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256 superph Swifties live-streaming Eras Tour concerts say they’re part of a ‘community’North America’s top professional sports leagues have issued warnings to their players about a growing threat from high-tech, organized burglary rings, whose tools of choice are passports, cutting-edge technology and a 90-day calendar. The NBA memo, citing FBI intelligence, specifically linked the crimes to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that target “professional athletes and other high-net-worth individuals.” These groups are known for using “advanced techniques” such as pre-surveillance, drones, signal-jamming devices and other cutting-edge technology. The NFL highlighted the risks posed by what it called “organized and skilled groups” of burglars targeting wealthy athletes. Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are While the warnings did not name victims, they were issued after the homes of athletes including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis were recently burglarized. The tactics described in the memos bear a striking resemblance to a wave of break-ins targeting affluent residents in Southern California . Federal and local officials from Los Angeles and Orange County have reported a spike in break-ins by what they call “burglary tourists” — criminals from Central and South America who legally enter the U.S. on 90-day tourist visas under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). But instead of packing swimsuits and sunscreen, police said these individuals are armed with disguises, video equipment, trail cameras and Wi-Fi jammers. They target wealthy neighborhoods and gated communities before moving on to avoid detection. These “burglary tourists” have been at work for at least five years, but their operations have intensified in recent times as information about addresses and even pictures of properties have become increasingly accessible. “Transnational gangs might not know everything about the house that they are breaking into,” LAPD Chief of Detectives Alan Hamilton told NBC News on Friday. “But there’s always a possibility these suspects know who they are and monitor the athletes’ social media and movements.” Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley’s home was also burglarized in September while he was attending an NFL game, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported . Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world. Portis posted on Instagram on Nov. 3 saying his “prized possessions” were stolen from his home during his team’s game the previous day. Kelce’s and Mahomes’ homes in Kansas City were broken into hours apart in October. The burglars made off with $20,000 in cash and caused $1,000 in damage to Kelce’s home, according to a police report obtained by NBC affiliate KSHB of Kansas City . Mahomes has called the ordeal “frustrating” and “disappointing.” This trend has spread to other cities including Chicago, Houston and Dallas. “Law enforcement has long recognized this pattern of crimes across the Midwest,” Hamilton said. “It’s not something they have been immune to.” Law enforcement from coast to coast, including the FBI, has been tracking these criminal networks for years, with suspects linked to South American gangs appearing in nearly every state, Hamilton said. “It’s totally military”-level technology, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told NBC News over the summer. “People we’ve arrested here in Orange County have criminal records coming from the country of Chile.” If Southern California law enforcement has made progress in reducing these crimes, it may be driving more of these operations to other regions of the country. The NBA and NFL urged players to take preventive measures, such as activating alarm systems and surveillance cameras, securing valuables in safes and avoid oversharing on social media. “The FBI reported that, in most of the incidents, the homes were equipped with alarm systems that were not activated,” reads the NBA memo obtained by NBC News on Friday. “The FBI also reported that the homes were all unoccupied and, in most cases, no dogs were present.” This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

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Queens of the deal: These women reached the top of corporate Britain while raising children - so what are the secrets of their success? By ANNE ASHWORTH Updated: 17:26 EST, 11 December 2024 e-mail View comments Takeover mania has the stock market in its grip with two multi-billion pound bids sealed last week alone. Nothing so unusual about that, you might think – except that both were led by women. Amanda Blanc, the chief executive of insurance company Aviva, pursued smaller rival Direct Line, and Margherita Della Valle, the boss of telecoms giant Vodafone, pulled off a merger with Three. The duo follow Debbie Crosbie, at UK’s biggest building society Nationwide, who recently sealed a deal to buy Virgin Money. The City loves a takeover, where one company buys another, often accompanied by clashing egos, huge fees and bitter rows. For decades, bids have been a testosterone-fuelled macho preserve but this year high-flying women are Queens of the Deal. Deal-makers: For decades, takeovers have been a testosterone-fuelled macho preserve but this year it's high-flying women leading the way Crosbie, Blanc and Della Valle have presided over takeover bids collectively worth £20billion. All three are in their fifties and each has combined motherhood with a rise to the top of corporate Britain, where they earn multi-million-pound pay-packets. A major conference – Women, Money & Power – has been held in London this week. Are these Queens of the Deal role models for a new generation. And who are they? Amanda Blanc Job: Aviva chief executive Age: 57 Children: Two daughters Big Deal: £3.6billion takeover of Direct Line Pay: £6.6million Loves: Stilettos Hates: Sexists Bold move: Amanda Blanc, the chief exec of insurance company Aviva, has successfully pursued smaller rival Direct Line Blanc, 57, has been chief executive of the £13billion insurer Aviva since 2020. During that time, the share price has more than doubled – and she was made a Dame in the 2023 New Year’s Honours. Her ability to deliver for shareholders – in stark contrast to the men before her – has generated huge excitement. Her takeover of smaller rival Direct Line for £3.6billion, creating a motor insurance powerhouse, is her boldest yet. Direct Line has been haemorrhaging customers. Blanc’s purposeful pursuit is typical of her resolve and efficiency. When she arrived at Aviva, she rolled up her sleeves, sold overseas operations she considered not to be core to the business, cut costs and is now looking to increase market share. Anyone who has spent any time with Blanc will attest to her steely determination. One commented: ‘Your first thought is that you would not want to be on the wrong side of her.’ Amanda Fisher – Blanc is her married name – comes from Treherbert in the Rhondda Valley in south Wales. Both her grandfathers were miners. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next UK in slow lane to rate cuts: Bank of England's caution is... Sir Clive Cowdery set for bumper windfall on £8.3bn sale of... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account Blanc retains her south Wales accent, and its disarming qualities set Blanc apart from her largely posh male counterparts. She is unashamedly fond of structured dresses and coats and adores stiletto heels. And has been open about the sexism she has experienced. Early on at Aviva she came under pressure from activist Cevian to boost returns. In some quarters, this campaign was felt to have an undercurrent of opposition to a woman at the head of a FTSE 100 company. At Aviva’s 2022 annual meeting, sexist shareholders jibed she was ‘not the man for the job’. She also encountered homophobia and misogyny on the board of the Welsh Rugby Union, and resigned. The City loves her. Aviva’s current share price is 489p, but analysts are targeting 540p. If this comes to pass, will Blanc celebrate with another pair of sharp stilettos? Probably. Secrets of her success: Challenge the chauvinists. Work out what you want to achieve and how to do it. Dress for success: Blanc’s outfits embody femininity plus power. Debbie Crosbie Job: Nationwide boss Age: 53 Children: One daughter Big deal: £2.9billion takeover of Virgin Money Pay: £2.4million Loves: Dominic West Hates: Branch closures Banking coup: Debbie Crosbie, the woman in charge of the UK's biggest building society Nationwide, recently sealed a deal to buy Virgin Money Until this summer, Debbie Crosbie, 53, was the boss of Britain’s biggest building society, Nationwide. She is now the most powerful female banker in the country after she masterminded a £2.9billion takeover of Virgin Money. Crosbie, described by one observer as a ‘streetfighter’, is seen by her fans to have pulled off the banking coup of the year. Her aim is to create a mutual financial services business big enough to take on the High Street banks. Because Nationwide has no shareholders, she believes she can channel better interest rates and benefits to members. Born and raised in Glasgow, she is often described as ‘steely,’ ‘no nonsense’ and ‘what you see is what you get’. Would the same comments be made of a male executive with a direct manner? Her contention is that the merger will transform not only Nationwide, but the sector generally, by promoting mutuality. But mergers are by no means guaranteed to succeed. Nationwide has made a £2.3billion gain on the deal, because Virgin Money was under-valued. Now, she is running a much bigger operation following the takeover of Virgin Money, founded by Richard Branson and now the UK’s sixth-largest retail bank. Branson will net about £400million from a deal that is the pinnacle, so far, of Crosbie’s 25-year career. Before joining Nationwide in 2022, she was the boss of TSB. She is not afraid to take on the banking establishment and was behind Nationwide’s series of satirical TV adverts starring Dominic West as an arrogant and complacent manager intent on fleecing customers and aggrandizing himself – annoying rivals. In the year to April, Crosbie was paid £2.41million. She stands to earn £3.42million if her performance is outstanding. She might also spend some of it on shoes, since pictures of this Queen of the Deal show she shares Blanc’s penchant for a stylish heel. Crosbie says she has only ever impressed her daughter when, as acting chief executive of the Clydesdale Bank, she became the first woman to have her signature on a Scottish bank note. If she turns Nationwide and Virgin Money into a modern mutual powerhouse, she might impress her a second time. Secrets of her success: A sense of humour is a big asset – as the ads show, it’s possible to make serious points with a smile. Margherita Della Valle Job: Vodafone chief Age: 59 Children: Two sons Big deal: £16.5billion takeover of Three in the UK Pay: £4.38million Loves: Aubergine parmigiana Hates: Bad customer service Margherita Della Valle is known for grace under pressure. Telecoms takeover: Margherita Della Valle, the boss of Vodafone, pulled off an audacious merger with Three A City figure says: ‘She is a safe pair of hands. She is properly on top of stuff, having been at Vodafone for three decades. ‘There’s no ego in her manner, like some male CEOs I know. ’ Della Valle has just signed off the £16.5billion merger of her company’s UK arm with Three, the mobile operator owned by the Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison. The deal is a milestone in the UK telecoms industry. This married mother of two, whose English still bears the traces of her native Veneto region of Italy is more often to be seen wearing trainers than heels with her well-cut trousers and satin shirts. Among the challenges now facing her are concerns about job losses and higher prices in the wake of the deal. When she took over in April 2023, she declared that ‘everything has to change.’ She has a formidable task to overcome a host of problems at this £22.34billion business. The company has been beset with myriad issues in its international divisions and gaps in its coverage. The takeover of Three represents an opportunity to boost deplorably poor connectivity - Britain is 22 out of 25 European countries for 5G technology. Della Valle’s focus in the integration will be the technology, but with the customer in mind. In future, she will be serving no fewer than 29m of them. In this she will rely on what she perceives to be her superpower - being a woman. As she argues, this means ‘you bring a different perspective’ – particularly pertinent in male-dominated ‘telcos’. She is fanatical about customer service, believing it to be neglected. In her view, excellence in this field is a route to growth. Della Valle’s promotion stabilised the share price but it is 50pc down over five years at 72p. Experts at Goldman Sachs rate the shares a ‘buy’ targeting 100p. Secrets of her success: Master your business. Perseverance pays off. Build knowledge and experience. It may take women longer to climb the ladder than men, but that means they’re better equipped when they do. DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS AJ Bell AJ Bell Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Learn More Learn More Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas Learn More Learn More interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Learn More Learn More Saxo Saxo Get £200 back in trading fees Learn More Learn More Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Learn More Learn More Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence. Compare the best investing account for you Share or comment on this article: Queens of the deal: These women reached the top of corporate Britain while raising children - so what are the secrets of their success? e-mail Add comment Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence. More top stories

The standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.By LOLITA C. BALDOR and MATTHEW LEE WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is expected to announce that it will send $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department may not be able to send all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin . Many U.S. and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he won’t provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about $4.35 billion. Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate. One senior defense official said that while the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about $1.2 billion remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the U.S. has provided more than $64 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.