AI boss Sam Altman ousted after board loses confidence
Sam Altman has been ousted as the head of artificial intelligence firm OpenAI by the company's board, which said it had lost confidence in his ability to lead the company.
The board said Mr. Altman had not been "consistently candid with his communications", hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities.
The 38-year-old helped launch OpenAI, which is behind the ChatGPT bot.
Mr Altman had become one of the most high-profile figures in the industry.
In a statement, the board said it was grateful for Mr Altman's contributions but that members believed new leadership was necessary.
"The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI," the company said, citing "a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities".
It is not clear what he is alleged to not have been candid about.
On social media, Mr Altman wrote that he had loved his time at the company.
"It was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit. Most of all I loved working with such talented people," he wrote.
According to OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, it all took place over hastily-organised Google Meet video conference calls.
Mr Brockman - who was himself dismissed from the board a few minutes later and then resigned from the company - said both men were "shocked and saddened" by the news.
He said they were "still trying to figure out exactly what happened" but claimed in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the whole drama unfolded in a matter of hours.
They sat on the company's relatively small board of just six executives. It is unusual for such a tight team to make such a dramatic decision so quickly, which begs the question: was it personal?
OpenAI is widely seen to be a company at its peak, with lucrative investment pouring in, and ChatGPT - which was launched almost exactly one year ago - is used by millions.
Mr Altman has been the face of the firm's rise. More than that, he is seen by many as the face of the industry more widely.
He testified before a US Congress hearing to discuss the opportunities and risks created by the new technology, and also at the world's first AI Safety Summit, held in the UK at the beginning of November.
The outpouring of support from Silicon Valley bosses shows that he enjoyed the support of the tech industry.
On social media, former Google boss Eric Schmidt called Mr. Altman "a hero of mine" and said that he had "changed our collective world forever".
"I can't wait to see what he does next. I, and billions of people, will benefit from his future work- it's going to be simply incredible," he wrote.
There will be a lot of interest in whatever that next move is - and many will be waiting to see if Mr. Altman is angry enough to talk about being dumped by the company he helped create.
He has promised he will have "more to say about what's next later".
But it doesn't appear he's poised to lift the lid on his departure just yet, even writing on X to advise OpenAI's remaining board members to "go after me for the full value of my shares" if he gets into a public row with them.
ChatGPT can now access up-to-date information
Mr Brockman announced he had quit his role at the company following Mr Altman's ousting.
In a statement posted X, Mr Brockman said: "I'm super proud of what we've all built together since starting in my apartment eight years ago.
"We've been through tough and great times together, accomplishing so much despite all the reasons it should have been impossible. But based on today's news, I quit."
He said he would continue to "believe in the mission of creating safe AGI that benefits all of humanity".
OpenAI started in 2015 as a non-profit. It restructured in 2019 and is now backed by Microsoft, which has invested billions.
Just weeks ago, OpenAI was reportedly in talks to sell shares in the company to investors at a price that would value it at more than $80bn (£64bn).
The company said its board members -who include an OpenAI chief scientist, the head of a popular question-and-answer app Quora, and an AI researcher affiliated with Georgetown University - did not have shares in the firm and that their fundamental governance responsibility was to "advance OpenAI's mission and preserve the principles of its Charter".
The company said chief technology officer, Mira Murati, would take over as interim chief, effective immediately, while the board searches for a permanent replacement.
ChatGPT is known for its ability to respond to prompts from users with human-like text, images, and videos.
Hundreds of millions of people have tried it out, and many are now regularly using it to help them do their jobs and study - to consternation in some cases, like teachers facing essays written by the bot and people worried for their jobs.
The company has also faced legal action from writers who say the bot developed its abilities by harvesting their work, in violation of copyright law.
Billionaire Elon Musk, who with Mr Altman was one of the founding co-chairs of OpenAI, has also criticized it for straying from its non-profit roots.
Source- BBC
TCI RECOGNIZED BY CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER AS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN JANUARY
The Turks and Caicos Islands continue to be recognized as one of the top destinations to visit during the winter season.
Premiere travel publications, Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler have listed the Turks and Caicos Islands as a destination for travelers looking for a winter escape in January 2024.
