Biden touts electric vehicle investments at Detroit auto show

Biden touts electric vehicle investments at Detroit auto show
Biden touts electric vehicle investments at Detroit auto show
Emily Elconin/Bloomberg/Getty Images

(DETROIT) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday touted his administration’s work on electric vehicles while touring the 2022 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, describing a future where charging stations are as easily available as gas stations.

“The great American road trip is going to be fully electrified,” Biden said as he announced the first round of federal funding for electric vehicle chargers from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law he signed last year.

“We’re approving funding for the first 35 states, including Michigan, to build their own electric charging infrastructure throughout their state,” Biden said. “And you are gonna be part of a network of 500,000 charging stations.”

According to a White House official, the $900 million investment will help build chargers across 53,000 miles of the national highway system.

Biden also took a moment to promote the new EV tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act. The law, signed last month, includes a $7,500 credit for new vehicles and a $4,000 credit for purchases of used EVs.

The Inflation Reduction Act also requires that an electric vehicle and its batteries must be assembled in North America in order to qualify for the federal tax incentive.

“It used to be that to buy an electric car you had to make all sorts of compromises, but not now,” Biden said. “Thanks to American ingenuity, American engineers, American auto workers, that’s all changing. Today, if you want an electric vehicle with a long range, you can buy one made in America.”

Several states are beginning to phase-out gas-powered vehicles and shift to electric cars. California became the first state in the U.S. to implement regulations that ban the sale of new gas-engine vehicles by 2035. The Golden State will require all new cars to run on electricity or hydrogen.

Biden, a self-professed car enthusiast, toured the showroom alongside General Motors CEO Mary Barra and its president Mark Ruess. At one point, the president got inside a bright orange Chevrolet Corvette Z06 — which has gasoline-fueled V8 engine — and revved the engine.

“Move out of the way everybody, this thing flies,” the president said to the press. Biden has his own vintage 1967 Corvette.

After turning off the engine, Biden joked that he was going to tell his Secret Service detail he was driving home.

Biden also stopped to check out a bright blue Electric Chevy Silverado, a yellow-orange Mustang, and a group of new plug-in electric vehicle Jeeps before getting behind the wheel and driving an electric Cadillac Lyriq.

“Come on jump in, I’ll give you a ride back to Washington,” Biden quipped.

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Simon Cowell reveals “…Baby One More Time” would have gone to boyband Five if he had his way

Simon Cowell reveals “…Baby One More Time” would have gone to boyband Five if he had his way
Simon Cowell reveals “…Baby One More Time” would have gone to boyband Five if he had his way
ABC/Randy Holmes

Britney Spears would have had a completely different debut single if Simon Cowell had actually managed to wrestle “…Baby One More Time” away from her.

Speaking on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast, the super producer revealed he tried to snag the future hit single for his boyband Five, the male version of the Spice Girls. Cowell said he was “just on the verge of breaking them in America” and he felt the future Britney hit was Five’s golden ticket.

Cowell said he learned of the track when an affiliate called him. “[The song] was written for TLC. TLC passed,” he recalled. After the affiliate played it for him over the phone, he remembers saying, “Oh my God, I’ve got to have this song.”

The former American Idol judge sought out producer Max Martin, who wrote the hit, and offered him a Mercedes 500 SL in exchange for the single. “I phoned up Max and said, ‘Please, please give me this song,'” Cowell recalled, but found out it was “promised … to someone else.”

Cowell demanded to know who grabbed it before him and learned it went to a singer who was unknown at the time — Britney Spears. Cowell tried convincing Martin to break the deal: “Let me give you some advice. No one is gonna have a hit with a name called Britney Spears!'”

Of course, the rest is history and Cowell admits Martin’s foresight was better than his. “He made the right decision,” the British mogul quipped. “Listen, I would have taken the car!”

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Nashville notes: John Michael Montgomery healing up after crash + more

Nashville notes: John Michael Montgomery healing up after crash + more
Nashville notes: John Michael Montgomery healing up after crash + more

Singer John Michael Montgomery is on the road to recovery after sustaining injuries in a bus crash last week, according to an update from his son and fellow country artist Walker Montgomery. The younger Montgomery wrote that his dad was “doing well” and that the family was “lucky” in an update on Twitter.

Country-themed Fox drama Monarch debuted on Sunday, and a report from Deadline now says that a total of 5.3 million viewers tuned in to watch the show’s first episode, either in real time or in the encore presentation. That’s the biggest fall debut of a new Fox scripted series in three years.

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Paramount+ announces more ‘Halo’ is on the way

Paramount+ announces more ‘Halo’ is on the way
Paramount+ announces more ‘Halo’ is on the way
Paramount+

Paramount+ has announced a second season of Halo is already blasting off.

Production has just begun on the sophomore season of the video game-turned-streaming show in Budapest, Hungary, reports the streaming service.

Like the game, the show centers on the 26th century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. The tip of the spear is Pablo Schreiber‘s super-soldier Spartan-117, also known as Master Chief.

The actor and Natascha McElhone, who returns as Dr. Halsey, are also serving as producers this season, which will also see actors Joseph Morgan and Cristina Rodlo join the cast as series regulars.

According to the streaming service, Vampire Diaries vet Morgan plays James Ackerson, “a formidable intelligence operative,” and Rodlo plays Talia Perez, “a corporal specializing in linguistics … who has yet to see any real combat.”

Fiona O’Shaughnessy and Tylan Bailey also return in season 2, along with other Halo stars, among them Bokeem Woodbine and Halo game series star Jen Taylor, who reprises as the A.I. Cortana.

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Potential rail strike could have ‘significant detrimental effects,’ supply chain expert says

Potential rail strike could have ‘significant detrimental effects,’ supply chain expert says
Potential rail strike could have ‘significant detrimental effects,’ supply chain expert says
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — As freight railroads and their unions continue to feel pressure from the White House, businesses and other stakeholders to reach an agreement before a potential strike, economic experts say the possible work stoppage will wreak havoc on businesses and consumers.

Two labor unions representing 57,000 engineers and conductors, who make up roughly half of all rail workers, are seeking a better time-off policy and contend that rail companies are trying to force a deal without meeting their requests. The National Carriers’ Conference Committee, which represents the nation’s freight railroads in national collective bargaining, said the rail companies offered a fair contract that includes a significant wage increase.

ABC News Live spoke with Abe Eshkenazi, the CEO of the Association for Supply Chain Management, or ASCM, about the potential ramifications of a strike on all aspects of the economy.

ABC NEWS LIVE: How vital are our railroad tracks to our supply chain?

ABE ESHKENAZI: Well, you’re talking about the most vital activities within logistics and transportation. By any measure, 30 to 40% of our goods are moved by rail. So we’re talking about a significant amount of movement of goods and services from raw materials to finished goods. In almost every aspect, the supply chain relies on the rails from the ports to our consumers, and the warehouses. This is a vital link in our logistics and warehousing system.

ABC NEWS LIVE: President Biden was briefed on the situation this morning. What do the railroad workers want in this case and can this strike be averted?

ESHKENAZI: I think the hope from every perspective is that we are able to reach an agreement. I think there has been some discussion about some legislative action, if it is not if we don’t see an agreement. I think the impact that it’s having [is] on the workers. There are significant issues that they have not only in terms of their hours of work, [and] away from all of their work conditions. There obviously are a number of issues that need to be addressed, but the criticality of the logistics and the rail system can’t be underestimated if we do have a work stoppage or any disruption.

ABC NEWS LIVE: Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh cut his Europe trip short to try and stave off this strike. What’s the worst-case scenario for our supply chain if this does go forward?

ESHKENAZI: Well, you’re talking significant detrimental effects. We’re already facing a number of shortages. We’ve got congestion at the ports. You’ve got trucking issues. We have warehouse capacity issues. Our demand and our supply are not balanced right now. So having a rail disruption is going to impact everything from the raw materials to the manufacturing and obviously to the consumer and the availability of goods down the stream here. This is a global supply chain. Any disruption, as we’ve seen in the past, is going to have a collateral effect. Whether we’re talking about weather-related issues or the conflict in Ukraine. We’re seeing collateral impact from these disruptions on almost every aspect of the supply chain. We’re seeing it in inflationary cost as well as labor issues, trying to find workers as well.

ABC NEWS LIVE: Amtrak has already canceled some long distance routes and companies have moved to suspend hazardous shipments in case they get stranded mid-route. Is our supply chain going to take a hit now regardless of whether or not there’s actually a strike?

ESHKENAZI: Well, we’re already seeing companies take some action and mitigate risk. There is a challenge that supply chain professionals need to address. And that’s a force coming, disruption from the rails so that, unfortunately, there are very few alternatives to the rail volume and the costs that are associated with it. So there really aren’t a whole lot of alternative transportation modes that we can rely on. That disruption on the rails is going to have a dramatic effect on almost every aspect of our economy.

ABC NEWS LIVE: And I understand that Congress has the ability to step in if a strike does happen. Do you think that the government ultimately will have to get involved?

ESHKENAZI: I don’t see how it doesn’t happen for a variety of reasons. No. 1, our economy depends on efficient rail and logistics. Secondly, we’re coming into the November elections. I don’t think that anybody in the legislature wants to address a rail stoppage or a work stoppage right now if we can avert it. Obviously, we’re already dealing with a lot of impact from the pandemic and a lot of the disruptions in our supply chain, whether from [the] China shutdown or weather-related issues. I’m not sure that we’re prepared for a significant disruption in our rail systems. Supply chain professionals need and work with accurate data and reliable systems. Removing this mode or modality of transportation would have significant and detrimental effects to almost every aspect of our supply chain.

