Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Lowers Holdings in Mohawk Industries, Inc. (NYSE:MHK)Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow wore an interesting outfit ahead of the Monday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys . As he was walking into AT&T Stadium, Burrow was seen wearing a black suit with multi-color stripes. Some fans on social media asked what type of outfit Burrow was wearing because it was a little over the top. This isn’t the first time Burrow has been called out for his appearance this year. As the Bengals began training camp, the former LSU Tigers star showed off a new hairstyle — a bleach-blond buzzcut. While speaking to reporters in July, Burrow explained why he made a drastic change. . @JoeyB arrives for primetime : #CINvsDAL – 8pm ET on ESPN/ABC : Stream on #NFLPlus & ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/1Om00k5G5e “I got bored, that’s about it,” he said, per NFL.com. Burrow also mentioned that defensive tackle B.J. Hill encouraged him to do it. “B.J. said if I buzzed it and bleached it, he would do it, too,” Burrow said. “So now everybody’s gotta hold him accountable ’cause he’s gotta do it in the next week.” As fans question Burrow’s outfit, he is focusing on doing everything he can to help the Bengals turn things around. Currently, the Bengals have a 4-8 record, but Burrow is not the reason why they are on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention. In 12 games, Burrow has thrown for 3,337 yards, 30 touchdowns and just five interceptions with a passer rating of 107.4. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for November after throwing for 1,035 yards and 12 touchdowns with one pick. Joe Burrow talks about playing at a high level this year “I think I’ve been play-to-play better than I’ve ever been. I think I’m creating better than I ever have. So I’m happy with how I’m playing,” Burrow said last week, per Bengals.com . “I think my wrist is feeling good right now. That’s improved throughout the season. I wasn’t throwing it quite the way that I wanted to early in the year. And that’s improved. “Early in the year, I didn’t throw a ton on the run. I wasn’t doing all my different arm angles. And as my wrist has improved, I’ve been able to expand that part of my game. I think I’m working on it more than I ever have throughout practice. And so I think that’s translating to on-field success in that department.” This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.
Samsung finally launched an ultra-thin foldable this year, the , which is available only in Korea and China right now. It’s not as thin as similar Fold-type designs from Chinese smartphone vendors, but the product appears to be a success. Recent reports from Korea show that the phone keeps selling out. Then again, that’s bound to happen with a limited production run. A few weeks ago, I said that Samsung now has to adopt the Galaxy Z Fold SE design and use it . Anything else would send the wrong message. Recent reports confirmed that. Apparently, Samsung has decided to . That detail came from Ross Young, a display expert familiar with the inner workings of the smartphone panel industry who has been accurate about unreleased Samsung and Apple products before. will not confirm the Galaxy Z Fold 7 design until next summer, but we have a new report from Korea that reinforces Young’s claims. Not only will Samsung make an ultra-thin Galaxy Z Fold 7 next year, but the company will steal an idea from Apple to make it happen. Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there. By signing up, I agree to the and have reviewed the One issue with the Galaxy Z Fold SE is that it lacks S Pen stylus support. Samsung removed the digitizer layer from the Fold SE’s panel to make the foldable thinner than the Fold 6. That meant the ultra-thin device would not work with existing S Pen styluses compatible with foldable phones. It’s one thing to make such a decision with a limited-edition phone and quite another to make the same design change on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Plenty of S Pen enthusiasts may want a stylus, and it could end up being a dealbreaker if Samsung removes support. Samsung will not add the digitizer layer back, as it wants to keep the Galaxy Z Fold 7 as thin as the SE model. However, Samsung wants to give buyers the option of using a stylus. According to , the solution comes from the Apple Pencil. Samsung has been using electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology to add S Pen support to its phones. The digitizer creates an electric field on the display to register stylus input. As a result, the S Pen does not need electrical components like the battery, and it’s smaller than the Apple Pencil that works with the iPad. Without a digitizer in place for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung is looking to create an S Pen that’s more similar to the Apple Pencil. The stylus will contain the electrical components, including a battery that needs to be recharged. This S Pen design will use active static electricity (AES) to work with the display. The downside is that the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s S Pen will be larger and thicker. It’ll also need frequent charging. But that’s all to serve Samsung’s endgame here: An ultra-thin Fold-type device that can work with a stylus if required. The other obvious implication is that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will