XAI benefits to hydrological modeling obscured by hype
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Suspect in Gilgo Beach serial killings is charged in the death of a seventh woman
What does Big Tech hope to gain from warming up to Trump?
Super Bowl champion and forgotten Miami Dolphins star finally cut by team after just nine catches all seasonBy MICHAEL R. SISAK and JENNIFER PELTZ NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution’s suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea “absurd.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg National Politics | Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump’s suite at football game The Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won’t include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn’t sentenced and his appeal wasn’t resolved because of presidential immunity. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump’s request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution’s suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution’s suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the “ongoing threat” that he’ll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. “To be clear, President Trump will never deviate from the public interest in response to these thuggish tactics,” the defense lawyers wrote. “However, the threat itself is unconstitutional.” The prosecution’s suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they argued. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump has tabbed for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution’s novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump had died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to “fabricate” a solution “based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump” who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September “and a hypothetical dead defendant.” Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what’s already a unique case. “This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding,” prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn’t “precipitously discard” the “meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers.” Prosecutors acknowledged that “presidential immunity requires accommodation” during Trump’s impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury’s verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution . Other world leaders don’t enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza . Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records . Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. In their filing Friday, Trump’s lawyers citing a social media post in which Sen. John Fetterman used profane language to criticize Trump’s hush money prosecution. The Pennsylvania Democrat suggested that Trump deserved a pardon, comparing his case to that of President Joe Biden’s pardoned son Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division,” Fetterman wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. Trump’s hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases , which pertained to Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in all. Trump had been scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November. But following Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president’s sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Merchan also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. A dismissal would erase Trump’s conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.
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Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more! Christmas is less than two weeks away. If you’re anything like Us , you probably have a few ugly sweater parties to attend before then. If you want to take a break from ordinary styles, try out funny ugly sweaters. Amazon is jam-packed with festive knits that are sure to bring the laughs and earn you tons of likes on your holiday OOTD posts . From interactive games to hilarious music quotes, Amazon’s funny ugly sweaters truly live up to the hype. Whether you prefer naughty, tongue-in-cheek style humor or more conservative jokes, there’s something for everyone. Take a look at our top picks for the best funny ugly sweaters on Amazon! 1. Our Absolute Favorite: This ugly sweater doubles as an interactive game. Just be prepared for endless conversations if you wear it — $45! 2. Mane Attraction: There’s no denying it. All it takes is one look at this cozy sweatshirt and your loved ones won’t be able to contain themselves. It features a fake hairy chest and hilariously placed ornaments — $28! 3. Music Moment: This ugly sweater features a hilarious spin on Kelis’ hit single “Milkshake” — $35! 4. Hilarious Technicality: This short-sleeve T-shirt makes a hilarious take on the economy — $19! 5. Reason for the Season: This hilarious sweater pays homage to the holiday season’s biggest birthday boy — $30! 6. Eat Up: Say goodbye to counting calories. This festive sweater shares a hilarious excuse to indulge as much as you’d like — $25! 7. Naught or Nice: This cozy sweater is an animal lover’s dream. Not only does it feature an adorable dog and cat, but it also lets everyone know which list you’ve made it to this holiday season — $40! 8. Tech Humor: Spread a little tech humor this holiday season in this sweet sweater — $34! 9. Look At his Dab: This ugly sweater showcases Santa and his trendy dance moves — $26! 10. Bottom’s Up: Prepare to bring the laughs in this hilarious sweater — $35! Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News 11. Trending Topic: Have you seen the hilarious “chilly guy” meme that’s been making its way around social media in the past few weeks? This cozy sweater is a funny take on the trend — $29!
