Today’s Headlines: Michael Cohen continued his testimony at Donald Trump’s trial, providing details of how Trump directed the falsification of business records to reimburse Cohen for the Stormy Daniels payment. The defense hasn't confirmed if Trump will testify. In a separate development, a New York court rejected Trump's appeal of gag orders imposed by Judge Juan Merchan, which he violated 10 times. Meanwhile, contractors paid by RFK Jr's campaign in NYC allegedly hid his name on ballot petitions, potentially constituting election fraud. In other news, 8 people died in a Florida bus crash, with the pickup truck driver charged with DUI manslaughter. The DOJ accused Boeing of violating a settlement related to 737 Max crashes, while Elon Musk must comply with an SEC subpoena regarding his takeover of Twitter, despite his attorneys' arguments against it.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

AP News: Cohen gives insider details at trial as Trump's defense attorney accuses him of seeking vengeance


NY Times: Appeals Court Upholds Gag Order on Trump in Manhattan Trial 

NY Times: Are R.F.K. Jr. Signature Gatherers Misleading New Yorkers for Ballot Access? 

NBC News: 8 dead after bus carrying farm workers in Florida hit by truck, whose driver is charged with DUI-manslaughter


AP News: Justice Department says Boeing violated deal that avoided prosecution after 737 Max crashes


Axios: Musk must testify in SEC investigation, court rules



Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson
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Wednesday, May 15th, 2024

Morning Announcements is a daily show brought to you by the Betches Sup, here to help you make sense of the world in the wake of 2020’s chaos. Every morning, Betches co-founder and host Sami Sage gives you quick daily updates with the most important info you need to know about politics and current events. Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz.

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Today’s Headlines: A jury found Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, with sentencing set for July 11th, shortly before the Republican National Convention where he is to be formally nominated. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg hasn't disclosed if prosecutors will seek prison time, with alternatives being house arrest or probation. Trump, declaring himself "a very innocent man," blamed the judge and his low polling in Manhattan. In other court news, Chief Justice John Roberts declined a meeting with Democratic senators regarding ethics and Justice Alito's recusal from January 6th cases, affirming that justices decide their own recusals. Lastly, the Treasury Department announced that starting next year, Americans can file their taxes for free through the new IRS Direct File program, following a successful pilot with 140,000 participants. Some lawmakers are advocating for a system where the government calculates and tells citizens what they owe, simplifying the tax process.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

AP News: Guilty: Trump becomes first former US president convicted of felony crimes


PBS: Chief Justice Roberts rejects Senate Democrats’ request to discuss Supreme Court ethics


Axios: IRS opening free online tax filing program to all states



Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson


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Friday, May 31st, 2024

Today’s Headlines: Two days after calling an airstrike in Rafah a "tragic mistake," Israel’s national security adviser stated that their Gaza operation will continue through 2024 to end Hamas’s control. While Qatar mediators relayed a ceasefire proposal from Israel, Hamas claimed they have not received it and are not interested unless the offensive stops. In Donald Trump’s trial, jury deliberations began with requests to rehear jury instructions and testimony from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker. Meanwhile, Justice Samuel Alito refused to recuse himself from January 6th cases, despite controversy over a pro-January 6th flag flown at his home and Louisiana now requires schools to display the Ten Commandments in order to get public funding. Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, raised $6 billion to build an AI supercomputer by 2025 and launched Grok, a ChatGPT-like product, while he also sued OpenAI for abandoning its mission. In better news, Melinda French Gates announced a $1 billion donation to advance women’s rights and health through her new foundation, Pivotal, following her departure from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Israel seizes Gaza's entire border with Egypt, presses with raids into Rafah

AP News: Donald Trump's hush money trial: Highlights from first day of jury deliberations 

CBS News: Alito tells congressional Democrats he won't recuse over flags


Axios: Louisiana to become 1st state requiring Ten Commandments be posted in schools


Axios: Musk's $6 billion AI startup follows OpenAI's game plan


The Verge: Elon Musk won’t get his $55 billion pay package after all


Axios: Melinda French Gates to give $1B for global women's rights efforts



Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Thursday, May 30th, 2024

Today’s Headlines: At Manhattan’s 100 Centre Street, Donald Trump’s trial saw closing arguments from both sides, with jury deliberations set to begin soon. Outside the courthouse, Robert De Niro, along with Capitol police officers Harry Dunn and Michael Fanone, criticized Trump, calling him a potential "dictator for life." Meanwhile, in Florida, Judge Aileen Cannon denied DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith's request for a gag order against Trump, who falsely claimed Biden authorized the DOJ to kill him during the Mar-a-Lago search. In election news, Democrats will hold a virtual roll call to nominate Biden early, circumventing Ohio’s ballot rules, while in Pennsylvania, voting rights groups are challenging a law that disqualifies undated mail-in ballots. In environmental news, Venezuela has lost its last glacier, making it the first country in the Americas without any glaciers, a sign of accelerating climate change. Finally, Pope Francis apologized for using an offensive term for gay men during a private meeting, drawing criticism for his remarks on admitting openly gay men into seminaries.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

