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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Voters dejected by the presidential election results need to find a way to give back and remain involved, Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday as they celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Clinton presidential library. The former president urged audience members in a packed theater to remain engaged and find ways to communicate with those they disagree with despite a divisive political time. The two spoke about a month after former President Donald Trump’s win over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election. “We’re just passing through, and we all need to just calm down and do something that builds people up instead of tears them down,” Bill Clinton said. Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state who was defeated by Trump in the 2016 election, said she understands the next couple of years are going to be challenging for voters who don’t agree with the decisions being made. “In addition to staying involved and staying aware, it’s important to find something that makes you feel good about the day because if you’re in a constant state of agitation about our political situation, it is really going to shorten your life,” she said. The Clintons spoke during a panel discussion with journalist Laura Ling, who the former president helped free in 2009 when she was detained in North Korea with another journalist. The event was held as part of a weekend of activities marking the 20th anniversary of the Clinton Presidential Library’s opening in Little Rock. The library is preparing to undergo an update of its exhibits and an expansion that will include Hillary Clinton’s personal archives. Hillary Clinton said part of the goal is to modernize the facility and expand it to make it a more open, inviting place for people for convene and make connections. When asked about advice he would give for people disappointed by the election results, Bill Clinton said people need to continue working toward bringing people together and improving others’ lives. “If that’s the way you keep score, then you ought to be trying to run up the score,” he said. “Not lamenting the fact that somebody else is winning a different game because they keep score a different way.” “And in addition, figure out what we can do to win again,” Hillary Clinton added, eliciting cheers. The program featured a panel discussion with cast members of the hit NBC show “The West Wing” and former Clinton White House staffers. The weekend amounted to a reunion of former Clinton White House staffers, supporters and close friends, including former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and adviser James Carville. McAuliffe said he and Carville ate Friday at Doe’s Eat Place, a downtown restaurant that was popular with Clinton aides and reporters during Clinton’s 1992 White House run. He said he viewed the library and its planned expansion as important for the future. “This is not only about the past, but it’s more importantly about the future,” McAuliffe said. “We just went through a very tough election, and people are all saying we’ve got to get back to the Clinton model.” More articles from the BDNTrump taps Brooke Rollins of America First Policy Institute for agriculture secretary toggle caption Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, to oversee the Department of Agriculture, one of the most sprawling federal agencies. Rollins was previously the director of the Domestic Policy Council during the first Trump administration. She has a long history in conservative politics, including also running the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Originally from Texas, she graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development. She then got her law degree at the University of Texas school of Law. Sponsor Message During the first Trump administration, Rollins also served as assistant to the president for intergovernmental and technology initiatives. After leaving the White House, Rollins was among a group of senior advisers to create the new nonprofit... Ximena Bustillo
NEW YORK , Dec. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Micron Technology, Inc. ("Micron" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: MU ). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns Micron and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On December 18, 2024 , Micron announced financial results for its first quarter of fiscal year ("FY") 2025 and issued disappointing guidance for its second quarter of FY 2025. In response to the announcement, securities analysts commented on the reduced guidance and lowered their price targets for Micron stock given the weakness in the Company's consumer chips business. For example, UBS wrote that "[g]uidance was below even the most bearish bogeys we heard into the report, with the company citing ongoing malaise in consumer markets." Similarly, a Bank of America analyst indicated Micron's revenue from sales of its AI memory chips cannot offset the "downward pressure" caused by weak demand for those used in personal computers and smartphones. On this news, Micron's stock price fell $16.81 per share, or 16.2%, to close at $87.09 per share on December 19, 2024 . Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York , Chicago , Los Angeles , London , Paris , and Tel Aviv , is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz , known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud , breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com . Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: Danielle Peyton Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 646-581-9980 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLPWNBA expansion draft: Six players each team might protect from ValkyriesNEW YORK — Microsoft is experiencing a global software outage affecting Outlook, Word, Teams and other apps. The company said on social media early Monday the issue was being investigated. “We’ve identified a recent change which we believe has resulted in impact,” the company added later. “We’ve started to revert the change and are investigating what additional actions are required to mitigate the issue. “We’ve started to deploy a fix which is currently progressing through the affected environment. While this progresses, we’re beginning manual restarts on a subset of machines that are in an unhealthy state.” Word is part of Microsoft 365, the company’s subscription software service. Teams and Outlook are commonly used in workplaces for video calls, chat and email. However, the company said early Monday that the fixes were taking longer than expected. “An ETA for resolution will be provided as soon as available,” the company said. No other information about what the outage’s cause or its fix was released. The first issues were reported around 4 a.m. Eastern, according to DownDetector. Within hours, several thousand reports had been made. An outage of cybersecurity company CrowdStrike caused a day-long disruption to travel, banking and health and other industries.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Voters dejected by the presidential election results need to find a way to give back and remain involved, Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday as they celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Clinton presidential library. The former president urged audience members in a packed theater to remain engaged and find ways to communicate with those they disagree with despite a divisive political time. The two spoke about a month after former President Donald Trump's win over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election. “We’re just passing through, and we all need to just calm down and do something that builds people up instead of tears them down,” Bill Clinton said. Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state who was defeated by Trump in the 2016 election, said she understands the next couple of years are going to be challenging for voters who don't agree with the decisions being made. "In addition to staying involved and staying aware, it’s important to find something that makes you feel good about the day because if you’re in a constant state of agitation about our political situation, it is really going to shorten your life," she said. The Clintons spoke during a panel discussion with journalist Laura Ling, who the former president helped free in 2009 when she was detained in North Korea with another journalist. The event was held as part of a weekend of activities marking the of the Clinton Presidential Library's opening in Little Rock. The library is preparing to of its exhibits and an expansion that will include Hillary Clinton's personal archives. Hillary Clinton said part of the goal is to modernize the facility and expand it to make it a more open, inviting place for people for convene and make connections. When asked about advice he would give for people disappointed by the election results, Bill Clinton said people need to continue working toward bringing people together and improving others' lives. “If that's the way you keep score, then you ought to be trying to run up the score,” he said. “Not lamenting the fact that somebody else is winning a different game because they keep score a different way." “And in addition, figure out what we can do to win again,” Hillary Clinton added, eliciting cheers. The program featured a panel discussion with cast members of the hit NBC show “The West Wing” and former Clinton White House staffers. The weekend amounted to a reunion of former Clinton White House staffers, supporters and close friends, including former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and adviser James Carville. McAuliffe said he and Carville ate Friday at Doe's Eat Place, a downtown restaurant that was popular with Clinton aides and reporters during Clinton's 1992 White House run. He said he viewed the library and its planned expansion as important for the future. “This is not only about the past, but it's more importantly about the future," McAuliffe said. “We just went through a very tough election, and people are all saying we've got to get back to the Clinton model.”WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in southern Minnesota. Biden welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom” and sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency after a half-century in Washington power circles. “It’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful,” Biden said, taking note of his impending departure on Jan. 20, 2025. That's when power will transfer to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, the man Biden defeated four years ago and was battling again until he was pressured to bow out of the race amid concerns about his age and viability. Biden is 82. Until Inauguration Day, the president and first lady Jill Biden will continue a busy run of festivities that will double as their long goodbye. The White House schedule in December is replete with holiday parties for various constituencies, from West Wing staff to members of Congress and the White House press corps. Biden relished the brief ceremony with the pardoned turkeys, named for the official flower of the president's home state of Delaware. “The peach pie in my state is one of my favorites,” he said during remarks that were occasionally interrupted by Peach gobbling atop the table to Biden's right. “Peach is making a last-minute plea,” Biden said at one point, drawing laughter from an overflow crowd that included Cabinet members, White House staff and their families, and students from 4H programs and Future Farmers of America chapters. Biden introduced Peach as a bird who “lives by the motto, ‘Keep calm and gobble on.’” Blossom, the president said, has a different motto: “No fowl play. Just Minnesota nice.” Peach and Blossom came from the farm of John Zimmerman, near the southern Minnesota city of Northfield. Zimmerman, who has raised about 4 million turkeys, is president of the National Turkey Federation, the group that has gifted U.S. presidents Thanksgiving turkeys since the Truman administration after World War II. President Harry Truman, however, preferred to eat the birds. Official pardon ceremonies did not become an annual White House tradition until the administration of President George H.W. Bush in 1989. With their presidential reprieve, Peach and Blossom will live out their days at Farmamerica, an agriculture interpretative center near Waseca in southern Minnesota. The center's aim is to promote agriculture and educate future farmers and others about agriculture in America. Separately Monday, first lady Jill Biden received the official White House Christmas tree that will be decorated and put on display in the Blue Room. The 18.5 foot (5.64 meters) Fraser fir came from a farm in an area of western North Carolina that recently was devastated by Hurricane Helene . Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm lost thousands of trees in the storm “but this one remained standing and they named it ‘Tremendous’ for the extraordinary hope that it represents,” Jill Biden said at the event. The Bidens also traveled to New York City on Monday for an evening “Friendsgiving” event at a Coast Guard station on Staten Island. Biden began his valedictory calendar Friday night with a gala for hundreds of his friends, supporters and staff members who gathered in a pavilion erected on the South Lawn, with a view out to the Lincoln Memorial. Cabinet secretaries, Democratic donors and his longest-serving staff members came together to hear from the president and pay tribute, with no evidence that Biden was effectively forced from the Democratic ticket this summer and watched Vice President Kamala Harris suffer defeat on Nov. 5. “I’m so proud that we’ve done all of this with a deep belief in the core values of America,” said Biden, sporting a tuxedo for the black-tie event. Setting aside his criticisms of Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, Biden added his characteristic national cheerleading: “I fully believe that America is better positioned to lead the world today than at any point in my 50 years of public service.” The first lady toasted her husband with a nod to his 2020 campaign promise to “restore the soul of the nation,” in Trump’s aftermath. With the results on Election Day, however, Biden’s four years now become sandwiched in the middle of an era dominated by Trump's presence on the national stage and in the White House. Even as the first couple avoided the context surrounding the president's coming exit, those political realities were nonetheless apparent, as younger Democrats like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore , Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Biden's Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg not only raised their glasses to the president but held forth with many attendees who could remain in the party's power circles in the 2028 election cycle and beyond. ___ Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
Yu Miao smiles as he stands among the 10,000 books crowded on rows of bamboo shelves in his newly reopened bookstore. It’s in Washington’s vibrant Dupont Circle neighborhood, far from its last location in Shanghai, where the Chinese government forced him out of business six years ago. “There is no pressure from the authorities here,” said Yu, the owner of JF Books, Washington’s only Chinese bookseller. “I want to live without fear.” Independent bookstores have become a new battleground in China, swept up in the ruling Communist Party’s crackdown on dissent and free expression. The Associated Press found that at least a dozen bookstores in the world’s second-largest economy have been shuttered or targeted for closure in the last few months alone, squeezing the already tight space for press freedom. One bookstore owner was arrested over four months ago. The crackdown has had a chilling effect on China’s publishing industry. Bookstores are common in China, but many are state-owned. Independent bookstores are governed by an intricate set of rules with strict controls now being more aggressively policed, according to bookstore owners. Printing shops and street vendors are also facing more rigorous government inspections by the National Office Against Pornography and Illegal Publication. The office did not respond to interview requests from The Associated Press. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement to AP, said it was not aware of a crackdown on bookstores. Yu isn't alone in taking his business out of the country. Chinese bookstores have popped up in Japan, France, Netherlands and elsewhere in the U.S. in recent years, as a result of both stricter controls in China and growing Chinese communities abroad. It’s not just the books' contents that are making Chinese authorities wary. In many communities, bookstores are cultural centers where critical thinking is encouraged, and conversations can veer into politics and other topics not welcomed by the authorities. The bookstore owner who was arrested was Yuan Di, also called Yanyou, the founder of Jiazazhi, an artistic bookstore in Shanghai and Ningbo on China’s eastern coast. He was taken away by police in June, according to Zhou Youlieguo, who closed his own bookstore in Shanghai in September. Yuan's arrest was also confirmed by two other people who declined to be named for fear of retribution. The charge against Yuan is unclear. An official in Ningbo's Bureau of Culture, Radio Television and Tourism, which oversees bookstores, declined comment, noting the case is under investigation. The Ningbo police didn’t respond to an interview request. Michael Berry, director of UCLA's Center for Chinese Studies, said a sluggish Chinese economy may be driving the government to exert greater control. “The government might be feeling that this is a time to be more cautious and control this kind of discourse in terms of what people are consuming and reading to try to put a damper on any potential unrest and kind of nip it in the bud,” Berry said. These bookstore owners face dual pressures, Berry added. One is the political clampdown; the other is the global movement, especially among young people, toward digital media and away from print publications. Wang Yingxing sold secondhand books in Ningbo for almost two decades before being ordered to close in August. Local officials informed Wang he lacked a publication business license even though he wasn’t eligible to obtain one as a second-hand seller. Faded outlines marked the spot where a sign for Fatty Wang’s Bookstore once hung. Spray-painted black letters on the bookstore’s window read: “Temporarily closed”. “We’re promoting culture, I’m not doing anything wrong, right? I’m just selling some books and promoting culture,” Wang said, tying a bundle of books together with brown wrapper and white nylon string. “Then why won’t you leave me alone?” Wang added. Half a dozen other people heaved boxes of books into the back of a van. The books, Wang said, were being sold to cafe and bar owners who wanted to burnish little libraries for their patrons. Some would be sent to a warehouse in Anhui. The rest, he said, were to be sent to a recycling station to be pulped and destroyed. Bookstores are not the only target. Central authorities have also cracked down on other places such as printing shops, internet bars, gaming rooms and street vendors. Strict inspections have taken place all over the country, according to Chinese authorities. Authorities in Shanghai inspected printing places and bookstores, looking for “printing, copying or selling illegal publications,” according to a government document. This shows the authorities are not just barring the sale of some publications, but tracing them back to the printing process. They found some printing stores did not “register the copy content as required” and demanded they fix the problem quickly. In Shaoyang, a city in China’s south, authorities said they will be “cracking down on harmful publications in accordance with the law.” The Communist Party has various powers to control which books are available. Any publication without a China Standard Book Number is considered illegal, including self-published books and those imported without special licenses. Books can be banned even after they are published if restrictions are later tightened — often for unclear reasons — or if the writers say something upsetting to the Chinese authorities. Yet despite these restrictions and the crackdown on existing booksellers, more bookstores are opening. Recent figures are unavailable, but a survey by Bookdao, a media company that focuses on the book industry, shows more than twice as many bookstores opened than closed in China in 2020. Liu Suli, who has been running All Sages Books in Beijing for over three decades, says there are many idealists in the industry. “Everyone who reads has a dream of having a bookstore,” Liu says, despite the challenges. In many cases, those dreams are being fulfilled outside China. Yu and other Chinese booksellers around the world stock their shelves with books from Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China, as well as books published locally. Zhang Jieping, founder of Nowhere, a bookstore in Taiwan and Thailand, said there's a growing demand for books from migrants who left China after the COVID-19 pandemic. “They don’t just want to speak fluent English or Japanese to fit in, they want cultural autonomy,” Zhang said. “They want more community spaces. Not necessarily a bookstore, but in any format — a gallery, or a restaurant.” Li Yijia is a 22-year-old student who arrived in Washington from Beijing in August. One Sunday morning, she wandered through JF Books where she found titles in Chinese and English. She said a Chinese bookstore feels like “another world in a bubble” which helps her critical thinking by allowing her to read books in both languages. “It also relieves homesickness, like a Chinese restaurant,” Li added. The closure of the bookstores leads the owners to different paths. Some ended up in jail, some went looking for jobs to feed their families. Some started a journey to leave censorship behind. Since he closed his Shanghai bookstore, Zhou, 39, has moved to Los Angeles, but hasn't decided what his next step will be. He said his fully licensed independent bookstore, which sold art books and self-published works by artists and translators, was fined thousands of dollars and he was interrogated over a dozen times during the past four years. He's seen colleagues jailed for selling “illegal publications.” All the self-published book artists and editors he worked with asked him to take down their work after warnings by local authorities. Zhou said he could not handle further harassment He said it was as if he were “smuggling drugs instead of selling books.” The existence of his bookstore, Zhou said, was “a rebellion and a resistance,” which is not there anymore. Associated Press writer Dake Kang in Ningbo, China, contributed to this report.
Seahawks will be without RB Kenneth Walker III (calf) vs. Cardinals, a polarizing online personality known for his inflammatory statements, has stirred up controversy once again. This time, his target is star , and his comments have drawn sharp criticism for their offensive and reductive nature. Appearing on , doubled down on previous remarks about the and , referencing a controversial comment made by legend In October, suggested on podcast that she dunk while wearing short shorts as a marketing tactic, a statement that received backlash for being objectifying. took it further, making explicit remarks about and the league. A history of targeting Angel Reese This isn't the first time has publicly criticized . Following the election in November, voiced her disappointment over losing to , sharing her thoughts on social media. , who at the time was embroiled in legal issues, mocked during an appearance on the Say Cheese! show. His degrading remarks sparked outrage online, though has yet to address them publicly. Fans and the WNBA respond recent comments have reignited debates about sexism and respect in sports. Fans and commentators have condemned his statements, calling them a setback for the progress female athletes have made in gaining respect and recognition. While inflammatory rhetoric often grabs attention, it risks overshadowing the accomplishments of players like , who has become a prominent figure in women's basketball. Her performances and unapologetic personality have garnered admiration, making her a role model for many. remarks, however, highlight the persistent challenges female athletes face in combating stereotypes and sexism, reminding the sports world of the need for respect and equity. As the continues to grow, voices like are a stark reminder of the work still left to do.
Conor McGregor tried to fight referee Marc Goddard after storming the cage following teammate’s buzzer-beating KOITV I'm A Celebrity fans rumble 'real reason' all stars sent on trial amid camp tensionsClintons urge voters agitated by today’s politics to remain involved in public service
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DALLAS — Defenseman Brock Faber scored a wraparound goal 35 seconds into overtime and the Minnesota Wild rallied from two goals down midway through the third period to beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Friday night. Jonas Brodin and Marcus Foligno scored 57 seconds apart in the third to tie the score for the Wild, whose 29 road points (13-3-3) are tops in the league. Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves. Evgenii Dadonov and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist giving Dallas a 2-0 lead through two periods. Jake Oettinger, a Minnesota native, stopped 15 shots for the Stars, who are 0-2-1 in their last three home games. Faber took a pass from Matt Boldy near center ice on the first overtime shift, skated in and behind the net as Oettinger appeared to lose sight of the puck behind him and didn't leave the left post. Minnesota played without star forward Kirill Kaprizov, among the league leaders with 23 goals and 50 points, who sat out with a lower body injury. The Stars played down a man after forward Mason Marchment left late in the first period after being struck in the face by a puck. Minnesota was also missing forward Joel Eriksson Ek (missed his 11th straight game, lower body) and defenseman Jacob Middleton (seventh straight, upper body). Dallas Stars left wing Mason Marchment (27) is tended to after he was hit by the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in Dallas. Credit: AP/LM Otero Takeaways Wild: A team that took a 2 1/2-hour flight on Friday morning became energized in the third period. Stars: Dallas went 0 for 3 on the power play, falling to a league-low 9.8% (6 for 61) at home. Key moment Foligno’s shot through traffic banged off the post to tie the score at 11:32 of the third period. Key stat The Wild were outshot 22-9 through two periods, then outshot the Stars 8-7 in the third period and had the only shot in overtime. Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson defends the goal during the the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in Dallas. Credit: AP/LM Otero Up Next Wild host Ottawa on Sunday, and Stars visit Chicago.Anker recalls 80,000 Bluetooth speakers over fire riskChargers-Broncos Week 16 game flexed to 'Thursday Night Football,' a first for NFL
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Tyrese Hunter scored 17 of his 26 points after halftime to lead Memphis to a 99-97 overtime win against two-time defending national champion and second-ranked UConn on Monday in the first round of the Maui Invitational . Hunter shot 7 of 10 from 3-point range for the Tigers (5-0), who were 12 of 22 from beyond at the arc as a team. PJ Haggerty had 22 points and five assists, Colby Rogers had 19 points and Dain Dainja scored 14. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekKnicks Focus On One Thing To Improve Defensive Numbers
Türkiye is sending an eight-member team to investigate the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) passenger plane near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdülkadir Uraloğlu announced late Friday. In a statement shared on his social media account, Uraloğlu said the team was formed at the request of Azerbaijan's State Civil Aviation Agency. The group will examine the crash site, conduct technical and operational analyses, and provide support to determine the cause of the accident. “Our expert team will work in coordination with local authorities to thoroughly investigate all aspects of the incident and report the findings,” Uraloğlu said. The team is set to depart for Baku late Friday and will begin their work on Saturday. Expressing Türkiye’s solidarity with Azerbaijan, Uraloğlu added, “We reaffirm that Türkiye stands with Azerbaijan under all circumstances. We extend our condolences to those who lost their lives and once again send our heartfelt sympathies to our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters.” At least 38 people were killed, and 29 survived after the Embraer 190 aircraft made an emergency landing near Aktau , Kazakhstan on Wednesday. The Embraer passenger jet had flown from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny in Russia's southern Chechnya region before veering hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea.Mercedes-Benz is in the midst of a major ramp up in its luxury vehicle operations. The company has invested €10 million ($10.57 million USD) into its Manufaktur customization business this year, expanding ordering possibilities. The individualization program is for a growing range of select Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach models. Clients of the personalization option will now be able to experience Manufaktur at the Manufaktur Studio, a new operational center that gives clients a behind-the-scenes peek at their vehicle's finishing process. This is on top of new Maybach Atelier locations in Shanghai (opened in 2022) and New York City (coming soon), with additional locations planned to be opened through 2030. Maybach is the company's ultimate brand expression in luxury vehicles. "Manufaktur gives our customers the opportunity to actually create their own fantastic and very individualized vehicle. Our customers, they do not only buy a car, actually. They buy an experience. And after all, this is what you expect if you buy such a truly something special," Michael Schiebe, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH and Head of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Mercedes Maybach divisions told Newsweek at the opening of the Studio. "When you buy a special timepiece you can often marvel at the watchmaker building it. With a new Manufaktur studio here, we now offer a customized experience where you can get really close with our experts" he said. At the company's Factory 56 plant in Sindelfingen, Germany, speciality skilled workers finish Manufaktur client vehicles in the areas of textile finishing, interior fittings, fabrication, embroidery and personalized paintwork, among other operations. This is work that Mercedes has been doing for a hundred years, stretching back to the company's coachbuilding operations at the dawn of the automobile era. "We have more than 120 years of experience when it comes to fulfilling customer wishes and exceeding, of course, our customers' dreams," Schiebe said. The Sindelfingen site has long been known as the home of Mercedes craftsmanship and this investment signals a commitment to continue that in the future, with a heaping helping of modern technology to assist the skilled workers with their trades. Today, more than 90 percent of G-Class sales feature at least one Manufaktur customization. Germany, the U.S. and China are the largest Manufaktur markets with Japan, the Middle East and Eastern Europe markets expected to grow significantly in the coming years. The company recently created a new Popemobile from the current generation G-Class. The old school approach to customized luxury is combined with modern technology at various stages throughout the Manufaktur process. The company has changed the traditional workstation approach to its process by digitizing individual work steps and optimizing them with artificial intelligence. This has sped up Manufaktur operations and is ensuring a top-level quality in the production process. While Mercedes' Manufaktur operations are not to the level of Rolls-Royce's bespoke program, they are able to indulge some extravagant client asks. The Manufaktur Atelier is tucked into a tiny corner of the company's Manufaktur site, with engineers and designers working hand-in-hand to develop vehicles based on specialty client asks, like a large sunroof for a custom GLS. There is one hard and fast rule for customization, Paloma Cury, senior manager of individualization at Mercedes-Benz, told Newsweek . The company will not compromise on safety, standards and principles.
