelan's tenure as speaker was often criticized by members of his own party, who said he was too moderate for the position. Phelan was getting ready to face a challenge from the more conservative side of the party from Rep. David Cook. Phelan has often been at odds with Texas Republican leaders for his actions during recent sessions, including not pushing through Gov. Abbott's school voucher plan, pushing a different tax cut plan in the House from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the House impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton, which ended in an acquittal in the Texas Senate. Questions swirled about Phelan's chances of even holding onto the speakership even before the decision to drop out, though he appeared ready to fight to keep the position. The speaker presides over the Texas House of Representatives much like the speaker in the U.S. House of Representatives. The speaker is tasked with maintaining order on the House floor during debates, recognizing members who want to speak and ruling on procedural matters . Under the Texas Constitution, the speaker signs all bills and joint resolutions passed by the legislature. Speakers still maintain their status as a member of the Texas House and are allowed to vote on questions presented in the House. The speaker still represents the people in his or her district. Once a speaker has been decided, they are responsible for appointing members to committees and designating the chair and vice chair of those committees. The speaker directs all legislation to the proper committees and can appoint conference committees, establish select committees and direct committees to conduct interim studies when the House is not in session. Becoming speaker requires a majority vote from House members. Currently, the Texas House consists of 150 members. In January, the House will be made up of 88 Republicans and 62 Democrats. The new speaker will need at least 76 votes. At the beginning of each legislative session, the current Secretary of State calls the House to order and gives the oath of office to its members. Representatives then nominate speaker candidates and vote. Once the vote is finished, the new speaker takes another oath, and addresses the House floor. Letters are then sent to the Senate and the Governor that state the House is ready to begin. Traditionally, the vote for Texas House speaker has been mostly a formality. Despite recent events suggesting otherwise, Phelan won both of his speaker terms with overwhelming support. In 2023, Phelan received 145 votes to Tony Tinderhold's three. The 89th Legislative Session begins Jan. 14, 2025. Information in this article comes from the Texas House of Representatives.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Next stop: the National Football League. Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III declared for the NFL draft on Monday, two days after playing in what was likely his final collegiate game. He's heading to the professional ranks early, where he's projected to be one of the first players taken in the upcoming draft. "As a kid from St. Louis, it has always been my dream to play in (the) NFL," Burden wrote in an announcement posted to social media. "I am blessed to have a family and community that have helped support this dream and fuel me to put in the work in pursuit of this goal." Burden has been Mizzou's most transformational player in recent years, a five-star prospect who picked his home state school, starred on a national stage and signed high-visibility name, image and likeness deals. “The legacy of Luther Burden,” Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said Saturday, “is going to be the monumental decision he made to come to the University of Missouri, when nobody else thought he should have. His trajectory changed the program’s." In high school, Burden starred for Cardinal Ritter and, for his senior year, East St. Louis, where he was the St. Louis Post-Dispatch co-offensive player of the year after a senior season that included 34 total touchdowns. Recruiting services made Burden one of the premier prospects in his class. When he committed to Mizzou in October 2021, Burden became just the third consensus five-star recruit to do so, following fellow wide receiver Dorial Green Beckham and defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, who later slipped to four-star status after starting at the junior college level. "I just want to start a trend in St. Louis for the younger people," Burden said at his commitment ceremony. "Start a trend to stay home and take our talents to Missouri.” Burden contributed immediately, scoring nine total touchdowns — including one punt return — during his freshman season. Last year's overall breakout for Missouri saw Burden catch 86 passes for 1,212 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. That campaign placed Burden third in MU program history for receiving yards in a single season, trailing Danario Alexander's 2009 season and Jeremy Maclin's 2008 run. Despite entering the 2024 season as a front-runner for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's top receiver, and in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy, Burden had a more subdued campaign with 61 catches, the most on the team, and 676 receiving yards. With 192 career receptions, Burden is fourth in program history. His one catch in the Tigers' Saturday win over Arkansas broke a tie in the record books with Alexander. Off the field, he made waves for Missouri in the NIL space. A line of Burden-branded potato chips steadily expanded in flavors and popularity over the course of his college career. He recently appeared in an ad for Nautica's fall clothing line alongside Louisiana State gymnast-turned-model Olivia "Livvy" Dunne. Burden, a junior, walked in Mizzou's Senior Day ceremony held before that snowy game Saturday against the Razorbacks. It seemed to be a clear sign that Burden would be answering the NFL's call sooner rather than later. "While this decision is a step toward my professional future, it is by no means the end of my relationship with Mizzou," Burden wrote. "I will always carry a piece of this university with me, and I will continue to represent Mizzou with pride as I pursue my dreams. MIZ. Just call 3." The league requires players to spend at least three seasons in college ranks, so this is the earliest Burden can enter the draft. The scouting and draft cycle will pick up steam as college and professional seasons end, but early projections show Burden going solidly in the first round — with a significant chance of being a top-10 pick. Burden's draft declaration will almost certainly lead to him opting out of Missouri's bowl game, of which the date, location and opponent will be announced on Dec. 8. The risk of injury in a game with little incentive will likely keep Burden off the field to protect his chances in the draft. Mizzou could see a couple of other players declare early for the draft during the next month. For some, it's a way to test the waters and the viability of their opportunities at the next level before ultimately withdrawing from the draft and returning to college, if nothing else ©2024 STLtoday.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Mustapha Gbande, the Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has expressed confidence that Ghanaians will vote John Dramani Mahama back into power in the upcoming presidential election. In an interview with Kemini Amanor on Ghana Tonight , Gbande argued that Ghanaians are frustrated with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and are eager for a change. He pointed to a sense of renewed hope among the youth and a widespread desire for a different direction. “I see hope and restoration in the eyes of Ghanaians,” Gbande said. “The youth are reinvigorated by the new hope emerging from the wind of change. Ghanaians are fed up; they believe they have had enough and are eager to experience something new.” Despite this optimism, Gbande voiced concerns over the NDC’s ability to protect every vote on December 7, 2024. He referenced issues raised by the party’s flagbearer, John Mahama, who has highlighted the circulation of fake ballot papers as a potential threat to the election’s integrity. Gbande also criticized the NPP for alleged corruption and inefficiency, claiming that many Ghanaians are disillusioned with the current administration. He believes this growing frustration is evident in the large crowds attending NDC rallies, signaling widespread support for Mahama’s return to power. As Ghanaians head to the polls tomorrow, Gbande’s comments reflect the strong sentiment of change within the electorate, as Mahama seeks a political comeback after serving as president from 2012 to 2016.UP bypolls: Yogi Adityanath asserts authority with 7-2 victory; 'batenge to katenge" to remain central theme
