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We have lost great scholar economist and statesman CM Fadnavis on Manmohan Singh's deathBy Amanda Rosa Miami Herald / Tribune News Service There are many ways to go viral on social media, but one Broward resident had a sure fire idea: a tattoo of Luigi Mangione, the man accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Not a temporary tattoo or a fake one to trick people online. Levi Jones, a 33-year-old business owner, pulled up to Sacred Eye Tattoos in Hollywood last week and sat for eight hours getting a photorealistic black-and-white portrait of Mangione on his leg. The tattoo, complete with the words “Deny. Defend. Depose.” written on Mangione’s face, is one of many tattoos, artworks, songs, T-shirts and memes inspired by Mangione to pop up online since he was named NYPD’s prime suspect in the shooting. Just a few days after posting the video, Jones’ tattoo has gotten over 1 million views on Instagram. TikTok removed it from its platform as it was gaining traction, said Anthony Medina, the 27-year-old tattoo artist behind the piece. “I definitely think it’s gonna get a little bit more viral, probably like five to 10 million views, hopefully,” Jones told the Herald. “But that was the plan.” It’s all part of fiery online discourse over the shooting and the wave of public support for Mangione as many people expressed frustration over the healthcare insurance industry and its practice of denying legitimate claims . Prosecutors accused Mangione of shooting Thompson in Manhattan on Dec. 4 and fleeing to Pennsylvania, where he was arrested at a McDonald’s days later. To some, Mangione has become a folk hero , while law enforcement and elected officials—from NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch to President-elect Donald Trump —have condemned those who valorize the alleged killer. Ironically, neither Medina nor Jones have a particularly strong opinion on Mangione or Thompson’s death. “Well, I don’t support murder, that’s for sure. I understand the frustration. I love the kind of vigilante aspect behind it. I’m in no means supportive of assassinating CEOs because you disagree with them or whatever immoral compass they have,” Jones said. “But, I’m kind of neutral on it. I don’t really know enough about it to even say if I’m with or against him.” Medina had a similar response: “I don’t have an opinion on what happened. I haven’t done research into it to even form an opinion whether it was justified or not. Killing someone in general is never justified, but I’m sure he had his reasons behind it.” So how did the permanent portrait come to be? “He’s a very impulsive person,” Medina said. Jones and Medina were already in talks about getting a different tattoo. Out of the blue, Medina said Jones texted him that he wanted to get a portrait of Mangione. Medina wasn’t buying it. “I said, ‘No shot you’re actually serious about this,’” Medina said. “Two days later, it actually happened.” In the past, Medina said, the two tried their hand at creating a viral moment with a fake Instagram video of Jones getting a suggestive face tattoo. “He was trying to go viral with that, but it didn’t go as well as this one apparently,” the tattoo artist said. “I was expecting us to have a lot more views by now just because it’s so controversial, but that was the intent behind it,” Jones said. “I wanted something that was going to be kind of intense and extreme. People would see it, shake their head like, ‘What the hell are these guys doing?’” In person, Jones said he’s only gotten positive reactions from people. While shopping at Total Wine on Friday, Jones said the cashier noticed the tattoo and gushed about how she had seen it online. On Instagram though, the comment section is more heated. Some like the tattoo, many do not. Comments range from “this is nuts but awesome work my boy like always” to “WHY” to “Celebrating a death that resulted in no change what so ever.” One Instagram user joked: “Imagine you got an infection from that tattoo and you went to the doctor and then your claim got denied.” Medina gets a kick out of people online who assume the artist and client are politically liberal, like one commenter that wrote, “I can tell by the shape of the leg this person is a lib” with laughing emojis. “I think it’s hilarious because we’re both Republicans, and he’s a full Trump supporter,” Medina said. Both Jones and Medina said they understand why some may find the tattoo offensive, but Medina noted that people have been getting tattoos of violent and controversial figures for years. Clients have asked Medina, who specializes in realistic, black-and-white portraits, for tattoos of mobsters, drug cartel leaders and Miami’s infamous “Cocaine Cowboys.” “Idolizing people that do bad things is not new,” Medina said. “I think because [the situation] is so recent, the tattoo is a little out there, but it’s definitely not the first time that something like this has gone around. I think I was just the best to do it.” Regardless of how people feel about it—or whether Mangione is found to be innocent or guilty—Jones said the tattoo makes for a great story and he doesn’t regret getting it. As someone who used to work in the medical field, Jones added that there is one positive thing to come out of social media’s Mangione mania: people are seriously talking about the healthcare insurance industry. “I know firsthand how corrupt it is, how people care more about money than patients. At the end of the day, people are paychecks,” Jones said. “I do like the fact that people are kind of waking up and seeing this because before this, no one would have cared.”
10 Years Ago: Orion Flies its First MissionThe global political landscape is currently dominated by four key events: The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, The Israel-Hamas conflict, end of the Assad regime in Syria and the implications of Donald Trump’s potential victory in the 2024 US Presidential elections. These interconnected crises are reshaping international relations, with each issue having profound implications for global peace, security, and political alliances. The recent toppling of the Assad regime also has its own significance because after all it was a five-decade-old regime which was backed by Russia and Iran. However, suddenly we saw that both the states stepped back from there and in a week rebels captured Damascus and announced their authority over the entire country. West and Israel are calling it a positive effort by the rebels toward peace and stability. Iran has also given a statement in which authorities have stated that they respect the will of Syria and its people and are looking forward to working collectively in the future. Donald Trump also gave a statement in an X post that the USA must stay out of the entire scenario which is taking place in Syria as he emphasized on letting both parties decide their future while the USA remains neutral. Escalation and Diplomacy Challenges: Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the conflict has evolved into a protracted war with significant consequences. While the battlefield has witnessed fluctuating territorial changes, with Ukraine making significant gains in the north and south, Russia continues to hold a strong position in eastern and southern Ukraine. The West, led by the USA and the European Union, has maintained strong support for Ukraine, providing military aid, economic sanctions on Russia, and political backing. The possibility of a negotiated peace remains uncertain, as both sides have entrenched positions, and Russia’s demands including Ukraine’s neutral status and demilitarization are seen as non-negotiable by Kyiv. The international community remains divided, with countries like China and India calling for peaceful resolution while maintaining economic ties with Russia, further complicating global diplomatic efforts. A Deepening Humanitarian Crisis: The Israel-Hamas war has escalated dramatically since October 2023, following a brutal Hamas-led attack on Israel that led to widespread casualties. The violence has drawn in numerous countries, and the humanitarian toll is catastrophic. While Israel maintains that it has the right to defend itself, international calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian assistance have been mounting. The USA has stood by Israel, pledging continued military aid and political support, but the Biden Administration has also been pressured to take a more balanced approach due to the growing public outcry over the humanitarian disaster. The conflict has exacerbated divisions in the Arab world, with some nations supporting Palestine and others maintaining ties with Israel. As the 2024 US Presidential election resulted in the victory of Donald Trump, who secured the presidency once again, the international scenario is more likely to be shifted dramatically, especially concerning the Russia-Ukraine war and the Middle East. Trump’s “America First” policy, which centered on reducing US involvement in global conflicts and focusing on domestic interests, would likely lead to a reevaluation of US support for Ukraine. During his previous presidency, Trump questioned the extent of US aid to NATO allies and was often critical of foreign entanglements. A return to office could signal a reduction in military support for Ukraine, potentially weakening its position in the face of Russian aggression. This shift would have significant consequences for NATO, as European countries might need to take on more responsibility in supporting Ukraine, potentially leading to more regional tensions. On the Middle East front, Trump’s presidency was marked by strong support for Israel, especially with the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations. A second Trump term would likely intensify US-Israel relations, while potentially undermining efforts to mediate peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Trump’s foreign policy could also take a more isolationist turn, with more focus on diplomacy and less on military intervention in regions deemed critical to US interests. The international situation in late 2024 presents a volatile combination of conflicts and shifting alliances. The Russia-Ukraine war continues to dominate Europe’s security concerns, with little indication of a peaceful resolution in the near future. In the Middle East, the Israel-Hamas conflict shows no sign of de-escalating, with the humanitarian crisis threatening to destabilize the region further. Also, the recent sudden toppling of the Assad family has opened up a new platform as it is early to say where all of this will take turn either stability or another chaos. Meanwhile, the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency may lead to significant changes in US foreign policy, particularly with regard to its support for Ukraine, Israel and involvement of the USA in the Middle East. These events are interconnected by the complex interplay of power, diplomacy, and humanitarian concerns. The world stands at a precarious crossroads, and the actions taken by global powers in the coming months will determine whether a more stable international order is achievable or if tensions will continue to escalate. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );
Diversity statements will no longer be used in University of Michigan faculty hiring, promotion and tenure, a move applauded by critics who have called the practice "litmus tests" that limit diversity of thought while diversity advocates said the process was "preordained" and dishonest. Provost Laurie McCauley announced the decision Thursday based on a recommendation from a UM faculty working group to end diversity statements. But the recommendation is "deceptive," coming after the regents rejected a previous recommendation to keep the diversity statements, a faculty leader said. Diversity statements are documents written by faculty job candidates that let applicants explain to a search committee the distinct experiences they would bring to the university along with their commitment to diversity. The statements help search committees identify applicants "who have professional skills, experience and/or willingness to engage in activities that would enhance campus diversity and equity efforts," according to a University of California at San Diego statement referenced by UM's Center for Research on Learning & Teaching. McCauley's announcement came hours before the Board of Regents is scheduled to meet and a protest is planned beforehand at UM President Santa Ono's house. Many in the UM community are concerned the regents may dismantle a multimillion dollar diversity, equity and inclusion effort built after the school was at the center of a decade-long national debate around affirmative action in higher education, and DEI programs have been under attack across the nation.. "Diversity, equity and inclusion are three of our core values at the university," McCauley said in the University Record, an internal UM publication for faculty and staff, in announcing the end of diversity statements. "Our collective efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people. As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach.” But there is more that happened in this process, UM Faculty Senate Chair Rebekah Modrak wrote on the University Record page under the announcement. After the regents called for diversity statements to be banned last summer, McCauley formed a faculty committee to review diversity statements in the spirit of shared governance that came up with a different recommendation, Modrak wrote. "My understanding is that the committee’s first report recommended that the use of diversity statements should be up to each unit, a recommendation that honors our decentralization, independence, and academic freedom," Modrak wrote. "The Regents rejected that report and central leadership didn’t support their own faculty committee. Sending a committee back to work to give a second report with preordained results is neither honest nor respectful of faculty expertise. The University Record’s erasure of the Regents’ autocratic hand in this process is also deceptive." Regents will not vote on the provost's action, but may discuss it during the meeting, said Regent Sarah Hubbard, one of two Republicans on the eight-member UM board. "I applaud the provost for ending the practice of requiring diversity statements," said Hubbard. "This policy change removes a barrier to diversity of thought on campus by eliminating the ideological litmus test." No action is expected during Thursday's meeting around other DEI issues, added Hubbard, who previously said the regents have been looking for a long time at the university's DEI efforts and want to realign funds closer to student scholarships. Any budget decisions wouldn't happen until next year when budgetary decisions get made, she said. Even so, hundreds of students, faculty and staff demonstrated on campus earlier this week to show support for the university's DEI programs, and others are planning to attend the protest organized by UM's Black Student Union before the regents meeting and show up to the official meeting. UM's decision to discontinue diversity statements came after the statements were also eliminated in May at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in June at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In June, UM's provost charged the eight-member faculty working group to examine diversity statements, though the university did not have an institutional policy on the statements but units did have the discretion to ask for them. The working group recommended the end of the statements after reviewing other policies and surveying more than 2,000 faculty members. “Critics of diversity statements perceive them as expressions of personal identity traits, support of specific ideology or opinions on socially-relevant issues, and serve as a ‘litmus test’ of whether a faculty member’s views are politically acceptable,” the working group wrote in its report. “Thus, as currently enacted, diversity statements have the potential to limit viewpoints and reduce diversity of thought among faculty members.” The working group said it acknowledged the concerns. "But, well-written diversity statements do not necessarily require expression of one’s identity, and they need not express one's beliefs or stances on socially-charged issues," the working group wrote. "Instead, well-written diversity statements contain reflections of how identity has shaped a faculty member’s approach with their students, how they work with their colleagues, and how they interact with society. These are desirable features of current and future U-M faculty members, and this information should be considered when potential faculty are hired and current faculty are promoted." The work group also offered two other recommendations, including that the university "can and must" incorporate of content about DEI into teaching, research and service statements. "Through this incorporation, the problematic features of diversity statements can be eliminated, while the useful and necessary information that exists in diversity statements can be saved and placed where it more naturally belongs," the group wrote in its report. However, UM did not adopt those recommendations. UM's decision to discontinue diversity statements followed other steps the university has taken in recent months that supporters said will create an environment that expands diverse views on campus. They include the regents' controversial adoption last month of a policy on institutional neutrality that prohibits some officials from taking public stances on political and social issues not related to the internal governance of the university. Last month the Faculty Senate passed a resolution censuring the Board of Regents and accusing the regents of "increasingly exhibiting authoritarian tendencies, and silencing free speech. ©2024 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com . 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WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton was admitted Monday to Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington after developing a fever. The 78-year-old was admitted in the “afternoon for testing and observation," Angel Urena, Clinton's deputy chief of staff, said in a statement. “He remains in good spirits and deeply appreciates the excellent care he is receiving,” Urena said. Clinton, a Democrat who served two terms as president from January 1993 until January 2001, addressed the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this summer and campaigned ahead of November's election for the unsuccessful White House bid of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris . The Associated Press
Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the school isn't commenting publicly on its search. Belichick's interview, first reported by Inside Carolina, comes a week after the school fired its winningest coach in College Football Hall of Famer Mack Brown. The school announced Nov. 26 that Brown wouldn't return for a seventh season in his second stint at the school, with Brown staying on to coach last weekend's rivalry loss to N.C. State. Former Cleveland Browns coach Freddie Kitchens is working as the interim coach for an upcoming bowl game as UNC conducts it search. Moving on from the 73-year-old Brown to hire the 72-year-old Belichick would mean UNC is turning to a coach who has never worked at the college level, yet had incredible NFL success alongside quarterback Tom Brady throughout most of his 24-year tenure with the Patriots that ended last season . In the time since, he had been linked to NFL jobs , notably the Atlanta Falcons in January. UNC’s opening comes at a time of rapid changes in college athletics with free player movement through the transfer portal and players able to cash in on their athletic fame with endorsement opportunities. There’s also the impending arrival of revenue sharing, part of a $2.8 billion antitrust settlement proposal that gained preliminary approval by a judge in October. “I think it's a great time for me to get out,” Brown said after Saturday's loss to the Wolfpack. “This isn't the game that I signed up for. It's changed so much.” In an UNC-produced podcast earlier this week, athletic director Bubba Cunningham said all the coaches the school is talking with about its job “are playing,” with college football having reached its conference title games before unveiling the 12-team College Football Playoff and bowl assignments. Cunningham said then that “fit” was the most important thing in finding Brown’s successor. “There's a certain person that’s best suited at the right time, at the right place,” he said. “And right now, that’s we’re looking for: Where are we today, who can lead us in the next three, five, 10 years?” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballPolice launch frantic search for missing Scots teacher as concerns growINDIANAPOLIS -- There's more than just school pride and bragging rights to all that bellyaching over who might be in and who might be out of college football 's first 12-team playoff. Try the more than $115 million that will be spread across the conferences at the end of the season, all depending on who gets in and which teams go the farthest. According to the College Football Playoff website , the 12 teams simply making the bracket earn their conferences $4 million each. Another $4 million goes to conferences whose teams get into the quarterfinals. Then, there's $6 million more for teams that make the semifinals and another $6 million for those who play for the title. Most of this bonanza comes courtesy of ESPN, which is forking over $1.3 billion a year to televise the new postseason. A lot of that money is already earmarked — more goes to the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference than the Big 12 or Atlantic Coast — but a lot is up for grabs in the 11 games that will play out between the opening round on Dec. 20 and the final on Jan. 20. In all, the teams that make the title game will bring $20 million to their conferences, all of which distribute that money, along with billions in TV revenue and other sources, in different ways. In fiscal 2022-23, the Big Ten, for instance, reported revenue of nearly $880 million and distributed about $60.5 million to most of its members. The massive stakes might help explain the unabashed lobbying coming from some corners of the football world, as the tension grows in advance of Sunday's final rankings, which will set the bracket. Earlier this week, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark lit into the selection committee, which doesn't have a single team higher than 15 in the rankings. That does two things: It positions the Big 12 as a one-bid league, and also threatens to makes its champion — either Arizona State or Iowa State — the fifth-best among conference titlists that get automatic bids. Only the top four of those get byes, which could cost the Big 12 a spot in the quarterfinals — or $4 million. “The committee continues to show time and time again that they are paying attention to logos versus resumes,” Yormark said this week, while slamming the idea of teams with two losses in his conference being ranked worse than teams with three in the SEC. The ACC is also staring at a one-bid season with only No. 8 SMU inside the cut line of this week's projected bracket. Miami's loss last week all but bumped the Hurricanes out of the playoffs, a snub that ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said left him “incredibly shocked and disappointed." “As we look ahead to the final rankings, we hope the committee will reconsider and put a deserving Miami in the field," Phillips said in a statement. The lobbying and bickering filters down to the campuses that feel the impact. And, of course, to social media. One of the most entertaining episodes came earlier this week when athletic directors at Iowa State and SMU went back and forth about whose team was more deserving. There are a few stray millions that the selection committee cannot really influence, including a $3 million payment to conferences that make the playoff. In a reminder that all these kids are going to school, after all, the conferences get $300,000 per football team that meets academic requirements to participate in the postseason. (That's basically everyone). ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
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Big Ten could place four teams in playoff, thanks to IU's rise
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Broncos are 0-4 in Las Vegas, but in a matchup of teams heading in opposite directions, Denver has more at stake than trying to end a series skid. A victory over the Raiders puts the Broncos that much closer to an unexpected playoff berth, playing with a rookie quarterback and just a year after they went 8-9. The Broncos are 6-5 and coming off a 38-6 victory over the Atlanta Falcons , and would be in the playoff field if the season ended entering Week 12. Not bad for a team given a win total of 5 1/2 games at BetMGM Sportsbook. “Everyone understands the significance of where we are at this point in the season,” Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton said. The situation is quite different for the Raiders. They are 2-8, on a six-game losing streak and decimated by injuries. Las Vegas could enter this game without its top two running backs and a reshuffled line on offense, and defensively, the Raiders could have two linemen, three cornerbacks and a safety out of action. “Just been having some bad breaks, but nobody feels sorry for us,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. "Nobody feels sorry for me. You’ve got to roll out there with 11 players, and that’s what we’re going to do come Sunday.” The Raiders are badly in a need of a franchise quarterback and are in a logjam for the top pick in next year's NFL draft. Denver showed with this year's draft how valuable landing such a QB can be to an organization. Bo Nix was selected 12th — one spot ahead of the Raiders — and he is pushing for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was this week's top AFC player and rookie after completing 28 of 33 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns in the rout of the Falcons. “I think as we’ve gone on, Coach (Sean Payton) and I have found a good rhythm of what we both like, what we can kind of put out there on the field and what we can execute," Nix said. "Then the guys have kind of adapted to it, found our roles within the offense and executed at a high level. It’s just all about slowing the game down and processing things in a manner that you can handle.” Raiders tight end Brock Bowers also could have a say in who wins the season's top offensive rookie award. He is second in the NFL with 70 catches and his 706 yards receiving is 10th among all receivers. His numbers from a historical perspective are even more impressive. Bowers, the 13th pick in this year's draft , is fourth all time among all tight ends in catches through the first 11 weeks and he and Jeremy Shockey in 2002 are the only rookies at that position to have more than one game with at least 10 receptions. “This week's a brand new week,” Bowers said. “I've always got something to prove.” Payton still isn't entirely comfortable splitting carries between running backs Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime. Asked how he determines the right balance in his rotation, Payton said, “That's the $6 million question. It’s difficult. We know kind of what we have with those three players. I think it’s always hard to feed three. "I'm used to — and it’s easy — to feed two. So we kind of do that a little bit. I thought Javonte had some really good runs (last week). Certainly the game ends and we’re like, ‘Gosh, we have to get Jaleel more touches.’ So it’s a tough, but a good problem to have.” With injuries to running backs Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quadriceps), 10-year veteran Ameer Abdullah could get the start for the Raiders this weekend. He has just 17 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown this season and started just one game his previous six seasons. “I see myself as a starter,” Abdullah said. “I think every guy in the room does. I consider myself the best back on this team just like every back does. This is my opportunity to go out there and put my best foot forward.” Patrick Surtain II had a pair of interceptions, including one he returned for 100 yards and a touchdown, in the team's first meeting this season and that fueled the Broncos' 34-18 win in Denver . Both of the passes were intended for Bowers, who caught a 57-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Surtain isn't expecting the Raiders to avoid him Sunday, however. “You don't want to go into a game thinking they're not gonna throw it your way,” Surtain said, “because it's the pros at the end of the day, everybody's ready, everybody's capable.” AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton in Englewood, Colorado, contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflSurveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration
