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The Annapolis City Council introduced a resolution Monday that would postpone the coming ban on gas-powered leaf blowers. The resolution, sponsored by Democratic Alderman Rob Savidge, of Ward 7, comes nearly nine months after , which Savidge also co-sponsored. The new measure would postpone enforcement of the legislation, which is set to take effect Jan. 1. If passed, the city would not issue any violations or fines for five months, Savidge said Tuesday. The postponement would allow more time for the city to develop a voucher program that will provide discounts on electric leaf blowers. “What we are trying to do with this is buy staff time to put together the voucher program,” Savidge said Monday. The resolution comes a month after city resident Kirby McAdoo posted However, in an interview in October, she said she wants the council to delay its enforcement so the city can assist businesses and residents during the transition. The proposed resolution postpones the city’s enforcement of the ban until June 1, 2025, to allow city staff to create a voucher program that would provide a discount on electric leaf blowers. How much the discount will be remains unclear. The vouchers will be available to landscaping businesses and residents, said Jacquline Guild, deputy city manager for Resilience and Sustainability. Guild estimates that 90% of the funds will be used to “reimburse businesses accepting vouchers” and that the remaining 10% will be used to run the program. Guild said Monday that staff looked at running the program directly through the city. However, that would add a “certain amount of staff time and burden on staff,” which would be responsible for creating and facilitating the program across several departments. “The current plan is to have this voucher program administered by a third party to decrease the administrative burden on City staff,” she said in an email Tuesday. “City staff are already stretched thin with many responsibilities and the envisioned voucher program would involve significant staff time from the City Manager’s Office, the Office of Law, the Department of Finance, and the new Department of Central Services.” She told the council Monday it’s something that “the Resilience Authority [of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County] could take on and run with a third-party contractor.” She added that the city has put in a request to transfer $105,000 of its one-time use reserve funds to allow the Resilience Authority to administer the first year of the voucher program. The City Council is expected to vote on the resolution at their next, and final, meeting of the year on Dec. 9.
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Some seniors outraged over being left out of federal plan to dole out $250 chequesLebanon is closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus, the General Security Directorate said Friday. The decision came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged a border crossing in northern Lebanon just days after it was reopened. Separately, Jordan’s interior minister said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. He spoke after Syrian opposition activists said insurgents had captured the main border crossing with Jordan, forcing the Syrian authorities to leave. Israel’s military said it planned to reinforce its positions in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and near the border with Syria. Israel said it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” Meanwhile, Syrian insurgents entered the central towns of Rastan and Talbiseh early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The breakthrough came a day after jihiadi-led opposition fighters captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest. In other developments, a Hamas official said international mediators have resumed negotiations with the Palestinian militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war is within reach. Israel's war against Hamas has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,600 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Here's the Latest: DEIR AL-Balah, Gaza Strip — An Israeli strike hit a residential building in central Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp on Friday evening, killing at least 12 people, including six children and four women, according to officials at Awda Hospital. The strike wounded at least 46 others, including 13 children and 12 women, and damaged several neighboring houses, the hospital said. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,600 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. CAIRO — Israel said Friday that “thousands of food packages and sacks of flour” were delivered to the isolated northernmost reaches of Gaza, where hunger experts warn famine could be underway. The delivery would mark one of the first successful convoys to the area, which is besieged by Israeli troops that have mounted a fierce offensive in Gaza’s north since early October. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that controls the border crossings into Gaza, said the aid was delivered to the town of Beit Hanoun. Israeli authorities did not publicly say who delivered the aid, and did not provide details on the exact amount of aid involved. COGAT released photos of flatbed trucks driving past rubble, some carrying what appeared to be 25-kilogram (55 pound) sacks of aid and others with cargo covered under tarps. The U.N. has struggled to deliver aid to the area in recent weeks. Alia Zaki, a spokesperson for the World Food Program, told The Associated Press that nearly no food has entered the area for two months, and that the agency’s daily requests to enter the area have been denied by Israel. Of two missions that have been approved since Oct. 6, Zaki said, only two trucks of aid were delivered to a shelter that Israeli soldiers ordered to evacuate soon after and then burned. The situation in northern Gaza has prompted hunger experts to warn that famine is either near or may already be underway. BEIRUT — A Kurdish-led force in Syria that's backed by the United States says it has taken positions along the border with Iraq, replacing Syrian government forces. The move by the Syrian Democratic Forces to capture areas on the west bank of the Euphrates River is likely to cut the land line that links Iran with the Mediterranean coast. The SDF said in a statement that its fighters were deployed in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour and west of the Euphrates for the safety of civilians. “Our primary objective is to protect our security and the security of our people,” it said about the deployment. SDF spokesman Farhad Shami told The Associated Press that their fighters are not in control of the Boukamal border crossing with Iraq. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Iran-backed fighters have evacuated the border crossing point of Boukamal and the SDF is expected to control it later. The Boukamal border crossing has been a main supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, who had opened the corridor that links Iran with the Mediterranean in 2017. The developments come as jihadi-led insurgents in northwestern Syria have made stunning advances over the past week that have so far met little resistance from government troops. KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Crowds of displaced Palestinians, some carrying cooking pots and crying children, gathered at an aid kitchen in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Friday, but many left with nothing. “The food ran out,” said Adel Mohammad, who was hoping to get a meal of rice – the only food being served — for his children. “At night they wake up hungry.” After the kitchen shut down, children used their hands to scoop bits of rice left in large empty cooking pots. The World Food Program has warned that the humanitarian response in Gaza is “nearing collapse as famine looms.” The U.N. agency says Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries, along with the breakdown of law and order in Gaza, has made it difficult for aid convoys to reach displaced Palestinians. Concerns are growing with the onset of another winter of war. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, many displaced repeatedly by Israeli attacks, are living in tent camps, reliant on international aid. Experts have already warned of famine in northern Gaza, which Israeli forces have almost completely isolated since early October. BEIRUT -- Lebanon’s General Security Directorate said Friday the country is closing all land border crossing with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus. The decision by the security agency in charge of border crossings came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged the Arida border crossing with Syria in north Lebanon, days after it was reopened. “Border crossings will be closed until further notice for the safety of travelers,” the agency said in a statement posted on X. It said that the only border crossing that will be kept open is Masnaa in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. Lebanon’s state news agency said Friday the airstrike on the Arida crossing caused heavy material damage and cut the road. The Israeli military said fighter jets attacked the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, adding that they were used to transfer munitions for Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. BEIRUT - Syrian opposition activists say insurgents have captured a main border crossing with Jordan forcing Syrian authorities to leave it. Shortly afterward, Jordan’s Interior Minister al-Frayeh said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side. Opposition activists posted videos online showing people storming the border crossing with Jordan, which was in rebel hands until government forces regained control of it in 2018. Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist based in France who covers events in southern Syria, told The Associated Press that local gunmen have captured the Naseeb crossing as well as several other areas in the southern province of Daraa where the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011. Syrian troops have evacuated checkpoints in several areas including the villages of Inkhil, Nawa and Jassem, he added. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said on Friday that it planned to reinforce its forces stationed in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and rebel groups. The Israeli military said in a statement that it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” After 13 years of civil war, Syrian insurgents are gaining ground, first taking cities in the country’s north and on Friday entering cities in central Syria. It comes as rebel groups mount new challenges to Russia- and Iran-backed Syrian forces, including in Aleppo, the country’s largest city. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has intermittently struck areas in Syria seen as strongholds of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group it is at war with in Lebanon. The advances of the Syrian insurgents adds new instability on Israel’s northern border, two months after it invaded neighboring Lebanon. Israel’s defense minister and military chief of staff met to discuss the situation Thursday. Israeli media reported there is concern in the country’s security establishment that the rebels would advance until they reached the Golan Heights, territory occupied by Israel, gaining control of Syrian weapons stockpiles along the way. Writing in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahoronoth Friday, veteran military correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai wrote that Israel may “prefer” to destroy the weapons storehouses so they won’t fall into the hands of the rebels. Israel seized control of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war. Syria has constantly accused Israel of launching attacks against it from territory it occupies in the Golan Heights. Israel has frequently struck Syria over the years. BEIRUT — Syrian insurgents entered two central towns early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The break into Rastan and Talbiseh came a day after opposition gunmen captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest, after the Syrian army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and spare the lives