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The WNBA isn't slowing down any time soon. Fresh off a historic season, the league is ready for more in 2025. Leading the way once again are the Fever. Caitlin Clark will lead Indiana in her second year in the league, but it's not the Iowa product that turned heads during the offseason. Stephanie White, former Fever star and coach, returns after two seasons in Connecticut. The 2023 Coach of the Year will be tasked with building the young, promising squad. Clark, last season's Rookie of the Year, will once again team up with 2023 ROTY Aliyah Boston and All-Star Kelsey Mitchell as the Fever try to capitalize on their recent playoff appearance. It all starts May 17 when Indiana hosts newly-formed rival Chicago. The Fever will certainly bring the heat in 2025. To be part of the action, here's how to get tickets to every game of the season. BUY NOW : Get tickets to every Indiana Fever game in 2025 on StubHub Fever tickets 2025 Tickets : StubHub Tickets for the Fever 2025 season are available now on StubHub . It's safe to say their home-opener against the Sky on May 17 is the most anticipated game so far as fans prepare for the latest matchup between Clark and Angel Reese. Currently, the cheapest passes for the game are $190. Their game on May 24 against the defending champions, the Liberty , has a get-in price of $120. More passes and seats will be released for every game in the coming weeks. But for those that don't want to wait, now's the time to grab those tickets. Click the link below to view more prices for every Fever game in 2025. BUY NOW : Best prices, seats for every Fever WNBA game in 2025 Gainbridge Fieldhouse seat map Fever schedule 2025 Indiana begins its 2025 run on May 17 with a home game against Chicago. A 44-game season, expanded from last season, the Fever wrap up the season against Minnesota on Sept. 9 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. With over four months of matchups, there's plenty of opportunity to catch the Fever in action next season. Here's a full look at their schedule so you can make game plans now. Date Game Time (ET) Tickets Sat., May 17 vs. Sky 1 p.m. Buy now Tues., May 20 vs. Dream 7 p.m. Buy now Thurs., May 22 at Dream 7:30 p.m. Buy now Sat., May 24 vs. Liberty 1 p.m. Buy now Wed., May 28 at Mystics 7:30 p.m. Buy now Fri., May 30 vs. Sun 7:30 p.m. Buy now Tues., June 3 vs. Mystics* 7 p.m. Buy now Sat., June 7 at Sky* 8 p.m. Buy now Tues., June 10 at Dream* 7:30 p.m. Buy now Sat., June 14 vs. Liberty* 3 p.m. Buy now Tues., June 17 vs. Sun* 7 p.m. Buy now Thurs., June 19 at Valkyries 10 p.m. Buy now Sun., June 22 at Aces 3 p.m. Buy now Tues., June 24 at Storm 10 p.m. Buy now Thurs., June 26 vs. Sparks 7 p.m. Buy now Fri., June 27 at Wings 7::30 p.m. Buy now Thurs., July 3 vs. Aces 7 p.m. Buy now Sat., July 5 vs. Sparks 7 p.m. Buy now Wed., July 9 vs. Valkyries Noon Buy now Fri., July 11 vs. Dream 7:30 p.m. Buy now Sun., July 13 vs. Wings 1 p.m. Buy now Tues., July 15 at Sun 8 p.m. Buy now Wed., July 16 at Liberty 7:30 p.m. Buy now July 18-19 WNBA All-Star – – Tues., July 22 at Liberty 8 p.m. Buy now Thurs., July 24 vs. Aces 7 p.m. Buy now Sat., July 26 at Sky 3 p.m. Buy now Wed., July 30 vs. Mercury 7 p.m. Buy now Fri., Aug. 1 at Wings 7:30 p.m. Buy now Sun., Aug. 3 at Storm 6 p.m. Buy now Tues., Aug. 5 at Sparks 10 p.m. Buy now Thurs., Aug. 7 at Mercury 10 p.m. Buy now Sat., Aug. 9 vs. Sky 8 p.m. Buy now Tues., Aug. 12 vs. Wings 8 p.m. Buy now Fri., Aug. 15 vs. Mystics 7:30 p.m. Buy now Sun., Aug. 17 at Sun 3:30 p.m. Buy now Fri., Aug. 22 vs. Lynx 7:30 p.m. Buy now Sun., Aug. 24 at Lynx 7 p.m. Buy now Tues., Aug. 26 vs. Storm 7 p.m. Buy now Fri., Aug. 29 at Sparks 10 p.m. Buy now Sun., Aug. 31 at Valkyries 8:30 p.m. Buy now Tues., Sept. 2 at Mercury 10 p.m. Buy now Fri., Sept. 5 vs. Sky 7:30 p.m. Buy now Sun., Sept. 7 at Mystics 3 p.m. Buy now Tues., Sept. 9 vs. Lynx 7:30 p.m. Buy now *Commissioner's Cup games If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Learn more >
