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Newmark Group, Inc. (PRNewsfoto/Newmark Group, Inc.) First-of-its-kind single-asset, single-borrower ("SASB") transaction validates flexible apartment properties as an institutional asset class LOS ANGELES , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Newmark Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NMRK) ("Newmark" or "the Company"), a leading commercial real estate advisor and service provider to large institutional investors, global corporations, and other owners and occupiers, announces the completion of a landmark $525 million refinancing on behalf of ICONIQ Capital and Sentral: a first-of-its-kind single-asset, single-borrower CMBS loan to refinance flexible apartment properties. Newmark Co-President of Debt & Structured Finance Jonathan Firestone and Vice Chairman Bill Fishel arranged the financing, which was provided by Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs. The transaction is tied to a portfolio of six apartment properties totaling 1,790 units in vibrant urban markets. Sentral operates each asset in the portfolio, including approximately 25% of the units under a "flexible living" strategy in which units are fully furnished and made available for short- or mid-length stays. Terms of the financing include wide latitude for flexible management and various lengths of stay to optimize property performance. The six-building portfolio includes Sentral Union Station in Denver , Sentral Michigan Avenue in Chicago , Sentral SoBro in Nashville , Sentral Wynwood in Miami , Sentral East Austin 1614 and Sentral East Austin 1630. "This is a milestone transaction representing a significant validation of the flexible living model as an institutional asset class," said Firestone. "ICONIQ's SASB issuance is an endorsement of its innovative approach and Sentral's track record among debt underwriters and investors, including some of the largest and most sophisticated CMBS investors in the world." Sentral was created in 2019 to deliver flexibility to consumers and allow them to live on their own terms in high-quality multifamily assets in the most dynamic cities across the country. As the operator of the six properties included in this transaction, the company has developed a track record of strong results that have outperformed results from traditional apartment operations. Sentral now manages over 10,000 units in a third party capacity on behalf of ICONIQ and other institutional owners. Roman Speron , President of Sentral, said, "While furnished short- and mid-term rentals are relatively new to the Class A multifamily sector, consumer demand has been strong for many years. Sentral provides a way to capture this demand, manage and optimize results for institutional apartment owners and enhance satisfaction for long-term residents too." "ICONIQ's SASB transaction, and the pricing transparency that it provides, affirms that Sentral's flexible apartment assets are treated very similarly to traditional apartment buildings from a capital markets perspective," said Fishel. "Over time, we expect flexible apartment assets to be valued in line with traditional apartment assets given the consistent increased yield premiums the Sentral platform is able to generate relative to traditional apartments." Gibson Dunn and Latham & Watkins also advised on the transaction. About Sentral Sentral is the leading Class-A multifamily property management company that drives Net Operating Income for owners through differentiated operating capabilities. The company provides full-cycle property and asset management services on over $4 billion in multifamily assets for a growing list of institutional owners, nationwide. Sentral delivers flexible living services, authentic local experiences, premium amenities, community connection for residents and guests, and a tech-enabled platform that enhances operational efficiency. Sentral is backed by world-class firms in technology, hospitality, and real estate, including ICONIQ Capital, Highgate Hotels, and Ascendant Capital Partners. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and Denver . To learn more, visit Sentral.com or follow @SentralLife. About ICONIQ Capital ICONIQ Capital is a global investment firm elevated by an extraordinary community. With over $80B assets under management, we seek to build resilient investment portfolios, partner with inspired entrepreneurs transforming industries, manage our clients' lives and legacies, and create uncommon opportunities across sectors and society. About Newmark Newmark Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NMRK), together with its subsidiaries ("Newmark"), is a world leader in commercial real estate, seamlessly powering every phase of the property life cycle. Newmark's comprehensive suite of services and products is uniquely tailored to each client, from owners to occupiers, investors to founders, and startups to blue-chip companies. Combining the platform's global reach with market intelligence in both established and emerging property markets, Newmark provides superior service to clients across the industry spectrum. For the twelve months ended September 30, 2024 , Newmark generated revenues of approximately $2.6 billion . As of that same date, Newmark's company-owned offices, together with its business partners, operated from nearly 170 offices with more than 7,800 professionals around the world. To learn more, visit nmrk.com or follow @newmark . Discussion of Forward-Looking Statements about Newmark Statements in this document regarding Newmark that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These include statements about the Company's business, results, financial position, liquidity, and outlook, which may constitute forward-looking statements and are subject to the risk that the actual impact may differ, possibly materially, from what is currently expected. Except as required by law, Newmark undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see Newmark's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors and Special Note on Forward-Looking Information set forth in these filings and any updates to such risk factors and Special Note on Forward-Looking Information contained in subsequent reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newmark-arranges-525-million-refinancing-for-flexible-living-apartment-portfolio-operated-by-sentral-302329434.html SOURCE Newmark Group, Inc.Analysts and commentators are in a frenzy parsing the winners and losers in Donald Trump’s victory, all while billionaires and special interest groups are posturing to get on the president-elect’s good side. But one group won a surprising victory on Nov. 5 without spending a dime on political donations, lobbying, campaigning or any politicking at all: the classical education movement. Classical education is a nonexistent player on the national political scene. It doesn’t have a super PAC, and, frankly, classical schools don’t represent a large pocket of voters. Instead, those involved in classical education quietly educate a relatively small number of American students in the great Western historical, literary and intellectual tradition. Yet elected leaders — including Mr. Trump — have expended their political capital to support the classical school movement. Mr. Trump did perhaps the most to bring the classical school movement into the spotlight through his stripped-down and innovative Republican Party platform. Eschewing the usual laundry list of lobbyist-approved policy proposals and slashing the traditional length of a platform by dozens of pages, Mr. Trump nonetheless gave a prized place to classical education. In a brief chapter on the Republican plan to “renew the pillars of American civilization,” one of Mr. Trump’s nine policy planks was to support “the restoration of Classic Liberal Arts Education.” The plank was complete with Mr. Trump’s signature liberal use of capitalization, proof that he wrote, or at least edited, the document himself. And again, in one of his nine planks in the platform’s brief chapter on education, Mr. Trump proclaimed the Republican Party’s support for schools that teach “Western Civilization.” The choice of Linda McMahon — an ardent school choice advocate — as secretary of education reveals that Mr. Trump remains committed to upending the often anti-Western education system as we know it. These aren’t one-off concerns. As president, Mr. Trump gave a rousing defense of the glories and traditions of Western civilization in a speech in Poland where he declared that “the West will never, ever be broken. Our values will prevail. Our people will thrive. And our civilization with triumph.” Earlier this year, he praised Hungarian President Viktor Orban for “proudly fighting on the front lines of the battle to rescue Western civilization.” He even attacked Vice President Kamala Harris as “the candidate of the forces who want to destroy Western civilization.” Mr. Trump isn’t alone in supporting classical education and Western civilization. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has embraced classical education in everything from his choices for school board to allowing the use of the Classic Learning Test (where I am the CEO) as an alternative to the SAT and ACT for admission to his state’s public universities. Meanwhile, Texas is poised to become the largest state in the union to embrace school choice, freedom that will pour rocket fuel on the already booming classical school movement that saw enrollment increases of roughly 600% over only 10 years. It’s not only Republicans. Cornel West ran for president to the left of the Democratic Party this last cycle, and he has long supported classical education as a means of justice and liberation, especially for Black and brown people. With support from Mr. Trump on the right to Mr. West on the left and from state governments up to the national level, classical schools are set to grow more rapidly than ever. The biggest obstacle holding the classical movement back is that they can’t build schools and hire teachers fast enough. If our leaders want this movement to take off, it’s time to transform supportive rhetoric into action. That especially means investing in teacher pay at classical schools through private support or public policy. Once great teachers see that they not only can escape traditional public schools’ ideological and bureaucratic constraints by moving to a classical school but also get paid more to do it, this movement will explode. Yet with the classical movement making waves across the nation, a major question remains: Why have such a diverse set of politicians in our country, including the president-elect, lined up to back an educational movement that has effectively no political influence? Maybe it stems from recognizing that the current educational model is failing our students. Maybe our political leaders want to support an educational model that doesn’t embrace propaganda or educational fads from either side but instead favors timeless pedagogy that cultivates intellectually curious, intelligent and free adults. Maybe people do want an education system that actually educates. Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. .EXCLUSIVE How a chance meeting got former Tottenham star Sandro out of retirement to play for seventh-tier Harborough Town in the biggest game in their history Ex-Spurs and Brazil midfielder Sandro joined Harborough Town on November 5 Seventh-tier Harborough will play Reading in round two of the FA Cup on Sunday This Man City team is DONE and Pep Guardiola has been sleeping on the job - LISTEN NOW to It's All Kicking Off! New episodes every Monday and Thursday By DAVID COVERDALE Published: 17:30 EST, 30 November 2024 | Updated: 17:39 EST, 30 November 2024 e-mail View comments The effervescent manager of Harborough Town is holding court at a press conference when he is interrupted by 'The Beast' strolling through the door of the members' bar, which is serving as a media room. 'Sorry I'm late,' says Sandro, the 6ft 2in tall former midfielder for Brazil and Tottenham , where fans gave him his nickname, who had arrived half-an-hour behind schedule after driving from London to Leicestershire. 'That's a fine!' bellows his beaming boss Mitch Austin to much laughter, as his new signing sheepishly blames the traffic before finding a space to stand next to the bricklayer, gas engineer and glazier who he now calls his team-mates. After observing the rest of Austin's entertaining pre-match conference, Sandro heads to the dressing room to get ready for his first training session with the Southern League Premier Division Central club — more than two years after he last played competitive football. 'I think I can do it,' jokes the 35-year-old as he ambles on to the 4G pitch in near-freezing temperatures, the last player to join the group following a massage and his own interview commitments. 'He just said to me, "Have you got any gloves?" Austin said as he follows Sandro out of the tunnel. 'I said, "No, get out there".' Former Tottenham and Brazil midfielder Sandro signed for Harborough Town on November 5 Sandro spoke to Mail Sport this week ahead of his first appearance in the FA Cup since 2016 Sandro played in 106 first-team games for Spurs between 2010 and 2014, scoring three goals But if his late arrival, massage and gloves request appear to paint the ex-Premier League star as a prima donna, that could not be further from reality. No, this is a man who has come out of retirement to play for free for the seventh-tier Midlands club in the biggest match in their history — Sunday's FA Cup second-round tie at Reading. And all as a goodwill gesture following a chance meeting with Tottenham season ticket-holder Austin in a hospitality box earlier this season. 'It's a funny story,' starts Sandro, who later poses for pictures with a replica of the FA Cup, which Austin was given when Harborough — who had never previously gone past the second qualifying round — reached the first-round proper. 'I work for Tottenham at home games, talking to the fans. Mitch was in the restaurant and was saying, "Sandro, you look good, you should play for my team." I said, "Yeah, why not, man, let's go." It was just like that.' Sandro looks as trim as ever and signed for the Bees on November 5, but was banned from playing for two matches, having been sent off in his last pro appearance, for Belenenses in Portugal's top flight in April 2022. He is, though, eligible to make his debut on Sunday for the lowest-ranked club left in the world's oldest cup competition. 'I thought I was finished and that I was never going to play again,' Sandro says. 'It is so magical for me after two years of just watching football and missing it. 'Now I have an opportunity to express myself again in one tackle, one header. I used to play against Reading in the Premier League and now I am going to face them in the FA Cup. His shock move to Harborough came more than 12 months after he had retired from football Sandro pictured training with his team-mates ahead of Sunday's FA Cup clash with Reading As well as winning 17 senior caps for Brazil, Sandro played at the Olympic Games in 2012 'To be part of this and to enjoy myself and try to help them, it is just what I want. I know they are living the dream — and I am living the dream as well.' Sandro's retirement U-turn is perhaps the most eccentric act yet in a life that has been full of them. Famously, he became hooked on darts after moving to Tottenham for £8million from Internacional in Brazil in 2010, striking up an unlikely friendship with former world finalist Bobby George. When Mail Sport interviewed him at his home in Essex in 2012, he stunned our reporter by singing and strumming his guitar to Coldplay and the Black Eyed Peas. Twelve years on, Sandro breaks into song again when asked what tune he performed in front of Harborough's players for his initiation. 'Nossa, nossa, assim voce me mata,' he sings tunefully in his native tongue. 'In Brazil, it is a good song,' Sandro says. If his dressing-room singing helped him integrate into the Harborough squad, so too did his attitude at training on Wednesday night, when he could be heard celebrating every tackle won by a team-mate in the small-sided games. That is not to say, though, that Sandro was not apprehensive about playing again after so long out of the game. 'When I said yes to playing, I needed to start to run because I was just doing strength work in the gym, not running,' he admits. 'My body wasn't ready to go again after two years. 'I was back in Brazil last week and I called my friends and said, "You have to help me out here because I have a game coming up." So we arranged a seven-a-side with friends and it was good.' Midfielder Sandro looked fit and appeared to be training very hard ahead of Sunday's match Sandro has refused to be paid by Harborough - even rejecting offers to cover his expenses The next match he plays will be at Reading, where Sandro played for Tottenham in the Premier League in 2012, when he enjoyed a 3-1 win, thanks to two goals from Jermain Defoe and one from Gareth Bale. 'Gareth, I always said that he was the best player I played with. He could do everything, anything,' says Sandro, who spends most of his time in Portugal and has completed his UEFA B Licence as he bids to become a manager. Sandro also played alongside Brazilian superstars Ronaldinho, Neymar and Ronaldo, who he calls 'Phenomenon', during his 17-cap international career. 'I enjoyed my time and I want to enjoy it again.' His enjoyment could only be topped if Harborough — who have won two promotions in three seasons — beat Reading and are drawn away at Spurs in the third round. 'How amazing that would be,' he says, with another huge grin. 'If that happens, count me in.' Reading Tottenham Hotspur Brazil FA Cup Share or comment on this article: How a chance meeting got former Tottenham star Sandro out of retirement to play for seventh-tier Harborough Town in the biggest game in their history e-mail Add comment
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NEW YORK — George Joseph Kresge Jr., who was known to generations of TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, has died at age 89. Kreskin's friend and former road manager, Ryan Galway, told The Associated Press that he died Tuesday at his home in Caldwell, New Jersey, where he spent much of his life. Galway said Kreskin had not been feeling well in recent weeks but otherwise did not provide a cause of death. FILE - George Joseph Kresge Jr., better known as "The Amazing Kreskin," poses for a portrait in Toronto on April 24, 2007. Inspired by the crime-fighting comic book character Mandrake the Magician, Kreskin launched his television career in the 1960s and remained popular for decades, making guest appearances on talk shows hosted by everyone from Merv Griffin to Johnny Carson to Jimmy Fallon. Fans would welcome, if not entirely figure out, his favorite mind tricks — whether correctly guessing a playing card chosen at random, or, most famously, divining where his paycheck had been planted among the audience. He also hosted his own show in the 1970s, gave live performances and wrote numerous books, including “Secrets of the Amazing Kreskin” and “Mental Power Is Real.” Although he was a talk show regular, one host wasn't amused by a Kreskin stunt. In 2002, he claimed that a UFO would appear over Las Vegas on the night of June 2, and added that he would donate $50,000 to charity if he was wrong. Hundreds of people gathered in the desert, in vain. Kreskin acknowledged to radio personality Art Bell that his prediction was a hoax, a way of proving that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks the year before had made people susceptible to manipulation. Bell called the ruse “lame, lame, lame” and banned him from his show. Galway said that Kreskin continued to make live appearances well into his 80s, and only stopped earlier this year after injuring himself in a fall. Kreskin never married and left no immediate survivors. “His career was his life. That was his marriage,” Galway said. “He was dedicated to his craft.” FILE - Mentalist George Joseph Kresge, known as "The Amazing Kreskin," attends a screening of "The Great Buck Howard" in New York on March 10, 2009. Germany players celebrate after Andreas Brehme, left on ground, scores the winning goal in the World Cup soccer final match against Argentina, in the Olympic Stadium, in Rome, July 8, 1990. Andreas Brehme, who scored the only goal as West Germany beat Argentina to win the 1990 World Cup final, died Feb. 20, 2024. He was 63. Brian Mulroney, the former prime minister of Canada, listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico relationship, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mulroney died at the age of 84 on Feb. 29, 2024. The Rev. James Lawson Jr. speaks Sept. 17, 2015, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Lawson Jr., an apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction, has died, his family said Monday. He was 95. His family said Lawson died on Sunday after a short illness in Los Angeles, where he spent decades working as a pastor, labor movement organizer and university professor. Lawson was a close adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who called him “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” Lawson met King in 1957, after spending three years in India soaking up knowledge about Mohandas K. Gandhi’s independence movement. King would travel to India himself two years later, but at the time, he had only read about Gandhi in books. Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Jerry West, representing the 1960 USA Olympic Team, is seen Aug. 13, 2010, during the enshrinement news conference at the Hall of Fame Museum in Springfield, Mass. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died June 12, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, was an NBA champion who went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the gold medal-winning 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called West “one of the greatest executives in sports history.” Actor and director Ron Simons, seen Jan. 23, 2011, during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, died June 12. Simons turned into a formidable screen and stage producer, winning four Tony Awards and having several films selected at the Sundance Film Festival. He won Tonys for producing “Porgy and Bess,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” and “Jitney.” He also co-produced “Hughie,” with Forest Whitaker, “The Gin Game,” starring Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,” an all-Black production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” the revival of "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" and the original work “Thoughts of a Colored Man.” He was in the films “27 Dresses” and “Mystery Team,” as well as on the small screen in “The Resident,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “Law & Order: SVU.” Bob Schul of West Milton, Ohio, hits the tape Oct. 18, 1964, to win the 5,000 meter run at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Schul, the only American distance runner to win the 5,000 meters at the Olympics, died June 16. He was 86. His death was announced by Miami University in Ohio , where Schul shined on the track and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 1973. Schul predicted gold leading into the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and followed through with his promise. On a rainy day in Japan, he finished the final lap in a blistering 54.8 seconds to sprint to the win. His white shorts were covered in mud at the finish. He was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1991. He also helped write a book called “In the Long Run.” San Francisco Giants superstar Willie Mays poses for a photo during baseball spring training in 1972. Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, died June 18. He was 93. The center fielder, who began his professional career in the Negro Leagues in 1948, had been baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. He was voted into the Hall in 1979, his first year of eligibility, and in 1999 followed only Babe Ruth on The Sporting News’ list of the game’s top stars. The Giants retired his uniform number, 24, and set their AT&T Park in San Francisco on Willie Mays Plaza. Mays died two days before a game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to honor the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham , Alabama. Over 23 major league seasons, virtually all with the New York/San Francisco Giants but also including one in the Negro Leagues, Mays batted .301, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,293 hits, scored more than 2,000 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves. He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, twice was named the Most Valuable Player and finished in the top 10 for the MVP 10 other times. His lightning sprint and over-the-shoulder grab of an apparent extra base hit in the 1954 World Series remains the most celebrated defensive play in baseball history. For millions in the 1950s and ’60s and after, the smiling ballplayer with the friendly, high-pitched voice was a signature athlete and showman during an era when baseball was still the signature pastime. Awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015, Mays left his fans with countless memories. But a single feat served to capture his magic — one so untoppable it was simply called “The Catch.” Actor Donald Sutherland appears Oct. 13, 2017, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sutherland, the Canadian actor whose wry, arrestingly off-kilter screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games,” died June 20. He was 88. Kiefer Sutherland said on X he believed his father was one of the most important actors in the history of film: “Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that.” The tall and gaunt Sutherland, who flashed a grin that could be sweet or diabolical, was known for offbeat characters like Hawkeye Pierce in Robert Altman's "M.A.S.H.," the hippie tank commander in "Kelly's Heroes" and the stoned professor in "Animal House." Before transitioning into a long career as a respected character actor, Sutherland epitomized the unpredictable, antiestablishment cinema of the 1970s. He never stopped working, appearing in nearly 200 films and series. Over the decades, Sutherland showed his range in more buttoned-down — but still eccentric — roles in Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" and Oliver Stone's "JFK." More, recently, he starred in the “Hunger Games” films. A memoir, “Made Up, But Still True,” is due out in November. Actor Bill Cobbs, a cast member in "Get Low," arrives July 27, 2010, at the premiere of the film in Beverly Hills, Calif. Cobbs, the veteran character actor who became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man, died June 25. He was 90. A Cleveland native, Cobbs acted in such films as “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “The Bodyguard” and “Night at the Museum.” He made his first big-screen appearance in a fleeting role in 1974's “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three." He became a lifelong actor with some 200 film and TV credits. The lion share of those came in his 50s, 60s, and 70s, as filmmakers and TV producers turned to him again and again to imbue small but pivotal parts with a wizened and worn soulfulness. Cobbs appeared on television shows including “The Sopranos," “The West Wing,” “Sesame Street” and “Good Times.” He was Whitney Houston's manager in “The Bodyguard” (1992), the mystical clock man of the Coen brothers' “The Hudsucker Proxy” (1994) and the doctor of John Sayles' “Sunshine State” (2002). He played the coach in “Air Bud” (1997), the security guard in “Night at the Museum” (2006) and the father on “The Gregory Hines Show." Cobbs rarely got the kinds of major parts that stand out and win awards. Instead, Cobbs was a familiar and memorable everyman who left an impression on audiences, regardless of screen time. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding limited performance in a daytime program for the series “Dino Dana” in 2020. Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman speaks with the media Nov. 7, 2009, at his campaign headquarters in Austin, Texas. The singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist, who led the alt-country band Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan, sang with Willie Nelson, and dabbled in politics with campaigns for Texas governor and other statewide offices, died June 27. He was 79 and had suffered from Parkinson's disease. Often called “The Kinkster" and sporting sideburns, a thick mustache and cowboy hat, Friedman earned a cult following and reputation as a provocateur throughout his career across musical and literary genres. In the 1970s, his satirical country band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys wrote songs with titles such as “They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in Bed.” Friedman joined part of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1976. By the 1980s, Friedman was writing crime novels that often included a version of himself, and he wrote a column for Texas Monthly magazine in the 2000s. Friedman's run at politics brought his brand of irreverence to the serious world of public policy. In 2006, Friedman ran for governor as an independent in a five-way race that included incumbent Republican Rick Perry. Friedman launched his campaign against the backdrop of the Alamo. Martin Mull participates in "The Cool Kids" panel during the Fox Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour on Aug. 2, 2018, at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development,” died June 28. He was 80. Mull, who was also a guitarist and painter, came to national fame with a recurring role on the Norman Lear-created satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” and the starring role in its spinoff, “Fernwood Tonight." His first foray into show business was as a songwriter, penning the 1970 semi-hit “A Girl Named Johnny Cash” for singer Jane Morgan. He would combine music and comedy in an act that he brought to hip Hollywood clubs in the 1970s. Mull often played slightly sleazy, somewhat slimy and often smarmy characters as he did as Teri Garr's boss and Michael Keaton's foe in 1983's “Mr. Mom.” He played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 movie adaptation of the board game “Clue,” which, like many things Mull appeared in, has become a cult classic. The 1980s also brought what many thought was his best work, “A History of White People in America,” a mockumentary that first aired on Cinemax. Mull co-created the show and starred as a “60 Minutes” style investigative reporter investigating all things milquetoast and mundane. Willard was again a co-star. In the 1990s he was best known for his recurring role on several seasons on “Roseanne,” in which he played a warmer, less sleazy boss to the title character, an openly gay man whose partner was played by Willard, who died in 2020 . Mull would later play private eye Gene Parmesan on “Arrested Development,” a cult-classic character on a cult-classic show, and would be nominated for an Emmy, his first, in 2016 for a guest run on “Veep.” Screenwriter Robert Towne poses at The Regency Hotel, March 7, 2006, in New York. Towne, the Oscar-winning screenplay writer of "Shampoo," "The Last Detail" and other acclaimed films whose work on "Chinatown" became a model of the art form and helped define the jaded allure of his native Los Angeles, died Monday, July 1, 2024, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said publicist Carri McClure. She declined to comment on any cause of death. Vic Seixas of the United States backhands a volley from Denmark's Jurgen Ulrich in the first round of men's singles match at Wimbledon, England, June 27, 1967. Vic Seixas, a Wimbledon winner and tennis Hall of Famer who was the oldest living Grand Slam champion, has died July 5 at the age of 100. The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Seixas’ death on Saturday July 6, 2024, based on confirmation from his daughter Tori. In this June 30, 2020, file photo, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., speaks to reporters following a GOP policy meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Former Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma died July 9. He was 89. The family says in a statement that the Republican had a stroke during the July Fourth holiday and died Tuesday morning. Inhofe was a powerful fixture in state politics for decades. He doubted that climate change was caused by human activity, calling the theory “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” As Oklahoma’s senior U.S. senator, he was a staunch supporter of the state’s military installations. He was elected to a fifth Senate term in 2020 and stepped down in early 2023. The Oak Ridge Boys, from left, Joe Bonsall, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen and William Lee Golden hold their awards for Top Vocal Group and Best Album of the Year for "Ya'll Come Back Saloon", during the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., May 3, 1979. Bonsall died on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Hendersonville, Tenn. He was 76. A Philadelphia native and resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Bonsall joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973, which originally formed in the 1940s. He saw the band through its golden period in the '80s and beyond, which included their signature 1981 song “Elvira.” The hit marked a massive crossover moment for the group, reaching No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100. The group is also known for such hits as 1982’s “Bobbie Sue." Shelley Duvall poses for photographers at the 30th Cannes Film Festival in France, May 27, 1977. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” died July 11. She was 75. Dr. Ruth Westheimer holds a copy of her book "Sex for Dummies" at the International Frankfurt Book Fair 'Frankfurter Buchmesse' in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Westheimer, the sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics, died on July 12, 2024. She was 96. Richard Simmons sits for a portrait in Los Angeles, June 23, 1982. Simmons, a fitness guru who urged the overweight to exercise and eat better, died July 13 at the age of 76. Simmons was a court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. Simmons was a former 268-pound teen who shared his hard-won weight loss tips as the host of the Emmy-winning daytime “Richard Simmons Show" and the “Sweatin' to the Oldies” line of exercise videos, which became a cultural phenomenon. Former NFL receiver Jacoby Jones died July 14 at age 40. Jones' 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. The Houston Texans were Jones’ team for the first five seasons of his career. They announced his death on Sunday. In a statement released by the NFL Players Association, his family said he died at his home in New Orleans. A cause of death was not given. Jones played from 2007-15 for the Texans, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He made several huge plays for the Ravens during their most recent Super Bowl title season, including that kick return. The "Beverly Hills, 90210" star whose life and career were roiled by tabloid stories, Shannen Doherty died July 13 at 53. Doherty's publicist said the actor died Saturday following years with breast cancer. Catapulted to fame as Brenda in “Beverly Hills, 90210,” she worked in big-screen films including "Mallrats" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and in TV movies including "A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story," in which she played the "Gone with the Wind" author. Doherty co-starred with Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano in the series “Charmed” from 1998-2001; appeared in the “90210” sequel series seven years later and competed on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2010. Actor James Sikking poses for a photograph at the Los Angeles gala celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Organization for Women, Dec. 1, 1986. Sikking, who starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character's kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” died July 13 of complications from dementia, his publicist Cynthia Snyder said in a statement. He was 90. Pat Williams chats with media before the 2004 NBA draft in Orlando, Fla. Williams, a co-founder of the Orlando Magic and someone who spent more than a half-century working within the NBA, died July 17 from complications related to viral pneumonia. The team announced the death Wednesday. Williams was 84. He started his NBA career as business manager of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1968, then had stints as general manager of the Chicago Bulls, the Atlanta Hawks and the 76ers — helping that franchise win a title in 1983. Williams was later involved in starting the process of bringing an NBA team to Orlando. The league’s board of governors granted an expansion franchise in 1987, and the team began play in 1989. Lou Dobbs speaks Feb. 24, 2017, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Md. Dobbs, the conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host who was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade, died July 18. He was 78. His death was announced in a post on his official X account, which called him a “fighter till the very end – fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country.” He hosted “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on Fox from 2011 to 2021, following two separate stints at CNN. No cause of death was given. Bob Newhart, center, poses with members of the cast and crew of the "Bob Newhart Show," from top left, Marcia Wallace, Bill Daily, Jack Riley, and, Suzanne Pleshette, foreground left, and Dick Martin at TV Land's 35th anniversary tribute to "The Bob Newhart Show" on Sept. 5, 2007, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Newhart has died at age 94. Jerry Digney, Newhart’s publicist, says the actor died July 18 in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses. The accountant-turned-comedian gained fame with a smash album and became one of the most popular TV stars of his time. Newhart was a Chicago psychologist in “The Bob Newhart Show” in the 1970s and a Vermont innkeeper on “Newhart” in the 1980s. Both shows featured a low-key Newhart surrounded by eccentric characters. The second had a twist ending in its final show — the whole series was revealed to have been a dream by the psychologist he played in the other show. Cheng Pei-pei, a Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” died July 17 at age 78. Her family says Cheng, who had been diagnosed with a rare illness with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, passed away Wednesday at home surrounded by her loved ones. The Shanghai-born film star became a household name in Hong Kong, once dubbed the Hollywood of the Far East, for her performances in martial arts movies in the 1960s. She played Jade Fox, who uses poisoned needles, in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which was released in 2000, grossed $128 million in North America and won four Oscars. Abdul “Duke” Fakir holds his life time achievement award backstage at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles. The last surviving original member of the Four Tops died July 22. Abdul “Duke” Fakir was 88. He was a charter member of the Motown group along with lead singer Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton. Between 1964 and 1967, the Tops had 11 top 20 hits and two No. 1′s: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and the operatic classic “Reach Out I’ll Be There.” Other songs, often stories of romantic pain and longing, included “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” “Bernadette” and “Just Ask the Lonely.” Sculptress Elizabeth Catlett, left, then-Washington D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon, center, and then-curator, division of community life, Smithsonian institution Bernice Johnson Reagon chat during the reception at the Candace awards on June 25, 1991 in New York. Reagon, a musician and scholar who used her rich, powerful contralto voice in the service of the American Civil Rights Movement and human rights struggles around the world, died on July 16, 2024, according to her daughter's social media post. She was 81. John Mayall, the British blues musician whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars, died July 22. He was 90. He is credited with helping develop the English take on urban, Chicago-style rhythm and blues that played an important role in the blues revival of the late 1960s. A statement on Mayall's official Instagram page says he died Monday at his home in California. Though Mayall never approached the fame of some of his illustrious alumni, he was still performing in his late 80s, pounding out his version of Chicago blues. Erica Ash, an actor and comedian skilled in sketch comedy who starred in the parody series “Mad TV” and “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” has died. She was 46. Her publicist and a statement by her mother, Diann, says Ash died July 28 in Los Angeles of cancer. Ash impersonated Michelle Obama and Condoleeza Rice on “Mad TV,” a Fox sketch series, and was a key performer on the Rosie O’Donnell-created series “The Big Gay Sketch Show.” Her other credits included “Scary Movie V,” “Uncle Drew” and the LeBron James-produced basketball dramedy “Survivor’s Remorse.” On the BET series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” Ash played the ex-wife of Kevin Hart’s character. Jack Russell, the lead singer of the bluesy '80s metal band Great White whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me” and was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. He was 63. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Susan Wojcicki, the former YouTube chief executive officer and longtime Google executive, died Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, after suffering with non small cell lung cancer for the past two years. She was 56. Frank Selvy, an All-America guard at Furman who scored an NCAA Division I-record 100 points in a game and later played nine NBA seasons, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. He was 91. Wallace “Wally” Amos, the creator of the cookie empire that took his name and made it famous and who went on to become a children’s literacy advocate, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, from complications with dementia. He was 88. Gena Rowlands, hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes, and who later charmed audiences in her son's tear-jerker “The Notebook,” died Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. She was 94. Peter Marshall, the actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares,” died. Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 He was 98. Alain Delon, the internationally acclaimed French actor who embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. He was 88. Phil Donahue, whose pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, after a long illness. He was 88. Al Attles, a Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador, died Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. He was 87. John Amos, who starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots,” died Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. He was 84. James Darren, a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget,” died Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. He was 88. James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen has died. He was 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Sept. 9 at home. Jones was a pioneering actor who eventually lent his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Working deep into his 80s, he won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor. Frankie Beverly, who with his band Maze inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go,” has died. He was 77. His family said in a post on the band’s website and social media accounts that Beverly died Sept. 10. In the post, which asked for privacy, the family said “he lived his life with a pure soul, as one would say, and for us, no one did it better.” The post did not say his cause of death or where he died. Beverly, whose songs include “Joy and Pain,” “Love is the Key,” and “Southern Girl,” finished his farewell “I Wanna Thank You Tour” in his hometown of Philadelphia in July. Joe Schmidt, the Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team, has died. He was 92. The Lions said family informed the team Schmidt died Sept. 11. A cause of death was not provided. One of pro football’s first great middle linebackers, Schmidt played his entire NFL career with the Lions from 1953-65. An eight-time All-Pro, he was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and the college football version in 2000. Born in Pittsburgh, Schmidt played college football in his hometown at Pitt. Chad McQueen, an actor known for his performances in the “Karate Kid” movies and the son of the late actor and racer Steve McQueen, died Sep. 11. His lawyer confirmed his death at age 63. McQueen's family shared a statement on social media saying he lived a life “filled with love and dedication.” McQueen was a professional race car driver, like his father, and competed in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona races. He is survived by his wife Jeanie and three children, Chase, Madison and Steven, who is an actor best known for “The Vampire Diaries.” Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, died at age 70 on Sept. 15. Jackson was the third of nine children, including global superstars Michael and Janet. The Jackson 5 included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. They signed with Berry Gordy’s Motown empire in the 1960s. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s, including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.” John David “JD” Souther has died. He was a prolific songwriter and musician whose collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s. Souther joined in on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such as “Best of My Love,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Heartache Tonight." The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee also collaborated with James Taylor, Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt and many more. His biggest hit as a solo artist was “You’re Only Lonely.” He was about to tour with Karla Bonoff. Souther died Sept. 17 at his home in New Mexico, at 78. In this photo, JD Souther and Alison Krauss attend the Songwriters Hall of Fame 44th annual induction and awards gala on Thursday, June 13, 2013 in New York. Sen. Dan Evans stands with his three sons, from left, Mark, Bruce and Dan Jr., after he won the election for Washington's senate seat in Seattle, Nov. 8, 1983. Evans, a former Washington state governor and a U.S. Senator, died Sept. 20. The popular Republican was 98. He served as governor from 1965 to 1977, and he was the keynote speaker at the 1968 National Republican Convention. In 1983, Evans was appointed to served out the term of Democratic Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson after he died in office. Evans opted not to stand for election in 1988, citing the “tediousness" of the Senate. He later served as a regent at the University of Washington, where the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance bears his name. Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded backfield and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, died Sept. 21. He was 77. The team on Sunday confirmed the death of Morris, a three-time Pro Bowl selection. In a statement, his family said his “talent and passion left an indelible mark on the sport.” Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go-to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-to-back title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons. John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. He was 76. Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and won new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Sept. 27 at 89. Smith's publicist announced the news Friday. She was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. “Jean Brodie” brought her the Academy Award for best actress in 1969. Smith added a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978. Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 88. Drake Hogestyn, the “Days of Our Lives” star who appeared on the show for 38 years, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 70. Ron Ely, the tall, musclebound actor who played the title character in the 1960s NBC series “Tarzan,” died Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at age 86. Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58. Frank Fritz, left, part of a two-man team who drove around the U.S. looking for antiques and collectibles to buy and resell on the reality show “American Pickers,” died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 60. He's shown here with co-host Mike Wolfe at the A+E Networks 2015 Upfront in New York on April 30, 2015. Pete Rose, baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 83. Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, died Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in her New Jersey home. She was 91. Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, her family said. She was 96. Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans, was found dead Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, local officials said. He was 31. Mitzi Gaynor, among the last survivors of the so-called golden age of the Hollywood musical, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. She was 93. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. He was 63. Jack Jones, a Grammy-winning crooner known for “The Love Boat” television show theme song, died, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. He was 86. Phil Lesh, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at age 84. Teri Garr, the quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie," died Tuesday, Oct 29, 2024. She was 79. Quincy Jones, the multitalented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, died Sunday, Nov 3, 2024. He was 91 Bobby Allison, founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, died Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. He was 86. Song Jae-lim, a South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Queen Woo,” was found dead at his home in capital Seoul, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. He was 39. British actor Timothy West, who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain's waterways, died Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024. He was 90. Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport, died Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. He was 82. Arthur Frommer, whose "Europe on 5 Dollars a Day" guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 95. Former Chicago Bulls forward Bob Love, a three-time All-Star who spent 11 years in the NBA, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 81. Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, died Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. He was 83. Barbara Taylor Bradford, a British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga "A Woman of Substance" and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies, died Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. She was 91. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays
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Choice Hotels Announces Quarterly Cash DividendNEW YORK - US authorities on Tuesday charged the man suspected of gunning down a health insurance CEO in New York earlier this month with murder, including a charge of second-degree murder "as an act of terrorism." Mangione, 26, is accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street on December 4, triggering a nationwide manhunt that ended last week when he was spotted at a Pennsylvania McDonald's. The former data engineer remains jailed in that state as he fights efforts to extradite him to New York to face charges there over the killing, which brought into focus widespread public anger against the US health care system. Mangione "is charged with one count of murder in the first degree and two counts of murder in the second degree, including one count of murder in the second degree as an act of terrorism," said Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg. Bragg said the terrorism charge was included because the shooting met the prerequisites for such a determination under New York law. "In its most basic terms, this was a killing that was intended to evoke terror and we've seen that reaction," he said. "This was not an ordinary killing." The maximum penalty for the murder charges Mangione faces is life in prison without parole, Bragg said. The suspect was also charged with several crimes related to his possession of a weapon, which authorities said was a 3D-printed "ghost gun." "We allege he... took out a nine-millimeter 3D-printed ghost gun equipped with a 3D-printed suppressor and shot (Thompson) once in the back and once in the leg," said Bragg. "These weapons are increasingly proliferating throughout New York City and the entire country. Evolving technology will only make this problem worse," he said. "Last year, over 80 ghost guns and ghost gun parts were recovered in Manhattan alone." - 'Shocking and appalling' - In the wake of Thompson's killing, many social media users have lionized Mangione, with some even calling for further killings of other CEOs. Jessica Tisch, the New York City police commissioner, criticized members of the public who had praised the murder. "In the nearly two weeks since Mr Thompson's killing, we have seen a shocking and appalling celebration of cold-blooded murder," said Tisch Mangione is due in a Pennsylvania court on Thursday, when he is also due at a hearing on his extradition to New York.
