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7xm bd download PHOENIX — An organization that bills itself as nonpartisan but has worked on Democratic issues prepared a 47-page report for Attorney General Kris Mayes on how to prosecute the "fake electors'' ahead of the indictments her office obtained against them. A document obtained by Capitol Media Services shows that in July 2023, States United Democracy Center provided Mayes' office with a detailed timeline of the events leading up to 11 Arizona Republicans submitting a false statement to Congress that they were the true 2020 electors, when in fact Democrat Joe Biden won the state and was legally entitled to its 11 electoral votes. States United also provided a list of charges it said could be brought against the 11 false electors and others involved in the scheme. A spokesman for Mayes, Richie Taylor, would not say whether the report was specifically prepared at the Democratic attorney general's request. Attorney General Kris Mayes But Dan Barr, Mayes' chief deputy, had signed a separate letter of engagement with States United two months earlier to have the organization advise the Attorney General's Office on "legal strategies to secure the integrity and security of elections.'' Taylor, however, said the work States United did on the entire fake elector scheme was "separate from the independent investigation'' the Attorney General's Office conducted. "They prepared this memo ... really before our case had even ramped up,'' Mayes' spokesman told Capitol Media Services. "It was publicly compiled information,'' relying on everything from news reports and information from the January 6th Committee in Congress to lawsuits filed by those seeking to overturn the 2020 election, Taylor said. "But it did not have a significant, if much, impact at all on the case," he said. There was more involved than historical narrative, however. States United spelled out exactly which Arizona laws could be used to prosecute those involved and made recommendations. It also detailed why it would still be legally OK to indict people years later for events that occurred in 2020. Taylor declined to say what information his office was seeking from States United when the contract was signed on May 15, 2023. "I'm not going to get into the inner workings of the relationship,'' he said. The case All this comes as the state continues to prepare for a January 2026 trial on the remaining defendants in the case: 10 of the 11 electors themselves and a host of others linked to the 2020 Donald Trump reelection campaign. They each face nine separate felony charges including fraud and conspiracy. Mayes has said the case will continue despite voters returning Trump to the White House in this year's election. Lorraine Pellegrino, secretary of the electors group and a past president of the Ahwatukee Republican Women, agreed to plead guilty earlier this year to a single count of filing a false instrument. She was placed on unsupervised probation. Jenna Ellis, who was an attorney for Trump's 2020 campaign, technically remains in the case. But Ellie signed a "cooperation agreement'' earlier this year with the Attorney General's Office, agreeing to testify in court in exchange for the charges against her eventually being dropped. The 47-page report originally was marked as protected by "attorney-client privilege,'' with Mayes' office being the client even though States United had agreed to do the research for free. But it had to be turned over to the attorneys for the defendants as part of discovery and disclosure requirements in criminal cases. It contains a detailed list of events following the 2020 election where Biden outpolled Trump in Arizona by 10,457 votes, winning the state's 11 electors. Those events included pressure exerted by Rudy Giuliani, an attorney for Trump, and others on then-House Speaker Rusty Bowers, a Mesa Republican, to replace the elected electors with an alternate slate of Trump electors. Bowers refused. A lawsuit filed by state GOP Chair Kelli Ward and others to decertify the presidential selection results was rejected by U.S. District Court Judge Diane Humetewa, who said their claims fell short "in their particularity and plausibility.'' That led to the plan, with Trump associates working with local Republicans, led by Ward, to prepare and sign certificates saying that 11 Republicans, including Ward, were actually the legitimate electors from Arizona. At least part of the reason was to throw the Jan. 6, 2021 count of votes by Congress into disarray, providing an opportunity for then-Vice President Mike Pence to refuse the contested electoral votes, which would have left Biden short of what he needed to win. That fell apart when Pence would not go along. Among those involved — and ultimately indicted — other than the 11 fake electors were other Trump associates, including Giuliani and Mark Meadows, who was Trump's chief of staff. Trump himself was listed as an "unindicted co-conspirator,'' with the Attorney General's Office later disclosing its lawyers asked the grand jury not to indict him. The memo to Mayes' office In the memo to the Attorney General's Office, States United listed six specific state laws it said were violated by the GOP electors: forgery, tampering with a public record, criminal impersonation, presenting a false instrument for filing, fraudulent schemes and artifices, and conspiracy. It also went into great detail on why each applies in this case. The final indictment by Mayes used three of those — forgery, fraudulent schemes and artifices, and conspiracy — and added a lower-level felony of fraudulent schemes and practices. States United also went on to describe potential defenses those indicted could claim, including that they had no "unlawful intent'' but were relying on the advice of counsel. But the organization's attorneys said that to do so, they would have to waive their attorney-client privilege, which could expose other communications they had with their lawyers, both to the public and to prosecutors. The memo went into detail on why Mayes' office could indict those involved even though the events dated back to late 2020. It said that, in general, the statute of limitations for these crimes is seven years. It also sought to give Mayes some cover if questions were raised about why she would be seeking indictments years after the event. "Thorough investigations of complex cases take time,'' the memo said. It also noted that Mayes wasn't elected until 2022 and took office in early 2023. Brnovich's previous role Mayes' predecessor, Republican Mark Brnovich, was not among the 2020 election deniers. He prepared a summary of investigative findings in March 2022 that found no evidence of claims of election fraud spread by Trump and his allies. But Brnovich at the time was involved in a high-profile Republican primary race for Senate, where support from the former president was considered a factor. Trump eventually endorsed Blake Masters, a supporter of Trump's claims of election fraud; Masters won the primary but lost the general election to Democrat Mark Kelly. Brnovich's memo was not made public until after Mayes took office. As to the issue of fake electors, Brnovich did not pursue it, saying in 2022 it was being handled by the U.S. Justice Department. All of that, the States United memo said, gave Mayes the authority to pursue charges years later. "Under these facts, the investigation has been diligent, without undue delay,'' the States United memo states. "In short, neither legal or prudential considerations would make a prosecution improper.'' Other AGs also took outside advice There is precedent for the Attorney General's Office to seek outside legal help — including from partisan sources. A decade ago, then-Attorney General Tom Horne, a Republican, sought help from the Scottsdale-based firm Alliance Defending Freedom in two cases where individuals were challenging the state's ban on same-sex marriage. Lawyers from ADF, which defines itself as a "Christian legal group,'' were appointed special assistant attorneys general, with the state paying no portion of their fees or travel. The following year, then-Attorney General Brnovich signed an agreement with ADF to defend the state, without cost, in a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood Arizona over abortion restrictions. States United bills itself as a nonpartisan organization that provides free legal and research help to state and local elected officials. But its involvement in Arizona has had partisan tinges. It conducted a 2021 poll to show Arizonans did not support what it called a "sham election review'' of the 2020 presidential race by the Republican-controlled state Senate. This year it submitted a legal brief backing an effort by Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, who did not want to release the names of voters affected by state record-keeping errors in whether they had provided legally required proof of citizenship. Influence Watch reports that States United has opposed Republican proposals to change state laws and prepared a legal memo in January 2021 detailing the organization's stance that Pence had no legal authority to reject authorized slates of electors. Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on X, Bluesky and Threads at @azcapmedia; or email azcapmedia@gmail.com . Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Kareena Kapoor, Ajay Devgn and more bollywood celebs pen birthday wishes to Anil Kapoor he turns 68

President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peakNEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams appears open to switching parties to become a Republican, as he declined to rule out a future change in political allegiances during a pair of interviews Friday that came as he has increasing warmed to President-elect Donald Trump. The comments from Adams, the top Democrat in one of the country’s most liberal cities, riled critics who have grown concerned over the mayor’s increasing willingness to throw his support behind Trump and his hardline immigration policies. Adams, who faces federal corruption charges , was a registered Republican in the 1990s and early 2000s but has spent his political career as a Democrat. In a Friday morning interview with the local cable news station NY1, Adams was asked if he would consider a return to the GOP. The Democrat appeared to leave open the possibility of a switch. “The party that’s the most important for me is the American party,” he said. “I’m a part of the American party. I love this country. This is the home of the free, the land of the brave.” In another interview about a half-hour later on PIX11, Adams said he would run for reelection as a Democrat but still appeared to leave some wiggle room for his future. RELATED COVERAGE Ex-police officer denies