At today’s morning skate, Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed that goaltender Thatcher Demko will be returning to action as a backup for tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. This will be Demko’s first time suiting up for an NHL game since he was sidelined with an injury back in the first round of the 2024 Playoffs against the Nashville Predators. Since his injury, the Canucks have tried several different options in net and found a useful one in the offseason by signing Kevin Lankinen. Lankinen has been exactly what the Canucks have needed in the absence of their starting goalie and has a 12-3-3 record and a spot on Finland’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off . With Demko finally returning, this will bring stability to the Canucks crease and the two goalies could be one of the best tandems in the league. Demko’s Return Is What the Canucks Need Demko’s play in the net is exactly what the Canucks need to climb back up in the standings. The American netminder has been the Canucks’ staple in the crease for almost the past five seasons and was a big reason for their success last regular season. He helped lead the Canucks to a first-place finish in their division and had he not gotten hurt in the first round, maybe the team could have beaten the Edmonton Oilers and gone farther than the second round. He now returns to Vancouver’s lineup with the Canucks in a comfortable position as the third-place team in the Pacific Division and with his goaltending partner Lankinen stealing games for the Canucks. With Demko now returning, the Canucks have a great opportunity to have one of the top goaltending tandems in the NHL. The team’s plan will most likely be to send Arturs Silovs down to the American Hockey League (AHL) so he can play some games with the Abbotsford Canucks and Vancouver will run with Demko and Lankinen as their two goalies. If they play up to their potential, both are starting-calibre goaltenders in the NHL. Lankinen has proven this season that he is far and away the Canucks best goalie when Demko is hurt and Demko has been Vancouver’s starting goalie for the past several years. This tandem could be what pushes the Canucks back into the conversation of Stanley Cup contenders as these two goalies will help them win games and will give them saves that perhaps they were not getting when Demo was out. Perfect Timing This news couldn’t have come at a better time for the Canucks. The team has been treading water for most of the season and hasn’t been able to string together a solid win streak since winning four games in a row back in October. The club hasn’t met that same success since the season started and some of that has been due to their goaltending situation as Silovs has not played as he did during the playoffs last season. With Demko arriving now, the Canucks are primed to start rattling off some wins in consecutive order and get back to being one of the top teams in the Western Conference. The best teams in the modern NHL are the ones that have two goalies who could be starters or at least two that you feel comfortable playing in front of. The best example of this was when the Boston Bruins had Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark as their tandem for the past two seasons. In 2022-23, they both helped the Bruins set the record for most wins in a single season and both goalies were a big reason for it as the players in front of them knew that the person between their goalposts could give them a chance to win. If Lankinen and Demko can be close to as good as those two were, the Canucks are going to shoot up the standings and be a much better team than they have shown so far this season. Demko’s return will be a boost to the Canucks as he is a veteran on the team but it will also help them win more games. If he can work well with Lankinen and become a good tandem with him, Vancouver is primed for another run at the Stanley Cup. This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.
