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Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards fined $75,000 for 'public criticism' of referees, calls them 'f***ing terrible'PALERMO, Calif. (AP) — Two children were wounded in a shooting Wednesday at a small religious K-8 school in Northern California and the shooter died from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot, sheriff’s officials said. The children’s conditions were not immediately known. The shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon at the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists, a private, K-8 school in Palermo, a community of 5,500 people about 65 miles (104 km) north of Sacramento. Butte County Sheriff Kory L. Honea said the 911 calls reported “an individual on campus who had fired shots at students,” and said that the shooter did not appear to have a connection to the school. The motive was not immediately known, he continued. One student was flown to a nearby hospital, Honea said. Authorities rushed students to the Oroville Church of the Nazarene to be reunited with their families, the sheriff’s office said. The school has been open since 1965 and caters to fewer than three dozen children, according to its website.NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Olive Garden confirms it’s bringing popular service to all its restaurants after only offering it to 1.5% of customers

Published 5:40 pm Thursday, November 21, 2024 By Data Skrive Ranked teams will be on Friday’s college basketball schedule for four games, including the Oklahoma Sooners playing the UNLV Rebels. Watch women’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up for a free trial. Catch tons of live women’s college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle.Minerals Technologies secures $575 million loan and ups credit line

On the eve of heritage week celebrations

Dubai Weeklys Unveils Highlights of Winter City Expo 2024 and New Year's Eve 2025 12-23-2024 11:46 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: ABNewswire Image: https://www.abnewswire.com/uploads/a4393255be8082162fbe418ef3aba899.jpg Dubai, renowned for its innovation and grandeur, is set to host the Winter City Expo [ https://dubaiweeklys.com/winter-city-dubai-2024-at-expo-city/ ] from December 6 to December 31, 2024, at Expo City Dubai. This annual event transforms the city into a winter wonderland, offering a blend of cultural festivities, technological showcases, and family-friendly entertainment. Event Highlights * Dates and Timings: The Expo runs daily from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM, providing ample opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the festive spirit. * Venue: Expo City Dubai, a state-of-the-art location that previously hosted Expo 2020, serves as the backdrop for this festive celebration. * Winter Wonderland Experience: Visitors can enjoy artificial snow, ice sculptures, and interactive snow-themed activities, creating an authentic winter atmosphere in the heart of the desert. * Festive Markets: The Expo features Christmas markets offering a variety of handcrafted goods, festive foods, and unique souvenirs, perfect for holiday shopping. * Live Performances: Attendees can look forward to carol performances, theatrical shows, and musical acts that add to the festive ambiance. * Family-Friendly Activities: With dedicated zones for children, the Expo offers workshops, games, and entertainment suitable for all ages. * Pricing: Entry fees start at AED 40 online, with various packages available to enhance the visitor experience. * Purchase Options: Tickets can be purchased online through official platforms, ensuring a seamless entry process. Attractions and Activities Ticket Information New Year's Eve 2025 in Dubai: A Spectacular Celebration As the year draws to a close, Dubai prepares to host some of the most extravagant New Year's Eve celebrations [ https://dubaiweeklys.com/new-year-in-dubai-2025-what-to-expect/ ] worldwide. Here's what to expect as you welcome 2025 in this vibrant city. Iconic Fireworks Displays * Burj Khalifa: The world's tallest building is renowned for its breathtaking fireworks and light shows, attracting spectators globally. * Atlantis The Palm: This luxury resort hosts a grand fireworks display, often accompanied by live performances and gala dinners. * The Pointe at Palm Jumeirah: Offering a waterfront view, The Pointe provides a stunning backdrop for fireworks, complemented by dining and entertainment options. * Gala Dinners: Many of Dubai's luxury hotels and restaurants offer exclusive New Year's Eve gala dinners, featuring gourmet cuisine, live entertainment, and views of the city's fireworks. * Beach Clubs and Yacht Parties: For those seeking a lively atmosphere, beach clubs and yacht parties provide music, dancing, and a festive environment to ring in the new year. * Global Village: This multicultural festival park offers family-friendly New Year's Eve celebrations, including fireworks and cultural performances. * Dubai Festival City Mall: Known for its impressive IMAGINE laser and fountain shows, the mall provides a family-oriented environment to celebrate the new year. * Accommodation: Given the influx of tourists during the festive season, it's advisable to book accommodations well in advance. * Transportation: Dubai's public transport operates extended hours during New Year's Eve, but due to high demand, consider arranging private transportation or arriving early at your chosen venue. * Dress Code: While Dubai is relatively