Nancy Mace's shameless exploitation of America's first transgender congresswomanWASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors moved Monday to abandon the classified documents case against President-elect Donald Trump in light of longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The announcement in an appeals court filing in Florida came shortly after a similar filing was made by prosecutors in Washington, D.C., where they asked to dismiss the case accusing Trump of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. FILE - Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) The move amounts to a predictable but nonetheless stunning conclusion to a criminal case that just one year ago had been seen as the most perilous legal threat that he faced. It reflects the practical consequences of Trump’s victory, ensuring he enters office free from scrutiny over his hoarding of top secret documents and conduct that prosecutors said had jeopardized national scrutiny. The dismissal had been foreshadowed in recent weeks by the revelation that special counsel Jack Smith was evaluating how to wind down both that case and a separate pending prosecution he brought charging Trump with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Justice Department legal opinions dating back decades say sitting presidents cannot be indicted or prosecuted while in office. People are also reading... THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. Special counsel Jack Smith asked a federal judge on Monday to dismiss the case accusing President-elect Donald Trump of plotting to overturn the 2020 election, citing longstanding Justice Department policy shielding presidents from prosecution while in office. The move announced in court papers marks the end of the Justice Department's landmark effort to hold Trump accountable for what prosecutors called a criminal conspiracy to cling to power in the run-up to his supporters' attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Justice Department prosecutors, citing longstanding department guidance that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted, said the department’s position is that “the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated.” “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing. The decision was expected after Smith's team began assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the separate classified documents case in the wake of Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Justice Department believes Trump can no longer be tried in accordance with longstanding policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. Trump has cast both cases as politically motivated, and had vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. President-elect Donald Trump arrives before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP) The 2020 election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing the Republican as he vied to reclaim the White House. But it quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of using “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will over voters after he lost to President Joe Biden. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.There are only 73 days until the 2025 MLS season kicks off. By the time we get through the holiday season, players will be close to reporting to their clubs for preseason training camp, jersey leaks will start trickling in, and general managers around the league will continue revamping their rosters in the unavoidable belief that somehow, maybe, this just might be their year. A key mechanism to add players is through free agency. To be eligible, out-of-contract players must be at least 24 years old and have at least five years of MLS service. On Thursday, December 12, MLS free agency will officially open at 1 pm ET, allowing teams to officially begin negotiations with free agents. Here at GIVEMESPORT , we’re breaking down the best available free agents. A quick caveat: For simplicity's sake, players like João Paulo , Albert Rusnák , Aaron Long, Wil Trapp and others who are still in discussions with their prior clubs and are expected to return are not included here. Onward! 1 Jack Elliott Previous team: Philadelphia Union (2017-2024) Age : 29 Position : Center-back 2024 appearances: 28 2024 goals/assists: 0/3 2024 guaranteed compensation : $893,750 Jack Elliott has been among the league’s very best center-backs since the Union selected him in the fourth round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. Just 29 years old, Elliott has 223 regular-season appearances and a Supporters’ Shield to his name, giving him the top pedigree in this year’s free agent class. According to American Soccer Analysis (the preeminent publicly available source for all MLS data), Elliott led all center-backs in their “Goals Added” metric in 2024, and has been in the top five in four of the last six seasons. He’s still in his prime, doesn’t take an international roster spot, and would instantly raise the level of most of the teams around MLS. He’s easily in the S-tier of the 2024 free agent class. 2 Jeremy Ebobisse Previous team: San Jose Earthquakes (2022-2024) Age: 27 Position: Striker 2024 appearances: 31 2024 goals/assists: 6/2 2024 guaranteed compensation: $1,005,361 Jeremy Ebobisse has been stuck on an absolutely dreadful ‘Quakes team for the last three seasons, still managing to log 33 goals and nine assists in a stunningly dysfunctional attack. For context, Ebobisse on his own has recorded 25 percent of San Jose’s goals over the past three years. With over 198 career regular season appearances and 60 goals on his resume, Ebobisse is a proven striker in MLS with fringe US national team experience, one who could thrive on a more functional team. He won’t come cheap, but plenty of teams will be interested in an in-prime, versatile and proven goalscorer. 3 Jackson Yueill Previous team: San Jose Earthquakes (2017-2024) Age: 27 Position: Holding midfielder 2024 appearances: 32 2024 goals/assists: 1/2 2024 guaranteed compensation: $936,875 A fringe national teamer with seven seasons of experience in MLS, Jackson Yueill is an in-prime holding midfielder and a proven leader. He’s at his most comfortable when dictating the tempo from a deeper role in midfield, but has a decent amount of positional flexibility. One of the longest-serving players for the ‘Quakes, the captain would be a welcome addition to plenty of MLS rosters, albeit at a steep price. Could a reunion with former United States Soccer national team coach Gregg Berhalter with the Chicago Fire FC be on the cards? 4 Josef Martínez Previous team: CF Montreal (2024) Age: 31 Position: Striker 2024 appearances: 23 2024 goals/assists: 11/3 2024 guaranteed compensation: $1,309,091 Josef Martínez may not be the same player who scored 82 goals in his first three seasons with Atlanta United , but he’s a capable goalscorer. The ACL tear he suffered in 2020 derailed him, and although it took a while to get back up to speed, he’s adapted his game over the last few seasons — first with Inter Miami CF and most recently with Montreal — and is once again a consistent goal threat. He depends heavily on service, and he'll almost certainly have to take a decreased salary, but on the right team he’d be a really nice complementary piece. 5 Xavier Arreaga Previous team: New England Revolution (2024) Age : 30 Position: Center-back 2024 appearances: 28 2024 goals/assists: 0/1 2024 guaranteed compensation: $775,000 The 30-year-old Ecuador international defender joined New England Revolution mid-season from Seattle Sounders , and improved a bad team during his 23 matches. It was somewhat of a surprise to see his option declined, and while he's certainly not a flawless defender, he's very much a starting-caliber player who would raise the level of a lot of teams around the league. 6 Aníbal Godoy Previous team: Nashville SC (2020-2024) Age: 34 Position: Midfielder 2024 appearances: 23 2024 goals/assists : 1/4 2024 guaranteed compensation: $721,250 Aníbal Godoy saw his option declined after four seasons in Music City. While a return to Nashville still isn’t out of the question, he’ll have plenty of suitors in free agency, despite turning 35 in February. Godoy has loads of MLS experience, making over 200 appearances in 10 seasons with Nashville and San Jose, as well as being the second-most capped player in Panama Football history with 145 international matches. While he’s one of the older players on this list, he’s still a significant physical presence and would be a boost to many teams in a complementary role. 7 Brandon Servania Previous team: Toronto FC (2019-2024) Age : 25 Position : Midfielder 2024 appearances: 3 2024 goals/assists: 0/0 2024 guaranteed compensation : $602,708 Brandon Servania missed all but three matches of the 2024 season with a torn ACL suffered at the end of 2023, but when healthy the FC Dallas academy product can be a dynamic and industrious addition to any midfield. He's an intriguing choice for a team looking for a player with high upside. 8 Ilie Sánchez Previous team: Los Angeles FC (2022-2024) Age: 34 Position: Midfielder 2024 appearances: 31 2024 goals/assists: 1/3 2024 guaranteed compensation: $1,267,875 Ilie Sánchez ’s effectiveness waned this season as LAFC continued to be less of a possession team and more of a transition team, but he still showed flashes of his ability to be the midfield metronome and set the tempo for a team that likes to play with the ball. His 2024 salary makes him one of the more expensive players on this list, but in the right setting he’s still a very capable midfield general. 9 Alex Ring Previous team: Austin FC (2021-2024) Age: 33 Position: Holding midfielder 2024 appearances: 31 2024 goals/assists: 2/7 2024 guaranteed compensation: $1,665,000 Alex Ring is the most expensive player on this list, occupying a Designated Player spot for most of his time with Austin FC . He won’t command anywhere close to the same salary in the open market, but he’s still a very serviceable player who can fill a number of roles, but would be best in a scenario where he’s not shoehorned into the starting lineup every week. 10 Kei Kamara Previous team : Los Angeles FC (2024) Age: 40 Position: Striker 2024 appearances: 27 2024 goals/assists: 3/6 2024 guaranteed compensation: $89,716 The second-highest goalscorer in MLS history on a senior minimum contract? Um... yes please. Seriously, Kei Kamara isn’t going to light the league on fire (he’ll turn 41 in September), but he still showed that he’s more than capable of being a threat at the MLS level. Elite in the air and an unselfish holdup player, the 19-year veteran of 12 teams should be an easy add for a team in the hunt for trophies in multiple competitions. Los Angeles Galaxy or FC Cincinnati would be intriguing. 11 Tim Melia Previous team : Sporting Kansas City (2015-2024) Age : 38 Position : Goalkeeper 2024 appearances: 28 2024 saves/clean sheets: 78/3 2024 guaranteed compensation: $637,500 The long-time Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper certainly isn’t at the peak of his powers, but Tim Melia is still a good starting goalkeeper at this level who has been let down over the last few years by a struggling defense in front of him. Players like Brad Guzan , Stefan Frei , Joe Willis and Steve Clark are reminders that goalkeepers are capable of playing at a high level into their late 30s, and there are more than a few teams around the league who should give Melia a look. San Diego FC , anyone? Brian Anunga (Midfielder, Nashville SC) Tim Parker (Defender, New England Revolution) Johnny Russell (Winger, Sporting KC) Alejandro Bedoya (Midfielder, Philadelphia Union) Raheem Edwards (Fullback, CF Montreal) Nick Lima (Fullback, New England Revolution) New MLS club San Diego FC will have five picks to make in Wednesday's expansion draft.
BEIJING: China's manufacturing sector registered faster expansion in November on government policy support, official data showed on Saturday. The purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector came in at 50.3 in November, up from 50.1 in October, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction. China's manufacturing sector saw faster expansion in November as a series of incremental policies and existing policies gradually took effect, said NBS statistician Zhao Qinghe. Meanwhile, the country’s purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 50 in November, down from 50.2 in October, according to data from NBS. The service sector sub-index stood at 50.1 in November, unchanged from that in October, while that of construction fell to 49.7 from 50.4 as outdoor construction gradually entered the off-season affected by the cold weather, the NBS said. A breakdown of the data showed that internet software and information technology services, capital market services, and the insurance sector recorded an expansion in November, while those related to retail, accommodation, and catering sectors logged a contraction. Earlier this month, China removed all market access restrictions for foreign investors in the manufacturing sector, a landmark move made by the world's second-largest economy as it opens its doors wider, Xinhua reported. The new edition of the national negative list for foreign investment scrapped the two remaining manufacturing-related items on the previous list. The items on the latest negative list, which specifies fields that are off-limits to foreign investors, have been further slashed to 29. Another negative list applied in the country's free trade zones, which are pioneering pilots in opening up practices, achieved zero restrictions on foreign investment in manufacturing in 2021.
WASHINGTON — A top White House official said Wednesday at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations were 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. FILE - The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 2, 2022. 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. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) 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 grow. The U.S. believes 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. She added that Biden was briefed on the findings and the White House “made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” US officials recommend encrypted messaging apps amid "Salt Typhoon" cyberattack, attributed to China, targeting AT&T, Verizon, and others. The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack Tuesday after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages Wednesday. White House officials believe the hacking was regionally targeted and the focus was on very senior government officials. Federal authorities confirmed in October that hackers linked to China targeted the phones of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, along with people associated with Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. The number of countries impacted by the hack is currently believed to be in the “low, couple dozen,” according to a senior administration official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House, said they believed the hacks started at least a year or two ago. The suggestions for telecom companies released Tuesday are largely technical in nature, urging encryption, centralization and consistent monitoring to deter cyber intrusions. If implemented, the security precautions could help disrupt the operation, dubbed Salt Typhoon, and make it harder for China or any other nation to mount a similar attack in the future, experts say. Trump's pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel was allegedly the target of cyberattack attempt by Iranian-backed hackers. Neuberger pointed to efforts made to beef up cybersecurity in the rail, aviation, energy and other sectors following the May 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline . “So, to prevent ongoing Salt Typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice,” Neuberger said. The cyberattack by a gang of criminal hackers on the critical U.S. pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel used along the Eastern Seaboard, sent ripple effects across the economy, highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nation’s aging energy infrastructure. Colonial confirmed it paid $4.4 million to the gang of hackers who broke into its computer systems as it scrambled to get the nation's fuel pipeline back online. Picture this: You're on vacation in a city abroad, exploring museums, tasting the local cuisine, and people-watching at cafés. Everything is going perfectly until you get a series of alerts on your phone. Someone is making fraudulent charges using your credit card, sending you into a panic. How could this have happened? Cyberattacks targeting travelers are nothing new. But as travel has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so has the volume of hackers and cybercriminals preying upon tourists. Financial fraud is the most common form of cybercrime experienced by travelers, but surveillance via public Wi-Fi networks, social media hacking, and phishing scams are also common, according to a survey by ExpressVPN . Spokeo consulted cybersecurity sources and travel guides to determine some of the best ways to protect your phone while traveling, from using a VPN to managing secure passwords. Online attacks are not the only type of crime impacting travelers—physical theft of phones is also a threat. Phones have become such invaluable travel aids, housing our navigation tools, digital wallets, itineraries, and contacts, that having your phone stolen, lost, or compromised while abroad can be devastating. Meanwhile, traveling can make people uniquely vulnerable to both cyber and physical attacks due to common pitfalls like oversharing on social media and letting your guard down when it comes to taking risks online. Luckily, there are numerous precautions travelers can take to safeguard against cyberattacks and phone theft. Hackers can—and do—target public Wi-Fi networks at cafés and hotels to gain access to your personal information or install malware onto your device, particularly on unsecured networks. Travelers are especially vulnerable to these types of cybersecurity breaches because they are often more reliant on public Wi-Fi than they would be in their home countries where they have more robust phone plans. This reliance on public, unsecured networks means travelers are more likely to use those networks to perform sensitive tasks like financial transfers, meaning hackers can easily gain access to banking information or other passwords. One easy way to