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They came in hoodies, they came in masks, shuffling their feet and laughing nervously while waiting for a winner to be announced. Just a few days after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered on a New York City sidewalk, these young men had lined up in Washington Square Park to compete in a lookalike contest for the man wanted for his murder. It was sparsely attended and seen as a joke by those who did turn up, said Talia Jane, a journalist who was there. But it underlined an obsession with a murder suspect that has gripped social media since the killing on 4 December, fueled by latent anger directed at America's private health insurers. "There was a lot of tinder already there, a lot of discontent, a lot of frustration already there, and [this] sort of threw a match on it," Ms Jane said. And it has only grown since the suspect was named as Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League-educated member of a prominent Baltimore family. In TikTok videos, memes and group chats, a young man accused of shooting a father-of-two in the back on a New York City sidewalk has been fawned over and praised as a kind of folk hero. This fetishisation was remarkably widespread, not limited to radical corners of the internet or any political affiliation, troubling many observers. "We do not kill people in cold blood to resolve policy differences or express a viewpoint," said Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, where Mr Mangione was arrested at a McDonald's. "In a civil society, we are all less safe when ideologues engage in vigilante justice." Almost immediately after Mr Thompson was shot dead, the internet began to lionise his suspected killer. On TikTok, people posted videos of "CEO assassin" New York City walking tour. On Spotify, playlists dedicated to the suspect started to appear. Once Mr Mangione was arrested, these fans came to his defence. Etsy was flooded with pro-Mangione apparel, while Amazon pulled similar products from their site. The McDonald's worker alleged to have turned him in has become a target for online hate, while the fast-food franchise itself has been spammed with bad reviews. The police department in Altoona, Pennsylvania, that arrested him even received death threats. Much of this online reaction has focused on his looks, with the internet dubbing him the "hot assassin". Indeed, Mr Mangione's conventionally attractive physical appearance, which he showed off in shirtless social media posts, is now clearly part of the appeal, said cultural critic Blakely Thornton. Americans are effectively "programmed" to trust and empathise with men who look like Mr Mangione, he said. "That's why they are the protagonists in our movies, books and stories." Public adoration for handsome men accused of crimes is not new - from Ted Bundy to Jeremy Meeks, violent men have developed cult followings. But Professor Tanya Horeck, an expert on digital culture and true crime from Anglia Ruskin University, says that social media has given those sentiments massive visibility, and helped them spread. The internet has caused "a blurring of the lines between celebrity and criminality", she told the BBC, adding that when people see a good-looking person pop into their feeds, their first thought is lust, not moral criticism. "The mood around Luigi Mangione is 'thirst'," she said. Beyond his appearance, a large part of Mr Mangione's online appeal is clearly his apparent ire against the private healthcare industry and corporate elites in general. US media has reported that Mr Mangione was arrested carrying a hand-written document that said "these parasites had it coming". The Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), a non-profit extremism research group based in New Jersey, said that after the shooting the hashtag #EatTheRich went viral. Since Mr Mangione's arrest, variations of "#FreeLuigi" were posted on X over 50,000 times, likely getting tens of millions of impressions. And by some measures, the NCRI said, engagement with posts about Mr Thompson's killing across platforms like X, Reddit, and others surpassed that of the assassination attempt against Donald Trump in July. An analysis of a sample of comments carried out by market research firm OneCliq found the vast majority - four-fifths - contained criticism of the US healthcare system. Mr Mangione's X account has gained more than 400,000 followers since the shooting. The shooting also seemed to inspire others to take action against healthcare insurers - "wanted" posters of other CEOs appeared around New York City, and a woman in Florida was arrested after telling an insurance agent on the phone "Delay, Deny, Depose. You people are next," alluding to the words inscribed on a bullet casing found at the murder scene. Alex Goldenberg, a senior advisor at the NCRI, called the online reaction a "turning point" and "a catalyst for the normalisation of political violence that was once confined to extremists on the fringes". He compared the wave of comments to the online activity following racist mass murders, designed to defend the killers and signal-boost their beliefs - only more widespread, and happening across mainstream social media networks. "The dynamic we are observing is eerily similar to the activity on platforms like 4chan, 8chan, Discord, and in other dark corners of the internet, where mass shootings are often met with glee," he said. Tim Weninger, a computer science professor at Notre Dame and expert in social media and artificial intelligence, said evidence suggests that the groundswell was authentic - not powered by bots or government influence operations. "People are pissed off at the healthcare industry and they are using social media to express their frustrations," he said. "They're expressing those frustrations by supporting this suspect." Recent research by Commonwealth Fund, a health policy institute, found 45% of insured working-age adults were charged for something they thought should have been free or covered by insurance, and 17% of respondents said their insurer denied coverage for care that was recommended by their doctor. There are indications that the shooting has prompted some introspection on the part of healthcare companies. "I think all of us are taking a step back and trying to understand what's happening with patients and their experiences," Pfizer's chief sustainability officer Caroline Roan told a conference in New York on Wednesday, according to Reuters. Some of the people who have been protesting against health insurance companies for years, before online criticism about UHC took off, understand some of the darker sentiments, even if they don't endorse them. "It's a horrific act of violence, and I absolutely condemn it no matter the motivation," Jenn Coffey, who has been fighting to get UHC to cover her medical bills, said of Mr Thompson's killing. "But I'm not shocked by the reaction." Ms Coffey, 53, from Manchester, New Hampshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 and later fell ill with complex regional pain syndrome, a potentially debilitating neurological condition. When a doctor suggested that she try ketamine therapy, her UHC insurance would not cover the procedure, she said. She has since become involved in a protest campaign organised by activist group People's Action. Ms Coffey's illness forced her to stop working as an emergency medical technician. She said she started a crowdfunding drive and had to sell most of her belongings in order to pay for the treatment herself. "I get to have some normality. I can sit up and paint, or I can enjoy a meal with my family" because of the treatment, she said. "I can have a life that's worth living." UnitedHealth Group told the BBC they could not comment on individual cases for privacy reasons. At the same time, much of the online discussion has effectively ignored the victim, Brian Thompson, who was 50. "It's incredibly bleak that [Thompson's death] hasn't been covered as much because, bottom line, a person died, a person was murdered," Blakely Thornton said. "The collective rage over [the health-care industry] is really outweighing what is still a tragedy." In his last post on LinkedIn, Mr Thompson talked about efforts to make healthcare more affordable - and was criticised in the comments. CBS News, the BBC's US partner, obtained a message that UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty sent to staff this week, memorialising Mr Thompson and calling his murdered colleague "one of the good guys". "He was certainly one of the smartest guys. I think he was one of the best guys. I'm going to miss him. And I am incredibly proud to call him my friend," he wrote. In the email, the company shared messages from customers, including one who wrote about recovering from cancer, saying their treatment was paid for by the insurance company's benefits. "I'm thankful to UHC and everyone there who works within a broken system to help as many people as they can," they wrote, according to the company. Another message said: "So very sad that this world is so hateful. I have always had great experiences with UHC." Ms Coffey, the UHC policyholder and patient, said: "My heart goes out to the family and I can't imagine what they're having to struggle with that [killing]. It's awful to me that this is the catalyst for this debate." "I would have much rather sat down and had a conversation with him." With additional reporting from Grace DeanThe decision to include language-based programs in the Spring Festival Gala comes after years of calls for greater diversity in the show. For too long, the Gala has been dominated by performances in Mandarin Chinese, leaving out a multitude of other languages and cultures that are an integral part of China's rich tapestry of diversity. By including programs in languages other than Mandarin, the Gala is taking a step toward better reflecting the true diversity of the country.The ongoing conflict in Syria has been a source of concern for the international community for nearly a decade. As the situation continues to deteriorate, experts warn of the escalating impact that the overflow of the Syrian crisis is having on neighboring countries and beyond. One of the most significant consequences of the conflict is the increasing risk of terrorism and the surge in the number of refugees fleeing the violence.
LYNNWOOD, Wash., Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zumiez Inc. ZUMZ today announced it will report fiscal 2024 third quarter results on Thursday, December 5, 2024, following the closing of regular stock market trading hours. The Company will hold a conference call that day at 5:00 p.m. ET to review the results. To access the conference call, please pre-register using this link ( Registration Link ). Registrants will receive confirmation with dial-in details. The conference call will also be available to interested parties through a live webcast at https://ir.zumiez.com . To avoid delays, we encourage participants to dial into the conference call fifteen minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. A replay of the webcast will also be available for a limited time at https://ir.zumiez.com . About Zumiez Inc. Zumiez is a leading specialty retailer of apparel, footwear, accessories and hardgoods for young men and women who want to express their individuality through the fashion, music, art and culture of action sports, streetwear, and other unique lifestyles. As of November 2, 2024, we operated 752 stores, including 592 in the United States, 46 in Canada, 87 in Europe and 27 in Australia. We operate under the names Zumiez, Blue Tomato and Fast Times. Additionally, we operate ecommerce web sites at zumiez.com, blue-tomato.com and fasttimes.com.au. Company Contact: Darin White VP of Finance & Investor Relations Zumiez Inc. (425) 551-1500, ext. 1337 Investor Contact: ICR Brendon Frey (203) 682-8200 © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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Up to 70 parents and businesses have now made allegations that they have lost money to former international footballer Natasha Harding. It is understood the total figure lost could be almost £70,000. The former Reading captain, who is one of Wales' most capped players and now uses her married name of Allen-Wyatt, is facing a number of claims, including that she took money for one-to-one coaching with children that she did not deliver. Ms Allen-Wyatt said she had to cancel "some sessions" due to circumstances outside her control, and apologised to those affected. Since the first allegations emerged, parents and businesses from south Wales, north Wales, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire have told BBC Wales about their own experiences with Ms Allen-Wyatt, in fresh claims amounting to £27,000. Meanwhile, a parent who set up a WhatsApp group for those affected said their claims totalled around £40,000. Reports have been made to a number of police forces in Wales and England, some of which have been passed on to Action Fraud, which co-ordinates fraud complaints from all regions. Action Fraud said at least one report "is currently being assessed" by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau. Former teammates have also revealed to the BBC that some of Ms Allen-Wyatt's actions "also impacted ourselves, our families and friends". Ms Allen-Wyatt's former club, Manchester City, has been urged to cut its ties with her as a pundit and commentator. Andy Hughes, a voluntary coach for Northop Hall Girls' under-12s and under-13s in Flintshire, said Ms Allen-Wyatt had offered one-to-one coaching to team members after appearing as a guest on his podcast, This Girl Can Play, and mentioning she wanted to expand her academy to north Wales. She subsequently signed up 12 players for 10 sessions of coaching, at a cost of £280 per player. But only two blocks of coaching sessions were delivered, with subsequent sessions cancelled or postponed after Ms Allen-Wyatt told Mr Hughes that she had suffered two family bereavements. No further sessions were arranged, and Mr Hughes said no refunds had been given. He said, "I was really, really disappointed. For someone who played the game at that level and who’s an icon to the next generation of women footballers, these sessions were really important. "How do you explain to an 11-year-old girl that their Welsh hero isn’t going to come and coach them after all, and that they’ve let them down? "I'm gutted that someone we put forward as a great opportunity has turned out like this. It's a shame because the coaching she did deliver was good." Daniel Rees, who runs Cardiff Classic Shirts, agreed to sponsor Ms Allen-Wyatt after she contacted him through social media. He gave her £500, for which he was promised the company would be advertised on her academy training shirts, hoodies and jackets for a period of two years. Mr Rees said he had seen no evidence of this being done and not received any explanation despite trying to contact her. "I couldn't find any pictures of shirts that were meant to be printed up, just a mock-up I was sent," he said. "I never thought the worst, I just thought she was having a run of bad luck and it would come good. "To see now that it's so widespread has come as a bit of a shock to the system." Mr Rees said he was also promised two worn Wales match shirts, which never materialised. Kate Parker, a keen Wales football fan, purchased coaching sessions as a Christmas gift for her niece after seeing the Tash Harding Academy on social media. Ms Parker, who runs two pubs in the Caerphilly area, paid further amounts for sponsorship through the academy and kit for her niece, with the total coming to £1,335. However, only one training session was delivered, a second one cancelled, and eventually Ms Parker asked for a full refund. Just £350 has been returned to her, in three instalments, with £885 remaining outstanding. "She'd promised my niece a Wales shirt as well... it's a big thing when you're a kid," said Ms Parker. "My niece is quite shy, I've been to a couple of her football matches and she doesn't get involved as much as the others. "She was quite upset but my sister sat her down and explained that (the coaching) couldn't happen, and that's that." BBC Wales approached Ms Allen-Wyatt or comment about these latest claims but received no response.