The Turks and Caicos Islands is the only Caribbean island listed in Travel + Leisure’s recommendations.
Writer Patricia Doherty says: “Providenciales offers stunning beaches, resorts, and vacation villas, plus Providenciales International Airport, ideal for those arriving by air.”
“You can spend your days lounging on the beaches, fishing, boating, and windsurfing, or go beyond the shores to hike through nature reserves and spot local wildlife. End sun-soaked days with a visit to local bars to enjoy the destination’s music scene and nightlife.”
Writing in Condé Nast Traveler, Caitlin Morton says: “For January travel, we’re big fans of Turks and Caicos—the rainy season has passed, and it’s relatively easy to find non-stop flights to Provo from the US. Plus, the archipelago happens to have some of the best hotels and resorts in the Caribbean.”
Source- CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER
Quincy Jones, Jennifer Hudson, Chance the Rapper co-owners of historic Chicago theatre
Iconic music producer Quincy Jones and entertainers Jennifer Hudson and Chance the Rapper are now co-owners of the historic Ramova Theatre on Chicago's South Side.
Their ownership was announced Wednesday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Ramova has been closed for nearly four decades. Developer and co-owner Tyler Nevius bought the property and an adjacent lot from the city in 2017 for $1, the newspaper reported.
Jones, Hudson, and Chance the Rapper, whose real name is Chancelor Bennett, are Chicago natives.
“My mother always taught us to take care of home first, so to support the rehabilitation of this extraordinary theater with such a rich history in Chicago means more to me than one could imagine,” Hudson said.
Bennett says “Chicago will always be part" of who he is.
“I joined the team at Ramova to give back to the city that’s given me so much and to provide a stage to showcase the incredible talent Chicago has to offer," he said.
The Ramova opened in 1929 as a single-screen movie palace. It had shut down by 1985 and was spared demolition. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.
When it reopens, the renovated theater will feature a 1,500-seat live music venue and beer garden and grill. No opening date has been announced.
New York-based Other Half Brewing also is a partner in the venture.
“With Ramova, I see a future where the rich cultural heritage of Chicago shines even brighter alongside the country’s most talented artists, which will inspire future generations to come and bring glory to America’s Second City," Jones said.
Source- Independent
Flash flood warning extended for eastern parishes
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica has extended the flash flood warning for low-lying and flood-prone areas of St Thomas, Kingston St Andrew, Portland, and St Mary effective until 5:00 pm Saturday.
In a release at 6 am on Saturday, the met office said a broad trough of low pressure (former Potential Tropical Cyclone 22) is still producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms across the north-central Caribbean, and that it will continue to produce showers and occasional thunderstorms across sections of Jamaica.
It said observations indicate that light to moderate and occasionally heavy showers and thunderstorms have been affecting mainly eastern parishes over the last several hours.
The forecast is for isolated showers to continue affecting eastern parishes through to Saturday afternoon, with partly cloudy conditions elsewhere. Weather conditions are expected to further improve afterward.
Given the large amounts of rainfall received since Wednesday night and the resulting ground saturation, any additional rainfall is very likely to result in further flooding, the Met Service said.
A flash flood warning means flooding has been reported or will occur shortly. Motorists and pedestrians should not attempt to cross flooded roadways or other low-lying areas as strong currents are likely. Residents in low-lying areas should be on the alert for rising waters and be ready to move quickly to higher ground.
Meanwhile, the Met Service discontinued the flash flood warning for low-lying and flood-prone areas of St Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester, St Elizabeth, and Westmoreland effective immediately.
It also immediately discontinued the flash flood watch for low-lying and flood-prone areas of St Ann, Trelawny, St James, and Hanover.
Source- Jamaica Observer
US cancer patient's dying wish erases $16m in people's medical debt
A New York City woman who died of ovarian cancer has raised enough money to pay off millions of dollars in other people's medical debts.
In a social media post she arranged to be posted after her death, Casey McIntyre, 38, asked followers to consider donating to her cause.
She said she planned to pay off other people's medical debt to celebrate her life.
She wrote on social media: "If you're reading this I have passed away."
"I loved each and every one of you with my whole heart and I promise you, I knew how deeply I was loved... to celebrate my life, I've arranged to buy up others' medical debt and then destroy the debt."
She added that she was lucky to have access to high-quality medical care while battling stage four ovarian cancer and wanted others to have the same.
As of Saturday, McIntyre and her family had raised over $170,000 (£136,000) for her campaign with the non-profit RIP Medical Debt. The organization pays off a dollar of medical debt for every penny that is donated, meaning McIntyre's campaign has helped erase up to $17m in unpaid medical bills.
The organization says it buys medical debt "in bundled portfolios, millions of dollars at a time at a fraction of the original cost".
"On average, whatever you donate has 100x the impact," it says on its website.
As many as 100 million Americans struggle with medical debt, according to estimates from health research non-profit KFF.
In the social media post announcing her own death, McIntyre's family included a note that they would have a memorial service and "debt jubilee" in New York City's Prospect Park in December, where they would celebrate her life by anonymously purchasing and forgiving other's medical debt.
McIntyre, a book publisher, started treatment for ovarian cancer in 2019 and passed away on Sunday. Her husband and 18-month-old daughter survive her.
According to her post, she spent the last five months of her life in hospice care with friends and family in Virginia, Rhode Island, and New York, moments she called "magical".
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, her husband Andrew Rose Gregory said: "Casey. We love you, we miss you, you are gone, you are with us, we will be looking for you everywhere <3".
Source- BBC
TCI 3-DAY PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST
GENERAL SITUATION: TROPICAL MOISTURE FROM POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE TWENTY-TWO IN THE WEST-CENTRAL CARIBBEAN SEA WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM ACROSS THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS TODAY AND CAUSE CLOUDINESS AND SHOWER ACTIVITY TODAY AND TONIGHT.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: **A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS** MARINERS AND BEACHGOERS SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXERCISE CAUTION DUE TO HIGH SEAS, ROUGH SURF, AND HAZARDOUS RIP CURRENTS. THERE IS THE RISK OF WATERSPOUT AND TORNADIC ACTIVITY IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. RESIDENTS SHOULD TAKE THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR POTENTIAL FLOODING IN LOW-LYING AND FLOOD-PRONE AREAS AS A RESULT OF HEAVY AND/OR PROLONGED RAINFALL EVENTS.
ALL AREAS
WEATHER: MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST AND A BIT BREEZY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 20%. MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 70%.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT DUE TO SWELLS TODAY; SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT TONIGHT. EXPECT GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST 15 TO 20 KNOTS, SHIFTING TO SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS TONIGHT
SEAS: 6 TO 9 FEET IN NORTHEAST TO EAST SWELLS
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 84°F 29°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 79°F 26°C
SUNSET: 5:05 PM
NEXT LOW TIDE: 5:35 PM (1.0 FT)
NEXT HIGH TIDE: 11:05 PM (2.0 FT)
EXTENDED FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS: POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE TWENTY-TWO IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLE TROPICAL STORM WINDS ACROSS THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS ON SATURDAY.
FORECAST FOR SATURDAY
WEATHER: MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST WITH TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 90%. PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 70%.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT.
WINDS: SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST 30 TO 35 KNOTS
SEAS: 6 TO 8 FEET
SUNRISE: 6:02 AM
SUNSET: 5:05 PM
LOW TIDE: 05:18 AM (0.3 FT) 06:28 PM (1.0 FT)
HIGH TIDE: 11:59 AM (3.0 FT)
FORECAST FOR SUNDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 60%. PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 50%.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION
WINDS: WEST TO NORTHWEST 10 TO 15 KNOTS
SEAS: 3 TO 5 FEET
SUNRISE: 6:02 AM
SUNSET: 5:05 PM
HIGH TIDE: 12:00 AM (2.0 FT) 12:55 PM (3.0 FT)
LOW TIDE: 06:14 AM (0.7 FT) 07:24 PM (1.0 FT)
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: PLEASE SEE THE LATEST ADVISORY ON POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE TWO IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN SEA...AT 1 PM THE SYSTEM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 483 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS MOVING NORTHEAST NEAR 16 MILES PER HOUR WITH A MAXIMUM SUSTAINED NEARLY 35 MILES PER HOUR.
