December 2024 - cypherpunks - lists.cpunks.org

Retailers Lose Bid For Higher Damages Bill In Swipe Fees Trial
by Gunnar Larson 20 Dec '24

20 Dec '24

Retailers Lose Bid For Higher Damages Bill In Swipe Fees Trial <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276128?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Lucia Osborne-Crowley Retailers taking legal action against Mastercard Inc. and Visa lost their bid on Thursday to increase their damages bill from alleged unlawful overcharging by the card companies. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276128?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276128?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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FCA Apologizes To Victims Of £15M Peer-To-Peer Fraud
by Gunnar Larson 20 Dec '24

20 Dec '24

FCA Apologizes To Victims Of £15M Peer-To-Peer Fraud <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276101?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Dawood Fakhir The financial regulator of the U.K. on Thursday issued an apology to the victims of peer-to-peer lender Collateral (UK) Ltd., which defrauded investors of £15 million ($18.8 million) by falsely claiming the business was authorized. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276101?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276101?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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Craig Wright Gets Suspended Sentence Over Bitcoin Claim
by Gunnar Larson 20 Dec '24

20 Dec '24

Craig Wright Gets Suspended Sentence Over Bitcoin Claim <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276143?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Ronan Barnard Australian computer scientist Craig Wright was given a suspended one-year prison sentence on Thursday after a London judge said he was in contempt of court for asserting he had invented bitcoin in an approximately £900 billion ($1.1 trillion) claim. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276143?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276143?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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UK Private Stock Market May Fail To Attract Investors, Firms
by Gunnar Larson 20 Dec '24

20 Dec '24

UK Private Stock Market May Fail To Attract Investors, Firms <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276124?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Alex Davidson A world-first regulated market that the U.K. government has proposed for private companies to trade shares might fail to offer enough of an incentive to attract firms and investors. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276124?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/2276124?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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Fwd: Do you approve of Donald Trump? [12/19 poll]
by Gunnar Larson 20 Dec '24

20 Dec '24

Yes! Gunnar ✌️ ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Live Poll <info(a)dscc.org> Date: Thu, Dec 19, 2024, 5:22 PM Subject: Do you approve of Donald Trump? [12/19 poll] To: <g(a)xny.io> Please take action before midnight.‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [image: Answer Missing] <https://go.dscc.org/go/20812?ask=5&t=5&firstname=&lastname=&email=g%40xny.i…> We’ve chosen YOU out of a random selection of top Democrats to answer today's daily Trump Approval Poll. *Data from randomly chosen participants will help us track trends over time and craft a strategy to defeat Trump.* *Please answer before midnight:* *Do you approve of Donald Trump?* Yes <https://go.dscc.org/go/20812?ask=5&t=6&firstname=&lastname=&email=g%40xny.i…> No <https://go.dscc.org/go/20812?ask=5&t=7&firstname=&lastname=&email=g%40xny.i…> ***This Live Tracking Poll is for g(a)xny.io <https://go.dscc.org/go/20812?ask=5&t=8&firstname=&lastname=&email=g%40xny.i…> only. To maintain the integrity of our data, please don't share this poll with anyone else.*** Thanks for participating, Team DSCC * If you've recently responded or done so with a different email address, thank you! Online records may not be up to date, but don't worry -- your responses have been recorded. [image: Chip in $5 monthly to flip the Senate] <https://secure.actblue.com/donate/support-senate-democrats-2024-q4-recurrin…> ------------------------------ The DSCC is the only committee solely dedicated to supporting Democrats in the U.S. Senate, and our work relies on grassroots supporters like you. If you'd like to make a contribution to support us, please *click here <https://secure.actblue.com/donate/support-senate-democrats-2024-q4?refcode=…>*. *Click here <https://go.dscc.org/signup/receive-fewer-emails/?t=3&akid=19236%2E26297126%…>* to receive fewer emails. *Click here <https://go.dscc.org/unsubscribe/unsubscribe/?t=4&akid=19236%2E26297126%2Ez7…>* to unsubscribe. Paid for by the DSCC | PO Box 96047, Washington, DC 20090 | *dscc.org <https://www.dscc.org/>* | Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Contributions or gifts to the DSCC are not tax deductible.

