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Boston Scientific EVP Arthur Butcher sells $1.25 million in stockAI leaders are starting to rethink the best way to advance AIGenerative AI models like ChatGPT are trained using vast amounts of data obtained from websites, forums, social media and other online sources; as a result, their responses can contain harmful or discriminatory biases. Researchers at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and the University of Luxembourg have developed LangBiTe, an open source program that assesses whether these models are free of bias and comply with legislation concerning non-discrimination. "LangBiTe hasn't been created for commercial reasons, rather to provide a useful resource both for creators of generative AI tools and for non-technical users; it should contribute to identifying and mitigating biases in models and ultimately help create better AIs in the future," explained Sergio Morales, a researcher in the Som Research Lab Systems, Software and Models group at the UOC Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), whose Ph.D. thesis is based on this tool. The thesis has been supervised by Robert Clarisó, member of the UOC Faculty of Computer Science, Multimedia and Telecommunications and lead researcher of the Som Research Lab, and by Jordi Cabot, a researcher at the University of Luxembourg. The research is in the journal . Beyond gender discrimination LangBiTe differs from other similar programs due to its scope, and according to the researchers, it is the "most comprehensive and detailed" tool currently available. "Most experiments used to focus on male-female gender discrimination, without considering other important ethical aspects or vulnerable minorities. With LangBiTe we've analyzed the extent to which some AI models can respond to certain questions in a racist way, with a clearly biased political point of view, or with homophobic or transphobic connotations," they explained. The researchers also stressed that, although other projects classified AI models based on various dimensions, their ethical approach was "too superficial, with no detail about the specific aspects evaluated." A flexible and adaptable program The new program lets users analyze whether an application or tool that incorporates functions based on AI models is suitable for each institution or organization's specific ethical requirements or user communities. The researchers explained how "LangBiTe doesn't prescribe any specific moral framework. What is and isn't ethical largely depends on the context and culture of the organization that develops and incorporates features based on generative AI models in its product. "As such, our approach lets users define their own ethical concerns and their evaluation criteria, and adapt the evaluation of bias to their particular cultural context and regulatory environment." To this end, LangBiTe includes libraries containing more than 300 prompts that can be used to reveal biases in the AI models, each prompt focusing on a specific ethical concern: ageism, LGBTIQA+phobia, political preferences, religious prejudices, racism, sexism or xenophobia. Each of these prompts has associated responses to assess whether the response from the model is biased. It also includes prompt templates that can be modified, allowing the user to expand and enrich the original collection with new questions or ethical concerns. Much more than ChatGPT LangBiTe currently provides access to proprietary OpenAI models (GPT-3.5, GPT-4), and dozens of other generative AI models available on HuggingFace and Replicate, which are platforms enabling interaction with a wide variety of models, including those of Google and Meta. "Furthermore, any developer who wants to do so can extend the LangBiTe platform to evaluate other models, including their own," added Morales. The program also lets users see the differences between responses by different versions of the same model and between models from different suppliers at any time. "For example, we found that the version of ChatGPT 4 that was available had a success rate in the test against of 97%, which was higher than that obtained by the version of ChatGPT 3.5 available at that time, which had a success rate of 42%. "On that same date, we saw that for Google's Flan-T5 model, the larger it was, the less biased it was in terms of gender, religion and nationality," said the researcher. Multilingual and multimedia analysis The most popular AI models have been created based on content in English, but there are regional projects under way with models being trained in other languages such as Catalan and Italian. The UOC researchers have also included the function of evaluating tools in different languages, which means that users can "detect if a model is biased depending on the language they use for their queries," said Morales. They are also working on being able to analyze models that generate images, such as Stable Diffusion, DALL·E and Midjourney. "The current applications for these tools range from producing children's books to graphics for , which can spread distorting and/or negative stereotypes which society obviously wants to eradicate. "We hope that the future LangBiTe will be useful for identifying and correcting all types of bias in images that these models generate," said the UOC researcher. A tool for compliance with the EU AI Act The features of this tool can help users comply with the recent EU AI Act, which aims to ensure that new AI systems promote equal access, gender equality and cultural diversity, and that their use does not compromise the rights of non-discrimination stipulated by the European Union and the national laws of its member states. The program has already been adopted by institutions including the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), which has to assess several popular generative AI models.