liberal, it's recommended to adhere to a smart-casual dress code, especially when attending upscale events. * Crowd Management: Authorities implement crowd control measures to ensure public safety during large gatherings, particularly around popular areas like Downtown Dubai. * Health Precautions: Stay informed about any health advisories or requirements, such as mask mandates or vaccination proof, that may be in place during your visit. Exclusive Events and Parties Family-Friendly Celebrations Planning Your Visit Safety Measures Conclusion Dubai's Winter City Expo 2024 and New Year's Eve in Dubai 2025 celebrations offer a unique blend of cultural experiences, entertainment, and luxury. Whether you're exploring the winter-themed attractions at the Expo or witnessing the city's iconic fireworks displays, Dubai provides an unforgettable setting to conclude the year and usher in new beginnings. Follow Dubai weeklys [ https://dubaiweeklys.com/ ] to explore more about Dubai Media Contact Company Name: Dubai Weeklys Contact Person: Andrew Jackson Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=dubai-weeklys-unveils-highlights-of-winter-city-expo-2024-and-new-years-eve-2025 ] City: Dubai Country: United Arab Emirates Website: https://dubaiweeklys.com/ This release was published on openPR.Government of Samoa and WFP launch analysis to enhance access to healthy diets

Andrew Callahan: It’s time to forget about Jerod Mayo getting fired

MIAMI — As her students finished their online exam, Arlet Lara got up to make a . Her 16-year-old son found her on the kitchen floor. First, he called Dad in a panic. Then 911. “I had a stroke and my life made a 180-degree turn,” Lara told the Miami Herald, recalling the medical scare she experienced in May 2020 in the early months of the COVID pandemic. “The stroke affected my left side of the body,” the North Miami woman and former high school math teacher said. Lara, an avid runner and gym goer, couldn’t even walk. “It was hard,” the 50-year-old mom said. After years of rehabilitation therapy and a foot surgery, Lara can walk again. But she still struggles with moving. This summer, she became the first patient in South Florida to get an implant of a new and only FDA-approved nerve stimulation device designed to help ischemic stroke survivors regain movement in their arms and hands. This first procedure was at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Lara’s rehab was at at the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, part of a partnership between Jackson Health System and UHealth. Every year, thousands in the United States , with one occurring every 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of strokes are ischemic, often caused by blood clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain. For survivors, most of whom are left with some level of disability, the Vivistim Paired VNS System, the device implanted in Lara’s chest, could be a game changer in recovery, said Dr. Robert Starke, a UHealth neurosurgeon and interventional neuroradiologist. He also serves as co-director of endovascular neurosurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, part of Miami-Dade’s public hospital system. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms, goes through exercises while her therapist activates the device during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA- approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) The Vivistim Paired VNS System is a small pacemaker-like device implanted in the upper chest and neck area. Patients can go home the same day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2021 to be used alongside post-ischemic stroke rehabilitation therapy to treat moderate to severe mobility issues in hands and arms. Lara’s occupational therapist can activate the device during rehabilitation sessions to electrically stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to the abdomen and regulates various parts of the body’s nervous system. The electrical stimulation rewires the brain to improve a stroke survivor’s ability to move their arms and hands. Lara also has a magnet she can use to activate the device when she wants to practice at home. Her therapy consists of repetitive tasks, including coloring, pinching cubes and grabbing and releasing cylindrical shapes. After several weeks of rehabilitation therapy with the device, Lara has seen improvement. “Little by little, I’m noticing that my hand is getting stronger. I am already able to brush my teeth with the left hand,” she told the Miami Herald in September. Since then, Lara has finished the initial six-week Vivitism therapy program, and is continuing to use the device in her rehabilitation therapy. She continues to improve and can now eat better with her left hand and can brush her hair with less difficulty, according to her occupational therapist, Neil Batungbakal. Lara learned about the device through an online group for stroke survivors and contacted the company to inquire. She then connected them with her Jackson medical team. Now a year later, the device is available to Jackson patients. So far, four patients have received the implant at Jackson. Starke sees the device as an opportunity to help bring survivors one step closer to regaining full mobility. Strokes are a leading cause of disability worldwide. While most stroke survivors can usually recover some function through treatment and rehabilitation, they tend to hit a “major plateau” after the first six months of recovery, he said. Vivistim, when paired with rehabilitation therapy, could change that. Jackson Health said results of a clinical trial published in the peer-reviewed medical journal in 2021 showed that the device, “when paired with high-repetition, task-specific occupational or physical therapy, helps generate two to three times more hand and arm function for stroke survivors than rehabilitation therapy alone.” The device has even shown to benefit patients 20 years from their original stroke, according to Starke. “So now a lot of these patients that had strokes 10-15 years ago that thought that they would never be able to use their arm in any sort of real functional way are now able to have a real meaningful function, which is pretty tremendous,” Starke said. Vivistim’s vagus-nerve stimulation technology by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas’ Texas Biomedical Device Center and is being sold commercially by Austin-based MicroTransponder, a company started by university graduates. Similar devices are used to . For Lara, the device is a new tool to help her recovery journey. “Everything becomes a challenge so we are working with small things every day because I want to get back as many functions as possible,” Lara said. Patients interested in Vivistim should speak with their doctor to check their eligibility. The FDA said patients should make sure to discuss any prior medical history, including concurrent forms of brain stimulation, current diathermy treatment, previous brain surgery, depression, respiratory diseases and disorders such as asthma, and cardiac abnormalities. “Adverse events included but were not limited to dysphonia (difficulty speaking), bruising, falling, general hoarseness, general pain, hoarseness after surgery, low mood, muscle pain, fracture, headache, rash, dizziness, throat irritation, urinary tract infection and fatigue,” the FDA said. MicroTransponder says the device is “covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance with prior authorization on a case-by-case basis.”

Nov 22 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets. Risk assets in Asia are set to open positively on Friday after a show of fortitude on Wall Street saw U.S. stocks end a choppy session in the green, as local attention turns to the latest inflation figures from Japan. Japanese consumer prices top the regional calendar, and investors also will be looking out for purchasing managers index data from Japan, Australia and India for the first glimpse into how these economies performed in November. Annual core consumer price inflation in Japan is expected to have slowed to 2.2% in October from 2.4% in September, cooling for a second consecutive month on slower growth in energy prices, according to a Reuters poll. The release comes a day after Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said the central bank will "seriously" take into account the yen's impact on growth and prices, remarks investors took as a sign the BOJ could soon raise interest rates. The ultra low-yielding yen is one of the world's worst-performing currencies against the dollar this year, putting upward pressure on the price of imports. The dollar has risen 10% against the yen since the Fed cut rates in September, a counter-intuitive move explained by the surprising - and surprisingly steep - rise in U.S. bond yields. But the yen is ripe for a rebound. It has been sold off heavily, speculators are holding their biggest short position in four months, and the BOJ could be taking a more hawkish turn . The Japanese currency rose on Thursday for only the second time in nine days, and another rise of around 0.3% on Friday would seal its best week in two months. Asian stocks are also consolidating, after getting slammed last week. On the whole, the global backdrop as Asia opens on Friday is still reasonably positive. The upward momentum behind the so-called 'Trump trades' that gathered steam before and immediately after the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election has fizzled, but most of these bets still appear to be in play. Some more than others. Tesla shares are up 7% this week and bitcoin is up 9%, within reach of breaking above $100,000 for the first time. This could easily happen in Asia on Friday, after U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler confirmed he will leave his post in January. Gensler is widely seen as a hard-liner on cryptocurrency regulation. Indian assets, meanwhile, are under heavy pressure on the news that Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted for fraud by U.S. prosecutors and arrest warrants issued for him for his alleged role in a $265 million scheme to bribe Indian officials. Stocks are the lowest in five months, and the rupee has never been weaker. Here are key developments that could provide more direction to markets on Friday: - Japan inflation (October) - Malaysia inflation (October) - Japan, Australia, India PMIs (November) Sign up here. Reporting by Jamie McGeeverEditing by Bill Berkrot Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Jamie McGeever has been a financial journalist since 1998, reporting from Brazil, Spain, New York, London, and now back in the U.S. again. Focus on economics, central banks, policymakers, and global markets - especially FX and fixed income. Follow me on Twitter: @ReutersJamie

