World

What the Dominion lawsuit revealed about Fox News and what’s next

Published

2 years ago

April 19, 2023

What the Dominion lawsuit revealed about Fox News and what’s next

A high-profile defamation case towards Fox Information and its mother or father company by voting programs firm Dominion has ended with a last-minute settlement deal, permitting the conservative community to keep away from a carefully watched trial on the identical day these proceedings had been set to begin.

Due to the $787.5m settlement, the general public is not going to hear testimony – a minimum of on this case – from Fox Information proprietor and company chair Rupert Murdoch, or any of the firebrand conservative personalities that fill the community’s airtime. The general public will even not see any new proof to assist Dominion’s allegation that the false data Fox Information unfold concerning the firm within the wake of the 2020 presidential election amounted to “precise malice”.

The complete particulars of the settlement haven’t been publicly launched, though US media has reported Fox is not going to be required to subject an on-air apology.

Nonetheless, pre-trial proceedings and filings have been bruising for the information community, and have lifted the curtain behind the scenes of the influential firm – which commonly averages the very best viewership of any cable information channel in america.

In a muted assertion after the settlement was reached on Tuesday, Fox stated, “We acknowledge the courtroom’s rulings discovering sure claims about Dominion to be false.”

Including that the settlement “displays Fox’s continued dedication to the very best journalistic requirements”.

Dominion lawyer Justin Nelson, in the meantime, stated the settlement sum – far shy of $1.6bn the corporate had initially sought – “represents vindication and accountability”.

Right here’s what we discovered from the proceedings:

‘Crystal clear’ Fox aired false claims: Choose

It may not have amounted to the authorized customary Dominion wanted to win the case outright, however in late March, Delaware Superior Court docket Choose Eric Davis dominated that it was “CRYSTAL CLEAR” – writing in all caps in his determination – that Fox Information unfold false statements about Dominion within the wake of the 2020 election.

In authorized filings, Dominion introduced 20 particular cases of Fox’s protection between November 8, 2020, and January 26, 2021, that it alleged confirmed the corporate knowingly promoted the lies. Davis’s ruling stated Dominion had met the burden of proof to maneuver forward with the trial, however had not but confirmed that Fox Information pushed the falsehoods with “precise malice”, which means with the data that it was false or with reckless disregard for the reality.

Learn all about Dominion and Smartmatic voting corporations and also you’ll quickly perceive how pervasive this Democrat electoral fraud is, and why there’s no approach on the earth the 2020 Presidential election was both free or truthful. #MAGA @realDonaldTrump #AmericaFirst #Dobbs https://t.co/H38VvuvSUQ
— Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) November 14, 2020

The protection Dominion pointed to included on-air feedback from Fox hosts Jeanine Pirro, Lou Dobbs and Maria Bartiromo, a lot of which falsely prompt Dominion had ties to Venezuela’s authorities or that there have been irregularities with the machines.

In a single occasion, Bartiromo stated in a query to Trump lawyer Sidney Powell on November 8, 2020: “Sidney, we talked concerning the Dominion software program. I do know that there have been voting irregularities. Inform me about that.”

On November 14, 2020, Dobbs quote-tweeted Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, with the host including, “Learn all about Dominion and Smartmatic voting corporations and also you’ll quickly perceive how pervasive this Democrat electoral fraud is, and why there’s no approach on the earth the 2020 Presidential election was both free or truthful.”

Murdoch believed election to be real, feared ‘antagonising’ Trump

Regardless of the protection, community govt chairman Murdoch stated throughout a deposition that he “thought the election was real” and it was “unhealthy recommendation to encourage [Trump] being a foul loser”, courtroom paperwork confirmed. He added he privately urged high Republicans to not endorse Trump’s “conspiracy theories and baseless claims of fraud”.

Murdoch, in a single trade captured in courtroom paperwork, stated that a lot of what Trump was saying within the wake of the election was “b******* and damaging”.

He additionally admitted some Fox commentators “endorsed” the unfounded declare that the election was stolen, however stated the community didn’t achieve this wholesale.

Dominion argued the statements confirmed the media mogul knew Trump’s fraud claims to be false, however that Fox continued to provide a platform to Trump attorneys Giuliani and Powell, who had been main the marketing campaign to overturn the election.

Murdoch additionally expressed concern of the previous president, and his substantial sway amongst viewers, in a post-election e-mail, saying, “We don’t wish to antagonise Trump additional.”

He later defined why throughout a deposition: “[Trump] had a really massive following, they usually had been most likely principally viewers of Fox, so it might have been silly.”

Concern about post-election viewership drop; name for ‘decisive motion’

Paperwork unsealed in February additionally confirmed that Fox Information executives warned of “robust conservative and viewer backlash to Fox” within the wake of the election, notably associated to the community calling Arizona for US President Joe Biden on election evening.

The manager answerable for model safety, Raj Shah, in messages, famous that Fox was underneath “heavy fireplace” from its buyer base within the wake of the election.

He urged “daring, clear and decisive motion” to the corporate’s leaders, which he stated was wanted to “start to regain the belief that we’re shedding with our core viewers”, in accordance with courtroom paperwork.

Murdoch additionally prompt in a January 5, 2021, message that high hosts may go on air to definitively declare that Biden received the election, saying it “would go an extended method to cease the Trump delusion that the election was stolen”.

In response to the suggestion, Fox Information chief Suzanne Scott wrote to a subordinate, “I advised Rupert that privately they’re all there – we must be cautious about utilizing the exhibits and p*** off the viewers however they know find out how to navigate.”

Personal disdain for Trump and his fraud claims

Court docket paperwork additionally displayed pervasive scepticism of Trump’s fraud claims amongst Fox staffers, and outright disdain for the previous president.

Host Tucker Carlson, in a textual content to host Laura Ingraham, wrote that Trump lawyer Powell was “mendacity” and he had “caught her”. Ingraham responded, “Sidney is a whole nut. Nobody will work together with her. Ditto with Rudy [Giuliani].”

Simply six days earlier, Carlson had internally known as for White Home correspondent Jacqui Heinrich to be fired after she publicly fact-checked a Trump tweet pushing the fraud claims, courtroom paperwork confirmed.

“Please get her fired,” Carlson advised host Sean Hannity in a textual content message. “It must cease instantly, like tonight. It’s measurably hurting the corporate. The inventory worth is down. Not a joke.”

Regardless of frequently supporting Trump on air, Carlson expressed private disdain to colleagues.

“I hate him passionately,” he wrote in a January 4, 2021 textual content to a staffer, saying he was trying ahead to “having the ability to ignore Trump most nights”.

What comes subsequent?

It has remained unclear what impact the settlement could have on Fox’s operations, with the New York Occasions reporting a current submitting confirmed that the Fox Company had $4.1bn “of money and equivalents” readily available on the finish of final 12 months.

On the similar time, Fox nonetheless confronted a $2.7bn defamation lawsuit filed by voting know-how firm Smartmatic, which has alleged the post-election lies broadcast by the corporate “decimated” its enterprise. It alleged Fox knowingly pushed greater than 100 “false statements and implications” associated to the corporate.

On Tuesday, a lawyer for Smartmatic, Erik Connolly, stated the lawsuit would choose up the place Dominion left off.

A protester holds an indication close to representatives of Fox Information in Wilmington, Delaware [Julio Cortez/The Associated Press]

“Dominion’s litigation uncovered a few of the misconduct and harm brought on by Fox’s disinformation marketing campaign. Smartmatic will expose the remainder,” Connolly stated. “Smartmatic stays dedicated to clearing its identify, recouping the numerous harm finished to the corporate, and holding Fox accountable for undermining democracy.”

In February, an appeals courtroom dominated the case was allowed to proceed. Smartmatic was solely utilized in Los Angeles County throughout the 2020 election, making its scope a lot narrower than Dominion, which was utilized in 24 states.

Dominion additionally nonetheless has pending defamation lawsuits towards Giuliani, Powell, and different Trump allies who publicly pushed unfounded claims associated to the corporate. They’re additionally suing two pro-Trump channels, Newsmax and One America Information Community.

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World

Consejos para disfrutar de las celebraciones de fin de año, sin estrés

Published

7 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Consejos para disfrutar de las celebraciones de fin de año, sin estrés

NUEVA YORK (AP) — Todos conocemos los factores de estrés: obligaciones sociales, rencillas familiares, divisiones políticas, estrés financiero y el deseo de mantenerse alegre y generoso todo el tiempo.

Así que aquí va un recordatorio sobre cómo desterrar a tu perfeccionista interior y disfrutar verdaderamente de la temporada festiva:

“Realmente ayuda dejar de lado algunos de los ‘deberías’”, dice Lynn F. Bufka, jefa de práctica de la Asociación Estadounidense de Psicología. “Decide cuál es la cosa que más importa, y las cosas que te brindan más alegría, y suelta las demás”.

Las tradiciones pueden cambiar y evolucionar, y cuanto más flexibles sean las cosas, más fácil será para todos, dice Bufka.

“Concentra tu energía en crear un espacio cálido para que las personas que amas se reúnan y relajen, se pongan al día y celebren unos a otros. Eso es literalmente todo lo que importa”, concuerda Lauren Iannotti, editora en jefe de Real Simple.

Algunos consejos:

Concéntrate en lo que te hace feliz

Podrías decidir que la conversación es tu objetivo principal y no preocuparte en absoluto por la decoración, dice Bufka. O si la decoración de la mesa es lo que amas, invierte tu energía allí y no te preocupes tanto por otros aspectos.

“Idealmente, debería tratarse de enfocarse en el amor, y eso no significa lo mismo para todos”, dice Bufka.

Permite que otros hagan las cosas por ti.

“La gente quiere ayudar, ¡déjalos!”, dice Iannotti. “Si no te ENCANTA cocinar todas esas guarniciones, o tienes poco tiempo, no hay ninguna vergüenza en aceptar que tu hermana haga el relleno. O busca ayuda de los profesionales: apoya a un restaurante local haciendo un pedido de catering”.

Otra opción es que “cada uno traiga un plato distintivo”, dice Ianotti. “Ahorrarás tiempo y dinero en la preparación y la cocina y tus invitados podrán mostrar sus habilidades”.

Darte permiso para tomar atajos

“Está bien si la casa está un poco desordenada o si la cena se sirve unos minutos tarde”, dice Iannotti. “Si las personas que has invitado están más interesadas en evaluar tu desempeño que en pasar un buen rato, pueden discutirlo con su terapeuta”. (Por cierto, no lo están, añade ella).

Y no dudes en dejar que la gente se sirva por sí misma, cuando sea posible. “Si no tienes tiempo para jugar a ser el barman, crea una bebida insignia con anticipación que puedas servir a todos tus invitados. También puedes simplemente dejar algunos mezcladores para que los invitados se sirvan y hagan sus propias creaciones”, sugiere Caroline Utz, directora editorial y de estrategia en The Spruce.

Está bien tener tiempo a solas

Las cosas funcionarán lo suficientemente bien si no lo supervisas todo, así que cuídate. Tómate pausas o caminatas si eso te ayuda a mantenerte centrado.

“Aunque el mindfulness se está convirtiendo en un término demasiado utilizado en la sociedad actual, hay algo valioso que podemos tomar de esto y aplicar a la temporada de fin de año”, dice Brook Choulet, psiquiatra deportiva y de rendimiento de concierge y fundadora de Choulet Performance Psychiatry.

Ella recomienda “programar microdescansos intencionales” para hacer algo que disfrutes.

“Por ejemplo, podrías programar una llamada telefónica con un amigo de otro estado, tomar un paseo de 15 minutos al aire libre, o incluso ajustar el temporizador y tomar un baño de 15 minutos sin interrupciones”, dijo.

Espera algo de discordia y no te alarmes por ello

“Si te preocupa la polarización y entrar en conversaciones incómodas, intenta pensar en maneras en que puedas terminar una conversación o cambiarla de dirección”, dice Bufka.

Ella recomienda preparar algunas frases de antemano para ayudar a terminar la conversación o cambiarla de dirección.

En resumen, tener la intención de una temporada festiva menos perfecta puede ser justo lo que necesitas.

___

Katherine Roth cubre temas de vida y estilo y otros temas para The Associated Press desde Nueva York.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

World

Azerbaijan Airlines plane headed to Russia crashes hundreds of miles off course, dozens feared dead

Published

7 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Azerbaijan Airlines plane headed to Russia crashes hundreds of miles off course, dozens feared dead

Dozens of passengers are feared dead after an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, reports say.

The Embraer 190 passenger jet flying from Azerbaijan to Russia had 62 passengers and five crew on board, Kazakh authorities announced, saying 32 survivors had been rescued.

Flight J2-8243 had flown hundreds of miles off its scheduled route to crash on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea. Officials did not immediately explain why it had crossed the sea, but the crash came shortly after drone strikes hit southern Russia. Drone activity has shut airports in the area in the past and the nearest Russian airport on the plane’s flight path was closed on Wednesday morning.