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Northrim BanCorp stock soars to all-time high of $85.07ALTOONA, Pa. — After UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was gunned down on a New York sidewalk, police searched for the masked gunman with dogs, drones and scuba divers. Officers used the city's muscular surveillance system. Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door-to-door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later, those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian's instincts. A Pennsylvania McDonald's customer noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos that New York police had publicized. Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry speaks during a press conference regarding the arrest of suspect Luigi Mangione, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa., in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, was arrested Monday in the killing of Brian Thompson, who headed one of the United States’ largest medical insurance companies. He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. He's expected to be extradited to New York eventually. It’s unclear whether Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday's arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after the McDonald's customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Police in Altoona, about 233 miles (375 kilometers) west of New York City, were soon summoned. They arrived to find Mangione sitting at a table in the back of the restaurant, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, “we knew that was our guy,” rookie Officer Tyler Frye said at a news conference in Hollidaysburg. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Manhattan news conference that Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America." An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and $10,000 in cash — $2,000 of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a midtown Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9 mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Thompson’s body. The words mimic a phrase used to criticize the insurance industry. A poster issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows a wanted unknown suspect. (FBI via AP) From surveillance video, New York investigators gathered that the shooter fled by bike into Central Park, emerged, then took a taxi to a northern Manhattan bus terminal. Once in Pennsylvania, he went from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, “trying to stay low-profile” by avoiding cameras, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. Mangione was valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, where his 2016 graduation speech lauded his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Luigi Nicholas Mangione worked for a time for the car-buying website TrueCar and left in 2023, CEO Jantoon Reigersman said by email. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Honolulu tourist mecca Waikiki. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back," Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. NYPD officers in diving suits search a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. Although the gunman obscured his face during the shooting, he left a trail of evidence in New York, including a backpack he ditched in Central Park, a cellphone found in a pedestrian plaza, a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper. In the days after the shooting, the NYPD collected hundreds of hours of surveillance video and released multiple clips and still images in hopes of enlisting the public’s eyes to help find a suspect. “This combination of old-school detective work and new-age technology is what led to this result today,” Tisch said at the New York news conference. ___ Scolforo reported from Altoona and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Contributing were Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Michael Rubinkam and Maryclaire Dale in Pennsylvania; Lea Skene in Baltimore and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
“Gladiator II” asks the question: Are you not moderately entertained for roughly 60% of this sequel? Truly, this is a movie dependent on managed expectations and a forgiving attitude toward its tendency to overserve. More of a thrash-and-burn schlock epic than the comparatively restrained 2000 “Gladiator,” also directed by Ridley Scott, the new one recycles a fair bit of the old one’s narrative cries for freedom while tossing in some digital sharks for the flooded Colosseum and a bout of deadly sea-battle theatrics. They really did flood the Colosseum in those days, though no historical evidence suggests shark deployment, real or digital. On the other hand (checks notes), “Gladiator II” is fiction. Screenwriter David Scarpa picks things up 16 years after “Gladiator,” which gave us the noble death of the noble warrior Maximus, shortly after slaying the ignoble emperor and returning Rome to the control of the Senate. Our new hero, Lucius (Paul Mescal), has fled Rome for Numidia, on the North African coast. The time is 200 A.D., and for the corrupt, party-time twins running the empire (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger), that means invasion time. Pedro Pascal takes the role of Acacius, the deeply conflicted general, sick of war and tired of taking orders from a pair of depraved ferrets. The new film winds around the old one this way: Acacius is married to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, in a welcome return), daughter of the now-deceased emperor Aurelius and the love of the late Maximus’s life. Enslaved and dragged to Rome to gladiate, the widower Lucius vows revenge on the general whose armies killed his wife. But there are