Custom-designed helmets that stave off major brain injuries. Mobile blood banks and preliminary surgery on the battlefield. Dog tags that broadcast medical data. Evacuation by helicopter to hospitals, measured in minutes. Fentanyl lollipops to ease the pain. As Israel plows into the second year of open-ended war on several fronts, its military doctors have been innovating trauma care on the fly and grimly boast a record survival rate. That, in turn, may help shore up public support in Israel for a conflict that has inflicted the country’s worst losses in decades. “We accrue battlefield knowledge and apply it and improve on it even as the fighting continues,” said Lt.-Col. Ofer Almog, head of technological development for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Medical Corps. The human cost on the other side has been devastating — 44,000 dead in Gaza and 3,000 in Lebanon, many of them civilians. Of Israeli soldiers who sustain wounds in the Gaza Strip or southern Lebanon that require urgent treatment, 6.9 percent die, the corps says — a “case fatality rate” (CFR) less than half that of Israel’s last major war, in 2006. It also compares favorably to the CFRs that U.S. forces suffered from similar kinds of attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan — 10 percent and 8.6 percent, according to a 2019 study published by the U.S. military’s Joint Trauma System. An inherent advantage the Israelis have is in the proximity of hospitals. The average time it takes to evacuate a Gaza casualty to a trauma center is 66 minutes, the corps says. The record was 17 minutes. But intervention begins beforehand, sometimes within seconds of the injury, administered by doctors, paramedics or medics deployed with every IDF combat company. Not far behind is an armored ambulance equipped with a specially cooled blood-bank, for type-O transfusions in large quantities to counteract catastrophic hemorrhaging. “Our staff in the field are even equipped to do intraosseous infusions — directly into the bone marrow — when a soldier’s veins aren’t accessible,” Almog said. Kyle Remick, a retired U.S. Army colonel and now trauma chief at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, Maryland, described such “scoop and run” evacuations and rapid hemorrhage control as critical factors in saving lives. “Unprecedented” He called a CFR of 6.9 percent unprecedented, and noted that Israel has long been known as a leader in such battlefield care. Israel has lost almost 800 soldiers, with another 5,350 wounded, in the war that began with a surprise Hamas cross-border rampage in October. On a per capita basis, that’s almost four times the number of U.S. service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. And unlike the professional U.S. military, Israel’s personnel are mostly conscripts and reservists. The Hamas attack killed 1200 and abducted 250. Public support for the war in Israel has been strong, with some slippage only in recent weeks amid a sense that objectives in Gaza and Lebanon have been exhausted, said Tamar Hermann, a pollster with the Israel Democracy Institute think-tank. “Had there been many hundreds of fatalities, the erosion would have begun earlier, I think,” she said. Among the IDF’s wartime improvements to care, Almog said, has been a chip-bearing dog tag given immediately to a casualty, into which medics enter information through tablet-like devices. That smooths the handover from battlefield to helicopter to hospital, as each new team downloads the data. Ease breathing During the conflict, the IDF also stopped routinely draining excess air or fluid from a casualty’s chest to ease breathing, a procedure known as a thoracotomy. “We determined, after investigating hundreds of cases, that there was zero proven utility that would suffice to counterbalance the potential damage,” Almog said. Two months into the war, the IDF limited the procedure and instead focused on methods like intubation and ventilation. An IDF innovation team partnered with the Medical Corps is working on body armor that would give more protection than the ceramic breast plates currently issued to soldiers. The new design would incorporate malleable material and mitigate various penetrating injuries. “We found that shrapnel wounds are six times more likely than bullet wounds,” Almog said. The IDF already had its own battle helmet deployed, which the Medical Corps developed by studying head wounds and realizing that the most lethal were generally to the upper parts of the skull. Accordingly, the helmet has more plating over those areas and less elsewhere, for improved protection with roughly the same overall weight. Mental acuity and alertness also play a role in survival. Instead of injecting morphine to dull the pain of an injury, a fentanyl lollipop is given which the casualty can remove when the pain is tolerable and thus remain responsive and cooperative with medics. Upon landing at the hospital, an assistance officer phones one of the casualty’s parents and has them speak directly and briefly about the injury — to provide a measure of calm as the patient enters surgery.Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened weekAuthored by Austin Alonzo via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Although President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican Party swept the 2024 general election, the cryptocurrency industry feels it is the real winner. Powered by donations from some of the biggest figures in cryptocurrency and venture capital, three political action committees poured more than $100 million into efforts to influence the 2024 election. “ This election was a huge win for crypto ,” co-founder and CEO of Coinbase Global Inc. Brian Armstrong wrote on Nov. 7 in an article on X. Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2012, donated about $55 million to the super PAC Fairshake, according to Federal Election Commission records. Armstrong personally donated $1 million. As Armstrong wrote, the industry had much to celebrate in early November. It saw its preferred candidates take the White House and win key seats in both houses of Congress. He declared that the 119th Congress will be the “most pro-crypto Congress ever.” In his message, Coinbase’s leader wrote something that is usually implied but rarely said in the world of political spending, too. “ [Washington] received a clear message that being anti-crypto is a good way to end your career ,” Armstrong said. Twenty years ago, few people had heard of cryptocurrency—a term used to refer to decentralized digital currencies as opposed to central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) that are controlled and backed by a government or central bank. One week after the Nov. 5 election, a Bitcoin was trading for more than $89,000. Gold, by comparison, traded for about $2,600 an ounce on the same day. Between 2007 and 2009, a person or group known as Satoshi Nakamoto conceived of and launched Bitcoin . It was a new type of digital money secured via encryption technology. Unlike traditional currency, Bitcoin can transfer value online without a bank or a payment processor. It is not backed by any government, central bank fiat currency, or physical asset. Bitcoin began as an obscure novelty worth less than 10 cents per token. However, its price has exploded in the last decade, creating significant public interest in the digital asset. According to the crypto website Coinranking, as of Nov. 13, Bitcoin’s market capitalization was about $1.83 trillion. Nevertheless, public opinion polling shows that a majority of Americans are not confident in cryptocurrency as an investment. A Pew Research Center study published in October found that just 5 percent of the people it surveyed in February said they were “very” or “extremely” confident in the reliability and safety of cryptocurrency. The same report found that 17 percent of Americans have ever invested in, traded, or used a cryptocurrency. As an investment, about 38 percent of respondents said cryptocurrency has done “worse than expected.” Rick Claypool, the research director in the president’s office of Public Citizen, told The Epoch Times that cryptocurrency, generally, is an extremely volatile investment vehicle without any intrinsic value—one that is now very risky for the average investor. Public Citizen, founded in 1971, is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization. In May, it published a report describing the cryptocurrency industry’s investment in politics as part of a “strategy of combating enforcement crackdowns and designing a regulatory system that meets the industry’s specifications.” The growing use of cryptocurrency over the last decade, and concern about the consumer risks, has led to a rush to begin regulating the fast-growing industry. The swift rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried and his cryptocurrency exchange FTX highlighted the potential for fraud in a lightly regulated sector of the economy. In March, Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay $11 billion in forfeiture for what the U.S. Department of Justice called his “orchestration of multiple fraudulent schemes.” Bankman-Fried was accused of stealing more than $8 billion of his customer’s money through FTX and Alameda Research, a cryptocurrency trading firm he founded. Bankman-Fried was initially arrested in the Bahamas and extradited to the United States, where he was charged with multiple fraud offenses, in December 2022. FTX collapsed in November 2022. A year earlier, Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Gary Gensler asked the Senate’s Banking Housing and Urban Affairs Committee for additional resources to begin addressing regulatory concerns surrounding the cryptocurrency industry. In that testimony, he said the entire crypto asset class was “rife with fraud, scams, and abuse.” Under Gensler, who was appointed commissioner by President Joe Biden in April 2021, the SEC views most crypto assets as securities. Since 2022, the SEC has charged multiple firms with violating federal securities law by offering and selling unregistered securities. As recently as Oct. 9, when he appeared at a conference at the New York University School of Law, Gensler said he continues to view the crypto industry as a hotbed of “fraudsters,” “grifters,” and “scams.” Gensler’s actions made him the crypto industry’s top political enemy , Claypool said. In 2024, the industry began spending on political causes through three linked committees: Fairshake, Defend American Jobs, and Protect Progress. Claypool said while these PACs were founded and funded by crypto, none of the advertisements and political messaging they paid for said anything about cryptocurrency or a candidate’s positions on financial regulations. Fairshake was launched in May 2023. According to federal records, within its first six months, it received donations of $1 million or more from Armstrong, Coinbase, and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz’s co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. By the end of 2023, it had raised about $85.7 million. Representatives of Coinbase, Andreessen, and Horowitz did not respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times. According to its latest FEC disclosure, covering its activities through Oct. 16, the PAC raised about $118.4 million and spent about $153.3 million in 2024. Its top donors were Coinbase, executives at Andreessen Horowitz, and Ripple Labs Inc. Representatives of Ripple did not respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times. Fairshake’s most significant independent expenditures against a single candidate, totaling more than $10 million, went toward opposing Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) in her bid to replace outgoing Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.). Porter lost in the state’s Democratic Party primary to Senator-elect Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) in March. Ahead of Porter’s primary, a new political group called the Stand With Crypto Alliance emerged. In its inaugural release, dated Feb. 7, Stand With Crypto said it planned to launch a “candidate questionnaire and voter education program” in California. Read the rest here...

Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Gets $30 Price Cut For Black Friday

Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant Pete Hegseth fought to save his nomination to be Donald Trump's defense secretary Wednesday as the president-elect considered possible replacements in the face of growing questions about the former Fox News host's personal conduct and ability to win Senate confirmation. Hegseth met with legislators on Capitol Hill, conducted a radio interview and released an opinion article denying allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. He insisted he was “not backing down one bit," that Trump was still supporting him and he planned to return Thursday for more meetings with lawmakers. But the president-elect's team was looking at alternatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump himself remained quiet about Hegseth while issuing a flurry of statements on social media Wednesday about other nominees and his news coverage. Hegeth, asked if he'd meet with Trump on Thursday, said he'd meet with him “anytime he'd like." Hegseth is the latest nominee-designate to be imperiled by personal baggage after the recent withdrawal of Trump’s initial pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose vulnerabilities were well-documented. But Hegseth’s past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies, was not widely known. Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — Former White House adviser Peter Navarro, who served prison time related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, will return to serve in Donald Trump’s second administration, the president-elect announced Wednesday. Navarro, a trade adviser during Trump’s first term, will be a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, Trump said on Truth Social. The position, Trump wrote, “leverages Peter’s broad range of White House experience, while harnessing his extensive Policy analytic and Media skills.” The appointment was only the first in a flurry of announcements that Trump made on Wednesday as his presidential transition faced controversy over Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief. Hegseth faces allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement, and Trump has considered replacing him with another potential nominee. As he works to fill out his team, Trump said he wanted Paul Atkins, a financial industry veteran and an advocate for cryptocurrency, to serve as the next chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He wrote on Truth Social that Atkins “recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.” Trump also said he was changing course on his choice for White House counsel. He said his original pick, William McGinley, will work with the Department of Government Efficiency, which will be run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy with the goal of cutting federal spending. Now David Warrington, who has worked as Trump’s personal lawyer and a lawyer for his campaign, will serve as White House counsel. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes tore through a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza on Wednesday, sparking fires and killing at least 21 people, according to the head of a nearby hospital, in the latest assault on a sprawling tent city that Israel designated a humanitarian safe zone but has repeatedly targeted. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants “involved in terrorist activities” in the area, without providing additional details, and said it took precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The strike on the Muwasi tent camp was one of several deadly assaults across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. An Israeli attack in central Gaza killed at least 10 more people, including four children, according to Palestinian medics. Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, shows no signs of ending after nearly 14 months. Hamas is still holding dozens of Israeli hostages, and most of Gaza’s population has been displaced and is reliant on international food aid to survive. Israel is also pressing a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say Palestinians might be experiencing famine. The Biden administration has pledged to make a new push for a Gaza ceasefire now that there's a truce in Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, ending more than a year of cross-border fighting. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump demanded this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term and whether he will abide by democratic principles. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Here's a look at the political firestorm caused by the martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years. Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law on Tuesday night was accompanied by a pledge to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces at a single stroke.” He vowed to protect the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” Yoon, a conservative, cited repeated attempts by his liberal rivals in control of parliament to impeach his top officials and curtail key parts of his budget bill for next year. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet members to resign, a first since 1962. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. A conservative appointed in September, Barnier becomes the shortest-serving prime minister in France’s modern Republic. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. President-elect Donald Trump won slightly more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, with a big assist from dog owners, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support the Republican over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Cat owners were split between the two candidates. About two-thirds of voters said they own a dog or cat, but pet owners don't usually get much attention from politicians. This year, however, past comments by Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue — and Taylor Swift signed her Instagram endorsement of Harris in September as “Taylor Swift Childless Cat Lady.” Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who owned a cat but not a dog. Still, those voters were a relatively small slice of the electorate, and pet owners as a whole did not seem to hold Vance's remarks against the GOP ticket. Childless or not, women who only owned a cat were more likely to support Harris than were dog owners, or voters who had a cat and a dog. About 6 in 10 women who owned a cat but not a dog supported Harris, according to AP VoteCast. She did similarly well among women who did not own either kind of pet.Two-time UK Championship winner Mark Selby lost in the first round of the 2024 event as fellow Englishman Jack Lisowski produced a superb fightback at the York Barbican on Sunday evening. Lisowski, 21st in the world rankings, was 3-0 behind and had only scored six points as Selby dominated the early stages with two stunning centuries. But Lisowski got back into the match and, aided by breaks of 55, 63, 100, 70 and 61, won six of the next seven frames to take the victory 6-4 and set up a last-16 tie with Ali Carter. Former world number one Mark Allen said his game "is not in a good place" after an "awful" performance as he battled to a 6-4 win over Jackson Page in the opening round. Northern Ireland's Allen, who won the tournament two years ago, only made one break of 50 against 23-year-old Page, a player 41st in the rankings and in his first last-32 match at the UK Championship. "It wasn't fun to be part of that match," said Allen. "I'm just playing like that all the time and it's hard to put my finger on why, that's the frustrating thing. "I got the job done and that's pretty much it, it was awful. I'm not in a good place with my game, everything else is fine but with snooker I'm just struggling. "I'm probably trying too hard, I just needed to give 100 per cent on every shot and nothing is coming easy for me." Allen reached the top of the world rankings for the first time in his career after the World Championship in May, before he was replaced by Judd Trump at the end of August. Now third in the world, the 38-year-old has reached two semi-finals in 2024-25, losing to Mark Selby at the British Open in September and against Xiao Guodong in the Champion of Champions earlier this month. Welshman Page led 3-2 but Allen, an 11-time ranking event winner, made his experience count as he won four of the next five frames to clinch victory. However, Allen, who plays either China's Si Jiahui or Wu Yize in the last 16, was left bemused by his lack of form. "I'm doing all the things that got me to world number one, working really hard on the practice table but it's not coming easy," he added. "I'm hoping one performance turns it around but I feel a million miles away from that. "Jackson is a brilliant talent but not very experienced on the big stage so I thought I would take advantage of that and it nearly backfired. "It's not fun, I'm not going to lie - I couldn't enjoy any part of that match. It's unsettling given how much I practice, and considering how hard I've been working. I'm probably not as far as I think I am, I'm my worst critic." In the other match in the afternoon session, England's Ali Carter defeated Welshman Ryan Day 6-4. Carter has twice lost in the semi-finals of the UK Championship, but had not won a match in the later stages of the tournament since his 9-8 loss to Shaun Murphy in the final four in 2012. "It's all about getting a win," said Carter. "Wins have been hard to come by of late and it has zapped my confidence. It was hard work from start to finish. "I found the table was quite heavy and to screw back was quite different, but you have to play on whatever the table is like. "I've had some good times here, but mostly terrible ones. I was 8-4 up in the [2012] semi-finals against Shaun Murphy and that went wrong 9-8 and I've not had too much success since then. "Everything is so dependent on doing well in the big ranking events. I've not had a good run here for a long time so let's hope it leads to one this year."

Madonna, 66, stuns as she poses with steam iron and cocktail in quirky online snap