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk , an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today’s edition, senior politics reporter Alex Seitz-Wald breaks down the long-standing Democratic truisms that were challenged by the results of the 2024 elections. Plus, special counsel Jack Smith filed to drop all federal charges against Donald Trump in the election interference and classified documents cases. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. 5 Democratic assumptions shattered by the 2024 election By Alex Seitz-Wald Democrats have been eager to draw tactical lessons from their second loss to Donald Trump, but they’ve so far been more reluctant to reconsider some of the fundamental assumptions about the broader political landscape that has guided their strategy. The party has been slow to update its mythology to the Trump-era political realignment , leading many Democrats to continue leaning on truisms that may no longer be true. As the final votes are still being counted, it will take some time for the full story of the election to become clear. But exit polls and results from key areas around the country have already revealed new realities that Democrats will need to adjust to as they rebuild for the future. Here are five of the party’s core assumptions that have been challenged by the 2024 election outcome: 1. Higher turnout benefits Democrats: Democrats have long taken for granted a simple truism: The more people who vote, the better for Democrats. That may have been true once — though that is also unclear — and it’s a feel-good story for a party that aligns itself with democracy. But in the Trump era, Democrats have become the party of more reliable voters (college-educated, higher-income and older voters), while Republicans often stand to gain by turning out low-propensity voters (non-college-educated and blue-collar voters) who are mostly apolitical but like Trump. That dynamic helps why Democrats have performed better in recent midterm, off-year and special elections and why polls have consistently underestimated Trump’s support. Non-presidential elections have lower turnout, so the edge often goes to the party with the most reliable voters, which until recently was typically Republicans. 2. Democrats are the party of the working class: For more than a century, Democrats have viewed themselves as the party of workers and the GOP as the party of the bosses. Strongly aligned with labor unions, Democrats have supported welfare programs and populist economic politics like higher taxes on the wealthy. In 2024, Democrats lost the working class by the two most common measures — income and education levels. NBC News exit polls show Trump won voters without college degrees 56%-42%, while he narrowly won voters with family incomes of $30,000 to $100,000 annually. Kamala Harris won voters with annual incomes over $200,000. That’s a reversal from the previous elections. Even as she lost the 2016 election to Trump, Hillary Clinton still won low-income voters by double-digit margins and kept the education gap close, while Barack Obama easily won non-college-educated voters in 2012, according to NBC News exit polls. 3. Trump can’t expand his base: This is one reason why some Democrats viewed Trump as beatable, especially after his 2020 defeat. But on his third run for the White House, Trump expanded his base of support into major cities , onto Native American reservations and into heavily Latino communities. He gained ground in battleground state cities like Philadelphia and Detroit , while improving his performance in even famously liberal areas like Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles County and Chicago’s Cook County. And he regained ground in affluent suburbs that had drifted away from the GOP in recent years, such as Loudoun County, Virginia. 4. Latinos and immigrants will vote against restrictive immigration policies: Democrats have based their Latino outreach and immigration policies around this implicitly accepted assumption. But Trump had the best-ever performance for a Republican presidential candidate among Latinos, according to NBC News exit polls, outright winning Latino men, while increasing support among Asian Americans and in immigrant communities from Dearborn, Michigan to Lawrence, Massachusetts . Trump nearly swept the heavily Latino counties in Texas along the border with Mexico, several of which have voted Democratic for generations. And the only Manhattan precinct to go for a Republican presidential candidate this decade is an apartment complex that’s home mainly to Chinese immigrants. 5. The Electoral College is biased against Democrats: Until this month, both Republicans elected president in the 21st Century lost the popular vote, leading many Democrats to conclude the Electoral College is structurally biased against them. The idea has some merit, as big blue states like California and New York are unrepresented relative to low-population red ones like Wyoming. But Trump won both the Electoral College and popular vote this year as Harris’ performance fell in those Democratic bastions. Jack Smith files to drop all federal charges against Trump By Ryan J. Reilly and Ken Dilanian Special counsel Jack Smith on Monday filed motions to drop all federal charges against President-elect Donald Trump regarding his mishandling of classified documents and his effort to overturn his 2020 presidential election in the lead-up to the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S Capitol. Hours later, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan granted Smith’s motion to dismiss the Jan. 6-related indictment, formally bringing to an end the case that alleged Trump unlawfully conspired to overturn his 2020 loss to President Joe Biden. Trump was indicted in June 2023 in a federal court in Miami on 37 felony counts related to mishandling classified documents that he took from the White House to his Florida home. They included willful retention of national defense information, making false statements, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. A Florida judge dismissed the case, but Smith’s office had sought an appeal. Trump was separately indicted on four felonies in August 2023 for his attempt to reverse the 2020 election results: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. Trump has claimed that the prosecutions were politically motivated. He has never publicly conceded that his election claims were, in fact, false, and he pleaded not guilty in both federal cases. The federal indictments of Trump were an extraordinary moment in American history — the first-ever accusation that a president had illegally sought to cling to power, mishandled classified information and attempted to obstruct a federal investigation. Their dismissal is also a historic moment. Fifty years after lawmakers from both parties forced Richard Nixon to resign the presidency amid allegations of criminal conduct in office, half of American voters chose to return Trump to the presidency. Trump’s election means that the Justice Department’s longstanding position that a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime will apply to him after he takes office on Jan. 20. Read more → That’s all from the Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com And if you’re a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here .
The Pheu Thai Party and its coalition partner, the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT), have reaffirmed their commitment to coalition unity as they attempt to downplay tensions between them. Bhumjaithai leader and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the government enjoys a high degree of stability and there are no risk factors that could pose a threat to it. "In recent years, no government has commanded as large a majority in the House of Representatives as this administration," Mr Anutin said. "Prime Minister Paetontarn Shinawatra has clearly demonstrated her leadership skills and has the capability to steer the government. Collaboration among coalition members is also progressing smoothly. "Trivial issues among coalition parties are normal and can be addressed. There is no major conflict that cannot be resolved," Mr Anutin added. Asked about a photo featuring his golf outing with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Pathum Thani last week and whether Bhumjaithai would continue to oppose Pheu Thai, Mr Anutin said BJT was not trying to oppose Pheu Thai. "Bhumjaithai only expresses its stance and opinions on issues we believe will benefit the nation. At the same time, the party respects the majority vote," Mr Anutin said. In response to criticism the coalition government was formed because the parties were forced to do so, Mr Anutin said they were not forced to work together, but the coalition government feels compelled to work hard for the people. When asked whether the government could continue without BJT, Mr Anutin said no one is indispensable. "When the time comes, anyone can part ways. Nothing is indispensable," he said. Asked whether the coalition would remain in place until it completes its full term and whether coalition parties would stick together in the next government, Mr Anutin said the cabinet is responsible for running the country. "In a coalition government, the prime minister is the clear leader. If the leaders of coalition parties refuse to listen to the PM, they should not join the cabinet," he said. In the legislative branch, the role of the House of Representatives is separate from the government. All MPs have the right to express their opinions, he added. Mr Anutin also downplayed the Khao Kradong land controversy in Buri Ram, Bhumjaithai's political stronghold, as it threatens to ignite a dispute between the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the Department of Lands (DoL), which could escalate into open conflict and strain relations between Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai. Mr Anutin said all parties involved must wait for a ruling from the Administrative Court. The SRT is supervised by Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit of Pheu Thai, while the DoL is overseen by Mr Anutin, the Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, who leads Bhumjaithai. The dispute centres on land plots totalling 5,083 rai in the Khao Kradong area of Buri Ram's Muang district. The SRT is seeking to reclaim these plots, accusing the DoL of malfeasance for issuing land papers to illegal occupants. Additionally, the Chidchob family, which runs several businesses, including the Buriram International Circuit and a 32,600-seat football stadium, is linked to the controversy. The SRT filed a case with the Administrative Court in September 2021 demanding the DoL revoke its 900 land title deeds and remove all occupants from its property after the Supreme Court found the land belonged to the SRT in 2021. Of the 900 land title deeds, 12, which cover 179 rai, reportedly belong to the Chidchob family. Defence Minister and key Pheu Thai figure Phumtham Wechayachai reaffirmed unity among coalition parties on Saturday, saying that despite their differences on certain issues, they share the same goal of steering the country forward.