Top Stories this AM: Powell says Trump could be 'reinstated'; Osaka withdraws from French Open; Bytedance's surveillance lamp
Good morning and welcome to your weekday morning roundup of the top stories you need to know.
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What's going on today:
- Same old, same old: Ex-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell showed up to a QAnon conference in a biker vest and falsely claimed Trump could be "reinstated" as president. Powell, who's filed dozens of unsuccessful lawsuits attempting to overturn 2020 election results, falsely told the crowd that Trump could still be inaugurated, but he wouldn't get credit for "time lost."
- Tesla's pricing troubles: Elon Musk says Tesla prices are increasing because of supply chain disruptions across the auto industry. The semiconductor shortage is expected to cost the global automotive industry $110 billion in 2021, forcing carmakers including Ford and GM to cut their earnings expectations by billions of dollars.
- Abbot threatens to withhold pay: Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he plans to strip the state legislature's pay after Democrats staged a walkout to prevent restrictive voting laws from passing. "No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities," Abbott tweeted. Texas Senate Bill 7 aimed to crack down on initiatives that local election officials undertook in 2020 to expand voting options during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Osaka opts out: Naomi Osaka withdraws from the French Open after being fined for refusing to attend a press conference. "I get really nervous and find it stressful to always engage and give you the best answers I can," she wrote on Twitter. "So here in Paris I was already feeling vulnerable and anxious so I thought it was better to exercise self-care and skip the press conferences."
- "Black Mirror" for kids: Parents in China are snapping up a $120 smart lamp that has 2 surveillance cameras to keep an eye on their kids while they do their homework. The lamp is made by TikTok owner ByteDance, which is venturing into the $40 billion online learning market in China.
That's all for now. See you Monday.