NBC News: Trump's lawyers and prosecutors make final pleas to jury in hush money trial


LA Magazine: Blockbuster Appearance: Robert De Niro, Michael Fanone, and Harry Dunn Arrive At Trump's Criminal Trial 

WA Post: Judge rejects request to restrict Trump's speech on FBI, says motion was faulty 

NBC News: Democrats plan to nominate Biden virtually to avoid missing Ohio's ballot deadline


The Philadelphia Inquirer: Voting rights groups in Pa. are suing to allow undated ballots be counted. They hope to win before November's election.


Axios: Venezuela becomes first nation in the Americas to lose all glaciers


NY Times: Pope Francis Apologizes After Reports That He Used an Anti-Gay Slur 


Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wednesday, May 29th, 2024

Today’s Headlines: US military officials are increasingly concerned about the alliance between Russia and North Korea, which involves Russia providing nuclear submarine and ballistic missile technology to North Korea, and North Korea supplying Russia with munitions for the war in Ukraine. This collaboration could potentially influence the upcoming US presidential election and has shifted the dynamics of international sanctions against North Korea. An Israeli airstrike in Rafah killed at least 45 people, including civilians and senior Hamas commanders, prompting international condemnation and a statement from Prime Minister Netanyahu, who called it a "tragic mistake" and promised an investigation while affirming continued operations against Hamas. Severe storms and tornadoes across Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas resulted in at least 20 deaths and significant damage, highlighting an unusual increase in tornado activity over the past two months. The NCAA reached a settlement allowing college athletes to be paid by their schools starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, following an antitrust lawsuit that awarded nearly $2.8 billion in damages to current and former athletes. Finally, Donald Trump is back in Manhattan court for the final week of his trial on 34 counts of falsifying business records, with closing arguments underway and the jury expected to deliberate soon.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

NBC News: Are Russia and North Korea planning an ‘October surprise’ that aids Trump?


Politico: Netanyahu calls Rafah strike ‘tragic mistake’ amid global outcry


AP News: At least 22 dead in Memorial Day weekend storms that devastated several US states


WA Post: In major change, college athletes set to be paid directly by schools


AP News: Closing arguments, jury instructions and maybe a verdict? Major week looms in Trump hush money trial



Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday, May 28th, 2024

Today’s Headlines: President Biden welcomed Kenyan President William Ruto for a three-day state visit, marking Kenya as the first African country to be designated a major non-NATO ally. The visit included meetings with tech leaders and discussions on Kenya’s deployment of 1,000 troops to Haiti for a UN-led mission. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a surprise early national election for July 4th, as his Conservative Party trails the Labour Party in polls, possibly aiming to secure a better electoral outcome. In the US, the Supreme Court ruled that South Carolina's Republican-led redistricting did not constitute illegal gerrymandering, despite its impact on Black voters. Justice Clarence Thomas controversially suggested the Court overreached in its historic Brown vs. Board of Education decision banning school segregation. The Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, parent company of Ticketmaster, alleging monopolistic practices that harm consumers and artists. Additionally, the border deal fails again while Louisiana lawmakers passed a law classifying abortion medications as controlled substances, with strict penalties for possession without a prescription. Economic updates include a Federal Reserve survey indicating 65% of households are struggling with inflation, prompting major retailers like Target and Walmart to announce price cuts. The Department of Education also announced $7.7 billion in student debt cancellation for 160,000 borrowers under existing forgiveness programs.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

AP News: Biden is honoring Kenya with state visit as the East African nation prepares to send police to Haiti


Reuters: Rishi Sunak calls UK national election for July 4


NBC News: Supreme Court throws out race claim in South Carolina redistricting case in win for GOP


Axios: Clarence Thomas attacks Brown v. Board ruling amid 70th anniversary


NBC News: 'It is time to break up Live Nation': DOJ sues Ticketmaster parent over alleged monopoly


Axios: Bipartisan border deal fails again in Senate 

WA Post: Louisiana House passes bill making abortion pills controlled substances 

Reuters: US households still feel pinched by inflation, Fed survey says 

WA Post: Grocers are finally lowering prices as consumers pull back 

AP News: Biden administration canceling student loans for another 160000 borrowers



Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wednesday, May 15th, 2024

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