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Fwd: Inside the federal indictment against Luigi Mangione
by Gunnar Larson 20 Dec '24

20 Dec '24

...criminal possession of a forged instrument. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Gothamist News Alerts <gothamist(a)lists.wnyc.org> Date: Thu, Dec 19, 2024, 1:54 PM Subject: Inside the federal indictment against Luigi Mangione To: <g(a)xny.io> NYC authorities charged him with murder, stalking in death of UnitedHealthcare CEO. View this email in a browser. <https://view.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=2baa8d8544278791b192f637e57b3f9c5ee324d99a7…> Gothamist relies on your support to make local news available to all. Not yet a member? Consider donating and join today. <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc463bb7ded1014719b0d28eafd1…> <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc5643c73fa12dd9ea8d84cb2d40…> Feds in NYC charge suspected CEO killer Luigi Mangione with murder, stalking in new indictment <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc7ebe9206049e77e9022a3aa98d…> Federal authorities have charged Luigi Mangione with murder and stalking in the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione has already been charged with murder by the Manhattan DA in state court. However he could face the death penalty if he is found guilty in federal court. <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc5643c73fa12dd9ea8d84cb2d40…> Mangione faces charges in Manhattan of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. According to the indictment, Mangione arrived in the city in late November with a plan to kill Thompson. Prosecutors say Mangione, a resident of Hawaii who police said was motivated by anger at the health care industry, waited for Thompson outside a Midtown hotel Dec.4, then shot him from behind with an untraceable ghost gun. Read More <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc5643c73fa12dd9ea8d84cb2d40…> [image: We rely on your support to make local news available to all.] <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc9e6517cd07e1f20625ef68ce3e…> [image: New York Public Radio] WNYC <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc8c1ef55adc8d64d202df1e9de5…> | WQXR <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc993ef8a7e861ca091db26dc862…> | NJPR <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc5497a60155f390f9b27d68d32a…> | GOTHAMIST <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdccbf858784ad2028f3147e95386…> WNYC STUDIOS <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdca9e0205298255f086126ba1aee…> | THE GREENE SPACE <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdcd3f06007d978c23e93dadb5c29…> Copyright © New York Public Radio. All rights reserved. 160 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013 <https://www.google.com/maps/search/160+Varick+Street,+New+York,+NY+10013?en…> TERMS OF USE <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc59d97cebdd3d500eecf795a44f…> You can update your PREFERENCES <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc6033423c89d9eceacc7bf7c49d…> or UNSUBSCRIBE <https://click.lists.wnyc.org/?qs=ee85ef602772cfdc5686409703fe1f05fc175b59f7…> from this list.

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BREAKING: Fani Willis DQ'd From Trump's Georgia Prosecution
by Gunnar Larson 20 Dec '24

20 Dec '24

BREAKING: Fani Willis DQ'd From Trump's Georgia Prosecution <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/2276219?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…> By Chart Riggall Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified Thursday from the prosecution of Donald Trump's Georgia election interference case, as a split state appellate court found that "no other remedy" was enough to scrub away what a trial court had previously called an "odor of mendacity" about the prosecution. Decision attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/2276219?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/2276219?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6fb9-4a5…>

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BREAKING: NYC Mayor's Former Top Adviser Charged With Bribery
by Gunnar Larson 19 Dec '24

19 Dec '24

BREAKING: NYC Mayor's Former Top Adviser Charged With Bribery <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/2276395?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> By Stewart Bishop Manhattan prosecutors on Thursday announced bribery and money laundering charges against Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the former chief adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, accusing her of using her influence to help two real estate developers secure city government approvals for hotel construction projects in exchange for $100,000 in bribes. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/2276395?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/newyork/articles/2276395?nl_pk=ac5a3855-e47c-4403-be…>

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Fed Chair Jay Powell Sends a Bold Message to Trump and Tanks the Dow by 1123 Points
by Gunnar Larson 19 Dec '24

19 Dec '24

https://wallstreetonparade.com/2024/12/fed-chair-jay-powell-sends-a-bold-me… By Pam Martens and Russ Martens: December 19, 2024 ~ Fed Chair Jerome Powell at Press Conference on November 2, 2022 Fed Chair Jerome Powell If President-elect Donald Trump thought Fed Chair Jay Powell was going to be taking a loyalty oath to him, Trump got a rude awakening yesterday. The Fed cut interest rates by a quarter point yesterday but issued a statement suggesting that rate-cutting would be far more subdued next year than the market had expected. In response, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1123 points, closing near its lows of the day and marking its 10th consecutive day of losses. The Dow gave up 2.58 percent of its value while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 3.56 percent. The megabanks on Wall Street were among the big losers of the day. Morgan Stanley dropped 5.25 percent; Goldman Sachs was down by 4.25 percent; Citigroup gave up 4.22 percent; Bank of America lost 3.44 percent while JPMorgan Chase shed 3.35 percent by the closing bell. These five megabanks are the banks most heavily exposed to tens of trillions of dollars in derivatives. What the Fed does with interest rates has a major impact on their existing derivative trading positions. The broad selloff in these names suggests these banks have some wrong-way bets in their derivative books, or at least that is the market’s perception. In his first term as President, Trump pressured Powell for lower interest rates and was heavily focused on the stock markets’ performance – appearing to see it as a gauge of his own performance as President. The Fed’s suggestion that it will be stingy with more interest rate cuts next year is likely to set up a showdown between Trump and Powell. During Powell’s press conference yesterday, he also shot down any notion that the Fed was going to be getting involved in Trump’s promise to his crypto megadonors to create a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve. Powell stated: “We’re not allowed to own bitcoin,” adding that “we are not looking for a law change at the Fed.” Those remarks sent Bitcoin into a sharp skid in late afternoon, from the range of $105,000 to as low as $99,000 at one point. Bitcoin had recovered to a $102,000 level as of 8:00 a.m. ET this morning. At the Nashville Bitcoin Conference in July, Trump was a featured speaker and told the crowd this: “It will be the policy of my administration to keep 100 percent of all Bitcoin the US government currently holds [seized from fraudulent actors] or acquires in the future…as a core of the strategic national Bitcoin stockpile.” Adding to market jitters yesterday was the unelected tech billionaire Elon Musk appearing to be muscling his way into the role of the legislative branch of the federal government. In the early hours of the morning yesterday, and continuing through much of the day, Musk Tweeted his displeasure with the proposed Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government through mid-March of next year. The CR had the support of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and was expected to pass. At 3:14 p.m. – in the midst of the stock market meltdown – Musk Tweeted: “ ‘Shutting down’ the government (which doesn’t actually shut down critical functions btw) is infinitely better than passing a horrible bill” Musk does not appear to be conversant with the reality that credit rating agencies like S&P, Moody’s and Fitch don’t take kindly to chaotic governments and might decide to slash the credit rating of U.S. sovereign debt. That would raise the cost to every American taxpayer to finance the nation’s debt. In 2011, S&P slashed the U.S. sovereign debt rating from AAA to AA+, citing political standoffs between the two major political parties over the debt ceiling. On August 1 of last year, Fitch downgraded the U.S. Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating from AAA to AA+. Fitch specifically cited “repeated debt limit standoffs and last-minute resolutions” in explaining the downgrade. By late afternoon, Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance were siding with Musk. If there is no Continuing Resolution passed by Friday night, the government will be forced to go into partial shutdown, which could include employee layoffs. FacebookTwitterWhatsAppLinkedInEmail

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Ex-Fla Rep. Charged Again For Foreign Agent Violations
by Gunnar Larson 19 Dec '24

19 Dec '24

Ex-Fla Rep. Charged Again For Foreign Agent Violations <https://www.law360.com/governmentcontracts/articles/2275767?nl_pk=4126fe73-…> By Carolina Bolado Former Florida Rep. David Rivera, who is battling an indictment in Miami over lobbying work for Venezuela, faces additional criminal charges in D.C. federal court, after a grand jury indicted him on charges he failed to register as a foreign agent when he lobbied on a Venezuelan businessman's behalf. Indictment attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/governmentcontracts/articles/2275767?nl_pk=4126fe73-…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/governmentcontracts/articles/2275767?nl_pk=4126fe73-…>

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