things this angry young phenom must learn, about his ancestry and his destiny. It’s the movie’s worst-kept secret, but there’s a reason he keeps seeing footage of Russell Crowe from the first movie in his fever dreams. Battle follows battle, on the field, in the arena, in the nearest river, wherever, and usually with endless splurches of computer-generated blood. “Gladiator II” essentially bumper-cars its way through the mayhem, pausing for long periods of expository scheming about overthrowing the current regime. The prince of all fixers, a wily operative with interests in both managing gladiators and stocking munitions, goes by the name Macrinus. He’s played by Denzel Washington, who at one point makes a full meal out of pronouncing the word “politics” like it’s a poisoned fig. Also, if you want a masterclass in letting your robes do a lot of your acting for you, watch what Washington does here. He’s more fun than the movie but you can’t have everything. The movie tries everything, all right, and twice. Ridley Scott marshals the chaotic action sequences well enough, though he’s undercut by frenetic cutting rhythms, with that now-familiar, slightly sped-up visual acceleration in frequent use. (Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo are the editors.) Mescal acquits himself well in his first big-budget commercial walloper of an assignment, confined though he is to a narrower range of seething resentments than Crowe’s in the first film. I left thinking about two things: the word “politics” as savored/spit out by Washington, and the innate paradox of how Scott, whose best work over the decades has been wonderful, delivers spectacle. The director and his lavishly talented design team built all the rough-hewn sets with actual tangible materials the massive budget allowed. They took care to find the right locations in Morocco and Malta. Yet when combined in post-production with scads of medium-grade digital effects work in crowd scenes and the like, never mind the sharks, the movie’s a somewhat frustrating amalgam. With an uneven script on top of it, the visual texture of “Gladiator II” grows increasingly less enveloping and atmospherically persuasive, not more. But I hung there, for some of the acting, for some of the callbacks, and for the many individual moments, or single shots, that could only have come from Ridley Scott. And in the end, yes, you too may be moderately entertained. Related Articles “Gladiator II” — 2.5 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for strong bloody violence) Running time: 2:28 How to watch: Premieres in theaters Nov. 21. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.Adobe Stock Drops On Disappointing 2025 Outlook
Here’s What’s in the $895 Billion Defense Authorization Bill
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lithium Americas (Argentina) Corp. (" Lithium Argentina ” or the " Company ”) ( TSX: LAAC ) ( NYSE: LAAC ) today announced that it has filed its notice of meeting, management information circular (the " Circular ”), notice-and-access notification, form of proxy, voting instruction form and virtual meeting guide (collectively, the " Meeting Materials ”) in connection with its previously announced special meeting of shareholders on January 17, 2025 (the " Meeting ”) to approve a redomiciling of the Company in Switzerland under the new name, Lithium Argentina AG, and ancillary matters. The move, which requires shareholder, stock exchange and court approval, is expected to occur in early 2025. HIGHLIGHTS The Meeting is scheduled to be held virtually at https://meetnow.global/MDAUKRK on Friday, January 17 at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific Time). Shareholders as of the close of business on December 3, 2024 (the " Record Date ”), are entitled to vote at the Meeting. Shareholders are encouraged to access the Meeting Materials and vote electronically. The specific details of matters to be put before the Meeting are set forth in the Circular. The Meeting Materials have been posted in full, and are available for review via the internet without charge, on the Company's website at http://lithium-argentina.com/investor-relations/Special-Meeting , and under the Company's SEDAR+ and EDGAR profile at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov , respectively. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (" Broadridge ”), on behalf of the Company, has mailed the notice-and-access notification and voting instruction form to U.S. non-registered shareholders in accordance with its applicable procedures. In light of the ongoing postal strike and given the high demand for courier services, Broadridge has couriered the notice-and-access notification and voting instruction form to certain Canadian non-registered shareholders in accordance with its applicable procedures. Registered U.S. and Canadian shareholders will be mailed and couriered, respectively, the notice-and-access notification and form of proxy by the Company's transfer agent, Computershare Investor Services Inc. (" Computershare ”). This news release is being made in accordance with the interim order of the Supreme Court of British Columbia dated December 4, 2024 and constitutes valid delivery of the Meeting Materials in lieu of prepaid ordinary mail delivery of Meeting Materials due to the ongoing postal strike in Canada. VOTING ASSISTANCE & QUESTIONS In the event that the ongoing postal strike in Canada continues, registered shareholders are encouraged to contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group, the Company's proxy solicitation agent, by telephone at 1-877-452-7184 (North American Toll Free) or 416-304-0211 (Collect Outside North America), or by email at [email protected] to obtain and return their proxies in connection with the Meeting. Non-registered shareholders are encouraged to contact their brokers or intermediaries in order to obtain their control numbers and to make arrangements for the return of their voting instruction forms in connection with the Meeting. For details on how to vote at the Meeting, please see " Voting Information ” in the Circular. To vote via the internet or by phone: ABOUT LITHIUM ARGENTINA Lithium Argentina is an emerging producer of lithium carbonate for use primarily in lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles. The Company, in partnership with Ganfeng Lithium Co, Ltd., is operating the Caucharí-Olaroz lithium brine operation in Argentina and advancing development of additional lithium resources in the region. Lithium Argentina currently trades on the TSX and on the NYSE. For further information contact: Investor Relations Telephone: +1 778-653-8092 Email: [email protected] Website: www.lithium-argentina.com FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains "forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking information”). These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of words such as "seek,” "anticipate,” "plan,” "continue,” "estimate,” "expect,” "may,” "will,” "project,” "predict,” "propose,” "potential,” "targeting,” "intend,” "could,” "might,” "should,” "believe” and similar expressions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information, including, without limitation, with respect to the following matters or the Company's expectations relating to matters such as the intention to establish corporate domicile in Switzerland; the approval of the redomicile; the holding of a special meeting of shareholders; and the continued conduct of our business. Forward-looking information does not take into account the effect of transactions or other items announced or occurring after the statements are made. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon a number of expectations and assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to those related to: uncertainties with respect to obtaining all applicable shareholder, court and regulatory approvals or satisfying other requirements necessity or desirability of permitting or facilitating the completion of the transaction; the continued listing on the TSX and NYSE; being subject to satisfying all conditions prescribed by the exchanges; there being no guarantee that the redomiciling will procure the anticipated benefits nor that the expected impacts will materialize as expected; potential adverse tax consequences resulting from the transaction; discretion of the Company to implement the redomicile or not; risks associated with the Company being governed under a different corporate legal regime post continuation; change in the rights of shareholders as a result of the continuation; unforeseen events that could prevent, delay in or increase in cost of completing the continuation; uncertainties inherent to feasibility studies and mineral resource and reserve estimates; global financial markets, general economic conditions, competitive business environments, and other factors that may negatively impact the Company's financial condition; the inability of the Company to secure sufficient additional financing to develop the Company's mineral projects; and all the other risk factors identified herein and in the Company's latest annual information form and in other continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR+ and EDGAR. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned that the actual results achieved will vary from the information provided herein and that such variations may be material. Consequently, there are no representations by the Company that actual results achieved will be the same in whole or in part as those set out in the forward-looking statements. This press release does not constitute a solicitation of any proxy nor the offering of any securities of the Company.Total enrollment in the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) rose to 44,723 during the 2023-24 academic year, marking a 19 percent increase over the previous year, according to a report presented to the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) during its quarterly meeting Tuesday, Dec. 10. The growth spanned all student categories, with dual enrollment —high school students also enrolled in career and technical education programs at TCATs—experiencing the largest increase, up 31 percent from the 2022-23 academic year. Enrollment of high school graduates and other adults in traditional TCAT diploma and certificate programs increased by 7 percent , while enrollment in special industry and other supplemental programs rose by 25 percent , reaching 10,590 students . There are 24 TCAT main campuses across Tennessee, each with multiple branch campuses in their regions, offering a broad range of career and technical education programs. The TCATs awarded 7,925 career and technical diplomas and certificates to program graduates during the 2023-24 academic year, which includes three trimesters. Enrollment growth continued into the current fall trimester , where registrations at the TCATs increased by 20 percent compared to Fall 2023. The Tennessee Board of Regents , which governs the state’s public community colleges and TCATs, also reviewed additional systemwide updates during its meeting. The 13 community colleges received a total of $19,219,484 in contributions through their foundations during fiscal year 2023-24, representing an increase of $1,540,456 from the previous year. Board members also received an update on ongoing construction projects across the system: Additionally, the TBR Office of Facilities Development is assisting with 45 projects at state universities, totaling $530 million , that were formerly part of the TBR system.
