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For all their moral superiority, it turns out Democrats are every bit as willing to sacrifice democracy to their personal interests as are Republicans. President Joe Biden stood on high ground for the past year as his son, Hunter, moved his way through the courts on felony gun and tax-evasion charges. Asked repeatedly whether he’d pardon his son to spare him from prison, the president was adamant. He wouldn’t do it, he pledged. His allegiance was to the rule of law, he said, and the idea that no one is above it. He respected the legal process and would let the courts do their jobs, he vowed. But as the hour approached for Hunter to be sentenced and packed off to a prison cell, Biden changed his tune. Hunter is a victim of politics, he declared, prosecuted at the behest of the president’s political enemies. Hunter is a good guy, he claimed, who did bad things because of his past addiction to drugs. And so, Biden did what he promised not to do and signed a sweeping pardon sparing Hunter the legal consequences of his crimes. In putting his name on his son’s pardon, Biden laid waste to the foundational principle of our democracy that all Americans are equal under the law. Try to get the mother of a son rotting in prison because his love of crack led him astray to believe the justice her boy received was equal to that meted out to Hunter. The president’s son is now free to resume partying without paying off any of his debt to society. The pardon is the final smackdown to Democrats’ puffed-up claim to be all that stands between democracy and tyranny. That’s never been true, and certainly wasn’t in 2024, a year in which the Democratic Party abandoned democracy wholesale in its quest to hold onto power. Ironically, Biden was one of the main victims. Having won the primary votes necessary to claim the party’s nomination, the president was ousted from his reelection race in an intra-party coup orchestrated by the Democratic elite. The party politburo then abandoned the democratic nominating process and bestowed its nomination on Vice President Kamala Harris, who didn’t win a single primary vote. When it comes to assaults on democracy, however, that usurping of the electoral process pales in comparison with what Democrats did to the centrist No Labels movement. In a year in which a majority of Americans were unhappy with the major-party ballot choices, No Labels sought to offer a third choice selected from the political middle. Democrats declared war. Documents recently unsealed in a No Labels lawsuit against Democratic operatives reveal the length to which the party went to deny voters that option. Allegations raised in the lawsuit accuse party strategists of deploying an all-fronts offensive to intimidate both donors and potential candidates. They launched a false website that presented itself as the official No Labels site, espousing all sorts of extreme positions. Democrats also attempted to use the courts to block ballot access for No Labels and other third-party campaigns, including those of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Black activist Cornel West. Democrats will fight hard for your right to vote, as long as you vote for them. So spare us the smug Democratic claim to being the defenders of democracy. It’s a lie. But this is true: There are no righteous political parties. Finley writes for The Detroit News: detroitnews.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!bet 88.ph 。

NFL ends investigation into sexual assault allegations against Browns QB Deshaun Watson

Apple’s UK engineering teams have ‘doubled in size in five years’Apple’s investment in the UK over the last five years has now surpassed £18 billion, with the technology giant’s engineering teams in the country doubling in that time, the iPhone maker has said. The US tech giant said it now supported 550,000 jobs in the UK through direct employment, its supply chain and the economy around its App Store – with app developers having earned nearly £9 billion since it launched in 2008. Apple said its engineering teams were carrying out critical work on the firm’s biggest services, including key technology within Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s suite of generative AI-powered tools which are expected to launch in the UK for the first time this week. Elsewhere, the firm said its growing TV empire, spearheaded by its Apple TV+ streaming service and production arm, had also helped boost its investment in the UK with Apple TV+ production in this country tripling in the last two years, the company said. “We’re thrilled to be growing our Apple teams here, and to keep supporting the extraordinary innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of technology in so many ways.” The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said companies such as Apple were “intrinsic” to the UK’s prosperity by boosting jobs. “This government is laser focused on creating the right conditions for growth to help put more money in people’s pockets. “That’s what underpins the Plan for Change and is what has driven £63 billion worth of inward investment in the UK through our first international investment summit. “Companies like Apple are intrinsic to the success of our nation’s prosperity – helping deliver jobs, innovative technology, and boost infrastructure.”Carson Beck out with injury, Georgia backup Gunner Stockton in against Texas