not be paired with the S Pen. The latter will be sold separately. Since it will be larger, there’s probably no way to build this one into the Fold 7. If you own a Galaxy Z Fold SE, this new S Pen design might also work in your favor. I’m assuming here the new stylus would work with the SE model, though that’s just speculation. Finally, there’s another interesting tidbit in the report. Samsung is reportedly considering titanium as the backplate material for the next-gen Fold phone. The company used carbon fiber-reinforced plastic for this display component to prevent electrical interference with the digitizer in previous Fold models that supported the S Pen.Is the CFP bracket fair? Here are some tweaks that would have changed thingsRobert F. Kennedy Jr.’s false claims linking autism to childhood vaccinations are receiving new scrutiny now that President-elect Donald Trump has selected him to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, a sprawling agency with a budget of $1.7 trillion that oversees research into both autism and vaccines. The myth that autism is caused by childhood vaccines — proposed in 1998 by a British doctor who was later banned from practicing medicine in the United Kingdom — has been thoroughly debunked . Hundreds of studies have found vaccines to be safe . The World Health Organization estimates that over the past 50 years, immunizations have saved 154 million lives around the world. Kennedy, who espouses a number of health-related conspiracy theories , has pointed to vaccines to explain the substantial rise in autism diagnoses in recent decades, which have ballooned from an estimated 1 in 150 children in 2000 to 1 in 36 today. Research suggests that much of that increase is due to increasing awareness and screening for the condition; changing definitions of autism to include milder conditions on the spectrum that weren’t recognized in previous years; as well as advances in diagnostic technology. “For a very long time, the anti-vaccine movement has been exploiting families of autistic people, promoting a market for pseudo-scientific treatments that don’t provide the answers they’re looking for and that can expose autistic people to real harm,” said Ari Ne’eman, co-founder of the nonprofit Autistic Self Advocacy Network and an assistant professor of health policy and management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “More discredited conspiracy theories linking autism and vaccines are not the answer.” Timothy Caulfield, research director at the University of Alberta’s Health Law Institute in Canada, who studies health misinformation, said that people often are more willing to believe conspiracy theories about conditions such as autism, whose causes are complex and not fully understood, than diseases with clear causes. People seem less inclined to speculate, for example, about alternative explanations for Down syndrome, which causes intellectual disabilities and has long been known to be caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21. “It’s really a shame because there are vulnerable families [of people with autism] who need our support,” said Judith Miller, a clinical psychologist and senior scientist and training director at the Center for Autism Research at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Every dollar and hour spent trying to debunk a conspiracy theory is a dollar and an hour lost that could have been spent trying to understand how to help families.” Finding the causes of autism is complicated, because it’s not a single disorder, said Manish Arora, a professor of environmental medical and climate science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. “Autism is a spectrum, not a single narrow disease,” Arora said. “It’s many, many things under one umbrella.” Although people diagnosed with autism often have similar strengths and challenges, “there are many paths to autism and many presentations of autism,” Miller said. Scientists have found a variety of risk factors for autism — most of which exist before birth — but there is no single cause for a neurological and developmental condition that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn and behave. A number of the traits sometimes seen in people with autism — such as being sensitive to loud noises, for example, or finding it difficult to interpret social cues — are also found in people who have not been diagnosed with autism. Doctors diagnose autism based on a person’s behavior, noting that there is no simple test for the condition, as there is for Covid or diabetes, said Arora, founder and CEO of a start-up company that researches biomarkers for autism and other neurological conditions. Finding the cause of an infectious disease — such as influenza, which is caused by the flu virus — is much more straightforward. While researchers continue to study the factors that influence the development of autistic traits, “the one thing we know doesn’t cause autism is vaccines,” said Catherine Lord, a psychologist and researcher at the Center for Autism Research and Treatment at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Doctors have long known that genes play a large role in autism, simply by noting that autism can run in families. For example, in identical twins — who share all of their DNA — if one twin has autism, the other usually does, as well. In the case of fraternal twins — who share about half their DNA — if one fraternal twin has autism, the chance that the other will have