of civilians. The insurgents, led by the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have said that they will march to Homs and Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power. The city of Homs, parts of which were controlled by insurgents until 2014, is a major intersection point between the capital, Damascus, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus where Assad enjoys wide support. Homs province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. Insurgents are now 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from Homs, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor. “The battle of Homs is the mother of all battles and will decide who will rule Syria,” said Rami Abdurrahman, the Observatory’s chief. MANAMA, Bahrain — Iran said Friday it conducted a successful space launch, the latest for its program the West alleges improves Tehran’s ballistic missile technology. Iran conducted the launch using its Simorgh program , a satellite-carrying rocket that had had a series of failed launches, at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province. That’s the site of Iran’s civilian space program. The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an “orbital propulsion system,” as well as two research systems to a 400-kilometer (250-mile) orbit above the Earth. A system that could change the orbit of a spacecraft would allow Iran to geo-synchronize the orbits of its satellites. Tehran has long sought that ability. Iran also put the payload of the Simorgh at 300 kilograms (660 pounds), heavier than its previous successful launches. There was no immediate independent confirmation the launch was successful. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The announcement comes as heightened tensions grip the wider Middle East over Israel’s continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and as an uneasy ceasefire holds in Lebanon. MELBOURNE, Australia — Arsonists extensively damaged a Melbourne synagogue on Friday in what Australia’s prime minister condemned as an antisemitic attack on Australian values. The blaze in the Adass Israel Synagogue is an escalation in targeted attacks in Australia since the war began between Israel and Hamas last year. Cars and buildings have been vandalized and torched around Australia in protests inspired by the war. A witness who had come to the synagogue to pray saw two masked men spreading a liquid accelerant with brooms inside the building at 4:10 a.m., officials said. About 60 firefighters with 17 fire trucks responded to the blaze, which police said caused extensive damage. Investigators have yet to identify a motive, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed antisemitism. “This was a shocking incident to be unequivocally condemned. There is no place in Australia for an outrage such as this,” Albanese told reporters. “To attack a place of worship is an attack on Australian values. To attack a synagogue is an act of antisemitism, is attacking the right that all Australians should have to practice their faith in peace and security,” he added. ISTANBUL — A Hamas official says international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war was within reach. Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States because of frustration over a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But there has been a “reactivation” of efforts in recent days to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel, according to Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas’ political bureau who spoke with The Associated Press in Turkey on Thursday. Another official familiar with the talks confirmed the return of Qatari mediators. The official spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations with the media. Since the talks broke down, there have been significant shifts in the global and regional landscape. Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, and a ceasefire was declared last week between Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump is a staunch supporter of Israel, but Naim said he believes the incoming administration could “affect the situation positively” given that Trump had made halting wars in the region part of his campaign platform. Trump this week called for the release of all hostages held in Gaza by the time he takes office on Jan. 20, saying there would be “hell to pay” if that doesn’t happen. WASHINGTON -- Three U.S. service members were being evaluated for potential traumatic brain injuries following an attack near a base in eastern Syria this week, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday. Ryder said U.S. Central Command is still evaluating who was behind the attack near Mission Support Site Euphrates, which prompted the U.S. to conduct counter strikes on Tuesday. At the time, the Pentagon said rockets and mortars had landed in the vicinity of the base. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. By Lolita Baldor
Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. The Jimmy Butler trade rumors have gotten to the point where Miami Heat president Pat Riley needed to step in to say what the organization will be doing. From his words, Butler isn’t going anywhere. "We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches," Riley said in a Heat statement . "Therefore, we will make it clear – we are not trading Jimmy Butler." CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Miami Heat president Pat Riley gestures as he speaks during his postseason news conference, Monday, June 6, 2022, in Miami. As is always the case, Riley is going into the offseason saying that if there's a deal to be made and get Miami closer to a championship, he'll make it. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) What sparked the rumors was an ESPN report that stated the veteran wanted to leave Miami amid his sixth season with the organization. The report added that the Heat were willing to listen to trade offers ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. Then, the Miami Herald reported that Butler had the desire to leave, because the team wasn’t publicly shooting down the rumors. 2024-25 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS: CELTICS, THUNDER FAVORED Well, all that changed with Riley’s statement on the matter, as the Heat want their star guard/forward to stay put. Butler is currently averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists over 20 games so far this season. Looking ahead to next season, Butler isn’t expected to activate his $52.4 million player option. The Miami Herald also reported the Heat being unwilling to extend him through the 2026-27 season, so there’s a good chance that Butler, who would be 36 years old next season, would be looking for a new squad next season. Miami Heat forward Kevin Love (42) talks to forward Jimmy Butler (22) in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images) Before becoming a force on the Heat, Butler spent his first six NBA seasons with the Chicago Bulls , starting in the 2011-12 campaign after being drafted 30th overall out of Marquette. He was a three-time All-Star in the Windy City, while winning Most Improved Player for his performance in the 2014-15 season. Butler would end up going to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017, but it didn’t last long as he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers midway through the 2018-19 season. Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) walks off the court after the game against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The versatile two-way star has been a cornerstone of the Heat locker room since joining the squad in 2019, getting two All-Star nods over the past six seasons. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.The financial incentives provided months ago to Greeks who wish to relocate to northern Evros is a pilot program for all rural regions Greece, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an interview to the newspaper 'Ta Choriatika' in Proti, near Serres, on Saturday. "Our job is to take care of problems of all Greek citizens and take particular care of the most isolated regions of our homeland," Mitsotakis told journalist Fotini Gallou. The prime minister also reiterated the further strengthening of the primary sector and of small-scale tourism as issues in rural Greece. Speaking of renewable energy sources, he said that their use will reduce energy prices, but "the first ones to benefit should be the municipalities that welcome them." Mitsotakis and Gallou spoke of how younger people could be encouraged to relocate to villages, and of what the benefits would be. One of the benefits, he said, was that smaller schools allowed more time between a teacher and a student, thsu improving the standard of education, adding also the help of digital education. "A child that may live in a remote village could have the same technological foundation as a child living in Athens or Thessaloniki. Technology is a bridge that breaks up isolation, and that is why I believe that gradually but steadily there will be more people who will be able to work from a distance and to think of the alternative of the village," the PM said. Responding to the question of young people founding innovative businesses in villages, and how they would be taxed, Mitsotakis said that the government had changed the lower tax rates to include people who live in villages with up to 1,500 residents (from 500). "It is for this reason, let's say, we are prioritizing the plans to support young farmers. I have instructed the Ministry of Agricultural Development to see to it that we can include as many young farmers as possible, because the farmers in regional Greece support the villages. We must have a realistic sense of what the economic activities are that are linked to the villages, and surely the primary sector plays a very important role," he noted.Lance Terry scored a game-high 22 points, helping lead Georgia Tech to a 92-49 rout of visiting Alabama A&M on Saturday in Atlanta. Javian McCollum added 18 points, while Jaeden Mustaf chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds, as Georgia Tech (6-7) won its second game in three outings. Baye Ndongo had 10 points for the Yellow Jackets, who shot 54.1 percent (33 of 61) from the field and made 10 of 21 (47.6 percent) on 3-pointers. AC Bryant and Bilal Abdur-Rahman each led the Bulldogs (4-9) with 11 points. Alabama A&M managed to shoot just 20.8 percent (15 of 72) from the field en route to its sixth straight loss. After London Riley's 3-pointer cut the Bulldogs' deficit to 16-15, McCollum's triple began a 12-0 scoring run, extending Georgia Tech's lead to 28-15 with 5:30 remaining in the opening half. Bryant's layup stopped the Yellow Jackets' run, but McCollum scored five straight points to push Georgia Tech's advantage to 15 at the 4:13 mark. The lead expanded to 18 points before Quincy McGriff's layup trimmed the Bulldogs' deficit to 16. Terry's back-to-back triples jump-started a 12-3 run to close the first half with Georgia Tech ahead 50-25. McCollum led all scorers with 18 first-half points, while McGriff led Alabama A&M with seven. Ndongo's dunk to open the second half started a 10-1 Georgia Tech run, stamped with Duncan Powell's triple with 17 minutes left to push the Yellow Jackets' lead to 60-26. After Angok Anyang knocked down a pair of free throws for the Bulldogs, Terry's fourth triple was followed by Naithan George's layup, extending Georgia Tech's lead to 68-35 with 11:49 left. Jaylen Colon and Terry then traded triples, before Georgia Tech's 13-6 spurt was stamped with Ndongo's layup at the 3:33 mark, giving the Yellow Jackets an 84-44 edge. Georgia Tech's dominant day was stamped with baskets from a pair of Yellow Jacket walk-ons, as Emmers Nichols and Marcos San Miguel each tallied their first career points in the closing minutes. --Field Level Media
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U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekPolice believe the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO left NYC on a bus after the shooting NEW YORK (AP) — The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer three days ago may have quickly left New York City on a bus after escaping on a bicycle and hopping in a cab, police officials said Friday. Michael Balsamo And Michael R. Sisak, The Associated Press Dec 6, 2024 2:01 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message The graphic above shows the location of the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting and escape route a suspected gunman took. (AP Digital Embed) NEW YORK (AP) — The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer three days ago may have quickly left New York City on a bus after escaping on a bicycle and hopping in a cab, police officials said Friday. Video of the gunman fleeing Wednesday's shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson showed him riding through Central Park and later taking a taxi to a bus terminal that offers commuter service to New Jersey and Greyhound routes to Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, D.C, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Police have video of the man entering the bus station but no video of him exiting, leading them to believe he left the city, Kenny said. “It’s a very busy bus terminal, we want to make sure we have the right bus. But we’re working through that right now, this is all new information,” he said. Investigators also believe the shooter left a backpack in Central Park and were carrying out a massive sweep to find it in a vast area with lakes and ponds, meadows, playgrounds and a densely wooded section called “The Ramble,” said police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. As dusk approached Friday, small groups of officers could be seen roaming among trees across ground covered with leaves. The reason for the killing remained unknown. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . The gunman made sure to conceal his identity with a mask during the brazen ambush yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras. Thompson was shot outside his company’s annual investor conference at a hotel just blocks from Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center. A law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Friday that surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan, providing more clues about his actions in the days before the shooting. Investigators believe the suspect may have traveled to New York last month on a bus that originated in Atlanta, according to the law enforcement official, who was not authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Once in New York, he appeared to pay with cash in any establishment where he was captured on camera, the official said. Investigators have tested a discarded water bottle and protein bar wrapper in a hunt for his DNA. They also were trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone found along the gunman's escape route. Police have released photos of the suspected shooter that were taken in the lobby of a hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The images, showing an unmasked man smiling in the lobby of the HI New York City hostel, add to a collection of photos and video circulated since the shooting — including footage of the attack, as well as images of the suspected gunman at a Starbucks beforehand. Surveillance images from the shooting show the man wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that concealed most of his face — a look that would not have attracted attention on a chilly morning. Investigators have learned the man lowered his mask at the front desk of the hostel because he was flirting with the woman who checked him in, the law enforcement official told the AP, leading to a photo of his face. The woman told investigators that during that encounter she asked to see his smile and he pulled down his mask, the official said. Investigators believe the suspect used a fake New Jersey identification card, the official said, when he checked in at the hostel, which has a café along with shared and private rooms and is blocks from Columbia University. Investigators believe the shooter had at least some firearms training and experience with guns, the official said. Security video shows the killer approaching Thompson from behind, firing several shots with a gun equipped with a silencer, barely pausing to clear a jam while the executive fell to the sidewalk. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition, two law enforcement officials told the AP on Thursday. The messages mirror the phrase “delay, deny, defend,” which is commonly used by lawyers and critics about insurers that delay payments, deny claims and defend their actions. Thompson, a father of two sons who lived in a Minneapolis suburb, had been with Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years. The insurer’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., was holding its annual meeting in New York for investors. The company abruptly ended the conference after Thompson’s death. UnitedHealth Group said it was focused on supporting Thompson’s family, ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring,” the company said. UnitedHealthcare provides coverage for more than 49 million Americans. It manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs. In October, UnitedHealthcare was named along with Humana and CVS in a Senate report detailing how its denial rate for prior authorizations for some Medicare Advantage patients has surged in recent years. The shooting has shaken corporate America and the health insurance industry in particular, causing companies to reevaluate security plans and delete photos of executives from their websites. A different Minnesota-based health care company said Friday it was temporarily closing its offices out of an abundance of caution, telling employees to work from home. ___ Balsamo reported from Washington. Jake Offenhartz and Karen Matthews in New York, John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Jeff Martin in Atlanta contributed to this story. Michael Balsamo And Michael R. Sisak, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National Business Tech stocks help lift S&P/TSX Friday, U.S. stock markets mixed after jobs report Dec 6, 2024 1:50 PM BRP executive warns against overreaction to Trump tariff plan Dec 6, 2024 1:48 PM Toronto AI company Cohere to receive $240M from Ottawa to help get data centre built Dec 6, 2024 1:27 PM Featured FlyerManchester City blew a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 against Feyenoord in a Champions League thriller on Tuesday and extended their winless run to six games. Pep Guardiola The English champions did snap a five-game losing streak but did little to boost confidence ahead of Sunday’s trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool by conceding three times in the final 15 minutes. Related News EPL: Title dreams over if we lose to Liverpool, says Guardiola 75% of EPL clubs want City relegated — Guardiola EPL returns: Liverpool play Southampton, Amorim debuts, City target redemption Details later AFP
People who develop multiple sclerosis (MS) as children and grow up in less advantaged neighborhoods may have a larger volume of inflammation and brain tissue loss on imaging than those who grow up in more advantaged neighborhoods, according to a study published in the November 27, 2024, online issue of Neurology . MS rarely develops in children. About 5% of people with MS are diagnosed before age 18. In addition to neighborhood location, worse brain imaging outcomes were also seen among people who self-identified as Black or Latino, those from families where the parents had lower education levels, and those who had public health insurance , which is used as a marker of low household income. "Our findings suggest that social disadvantage in childhood can have lasting effects on MS severity," said study author Kimberly A. O'Neill, MD, of New York University Grossman School of Medicine. "Childhood is a critical time for exposure to environmental factors associated with increased susceptibility to MS, such as passive smoke, pollution and low sunlight exposure. More studies are needed to understand which and how factors in disadvantaged neighborhoods increase the risk for MS severity in young people ." The study involved 138 people with an average age of 20 who were diagnosed with MS before age 18, known as pediatric onset MS. They had been diagnosed with MS for an average of four years. All had brain scans to measure areas of brain inflammation and injury due to MS and brain volume loss. Researchers collected information on social factors that may impact a person's health, including self-reported race and ethnicity, type of health insurance , parents' education level, and the degree of neighborhood advantage or disadvantage. Social factors associated with disadvantage correlated with a greater volume of inflammatory lesions in the white matter of the brain and also with greater black hole volume, which is a sign of irreversible loss of brain tissue. Together, the identified social factors accounted for 26% of the difference in white matter lesion volume and 23% of the difference in black hole volume among participants. Once all factors were taken into account, having public health insurance was the strongest predictor of having greater amounts of inflammation and tissue loss. People with public health insurance had average white matter lesion volume that was larger than people with private insurance. They also had average black hole volumes larger than those with private insurance. The researchers found that the differences were not explained by how soon children were seen by a neurologist, how quickly they were started on medication for MS or how effective their medications were at slowing their disease progress. "This suggests that access to health care does not explain the more severe disease burden shown in the brain scans of people in disadvantaged groups in our study," O'Neill said. "While these are associations and not causes, many of these groups have historically been underrepresented in MS research and our work here is just beginning." A limitation of the study is that researchers used the address of the children at the time of their diagnosis but did not have information on any prior addresses. Additionally, only a few types of social factors were studied. More information: Neurology (2024).A California man who was reported missing 25 years ago is set to be reunited with his sister after a USA TODAY article published in Ma y alerted the woman to her sibling's whereabouts, authorities announced. The report, which sought to identify an unknown patient at a Los Angeles County hospital, was sent to the woman by a friend of hers, the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office in Northern California confirmed on Facebook. The patient was discovered in South Los Angeles on April 15 and taken to the St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, California, USA TODAY previously reported. Officials at the hospital asked for the public's assistance in identifying the man, who is non-verbal and could not communicate his name. For the next six months, the hospital's social services department was unable to reach any family members for the patient. That all changed on Friday, when his sister told the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office that she believed the unidentified patient was her long lost brother. The sheriff's office has not revealed the name of the man or his family members, citing privacy for the family. Information regarding his health status have also been withheld due to patient confidentiality laws. USA TODAY has reached out to the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Francis Medical Center for additional information. Brother reported missing in 1999 The man was reported missing from Doyle, California in 1999 and not heard from since, his sister told the sheriff’s office. Sheriff’s Deputy Derek Kennemore contacted the hospital, where staff told him the patient had been transferred to different hospital. The second hospital confirmed that the man was in their care and matched the description of the missing person, according to the sheriff’s office. His identity was later confirmed through a fingerprint test conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department, according to the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office. "The family will be reunited soon," the office wrote. "The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office would like to commend Deputy Kennemore on his tenacity with this case. We would also like to thank the Los Angles Police Department for their assistance in identifying the missing man and closing out this 25 year old case."
