New York: On Tuesday, Donald Trump was found in contempt of court and was imposed a fine of $9,000 for persistently disregarding a gag order that prohibited him from publicly discussing anybody involved in his New York hush money case, including witnesses and jurors. The judge cautioned that he may face imprisonment if he repeats the offense.

New York Judge Juan M. Merchan determined that there were nine infractions, although prosecutors had initially claimed there were ten. Trump gazed downward at the table before him while the judge pronounced the ruling, displaying a faint frown.

The verdict served as a strong criticism of the Republican former president’s claim that he was using his freedom of expression, and as a reminder that he is a defendant in a criminal case and must adhere to the strict procedures of a trial. The judge’s implicit warning to incarcerate a former president indicated that Trump’s already tenuous legal position could deteriorate further based on his conduct throughout the trial.

Judge Holds Trump In Contempt, Fines Him $9,000 And Raises Threat Of Jail In Hush Money Trial

Merchan expressed a strong awareness and defense of Trump’s First Amendment rights, especially considering his campaign for the presidency.

“Preserving the defendant’s lawful freedom of speech is of utmost significance. It is imperative that he is allowed to actively engage in campaigning for the office he aspires to, and that he has the opportunity to counter and protect himself from political assaults,” expressed Merchan.

However, he cautioned that the court would not tolerate deliberate breaches of its legal directives and that, if deemed necessary and suitable given the circumstances, it would impose a punitive measure involving imprisonment.

By making that statement, the court brought the possibility of Trump being the first former president of the United States to be imprisoned closer.

Trump is accustomed to having uninterrupted access to his social media platform to criticize opponents and express his thoughts. Following his ban from Twitter in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, Capitol incident, Trump established his platform to ensure that his messages would not be subject to blocking or restrictions.

The Trump campaign was already soliciting donations based on the breaches. He has consistently attempted to disassociate himself from problematic comments that he has shared with his large number of followers by claiming that they are only “retweets.”

However, he does possess prior knowledge and familiarity with gag orders, as they were previously enforced during his civil fraud prosecution. Upon being discovered to have breached those directives, he remitted fines exceeding $15,000.

The ruling was issued on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the second week of testimony in the landmark case. Manhattan prosecutors contend that Trump and his allies engaged in an illicit plot to manipulate the 2016 presidential campaign by buying and subsequently suppressing unfavorable reports. He has entered a plea of not guilty.

Trump was instructed to remit the penalty by the end of Friday’s working day. Merchan also decreed that he must delete seven objectionable posts from his Truth Social account and two from his campaign website by 2:15 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, as stated by Merchan. The judge is considering more purported breaches of Trump’s gag order and will listen to arguments on Thursday.

Out of the 10 posts, the one that Merchan had authority over and was not considered a violation was made on April 10. This particular post referred to witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels as “sleaze bags.” Merchan expressed that Trump’s claim of responding to previous posts by Cohen gives him enough reason to hesitate and question whether the post was a violation.

Merchan determined that Trump’s statement, in which he quoted Fox News commentator Jesse Watters’ assertion that liberal activists were dishonestly joining the jury, clearly breached the gag order. Merchan observed that the statements in Trump’s post on April 17 in quotation marks inaccurately represented what Watters truly said.

Judge Holds Trump In Contempt, Fines Him $9,000 And Raises Threat Of Jail In Hush Money Trial

“Therefore, according to the court’s perspective, this post represents the defendant’s own words,” Merchan wrote.

Merchan warned against the misuse of the gag order, emphasizing that it should not be employed as a weapon rather than a defense by possible witnesses. He further stated that if individuals, such as Cohen, who are safeguarded by the order, persist in attacking Trump, it becomes evident that they no longer require the protection provided by the gag order. Cohen has stated his intention to abstain from making any remarks about Trump until he gives testimony during the trial.

Testimony continued on Tuesday with Gary Farro, a banker who assisted Cohen, Trump’s previous lawyer, in establishing accounts, including one that Cohen utilized to purchase the confidentiality of adult entertainer Stormy Daniels. She claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, an allegation that he denies. Farro testified on Friday, recounting how Cohen requested the establishment of two accounts, but one was never officially opened.

Shortly after establishing a second account under Essential Consultants LLC in October 2016, Michael Cohen transferred $130,000 from his home equity loan to this account. Within the same day, he wired the exact amount of $130,000 to Keith Davidson, who was, as evidenced by the paperwork, an attorney representing Daniels at the time. The 2016 presidential election took place on November 8.

Farro stated that Cohen suggested the transaction was connected to a real estate deal rather than being associated with a political candidate, an adult film star, or the acquisition of a possible media story.

“That could be perceived as a reputational risk,” he stated.

Thus far, the jurors have been presented with testimony from two additional witnesses. Rhona Graff, Trump’s former executive assistant, remembered seeing Daniels at Trump’s office suite in Trump Tower and assumed she was a prospective candidate for one of Trump’s “Apprentice” shows.

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker disclosed his agreement to act as the Trump campaign’s informant, responsible for suppressing unfavorable rumors and allegations against Trump and women. Pecker detailed his payment of $180,000 to acquire and withhold reports from a doorman and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, but he did not participate in the payment to Daniels.

Judge Holds Trump In Contempt, Fines Him $9,000 And Raises Threat Of Jail In Hush Money Trial

Trump asserts that all of the stories bought were untrue. The defense lawyers employed cross-examination to imply that Trump’s true intention was to safeguard his reputation and his family rather than to manipulate the presidential election result.

Trump is facing 34 criminal charges for manipulating corporate documents about the hush money payments. He has refuted any misconduct and entered a plea of not guilty.

The comprehensive evidence regarding corporate transactions and bank accounts prepares the groundwork for Cohen’s testimony. Cohen, who was incarcerated following his guilty plea in 2018 for campaign finance violations and other offenses, will provide his story. The timing of his testimony remains uncertain.

The trial, the first of Trump’s four criminal matters to be presented to a jury, is anticipated to continue for at least another month. As Trump spends more time in court, his frustration intensifies as the November election draws nearer.

Trump has been engaging in campaign activities during his free time. However, he is obligated to attend court sessions four days a week. On Tuesday, he again expressed his disapproval of the matter outside the courtroom.

“This is a case that should never have been initiated,” he stated.

SOURCE – (AP)

Bumble, a dating app that revolutionized the industry a decade ago by introducing the concept of women initiating talks, is now allowing males to engage in chats on its platform.

Bumble is introducing a new tool dubbed “opening moves” that allows female users to establish a prompt for male suitors to reply to to start a conversation. The function overturns the app’s long-standing mandate that women initiate the first message to their matches. Bumble claims this change empowers women by granting them greater control over their dating experiences.

Dating App Bumble Will No Longer Require Women To Make The First Move

Lidiane Jones, the new CEO of Bumble, unveiled the new feature on Tuesday as part of a comprehensive app redesign. Jones took over the reins from creator Whitney Wolfe Herd earlier this year. This decision comes at a time when dating apps are striving to maintain their relevance as some users are feeling fatigued from online dating and are craving more in-person interactions.

Jones perceives the Bumble redesign as an opportunity for the platform to respond effectively to the current situation.

“There is an increasing demand for genuine human connections,” Jones stated in an interview with CNN before to the launch. “I expect that the number of people using online dating will increase rather than decrease, but there is a higher standard…” Therefore, focusing our attention on our objective is a significant call to action.

According to Jones, adding the new “opening moves” feature is a means by which Bumble is progressing while remaining faithful to its initial objective of empowering women. Now, female users can either keep starting discussions with their matches or establish an initial move, such as asking a question about their match’s ideal dinner guest, to indicate that they prefer their match to make the first contact. (Non-binary users or those interested in same-gender pairings have the option for either person to initiate and reply to an initial action.)

Bumble’s makeover incorporates enhanced “dating intentions” badges that enable users to specify on their profiles whether they are seeking a “life partner” or simply “fun, casual dates.” Bumble has implemented a new policy mandating members to provide more photographs in their biographies.

Dating App Bumble Will No Longer Require Women To Make The First Move

The application will prioritize and emphasize shared interests at the beginning of potential matches’ profiles to facilitate connections between individuals and increasing the likelihood of finding compatible companions.

The modifications have the potential to be crucial in restoring Bumble’s profitability, as the company, which also possesses dating applications Badoo and Fruitz, recorded a net loss of $1.9 million in the previous year. The company’s stock price has experienced a significant decline of 86% since its first public offering in February 2021.

According to Wall Street experts, Bumble is projected to profit $12 million for the first quarter of this year when it releases its earnings on May 8. This is a significant improvement from the $2.3 million loss recorded during the same time last year. The company anticipates a 14% increase in paying consumers, reaching over 3.9 million.

Dating App Bumble Will No Longer Require Women To Make The First Move

“We are extremely fortunate to possess robust financials that enable us to invest in the company’s expansion while also ensuring profitability for our shareholders,” Jones stated. “We are currently at a significant turning point where we have achieved a substantial level of growth and have ample opportunities for further expansion. At this juncture, we can effectively pursue both objectives simultaneously.”

SOURCE – (CNN)

On Tuesday, Walmart, the biggest retailer in the United States, announced that it would shut down all 51 healthcare centers in six states and terminate its virtual healthcare services.

In the past several years, Walmart has significantly expanded its presence in the healthcare industry. The company has opened clinics adjacent to its superstores in several states, including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, and Texas.

These clinics provide a wide range of medical services, such as basic and urgent care, laboratory testing, X-rays, behavioral health services, and dental treatments. Walmart was confident that it could utilize its extensive financial resources and network of stores to provide convenient and affordable services to people in rural and underserved regions where access to primary healthcare was limited.

Walmart Will Close All Of Its Health Care Clinics

However, this statement signifies a sudden change in Walmart’s approach, which could result in a lack of access to healthcare, especially for economically disadvantaged individuals without insurance who depend on these clinics. Additionally, Walmart announced its decision to discontinue virtual healthcare services.

One distinctive aspect was their emphasis on stores situated in underprivileged communities. Ateev Mehrotra, a professor of health care policy and medicine at Harvard Medical School who studies retail health clinics, expressed disappointment that Walmart was unable to succeed in providing care for individuals who have few options.

Walmart stated that its decision to discontinue its healthcare initiative was based on the lack of profitability due to the difficult reimbursement environment and increasing operating costs.

The organization stated that it has concluded that there is no viable and enduring business model for it to proceed with.

Mehrotra stated that Walmart’s closures indicate the difficulties faced by primary care professionals in the United States. The Association of American Medical Colleges predicts a potential deficit of up to 55,000 primary care physicians in the coming decade.

Walmart Will Close All Of Its Health Care Clinics

“This experience underscores the financial challenges that primary care faces as a whole.” “It truly reflects the challenges that primary clinics are encountering,” he stated.

Walmart has announced its intention to maintain the operation of its 4,600 pharmacies and over 3,000 optical facilities nationwide.

Walmart established clinics to address the needs of its customers who lack health insurance and those who have insurance plans with substantial deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.

In 2020, Walmart CEO Doug McMillion indicated that the healthcare care field appeared to be a significant prospect shortly after the initial clinics were established.

High expenses and limited availability of primary healthcare services remain ongoing obstacles, particularly in rural regions. Walmart selected certain locations based on their higher prevalence of chronic diseases and lower number of primary care providers compared to the average towns in the United States.

In 2020, Marcus Osborne, the former vice president of health and wellness transformation at Walmart, informed CNN that those who frequently visited the clinics had not received medical attention from a primary care physician for two to three years or dental care for five years.

Walmart Will Close All Of Its Health Care Clinics

According to Robert Field, a professor of health administration and policy at Drexel University, Walmart encountered various difficulties with its health clinics, such as a scarcity of medical personnel.

According to him, the closures of Walmart demonstrate that success in the retail industry does not necessarily indicate success in the healthcare sector.

“Selling services is distinct from selling products such as toothpaste and breakfast cereal, and necessitates distinct expertise and management,” Field stated.

SOURCE – (CNN)