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Russian blame game breaks out after Moscow says its own troops' cell phone use caused Makiivka strike

January 5, 2023 Published by CNN

CNN
—

A rare public blame game has broken out between the Russian government and some pro-Kremlin leaders and military experts, after Moscow appeared to blame its own soldiers’ use of cell phones for a Ukrainian strike that killed at least 89 troops on New Year’s Day.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that “the main cause” of a strike in the occupied city of Makiivka was the widespread use of cell phones by Russian soldiers, “contrary to the ban,” which allowed Ukraine to “track and determine the coordinates of the soldiers’ locations.”

But that account was angrily dismissed by an influential military blogger and implicitly contradicted by the leader of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine, pointing to discord in the Russian command over Moscow’s response to the attack.

The strike took place just after midnight on Sunday, targeting a vocational school housing Russian conscripts in Makiivka, in the Donetsk region, according to both Ukrainian and pro-Russian accounts.

It prompted a rare Russian admission of a high death toll. The Ukrainian military reported even more dramatic figures, initially claiming up to around 400 Russian soldiers were killed. CNN cannot independently verify either side’s reported death toll. In either case, the strike marks one of the deadliest episodes of the conflict for Moscow’s forces.

Semyon Pegov, who blogs under the alias WarGonzo and two weeks ago was personally awarded the Order of Courage by President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, attacked the Ministry of Defense’s statement as “not convincing” and “a blatant attempt to smear blame.”

He questioned how the Ministry of Defense could be “so sure” that the location of soldiers lodging in a school building could not have been determined using drone surveillance or a local informant.

And he again raised suspicions about the official death toll, which was revised upward by Moscow to 89 from 63, writing that “their number will still be growing.”

In another post on Wednesday, Pegov warned that apathy on the battlefield will lead to more “tragedies.” Referring to the conflict both by its Kremlin euphemism – “special military operation” – and also by the word “war,” he said: “If you ask me personally what is the most dangerous thing in war, I will answer unequivocally: not to bother.”

Pegov was joined in his sentiments by Denis Pushilin, the pro-Russian DPR leader, who pointedly praised the “heroism” of the soldiers killed in the strike shortly after the government pinned the blame on them.

“We know, and we know firsthand, what it is to suffer losses,” Pushilin said on Telegram Wednesday. “Based on the information I have, I can say with certainty that there were many displays of courage and real heroism by the guys in this regiment.”

“They risked their lives to help. Some of the dead were those who died when they went back to rescue their fellow service members,” he said.

Russia’s defense ministry statement also drew mockery from Ukraine’s military. “Of course, using phones with geolocation is a mistake. But it is clear that this version looks a bit ridiculous,” the spokesman for the Eastern Group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Serhii Cherevatyi, said Wednesday.

“Of course, this is a mistake [of the Russians], and I think that now they are engaged in [searching for] who is to blame. They are putting the blame on each other,” he continued.

“It is clear that this [use of phones] was not the main reason. The main reason was that they were unable to covertly deploy these personnel. And we took advantage of that, having detected the target powerfully and destroyed it,” Cherevatyi added.

Sunday’s strike had already sparked vocal criticism of Moscow’s military from pro-Russian bloggers, who claimed that the troops lacked protection and were reportedly being quartered next to a large cache of ammunition, which is said to have exploded when United States-made HIMARS rockets hit the school.

Daniil Bezsonov, a former official in the Russian-backed Donetsk administration, said on Telegram that “apparently, the high command is still unaware of the capabilities of this weapon.” And Igor Girkin, a Russian propagandist who blogs about the war effort on Telegram, claimed that the building was almost completely destroyed by the secondary detonation of ammunition stores.

Meanwhile, Margarita Simonyan, the influential editor-in-chief of state-run network RT, on Wednesday welcomed the Russian Ministry of Defence’s investigation into the circumstances surrounding the strike, writing on Telegram that she hoped “the responsible officials will be held accountable.”

“This is the first time, it seems, that this has been done publicly during the entire special military operation. I hope the names of these persons and the extent of punishment will also be announced,” she said.

Video reportedly from the scene of the attack circulated widely on Telegram, including on an official Ukrainian military channel. It showed a pile of smoking rubble, in which almost no part of the building appears to be standing.

The governor of Russia’s southwestern Samara region held talks in Moscow on Tuesday with the leadership of the country’s defense ministry, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.

Some of the servicemen who died in the strike were mobilized from Samara region, according to the agency, quoting Samara governor Dmitry Azarov.