With 7,042 cases, Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra reported the highest number of forest fire incidents in the country. The fire incidents were detected with the help of the SNPP-VIIRS system by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) between November 2023 to June 2024. Meanwhile, with 16,008 similar occurrences reported between November 2023 and June 2024, Maharashtra ranks fifth among the states with the highest number of forest fire incidents reported. The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MOEFCC) recently published a report titled ‘India State of Forest Report 2023’ (ISFR 2023) on Saturday, December 21, which provided detailed information about the forest fire incidents detected in the country. According to the report’s statistics, the number of fire hotspots detected by the SNPP-VIIRS sensor during the 2023-24 season was 2,03,544, compared to 2,23,333 in the 2021-22 season and 2,12,249 in the 2022-23 season. The top three states with the most fire incidents in the 2023-24 season were Uttarakhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. In this report, the ministry also shared details of the burnt area assessment, which was carried out to assess forest areas affected by forest fires and damage to forest and biodiversity. Remote sensing and GIS techniques are being actively used for real-time forest fire monitoring and damage assessment. Multi-temporal satellite data plays an important role in the identification of the changes in forests. As per the data, Maharashtra reported the second-highest burnt area in the country at 4095 km2. The highest burnt area was reported in Andhra Pradesh as 5286.76 km2. Between November 2023 and June 2024. This assessment showed that nearly 93% of the fires observed are surface fires and are classified as low-burnt areas. The ministry is likely to publish a detailed State/UT-wise analysis of burnt areas and their severity classes, fuel load estimates, and fire risk zones in a separate report. Forest fire alerts have become one of the most important activities of FSI. Pre-fire alerts, near real-time alerts, have been sent for several years. Since 2004, the Forest Survey of India (FSI) has been alerting the State Forest Departments and other agencies regarding forest fire detections using remote sensing and the latest information technology. In Maharashtra, 9,671 people who have subscribed to the fire alert message service received the alert warning between November 2023 and June 2024. Stating the significance of this report Anoop Singh, director general, FSI, said, “In the report on forest fire, we have given information on forest fires in 705 protected areas for the first time. Similarly, burnt area assessment has been done for the first time at the national level and can support course correction for the policymakers.”
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AST SpaceMobile ( ASTS 12.48% ) stock posted big gains in Friday's trading. The company's share price ended the day up 12.5% and had been up as much as 13.9% earlier in the daily session. The S&P 500 index closed out the day up roughly 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite index ended the day up 0.8%. AST SpaceMobile stock gained ground today as investors reacted to President-elect Trump's selection of Jared Isaacman to head NASA. The pick has investors feeling even more bullish about the already red-hot space industry . Trump's NASA pick pushes space stocks higher On Thursday, president-elect Trump nominated Jared Isaacman to lead NASA under his incoming administration. Isaacman has accepted Trump's nomination and said that he foresees a "thriving space economy" and hopes to make major progress on spacefaring capabilities during his anticipated tenure at NASA. Isaacman is a tech billionaire and the CEO of Shift4 Payments and has flown on two private space flights. He is also an associate of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The pick is being broadly interpreted as a sign that the Trump administration will be supportive of space commercialization efforts and that NASA will expand on its already strengthening relationships with private-sector service providers. Is Musk's influence in the new Trump administration a risk for AST SpaceMobile? Elon Musk's SpaceX company has already been becoming an increasingly central partner and service provider for NASA, and the tech executive is poised to have even greater influence under the incoming Trump administration. As a provider of satellite-based telecommunications services through its Starlink platform, SpaceX is a competitor of AST SpaceMobile. However, Musk's influence and the appointment of Jared Isaacman as head of NASA could actually wind up being a net benefit for AST. There's room for more than one winner in the space-based telecom category, and increased space-commercialization efforts are likely to benefit early leaders in the category. While it's far too early to bake in major performance improvements due to the incoming presidential administration, new NASA leadership, and other politically adjacent factors, the overall operating backdrop appears to be shifting in ways that have the potential to be bullish catalysts for AST stock.
THE HAGUE (AP) — The world’s top war-crimes court issued arrest warrants Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the 13-month war in Gaza. The warrants said there was reason to believe Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and have intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. The action by the International Criminal Court came as the death toll from Israel’s campaign in Gaza passed 44,000 people, according to local health authorities, who say more than half of those killed were women and children. Their count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Experts say hunger has become widespread across Gaza and may have reached famine levels in the north of the territory, which is under siege by Israeli troops. Israel says it has been working hard to improve entry of aid, though the trickle of supplies into Gaza remains near the lowest levels of the war. Netanyahu condemned the warrant against him, saying Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions” by the court. In a statement released by his office, he said: “There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza.” Gallant, in a statement, said the decision "sets a dangerous precedent against the right to self-defense and moral warfare and encourages murderous terrorism.” The warrant marked the first time that a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by a global court of justice. The decision turns Netanyahu and the others into internationally wanted suspects, putting them at risk of arrest when they travel abroad and potentially further isolating them . Israel and its top ally, the United States, are not members of the court. But others of Israel's allies, including some of its close European friends, are put in an awkward position. Several, including France, welcomed the court's decision and signaled they might arrest Netanyahu if he visited. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden's administration was “deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.” The warrants represent "the most dramatic step yet in the court’s involvement in the conflict between Israel and Hamas," said Anthony Dworkin, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Israeli leaders, politicians and officials across the spectrum denounced the warrants and the ICC. The new defense minister, Israel Katz, who replaced Gallant earlier this month, said Thursday’s decision is “a moral disgrace, entirely tainted by antisemitism, and drags the international judicial system to an unprecedented low.” Human rights groups applauded the move. The warrants against both sides “break through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law,” the associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch, Balkees Jarrah, said in a statement. The decision came six months after ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan requested the warrants. The court issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’ armed wing, over the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in Gaza. It said it found reasonable grounds to believe Deif was involved in murder, rape, torture and the taking of hostages amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity. In the Hamas-led attack, militants stormed into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking some 250 others hostage. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third of them believed to be dead. Khan withdrew requests for warrants for two other senior Hamas figures, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh , who have both since been killed. Israel says it also killed Deif in an airstrike, but Hamas has never confirmed his death. The warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant were issued by a three-judge panel in a unanimous decision. The panel said there were reasonable grounds to believe that both men bear responsibility for the war crime of starvation and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. The judges said the lack of food, water, electricity, fuel and specific medical supplies created conditions “calculated to bring about the destruction of part of the civilian population in Gaza,” including the deaths of children due to malnutrition and dehydration. They also found that by preventing hospital supplies and medicine from getting into Gaza, doctors were forced to operate, including performing amputations, without anesthesia or with unsafe means of sedation that led to “great suffering.” Israeli diplomatic officials said the government is lobbying the international community to speak out against the warrants and is considering an appeal to the court. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal decision on how the government will proceed. Despite the warrants, none of the suspects is likely to face judges in The Hague anytime soon. Member countries are required to detain suspects facing a warrant if they set foot on their soil, but the court has no way to enforce that. For example, Russian President Vladimir Putin, wanted on an ICC warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, recently visited Mongolia, a member state in the court but also a Russian ally. He was not arrested. Still, the threat of arrest now complicates any travel abroad by Netanyahu and Gallant. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the warrants are binding on all 27 members countries of the European Union. France signaled it could arrest Netanyahu if he came to its territory. Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine called it a “complex legal issue” but said France supports the court’s actions. “Combating impunity is our priority,” he said. “Our response will align with these principles.” Hamas in a statement welcomed the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant but made no mention of the one against Deif. Israel’s opposition leaders fiercely criticized the ICC’s move. Benny Gantz, a retired general and political rival to Netanyahu, said it showed “moral blindness” and was a “shameful stain of historic proportion that will never be forgotten.” Israel’s campaign has caused heavy destruction across Gaza and driven almost the entire population of 2.3 million people from their homes, leaving most dependent on aid to survive. Two days after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, Gallant announced a total seal on Gaza, vowing not to let in food, fuel or other supplies. Under U.S. pressure, Israel began allowing a trickle of humanitarian aid to enter a few weeks later. Israel now says it puts no limit on the supplies permitted into Gaza, and it blames the U.N. distribution system. But Israel's official figures show the amount of aid it has let in has plunged since the beginning of October. The U.N has blamed Israeli military restrictions, along with widespread lawlessness that has led to theft of aid shipments. The case at the ICC is separate from another legal battle Israel is waging at the top U.N. court, the International Court of Justice, in which South Africa accuses Israel of genocide , an allegation Israeli leaders staunchly deny. Lawyers for Israel argued in court that the war in Gaza was a legitimate defense of its people and that it was Hamas militants who were guilty of genocide. Associated Press journalists Raf Casert in Brussels, Mike Corder in The Hague and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.