autism ranges from 53% to 67%, according to an analysis of research studies. Scientists have identified more than 100 genes related to autism, Miller said, and genes are believed to play a role in 60% to 80% of cases. “The genetics of autism have never been better understood,” said Dr. Gregory Cejas, medical director of the Autism Clinical Center and Fragile X Clinic at the Washington University School of Medicine. “We’re making leaps and bounds about known genetic causes of autism.” Yet genes clearly don’t explain every case of autism. Autism is very different from conditions like sickle cell anemia or cystic fibrosis, which are caused by a single gene. Scientists believe that people develop autistic traits due to a combination of genetic vulnerability and environmental exposures, Lord said. “People have found many, many different genetic patterns associated with autism, but none of them are only associated with autism and none of them are always associated with autism,” Lord said. For example, fragile X syndrome — caused by a mutated gene on the X chromosome — is the most common known cause of autism. But only a fraction of children with the genetic mutation actually develop autism, Miller said. It’s possible that this mutation leaves some people more vulnerable to developing autistic characteristics, while others with the same mutations don’t develop autistic traits, because they are shielded by protective factors that have not yet been identified. Some people blamed the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine with autism because symptoms of the condition often occur at around 12 to 15 months of age, the same time toddlers get that immunization. But Miller notes that “most of the genetic conditions that affect our life and health aren’t apparent at birth. Symptoms or characteristics won’t show up until later, but the genetic code will have been with us the whole time.” Many of the known risk factors for autistic characteristics occur before birth or at the time of delivery, Arora said. Babies who experience complications at birth , such as their umbilical cord becoming wrapped around their neck, have a higher risk of autism. So do babies born prematurely , perhaps because of something that happened in the womb. Children are also slightly more likely to be diagnosed with autism if they have older fathers and possibly if they have older mothers, Miller said. It’s not clear if something in the biology of older parents causes a child to have a higher risk of autism, or if socioeconomic issues could play a role. It’s possible that older parents have better access to health care, making it more likely for their child to receive an autism diagnosis. A mother’s health influences her child’s autism risk in several ways, according to multiple studies: Children have a greater chance of being diagnosed with autism if their mothers were exposed to high levels of air pollution or developed a serious infection , such as the flu or pneumonia, while pregnant. While Ne’eman, of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, said he’s not opposed to basic biological research on autism or its causes, he said those studies do little to help people with autism overcome the barriers they face in their everyday lives. He notes that only 8.4% of the $419 million spent on autism research in the United States is devoted to support and services for people with autism. “We need an autism research agenda,” he said, “that reflects the true priorities of autistic people and our families: supports across the lifespan and inclusion in the community.” This article first appeared on NBCNews.com . Read more from NBC News here:
OpenAI announced numerous new options for developers who use their technology to build products and services, promising the upgrades will "improve performance, flexibility, and cost-efficiency." In their live announcement today — which suffered from audio problems — the OpenAI team first highlighted changes to OpenAI o1, the company's reasoning model that can "handle complex multi-step tasks," according to the company. Developers can now utilize the model on their highest usage tier; it's currently used by developers to build automated customer service systems, help inform supply chain decisions, and even forecast financial trends. The new o1 model can also connect to external data and APIs (aka Application Programming Interfaces, which is how different software applications communicate with each other). Developers can also use o1 to fine-tune messaging to give their AI applications a specific tone and style; the model also has vision capabilities so it can use images to "unlock many more applications in science, manufacturing, or coding, where visual inputs matter." Improvement were also announced for OpenAI's Realtime API, which developers utilize for voice assistants, virtual tutors, translation bots, and AI Santa voices . The company's new WebRTC Support will help in real-time voice services, utilizing JavaScript to ostensibly create better audio quality and more helpful responses (e.g., the RealTime API can start formulating responses to a query even while a user is still speaking). OpenAI also announced price reductions for services like WebRTC Support. Also of note, OpenAI is now offering Preference Fine-Tuning to developers, which customizes the technology to respond better to "subjective tasks where tone, style, and creativity matter" than so-called Supervised Fine-Tuning. Catch the full presentation below.
Bank of America on the upcoming US CPI report - rally vs. volatilty
As the world embraces the era of energy transition, Pakistan stands at a critical juncture where adopting a Just Energy Transition mechanism is not just a choice but an imperative to safeguard the environment. Among the technologies driving this change, photovoltaic (PV) solar energy has emerged as a disruptive force, offering the promise of greener and more affordable energy. However, this rapid shift is not without challenges, as it has triggered what some experts term the “utility death spiral.” Contrary to popular belief, the grid remains indispensable, even in an age dominated by renewable energy sources. While solar energy is transformative, the grid plays a crucial role in interconnecting diverse generation technologies; such as hydropower, nuclear, wind, solar, and thermal—to complement each other for grid stability while serving an entire eco-system of consumers while the distributed energy resources (DER) serve only a handful. The notion that we can fully replace the grid is premature; rather, its evolution is essential to sustain the energy transition. While PV solar energy is a game-changer it is not without limitations. It struggles to support base load demand and lacks the attributes of a dispatchable resource, which are critical for ensuring a stable and reliable power supply. Technologies that provide frequency and voltage regulation, as well as the capacity to absorb the starting current of heavy equipment, are vital to complement solar energy’s intermittent nature. Grid-forming technologies, such as grid forming inverters and battery energy storage systems (BESS), hold significant promise for enhancing grid stability. However, in Pakistan, the absence of a comprehensive BESS policy keeps this solution out of reach for the foreseeable future. Until these policies are implemented, the full potential of renewable energy integration will remain untapped. Research highlights a pressing concern: the rapid pace of solar penetration during daylight hours, driven by falling solar prices, is accelerating Pakistan’s central grid toward the Duck Curve phenomenon. This phenomenon refers to the mismatch between peak solar generation during the day and peak electricity demand in the evening, creating a “duck-shaped” graph of energy demand versus supply. The resulting surplus energy during the day and steep ramp-up in evening demand strain the grid, jeopardizing its stability. The challenges become particularly pronounced during Pakistan’s foggy and smog-filled winters, when flexibility in the grid is crucial to maintain stability. Without adaptive measures these seasonal challenges could intensify. In this context, Pakistan must act swiftly to develop policies and technologies that ensure a balanced and resilient energy ecosystem. Only by embracing a multi-faceted approach that includes renewable energy, grid enhancements, and innovative storage solutions can the nation navigate the complexities of energy transition effectively. Globally, many countries have encountered the challenges posed by the Duck Curve and have adjusted their energy policies to address this phenomenon. The Duck Curve, characterized by a surplus of solar generation during the day and a sharp ramp-up in demand as the sun sets, has driven policy innovations worldwide. However, the realities of energy demand remain persistent; no country has enough rooftop solar or battery storage to completely eliminate grid dependency, particularly for nighttime energy needs. Our research highlights a significant shift in Pakistan’s grid dynamics. Two years ago, the peak demand occurred between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM, but it has now shifted near midnight, coinciding with the end of peak hours at 11:00 PM or later. This shift necessitates re-evaluation of Time-of-Use (TOU) policies and rate designs. Pakistan must implement policies that address these changes both technically and economically, such as leveraging Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for grid stability, peak shaving, and integrating them with slow-ramping central power plants during nighttime demand surges. To navigate these challenges, Pakistan urgently needs robust rules and regulations for DERs. This includes revisiting Distribution Code to ensure all DERs—particularly behind-the-meter solar installations—are controllable and do not compromise grid stability. Issues such as reactive power support and higher voltage levels must be managed to avoid potential grid collapse. Properly regulating DERs will ensure they complement rather than disrupt the grid. The need for energy equity The rapid adoption of PV solar as a disruptive technology has raised critical questions about energy equity. While rooftop solar and net-metering systems provide substantial benefits, such as lower electricity bills and energy independence, they also create disparities. Customers without rooftop solar, particularly those in underserved or rural areas, continue to rely solely on grid power and may face higher costs due to the shifting burden of grid maintenance onto non-net-metered consumers. Moreover, higher buyback rates for solar energy have compounded these inequities. For instance, as more consumers adopt distributed solar systems, grid-fixed costs are increasingly borne by fewer, often less-privileged, consumers. This dynamic raises serious concerns about fairness and accessibility, particularly in regions that already endure poor power quality and extended load shedding. Energy equity is a multidimensional challenge, requiring a balance between innovation and inclusivity. It is structured around four foundational