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McCarthy’s political machine spent millions electing lawmakers now blocking his speaker bid

January 5, 2023 Published by

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News

Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s political machine spent millions supporting GOP candidates who won their elections and arrived at Capitol Hill only to oppose his bid for speaker.

McCarthy has failed to surpass the 218-vote threshold in four separate roll calls this week. Twenty Republican lawmakers are responsible for the stalemate, and most of them received cash from one of McCarthy’s PACs during the midterm campaign, Politico reported.

McCarthy’s Congressional Leadership Funding threw in a total of $120,000 toward the campaigns of Reps. Dan Bishop ,R-NC,: Michael Cloud R-Texas,: Andrew Clyde, R-Ga,; Byron Donalds ,R-Fla.,; Bob Good, R-Va.; Andy Harris, R-Md.; Ralph Norman, R-S.C.; Scott Perry R-Pa.; and Matt Rosendale ,R-Mont.; along with incoming freshmen Anna Paulina Luna R-Fla.; Josh Brecheen, R-Okla.; Andy Ogles, R-Tenn.; Eli Crane R-Ariz.,and Keith Self R-Texas.

The CFL also reportedly spent $900,000 on campaign ads supporting Crane in Arizona.

HOUSE SPEAKER BATTLE: PROFANITIES FLY AS REPUBLICAN FACTIONS GET HEATED OVER MCCARTHY SPEAKERSHIP BID

Nineteen Republicans opposed McCarthy in the first two rounds of voting on Monday. Donalds joined the dissenters on the third vote, however, and the total reached 21 when Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., flipped away from McCarthy on the fourth vote.

THE VOTE FOR HOUSE SPEAKER: LIVE UPDATES

McCarthy’s battle for speaker entered its third day Thursday as the House of Representatives remains without rules and unable to pass legislation.

The California Republican has offered extensive concessions to his opponents, including allowing any five House members in the majority party to initiate a vote to remove the current speaker. Opponents like Gaetz argue that any lone representative of the majority party should be able to force such a vote, as was House policy until former Speaker Nancy Pelosi changed the rule under her leadership.

McCarthy has held a slew of meetings and calls with his critics, focusing in particular on Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who has described the talks as “productive.”

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McCarthy and many of his allies have said they will continue voting for as long as it takes to secure a win.

Homeowners spent up to $6,000 on average on repairs and maintenance in 2022. Here’s how to keep those costs down

January 5, 2023 Published by Sarah O'Brien

US Top News and Analysis

Minerva Studio | Istock | Getty Images

Some expenses that go with homeownership can often be unpredictable — and costly.

Last year, homeowners spent an average of $6,000 on maintenance and repairs, according to a recent report from insurance firm Hippo. A separate study from home services website Angi that measured similar 2022 costs shows maintenance averaged $2,467 and home emergency spending — i.e., an unexpected repair — was $1,953 on average ($4,420 altogether).

Regardless of what you may fork over for those expenses, they have the potential to upend a household’s budget when unexpected. While some of the costs may be unpredictable, there are things you can do to mitigate their sting, experts say.

Aim to set aside least 1% of your home’s value

For starters, the general advice is to annually set aside at least 1% to 3% of your home’s purchase price to cover a combination of home improvements, maintenance and repairs, said Angi Hicks, chief customer officer of Angi.

“That’s for all three buckets,” Hicks said. “For a $400,000 home, the [$4,420] in maintenance and emergency spending in our report is closer to 1%. You want to make sure you have that 1% covered.”

The median selling price for a home stood at $393,756 as of November, according to Redfin. (One percent of that amount is $3,937.)

Maintenance costs may reduce repair expenses

While it’s wise to have money set aside, maintenance can help reduce what you spend on unexpected repairs, Hicks said.

“We’re seeing an increased focus on maintenance activities, which is good to see,” Hicks said. “When there are inflationary pressures, people … don’t want to be surprised, so they start doing more maintenance-type projects that they might have previously skipped over.”

And some things — such as remembering to regularly replace your furnace filter to help keep the system run optimally — can often be done by the homeowner.

VIDEO4:4004:40

Housing markets face tough start in 2023

Fast Money

In the Hippo report, which was based on a survey of about 1,000 homeowners, 65% of respondents who had something go wrong in their house last year said they could have prevented it with proactive maintenance.

By way of example: It’s worth doing a visual inspection of your roof a couple times a year to make sure you don’t see any missing or curled shingles that warrant a repair before the problem worsens and you’re facing extensive water damage, Hicks said.

“You don’t want a leak,” Hicks said. “Water is the worst enemy of your house.”