CHANCE OF FORMATION THROUGH 48 HOURS…MEDIUM…40 PERCENT
Government pledges £8.3bn to repair UK roads
This fund, Westminster says, is enough to resurface over 5000 miles of road and will be allocated to councils across the country for projects over the next 11 years.
It is the biggest road-specific fund to ever be announced in the UK.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper confirmed today that each local authority will now receive £150 million, followed by a further £150 million for 2024/2025. The rest of the funding was allocated through 2034.
Of the cash, £3.3 billion has been allocated for those in the North West, North East, and Yorkshire & Humber; £2.2 billion for the West Midlands and East Midlands; and £2.8 billion for East of England, South East, South West and, for the first time in 8 years, London.
“For too long politicians have shied away from taking the right long-term decisions to make life easier for families - tackling the scourge of potholes being a prime example,” said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
“Well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs, helping motorists keep more of the cash in their pocket.”
Harper added: “Most people travel by road and potholes can cause misery for motorists, from expensive vehicle repairs to bumpy, slow, and dangerous journeys.
“Today’s biggest ever funding uplift for local road improvements is a victory for all road users, who will enjoy smoother, faster, and safer trips - as we use redirected HS2 funding to make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future.”
The new cash follows from a further £70 million earmarked for updating 20mph zone guidance to “help prevent inappropriate blanket use”, and measures to speed up the rollout of electric vehicle charging.
The fund has been welcomed by some of the UK's biggest insurers and motoring groups.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams claimed smoother, well-maintained roads could save drivers up to £440 each in repair costs from pothole damage.
Welcoming the news, he said: “Drivers’ biggest bugbear of all is the poor condition of local roads, so the fact the Government has found a significant additional pot of revenue should give councils the certainty of funding they need to plan proper long-term road maintenance, something we have been calling for many years.
“We hope local authorities will use the money in the most effective way possible by resurfacing the very worst roads, keeping those in reasonable condition in better states for longer through surface dressing, and filling potholes as permanently as possible wherever necessary.
“This should in time go a considerable way to bringing our roads back to a fit-for-purpose state and saving drivers hundreds of pounds in the process from not having to fork out for frustrating repairs to their vehicles.”
His thoughts were backed by Edmund King OBE, AA president, who also welcomed the cash: “Perilous roads blighted by potholes are the number one concern for drivers and a major issue for bikers, cyclists and pedestrians. So far this year The AA has attended more than 450,000 pothole-related breakdowns. The damage caused can be a huge financial burden for drivers but is also a major safety risk for those on two wheels.
“The £8.3 billion plan can make a considerable difference in bringing our roads back to the standards that road users expect, especially if councils use the cash efficiently to resurface our streets. As well as safer roads, eliminating potholes gives confidence to people wanting to cycle and instills pride of place within local communities.”
Source- Autocar
White House criticizes Elon Musk over 'hideous' antisemitic lie
The White House has accused Elon Musk of repeating a "hideous lie" about Jewish people after the X owner appeared to respond approvingly to an antisemitic post on the platform.
On Wednesday, Mr. Musk replied to a post sharing an antisemitic conspiracy theory, calling it the "actual truth".
Mr Musk has denied that the post was antisemitic.
But a White House spokesman said his endorsement of the post, which drew anger online, was "unacceptable".
"We condemn this abhorrent promotion of antisemitic and racist hate in the strongest terms," said White House spokesperson Andrew Bates.
He noted that the post-Mr Musk was responding to referred to a conspiracy theory that motivated the man who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018.
"It is unacceptable to repeat the hideous lie behind the most fatal act of antisemitism in American history at any time, let alone one month after the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust," Mr. Bates said, referring to the 7 October Hamas assault against Israel.
X Chief Executive Linda Yaccarino wrote in an earlier tweet that the company has been "extremely clear about our efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination. There's no place for it anywhere in the world - it's ugly and wrong".
On Wednesday, Mr Musk responded with his "truth" comment to a post that accused Jewish communities of pushing "hatred against whites" and which included anti-immigrant sentiments.