pillars: Distributional equity: Ensuring the fair allocation of benefits and costs across all demographics; Procedural equity: Involving all stakeholders in decision-making processes; Recognitional equity: Acknowledging and addressing the unique needs of marginalized groups; Restorative equity: Rectifying past injustices in energy access and resource allocation. For Pakistan, achieving comprehensive energy equity demands systemic reforms that address these pillars. Policies must ensure the benefits of cleaner and more resilient energy systems reach all communities, including rural and underserved populations. Without proactive measures, the energy transition risks exacerbating existing social inequities. As Pakistan continues to transition its energy systems, it is essential to prioritize both technical innovation and inclusivity, ensuring that all citizens benefit from a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. A Distributional Equity Assessment (DEA) is a critical tool for advancing fairness in the energy transition, with a primary focus on distributional equity, ensuring that the benefits and burdens of the energy system are shared equitably among various customer groups. While DEA emphasizes distributional aspects, it often intersects with other equity dimensions to provide a holistic perspective. The DEA framework evaluates how costs and benefits are distributed across customers with differing characteristics, offering insights that complement benefit-cost analyses for utility investments in DERs. It addresses pivotal questions, such as: should a new DER programme be initiated or funded? Is an existing programme viable, or does it need adjustments? How should investments be prioritized across multiple DER initiatives to maximize equity and impact? By providing a structured approach, DEA helps utilities and policymakers design programmes that balance customer needs with systemic equity considerations, ensuring that investments in DERs do not exacerbate existing disparities but instead foster inclusive growth and access to sustainable energy. As Pakistan navigates its energy transition, embracing frameworks like DEA and implementing robust policies for DERs and grid stability are essential to achieving both sustainability and equity. By prioritizing inclusivity and proactive planning, Pakistan can ensure that the journey towards a greener future benefits every segment of society, leaving no one behind. Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Browns get 497-yard performance from QB Jameis Winston and lose anyway in season long gone sour
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Knights preview: Looking to bounce back against OilersEyebrows can be one of the hardest parts of your makeup to master, and for many sparse or thinning brows can be a huge insecurity. While there are permanent solutions on the market such as microblading, it can get quite expensive to keep them topped up and some worry the results won't be to their liking. Well, the WONDERSKIN Blading Dream Brow Gel-Serum for £17 seems to be a solution for many shoppers looking to make their brows look naturally fuller. This product promises 'weightless volume, colour and definition that lasts over 24 hours'. Also promising to be a good solution for those with 'sparse or greying eyebrows', simply brush over or fill in the brows using either end of the dual brow brush. As well as giving an instant effect, the Dream Brow also promises to give 'visibly healthier, fuller brows over time'. READ MORE: Whistles' 'ultimate' Christmas party trousers are as comfy as they are sparkly READ MORE: Oodie hooded blanket cut to £26 in flash sale - but you've only got a few hours Shoppers can choose between blonde, brunette, dark brunette and black shades which have 'colour-locking technology' which adhere to the skin and hair for 'waterproof, transfer-proof and budge-proof brows'. 'Innovative' silk fibre powder adds 'visible yet weightless volume instantly' and a blend of keratin, biotin and hyaluronic acid helps to strengthen and condition the brows. On the WONDERSKIN website, the Dream Brow has a 4.3 star rating overall. One happy user shared: "OMG! I love this product so much. I did my first application yesterday and it is everything I hoped for. Very easy to use, the colour looks natural and best of all, I woke up with eyebrows!!! So happy to have discovered this happy medium between drawing them on daily and getting microblading which is very expensive. Thank you WONDERSKIN! I will now be a repeat customer." A second shopper Vanessa said: "I can finally have perfect brows, without the thin spots or unnatural colour. It’s simple and fun for someone who doesn’t wear makeup!" While a third added: "Although I am a brunette, I was born with almost no eyebrows and have had to draw them on since I started using makeup. I have used the same brand of pencil for more than 10 years. But after trying this product, I feel as though I have eyebrows for the first time in my life." They continued: "They really frame my face, look natural and stay on all day. I have already bought this for a friend who is a cancer survivor. It does work. It is a game changer." Although, this customer had an issue with the applicator, finding it difficult to use they said: "I wish it was easier to use for myself. I don't use a ton of makeup. Can deposit A LOT at one time." If you're interested in the Wonder Blading Dream Brow Gel-Serum you can have a closer look at it here. Elsewhere, LookFantastic is selling the benefit Brow Microfilling Brow Pen 0.8ml at 20% off, now down to £20.80 from £26. Additionally, Boots has the No7 Eyebrow Microfilling Brown Pen for £11.95.
Retail sales rose at healthy pace last month in latest sign of US economy's health WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers stepped up their spending at retail stores last month, providing a boost to the economy in the early phases of the winter holiday shopping season. Retail sales rose 0.7% in November, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, a solid increase and higher than October’s 0.5% gain. The boost in spending underscores that the economy is still growing at a healthy pace even with higher interest rates, a trend that could cause the Federal Reserve to lower borrowing costs more slowly next year than they have previously signaled. Tuesday’s report arrives just a day before the Fed is set to announce its latest rate decision Wednesday. Americans end 2024 with grim economic outlook, but Republicans are optimistic for 2025: AP-NORC poll WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll finds that Democrats are feeling more pessimistic about the U.S. economy after Donald Trump's victory. Republicans, meanwhile, are still dour about the current state of the economy but hopeful that growth will be stronger next year when Trump returns to the White House as president. The latest survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research suggests that some Americans are evaluating the economy more by who holds political power than on what the underlying trends suggest. This was a persistent challenge for President Joe Biden and raises the possibility that Trump might also struggle to translate his economic ideas into political wins. Energy chief Granholm warns against 'unfettered exports' of liquefied natural gas WASHINGTON (AP) — Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm says the incoming Trump administration should proceed cautiously as it considers proposals for new natural gas export terminals. Granholm warns that “unfettered exports” of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, could raise wholesale domestic prices by more than 30% and increase planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Granholm’s statement Tuesday came as the Energy Department released a long-awaited study on the environmental and economic impacts of natural gas exports, which have grown exponentially in the past decade. The analysis found that U.S. LNG shipments drive up domestic prices and could lead to higher global carbon emissions. Biden calls for ban on congressional stock trading WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has endorsed a ban on congressional stock trading in an interview that’s being released this week. It's the first time he's publicly backed the idea. He made the comments to Faiz Shakir, a political adviser for Sen. Bernie Sanders. Shakir interviewed the Democratic president for A More Perfect Union, a pro-labor advocacy and journalism organization. The Associated Press reviewed a video of the interview before its release. A bipartisan proposal to ban trading by members of Congress and their families has dozens of sponsors, but it has not received a vote. What does Big Tech hope to gain from warming up to Trump? NEW YORK (AP) — In a string of visits, dinners, calls, monetary pledges and social media overtures, big tech chiefs have joined a parade of business and world leaders in trying to improve their standing with President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office in January. The tech list includes Apple’s Tim Cook, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. Meanwhile, the list of what the executives may be hoping for includes an open path toward developing artificial intelligence, easier access to energy for data centers and an easing of antitrust enforcement. Suspect charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO as an act of terrorism NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been charged with murder as an act of terrorism. Prosecutors disclosed the indictment Tuesday as they worked to bring Luigi Mangione to a New York court from from a Pennsylvania jail. The 26-year-old Mangione already had been charged with murder in the Dec. 4 killing of Brian Thompson. But the terror allegation is new. Under New York law, such a charge can be brought when an alleged crime is “intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policies of a unit of government by intimidation or coercion and affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder, assassination or kidnapping.” Mangione's New York lawyer hasn't commented. Amazon investing another $10 billion in Ohio-based data centers COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. The company and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced the plan Monday. The new investment will boost the amount it has committed to spending in Ohio by the end of 2029 to more than $23 billion. AWS launched its first data centers in the state in 2016. It currently operates campuses in two counties in central Ohio. The new investment will allow AWS to expand its data centers to new sites across the state, but the company says those locations have not been determined yet. Federal Reserve is likely to slow its rate cuts with inflation pressures still elevated WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans hoping for lower borrowing costs for homes, credit cards and cars may be disappointed after this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. The Fed’s policymakers are likely to signal fewer interest rate cuts next year than were previously expected. The officials are set to reduce their benchmark rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, by a quarter-point to about 4.3% when their meeting ends Wednesday. The problem is that while inflation has dropped far below