safeguard yourself against these breaches is to use a virtual private network, or VPN, while traveling. VPNs are apps that encrypt your data and hide your location, preventing hackers from accessing personal information. An added bonus is that VPNs allow you to access websites that may be blocked or unavailable in the country you are visiting. To use a VPN, simply download a VPN app on your phone or computer, create an account, choose a server, and connect. Pickpockets, scammers, and flagrant, snatch-your-phone-right-out-of-your-hand thieves can be found pretty much everywhere. In London, for instance, a staggering 91,000 phones were reported stolen to police in 2022 , breaking down to an average of 248 per day, according to the BBC. Whether you're visiting a crowded tourist attraction or just want peace of mind, travel experts advise taking precautions to make sure your phone isn't physically stolen or compromised while traveling. There are several antitheft options to choose from. If you want a bag that will protect your phone from theft, experts recommend looking for features like slash-resistant fabric, reinforced shoulder straps, hidden zippers that can be locked, and secure attachment points, like a cross-body strap or a sturdy clip. For tethers, look for those made of tear-resistant material with a reinforced clip or ring. If your phone falls into the wrong hands, there's a good chance you won't be getting it back. Out of those 91,000 phones stolen in London in 2022, only 1,915 (or about 2%) were recovered. The good news is that you can take precautions to make the loss of your phone less devastating by backing up your data before you travel. With backed-up data, you can acquire a new device and still access your photos, contacts, messages, and passwords. Moreover, if you have "Find My Device" or "Find My Phone" enabled, you can remotely wipe your stolen phone's data so the thief cannot access it. It's safest to back up your data to a hard drive and not just the cloud. That way, if you have to wipe your device, you don't accidentally erase the backup, too. In order for the previous tip on this list to work, "Find My Phone" must be turned on in advance, but remotely wiping your device isn't the only thing this feature allows you to do. The "Find My Phone" feature enables you to track your device, as long as it's turned on and not in airplane mode. This is particularly helpful if you misplaced your phone or left it somewhere since it can help you retrace your steps. While this feature won't show you the live location of a phone that has been turned off, it will show the phone's last known location. With "Find My Phone," you can also remotely lock your phone or enable "Lost Mode," which locks down the phone, suspends any in-phone payment methods, and displays contact information for returning the phone to you. If your phone was stolen, experts caution against taking matters into your own hands by chasing down the thief, since this could land you in a potentially dangerous situation and is unlikely to result in getting your phone back. Strong passwords for important accounts help protect your information while you travel, but it's just a first step. The National Cybersecurity Alliance recommends creating long, unique, and complex passwords for every account and combining them with multifactor authentication to create maximum barriers to entry. If you're worried about remembering these passwords, password managers can be a vital tool for both creating and storing strong passwords. Password managers are apps that act as secure vaults for all your passwords. Some even come with a feature that allows you to temporarily delete sensitive passwords before you travel and then easily restore them once you return. Story editing by Mia Nakaji Monnier. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Spokeo and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
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Warning: this story contains distressing details. Joan McDonald is telling her family's story so others might be saved from the trauma of losing a loved one to domestic violence. "There were so many things that our family didn't know until it was too late to make a difference," McDonald said in an interview with CBC News. "Like, once a relationship has ended it becomes the most dangerous time for a victim. Our family didn't know that women are six times more likely to be killed by an ex-partner than they are by their current partner, and 70 per cent of domestic homicides take place after the relationship has ended." On Thursday, McDonald is speaking at a luncheon hosted by Soroptimist International of Saskatoon, a volunteer group that funds programs for women and girls. It's also the last week of the UN 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence global campaign. Abbie Speir worked in health care, for the Saskatoon and the Sun Country health regions. (Submitted by RCMP) McDonald's daughter Abbie Speir was murdered at her Yellow Grass, Sask., home in April 2017 by an abusive ex in the weeks after they separated. McDonald now speaks out about intimate partner violence to help others. "It is imperative that victims have a safe exit plan and know what constitutes a safe exit plan," McDonald said. In 2020, Kevin Okafor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Speir's death and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole until 2033. During sentencing, the court heard how Speir was just days away from moving into a new home when she died. Family still haunted by violent last moments of slain Yellow Grass mother as killer sentenced Speir, then a 33-year-old mother of three, decided to end the common-law relationship after Okafor punched her in the face. Speir kicked him out of the house, but Okafor refused to end the relationship. As Speir was getting ready to move, Okafor showed up at her house to talk about their relationship, which led to arguing. Okafor stabbed Speir 55 times, set fire to the basement and left. Police arrested him after a highway chase. McDonald said it can be difficult to spot signs of partner violence when it involves someone you've accepted into your family and appears to love your family member. "The danger and the trauma is caused from inside the family, which you don't expect, right?" McDonald said. "But it is very prevalent in many relationships, as the statistics show." Saskatchewan has one of the highest rates of domestic and family violence in Canada, behind only the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, according to Statistics Canada. Sask. has the worst intimate partner violence rate of any province. Here's what advocates say needs to happen Sask. RCMP reports increase in domestic and family violence In 2023, the province had rates of 710 domestic violence cases and 741 family violence cases per 100,000 population. Nationally, the rates are 354 domestic and 350 family violence cases per 100,000. Rates of domestic violence across Canada have increased 14 per cent since 2018. A complete plan to safely escape domestic violence includes everything from securing personal documents, money and necessities such as medication, to transportation, escape routes and accommodations, said Jo-Anne Dusel, the executive director of the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS), which runs counselling and support services for victims of domestic violence. "It's thinking through the steps of what might happen in various scenarios and being prepared to deal with them," Dusel said, adding that the most important thing is to leave when the abusive partner isn't present. "Thinking those things through in advance can make the difference between really getting out in a hurry when you need to in a safe way or being surprised when the perpetrator discovers that you are thinking about leaving. That is when violence can escalate and things can really go wrong." A plan should also include contact information for community organizations like PATHS, which can connect domestic violence survivors with resources, Dusel added. The Morning Edition - Sask 11:40 Mother of domestic homicide victim advocates for change McDonald raised Speir and three other kids on a farm in southwest Saskatchewan. "Abby was smart and hard working and she was a great mom to her three kids," McDonald said. "She was funny and sassy and could accomplish a lot in a short time.... She never backed down from a challenge. She was a very social person and loved a gathering of any kind." Speir told her family about the abuse and her decision to leave Okafor. McDonald said they supported Speir, offering help to find a new place and move, but they were doing it alone without much outside help. "When we were going through this in 2017 with Abbie, we didn't know where to turn for help or that there was even help available," McDonald said. "I feel that giving everybody some basic information can and will change and save lives." Support is available for anyone affected by intimate partner violence. In Saskatchewan, www.pathssk.org has listings of available services across the province. You can access support services and local resources in Canada by visiting this website . If your situation is urgent, please contact emergency services in your area.
Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year