By Noam N. Levey, KFF Health News Worried that President-elect Donald Trump will curtail federal efforts to take on the nation’s medical debt problem, patient and consumer advocates are looking to states to help people who can’t afford their medical bills or pay down their debts. “The election simply shifts our focus,” said Eva Stahl, who oversees public policy at Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit that has worked closely with the Biden administration and state leaders on medical debt. “States are going to be the epicenter of policy change to mitigate the harms of medical debt.” New state initiatives may not be enough to protect Americans from medical debt if the incoming Trump administration and congressional Republicans move forward with plans to scale back federal aid that has helped millions gain health insurance or reduce the cost of their plans in recent years. Comprehensive health coverage that limits patients’ out-of-pocket costs remains the best defense against medical debt. But in the face of federal retrenchment, advocates are eyeing new initiatives in state legislatures to keep medical bills off people’s credit reports, a consumer protection that can boost credit scores and make it easier to buy a car, rent an apartment, or even get a job. Several states are looking to strengthen oversight of medical credit cards and other financial products that can leave patients paying high interest rates on top of their medical debt. Some states are also exploring new ways to compel hospitals to bolster financial aid programs to help their patients avoid sinking into debt. “There’s an enormous amount that states can do,” said Elisabeth Benjamin, who leads health care initiatives at the nonprofit Community Service Society of New York. “Look at what’s happened here.” New York state has enacted several laws in recent years to rein in hospital debt collections and to expand financial aid for patients, often with support from both Democrats and Republicans in the legislature. “It doesn’t matter the party. No one likes medical debt,” Benjamin said. Other states that have enacted protections in recent years include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. Many measures picked up bipartisan support. President Joe Biden’s administration has proved to be an ally in state efforts to control health care debt. Such debt burdens 100 million people in the United States, a KFF Health News investigation found . Led by Biden appointee Rohit Chopra, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has made medical debt a priority , going after aggressive collectors and exposing problematic practices across the medical debt industry. Earlier this year, the agency proposed landmark regulations to remove medical bills from consumer credit scores. The White House also championed legislation to boost access to government-subsidized health insurance and to cap out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors, both key bulwarks against medical debt. Trump hasn’t indicated whether his administration will move ahead with the CFPB credit reporting rule, which was slated to be finalized early next year. Congressional Republicans, who will control the House and Senate next year, have blasted the proposal as regulatory overreach that will compromise the value of credit reports. And Elon Musk, the billionaire whom Trump has tapped to lead his initiative to shrink government, last week called for the elimination of the watchdog agency . “Delete CFPB,” Musk posted on X. If the CFPB withdraws the proposed regulation, states could enact their own rules, following the lead of Colorado, New York, and other states that have passed credit reporting bans since 2023. Advocates in Massachusetts are pushing the legislature there to take up a ban when it reconvenes in January. “There are a lot of different levers that states have to take on medical debt,” said April Kuehnhoff, a senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, which has helped lead national efforts to expand debt protections for patients. Kuehnhoff said she expects more states to crack down on medical credit card providers and other companies that lend money to patients to pay off medical bills, sometimes at double-digit interest rates. Under the Biden administration, the CFPB has been investigating patient financing companies amid warnings that many people may not understand that signing up for a medical credit card such as CareCredit or enrolling in a payment plan through a financial services company can pile on more debt. If the CFPB efforts stall under Trump, states could follow the lead of California, New York, and Illinois, which have all tightened rules governing patient lending in recent years. Consumer advocates say states are also likely to continue expanding efforts to get hospitals to provide more financial assistance to reduce or eliminate bills for low- and middle-income patients, a key protection that can keep people from slipping into debt. Hospitals historically have not made this aid readily available, prompting states such as California, Colorado, and Washington to set stronger standards to ensure more patients get help with bills they can’t afford. This year, North Carolina also won approval from the Biden administration to withhold federal funding from hospitals in the state unless they agreed to expand financial assistance. In Georgia, where state government is entirely in Republican control, officials have been discussing new measures to get hospitals to provide more assistance to patients. “When we talk about hospitals putting profits over patients, we get lots of nodding in the legislature from Democrats and Republicans,” said Liz Coyle, executive director of Georgia Watch, a consumer advocacy nonprofit. Many advocates caution, however, that state efforts to bolster patient protections will be critically undermined if the Trump administration cuts federal funding for health insurance programs such as Medicaid and the insurance marketplaces established through the Affordable Care Act. Trump and congressional Republicans have signaled their intent to roll back federal subsidies passed under Biden that make health plans purchased on ACA marketplaces more affordable. That could hike annual premiums by hundreds or even thousands of dollars for many enrollees, according to estimates by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank. And during Trump’s first term, he backed efforts in Republican-led states to restrict enrollment in their Medicaid safety net programs through rules that would require people to work in order to receive benefits. GOP state leaders in Idaho, Louisiana, and other states have expressed a desire to renew such efforts. “That’s all a recipe for more medical debt,” said Stahl, of Undue Medical Debt. Jessica Altman, who heads the Covered California insurance marketplace, warned that federal cuts will imperil initiatives in her state that have limited copays and deductibles and curtailed debt for many state residents. “States like California that have invested in critical affordable programs for our residents will face tough decisions,” she said. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Worried that President-elect Donald Trump will curtail federal efforts to take on the nation’s medical debt problem, patient and consumer advocates are looking to states to help people who can’t afford their medical bills or pay down their debts. “The election simply shifts our focus,” said Eva Stahl, who oversees public policy at Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit that has worked closely with the Biden administration and state leaders on medical debt. “States are going to be the epicenter of policy change to mitigate the harms of medical debt.” New state initiatives may not be enough to protect Americans from medical debt if the incoming Trump administration and congressional Republicans move forward with plans to scale back federal aid that has helped millions gain health insurance or reduce the cost of their plans in recent years. Comprehensive health coverage that limits patients’ out-of-pocket costs remains the best defense against medical debt. But in the face of federal retrenchment, advocates are eyeing new initiatives in state legislatures to keep medical bills off people’s credit reports, a consumer protection that can boost credit scores and make it easier to buy a car, rent an apartment, or even get a job. Several states are looking to strengthen oversight of medical credit cards and other financial products that can leave patients paying high interest rates on top of their medical debt. Related Articles Some states are also exploring new ways to compel hospitals to bolster financial aid programs to help their patients avoid sinking into debt. “There’s an enormous amount that states can do,” said Elisabeth Benjamin, who leads health care initiatives at the nonprofit Community Service Society of New York. “Look at what’s happened here.” New York state has enacted several laws in recent years to rein in hospital debt collections and to expand financial aid for patients, often with support from both Democrats and Republicans in the legislature. “It doesn’t matter the party. No one likes medical debt,” Benjamin said. Other states that have enacted protections in recent years include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. Many measures picked up bipartisan support. President Joe Biden’s administration has proved to be an ally in state efforts to control health care debt. Such debt burdens 100 million people in the United States, a . Led by Biden appointee Rohit Chopra, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has , going after aggressive collectors and exposing problematic practices across the medical debt industry. Earlier this year, the agency proposed landmark regulations to from consumer credit scores. The White House also championed legislation to boost access to government-subsidized health insurance and to cap out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors, both key bulwarks against medical debt. Trump hasn’t indicated whether his administration will move ahead with the CFPB credit reporting rule, which was slated to be finalized early next year. Congressional Republicans, who will control the House and Senate next year, have as regulatory overreach that will compromise the value of credit reports. And Elon Musk, the billionaire whom Trump has tapped to lead his initiative to shrink government, last week . “Delete CFPB,” Musk posted on X. If the CFPB withdraws the proposed regulation, states could enact their own rules, following the lead of Colorado, New York, and other states that have passed credit reporting bans since 2023. Advocates in Massachusetts are pushing the legislature there to take up a ban when it reconvenes in January. “There are a lot of different levers that states have to take on medical debt,” said April Kuehnhoff, a senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, which has helped lead national efforts to expand debt protections for patients. Kuehnhoff said she expects more states to crack down on medical credit card providers and other companies that lend money to patients to pay off medical bills, sometimes at double-digit interest rates. Under the Biden administration, the CFPB has been investigating amid warnings that many people may not understand that signing up for a medical credit card such as CareCredit or enrolling in a payment plan through a financial services company can pile on more debt. If the CFPB efforts stall under Trump, states could follow the lead of California, New York, and Illinois, which have all tightened rules governing patient lending in recent years. Consumer advocates say states are also likely to continue expanding efforts to get hospitals to provide more financial assistance to reduce or eliminate bills for low- and middle-income patients, a key protection that can keep people from slipping into debt. Hospitals historically have not made this aid readily available, prompting states such as California, Colorado, and Washington to set stronger standards to ensure more patients get help with bills they can’t afford. This year, North Carolina also won approval from the Biden administration to withhold federal funding from hospitals in the state unless they agreed to expand financial assistance. In Georgia, where state government is entirely in Republican control, officials have been discussing new measures to get hospitals to provide more assistance to patients. “When we talk about hospitals putting profits over patients, we get lots of nodding in the legislature from Democrats and Republicans,” said Liz Coyle, executive director of Georgia Watch, a consumer advocacy nonprofit. Many advocates caution, however, that state efforts to bolster patient protections will be critically undermined if the Trump administration cuts federal funding for health insurance programs such as Medicaid and the insurance marketplaces established through the Affordable Care Act. Trump and congressional Republicans have signaled their intent to roll back federal subsidies passed under Biden that make health plans purchased on ACA marketplaces more affordable. That could hike annual premiums by hundreds or even thousands of dollars for many enrollees, by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank. And during Trump’s first term, he backed efforts in Republican-led states to restrict enrollment in their Medicaid safety net programs through rules that would require people to work in order to receive benefits. GOP state leaders in Idaho, Louisiana, and other states have to renew such efforts. “That’s all a recipe for more medical debt,” said Stahl, of Undue Medical Debt. Jessica Altman, who heads the Covered California insurance marketplace, warned that federal cuts will imperil initiatives in her state that have limited copays and deductibles and curtailed debt for many state residents. “States like California that have invested in critical affordable programs for our residents will face tough decisions,” she said.

On Thursday, the eve of the anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre in 1989, the federal government announced it was banning scores of new kinds of firearms . The government did not immediately have available for media a list of those firearms. And at first blush this might seem like an almost impossibly basic failure, even for this twitching, lurching zombie of a government. As with most anniversaries, this one happens on the same day every year. The Liberals always co-opt it as a gun-control wedge issue, and often use it to unveil new legislation or regulations. How many hours in advance did they decide to do it this year, to have been so unprepared? Six? One and a half? But I can almost see this gang being surprised at the question, because of course these announcements are never really about the guns themselves. Canada’s list of banned firearms includes “the AR15.Com ARFCOM” and “the AR15.Com AR15.Com.” AR15.com is a website, not a gun, no matter how many times in a row you say it. ARFCOM is also not a gun, but rather a nickname given said website by its users. That’s how seriously this government takes gun control, even as the vast majority of weapons involved in crime flow unmolested across the American border. December 6 is an opportunity for Liberals to appeal to people who think all guns should be banned, or at least all guns that look to city folk like “assault weapons.” And this year’s gambit is even more cynical than average. A mandatory buyback program is in a “pilot project” stage for distributors and retailers, but won’t kick in for individual gun owners until October 2025 — which is, not at all coincidentally, the latest-possible date of the next federal election (at least under the current fixed-election-date law). The list isn’t about the list. It never is. It’s about creating a wedge issue, hoping some Conservative MP will be crazy enough actually to stand up for gun-owners’ rights — at which point, the Liberals imagine, Canadians will swoon en masse in shock and abandon any hopes of changing governments. Vote Liberal or you’ll get shot, basically. That’s not even close to the most cynical part, though. The Liberals really have outdone themselves this year. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says they’re looking at sending guns bought back from retailers and distributors — and presumably, eventually, from individuals — to Ukraine, to help its brave soldiers fend off the Russian menace. We are to believe that after nine years of Liberal governance it is legal to sell and own useful weapons of war in Canada. That doesn’t just seem unlikely: The standard-issue rifle for the Ukrainian army is the AK-74 , which has long been prohibited in Canada. It should also sound to the city folk the Liberals are courting like a colossal failure of gun control. But I’m sure the idea earned whoever came up with it many high-fives around the strategy table. Not only will they lure Conservatives into supporting gun-owners’ rights, they’ll lure them into revealing their sympathies for Russia. Vote Liberal or vote for Putin, basically. It almost certainly won’t move the needle; polls suggest Canadians don’t even want free money from the Liberals anymore . And the party will find itself in an even deeper pit of ignominy. Three-and-a-half years ago, the families and friends of the École Polytechnique victims said they had finally had enough of being used as political props. “While you and your government may be able to deceive a large segment of the population with empty talking points and catchy slogans, you cannot fool the families and survivors who have been fighting for gun control for over 30 years,” some of them wrote in a scathing letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau . They were angry, in particular, that gun-control legislation then before Parliament did not include a mandatory buyback provision. Well, they got their mandatory buyback provision ... except they didn’t, because by the time it kicks in in earnest, the Liberals will almost certainly be gone, having accomplished nothing constructive on gun control — and indeed, leaving behind a violent-crime rate that’s almost 30-per-cent higher than when they took office. For God’s sake, enough already. National Post cselley@postmedia.com Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here .None

Trump nominates Marty Makary, a critic of some COVID-19 health measures, to lead the FDAPresident Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday insisted at a meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump that any settlement with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine had to be "just", as fears grow in Kyiv on the position of the incoming administration. President Emmanuel Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the Elysee Palace, discussing what the incoming American president had termed a world that was a "little crazy". Hours after their meeting, the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden announced a new $988 million military assistance package for Ukraine. The package features drones, ammunition for precision HIMARS rocket launchers, and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks and armoured vehicles, the Pentagon said in a statement. Zelensky's meeting with Trump just before the three men headed to Notre Dame for the re-opening ceremony of the great Paris cathedral was his first face-to-face encounter with tycoon-turned-politician since his election victory. The meeting was of huge importance to Zelensky, given fears in Kyiv that Trump, who once boasted he could end Russia's war on Ukraine in 24 hours, may urge Ukraine to make concessions to Moscow. It also offered a unique chance for Macron to gain insights into how a second Trump presidency will look when he takes office in January. The trip to Paris is Trump's first international visit since his November 5 election win. "We all want peace. But it is very important for us... that the peace is just for all of us and that Russia, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin or any other aggressor has no possibility of ever returning," Zelensky said according to the presidential website. "And this is the most important thing -- a just peace and security guarantees, strong security guarantees for Ukraine," he added. Trump has scoffed at the billions of dollars in US military assistance to Ukraine and has spoken of forcing a quick settlement. But Zelensky also thanked Trump for his "unwavering resolve" describing the talks as "good and productive". Trump and Macron embraced and shook hands several times on the steps of the French presidential palace, with Trump given a full guard of honour despite not yet being in office. "It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that," Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for the talks with Macron. Despite tensions between the two men during his first term, Trump hailed his ties with the centrist French leader, saying: "We had a great relationship as everyone knows. We accomplished a lot." Macron told Trump it was "a great honour for French people to welcome you" for the re-opening ceremony at Notre Dame, which was devastated by a blaze in 2019 during Trump's first term. "You were president at that time and I remember the solidarity and the immediate reaction," Macron added, speaking in English. When he first took office in 2017, Trump's ties with Macron -- then also a fresh face on the world stage -- began warmly despite their obvious political differences. Their long and muscular handshakes -- which saw each man seek to assert his superiority -- became a light-hearted focus of attention before ties cooled, then soured, following disputes about climate change, trade and defence. Trump earlier wrote on his Truth Social platform that the United States should "not get involved" in the situation in Syria, where fast-moving rebel forces say they have begun to encircle the capital Damascus. The Republican's return to power has rung alarms in Paris and many European capitals after his promises on the campaign trail to force an end to fighting in Ukraine and levy tariffs on trading partners. In his own reaction to the discussions, Macron wrote on social media: "Let us continue our joint efforts for peace and security." European allies have largely enjoyed a close working relationship with Biden on the crisis in the Middle East, but Trump is likely to distance himself and ally the United States even more closely with Israel. In a sign of the importance of Trump's one-day trip to Paris, he was accompanied by his pick for White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, as well as his Near East and Middle East advisors, Steve Witkoff and Massad Boulos, according to a guest list issued by the Elysee Palace. Tesla tycoon and Trump advisor Elon Musk, who was also on the line during a phone call between the incoming president and Zelensky last month, also flew into the French capital was present at the Notre Dame ceremony. sjw/adp/jjDecember 10, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked peer-reviewed publication trusted source proofread by NYU Tandon School of Engineering Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice, is known for its exceptional properties: incredible strength (about 200 times stronger than steel), light weight, flexibility, and excellent conduction of electricity and heat. These properties have made graphene increasingly important in applications across various fields, including electronics, energy storage, medical technology, and, most recently, quantum computing. Graphene's quantum properties, such as superconductivity and other unique quantum behaviors, are known to arise when graphene atomic layers are stacked and twisted with precision to produce "ABC stacking domains." Historically, achieving ABC stacking domains required exfoliating graphene and manually twisting and aligning layers with exact orientations—a highly intricate process that is difficult to scale for industrial applications. Now, researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering led by Elisa Riedo, Herman F. Mark Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, have uncovered a new phenomenon in graphene research, observing growth-induced self-organized ABA and ABC stacking domains that could kick-start the development of advanced quantum technologies. The findings, published in a recent study in the Proceedings of the National Academy Of Sciences , demonstrate how specific stacking arrangements in three-layer epitaxial graphene systems emerge naturally—eliminating the need for complex, non-scalable techniques traditionally used in graphene twisting fabrication. These researchers, including Martin Rejhon, previously a post-doctoral fellow at NYU, have now observed the self-assembly of ABA and ABC domains within a three-layer epitaxial graphene system grown on silicon carbide (SiC). Using advanced conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM), the team found that these domains form naturally without the need for manual twisting or alignment. This spontaneous organization represents a significant step forward in graphene stacking domains fabrication. The size and shape of these stacking domains are influenced by the interplay of strain and the geometry of the three-layer graphene regions. Some domains form as stripe-like structures, tens of nanometers wide and extending over microns, offering promising potential for future applications. "In the future we could control the size and location of these stacking patterns through pregrowth patterning of the SiC substrate," Riedo said. These self-assembled ABA/ABC stacking domains could lead to transformative applications in quantum devices. Their stripe-shaped configurations, for example, are well-suited for enabling unconventional quantum Hall effects, superconductivity, and charge density waves. Such breakthroughs pave the way for scalable electronic devices leveraging graphene's quantum properties. This discovery marks a major leap in graphene research, bringing scientists closer to realizing the full potential of this remarkable material in next-generation electronics and quantum technologies. More information: Martin Rejhon et al, Spontaneous emergence of straintronics effects and striped stacking domains in untwisted three-layer epitaxial graphene, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2408496121 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Provided by NYU Tandon School of EngineeringFrom wealth and success to murder suspect, the life of Luigi Mangione took a hard turn

Election 2024: First winners and losers emerge as counts pick up pace this evening

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner is out indefinitely after suffering a torn right oblique, the team announced Saturday. He is the second star forward the Magic have lost to a torn oblique this season. Paolo Banchero has been out with the same injury since Oct. 30. Wagner, whose injury occurred during Friday's 102-94 loss to the host Philadelphia 76ers, will be reevaluated in four weeks and "his return to play will depend on how he responds to treatment," the team said Saturday. Wagner is averaging a career-high 24.4 points this season, and his scoring average has gone up every season since Orlando picked him eighth overall in the 2021 NBA Draft out of Michigan. After averaging 15.2 as a rookie, he increased it to 18.6 in 2022-23 and then 19.7 last season to help Orlando win 47 games. Wagner goes down in the middle of an especially hot streak during his All-Star worthy season, having scored 30 or more in the past three games. He's also averaging 5.7 assists and 5.6 rebounds, helping Orlando go 16-9 for third place in the East. --Field Level Media

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Charles Kushner, a prominent real estate developer and father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, as the next U.S. ambassador to France. Kushner, the founder and chairman of Kushner Companies, has long been recognized as a major player in the real estate sector. Under his leadership, the firm grew into one of the nation’s largest privately held real estate enterprises, managing a portfolio that includes residential, commercial, and retail properties. In announcing the nomination, Trump also drew attention to Kushner’s philanthropic endeavors and public service record. Over the years, Kushner has served on the board s of several prominent institutions, including New York University, and was appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. He also held leadership roles as a commissioner and chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Jared Kushner, Charles Kushner’s eldest son, played a key role in the first Trump administration. Jared Kushner is married to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka. He served as a senior adviser with a portfolio that included some of the administration’s most ambitious initiatives. His contributions ranged from helping spearhead the rapid development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines under Operation Warp Speed to brokering peace agreements between Israel and Arab nations through the Abraham Accords. “Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their 4 children, & 14 grandchildren,” Trump continued. “His son, Jared, worked closely with me in the White House, in particular on Operation Warp Speed, Criminal Justice Reform, & the Abraham Accords. Together, we will strengthen America’s partnership with France, our oldest ally, & one of our greatest!” Trump’s decision to nominate Charles Kushner reflects his confidence in his ability to foster diplomatic ties between the United States and France. France plays a pivotal role in global diplomacy, in particular on the European continent, which is now contending with the Ukraine war. Trump has vowed to end the conflict quickly by leveraging his relationships with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to push the two warring leaders into a peace deal. France has been a key player in diplomatic efforts surrounding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, using its influence within the European Union and its seat on the United Nations Security Council to push for negotiations and conflict resolution.NoneThe 26-year-old man charged in last week’s killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom Tuesday, where he was denied bail and his lawyer said he'd fight extradition to New York City, where the attack happened. Luigi Nicholas Mangione was arrested Monday in the Dec. 4 attack on Brian Thompson after police say a worker at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, alerted them to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. When arrested, Mangione had on him a gun that investigators believe was used in the attack and writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. As Mangione was led into the Hollidaysburg courthouse Tuesday, he struggled with officers and shouted something that was partly unintelligible but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He left hours later without saying anything and was driven away. Mangione is being held on Pennsylvania charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Mangione mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. Judge David Consiglio denied bail to Mangione, whose attorney, Thomas Dickey, told the court that his client did not agree to extradition and wants a hearing on the matter. Blair County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney Peter Weeks said that although Mangione will create “extra hoops” for law enforcement to jump through by fighting extradition, it won’t be a substantial barrier to sending him to New York. In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Monday that Mangione also had a ghost gun, a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Officers also found a sound suppressor, or silencer, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” she said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, the commissioner said. Mangione, who comes from a prominent Maryland family, was valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and had degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania. Mangione's grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin, said that Martin had learned that Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life. Friends in Hawaii widely considered Mangione a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit and smiling young man on beaches and at parties. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. last Wednesday. Eleven minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park, according to police. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack, police said. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspect exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Jamie Stengle, Lea Skene, Matt O'Brien, Sean Murphy and Cedar Attanasio contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

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