its peak of 9.1% in mid-2022, it remains stubbornly above the Fed’s 2% target. Stock market today: Wall Street trims its stellar gains as Nvidia's star dims again NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes closed lower and gave back some of their stellar gains for the year. The S&P 500 fell 0.4% Tuesday, though it’s still near its all-time high set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.3% from its record set the day before. Nvidia, the superstar stock that’s been a big reason for Wall Street’s run to records this year, fell for the eighth time in the last nine days. Treasury yields held relatively steady after sales at U.S. retailers strengthened by more than expected. Bitcoin set another record. Why is tech giant SoftBank investing over $100 billion in the US? BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese tycoon Masayoshi Son has joined President-elect Donald Trump in announcing plans by technology and telecoms giant SoftBank Group to invest $100 billion in projects in the United States. Trump said the investments would create 100,000 jobs over four years, twice what Son promised when he pledged $50 billion in U.S. investments in 2016. Son is known for making bold choices, sometimes paying big and sometimes not. SoftBank has investments in dozens of Silicon Valley startups, big companies like semiconductor maker Arm and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. The stock market rally and craze for AI has boosted the value of its assets, but some question if its investments will create that many jobs.
Police on Monday in the of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO after they say a Pennsylvania McDonald's worker alerted authorities to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. The suspect, identified by police as Luigi Nicholas Mangione, had a gun believed to be the one used in Wednesday’s attack on , as well as writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. Here are some of the latest developments in the investigation: Mangione was taken into custody at around 9:15 a.m. after police received a tip that he was eating at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) east of Pittsburgh, police said. Mangione was being held in Pennsylvania on gun charges and will eventually be extradited to New York to face charges in connection with , said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” Kenny said Mangione also had a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference. Officers also found a sound suppressor, or silencer, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” the commissioner said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, Tisch said. Kenny said Mangione was born and raised in Maryland, has ties to San Francisco and that his last known address is in Honolulu. Mangione, who was valedictorian of his Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press on Monday. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts also suggest that he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. Some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent people, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have had children attend the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things,” according to a post on the school website. He praised their collective inventiveness and pioneering mindset. Mangione took a software programming internship after high school at Maryland-based video game studio Firaxis, where he fixed bugs on the hit strategy game Civilization 6, according to a LinkedIn profile. Firaxis parent company Take-Two Interactive said Monday it would not comment on former employees. He more recently worked at the car-buying website TrueCar, according to the head of the Santa Monica, California-based company. “While we generally don’t comment on personnel matters, we confirm that Luigi Mangione has not been an employee of our company since 2023,” TrueCar CEO Jantoon Reigersman said by email. Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. Reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. Luigi Mangione is one of 37 grandchildren of Nick Mangione, according to the grandfather's obituary. Luigi Mangione's grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes ranging from Catholic organizations to colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker's office confirmed Monday. Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. on Wednesday. Just 11 minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspect exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore, Matt O'Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, and Cedar Attanasio in New York contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer as his nominee to l e ad the Labor Department . The Oregon House member who narrowly lost her reelection bid earlier this month received strong backing from union members in her district. Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are As a potential labor secretary, Chavez-DeRemer would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce and its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health, safety and ability to unionize, and employers' rights to fire employees, among other responsibilities. “Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success - Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!” Trump said in a statement. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Trump appointments and nominees Here are some of the people that President-elect Donald Trump has named for high-profile positions in his administration. Positions in orange require Senate confirmation. Source: NBC NewsPresident-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction