Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon involved in car accident, charged with reckless driving
While no major injuries were reported, the impact caused debris to strike a third vehicle, a Ford Fusion, on the opposite side of the road. Photos from the scene show McMahon's luxury car heavily damaged, with airbags deployed in both his vehicle and the BMW. All involved were wearing seatbelts.
McMahon has been issued a misdemeanour summons for reckless driving and following too closely, and is expected to appear in court next month.
The incident occurred on the same day McMahon paid tribute to late WWE legend Hulk Hogan, who passed away at the age of 71. Calling Hogan 'the greatest WWE Superstar of all time,' McMahon remembered him as a trailblazer and global icon.
'The world lost a treasure today. Hulk Hogan was the greatest WWE Superstar of ALL TIME, someone who was loved and admired around the world,' McMahon wrote on X.
'He gave everything he had to the audience whom he appreciated, respected and loved,' McMahon added. 'He leaves us with one of his favorite expressions, 'Train, take your vitamins and say your prayers,' ' McMahon wrote, adding, 'Today, we pray for him.'
McMahon, a towering figure in the world of professional wrestling, has also been at the centre of several controversies. He stepped down as WWE chairman in 2022 amid misconduct allegations and resigned from his role at WWE-UFC's parent company, TKO Group, earlier this year after facing a lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct and abuse.
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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
India-UK trade deal: How will it benefit luxury car buyers in India? Explained in detail
The Indian government has signed a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United Kingdom, which is being considered as one of the landmark trade deals between the two major global economies. When it comes to the auto industry, the India-UK FTA is expected to boost the luxury car market in India, as the deal will reduce the import costs on CBU (Completely Built Unit) luxury cars and electric vehicles that are manufactured in the UK. The FTA introduced a detailed Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) system, which allows for a progressive quota-based customs duty reduction system, which will be effective over a span of 15 years. This could significantly lower the prices of luxury cars made in the UK, including Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, and McLaren, for Indian buyers. While the luxury car market in India is currently dominated by German auto majors like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW, the market share of the British brands may increase in the country owing to the benefits arising from the FTA. Also check these Cars Find more Cars Aston Martin DB11 5198 cc 5198 cc Petrol Petrol ₹ 3.29 Cr Compare View Offers Bentley Bentayga 3996 cc 3996 cc Petrol Petrol ₹ 4.10 Cr Compare View Offers UPCOMING Jaguar Epace 1999 cc 1999 cc Diesel Diesel ₹ 50 - 60 Lakhs Alert Me When Launched Land Rover Discovery Sport 1997 cc 1997 cc Multiple Multiple ₹ 67.90 Lakhs Compare View Offers Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder 5204 cc 5204 cc Petrol Petrol ₹ 3.54 Cr Compare View Offers Lotus Emira 1998 cc 1998 cc Petrol Petrol ₹ 3.22 Cr Compare View Offers India-UK FTA to further propel India's luxury car sales growth The luxury car market in India, despite still holding a minuscule market share in the overall industry pie, is witnessing fast growth. In FY25, while the rising food inflation and falling wages prompted the urban consumers to hold back their car purchase plans, the wealthy class continued their luxury car shopping spree. This resulted in the luxury cars registering strong demand throughout the last fiscal, while the mass-market segment recorded muted sales. The luxury car manufacturers sold 51,406 units in FY25, marking a three per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth compared to 49,862 units in FY24, and setting a record for the highest sales in any financial year. This growth came even as the Indian economy struggled. Mercedes-Benz led the market with 18,928 units sold, marking its best-ever fiscal performance. BMW, on the other hand, secured the second position with 15,810 units sold, recording a five per cent rise from 14,562 units sold in FY24. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) experienced a 40 per cent YoY growth, selling 6,183 units in the last financial year. Among others, Lexus, the luxury vehicle brand of Japanese automaker Toyota, reported a 19 per cent YoY growth in FY25. While this growth momentum is expected to continue in this financial year, the recently signed India-UK FTA is expected to further fuel this story. Speaking about this, Arun Surendra, Chairman and Group Managing Director at VST Group, a multi-brand luxury car seller, said that the luxury segment is still a small part of India's overall car market, around one to two per cent, but it's growing faster than the mass segment. 'What's interesting is how wide the base is getting. It's no longer just metros. We are seeing solid traction from Tier-2 cities, especially in the SUV and EV space. The aspiration is real, and it's backed by buying power," he said, while also adding, 'There's a clear rise in affluence, especially in South India. We are seeing more HNIs (High Net-Worth Individuals) choosing cars that reflect their lifestyle and values. It's not just about performance anymore. Design, technology, and brand experience are equally important." India-UK FTA: How ICE cars will benefit Under the India-UK FTA, internal combustion engine (ICE) powered cars are classified in three segments for duty relief. These are - entry-level vehicles under 1500 cc, mid-segment vehicles between 1500 cc and 3000 cc for petrol or up to 2500 cc for diesel and vehicles with engines larger than 3000 cc for petrol and 2500 cc for diesel. In the first year of FTA, cars in the mid and lower engine segments, which faced a pre-FTA base duty of 66 per cent, will be taxed at 50 per cent in the first year and 10 per cent by the fifth year. Cars in the highest engine capacity segment that attracted a base customs duty of 110 per cent in the pre-FTA regime will see the in-quota duty drop to 30 per cent. By the fifth year, this customs duty rate will come down further to just 10 per cent. There is a clear volume cap for each year under this FTA that will ensure the concessional tariffs apply to a fixed number of cars. In the first year, a total of 20,000 ICE cars from the UK will be allowed into India at discounted rates. This will comprise 5,000 each in the entry-level and mid-level segments, and 10,000 high-end models. These numbers will gradually increase, peaking at 37,000 units in the fifth year, before slowly tapering to 15,000 units annually from the 15th year onward. Any car imports beyond these volumes will still attract reduced out-of-quota tariffs compared to the pre-FTA base rates, but the benefits will be less pronounced. The out-of-quota duties on low-engine and mid-engine cars will stabilise at around 45 per cent and 55 per cent, respectively, by the 10th year. The out-of-quota duties on large-engine cars will reduce from 95 per cent in the first year to 50 per cent by the 10th year. 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The Print
3 hours ago
- The Print
UK FTA means cheaper Rolls-Royce, Bentley. Though it matters little to India's auto market
So what do we know about these tariff reductions and what they mean for Indian industry? I will admit straightaway that I am not a tariff expert. But I do understand the automotive industry and how tariffs work in that space. Trump's outburst came just days after India signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement with the United Kingdom. The agreement will mean cheaper Scotch and cheaper Rolls-Royces as well. In fact, following the deal signed by Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer, it was this second point that dominated my social media timelines. The past couple of days have been a bit of a news whirlwind, and the 72-point-size headline screams: 'Tariffs'. After Donald Trump's latest tantrum against India — imposing a 25 percent tariff on Indian exports to the United States, with exceptions for items like smartphones, pharmaceuticals, and guar gum — and calling the Indian economy 'dead', I read a joke on X: that there should be a 75 percent tariff on everyone who claims to be a tariff expert. FTA brings down duties When I called up some car companies to find out, they all told me the same thing: 'Our tax lawyers and chartered accountants are still trying to make sense of it all.' At the same time, the import duty cuts come with quotas, and there are a couple of serious little snags. Chief among them: automotive manufacturing in the United Kingdom has almost died out. For example, cars with petrol engines larger than 3,000cc and diesel engines over 2,500cc will see duties drop significantly, from 110 percent to just 30 percent. But such high-capacity vehicles are made by very few companies these days, and their sales are extremely limited. Take Volkswagen-owned Bentley Motors, which sold just 64 cars in India in 2024, according to one report. And while Bentley is expanding in India and the number of Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) is rising, even the most 'affordable' Bentley—the Bentayga SUV—costs Rs 5 crore. A 30 percent duty could bring that down by a crore or slightly more. So yes, you still have to be 'silly rich' to afford one. But what about Tata Motors–owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)? Well, here's the funny thing. Just last year, Tata started assembling the Range Rover in Pune using kits from Solihull, UK. And the Defender — the most popular show-off SUV for the rich and famous — is currently made at JLR's plant in Nitra, Slovakia. Even those vehicles might soon be assembled in Pune. As for Jaguar, they're not making any cars right now. When they restart, it will be as a luxury all-electric brand. So I don't foresee the massive 19,000-unit low-duty quota (in year five) for such large vehicles being filled anytime soon. There's another important factor being overlooked: India's push toward lower-capacity engines due to Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms. Larger engines are powerful and fun to drive, but they naturally consume more fuel. Personally, I believe India will shift towards 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engines in strong and plug-in hybrids. There's also a duty cut for electric vehicles, but only for those priced above £40,000. Interestingly, there is also a duty cut on smaller-capacity engines. These vehicles previously attracted a 66 percent duty, which will now drop to 50 percent, and eventually to 10 percent by year five — again, with strict quotas. But given that very few manufacturers of small cars remain in the UK, this duty cut might only benefit Mini (owned by BMW) and Nissan. There's another catch: at least 35 percent of the vehicle's value must be produced in the UK. Chance for India to gain This rule also applies to high-end, large-engine vehicles — and this is where arcane bureaucracy kicks in. Take Rolls-Royce, for example. Much of its mechanical engineering is shared with top-end BMWs, since BMW owns the brand. Rolls-Royce, of course, handles the 'coachwork,' but how do you classify hand-stitched bespoke seats or hand-painted pinstripes? Thankfully, McLaren Automotive — a division of the Formula 1 team — is still a mostly British manufacturer. But they've sold only 50 supercars in India as of January 2025, since opening shop in 2022. Given how Indian excise authorities love taking carmakers to tax court, this will be debated intensely. Incidentally, the same issue applies to Mini, which shares mechanical components with the BMW 2 Series, made in Leipzig, Germany. Nissan might benefit the most, but they're not exactly setting the Indian market on fire right now. And because the duty cuts are gradual — with the full impact kicking in only by year five — a sensible buyer might just wait a couple of years before taking advantage. Here's what I clearly believe: because the UK is no longer an automotive manufacturing powerhouse, the impact of the FTA on India's automotive sector will be limited. In fact, it could benefit Indian automotive exports to the UK more — since they too will see duty reductions (starting year six of the deal) — than the UK's exports to India. While Tata Motors hasn't made any announcements, it's unlikely they'll abandon their Pune assembly plant. However, reduced duties might make special editions — like the souped-up SVR line — cheaper to import. Now, when the India–EU FTA is signed… that could be a different kettle of fish. Because the European Union is still an automotive manufacturing powerhouse. Kushan Mitra is an automotive journalist based in New Delhi. He tweets @kushanmitra. Views are personal. (Edited by Prashant)
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Economic Times
Gary Busey Guilty: Did he actually try to undo bra of a woman at Monster-Mania Convention 2022? See what happened
Gary Busey, 81, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual contact from an incident at the 2022 Monster-Mania Convention in New Jersey. He admitted to inappropriately touching a woman during the event. The actor may face fines or probation, with sentencing set for September 18. Three other charges were dropped. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What Happened at Monster-Mania Convention 2022 Incident? Allegations Against Gary Busey Included Inappropriate Touching and Attempt to Undo Bra Gary Busey's Response to Allegations in 2022 Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Monster-Mania Convention Organizers Responded Quickly Gary Busey Court Hearing Gary Busey Charges and Plea Deal Gary Busey Sentencing and Punishment Public Incident in Malibu After Charges FAQs The case involved allegations by multiple women who attended the incident occurred on August 13, 2022, during the Monster-Mania Convention at the Doubletree Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The convention ran from August 12 to 14. Busey was attending the horror-themed event as a celebrity was accused of inappropriately touching at least three women during photo sessions at the event. One woman said Busey attempted to undo her bra. The complaints were made immediately after the 2022, Busey denied the claims. He told TMZ, 'It took less than 10 seconds and they left. Then they made up a story that I assaulted them sexually.' He added, 'It was all false,' and said he had no Convention released a statement on Facebook at the time. They said Busey was removed from the convention after the complaint was received. They also encouraged those affected to contact police and file official July 31, 2025, Busey attended a court hearing over Zoom. During the hearing, he admitted to touching a woman inappropriately on August 13, 2022. He told the judge, 'It was not an accidental touching.' This confirmed at least one of the allegations against Busey faced four charges: two counts of criminal sexual contact, one count of attempted criminal sexual contact, and one count of harassment. Under a plea agreement, three charges were dropped. He pleaded guilty to one count of criminal sexual sentencing is scheduled for September 18. Under New Jersey law, a fourth-degree criminal sexual contact conviction can result in fines and a sentence of one to five years of one day after being charged in 2022, Busey was seen pulling his pants down at a park in Malibu, California. Photographers captured the incident. This event drew media attention, though it was unrelated to the Busey pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact during a court hearing related to the Monster-Mania Convention Busey could face fines and one to five years of probation after his guilty plea. Sentencing is scheduled for September 18.