It appeared to be an endorsement of a racist and antisemitic conspiracy theory known as "white genocide," which argues that Jewish people systematically plot to encourage the immigration of "non-white" people to Western countries in order to "eliminate" the white race.
The original post that Mr Musk responded to "is using specific language that has been used in the past to justify violent attacks on synagogues," Zahed Amanullah, senior fellow at the London-based Institute of Strategic Dialogue, told the BBC.
The conspiracy theory motivated a mass murderer who entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018 and shot dead 11 worshippers.
Mr. Musk denies he is antisemitic and later said his comments referred not to all Jewish people but to groups like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and other unspecified "Jewish communities".
ADL Chief Executive Jonathan Greenblatt posted: "At a time when antisemitism is exploding in America and surging around the world, it is indisputably dangerous to use one's influence to validate and promote antisemitic theories."
The controversy over antisemitism comes as some organizations have stopped buying ads on X, formerly known as Twitter, citing extremist content on the social network.
IBM stopped its ad spending after a report from a left-wing media watchdog said its content was placed next to posts praising Adolf Hitler and Nazism. Apple later said it too would halt ad buys on the platform, Axios reported.
X told the BBC on Thursday that ads are not deliberately placed next to extremist content, that the Nazi-promoting accounts will not earn money from advertising, and that specific posts will be labeled "sensitive media".
Separately, the European Commission has asked its departments to stop buying ads on X because of concerns over misinformation in relation to the Israel-Hamas war, according to a report by Politico.
On the platform on Friday, Mr. Musk did not directly address his own statements but criticized Media Matters and responded in support of other posts critical of IBM and "media".
The billionaire has on several occasions repeated conspiracy theories and has also lashed out at social media watchdogs - including the ADL and other groups - for criticizing his content moderation changes at X.
X claims that it has stronger brand safety controls than other social networks and that hate speech and extremism have fallen on the platform despite large cuts to the company's safety team. Several outside groups disagree with the company's assessment and say that extremism and hate speech have increased under Mr Musk's leadership.
Earlier this year Mr. Musk threatened to sue the ADL, claiming it was "trying to kill this platform by falsely accusing it & me of being anti-Semitic". He blames pressure groups, rather than misinformation and extremist posts, for a sharp drop in advertising revenue since his takeover.
While he has not carried through with his threat against the ADL, the company has sued another research and campaign group, the Center for Countering Digital Hate.
On Thursday, CCDH filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit under California's anti-SLAPP - "Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation" - law, calling the X suit "an attempt to censor, intimidate, and silence".
Source- BBC
Backed into a legal corner, Donald Trump comes out swinging in court
Donald Trump's day in court was never going to go any other way.
On the stand for a landmark fraud trial, he approached his testimony just as he had his real estate business and political career: ignoring the rules and technicalities, and blustering and bragging his way through it.
His aggressive and freewheeling appearance on Monday showed how he may behave as a defendant in the four upcoming criminal cases against him.
The former president repeatedly angered Judge Arthur Engoron by refusing to directly answer the questions put to him by the attorney general's office.
Yes-or-no questions about accounting documents and dates became extended riffs on the incredible values of his properties or the partisan leanings of the judge and prosecutors.
At one point, Mr Trump declared: "This is a very unfair trial...and I hope the public is watching."
While cameras were not allowed inside, dozens of reporters gathered in the courtroom to transmit his testimony to the outside world.
Likely understanding this fact, Mr Trump used his time on the stand to ardently defend himself with the same language he has used in social media statements and stump speeches to rile up his base. His Truth Social account even posted an attack on the judge during an afternoon break.
The attorney general's office and other prosecutors "were coming after me from 15 sides", he said in response to one question.
"All Democrats, all Trump haters, all cases that are not good," he said. "Weaponisation, they call it."
At times his responses were boastful, or simply odd.
To a question from Kevin Wallace of the attorney general's office about his brand's valuation, Mr Trump bragged: "I became president because of my brand."
In response to questions about his golf course in Scotland, Mr Trump reverted to his political opposition to windfarms, one of which was built offshore from his club. "I'm not a windmill person," he said.
Evasive and partisan answers continued on like this all morning.
"Can you control your client?" Judge Engoron asked Mr Trump's attorneys at one point. "This is not a political rally."