leaking confidential information to Proud Boys leader On pardons, Biden weighs whether to flex presidential powers in broad new ways Mother of Austin Tice, journalist missing in Syria, says new information proves her son is alive “So no matter what party I’m on or vote on, I’m going to push for the American values,” he said. “And I think America has told us, stop the squabbling, leaders, and start leading us out of the crisis that we’re facing.” Adams won office on a centrist platform and has spent significant time as mayor quarreling with the progressive wing of his party. But his rhetoric has taken a noticeable rightward turn in the weeks since Trump’s election victory, particularly on immigration, with Adams boosting the president-elect’s platform and appearing enthusiastic about the incoming administration. Rather than restricting cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as he once promised, Adams recently expressed a willingness to roll back the city’s so-called sanctuary policies, and he plans to meet with Trump’s top border official over concerns about what the mayor said was the “rising illegal alien crime rate in New York City.” He has also praised those in Trump’s orbit, including Elon Musk, who has claimed falsely that Democrats are illegally “importing” migrants to garner votes. “This is a racehorse that wanted to run its right pace and we’ve been holding back that racehorse out of fear of being canceled,” Adams said of the country Tuesday. “And now you have a bunch of people who are not afraid of being canceled.” The shift comes as Adams is trying to fight off an indictment on federal corruption charges while governing the city and gearing up to run for a second term. Adams has pleaded not guilty in his criminal case, in which he has been accused of accepting free or discounted overseas trips and illegal campaign contributions from people looking to gain his influence, including people connected to Turkey or the Turkish government. Adams’ critics have seized on his recent comments about the Trump administration as a move toward self-preservation, accusing the mayor of cozying up to the next president in an effort to secure a pardon in his corruption case. “Eric Adams continues to sound more like he is auditioning for a job in right-wing media than running for reelection in a Democratic primary,” said Zohran Mamdani, a state assembly member who is challenging against Adams in the mayoral primary. “Eric Adams is in City Hall because Democratic voters sent him there. To serve his own narrow self-interests, he is clearly prepared to betray them.” Zellnor Myrie, a state senator who is also challenging Adams in the primary, said “at a time when the Republican Party has never been more out of line with New York values, we need a mayor who isn’t scared to call himself a Democrat.” “Instead of playing footsie with the next president, we need a mayor with the courage to stand up for our city,” Myrie wrote on X. Adams on Friday did distance himself from the Trump administration’s potential plans to carry out mass deportations, saying, “You know, I’m not for mass deportation, but I’m not for mass saturation.” Still, the mayor’s recent remarks are a major departure from his stance before he took office. In June of 2021, a few weeks before winning the Democratic mayoral primary, Adams spoke to a room full of immigrant New Yorkers about the challenges facing city residents who are in the country illegally. “Too many of our neighbors live in the shadows,” he said at the time, “scarred by the abusive rhetoric and tactics of the Trump era and fearing a denial of their rights.” ___ Izaguirre reported from Albany.CARSON, Calif. — The LA Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls have been Major League Soccer mainstays since the league's inaugural season in 1996, signing glamorous players and regularly competing for championships through years of success and setbacks in a league that's perpetually improving and expanding. Yet just a year ago, both of these clubs appeared to be a very long way from the stage they'll share Saturday in the MLS Cup Final. The Galaxy were one of MLS' worst teams after a season of internal turmoil and public fan dissent, while the Red Bulls were merely a steady mediocrity seeking yet another coach to chart a new direction. A year later, these MLS founders are meeting in the league's first Cup final between teams from North America's two biggest markets. "Two original clubs being able to put themselves in this situation, I think it's great," Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. "To see two clubs that have been at it as long as this league has been around be here, I think it's a special moment. Couldn't be two more different and contrasting styles as well, which could make for an interesting game, and I would imagine a high-intensity game." Everything changed in 2024 after a dismal decade for the Galaxy, who are favored to cap their transformation by winning their team's record sixth MLS championship with a roster that's dramatically different from its past few groups — albeit with one massive injury absence in the final. The transformation of the Red Bulls happened only in the postseason, when a team that hadn't won a playoff game since 2017 suddenly turned into world-beaters under rookie coach Sandro Schwarz. New York struggled through the final three months of league play with only two wins before posting road playoff victories over defending champ Columbus, archrival New York City FC and conference finalist Orlando to storm into the Cup final. "We know about the history (of our club), and we know tomorrow will define what that could mean," Schwarz said Friday. "To feel the pressure for tomorrow, it's necessary, because it's a final, and without pressure it's not possible to bring the best quality on the field." The Red Bulls have never won an MLS Cup, only reaching the championship match once before. What's more, they've somehow never won a Cup in any tournament, although they've collected three Supporters' Shields for MLS' best regular-season record. The Galaxy's trophy case is large and loaded, and those five MLS Cups are on the top shelf. But not much of that team success happened in the past decade for the club that famously brought David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard and many other international stars to Hollywood. In fact, this season has ended a grim era for the Galaxy, who haven't lost all year at their frequently renamed home stadium — which was the site of protests and boycotts just a year ago. The club's fans were tired of LA's steady underachievement and ineptitude in the front office run by team president Chris Klein, who was fired in May 2023. One year ago Thursday, the Galaxy hired Will Kuntz, a longtime Los Angeles FC executive who engineered his new club's roster transformation, most dramatically by landing new designated players Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil — two international talents that LAFC also had in its sights. "I give Will and the group up there a ton of credit," Vanney said. "It's one thing to have players you like, and it's a whole other thing to get them here and get them to connect with your group." Pec and Paintsil combined for 32 goals and 27 assists while boosting the incumbent talents of striker Dejan Joveljic and Riqui Puig, the gifted Barcelona product who runs the offense from the midfield. The Galaxy clicked in the postseason, scoring a jaw-dropping 16 goals in four matches. Puig has been the Galaxy's most important player all season, but he won't be in the MLS Cup Final after tearing a knee ligament late in last week's conference final victory over Seattle. The loss of Puig — who somehow kept playing on his injured knee, and even delivered the game-winning pass to Joveljic — makes the Galaxy even more difficult to anticipate. "He played a lot in the regular season, so it was not so easy to analyze all these games now without him," Schwarz said. "But the main focus is to analyze what we need to do, because it's not clear now how they're playing without him." The Galaxy could give some of Puig's responsibilities to Marco Reus, the longtime Dortmund standout who joined LA in August. Reus is nursing a hamstring injury, but Vanney expects him to play. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

A festive call for unityOne of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecutors was attacked and robbed in her apartment, allegedly by a Venezuelan migrant with ties to the dangerous Tren de Aragua gang, reports say. The New York Police Department arrested Brandon Simosa — who also goes by Brandon Jesus Simoza Seijas –outside the Row Hotel migrant shelter in Midtown Manhattan on Tuesday, and charged him in the robbery of Bragg’s employee, the New York Post reported. According to a police report, the assistant prosecutor caught the 25-year-old Simosa masturbating in the hallway of her apartment building and when she confronted him, he attacked her. The incident occurred at around two a.m. on Sunday. Simosa fled the 44th Street apartment building with the prosecutor’s phone, which police traced to the migrant shelter. The migrant was charged with sexually motivated robbery, grand larceny, and criminal possession of stolen property, police said. Police are unsure of the suspect’s recent history, when he came to New York City, and where he has been living. The only address reported was a taxpayer-funded migrant shelter in Queens. But federal records state he crossed into the U.S. at Eagle Pass, Texas, in October 2023. Federal records show that he was taken into custody by ICE upon entering the country but was quickly released with a notice to appear before an immigration judge in New York City. He was also set to be deported, but federal authorities threw out the case in February without explanation. Despite the reversal of his deportation order, Simosa has also amassed a lengthy arrest record in New York City. He has been arrested for assault, grand larceny, robbery, retail theft, and even transit incidents. Several of his cases are still outstanding, including his arrest for a November 11 incident at a Times Square CVS, an August 5 arrest for grand larceny at a Macy’s store, and a robbery at a Flushing supermarket on June 13. The Manhattan DA is the far-left Democrat prosecutor who attempted to prosecute President-elect Donald Trump. The former president has called for an “immediate dismissal” of the Manhattan DA’s charges in Bragg’s business records case against Trump. Bragg is also being criticized for prosecuting Marine veteran Daniel Penny whom he is charging in the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man who threatened subway passengers. To many, Penny is an American hero who deserves to be praised for helping keep people safe from a dangerous man who threatened to kill people. Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston , or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston

What's New Manmohan Singh, India's former prime minister, died on Thursday at age 92 and is survived by his wife and three daughters. The Context Singh was regarded as a leader with integrity and was among India's longest-serving prime ministers. He is credited for his work on the country's economic policies as well as on a nuclear deal with the United States. He served as the country's prime minister for a decade , from 2004 to 2014. What To Know Singh was rushed to New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Thursday night following a "sudden loss of consciousness at home," according to a statement from the hospital. "Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency" at 8:06 p.m. local time, the hospital said, adding that "despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 PM." The former leader is survived by his wife and three daughters. Here's what we know about them: Gursharan Kaur, His Wife Singh's wife, Gursharan Kaur, is 87 years old. She and Singh married in 1958, and they had three daughters together. Kaur is an Indian history professor and author, as well as a Kirtan singer, a genre of devotional music. Upinder Singh, His Eldest Daughter Upinder Singh is a 65-year-old history professor at Ashoka University in India, according to her biography page on the university's website. She previously taught at St. Stephen's college and the University of Delhi. She has a Master of Arts and a Master of Philosophy in history from the University of Delhi, as well as a doctorate from McGill University. She was awarded the Infosys Prize for Social Sciences, Humanities, in 2009. Upinder Singh has authored several books about ancient India, with some focused on ancient culture, archaeology and political violence. Her most recent book, Ancient India: Culture of Contradictions, was published in 2021. She has two children with husband Vijay Tankha, according to reporting from 2010 by the Hindustan Times . Newsweek has reached out to Upinder Singh for comment and confirmation via email on Thursday. Daman Singh, His Middle Daughter Daman Singh, 61, is a writer. In 2015, she published Strictly Personal: Manmohan and Gursharan, a memoir about her parents and family before her father became prime minister in 2004. She has written several other books. She is married to Ashok Patnaik, a senior Indian Police Service officer. In 2016, he was appointed CEO of the National Intelligence Grid, a post he served until 2018. Amrit Singh, His Youngest Daughter Amrit Singh is a human rights lawyer and professor of law at Stanford Law School. She received her bachelor's degree in economics at Cambridge University, her Master of Philosophy in economics at Oxford University and her law degree at Yale Law School, according to her LinkedIn profile. Before joining Stanford, Amrit Singh taught at other law schools, including Yale and New York University, and served as director of the Accountability Division at the Open Society Justice Initiative. She previously was a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union for seven years. She has served as legal counsel for the Open Society Justice Initiative in a case seeking accountability in the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi . Newsweek has reached out to Amrit Singh for comment and confirmation via email on Thursday. What People Are Saying Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi , who succeeded Singh in 2014, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday: "India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. He served in various government positions as well, including as Finance Minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years. His interventions in Parliament were also insightful. As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people's lives." Indian President Droupadi Murmu wrote on X: "Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Ji was one of those rare politicians who also straddled the worlds of academia and administration with equal ease. In his various roles in public offices, he made critical contributions to reforming Indian economy. He will always be remembered for his service to the nation, his unblemished political life and his utmost humility. His passing is a great loss to all of us. I pay my respectful homage to one of the greatest sons of Bharat and convey my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and admirers." Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Indian opposition Lok Sabha party, said in a statement posted on X: "Manmohan Singh Ji led India with immense wisdom and integrity. His humility and deep understanding of economics inspired the nation. My heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Kaur and the family." What Happens Next Indian National Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal posted on X that "all official programmes of the Indian National Congress, including the Foundation Day celebrations stand canceled for the next seven days." The seven-day national period of mourning includes halting "all the agitational and outreach programs. Party programmes will resume on 3rd January, 2025. The party flag will be flown at half mast during this period of mourning," Venugopal wrote.

Eco-friendly transport gains popularitySM Supermalls champions Filipino MSMEs in 2024 In 2024, SM Supermalls celebrated a significant year of supporting Filipino Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through trade fairs and strategic partnerships, driving local entrepreneurship and economic growth. With over 80 malls nationwide, SM Supermalls has become a key platform for showcasing Filipino creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation. A marketplace for growth SM’s trade fairs have offered MSMEs access to large markets, affordable spaces, and high foot traffic, boosting brand visibility and providing valuable networking opportunities with customers, suppliers, and investors. Featured products ranged from artisanal crafts and sustainable fashion to gourmet food, celebrating the best of Filipino talent through events like the Bahandi Eastern Visayas Trade Fair and the National Arts and Crafts Fair. A win-win for shoppers For customers, SM Supermalls’ trade fairs offered more than just shopping—they delivered dynamic experiences. Visitors enjoyed live demonstrations, interactive activities, and exclusive promos while discovering unique, high-quality local products. These events created a sense of purpose among shoppers, who relished the opportunity to support Filipino entrepreneurs. SM for MSMEs: Going digital In line with its commitment to innovation, SM Supermalls recently launched the SM for MSMEs Website, a digital platform designed to streamline the application and approval processes for MSME exhibit opportunities. Entrepreneurs can now submit applications, track status updates, and access key resources online—making it easier to connect with SM Supermalls’ ecosystem. This initiative empowers MSMEs with greater efficiency, aligning with SM’s vision of driving growth through technology. Apply now: https://www.smsupermalls.com/sm-for-msmes/ Nation-building through partnerships Collaborating with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other organizations, SM Supermalls amplified its efforts to promote Filipino MSMEs through high-impact national trade fairs like the Bagong Pilipinas National Food Fair and the Beauty Fair. These initiatives boosted local economies, generating significant sales for participating businesses while preserving Filipino heritage. Looking ahead: What’s next in 2025? In 2025, SM Supermalls will expand its MSME initiatives, focusing on regional specialties, sustainability, and specialized themes like health, crafts, and technology. New workshops and training programs will further support aspiring entrepreneurs, while the SM for MSMEs website continues to streamline business connections. For more on upcoming MSME programs, visit SM Supermalls’ website or follow us on social media. Together, let’s empower local enterprises to succeed!Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs reportA DOLLAR Tree shopper has blasted the retailer for a tacky pricing technique. As customers flooded stores for last-minute Christmas gifts , one issue stood out that ruins gift-giving etiquette. One Dollar Tree shopper discovered that there was no way to remove the price she had paid for a gift. "I hate Dollar Tree so much now for putting these tacky prices on everything and not making them removable," Courtney wrote on X. "My clients won't care where they came from but I am annoyed by how large they are." She had bought multiple squeaky superhero dog toys for $1.25 each. read more on dollar tree The price was printed in a rather large font on the front of the packaging inside an eye-catching red circle. But that is not the only issue shoppers have been having with the retailer regarding prices. A slew of customers have taken to social media to complain about increased prices that see the retailer no longer live up to its name of having all items for $1. "I love Dollar Tree but im getting real sick of their prices . No reason items should be $5," one shopper said. Most read in Money "Ok Dollar Tree I see you. Sneaking in $3 and $5 items all over the shelves but not labelling them the different prices," another wrote. "My cart went from around $10 to $30. I miss everything being $1...." "If prices keep going up dollar tree ain't gonna last either," a third added, noting the recent closure of all Party City stores. "Dollar tree hasn't been A DOLLAR in a very long time." Party City announced the closure of all stores after 40 years in business on Friday. Just 24 hours later, it was revealed that the company had also filed for bankruptcy for the second time in two years. Despite the name of the store, Dollar Tree recently added items that cost more than $1 to its inventory. Most items at the store cost no more than $1.25, but items in the Dollar Tree Plus section cost up to $5. Dollar Tree introduced Plus aisles to 100 locations in 2019 as part of an effort to diversify its products. By 2022, Dollar Tree had added the items to over 1,500 locations. "We believe testing additional price points above $1 for Dollar Tree products will enable us over time to expand our assortments, introduce new products and meet more of our customers’ everyday needs," president and CEO Michael Witynski said in a statement . "Our brand promise is that customers get great value for what they spend at Dollar Tree. We will continue to be fiercely protective of that promise, regardless of the price point." Party City only excited bankruptcy in September last year before this most recent filing. As the company "winds down" its operations, around 700 stores will shutter and 12,000 employees will lose their jobs. "The decision was made following exhaustive efforts by the Company to find a path forward that would allow continued operations in an immensely challenging environment driven by inflationary pressures on costs and consumer spending, among other factors," a press release stated. It further claimed that "macroeconomic headwinds...proved too severe for the Company to overcome." Read More on The US Sun The retailer faced numerous competitors including Walmart , Dollar stores like Dollar Tree, and online retailers like Amazon. Meanwhile, Dollar Tree's rival Dollar General has also faced criticism about its pricing.

Censorship in the Digital Age: Adapting to the Open WorldTikTok’s future in the U.S. appeared uncertain on Friday after a federal appeals court rejected a legal challenge to a law that requires the social media platform to cut ties with its China-based parent company or be banned by mid-January. A panel of three judges on The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled unanimously that the law withstood constitutional scrutiny, rebuffing arguments from the two companies that the statute violated their rights and the rights of TikTok users in the U.S. The government has said it wants ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest its stakes. But if it doesn’t and the platform goes away, it would have a seismic impact on the lives of content creators who rely on the platform for income as well as users who use it for entertainment and connection. Here are some details on the ruling and what could happen next: What does the ruling say? In their lawsuit, TikTok and ByteDance, which is also a plaintiff in the case, had challenged the law on various fronts, arguing in part that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and was an unconstitutional bill of attainder that unfairly targeted the two companies. But the court sided with attorneys for the Justice Department who said that the government was attempting to address national security concerns and the way in which it chose to do so did not violate the constitution. The Justice Department has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say that Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok’s U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread, or suppress, information. However, the U.S. hasn’t publicly provided examples of that happening. The appeals court ruling, written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg, said the law was “carefully crafted to deal only with control by a foreign adversary.” The judges also rejected the claim that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. Furthermore, Ginsburg wrote the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to “suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok. What happens next? TikTok and ByteDance are expected to appeal the case to the Supreme Court, but it’s unclear whether the court will take up the case. TikTok indicated in a statement on Friday the two companies are preparing to take their case to high court, saying the Supreme Court has “an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech.” “We expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” a company spokesperson said. Alan Morrison, a professor at The George Washington University Law School, said he expects the Supreme Court to take up the case because of the novelty of the issues raised in the lawsuit. If that happens, attorneys for the two companies still have to convince the court to grant them an emergency stay that will prevent the government from enforcing the Jan. 19 divestiture deadline stipulated in the law, Morrison said. Such a move could drag out the process until the Justices make a ruling. Tiffany Cianci, a TikTok content creator who has supported the platform, said she was not shocked about the outcome of the court’s ruling on Friday because lower courts typically defer to the executive branch on these types of cases. She believes the company will have a stronger case at the Supreme Court. “I believe that the next stages are more likely to produce a victory for TikTokers and for TikTok as a whole,” Cianci said. What about Trump? Another wild card is President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the recent presidential campaign that he is now against such action . The Trump transition team has not offered details on how Trump plans to carry out his pledge to “save TikTok.” But spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement last month that he plans to “deliver” on his campaign promises. After Trump takes office on Jan. 20th, it would fall on his Justice Department to enforce the law and punish any potential violators. Penalties would apply to any app stores that would violate a prohibition on TikTok and to internet hosting services which would be barred from supporting it. Some have speculated that Trump could ask his Justice Department to abstain from enforcing the law. But tech companies like Apple and Google, which offer TikTok’s app on their app stores, would then have to trust that the administration would not come after them for any violations. Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said enforcement discretion — or executive orders — can not override existing law, leaving Trump with “limited room for unilateral action.” There are other things Trump could potentially do. It’s possible he could invoke provisions of the law that allow the president to determine whether a sale or a similar transaction frees TikTok from “foreign adversary” control. Another option is to urge Congress to repeal the law. But that too would require support from congressional Republicans who have overwhelmingly supported the prospect of getting TikTok out of the hands of a Chinese company. In a statement issued Friday, Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said he was “optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok” and allow its continued use in the United States. Is anyone trying to buy TikTok? ByteDance has said it won’t sell TikTok . And even if it wanted to, a sale of the proprietary algorithm that powers TikTok is likely to get blocked under Chinese export controls that the country issued in 2020. That means if TikTok is sold without the algorithm, its likely that the buyer would only purchase a shell of the platform that doesn’t contain the technology that made the app a cultural powerhouse. Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in buying it. This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital. The spokesperson did not disclose the identity of the participants.Actress Angelina Jolie ’s recent appearances on the red carpet for her Maria Callas biopic have sparked widespread concern among fans . The Hollywood longtimer is being called out for her noticeably slim frame and prominent veins. While fans and critics alike have praised her portrayal of the legendary opera singer , the conversation about her talent has been overshadowed by growing worries about her health. Angelina Jolie smiles while shopping after Brad Pitt case takes alarming turn Brad Pitt's girlfriend plans his 61st birthday celebration despite family feud Social media has been full of comments, with users sharing extreme and unhealthy dieting methods inspired by Jolie’s appearance . The Times of India stated: "One user reportedly asked how to achieve a ‘bulging vein’ look, while another suggested avoiding hydration and reducing body fat to make veins more visible." “Others praised the appearance, calling it ‘sexy’ and ‘impressive,’” the outlet stated. Jolie’s biopic, which debuted on Netflix on December 11, has been celebrated for her “stunning portrayal of Maria Callas,” with audiences applauding her ability to bring the opera legend’s life and struggles to the screen. Despite this praise, her recent red-carpet appearances have triggered what outlets have called an “unsettling trend” of fans obsessing over her look. DON'T MISS: Brad Pitt’s ‘body double’ jailed for 'stealthing’ rape charge among other crimes [REVEALED] Angelina Jolie 'blocking' ex Brad from third marriage as he celebrates birthday [INSIGHT] Angelina Jolie is 'often alone' and hasn't 'figured out' how to live life [LATEST] “Concerns about her health have started stealing the spotlight,” one observer noted, as fans speculate whether the stress of her “ messy divorce battle with Brad Pitt ” is taking a toll. This speculation is nothing new, as Jolie’s slim frame and visible veins “have often been a subject of public speculation,” with rumors suggesting stress-related health issues linked to her personal life . Though Jolie appeared radiant on the red carpet, “observers noted that Jolie appeared frail and unwell at some events.”Viral 'Hawk Tuah' girl accused of crypto scam

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