Russia’s aviation watchdog, meanwhile, said it was an emergency that may have been caused by a bird strike.

MORE THAN 30 DEAD IN BRAZIL BUS AND TRUCK COLLISION

In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (The Administration of Mangystau Region/AP Photo)

Those aboard the plane included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian nationals, six Kazakhstani and three Kyrgyzstani citizens, according to Kazakhstani officials.

Russian news agency Interfax reported that both pilots died in the crash, citing a preliminary assessment by emergency workers at the scene. The news agency also quoted medical workers who stated that four bodies had been recovered from the crash so far.

A total of 29 survivors, including two children, have been hospitalized, the ministry told Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti, the Associated Press reported. Many passengers have yet to be accounted for.

MALAYSIA AGREES TO RESUME ‘NO FIND, NO FEE’ HUNT FOR FLIGHT MH370, 10 YEARS AFTER PLANE DISAPPEARED

More than 30 are feared dead following the crash near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau. (Azamat Sarsenbayev/AP Photo)

Video of the crash showed the plane descending rapidly before bursting into flames as it hit the seashore, and thick black smoke then rising, Reuters reported. Bloodied and bruised passengers could be seen stumbling from a piece of the fuselage that had remained intact.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who had been traveling to Russia, returned to Azerbaijan upon hearing news of the crash, the president’s press service said. Aliyev was due to attend an informal meeting of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States, a bloc of former Soviet countries founded after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in St. Petersburg.

Emergency crews at the site of the Azerbaijani airliner crash on Dec. 25, 2024. (Azamat Sarsenbayev/AP Photo)

Aliyev expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in a statement on social media.

“It is with deep sadness that I express my condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” he wrote.

He also signed a decree declaring Dec. 26 a day of mourning in Azerbaijan.

The plane was en route from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus, the Associated Press reports. (The Administration of Mangystau Region/AP Photo)

In a statement, Azerbaijan Airlines said it would keep members of the public updated and changed its social media banners to solid black.

“We ask God for mercy on the passengers and crew members who lost their lives,” a translated statement on X said. “Their pain is our pain. We wish a speedy recovery to those injured.”

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

World

Who is Europe's top investor in space in 2023?

Published

8 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Who is Europe's top investor in space in 2023?

Luxembourg remains Europe’s top investor in space in a year when defence spending on space exceeded civil space budgets for the first time since the 1990s.

Global public investment in space hit a record high of €106 billion in 2023, an 11% increase compared to 2022.

In Europe, the total funding was €11.9 billion, showing a modest 1% rise in its share of global space investment.

According to the European Space Agency, defence spending on space exceeded civil space budgets last year for the first time since the 1990s. Defence expenditures in space are projected to grow faster than civil spending, making up 53% of the budget in 2024.

The US continues to dominate global space investment, accounting for 64% of the total budget, while China holds a strong second place, growing its share from an estimated 2% in 2000 to 12% in 2023 through long-term programmes in both civil and defence.

Europe ranks third, contributing 11% of the global space budget in 2023.

What share of their GDP do EU countries spend on public space budgets?

Luxembourg remains Europe’s leading investor in space, dedicating 0.135% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the sector.

Globally, the country ranks third behind the US (0.262%) and Russia (0.169%).

In Europe, Luxembourg is followed by France, which invests 0.167% of its GDP, Italy at 0.103%, and Belgium at 0.095%.

On the other hand, private investment in space has continued to decline in 2023, dropping by 32% compared to 2022.

Europe also saw a 14% decrease in 2023 compared to the year before, with private space ventures receiving just below €980 million.

Although the US accounts for most of the global decline in 2023, its space sector continues to attract the largest share of investments at 60%, followed by Europe with 16% and China with 9%.

What was the state of space activity in 2023?

There were 221 orbital launches in 2023, an 18% increase compared to 2022.

Yet, a total of 212 launches were successful.

The US carried out more than half of the launches, with 96 of them conducted by SpaceX.

China accounted for 30% with 67 launches, a 5% increase from 2022, and Russia completed 19 launches.

The European launch service provider conducted three launches in 2023, including Europe’s first mission to Jupiter, which aimed to explore whether the planet’s three moons — Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede — could support life in their oceans.

Video editor • Mert Can Yilmaz