It was one of several reprimands issued from the bench throughout the morning.
Witnesses usually do not speak without prompting, let alone at such length. But Mr Trump is no average defendant.
His lawyer Chris Kise admitted as much after the umpteenth admonishment from Judge Engoron.
"It's an unusual situation," he said, arguing that Mr Trump should be allowed to speak due to his unique position.
The judge, however, was determined to treat Mr Trump like any other defendant.
Returning from the afternoon recess, Mr Trump was notably more subdued. Although there was one outburst about Ms James that the prosecution simply ignored, he stuck to shorter answers.
The attorney general's office has accused Mr. Trump, his top employees, and his companies of fraudulently inflating the value of their assets on statements of financial condition, or balance sheets, to get more favorable loans.
While on the stand, the 45th president tried to seize the opportunity to boast about the value of his brand - a path he used to great effect when launching his political career nearly a decade ago.
In between outbursts, Mr. Trump tried to hammer home a defense that his assets were actually worth far more than the numbers on paper and that the banks he allegedly defrauded were paid back in full.
He claimed his Florida estate Mar-a-Lago was worth a "huge number", far in excess of the one listed on his statements of financial condition.
And he boasted that Trump Tower, his Fifth Avenue skyscraper, occupied the "best location in New York".
Mr Trump has been on the stand before. In fact, Judge Engoron put him there briefly earlier in the trial, after he made remarks that the judge believed referred to his clerk.
But he is doing so as a former president, the current frontrunner for the Republican nomination, and a defendant in four separate criminal trials that, unlike this case, come with jail time. Those trials will play out one by one next year in tandem with the US presidential election.
With the threats against him mounting, Mr Trump has grown more aggressive in his rhetoric, reverting to the political street brawler that saw him seize the 2016 Republican nomination from establishment lawmakers.
He has attacked prosecutors directly by name and lashed out at court staffers.
Judge Engoron placed Mr Trump under a gag order in early October after he made disparaging comments about his clerk, who sits to his right. So far, he has fined Mr. Trump $15,000 (£12,150) and put his attorneys under a gag order as well, after they claimed the clerk was biased.
Midway through his morning testimony, Mr Trump dared to take a swipe directly at the judge.
"I'm sure the judge will rule against me because he always rules against me," Mr Trump said.
"You can attack me, you can do whatever you want," Judge Ergonon said. "But answer the question."
Source- BBC
Italy to seize $835m from Airbnb in tax evasion inquiry
An Italian judge has ordered the seizure of €779.5m ($835.5m; £676.8m) from short-term rental giant Airbnb, over alleged tax evasion.
Prosecutors say the firm failed to collect a tax from landlords on around €3.7bn of rental income.
Landlords in Italy are required to pay a 21% tax on their earnings.
Airbnb told the BBC that it was "surprised and disappointed at the action announced by the Italian public prosecutor".
Airbnb spokesperson Christopher Nutly said the firm's European headquarters had been working to resolve the matter with the Italian tax agency since June.
Mr Nutly added, "We are confident that we have acted in full compliance with the law and intend to exercise our rights with respect to this issue."
Three people who held managerial roles at Airbnb from 2017 to 2021 were also under investigation, Milan Tribunal prosecutors said in a statement.
In 2022, Airbnb challenged the Italian law requiring the company and other short-term rental providers to withhold 21% of the rental income from landlords and pay it to tax authorities.
The firm argued that Italy's requirements on taxation contravened the European Union's principle of freedom to provide services across the 27-country bloc.
The EU's top court later ruled that Airbnb should abide by the requirements.
In recent years, Italian authorities have increased scrutiny of the tax practices of major companies like Airbnb, which has been operating in the country since 2008.
Italian prosecutors have launched tax-related inquiries against Netflix and Meta, according to media reports.
Last month, Italian politicians said they planned to crack down on landlords who did not pay taxes on short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb.
The co-ruling Forza Italia party said the country would move to introduce a national identification code for short-term rentals.
"That code will bring out the revenue of those who rent flats without declaring them," Forza Italia leader and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani told reporters.
Politicians estimate that the move could boost Italy's fiscal revenue by €1bn.
Source- BBC