Levi’s Plans to Lay off up to 15%; Social Media Ban for Teens – Jan. 26

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to NTD tonight. I'm David Lam sitting in for David Zhang. Here's a preview of some today's top stories denim giant Levi Strauss is planning layoffs up to 15% of the global workforce could be cut this year a Verdict reached in Trump's civil defamation case against E. Jean Carroll. How much is Trump being asked to pay? Why did a woman convicted of murder avoid prison time a friend of the victim's family says the reduced sentencing sends the wrong message a San Francisco based company is set to implement significant job cuts in the first half of this year Entities Christina Corona has more on the story Levi's announced a reduction of 10 to 15 percent in its global corporate workforce during the first half of 2024 as part of a two-year restructuring plan that seeks to cut costs and simplify its operations According to its annual report the company employed about 19,000 people as of the end of November Levi's said the restructuring expects to generate net cost savings of 100 million dollars in the ongoing Fiscal year it estimates incurring charges ranging from 110 million to 120 million dollars in the first quarter Levi's announced Thursday that its net revenue was up 3% to 1.64 billion dollars in the fourth quarter that ended November 26th on the same day Levi's also announced its commitment to invest 170 million dollars to continue sponsoring the San Francisco 49er Stadium last month Levi's announced a CEO transition as Michelle gas takes over from Chip Burr who remains as Executive vice chair until his retirement in late April Christina Corona NTD News, California now, let's take a look at other top headlines a Verdict reached on Trump's civil defamation trial today a nine-person jury decided that Trump must pay 83.3 million dollars to E. Jean Carroll for defamatory statements. He made against her in 2019 Former President Trump took the stand on Thursday in his defense in the trial stemming from E. Jean Carroll's defamation lawsuit Claiming he sexually attacked her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s The 2024 GOP front-runner has vehemently denied the allegation His denial resulted in Carroll slapping Trump with a defamation lawsuit claiming that his response caused harm to her reputation a Federal jury in New York City decided last year that Trump was not liable for rape, but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation Trump blasted the verdict and said he would appeal the decision. He posted on truth social saying Absolutely ridiculous. I fully disagree with both verdicts and will be appealing this whole Biden directed witch hunt Focus on me and the Republican Party. Our legal system is out of control and being used as a political weapon They have taken away all First Amendment rights. This is not America a Hunter Biden business associate testified in Congress today Rob Walker appeared for a transcribed interview behind closed doors before lawmakers from the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees This comes as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden GOP committee leaders say Walker was quote used as a vehicle to receive foreign funds and Send a percentage of the money to Biden family members The lawmakers say Walker was able to do that through his company Robinson Walker LLC Walkers accused of sending millions to the Biden family from a Romanian businessman and a Chinese energy company Over to the border showdown where tensions between the federal government and the state of Texas keep rising More and more Republican governors from across the nation now say they stand behind Texas in its battle against the Biden administration South Dakota governor Christine Noem on Fox News Explained why she'll continue supporting the Lone Star State Governor Abbott has done the exact right thing and I'll drive him more razor wire from South Dakota if I have to For him to do his job We will be Europe within a year or two if we allow President Biden to continue this invasion of our country over six million People have come here illegally. It is time to stand our ground and we'll be down there standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Governor Abbott 25 Republican governors released a joint statement in support of Texas Governor Greg Abbott They say the federal government is failing to protect the border, which is why Texas now has to step up This comes after Abbott officially announced he would not follow the Biden administration's request to vacate the border Instead, he's claiming the state's constitutional right to defend itself against an invasion in response Some Democrats have called on Biden to seize control of the Texas National Guard The United Nations top court has issued an interim ruling in the case against Israel South Africa is accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza and asked the International Court of Justice to order a ceasefire The state of Israel shall take all measures within its power to prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to commit genocide in relation to members of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip the court declined to order an immediate ceasefire but judges demanded that Israel try to contain death and damage in Gaza and ordered six provisional measures to protect Palestinians during the war the decision today is a preliminary one It could take years for the full case to be considered Israel has rejected the genocide accusation Meanwhile, Israeli officials are accusing some workers with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency of participating in the October 7th attacks by Hamas on Israel at least 1,200 Israeli citizens died in that attack the US State Department announced today that it is temporarily halting funding for the UN RWA the agency's Commissioner General says an Investigation is underway and anyone involved will be held accountable including through criminal prosecution Florida lawmakers approved a new bill banning social media for minors under 16 years old in hopes of protecting children online Entities Christina Corona has more on that story the Florida House of Representatives Approved a state bill Wednesday to restrict social media access for children aged to 16 and under Following efforts in other states to limit online risks for teenagers This is about protecting children from addictive technology and what we know harms them and what the social media platforms know Sponsors argued that the legislation was essential to safeguard children from online predators and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety Which they attribute to excessive social media usage. We're seeing depression in our kids We're seeing the lack of ego in our kids and what we're seeing That's going to influence our society and culture in the future is the fact that our children today Do not have the ability to do as much critical thinking as they should approved with a bipartisan vote of 106 to 13 the proposal would require social media platforms to deactivate accounts for those under 17 and Implement a third-party verification system to filter out the underage users If you one would require each new social media user from a 13 year old in Miami to a 73 year old in Boca Raton To provide possibly sensitive identifying information such as a driver's license or birth certificate to a third-party organization to verify their age the bill requires companies to permanently delete data from terminated accounts and Empowers parents to file civil suits for any failure to do so. However opponents argued that the bill goes too far With this bill we are telling parents. You are not fit to be a parent to make the best decision for your child This is a complete governmental overreach and it's in this generation. It's their thing Supporting our children comes in more ways than removing social media So don't limit their advancement by telling them they can't use it because ultimately They are going to use it in March 2023 Utah became the first state to adopt laws regulating children's access to social media followed by Arkansas, Louisiana Ohio and Texas the bill will now proceed to the Florida State Senate for review where Republicans hold the majority in both legislative chambers Christina Corona NTD news a California judge sparks controversy as a woman avoids prison despite fatally stabbing her boyfriend over 100 times the judge cites a cannabis induced episode as the reason for the reduced sentencing entity Stephanie's the call here's more from a friend of the victim's family a California judge ruled that Brynn Spetzer who fatally stabbed her boyfriend over 100 times in a cannabis induced Psychosis will not go to prison Instead she received two years of probation for the 2018 killing of Chad Amelia The victim's father criticized a decision arguing it set a dangerous precedent for marijuana users Spetzer was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and her family expressed relief prior to the hearing protests were held Emphasizing the severity of the crime Spetzer's lawyer Bob Schwartz praised the judge's decision as the right and courageous thing However, that doesn't seem to be the popular opinion This is not just I smoked some pot I got in the car I was a little reckless I hurt, you know Someone or I killed someone I hurt their family Actually, this is a brutal I would almost call it Satanic in nature was very Lots of bestiality with this. I have read some things where she still continues to party with people Michelle shares with NTD why she thinks Spetzer should have gotten a different conviction at this point this is a brutal murder that really deserved the maximum and and for was all she was gonna get and She should have spent some time in jail and it sent a message that Chad wasn't valued his family Wasn't valued and then it also let the public Feel like I can't be protected the judge referred to evidence and expert testimony stating that 32 year old was unaware of the potential effects of marijuana when she smoked with the 26 year old victim that night Then so if you don't even know Chad or you don't know the family or don't know the case and you're just a average, you know A regular person you go. Well, I guess people can get away with that and that's what happened she got away with bloody murder She says chat. Amelia will be remembered as a nice kid Charming funny and helpful to his friends family and community Stephanie's a call NTD news We'll take a short break now everybody, but here's a look at what we have for you when we come back The FBI is still searching for suspects in a 2021 church bombing case in California More on what the police know so far a Southern California politician sentenced for accepting bribes one city employee in Northern California charged in an alleged kickback scheme an NFL rookie arrested over alleged illegal sports gambling We'll take a look at the details and timeline those stories and more coming up on NTD tonight Welcome back to NTD tonight everybody. I'm your host David Lam The FBI is still searching for suspects in the investigation of the explosion at one Los Angeles County Church Known for its anti LGBTQ sermons entities. Christina Corona has more from El Monte The FBI is seeking help in identifying two individuals involved in the bombing of a controversial church that occurred here in the city Of El Monte three years ago First works Baptist Church was the site of a bombing attack carried out by at least two individuals on January 23rd 2021 Unfortunately, there was an explosion that happened at about 1 the morning We got multiple calls from various sources saying that a large explosion had happened at the church It was later determined that the homemade bomb or improvised explosive device had gone off inside the church had made headlines due to its controversial opinions regarding the LGBTQ plus community and same-sex relationships It was initially investigated as a crime that may have resulted from some of the hate speech coming out of the church The church was led by pastor Bruce Mejia whose anti LGBTQ sermons have attracted the attention of protesters and contributed to the church's placement on a Southern Poverty Law Center list of hate groups the FBI released photos of two individuals Involved in the bombing wearing dark hooded sweatshirts and face masks No injuries were reported but over a dozen homes nearby were evacuated as a precaution The things that were affected were the windows of the business as well as some interior structure damage and to the outside as far as We know is just the flying debris from the initial explosion Today the once vandalized old church now has new owners who have revitalized its appearance Looks like there has new business in place and has no affiliation with the former owners and We're just hoping to find who those original suspects are and we're looking for the public's help with that One El Monte resident said I was right down the street when it happens We came out and we seen the smoke that it got bombed because they were there kind of like a cult church a little bit they the pastor would tell the people that went to the congregation that if If their women worked it's because they were cheating on them and they weren't allowed to work and that their women had to be Subservient and they were against gays and gay marriages and anything that has to do with that The FBI is continuing its search for the suspects and anyone with information regarding this ongoing Investigation is urged to call the FBI Los Angeles field office Christina Corona NTD News El Monte in California a former LA City councilman was sentenced for accepting bribes and a San Francisco City employee was charged in an alleged kickback scheme Entities Jason Blair reports former Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison on Friday for using his position to Get 1.5 million dollars in bribes from real estate developers Prosecutors say Huizar operated a pay-for-play scheme lasting from 2013 to 2017 Last July Bel Air developer Da Young Lee was sentenced to six years in federal prison for bribing Huizar in San Francisco A city employee was charged Thursday for assisting and embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars intended for improving city neighborhoods Stanley Ellicott allegedly accepted city funds in exchange for helping direct bribes to a grant manager San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins told the San Francisco Chronicle quote The charges announced today reflect my office's continuing commitment to uncover official misconduct in San Francisco city government Ellicott is the latest of several developers local businessmen and city employees charged in an ongoing four-year corruption probe in San Francisco in 2022 Department of Public Works chief Mohamed Nourou was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for bribery and kickbacks Jason Blair NTD News in a surprising twist NFL rookie Keishon booty of the New England Patriots is facing arrest over alleged illegal sports gambling Entities Carlos Reyes has more on the story In a stunning turn of events former LSU standout and current New England Patriots wide receiver Keishon booty finds himself in hot water After being arrested on charges of illegal sports gambling the Louisiana State Police dropped the bombshell Thursday Alleging that booty who made a name for himself as one of the most dynamic pass catchers in his college days had engaged in illicit sports wagers totaling over $600,000 but here's the kicker. Some of those bets were reportedly on his own college football games Let's dive into the details. The saga began in 2022 when booty then 20 years old Allegedly utilized a cunning alias to bypass the legal age restrictions for sports gambling in Louisiana According to police an online gambling company fan duel tipped off authorities about the possibility of a college athlete placing wagers The subsequent investigation unveiled that booty had not one but two accounts Both funded by his mother's bank card the usernames Keishon booty 7 and Keishon booty 0-1 classic move, right the shockwaves continued as it was revealed that more than 8,000 900 wagers were placed through these accounts Notably at least 17 of these bets were on college football games with six of them directly involving LSU football The team booty had previously showcased his skills for the arrest affidavit obtained by the Athletic Shedlight on a particularly Audacious move booty allegedly bet on himself in a September 4th 2022 game against Florida State Wagering that he would score a touchdown and accumulate over 82 and a half receiving arts Unfortunately for booty the result didn't match the bet and he ended up losing To add another layer of intrigue. It was disclosed that booty only turned 21 on May 7th of 2023 making any wager placed before that date illegal the Patriots rookie reportedly bet a whopping $450,000 in 2022 losing $65,000 and in 2023 he wagered $186,000 losing $16,000 total ouch as the legal fallout unfolds authorities have hinted that additional charges may be on the horizon Both LSU and the New England Patriots swiftly responded to the bombshell news LSU aware of the allegations since July 2023 assured full cooperation with authorities Emphasizing that they have no evidence of other student athletes participating in such activities Meanwhile, the Patriots acknowledged booties cooperation with the investigation Carlos Reyes NTD news Stay tuned up next on China in focus with Tiffany Meyer Congress is going after China's largest genomics company both chambers pushing a bill to drive it out of the u.s Market this after warnings that Beijing has been gathering Americans genetic information Data that can be used to create targeted bioweapons That's all we've got for you tonight. We'd like you to join us again on entity tonight every weekday at 9 p.m I'm David Lam sitting in for David Zhang. Have a wonderful weekend