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Justin Jefferson might be weary of all the safeties shadowing his every route, determined not to let the Minnesota Vikings go deep, but he's hardly angry. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Justin Jefferson might be weary of all the safeties shadowing his every route, determined not to let the Minnesota Vikings go deep, but he's hardly angry. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Justin Jefferson might be weary of all the safeties shadowing his every route, determined not to let the Minnesota Vikings go deep, but he’s hardly angry. The double and triple coverage he continually faces, after all, is a sign of immense respect for his game-breaking ability. The strategy also simply makes sense. “I would do the same,” Jefferson said. “It’s either let everybody else go off or let Justin go off. I’m going to let everybody else go off. That would be my game plan.” When the Vikings visit Chicago on Sunday, they’re expecting the usual heavy dose of split-safety coverage designed to put a lid on the passing attack and force them to operate primarily underneath. “We see that every week: Teams just have different tendencies on film, and then when we go out on the field they play us totally different,” Jefferson said, later adding: “I don’t really feel like anyone else is getting played how I’m getting played.” Jefferson nonetheless is second in the NFL in receiving yards (912) behind Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase, his former college teammate at LSU. Last week, Jefferson set yet another all-time record by passing Torry Holt for the most receiving yards over the first five seasons of a career. Holt logged 80 regular-season games and accumulated 6,784 yards for St. Louis. Jefferson has 6,811 yards — in just 70 games. “I want to go up against those single coverages. I want to go have my opportunities to catch a deep pass downfield, just one-on-one coverage, like a lot of these other receivers get,” Jefferson said. “It’s definitely difficult going up against an extra person or an extra two people, but it is what it is and the concepts that we’re drawing up and the ways that we’re trying to get me open, it definitely helps.” With fellow tight end Josh Oliver ruled out of the game on Sunday because of a sprained ankle, T.J. Hockenson is certain to have his heaviest workload since returning from knee surgery four weeks ago. He’s also certain that Jefferson will continue to see persistent double-teams. “It puts it on us to make some plays and do some things to get them out of that,” Hockenson said. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has been forced to dig deeper into the vault of play designs and game plans to help keep quarterback Sam Darnold and the offense on track. O’Connell said after Minnesota’s 12-7 win at Jacksonville, when Darnold threw three interceptions to precipitate a safer strategy down the stretch, that he superseded his play-calling role with the wisdom of a head coach to help win that game. 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. “Not just the egomaniac of wanting to score points and constantly show everybody how smart we are. There was a mode that I think you have to go into sometimes to ensure a victory,” O’Connell said on his weekly show on KFAN radio. Taking what the defense gives is usually the shrewdest strategy. “You’ve got to really implement some new things and some things that maybe you didn’t come across during your early coaching years whether as a coordinator or position coach or even when you’re responsible for a small area of the game plan as a younger coach,” O’Connell said. “You really have to kind of look outside the lens of always what you see on tape.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Advertisement AdvertisementIt’s a little-known fact that we Americans get quite a bit of our electricity from Canada. Unfortunately, our friendly neighbors to the north are currently considering turning off the electrical flow if a certain incoming President goes through with his plan to impose major tariffs on their country. The not-so-friendly proposal was offered this week by Doug Ford, the premier for Ontario, which is Canada’s second-largest province. Ford, who revealed the information Wednesday during a conversation with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, said he would restrict electricity exports to Michigan, New York and Minnesota, should Donald Trump make good on his threat to impose tariffs on Canada. Per the Associated Press : “It’s a last resort,” Ford said. “I don’t think President-elect Trump wants that to happen. We’re sending a message to the U.S. If you come and attack Ontario, you attack the livelihoods of people in Ontario and Canadians, we are going to use every tool in our tool box to defend Ontarians and Canadians. Let’s hope it never comes to that.” Ford also claimed he was considering limiting the export of certain minerals that are vital to the manufacturing of electric car batteries. It stands to reason that both of those things could have negative impacts on EV makers in the U.S., which would be particularly bad for Trump’s political ally, Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Ford also mused about limiting Canadian alcohol exports to the U.S. An analysis from the Electrical Information Administration notes that the U.S. and Canada have a deeply intertwined energy system, in which physical cables deliver power to many communities on both sides of the national border. Historically speaking, Canada has exported a lot more electricity to the U.S. than it has imported, though, in recent years, that dynamic has shifted somewhat. In 2023, the electrical sales from Canada to the U.S. represented some $3.2 billion. Ontario delivered power to some 1.5 million U.S. households last year, the Associated Press notes. Prior to the election, a host of economists warned that if Trump went through with his plan to impose major tariffs on countries throughout the world, it would have a huge, potentially catastrophic impact on Americans’ pocketbooks. Defenders of Trump’s proposal have mostly characterized it as a “bargaining” strategy, which is designed to elicit political and economic concessions from the countries he targets. “The President, I think, will use them as bargaining chips—I think that’s important for everyone to keep in mind,” said Former National Economic Council director Larry Lindsey, in a recent conversation with Fox News . “It’s how the bargain ultimately works out in the end that’s going to determine whether it was a successful strategy,” he said. I’m not sure how great a “bargaining” tactic it is if you openly admit that Trump has no intention of following through on his threat, but I suppose we’ll have to wait and see whether the incoming President can—like his book famously put it —cut a deal.
Walmart employees have begun to wear body cameras as concerns about crime and shoplifting are on the rise. The Arkansas-based retail giant recently began a pilot test involving multiple stores in the Dallas area to address confrontations with unruly customers, a person familiar with the initiative told The Post. “While we don’t talk about the specifics of our security measures, we are always looking at new and innovative technology used across the retail industry,” a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement. “This is a pilot we are testing in one market, and we will evaluate the results before making any longer-term decisions.” The devices were spotted at a store in Denton, Texas where employees were sporting the cameras while they checked customers’ receipts, according to a report by CNBC. Walmart declined to say how many stores are participating in the program or to share any findings about the test. Other retailers use body cameras to prevent theft and violent incidents , which has spiked over the past several years as a rash of smash and grab incidents have gripped the retail industry from grocery stores to department stores and luxury boutiques. The high incidence of these crimes has resulted in expensive and popular merchandise, including toothpaste, clothing detergent and toiletries being locked up and requiring the assistance of a store clerk. Walmart staff were instructed on how to use the cameras, according to CNBC, which cited an online forum for Walmart employees and customers. Walmart employees are advised to “record an event if an interaction with a customer is escalating,” and to remove the cameras in employee break areas and bathrooms, according to a Walmart document entitled “Providing customers service while creating a safer environment,” cited by CNBC. Employees are told to log any incidents in the “ethics and compliance” app. The Walmart initiative comes as retailers struggle with how to handle aggressive customers who may have mental health issues or are trying to steal merchandise. This year, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Retail Worker Safety Act, which will require merchants with 50 or more employees to install panic buttons that will alert law enforcement to come to the store immediately. The panic buttons will be required by Jan. 2027. It’s the first such law in the U.S. and Walmart opposed it arguing that it would result in false alarms. Other retail experts have argued that body cameras are effective deterrents to bad behavior. “Many of these body-worn cameras have reverse view monitors on them so ... there’s a little video screen that you actually see yourself on camera,” David Johnston, vice president of asset protection for the National Retail Federation told CNBC. “That in itself can be a very big deterrent. The moment that you see yourself is probably [when] you’re going to change your behavior, and that’s what I think the use of a body-worn camera can do.”Percentages: FG .464, FT .733. 3-Point Goals: 4-18, .222 (Baldwin 2-6, Dilione 1-4, Hicks 1-4, Carter 0-1, Dunn 0-1, Johnson 0-2). Team Rebounds: 6. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 5 (Konan Niederhauser 3, Dilione 2). Turnovers: 16 (Baldwin 5, Dilione 4, Konan Niederhauser 3, Dunn 2, Kern, Stewart). Steals: 5 (Baldwin 2, Dilione, Dunn, Kern). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .439, FT .800. 3-Point Goals: 9-19, .474 (C.Hunter 3-6, Zackery 2-2, Jones 2-3, Wiggins 2-4, Lakhin 0-1, Schieffelin 0-1, D.Hunter 0-2). Team Rebounds: 3. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 3 (Schieffelin 2, Lakhin). Turnovers: 13 (Lakhin 5, C.Hunter 2, Schieffelin 2, Wiggins 2, D.Hunter, Zackery). Steals: 7 (Schieffelin 4, Lakhin 2, Wiggins). Technical Fouls: None. .