Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter has won a favorable ruling in one of two civil lawsuits filed against him in Nevada, one by a woman who alleges he raped her on his tour bus in Washington state in 2001 and another by a woman who alleges he sexually assaulted her on his boat off Florida in 2003.
A state court judge on Wednesday declined to dismiss a countersuit that Carter and his attorneys brought alleging defamation by three people in the first case, which was filed last December by a Nevada woman, now 40, who alleges that Carter attacked her on his tour bus after a concert in Tacoma, Washington, when she was 17 years old.
“He told plaintiff she would go to jail if she told anyone what happened between them,” the woman’s lawsuit said. “He said that he was Nick Carter and that he had the power to do that.”
The other case involving the Florida allegations was filed Monday in Clark County District Court.
Carter, now 43, lives in Las Vegas. He has denied the allegations of sexual battery and infliction of emotional distress the two women make against him. Each woman seeks unspecified monetary damages greater than $30,000.
Carter appeared with his attorney in court Wednesday when Clark County District Court Judge Nancy Allf declined to dismiss his counterclaim accusing three people — including a third woman who alleged he raped her in 2003 — of defamation, conspiracy and abuse of process.
The judge’s decision means that woman, Melissa Schuman, and her father, Jerome Schuman, will have to answer Carter’s allegations that they have waged a campaign to profit from his fame. Carter is seeking more than $2.3 million in damages.
“For years, Melissa and Jerome Schuman have been conspiring with anyone they could manipulate to drum up false claims against Nick Carter in a brazen attempt to get rich off of him,” Carter’s attorney, Liane Wakayama said in a statement Thursday to The Associated Press.
Schuman lost her bid in California in 2018 to have prosecutors bring a criminal complaint against Carter based on her allegation that he forced her into sex in his Los Angeles-area apartment.
Carter has denied Schulman’s accusations that he raped her. He did not speak during Wednesday’s court hearing.
Attorney Alan Greenberg, representing the Schumans, maintained in court that Carter was a public figure, that the allegations against him have merit and that Melissa Schuman reported to two friends and a therapist in 2003 that she had been sexually assaulted. The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they were sexually assaulted, but Schuman has spoken publicly about her experience and approved of the use of her name.
Carter’s attorneys maintain that the Schumans did not make their allegations public until late 2017, after a broad social movement galvanized by the hashtag #MeToo began exposing previously untold cases of sexual violence.
They also allege the Schumans “recruited” the woman who accused Carter of sexual assault in Florida.
That plaintiff, who lives in York County, Pennsylvania, asks in court documents to be identified only by her initials. She alleges that Carter raped her on his yacht in 2003 when she was 15 years old and they met in Marathon, Florida.
“This case illustrates how much time, courage, and perseverance it takes for victims and survivors to come forward about child sexual abuse and seek justice,” Margaret Mabie, the woman’s New York-based attorney, said in a statement.
“Despite numerous complaints about Carter’s past conduct towards young women, his victims continue to struggle to hold (him) publicly accountable for his harms against them,” Mabie said.
The Backstreet Boys formed in 1993 and are best known for such hits as “I Want It That Way,” ″As Long as You Love Me” and “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).”
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies
H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.
During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.
He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.
The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.
At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books
As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”
Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.
Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.
Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.
Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.
Automation
The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.
Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.
US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79
US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.
In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.
He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.
President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.