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Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save DENVER — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family's home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note was left behind. The gravesite of JonBenet Ramsey is covered with flowers Jan. 8, 1997, at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Ga. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet's killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey." Hammonton police sergeant accused of failing drug test, stealing drugs from evidence room Atlantic City police say power restored after daylong outages Ocean City residents speak against Bible study on school time What does Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy mean for Atlantic City International Airport? Atlantic County Sheriff's Office warns of new scam $680,000 Atlantic City charter bus purchase mostly covered by state, Small says 19 arrested following street operations in Atlantic City Holy Spirit overcomes rain, mud, Atlantic City to win Thanksgiving rivalry, clinch WJFL division Chicken Bone Beach foundation to purchase Atlantic City's Dante Hall with NJEDA grant Vineland gun store accused of selling AR-15 ammunition without asking for identification 'Doing the hard work' paying off in Atlantic City's Chelsea neighborhood Sister Jean's Kitchen in Atlantic City to host its first Thanksgiving meal since 2018 3rd Ward meeting tonight on 'Icona in Wonderland' Ocean City hotel plan Mays Landing man busted for meth Even more weed businesses on the way to Atlantic City In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. "What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come in to detectives," he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the "media circus" surrounding the case. A police officer sits in her cruiser Jan. 3, 1997, outside the home in which 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered Dec. 26, 1996, in Boulder, Colo. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet's clothing that pointed to the involvement of an "unexplained third party" in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys "victims of this crime." John Ramsey continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado's governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he advocated for several items that were not prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn't been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be "consumed" if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review ended but police continue to work through and evaluate a "lengthy list of recommendations" from the panel. TRAVIS LOLLER Associated Press Lee Media Studio 13 min to read Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!Navigating the risks of Digital Public Infrastructure
Heavy ground game gives Anthony Richardson a chance to shine in Colts' latest victoryAhmad Robinson scores 21 in near triple-double and Mercer beats Georgia State 71-68TORONTO — Canada's main stock index pushed higher to end Monday up almost 150 points on light trading action, while U.S. stock markets also gained. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 149.50 points at 24,748.98. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 66.69 points at 42,906.95. The S&P 500 index was up 43.22 points at 5,974.07, while the Nasdaq composite was up 192.29 points at 19,764.89. The Canadian dollar traded for 69.47 cents US compared with 69.61 cents US on Friday. The February crude oil contract was down 22 cents at US$69.24 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was down six cents at US$3.35 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$16.90 at US$2,628.20 an ounce and the March copper contract was down one cent at US$4.09 a pound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) The Canadian Press
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says a plan unveiled on Wednesday will ensure will New Zealand meets its emissions budgets and reaches net zero carbon dioxide emissions as early as 2044. Despite an 84 million tonne gap needing to be filled to meet New Zealand's first target under the Paris Agreement, Watts says he remains absolutely committed to meeting the target - but he did not say whether the government would commit to topping up using carbon offsets from overseas or how else the gap will be filled. He said the government was still considering a new recommendation by the Climate Change Commission to move from aiming for net zero emissions to "net negative" or pulling carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by 2050. Watts said the government added to its emissions cutting plan covering 2026-2030 after consultation, to include chapters on building and housing and technology, and reflecting feedback from rangatahi who were concerned that the phrase "least cost" meant saving money now at the expense of future generations. The Green Building Council said although it was pleasing to see a chapter on housing added to the plan, it failed to include "easy wins and opportunities for slashing building emissions." The two actions mentioned in the plan on building - which accounts for 12 percent of the country's emissions - were expanding voluntary energy performance ratings for non-residential buildings and making it easier for people to retrofit their buildings to improve energy efficiency. "Coming from a draft plan that effectively ignored buildings and construction, it is welcome to see acknowledgment of the role our sector can play. However, the vague statements have no firm commitments and don't deliver significant change," Green Building Council chief executive Andrew Eagles said. Transport is one of New Zealand's biggest sources of emissions in New Zealand, and has risen when many other sectors have reduced emissions. Asked at a media stand-up if shaving 0.1m tonnes off transport with its plan to aim for 10,000 EV chargers was enough for such an important sector, Watts said New Zealanders were doing it tough and he needed to be realistic. The plan does not include measurable reductions from other transport areas, such as increasing walking, cycling or public transport use. EV sales plummeted after subsidies were scrapped but the Minister said people were buying clean vehicles. "As our plan is clearly outlining, the important aspect to increase EV uptake is reducing range anxiety," Watts said, citing media reports that EV prices are plunging. Watts said boluses (swallowed by cows and sheep) that could reduce methane burped by 75 percent and could be available "sooner than we thought." Pressed on the plan's reliance on using methane-cutting technology that is not yet on the market, and carbon capture and storage by large fossil fuel producers, he said technology moved quickly and carbon capture techniques were already in use overseas. "2035 is not tomorrow. 2030 is not tomorrow. You can't say where technology will be...in four years." Watts said Genesis Energy's moves to use biomass to replace some of the coal burned at Huntly showed the private sector was acting on emissions without any Government funding.
Washington Commanders place key weapon on injured reserve | Sporting NewsDENVER — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family's home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note was left behind. The gravesite of JonBenet Ramsey is covered with flowers Jan. 8, 1997, at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Ga. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet's killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey." In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. "What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come in to detectives," he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the "media circus" surrounding the case. A police officer sits in her cruiser Jan. 3, 1997, outside the home in which 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered Dec. 26, 1996, in Boulder, Colo. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet's clothing that pointed to the involvement of an "unexplained third party" in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys "victims of this crime." John Ramsey continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado's governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he advocated for several items that were not prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn't been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be "consumed" if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review ended but police continue to work through and evaluate a "lengthy list of recommendations" from the panel. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
NoneBiden touts economic gains despite Americans’ poor opinions of job in officePolice deny sitting on evidence as Netflix doc brings renewed attention to JonBenet Ramsey's killing
North Korea Reports South Korea's Martial Law Crisis for First Time
Fo r the past 39 years, I’ve devoted a column to help folks shop for those useful but sometimes hard to find gifts for the sportsmen (and women) on their Christmas shopping list. Many of the items I highlight are not available on the shelves of the larger package stores but there’s still time to order online. I always list a few gift ideas that range in cost from a few dollars to a few hundred. Hopefully you can find that just right gift among my picks this year. Shopping for an outdoor person can be a daunting task, especially if you aren’t familiar with what your outdoors person’s uses or needs. I will include some basic tips that should help you find the perfect gift. ELECTRIC SMOKER — I’ve said many times that the one outdoor item that would be tough to live without is my Smokin Tex (www.smokintex.com) electric smoker. These smokers come in various sizes and are built to last. I have cooked hundreds if not thousands of pounds of game and domestic meats on mine through the years. Smokers come in many price ranges and you get what you pay for. These units are great, long term investments. BIG GAME TAGGING KIT — How many times have you harvested a deer just before the close of legal shooting time and fumbled around looking for a flashlight, pen to fill out the tag and some way of snipping out the tiny “V” for the date of harvest? Those days are over if you carry a Big Game Tagging Kit from Vineyard Max (www.vineyardmax.net). These little kits come with everything needed to make tagging your deer, even in the dark, easy. With a lighted pen, snipper to cut out the date, reusable snap ties, pockets for licenses, tags and ID and trail markers these kits make ideal stocking stuffers for the big game hunter. Larry Weishuhn’s signature hunting knives are also available through the Vineyard Max website. OUTDOOR BOOKS — Weishuhn and I co-wrote a couple of books, “Poor Man’s Grizzly,” all about hog hunting and “Campfire Talk,” which is chocked full of hunting tales written by these two very veteran authors. Larry’s book “Whitetail Addictions” is also available. Signed copies are available through www.larryweishuhn.net . THERMAL SCOPE FOR NIGHT HUNTING — The cost of thermal scopes has dropped appreciably the past few years, thanks to improved manufacturing advancements. Today, a very serviceable scope for night hunting hogs and predators out to about 100 yards is available through AGM Global Vision www.agmglobalvision.com for under $1,000. The Rattler V2 comes with onboard camera that also records audio and is a great buy for folks that keep their shots relatively close. JUG LINES FOR CATFISHING — Setting out a few jug lines while rod and reel fishing is a great way to put together a catfish fish fry. Doug’s Jugs at www.dougsjugs.com makes quality jug lines from swimming pool noodles and PVC pipe. These noodles come fully rigged with sharp circle hooks and a stout line that will hold the big ones. Conventional homemade jug lines work but they are extremely unhandy to store and handle in a boat. These noodle jugs take up little space in a boat and are very easy to work with. GUIDED FISHING OR HUNTING TRIP — Even the most veteran fisherman or hunter enjoys fishing new waters or hunting different areas with a veteran guide. Most guides offer gift certificates. It’s always best to check some references before booking a trip. Chances are good that your outdoor person has a circle of friends that you can quiz about a trip that would be perfectly suited. Guided hunting trips can be tailored to suit the interest of the individual, everything from a day upland bird hunt on a quality facility to a late-season deer hunt on a hunting ranch. Prices vary greatly, everything from day hunts to hunts that include food, meals and lodging. Again, if you are not comfortable choosing a hunt, consult with your outdoor person’s friends. They can be of great help in helping choose the just right outing. FIREARMS OR HUNTING BOWS — Choosing a new rifle, shotgun or bow is a personal thing and you will want to do a bit of research before making the purchase. A deer hunter doesn’t want just “a gun.” He or she wants a particular action, caliber or gauge shotgun. Rather than guess, it’s much better to give a gift certificate at a gun store which will allow your hunter to choose the firearm that suits his needs. Bows are even more specialized, with the exception of a crossbow which usually is a universal fit. Compounds bows come in different draw lengths, draw weights, etc. A bow that fits a person 5-foot-5 tall with a 26-inch draw length is next to useless to someone 6-foot tall with a 30-inch draw length. It’s always best to shop for bows at a quality bow shop rather than a big package store, in my opinion. Experienced bow technicians can be of great help not only choosing but setting up a new bow. A gift certificate is always a good bet when gifting a bow. PRE-PAID PASSES TO PARKS FOR CAMPING — For the camper on your shopping list, consider a pre-paid cabin, RV space with hookups at a nice RV park. One such destination that comes to mind is Wind Park Park www.windparkpointparktx.com on Lake Tawakoni. The park offers cabins, both large and small, lakeside RV spaces and hookups in the wooded area in the interior of the park. With a couple of fishing piers that provide good action on catfish both summer and winter and a large herd of deer to observe and photograph, this is a place that I highly recommend. Chances are very good with a bit of research you can find a quality park close to your home that would be a great destination for the camper on your shopping list. SAUSAGE AND JERKY MAKING — Chances are good many of the hunters on your list butcher their own game and make sausage, cure hams, etc. Butcher Packer Supply www.butcher-packer.com is a one-stop shop for spices, meat grinders, seasoning, knives, etc., everything for the home butcher. Visit the website and you will see hundreds of useful items to choose from. HUNTING OPTICS — Stealth Vision www.stealthvision.com , a Texas company headquartered in Crockett, offers top of the line rifle scopes and binoculars. Through the years I’ve used many, many rifle scopes and these are the best I’ve used, hands down. The company also offers custom rifles topped with their scopes that offer half-minute angle accuracy. For the hunter/rifle shooter on your list, this would be a great gift. The company invites customers to the lodge near Crockett, Texas to try out the rifle/scopes and choose the one that is best suited to their needs. Hopefully one of these contacts will help you with your Christmas Shopping this year. I’ve had personal experience with everything listed and give them all a big thumbs up. HAPPY SHOPPING. LC Listen to Luke’s weekly podcast each week, “Catfish Radio with Luke Clayton and Friends” available everywhere podcast are hosted.
The Georgia Bulldogs have made a major announcement about the status of quarterback Carson Beck for the College Football Playoff. Georgia said in a statement that Beck underwent surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow. He will not return this season and is expected to begin throwing again next spring. Carson Beck is officially out for the season. pic.twitter.com/tASTgEIXen — Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 23, 2024 This is simply Tommy John surgery, albeit on a football player. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who is also the go-to surgeon for top pitchers who undergo the procedure. While unfortunate, Beck being out for the College Football Playoff will not come as a huge surprise. The Bulldogs had sounded pessimistic about his outlook after he was injured just before halftime in the SEC Championship ( video here ). He would return to that game briefly in overtime, but only to hand the ball off on the game-winning run by Trevor Etienne. Gunner Stockton will get the nod at quarterback for the Bulldogs in their CFP contest against Notre Dame on New Year’s Day. He went 12/16 for 71 yards with an interception in the SEC Championship after replacing Beck. This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.DENVER — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family's home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note was left behind. The gravesite of JonBenet Ramsey is covered with flowers Jan. 8, 1997, at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Ga. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet's killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey." People are also reading... In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. "What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come in to detectives," he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the "media circus" surrounding the case. A police officer sits in her cruiser Jan. 3, 1997, outside the home in which 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered Dec. 26, 1996, in Boulder, Colo. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet's clothing that pointed to the involvement of an "unexplained third party" in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys "victims of this crime." John Ramsey continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado's governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he advocated for several items that were not prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn't been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be "consumed" if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review ended but police continue to work through and evaluate a "lengthy list of recommendations" from the panel. True crime's popularity brings real change for defendants and society. It's not all good How The Monkees ended up with an FBI File | Late Edition: Crime Beat Chronicles podcast Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco – On Saturday, December 28 at 9:00 p.m., theater lovers will have the opportunity to enjoy the play “The Real Mexican Pastorela Chou” for the last time at the iconic La Gata Foro Bar. This show, full of humor, satire and fun, promises to close with a flourish not only the season, but also the history of this 2024 in the emblematic cultural space. A play to laugh and reflect The staging offers a modern and fun interpretation of traditional Mexican pastorelas, combining social and political criticism with light-hearted humor. With a talented cast and a script full of wit, “The Real Mexican Pastorela Chou” has won over local audiences and visitors to Puerto Vallarta. Satire, comedy and cabaret have been fundamental tools in the performing arts for social criticism due to their ability to mix entertainment with deep reflection. Humour and exaggeration allow complex or sensitive topics to be addressed in a light and understandable way. This makes it easier for the audience to connect emotionally with the messages and analyse them without feeling attacked. Satire and cabaret, in particular, use irony and sarcasm to expose injustices or abuses of power. Their symbolic and metaphorical format allows problems to be pointed out without mentioning them explicitly, which has historically avoided censorship in oppressive regimes. By ridiculing social, political or cultural situations, the audience sees itself reflected in the characters and recognises its own experiences. This identification generates empathy and provokes the need to question reality. Humour acts as an escape valve for social tensions. It allows repressed emotions to be released through laughter, while inviting people to think of solutions to the problems presented. While entertaining, they also educate. These art forms present uncomfortable truths wrapped in laughter, which motivates the audience to reflect even after the performance. Cabaret and comedy can quickly adapt to current issues, staying relevant and responding to the pulse of society. Their ability to improvise makes them powerful tools to keep social conversations alive. Being aimed at a diverse audience, these genres break down barriers of class, gender or age. This creates an inclusive space where critical ideas can be widely disseminated. From Classical Greece, with the works of Aristophanes, through the commedia dell'arte in the Renaissance, to the European cabarets of the 20th century, these artistic forms have served as cultural mirrors to denounce injustices. Satire, comedy and cabaret have been effective for social criticism because they generate laughter, reflection and change. They not only entertain, but invite us to question the world, fostering conversations necessary to transform society. The farewell of a 2024 on an unforgettable stage. The function also marks the end of the activities of La Gata Foro Bar, a place that during 2024 has been a refuge for artists, musicians and culture lovers. Located at Calle Matamoros 869-A, almost on the corner with Allende, in the center of Puerto Vallarta, this forum has left an indelible mark on the local art scene and has shown that with effort and dedication great achievements can be achieved. Let us remember that not long ago, hurricane winds left this beautiful place without a roof, so it had to close operations, but this 2024 showed that even with inclement weather, art can continue to be created and a new history for Cabaret culture can be built. Pre-sale and reservations Tickets are now available in pre-sale for $160 and can be purchased on the day of the event for $200. Due to the expected high demand, it is recommended to reserve in advance by calling 322 191 7478. A night to celebrate theater and the community. This event promises to be an unforgettable experience, not only for the show itself, but also for being a tribute to the legacy of La Gata Foro Bar as a cradle of artistic expression in Puerto Vallarta. At La Gata Foro Bar you can not only enjoy plays, but also a cozy atmosphere full of bohemian people who share dreams and hopes for a better world. Its intimate and vibrant atmosphere has made it an ideal space for artistic expression and human connection. Don't miss the opportunity to be part of this final chapter. Come and enjoy a night full of laughter, excitement and culture in a spectacular farewell!Qatar tribune Matthew A Winkler Now that pollsters are declaring President Joe Biden a “failure,” historians will reckon with too many economic signals rendering the prevailing narrative little more than media noise. From the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that ushered in the longest period of unemployment below 4% since the 1960s to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 that paved the way for road and bridge building, and from the Chips and Science Act of 2022 that sparked the biggest manufacturing construction boom the country has ever seen to 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act that has led to many tens of billions of investment in new technologies that are already leading to new sources of climate-friendly energy, history will show that the 46th president laid the groundwork for US exceptionalism lasting many years, perhaps even decades, after his administration has long ended. This is why the US economy is growing faster than any developed country as measured by the International Monetary Fund. It’s why America has been able to avoid a recession that so many pundits said would be inevitable by now. It’s why the US stock market is the envy of the world, soaring 58% percent under Biden’s watch, compared with just 2.5% for everyone else as measured by the MSCI indexes. Were he still around, economist John Maynard Keynes would surely call the performance of equities a psychological referendum on Biden’s policies. No US president in the last half century comes close to replicating Biden’s superior score among most of the 15 measures of relative prosperity weighted equally, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The 2.9% annual increase in non-farm payrolls, 7.9% nominal rate of annualized GDP growth, 14.1% increase in homeowners equity, 5.1% surge in average hourly earnings and the dollar’s 19% appreciation against a basket of major currencies are just some of the metrics that make Biden the uncontested economic leader. What makes this performance all the more remarkable is that Biden inherited the once-in-a-century COVID-19 pandemic that led to a catastrophic 1.12 million deaths in the US alone from his predecessor, President-elect Donald Trump. Remember that at the time of the 2020 election, a recovery from both the pandemic and the worst recession since the Great Depression presided over by Trump was still in doubt. Biden then delivered what had been largely missing for the previous two decades: fiscal stimulus. “If you look at the economy” before the pandemic “it was very low growth for 20 years,” JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon told the Economic Club of New York in April. “But if you look at the economy since then, it’s been booming.” (It was the first time in his career as the CEO of the No. 1 bank that Dimon used the word “booming” to describe the US) “The American consumer, even if we go into a recession, is much wealthier than before,” he added. “Debt service ratios are very low...their home prices are up; their stock prices are up.” Dimon should know because JPMorgan is one of 16-based US companies that make up the 20 most valuable in the world by stock market value, with most of their superior valuations occurring during the past three years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Investors are gladly paying a record 28% average premium to own American stocks, more than twice what they paid under Trump. Contrary to popular opinion, the Biden economy benefitted a wider swath of Americans. The poverty rate fell to 11.1%, the second lowest in data going back to 1973, according to the US Census Bureau. Also, the Gini Index of Income Inequality declined for two straight years, the first time that has happened since the early 1970s. Under Biden, household net worth has surged by an unprecedented $32.1 trillion through mid-2024. Americans are spending less than 10% of their incomes servicing debt, a record low in data going back to 1980 and excluding the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 when many payments were put on hold. The problem for Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris was that all of these accomplishments were overshadowed by the sudden scourge of inflation due mostly, according to researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and elsewhere, to the pandemic-era disruption to the global supply chain under Trump, and a housing market that effectively “trapped” millions of Americans in place. Inflation is the more complicated story because although the rate of increase in the cost of goods and services has been tamed, as seen in the collapse in the Consumer Price Index from 9.1% in mid-2022 to the recent 2.7%, which is where it was under Trump, overall prices are higher. While wages have been rising faster than inflation since mid-2023, helping to explain why consumer spending has exceeded forecasts, it’s clear that the two years prior when earnings growth lagged behind inflation still weighs on the minds of voters. Never mind that inflation rates in the US have come down much faster and farther than just about anywhere else in the developed world. It’s also clear that Americans feel like the housing market is somehow “broken” despite the rising home prices referenced by Dimon and big gains in homeowners equity. The problem here is that in order to help get inflation under control, the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate from near zero in early 2022 to as high as 5.5% last year. This led to a rise in 30-year mortgages from 3.25% to more than 7%. Existing home sales fell to levels last seen during the financial crisis as housing affordability measured by the National Association of Realtors collapsed. In effect, those who want to buy a home largely can’t and those who already own a home don’t want to sell and give up their low mortgage rates. There is light at the end of the housing tunnel. With inflation subsiding, the Fed has started to lower its target for the federal funds rate, and the cost of financing a home is starting to drop as well. A Mortgage Bankers Association index tracking loan applications to purchase a home just posted its biggest two-week increase since January 2023. Unfortunately for Biden and Harris, little of this context was shared with readers, listeners or viewers by corporate or social media. On the contrary, many disingenuous media overwhelmed the favorable outlook with misinformation that continues unabated from domestic and foreign perpetrators. It may not have mattered anyway. In many ways, Biden and Harris are victims of circumstances. Incumbents around the world are being ousted in elections by voters still scarred by the pandemic and looking to assign blame. Like Biden, Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson were former vice presidents who also shared much greater disapproval than approval from voters during their waning days in the White House. Only much later did Truman and Johnson garner a much greater appreciation for their handling of the economy. It’s likely to be the same with Biden. Matthew A. Winkler, editor in chief emeritus of Bloomberg News, writes about markets. Copy 24/12/2024 10
Manhattan police have obtained a warrant for the arrest of 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione , suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, while carrying a gun, mask and writings linking him to the ambush. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Here's the latest: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says “violence to combat any sort of corporate greed is unacceptable” and the White House will “continue to condemn any form of violence.” She declined to comment on the investigation into the Dec. 4 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson or reports that writings belonging to the suspect, Luigi Mangione, said insurance companies care more about profits than their customers. “This is horrific,” Jean-Pierre said of the fatal shooting of Thompson as he walked in Manhattan. He didn’t appear to say anything as deputies led him to a waiting car outside. “I’m deeply grateful to the men and women of law enforcement whose efforts to solve the horrific murder of Brian Thompson led to the arrest of a suspect in Pennsylvania,” Gov. Hochul said in the statement. “I am coordinating with the District Attorney’s Office and will sign a request for a governor’s warrant to ensure this individual is tried and held accountable. Public safety is my top priority and I’ll do everything in my power to keep the streets of New York safe.” That’s according to a spokesperson for the governor who said Gov. Hochul will do it as soon as possible. Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. ▶ Read more about Luigi Mangione Peter Weeks, the Blair County district attorney, says he’ll work with New York officials to try to return suspect Luigi Mangione there to face charges. Weeks said the New York charges are “more serious” than in Blair County. “We believe their charges take precedent,” Weeks said, promising to do what’s needed to accommodate New York’s prosecution first. Weeks spoke to reporters after a brief hearing at which a defense lawyer said Mangione will fight extradition. The defense asked for a hearing on the issue. In the meantime, Mangione will be detained at a state prison in western Pennsylvania. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said Tuesday it will seek a Governor’s warrant to secure Mangione’s extradition to Manhattan. Under state law, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul can issue a warrant of arrest demanding Mangione’s return to the state. Such a warrant must recite the facts necessary to the validity of its issuance and be sealed with the state seal. It would then be presented to law enforcement in Pennsylvania to expedite Mangione’s return to New York. But Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks says it won’t be a substantial barrier to returning Mangione to New York. He noted that defendants contest extradition “all the time,” including in simple retail theft cases. Dickey, his defense lawyer, questioned whether the second-degree murder charge filed in New York might be eligible for bail under Pennsylvania law, but prosecutors raised concerns about both public safety and Mangione being a potential flight risk, and the judge denied it. Mangione will continue to be housed at a state prison in Huntingdon. He has 14 days to challenge the detention. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have a month to seek a governor’s warrant out of New York. Mangione, wearing an orange jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion, but was quieted by his lawyer. Luigi Mangione, 26, has also been denied bail at a brief court hearing in western Pennsylvania. He has 14 days to challenge the bail decision. That’s with some intervention from owner Elon Musk. The account, which hasn’t posted since June, was briefly suspended by X. But after a user inquired about it in a post Monday, Musk responded “This happened without my knowledge. Looking into it.” The account was later reinstated. Other social media companies such as Meta have removed his accounts. According to X rules, the platform removes “any accounts maintained by individual perpetrators of terrorist, violent extremist, or mass violent attacks, as well as any accounts glorifying the perpetrator(s), or dedicated to sharing manifestos and/or third party links where related content is hosted.” Mangione is not accused of perpetrating a terrorist or mass attack — he has been charged with murder — and his account doesn’t appear to share any writings about the case. He shouted something that was partly unintelligible, but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He’s there for an arraignment on local charges stemming from his arrest Monday. He was dressed in an orange jumpsuit as officers led him from a vehicle into the courthouse. Local defense lawyer Thomas Dickey is expected to represent the 26-year-old at a Tuesday afternoon hearing at the Blair County Courthouse. Dickey declined comment before the hearing. Mangione could have the Pennsylvania charges read aloud to him and may be asked to enter a plea. They include possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. In New York, he was charged late Monday with murder in the death of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain with corporate greed, said a a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s hand-written notes and social media postings. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. A felony warrant filed in New York cites Altoona Officer Christy Wasser as saying she found the writings along with a semi-automatic pistol and an apparent silencer. The filing echoes earlier statements from NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny who said Mangione had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America.” Mangione is now charged in Pennsylvania with being a fugitive of justice. A customer at the McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where Mangione was arrested said one of his friends had commented beforehand that the man looked like the suspect wanted for the shooting in New York City. “It started out almost a little bit like a joke, my one friend thought he looked like the shooter,” said the customer, who declined to give his full name, on Tuesday. “It wasn’t really a joke, but we laughed about it,” he added. The warrant on murder and other charges is a step that could help expedite his extradition from Pennsylvania. In court papers made public Tuesday, a New York City police detective reiterated key findings in the investigation he said tied Mangione to the killing, including surveillance footage and a fake ID he used to check into a Manhattan hostel on Nov. 24. Police officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, found that ID when they arrested Mangione on Monday. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione doesn’t yet have a lawyer who can speak on his behalf, court officials said. Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and ski cap. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. Mangione’s cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione, announced Tuesday morning that he’s postponing a fundraiser planned later this week at the Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore, which was purchased by the Mangione family in 1986. “Because of the nature of this terrible situation involving my Cousin I do not believe it is appropriate to hold my fundraising event scheduled for this Thursday at Hayfields,” Nino Mangione said in a social media post. “I want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. My family and I are heartbroken and ask that you remember the family of Mr. Thompson in your prayers. Thank you.” Officers used New York City’s muscular surveillance system . Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door to door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later , those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian’s instincts. A customer at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos New York police had publicized. He remains jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late Monday evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. It’s unclear whether Luigi Nicholas Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday’s arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.”Penn State clinches Big Ten championship game berth with win vs. Maryland, will play OregonFormer Minnesota Senate leader Kari Dziedzic passes away
Voters should have say on replacing misbehaving politiciansWhile the rest of the Notre Dame community figures out whether it's worth paying four figures for a ticket to the College Football Playoff first-round home game against Indiana, the men's basketball team continues to figure out how to survive without Markus Burton. Notre Dame (5-5) hosts its next-to-last nonconference game Wednesday night against Dartmouth (4-4), which plays its sixth contest of a seven-game road trip. The Fighting Irish took a promising step -- and snapped a five-game losing streak -- on Saturday by edging Syracuse 69-64 in their ACC opener. "We needed to be in a close game and we needed to win a close game so our guys can build some belief back," head coach Micah Shrewsberry said. "We can't take any steps back on Wednesday." Without Burton -- the stat sheet-stuffing sophomore point guard who injured the medial collateral ligament in his knee Nov. 26 against Rutgers -- the Irish are struggling to find someone to run the offense, as evidenced by their seven assists versus 15 turnovers against Syracuse. At the same time, players are filling the scoring void. Braeden Shrewsberry poured in a career-high-tying 25 points versus the Orange while hitting 6 of 11 3-point attempts. Tae Davis averaged 12.4 points and 7.2 shots per game when Burton was healthy, but he has upped his mean production to 16.6 points and 12.2 shots in the past five games. Micah Shrewsberry, though, prefers to measure progress on a possession-by-possession basis. "Just the toughness," he said. "There have been times when we haven't gotten the key stop. We haven't gotten the bucket when we quite need it. It gets deflating sometimes." Dartmouth knows that feeling. On Sunday, the Big Green took a one-point lead with 4:03 left in overtime at UIC -- and then failed to score on their final six possessions to suffer a 69-68 loss. The Big Green, who haven't posted a winning season since 1998-99, believe whole-heartedly in launching 3-pointers as they take 48 percent of their shots from behind the arc. Senior Cade Haskins (13.6 ppg) has hit a team-high 28 of 68 3-pointers this season, though fellow senior Ryan Cornish stacks up as the team's top scorer (14.3 ppg), passer (3.0 assists per game) and defender (2.3 steals per game). In its only previous game against a power-conference opponent, Dartmouth upset Boston College 88-83 on Nov. 29. --Field Level MediaSyria’s prime minister said that most cabinet ministers were back at work on Monday after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad. However, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a United Nations official said the country’s public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt”. Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Mr Assad’s brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant, who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the UN official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali for the first time. Mr Jalali stayed in Syria when Mr Assad fled and has sought to project normalcy since. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Mr Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a UN official said some government services had been paralysed as worried state employees stayed at home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator for Syria, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonised by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Mr Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. “I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” In a video shared on a rebel messaging channel, Mr al-Sharaa said: “You will see there are skills” among the rebels. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Mr Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Mr Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Mr Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets.
The Australian sharemarket is tipped to open weaker despite a rally from some of the world’s largest technology companies that spurred a rebound on Wall Street. ASX 200 futures were down 15 points or 0.2 per cent at 8.183 at 7.15 AEDT, after the S&P/ASX 200 Index gained 1.7 per cent on Monday to post its best session in six months. Overnight, US stocks recovered from a wobble that was fuelled by weaker-than-expected data on US consumer confidence. While most companies in the S&P 500 retreated, Tesla and Nvidia drove a gauge of the “Magnificent Seven” megacaps up over 1 per cent. However, it was a thin trading session at the start of a holiday-shortened week, with volume roughly 20 per cent below the average of the past month. Wall Street recovered from an early wobble as the heavyweight technology stocks spurred a rebound. Credit: Bloomberg “Primary uptrends remain intact for equities despite the recent profit-taking,” Craig Johnson at Piper Sandler said. “Given the short-term oversold conditions, we expect a ‘Santa Claus Rally’ to be a strong possibility this year.” To Morgan Stanley’s Michael Wilson, negative breadth — when falling shares outnumber those that are rising — may not matter as much for high-quality stock indexes with robust price momentum. Earlier, stocks lost steam momentarily after data showed consumer confidence unexpectedly sank for the first time in three months on concerns about the outlook for the US economy. “The economic outlook is deteriorating,” said Neil Dutta at Renaissance Macro Research. “This was true before the Fed’s December confab and remains true. The risk of the Fed flip-flopping is quite high.” The S&P 500 added 0.4 per cent. The Nasdaq 100 climbed 0.7 per cent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average wavered. Qualcomm climbed after prevailing at trial against Arm Holdings’ claim that it breached a license for chip technology. Rumble soared on news that crypto stablecoin firm Tether will buy a stake in the video-sharing platform. Meanwhile, US retail giant Nordstrom is going private after the founding Nordstrom family, which owns a 33 per cent stake in the company, teamed up with Mexican retail investor El Puerto de Liverpool on the deal. Treasury 10-year yields advanced seven basis points to 4.59 per cent. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rose 0.3 per cent. The S&P 500 is on its way to record a stellar annual return and back-to-back years of more than 20 per cent gains. The index has risen about 25 per cent since the end of 2023, with the top seven biggest technology stocks accounting for more than half of the advance. “Last week’s action should mark the end of the recent pullback and allow a ‘Santa Claus Rally’,” said Jonathan Krinsky at BTIG. “We do think a deeper correction early in ’25 is likely, albeit from a new all-time high.” The prospect or not of a “Santa Claus Rally” during a seven-day period, which includes the last five trading days of the old year and the first two of the new one, continues to be a barometer of investors’ optimism into the new year. Bloomberg L.P.