Dec 18, 2019

Michael Avenatti pleads not guilty to Nike extortion case charges

Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Attorney Michael Avenatti pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court Tuesday to attempting to extort up to $25 million from Nike by threatening to publicize claims that it made improper payments to athletes, which Nike denies, AP reports.

Details: Prosecutors in the U.S. District Court amended the Nike indictment to drop two conspiracy counts but added an honest services fraud charge, Reuters notes. Avenatti is due to face trial on Jan. 21.

The big picture: Avenatti is facing three different criminal cases. In another New York case, AP reports he is scheduled to stand trial on April 21 to face financial crimes charges, including misappropriating money intended for his former client Stormy Daniels.

  • A Los Angeles court has set down a May 19 trial for Avenatti to face charges he defrauded clients of millions of dollars by diverting money they were to be paid to accounts he controlled.
  • Avenatti denies all the charges leveled against him in all three of the cases.

Go deeper: The Avenatti scandal highlights the dark side of college basketball

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Orion Rummler
2 hours ago - Technology

Twitter launches warnings on election misinformation and delays

Photo: courtesy of Twitter

Twitter will start pinning notices to the top of all U.S. Twitter users’ timelines warning that results in next week’s election may be delayed and that they may encounter misinformation on mail-in voting.

Why it matters: Delayed election results are expected across many states that are handling unprecedented amounts of absentee and mailed ballots, which President Trump has baselessly called "very dangerous" and "corrupt."

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Miriam Kramer, author of Space
2 hours ago - Science

NASA confirms water exists on sunny parts of the Moon

Photo: NASA/JPL/USGS

Water on the Moon might be more easily accessible than previously thought, opening up new possible avenues for future human exploration, according to a new study.

Why it matters: NASA is aiming to send people back to the Moon as part of its Artemis program by 2024, with plans to eventually create a sustainable presence on the lunar surface. That sustainability relies on mining the moon for its resources, like water.

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Axios
Updated 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Pence no longer expected at Amy Coney Barrett's final confirmation vote

Photo: Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images

Vice President Mike Pence no longer plans to attend the Senate's final confirmation vote for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a Pence aide confirmed to CNN and Politico on Monday. On Sunday, Senate Democrats claimed that his presence after possible exposure to the coronavirus would be a "violation of common decency."

Driving the news: Five of Pence's aides were recently diagnosed with COVID-19, including his chief of staff, who is currently quarantining. Pence has continued his campaign travel despite his possible exposure, which goes against CDC guidelines.

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