While the specifics of a necessary roof repair determine the cost, the average is $1,000, according to thisoldhouse.com. That compares to an average $3,342 shelled out for water-damage repairs, according to Angi.

Monitor and maintain your home’s systems

It’s worth getting your main systems, such as heating and cooling, serviced on a regular basis, said Courtney Klosterman, home insights expert at Hippo.

Also, “get to know the critical systems in your home — major appliances, plumbing, electrical, etc. — so you can monitor them for wear and tear over time,” Klosterman said.

You may want to keep track of how long major appliances in your home will last. For example, furnaces generally last 15 to 20 years if well-maintained, according to home appliances maker Carrier. If yours is closing in on that age, you’ll know to be financially ready to replace or repair it instead of being surprised by its failure.

Unexpected house-related costs have a way of weighing more heavily on homeowners, Klosterman said.

“When one thing goes wrong, it brings a wave of anxiety and dread about what could go wrong next,” she said. “Taking a proactive approach to home care can save not just money but time and anxiety, as well.”

Here are Thursday’s biggest analyst calls: Tesla, Meta, Disney, Amazon, Nvidia, Coinbase, Uber & more

January 5, 2023 Published by Michael Bloom

US Top News and Analysis

Here are Thursday’s biggest calls on Wall Street: Credit Suisse downgrades Danaher to neutral from outperform Credit Suisse said in its downgrade of the science and tech company that it sees “bioprocessing inventory” pressure. “We are downgrading Danaher from Outperform to Neutral as we believe its relative exposure to bioprocessing inventory reductions and diagnostics could pressure its growth relative to peers.” Read more about this call here. Credit Suisse upgrades CME to outperform from neutral Credit Suisse said the global markets company is a defensive play. “We are upgrading CBOE and CME to Outperform from Neutral owing the firm’s defensive prospects and potential to grow derivatives volumes.” D.A. Davidson initiates Microsoft as buy D.A. Davidson said Microsoft is well positioned for a downturn. “We believe MSFT is at least as well positioned as the others to weather an economic downturn, given the mission critical nature of its products and lower levels of past pull-forward into 2021-22.” Read more about this call here. Barclays names Starbucks a top 2023 pick Barclays said the coffee giant is a “best-in-class” stock for 2023. “We continue to view Starbucks as a premier, large cap, high growth, global consumer company, with a dominant US retail & consumer product platform, significant international growth led by China, and a best-in-class digital platform.” UBS names Chipotle a top 2023 pick UBS said the Mexican chain restaurant is defensive in a “tough macro.” ” CMG looks positioned for above avg resiliency in a tough macro.” Mizuho reiterates Tesla as buy Mizuho lowered its price target on the stock to $250 per share from $285 after the company’s delivery numbers earlier this week, but said it’s sticking with its buy rating. “While we continue to see TSLA as a long-term global EV leader with vertical integration, strong profit margins versus newer EV incumbents, we also see headwinds to the consumer and discretionary spending.” Stephens downgrades American Express to underweight from equal weight Stephens said it’s concerned about the company’s exposure to a downturn. “However, with Amex experiencing the fastest loan growth among Cards through the pandemic, as well as large commercial exposures and increased Millennial concentrations makes us think Amex is more sensitive to a downturn than peers.” Goldman Sachs names American Express a top pick in 2023 Goldman said it sees upside to estimates for the credit card company in 2023. “For AXP, we see a top-line beat in 2023 (both NII and fees) while consensus seems to be modeling greater reserve build than we expect to come through.” Bank of America reiterates Disney as buy Bank of America said it’s standing by its buy rating on the stock but that the company needs to focus on a “strategic vision.” “We believe priority number one for Bob Iger will be Disney Media and Entertainment (DMED) and the structure of the content division (vs Bob Chapek’s restructuring in 2020 that consolidated all content under Distribution). In addition, there is likely to be a significant focus on cost containment. Bank of America downgrades PNC to underperform from neutral Bank of America said shares of PNC are trading at a premium. “We believe that the stock’s premium valuation more than adequately reflects the superior EPS defensibility. The shares are trading at 11.1x our revised 2023e EPS vs. 9.6x median for super regional banks.” Cowen downgrades Coinbase to market perform from outperform Cowen said in its downgrade of the crypto company that it has low visibility right now. “We are downgrading COIN today to Market Perform (2), reducing 2023 revenue and adj. EBITDA estimates below Street, and lowering our price target from $75 to $36.” Read more about this call here. BMO initiates AstraZeneca as outperform BMO said it likes the biopharma company’s diverse array of products. “We are initiating coverage of AstraZeneca with an Outperform rating and $82 target price. AZN is a leader in pharmaceutical drug development buoyed by its diverse portfolio of products in Oncology, Rare Disease, and Biopharmaceutical segments.” Bernstein names Nvidia and Qualcomm as top 2023 picks Bernstein said in its semis outlook Thursday that it likes stocks that can “play off” the bottom. “In the current environment we would hence be looking for names that have cut, and where there is a strong secular story that can play off that bottom; NVDA , OCOM, and AMD come to mind, as well as, potentially, semicap (all rated OP).” Bank of America downgrades Ally Financial to underperform from buy Bank of America said Ally is most exposed to auto loans. “Auto loan delinquencies have gradually been increasing since summer of ’21 across the credit spectrum; Read more about this call here. Goldman Sachs names Bank of America and Wells Fargo as top picks Goldman named several large-cap banks as top picks and said they’ll generate strong return on equity in 2023. “Both WFC and BAC should continue to post the best NII (net interest income) trends given their industry leading deposit franchises, suggesting that they will be among the last banks in the industry to become liability sensitive.” Mizuho names Meta and Uber top 2023 picks Mizuho named Meta and Uber as top picks for 2023 and said it likes company’s with the ” lowest risk of downward revisions.” “We recommend investors to play defense in US internet, choosing companies with the lowest risk of downward revisions and aggressive cost-cutting plans. Our top US picks are META and UBER. ” Piper Sandler downgrades Nordstrom to neutral from overweight Piper Sandler said it sees earnings pressure for Nordstrom in 2023. “Despite a difficult 2022 for our coverage (-60% simple avg vs -20% for the S & P 500), we believe there may be continued earnings pressure in 1H23 given a still volatile consumer spending environment and elevated inventory levels.” Jefferies upgrades Oracle to buy from hold Jefferies said in its upgrade of the stock that it has its “mojo back.” ” ORCL — Got their mojo back, upgrade to Buy. We like the reacceleration growth theme, focus on expense scrutiny and cheap multiple. Tactical pick for value investors.” Oppenheimer names McDonald’s a top 2023 pick Oppenheimer said the fast food chain is an “attractive defensive play.” ” MCD remains an attractive defensive play, and we anticipate measurable earnings upside regardless of the economic environment.” Oppenheimer downgrades Wendy’s to perform from outperform Oppenheimer said in its downgrade of the stock it sees a more balanced risk reward. ” WEN shares have gained +40% since a 13D filing on 5/24/22 by Trian Management (vs S & P’s -2.2%), and our updated analysis suggests the stock’s risk/reward and valuation are now fairly balanced.” Jefferies downgrades CrowdStrike to hold from buy Jefferies said it’s concerned about challenging fundamentals for the cyber security company in 2023. “While we continue to view CRWD very positively in Endpoint and expect CRWD to take share, upside to cons will be less in 2023. ” UBS downgrades Victoria’s Secret and Gap to sell from hold UBS said in its downgrade of Victoria’s Secret and Gap that the market is underestimating the pressure on industry sales. “Earnings and P/E Pressure Ahead – Stay Bearish.” Bank of America reiterates Amazon as buy Bank of America said Amazon layoffs are “not a positive signal, but good for sentiment.” “The increase in total layoffs by 8k could be a cautious sign for holiday sales, but Amazon did indicate additional layoffs were being considered in November.” Argus upgrades Delta to buy from hold Argus upgrades Delta on a continuing travel recovery. “In 2023, we expect demand for leisure travel to remain strong and look for business travel to surpass 2019 levels.” Bernstein downgrades Tapestry to market perform from outperform Bernstein downgraded the owner of Coach and Kate Spade due to softer estimate concerns. ” Tapestry has beaten the market and sector in 2022, and it’s time to downgrade TPR to Market-Perform on softer 2023 estimates.” Truist upgrades Comcast to buy from hold Truist said in its upgrade of Comcast that it sees re-accelerating growth in 2023. “These two were the worst performing large-cap stocks in our coverage universe in 2022 as investors recognized broadband flow share trends fundamentally changed, but we believe efforts to stem the erosion are proving successful and should once again cause the stocks to trade at traditional premiums to telecom stocks.” Read more about this call here. Disclosure: Comcast is the owner of NBCUniversal, parent company of CNBC.

[World] Ales Bialiatski: Nobel Prize-winning activist stands trial in Belarus

January 5, 2023 Published by

BBC News world

EPA

Image caption,

Ales Bialiatski pictured in November 2021

By Samuel Horti

BBC News

The trial of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights activist Ales Bialiatski has begun in Belarus.

Mr Bialiatski, 60, was arrested in anti-government protests in 2021, and his supporters say that Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko’s authoritarian regime is trying to silence him.

He is accused of smuggling cash to fund opposition activity, according to the Viasna (Spring) Human Rights Centre, which Bialiatski founded.

He faces up to 12 years in prison.

He was arrested in 2021 following massive street protests over widely disputed elections that kept Mr Lukashenko in power the previous year.

Demonstrators were met with brutality by the police and critics of Mr Lukashenko were regularly arrested and jailed during the protests, which started in 2020.

Mr Bialiatski, who was one of three winners of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, has been held without trial since his arrest.

He is now in court alongside two fellow campaigners, Valentin Stefanovich and Vladimir Labkovich.

Viasna tweeted photos on Thursday that appeared to show Mr Bialiatski in the courtroom.

The organisation said he and his fellow defendants faced between seven and 12 years in prison.

Ales Bialiatski: Who is the Nobel Peace Prize winner?

The head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, said when awarding the 2022 prize that “government authorities have repeatedly sought to silence” Mr Bialiatski.

“Despite tremendous personal hardship, Mr Bialiatski has not yielded an inch in his fight for human rights and democracy in Belarus,” she added at the time.

Shortly before his arrest in 2021, Mr Bialiatski wrote on his Facebook page that the Belarusian authorities “are acting as a regime of occupation”.

“Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators across all of Belarus, and hundreds [of them are] detained,” he wrote.

Mr Bialiatski set up Viasna in 1996 in response to the brutal crackdown of street protests in that year by Mr Lukashenko, who has been president of Belarus since the office was established in 1994.

The organisation supported jailed demonstrators and their families, and documented how the authorities tortured political prisoners.

He was jailed for three years in 2011 after being convicted on tax evasion charges, which he denied.

Mr Lukashenko, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, rules Belarus with an iron fist, and has in the past been described in the West as Europe’s last dictator.

He has allowed Mr Putin to launch missile attacks from Belarus as part of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He has also allowed Russia to send troops to Belarus and has been sanctioned for his role in the invasion.

TIMELINE: DNA, video lead officials to Idaho suspect

January 5, 2023 Published by MARTHA BELLISLE

Top News: US & International Top News Stories Today | AP News

A private security officer sits in a vehicle, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, in front of the house in Moscow, Idaho where four University of Idaho students were killed in November, 2022. Authorities said Wednesday, Jan. 4, that Bryan Kohberger, the man accused in the killings, has left a Pennsylvania jail in the custody of state police. The move means Kohberger could be headed to Idaho to face first-degree murder charges. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Court documents unsealed Thursday after the suspect in the November fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students made his first court appearance in Idaho reveal the timeline for how Bryan Kohberger went from being on law enforcement radar to becoming the man charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. Below is a timeline from the documents:

– Nov. 13, 2022: Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle returned to the King Road house, where Kernodle was living, at about 1:45 a.m. after visiting the Sigma Chi house on the University of Idaho campus. Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were at a local bar in Moscow, Idaho, between 10 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2022 until 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 13. They visited a food truck and then an unnamed person gave them a ride at about 1:56 a.m. to the King Road house, where they were living. Two unharmed roommates identified in the affidavit as D.M. and B.F. said everyone was home by 2 a.m. and in their rooms by 4 a.m.

– Nov. 13, 2022: The suspect’s vehicle, a white sedan, was seen on Washington State University surveillance cameras traveling away from campus at about 2:53 a.m.

– Nov. 13, 2022.: Kernodle received a DoorDash order at about 4 a.m.

Hub peek embed (Pennsylvania) – Compressed layout (automatic embed)

– Nov. 13, 2022: Unharmed roommate D.M. was awoken at about 4 a.m. to what sounded like Goncalves playing with her dog in a bedroom on the third floor. Soon after, D.M. said she heard what sounded like Goncalves say something like, “there’s someone here.” Cellphone records show that it might have been Kernodle who made the statement.

– Nov. 13, 2022: D.M. reported thinking she heard crying from Kernodle’s room and heard a male voice saying something like, “it’s ok, I’m going to help you.”

– Nov. 13, 2022: At about 4:17 a.m., a security camera at a house northwest of the King Road residence picked up the sound of voices or a whimper followed by a loud thud.

– Nov. 13, 2022: D.M. opened her door a third time after she heard crying and saw a man with bushy eyebrows dressed in black with a mask over his nose and mouth walking toward her. She froze and the man walked to the sliding glass door and she locked herself in her room.

– Nov. 13, 2022: Investigators believe the four students were killed between 4 a.m. and 4:25 a.m. Police investigators arrived and located the bodies of the students, along with a tan leather knife sheath that carried the suspect’s DNA and a shoe print outside the roommate’s door.

– Nov. 13, 2022: Footage from security videos show the suspect’s vehicle in the King Road neighborhood starting at 3:29 a.m. Police say it made three passes by the house and made a fourth pass at about 4:04 a.m. before leaving the area at a high rate of speed at about 4:20 a.m.

– Nov. 13, 2022: Surveillance video recorded the suspect vehicle in Pullman and the WSU campus around 5:25 a.m.

– Nov. 13, 2022: Investigators tracking Kohberger’s phone said it left his residence at about 9 a.m. and traveled to Moscow. It pinged cellular services that would cover the King Road home between 9:12 a.m. and 9:21 a.m. It then traveled back to the Kohberger home at about 9:32 a.m.

– Nov. 13, 2022: There was no police response to the killings until later in the day.

– Nov. 18, 2022: Bryan Kohberger changed the registration of his white Elantra from Pennsylvania plates to Washington state license plates.

– Nov. 25, 2022: Law enforcement were on the lookout for a Hyundai Elantra.

– Nov. 29, 2022: A WSU police officer learned that a 2015 white Elantra with a Pennsylvania license plate was registered to Bryan Kohberger. The officer tracked down Kohberger’s driver’s license and noted that he was a white male, 6-feet tall and weighed about 185 pounds (83.91 kilograms). His photograph showed bushy eyebrows.

– Dec. 13, 2022: Kohberger’s vehicle was seen in Loma, Colorado.

– Dec. 15, 2022: Kohberger, traveling to Pennsylvania with his father, was stopped by law enforcement in Hancock County, Indiana.

– Dec. 23, 2022: Officials obtained a warrant to search Kohberger’s phone records. They show that the phone was in Pullman at 2:42 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022 but then stops reporting to the network. It does not connect again until 4:48 a.m.

– Dec. 29, 2022: Based on the information gathered, law enforcement secured an arrest warrant for Bryan Kohberger. He was taken into custody early in the morning by the Pennsylvania State Police at a home in Chestnuthill Township.

– Jan. 3, 2023: Kohberger appeared at Pennsylvania’s Monroe County Courthouse and agreed to waive extradition in order to be moved back to Idaho to face charges.

– Jan. 4, 2023: Kohberger arrived in Moscow on a small plane.

– Jan. 5, 2023: Kohberger made his first court appearance in Latah County and the court records in the case have been unsealed.

Tesla’s December sales of China-made cars fall to the lowest in five months

January 5, 2023 Published by

US Top News and Analysis

In this article

TSLA

Tesla vehicles waiting for shipping transport in a large lot near the Waigaoqiao Container Port in Shanghai, China, on Friday, June 3, 2022.

Qilai Shen | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Tesla Inc delivered 55,796 China-made electric vehicles in December, the lowest level in five months, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association on Thursday.

That was a 44% drop from November and 21% fewer than a year earlier as the U.S. automaker reduced output and cut prices to deal with rising inventories amid weakening demand.

It also marks the fewest monthly deliveries since July when most production at Tesla’s Shanghai plant was suspended due to an upgrade to its production lines.

For the whole of 2022, the U.S. automaker delivered 50% more vehicles produced in its Shanghai plant compared with 2021, the CPCA data showed.

Globally, the electric vehicle maker’s deliveries rose by 40% last year, missing CEO Elon Musk’s 50% annual target.

Tesla suspended production at its Shanghai plant, its most productive manufacturing hub, from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2 as part of the output reduction efforts, Reuters reported previously.

Chinese rival BYD still led all brands in China’s December EV sales with 234,598 electric cars including plug-in hybrids and pure EVs, more than quadruple Tesla’s sales in the same month, the CPCA data showed.

SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co, the joint venture of General Motors in China making small budget EVs, also outsold Tesla by 53%, according to the association.

Bed Bath & Beyond Stock Plunges As Retailer Explores Bankruptcy, Restructuring Options

January 5, 2023 Published by Martin Baccardax

TheStreet

Bed Bath & Beyond said it “continues to consider all strategic alternatives … including obtaining relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.”

Updated at 9:08 am EST

Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) – Get Free Report shares plunged lower Thursday after the home retailer said it would miss the filing deadline for its third quarter earnings and may need to consider bankruptcy protection as it struggles with its multi-billion turnaround.

Bed Bath & Beyond said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it expects a loss of around $386 million for the three months ending on November 6, its fiscal third quarter, with overall revenues of around $1.26 billion, but said calculating impairment charges would require “significant resources from the Company’s financial, accounting and administrative personnel.”

The group, which unveiled a new $500 million loan agreement, as well as plans to close around 150 stores and slash overall expenses to around $250 million as part of its closely-tracked turnaround plans under CEO Sue Gove in the early autumn, also said it’s exploring a host of strategic alternatives, including a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

“While the Company continues to pursue actions and steps to improve its cash position and mitigate any potential liquidity shortfall, based on recurring losses and negative cash flow from operations for the nine months ended November 26, 2022 as well as current cash and liquidity projections, the Company has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” Bed Bath & Beyond said in a statement to the SEC.

“The Company continues to consider all strategic alternatives including restructuring or refinancing its debt, seeking additional debt or equity capital, reducing or delaying the Company’s business activities and strategic initiatives, or selling assets, other strategic transactions and/or other measures, including obtaining relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code,” the statement added.

Bed Bath & Beyond shares were marked 17.8% lower in heavy volume during pre-market trading to indicate an opening bell price of $1.98 each, a move that would extend the stock’s one-year decline to around 82%.

Last September, Bed Bath & Beyond’s former recently-appointed CFO, Gustavo Arnal, fell to his death from a high floor of a Manhattan skyscraper known as the Jenga Tower in what the New York City Medical Examiner’s office ultimately deemed a suicide.

Arnal, 52, joined Bed, Bath & Beyond in 2020, following stints with Procter & Gamble PG and Avon, and was named in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that alleged he had regulated the sale of Bed, Bath & Beyond stock for company executives, and conspired to keep prices inflated.

Just days earlier, Bed Bath & Beyond said it planed to raise an undisclosed amount of capital from the sale of common stock as it moves to capitalize on a 140% surge in the company’s share price over the month of August while adding to its thinning overall liquidity.

Securities & Exchange Commission filings suggest Arnal sold around 55,000 shares between August 16 and August 17, just one day before activist investor Ryan Cohen’s first sale of 5 million shares was made public on August 18. The stock then fell 40.5% on August 19.

Israel's new government unveils plan to weaken Supreme Court

January 5, 2023 Published by The Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s justice minister on Wednesday unveiled the new government’s long-promised overhaul of the judicial system that aims to weaken the country’s Supreme Court.

Critics accused the government of declaring war against the legal system, saying the plan will upend Israel’s system of checks and balances and undermine its democratic institutions by giving absolute power to the most right-wing coalition in the country’s history.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a confidant of Netanyahu’s and longtime critic of the Supreme Court, presented his plan a day before the justices are to debate a controversial new law passed by the government allowing a politician convicted of tax offenses to serve as a Cabinet minister.

“The time has come to act,” Levin said.

The proposals call for a series of sweeping changes aimed at curbing the powers of the judiciary, including by allowing lawmakers to pass laws that the high court has struck down and effectively deemed unconstitutional.

Levin laid out a law that would empower the country’s 120-seat parliament, or Knesset, to override Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority of 61 votes. Levin also proposed that politicians play a greater role in the appointment of Supreme Court judges and that ministers appoint their own legal advisers, instead of using independent professionals.

Levin argued that the public’s faith in the judicial system has plummeted to a historic low, and said he plans to restore power to elected officials that now lies in the hands of what he and his supporters consider to be overly interventionist judges.

“We go to the polls and vote, choose, but time after time, people who we didn’t elect decide for us,” he said. “That’s not democracy.”

The planned overhaul has already drawn fierce criticism from Israel’s attorney general and the Israeli opposition, though it is unclear whether they will be able to prevent the far-right government from racing forward.

Yair Lapid, former Prime Minister and head of the opposition, said he will fight the changes “in every possible way” and vowed to cancel them if he returns to power. “Those who carry out a unilateral coup in Israel need to know that we are not obligated to it in any way whatsoever,” he said.

If Levin’s proposed “override” law is passed, Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox and ultranationalist allies have said they hope to scrap Supreme Court rulings outlawing Israeli outposts on private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. They would also seek to allow for the protracted detention of African asylum-seekers and make official the exclusion of the ultra-Orthodox from the country’s mandatory military service.

In Israel, Supreme Court judges are appointed and dismissed by a committee made up of professionals, lawmakers and some justices. Levin wants to give lawmakers a majority in the committee, with most coming from the right-wing and religiously conservative ruling coalition.

“It will be a hollow democracy,” said Amir Fuchs, senior researcher at Jerusalem’s Israel Democracy Institute think tank. “When the government has ultimate power, it will use this power not only for issues of LGBTQ rights and asylum-seekers but elections and free speech and anything it wants.”

Recent opinion polls by the Israel Democracy Institute found a majority of respondents believe the Supreme Court should have the power to strike down laws that conflict with Israel’s Basic Laws, which serve as a sort of constitution.

In a speech Wednesday ahead of Levin’s announcement, Netanyahu appeared to back his justice minister by vowing to “implement reforms that will ensure the proper balance between the three branches of government.”

Since being indicted on corruption charges, Netanyahu has campaigned against the justice system. He denies all charges, saying he is the victim of a witch hunt orchestrated by a hostile media, police and prosecutors. Levin said his plan is “not connected in any way” to Netanyahu’s trial.

Just hours before Levin’s speech, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, a prime target of the new government, declared her opposition to the ministerial appointment of one of Netanyahu’s key coalition partners who has been convicted of tax offenses. On Thursday, the Supreme Court is expected to hear petitions against Aryeh Deri serving as minister.

As part of negotiations to form the current government, Israel’s parliament last month changed a law to allow someone convicted on probation to serve as a Cabinet minister. That paved the way for Aryeh Deri, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, to serve half a term as the minister of health and interior affairs, before becoming finance minister. He will also hold the post of deputy prime minister. Deri was convicted of tax fraud and given a suspended sentence last year.

Good governance groups saw the legal maneuver as a green light for corruption by a government cavalierly changing laws for political expediency.

Baharav-Miara made her standing clear in a note to the Supreme Court. She said the appointment “radically deviates from the sphere of reasonability.” She has said she will not be defending the state in court against the appeals, because of her opposition.

Levin’s proposed changes also include eliminating the test of “reasonability” when reviewing government decisions.

Baharav-Miara was appointed by the previous government, which vehemently opposes Netanyahu’s rule.

Netanyahu’s allies have floated the idea of splitting up the post of attorney general into three roles including two that would be political appointments. That would water down the current attorney-general’s authority while opening the door for Netanyahu to install someone favorable to throwing out the charges against him.

source

Twitter is scrapping employees’ meal allowances, following rumors that lavish lunches would be scaled back — but office snacks and coffee will remain, report says

January 5, 2023 Published by [email protected] (Kate Duffy)

Business Insider

Elon Musk’s Twitter is ending a number of perks for employees, including meal allowances, per Platformer.

May 2, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Elon Musk’s Twitter is ending meal allowances for staff, according to Platformer’s Zoë Schiffer.
Twitter will still provide coffee and snacks, per Schiffer’s tweet, which cited an internal email.
Since his takeover, Musk has embarked on a cost-cutting spree.

Meal allowances will soon be a thing of the past for Twitter employees, according to a tweet from Zoë Schiffer, a journalist at Platformer.

Elon Musk’s Twitter is set to scrap a number of employee benefits during this quarter, according to an internal email seen by Schiffer. This includes commuting perks and expensing meals, per Schiffer.

Since Musk took over Twitter in late October, reports suggest he has made it his mission to cut costs across the company. As Insider’s Kali Hays reported on Thursday, Musk has most recently cut a major fertility benefit for Twitter employees.

The food options available for Twitter staff are one of the employees’ perks which has taken a hit. Two freebies that are expected to stay are snacks and coffee, per Schiffer, who cited the internal email.

Twitter was planning to charge workers for office lunches that were previously free of charge in the company canteen, The New York Times reported on November 11, citing sources. Shortly after the report, Musk tweeted that free lunches were costing Twitter more than $400 per meal because “almost no one came to the office.”

Tracy Hawkins, a former Twitter employee, quote-tweeted Musk, saying his claim was a “lie” and the meals cost between $20 and $25 a day per person.

Twitter’s cafeteria menu then changed, according to a report by The Times. One Twitter worker told the publication that the menu at the company’s New York office no longer listed grilled shrimp as an option. The cafeteria had a salad bar, as well as two types of macaroni and cheese, the employee told The Times.

In an email to employees in late November, Twitter said it was making changes to its food and beverage program to “better control costs” and would “partially” pay for some options, Insider reported. The company added that it would still provide coffee and snacks for all employees.

Twitter informed staff in the same email that several benefits were being “discontinued,” including home internet costs, wellness and productivity allowances, and training expenses.

Twitter didn’t immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

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