 

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Ex-Cuomo aide sues former governor, alleging gender discrimination, sexual harassment

Ex-Cuomo aide sues former governor, alleging gender discrimination, sexual harassment
Ex-Cuomo aide sues former governor, alleging gender discrimination, sexual harassment
Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket/Getty Images

(ALBANY, NY) — Charlotte Bennett, a former aide who has accused ex-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment, sued him Wednesday in federal court, alleging gender discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation.

In addition to Cuomo, the lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, also named three of his top aides: Melissa DeRosa, Jill DesRosiers and Judith Mogul.

Bennett was among 11 women a New York Attorney General’s report found Cuomo harassed, which led to his resignation from office in August, 2021.

“Throughout her employment as Defendant Cuomo’s Executive Assistant, the then-Governor subjected her to sexualized comments about her appearance, assigned her humiliating and demeaning tasks, and beginning in early June 2020, subjected her to invasive and unwanted questions about her personal life, romantic and sexual relationships, and history as a survivor of sexual assault,” Bennett’s lawsuit said.

When Bennett reported her claims and her fear of retaliation to chief of staff DesRosiers Bennett, she was transferred “to an inferior position,” the lawsuit said.

“The Governor has always said he didn’t harass anyone and with each day that goes by more and more information is uncovered showing how evidence favorable to the Governor was suppressed and crucial facts ignored or omitted that undermined witness credibility. What else will come out during the discovery process? We’ll see them in court,” Cuomo attorney Rita Glavin said in a statement to ABC News on Wednesday.

Bennett went public with some her claims in a February 2021 article in The New York Times after another former Cuomo staff member, Lindsey Boylan, published her account. Cuomo claimed at the time that his actions involving Bennett were misunderstood.

The allegations in the lawsuit expand upon many of the public claims Bennett previously made, including an Oct. 4, 2019, phone call when she said Cuomo began singing the words, “Are you ready?” to the tune of “Do You Love Me?” by The Contours.

“When Plaintiff told Defendant Cuomo she did not recognize the song, Defendant Cuomo sang several lines from the song: ‘Do you love me, do you really love me? Do you love me, do you care?’ Defendant Cuomo’s singing to her made Plaintiff uncomfortable and she laughed awkwardly,” the lawsuit said.

A few weeks later, Cuomo asked Bennett a series of pointed questions about the size of his hands, the suit said.

“Given the common association between the size of a man’s hands and the size of his penis, Plaintiff understood Defendant Cuomo to be encouraging her to comment on the size of his genitals, which made her extremely uncomfortable,” the lawsuit said.

Bennett accused Cuomo of asking her uncomfortable questions about a time when she was sexually assaulted during college, the suit said.

“Defendant Cuomo’s questions made Plaintiff extremely uncomfortable, but she felt she could not decline to respond and briefly described an incident in which her then-boyfriend ejaculated on her clothing without her consent,” the lawsuit said. “Defendant Cuomo responded with something to the effect of, ‘Well, some people have it much worse.'”

Cuomo resigned last year after a five-month investigation by New York State Attorney General Letitia James. The 168-page report said “the governor engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment under federal and New York State law.”

“Specifically, we find that the Governor sexually harassed a number of current and former New York State employees by, among other things, engaging in unwelcome and nonconsensual touching, as well as making numerous offensive comments of a suggestive and sexual nature that created a hostile work environment for women,” the report said.

In announcing his resignation, Cuomo said his first instinct was to fight the allegation, which he said were politically motivated. However, he said it would save the taxpayers millions of dollars for him to step down. “The best way I can help now is if I step aside,” he said last year.

However, he said, “Don’t get me wrong — this is not to say that there are not 11 women who I truly offended. There are. And for that, I deeply, deeply apologize.”

 

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Teddy Riley opens up to Jada Pinkett Smith about not seeing his son in three years

Teddy Riley opens up to Jada Pinkett Smith about not seeing his son in three years
Teddy Riley opens up to Jada Pinkett Smith about not seeing his son in three years
Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

Teddy Riley appeared on Jada Pinkett Smith’s Red Table Talk Facebook Watch show Wednesday and opened up about not seeing his son Mykal in three years.

“I’m just hearing from so many different people that told me that his mom’s goal is to keep him away from me,” the legendary Grammy winner told Jada and her co-hosts, daughter Willow and mother Adrienne Barfield Norris.

“It really hurts because here’s someone I wanted to marry, I gave everything to.”

Mykal lives with his mother, and Riley is attempting to gain full custody of his son.

“All my sons, we have a bond, but Mykal was like, wow,” the creator of new jack swing continued. “Now he’s 9. My father, I didn’t meet him until I was 9, my biological father. I said to myself that I never want to be like my dad. I have to change the narrative and be in all my kids’ lives.”

In July, the “No Diggity” hitmaker shared an emotional birthday tribute to Mykal on Instagram.

“This is probably one of the saddest days of my life. It’s my baby son’s birthday today and I haven’t seen him in three years plus,” Riley wrote. “I’ve done everything that I’m supposed to do as a father financially & mentally but because this woman have process evil way, I have to deal with the corrupted government ATL system just to see my son but that will all change,” he continued.

“Thank God I’m a AMERICAN NATIONAL citizen and my day will come to be with my son for the rest of his life and mine,” Teddy added. “I’m being patient for that day, and when it comes I shall celebrate, because he deserves to live a great life as a Prince of a King!”

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“I gotta shine right out the gate”: See Niecy Nash-Betts shine in ‘The Rookie: Feds’ trailer

“I gotta shine right out the gate”: See Niecy Nash-Betts shine in ‘The Rookie: Feds’ trailer
“I gotta shine right out the gate”: See Niecy Nash-Betts shine in ‘The Rookie: Feds’ trailer
ABC/Eric McCandless

On Wednesday, ABC dropped the first full trailer to its spin-off The Rookie: Feds. As previously reported, Niecy Nash-Betts stars in the series, reprising her Rookie role of Simone Clark, a plain-talking newbie FBI agent. 

The flagship show’s John Nolan, played by Nathan Fillion, also appears in the new clip, showing there will be crossover between the two Los Angeles-based programs.

“I need outside-the-box thinkers who keep things low-key, and that’s just not you,” says Simone’s new boss, the by-the-book Special Agent Matthew Garza, played by Felix Solis.

A colleague advises Simone to not ruffle any feathers during her six-month probationary period, to which the new fed replies, “I don’t got that kinda time. I’m not 25! I gotta shine right out the gate!”

She proves it later in the trailer by snagging some of a fleeing suspect’s DNA underneath her perfectly done acrylic nails — appropriate for the former Claws star. “Pretty good, right?” she laughs. 

The show kicks off September 27 on ABC. 

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Gabby Barrett recalls her biggest fangirl moment

Gabby Barrett recalls her biggest fangirl moment
Gabby Barrett recalls her biggest fangirl moment
ABC/Eric McCandless

Though Gabby Barrett is now a country music superstar, she still gets starstruck. 

Looking back on when she started her career as a contestant on American Idol, the “I Hope” singer admits her most embarrassing fangirl moment was when she met Carrie Underwood when she served as a mentor during the 16th season. 

“I met her and was so excited that I cried,” Gabby recalls

As for who she’d want to portray her in a movie about her life, Gabby selects fellow country queen Dolly Parton. But despite being a country fan, the Pennsylvania native’s first concert was pop supergroup One Direction.   

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Hall & Oates reissuing 2003 album ‘Do It for Love’ this month, including first-ever vinyl version

Hall & Oates reissuing 2003 album ‘Do It for Love’ this month, including first-ever vinyl version
Hall & Oates reissuing 2003 album ‘Do It for Love’ this month, including first-ever vinyl version
BMG/ADA

Daryl Hall & John Oates‘ 2003 studio album Do It for Love will be released on vinyl for the first time on September 30 — and will also be reissued on CD.

The Do It for Love reissue, which can be preordered now, will be available as a two-LP set and on CD in a gatefold digipak.

The 14-track collection is Hall & Oates’ 16th studio effort, which features three singles that reached the top 20 on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart; the title track, “Man on a Mission” and “Getaway Car,” reached #1, #7 and #16, respectively.

The album also includes a cover of the 1999 New Radicals song “Someday We’ll Know” featuring a guest appearance by Todd Rundgren. Rundgeen, who has a long history with Hall & Oates, served as producer of the duo’s 1974 album, War Babies, and toured with Daryl earlier this year.

Do It for Love was partly recorded in London and includes contributions from songwriters and producers who’d worked with a variety of contemporary pop artists.

Reflecting on the making of the album, Oates says, “It was interesting for me to record for the first time in London. Working with a new team of producers during a time when pop music was in transition from the mega success of the ‘Boy Band’ craze while at the same time trying to preserve the integrity and sound that Daryl and I had created over the years.”

You can check out new lyric videos for “Do It for Love” and “Man on a Mission” at Hall & Oates’ official YouTube channel.

Here’s the two-LP version of the album’s full track list:

Side A
“Man on a Mission”
“Do It for Love”
“Someday We’ll Know” — featuring Todd Rundgren

Side B
“Forever for You”
“Life’s Too Short”
“Getaway Car
“Make You Stay”

Side C
“Miss DJ”
“(She) Got Me Bad”
“Breath of Your Life”
“Intuition”

Side D
“Heartbreak Time”
“Something About You
“Love in a Dangerous Time”

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