ELAN LAWSUIT NOTICE: Elanco Animal Health (ELAN) Investors are Notified of the Upcoming December 6 Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit – Contact BFA Law (NYSE:ELAN)1 of 1 2 of 1 Get the best of Vancouver in your inbox, every Tuesday and Thursday. Sign up for our free newsletter . ‘Tis the season to get holly jolly—and what better way to warm up from the winter chill than with a festive drink? Whether you’re craving a classic spiked eggnog or something with enough glitter to outshine your tree topper, these holiday-themed cocktail menus and pop-ups have your seasonal sips covered. Grab your crew, don your ugliest Christmas sweater, and prepare to drink in the holiday spirit—literally. Bar Humbug pop-up at The Ballyhoo For the entire month of December, The Ballyhoo is transforming into Bar Humbug: a festive pop-up serving up nostalgic holiday vibes, kitschy decor, and plenty of cheer. Fuel your festivities with seasonal bites like Spiced Turkey Sliders and Kevin’s Mac ‘n Cheese featuring truffle white cheddar. Pair it all with holiday-inspired sips like the Ferrero Rocher Old Fashioned, the No Coffee After Eight, or the Sleigh Ride in Central Park for a truly merry time. 12 Cocktails of Holiday Traditions at H Tasting Lounge Celebrate the holidays with a global twist at H Tasting Lounge ’s 12 Cocktails of Holiday Traditions. Starting November 25, sip your way through festive customs from around the world—think lantern festivals from the Philippines, the cozy spices of Germany’s glühwein, and a milk-and-cookies-inspired nod to the USA. Kringle’s pop-up at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Kringle’s holiday pop-up is back, transforming the lower lobby of the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver into a festive speakeasy. Open from November 26 to December 31, this seasonal spot offers cozy vibes and a menu of expertly crafted cocktails. Highlights include the decadent Holiday S’mores and the playful Home Alone, featuring gummy bear-infused vodka. Gingerbread House event at HoneySalt HoneySalt at Parq Casino Vancouver is bringing back its beloved Gingerbread House Decorating & Lunch this holiday season. Taking place on Sundays (December 1, 15, and 22), the afternoon has spiked cocoa or bubbles for adults alongside gingerbread and candy carts for the kids (and kids at heart). Each gingerbread house kit comes fully stocked with everything needed to craft a sugary masterpiece. Winter Wonder Lounge at Earls Yaletown Earls Yaletown is bringing the holiday magic with its Winter Wonder Lounge, on now until January 8. This festive patio pop-up is decked with twinkling lights, cozy blankets, and holiday decor, making it the perfect spot for seasonal vibes. Sip on exclusive holiday cocktails like the Yuletide Mule or Peppermint Mocha and toast to the season in style.
Suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing charged with murder in New York, court records showMarvel Rivals director explains why new release works where Concord failed'I'd prefer to put security over commerce': Sarnia mayor reacts to potential border spending
ALTOONA, Pa. — After UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was gunned down on a New York sidewalk, police searched for the masked gunman with dogs, drones and scuba divers. Officers used the city's muscular surveillance system. Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door-to-door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later, those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian's instincts. A Pennsylvania McDonald's customer noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos that New York police had publicized. Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry speaks during a press conference regarding the arrest of suspect Luigi Mangione, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa., in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, was arrested Monday in the killing of Brian Thompson, who headed one of the United States’ largest medical insurance companies. He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. He's expected to be extradited to New York eventually. It’s unclear whether Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday's arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after the McDonald's customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Police in Altoona, about 233 miles (375 kilometers) west of New York City, were soon summoned. This booking photo released Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shows Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections via AP) They arrived to find Mangione sitting at a table in the back of the restaurant, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, “we knew that was our guy,” rookie Officer Tyler Frye said at a news conference in Hollidaysburg. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Manhattan news conference that Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America." An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and $10,000 in cash — $2,000 of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a midtown Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9 mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Thompson’s body. The words mimic a phrase used to criticize the insurance industry. A poster issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows a wanted unknown suspect. (FBI via AP) From surveillance video, New York investigators gathered that the shooter fled by bike into Central Park, emerged, then took a taxi to a northern Manhattan bus terminal. Once in Pennsylvania, he went from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, “trying to stay low-profile” by avoiding cameras, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. Mangione was valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, where his 2016 graduation speech lauded his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Luigi Nicholas Mangione worked for a time for the car-buying website TrueCar and left in 2023, CEO Jantoon Reigersman said by email. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Honolulu tourist mecca Waikiki. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back," Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. NYPD officers in diving suits search a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. Although the gunman obscured his face during the shooting, he left a trail of evidence in New York, including a backpack he ditched in Central Park, a cellphone found in a pedestrian plaza, a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper. In the days after the shooting, the NYPD collected hundreds of hours of surveillance video and released multiple clips and still images in hopes of enlisting the public’s eyes to help find a suspect. “This combination of old-school detective work and new-age technology is what led to this result today,” Tisch said at the New York news conference. ___ Scolforo reported from Altoona and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Contributing were Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Michael Rubinkam and Maryclaire Dale in Pennsylvania; Lea Skene in Baltimore and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu. 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