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday that the United States should pay for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, which is now ruled by the fanatical Islamists of the Taliban as a human rights nightmare. “We discussed further cooperation across all areas. This includes economic issues, as well as detailed discussions on transportation. We addressed everything related to trade and discussed a major energy deal, all of which have promising prospects,” Shoigu said after a meeting with Taliban leaders in Kabul. “The topic of the United States was also raised, as it continues to plunder everything and everyone with impunity. The issue concerned the return of assets and funds that belong solely to the Afghan people. As with Libya and Syria, the U.S. refuses to return them,” Shoigu continued. “In my opinion, the United States should invest in the reconstruction of Afghanistan after everything it has done and abandoned there. This applies to everything: the needs of the people, rebuilding facilities, and restoring infrastructure,” he said. Shoigu said Taliban leaders asked for help lifting the pressure of U.S. sanctions during their meeting, and he told them Russia was in their corner. “Let me confirm our readiness to establish a constructive political dialogue between our countries and among the goals would be providing an impulse for the process of a settlement among Afghans,” he said. The Taliban is technically still classified as a terrorist organization in Russia, but last month the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that a decision has been “taken at the highest level” to remove it from Moscow’s list of banned terrorists. Russia added the Taliban to the list in 2003 because it supported Islamist separatists in the North Caucasus. Until recently, Moscow seemed to be worried that support might resume, or the North Caucasian separatists might learn dangerously useful lessons from President Joe Biden’s disastrous withdrawal and the Taliban’s conquest of Kabul. Russia needed friends after alienating much of the civilized world by invading Ukraine in 2022, and President Vladimir Putin’s desire for more allies in Asia appears to have quelled any lingering concerns he had about the Taliban. Shoigu said on Tuesday that enhanced economic and political cooperation with the Taliban is on Moscow’s agenda. Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said his regime also desires closer relations. “In this meeting, the two sides held comprehensive discussions on political, security, and economic issues. Mr. Shoigu pledged that the process of removing the Islamic Emirate’s name, previously referred to as the Taliban Movement, from the Russian blacklist is in its final stages,” Qani said. “The visit of the Russian delegation to Afghanistan, their discussions on political and economic issues, and the announcement to remove the current Afghan government’s name from the list of terrorist organizations are all positive developments,” political analyst Zalmai Afghanyar told Afghanistan’s Tolo News. Tolo News reported Shoigu “expressed Russia’s desire for Afghanistan to regain its position as an observer member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.” Afghanistan has been trying to gain full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) since long before the Taliban takeover, because even the U.S.-backed civilian government saw the SCO as a vehicle for developing closer relations with China and Russia. Afghanistan gained observer status in 2012 under then-President Hamid Karzai, but that status was suspended after the Biden withdrawal disaster in 2021. Russia, like China , covets Afghanistan’s mineral resources. At an economic forum in Kazan, Russia, in May, Taliban Trade Minister Nooruddin Azizi invited Russia to invest in metal and gem mining. “In Afghanistan we have very large reserves of lithium and copper, as well as mineral resources such as precious stones. There is good potential for the extraction of these metals and minerals, and I hope that Russian companies will invest in Afghanistan in this area,” Azizi said. If Russia removes the Taliban from its terrorist list, the next step toward gaining access to Afghanistan’s valuable minerals could involve Moscow becoming the first country to officially recognize the Taliban government as legitimate. Not even rapacious China has taken that step yet, and Russia might be hesitating for similar reasons: because not even the resource-hungry Axis of Tyranny super-powers trust the Taliban to keep its promises. “The Taliban are always very willing to accept advance concessions, but things get complicated when it comes to reciprocating them,” Counter Extremism Project (CEP) analyst Hans-Jakob Schindler observed in June, when the Taliban sent a delegation to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. “It hardly matters whether Russia crosses the Taliban off its terror list or not, as long as the United Nations Security Council in New York keeps the Taliban on it sanctions list,” Schindler added, pointing out another roadblock to Russia offering a trade of diplomatic legitimacy for mineral rights.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — After losing to San Francisco in the playoffs three of the last five seasons, the Green Bay Packers wouldn’t mind seeing the 49ers get left out of the postseason entirely. The Packers (7-3) could damage San Francisco’s playoff hopes Sunday by beating the 49ers at Lambeau Field. San Francisco (5-5) dropped to .500 after losing at home to the Seattle Seahawks, though the 49ers remain just a game behind the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
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