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NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s former Wisconsin attorney lashed out Thursday at the state’s Democratic attorney general for filing felony charges against him and two others related to the 2020 fake electors scheme, saying after their initial court appearance that he was the victim of “lawfare” that wreaked havoc on his life. Jim Troupis, a former Wisconsin judge who represented Trump in 2020, was the only one of the three defendants to appear in person at the hearing. Kenneth Chesebro, an attorney who advised Trump’s 2020 campaign, and Mike Roman, Trump’s director of Election Day operations in 2020, appeared by phone. All three are charged with 11 felony forgery counts. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A court commissioner set a preliminary hearing for all three for Jan. 28. They will enter their pleas at their arraignment, which is not yet scheduled. Troupis, in comments after the brief hearing, said Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has “doubled down on a vicious strategy to destroy our very faith in the system of justice by using the courts for his own personal political game.” “My family and I have endured nonstop vicious and unrelenting savage attacks on my reputation, on my livelihood,” Troupis said outside of the courtroom surrounded by supporters, including Republican former Gov. Scott McCallum. “My children have been interrogated. My long-held friendships and professional life have been destroyed.” Kaul said in a written statement in reaction to Troupis that decisions in cases are based on the facts and the law. “In this case, like all other cases, we will litigate the issues in dispute in a court of law,” Kaul said. Troupis defended the strategy of having the GOP electors meet, saying it was necessary in case a court ruled that Trump won Wisconsin. “We had thought that this would end,” Troupis said. “The country asked for it to end in November, but lawfare in all its despicable forms will not end in Wisconsin.” Troupis and the other two defendants were ordered not to have contact with the 10 electors or three others not identified by name in the criminal complaint. They did not object to those conditions and were allowed to leave without posting any money for bail. The state charges against the Trump attorneys and aide are the only ones in Wisconsin. None of the electors have been charged. The 10 Wisconsin electors, Chesebro and Troupis all settled a lawsuit that was brought against them in 2023. There are pending charges related to the fake electors scheme in state and federal courts in Arizona , Michigan , Nevada and Georgia. Federal prosecutors investigating Trump’s conduct related to the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot said the fake electors scheme originated in Wisconsin. Electors are people appointed to represent voters in presidential elections. The winner of the popular vote in each state determines which party’s electors are sent to the Electoral College, which meets in December after a presidential election to certify the outcome. The Wisconsin complaint details how Troupis, Chesebro and Roman created a document that falsely said Trump had won the state’s 10 Electoral College votes and attempted to deliver it to then-Vice President Mike Pence for congressional certification. Prosecutors said in the complaint that most of the 10 electors told investigators they needed to sign the elector certificate indicating that Trump had won only to preserve his legal options if a court changed the outcome of the election in Wisconsin. Most of the electors also said that they did not consent to having their signatures presented as if Trump had won without such a court ruling, the complaint said. Troupis and Roman filed four motions to dismiss the charge before Thursday’s hearing. The court commissioner did not consider those. The fake elector efforts were central to a 2023 federal racketeering indictment filed against Trump alleging he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Special counsel Jack Smith moved to abandon that case last month, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House in January will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him. Trump was also indicted in Georgia along with 18 others accused of participating in a sprawling scheme to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election there. Trump is trying to get that case dismissed , arguing that state courts won’t have jurisdiction over him when he returns to the White House next month. Chesebro and Roman were among those indicted with Trump in Georgia. Roman has pleaded not guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges there, as well as to nine felony charges in Arizona related to the fake electors scheme in that state. Chesebro pleaded guilty to one felony charge of conspiracy to commit filing false documents in a deal with Georgia prosecutors. He is trying to invalidate the plea after the judge in September tossed out the charge against Trump and others. Associated Press writer Todd Richmond contributed to this story.Meta gives in to CRTC disclosure order on Online News Act compliancefb777 free download apk 。

( MENAFN - PR Newswire) SYDNEY, Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OKX Australia, a leading Cryptocurrency exchange and onchain technology company, today launched 'Summer of Crypto' - a nationwide campaign offering new customers $20 in bitcoin when they trade $20 within their first 14 days of successfully registering for an OKX account. In the coming weeks, the campaign will expand to include exclusive experiences, merchandise and interactive opportunities for new and existing customers. OKX today also introduced SOL/AUD and XRP/AUD spot trading pairs for Australian customers, with more additions planned in the coming months. This initiative comes as Australia shows growing cryptocurrency adoption, ranking fourth regionally for crypto value received according to Chainalysis' 2024 Global Crypto Adoption Index . The campaign, running until February 28, 2025, aims to make cryptocurrency trading more accessible to Australian traders and reward OKX's rapidly expanding community. Since launching its crypto exchange services in May 2024, OKX has emerged as a key player in the local market, tripling its customer base. OKX has also established itself as a leading exchange in Australia for AUD-crypto trading pairs, while expanding its local team by more than 150% within a span of six months. OKX was also recently recognised as "Cryptocurrency Exchange of the Year" at the WeMoney Cryptocurrency Awards . The campaign launch follows OKX's Gold Sponsorship of the Australia Crypto Convention 2024, which welcomed over 10,000 attendees in Sydney last month. Physical activations across Australian cities are planned throughout summer to further engage the local crypto community. * Offer available to new users who make an eligible trade within 14 days of sign-up. Cryptocurrency trading is high risk. Consider the relevant T&Cs at OKX . Information provided is general and not advice. Seek independent advice about risks before trading. OKX Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 22 636 269 040). For further information, please contact: [email protected] OKX is a technology company with a mission to organize the world's blockchains and make them more accessible and useful. We want to create a future that makes our world more efficient, transparent and connected. OKX began as a crypto exchange giving millions of people access to trading and over time became among the largest platforms in the world. In recent years, we have developed one of the most connected onchain wallets used by millions to access decentralized applications (dApps). OKX is trusted by hundreds of large institutions seeking access to crypto markets on a reliable platform that seamlessly connects with global banking and payments . Our most well-known products include: OKX Exchange, OKX Wallet, OKX Explorer, OKX OS, OKX Ventures and OKX Institutional. To learn more about OKX, download our app or visit: okx Disclaimer Information about: digital currency exchange services is prepared by OKX Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 22 636 269 040); derivatives and margin by OKX Australia Financial Pty Ltd (ABN 14 145 724 509, AFSL 379035) and is only intended for wholesale clients (within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)); and other products and services by the relevant OKX entities which offer them (see Terms of Service - Australia). Information is general in nature and should not be taken as investment advice, personal recommendation or an offer of (or solicitation to) buy any crypto or related products. You should do your own research and obtain professional advice, including to ensure you understand the risks associated with these products, before you make a decision about them. Past performance is not indicative of future performance - never risk more than you are prepared to lose. Read OKX's Terms of Service - Australia for more information. SOURCE OKX MENAFN12122024003732001241ID1108988673 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

With the winter well and truly here, Hull City Council is continuously monitoring forecasts and is ready to put its winter weather plan into action. So far, the season has been a mild one, with warmer temperatures, storms and occasional bouts of rain but the council’s streetsence services have been gearing up for the prospect of icy conditions and snow since the summer – testing equipment and gritters and familiarising winter operatives with their routes. During the previous winter (2023-24), the team treated the network 42 times, covering a total of 11,172 miles, and used a total of 1,580 tonnes of grit. The council’s response to winter weather is directed from its depot at Stockholm Road, where the authority’s fleet of six gritters are based as well as its salt stocks. “Our aim is to make Hull’s roads as safe as possible and keep disruption caused by bad weather to a minimum,” said Councillor Mark Ieronimo, cabinet portfolio holder for transportation, roads and highways. “From late autumn to late spring, we are on standby 24-hours-a-day to respond to bad weather conditions. “Our activity is informed by detailed weather forecasts from two weather monitoring stations in Hull. This helps us forecast road surface temperatures and decide which roads need gritting and when.” As the local highway authority for adopted roads, the council’s plan focuses on gritting main roads, footways and cycleways. Gritting involves the spreading of rock salt. The salt lowers the temperature at which water freezes. This prevents ice from forming or snow from setting. It needs traffic to be effective, as it relies on the action of vehicle tyres for the salt to spread over the road. Rock salt is effective at temperatures down to minus 8 to 10 degrees Celsius. Below that, salted roads will still freeze. Road gritting is concentrated on the key routes which carry the majority of traffic around Hull, including bus routes, such as Sutton Road, Cottingham Road, Clough Road, beverley -road> Beverley Road , Anlaby Road , Spring Bank, Holderness Road, Preston Road, Hessle Road and the City Centre. The A63 and A1033 Trunk Roads are the responsibility of Highways England and are administered by their agents. East Riding of Yorkshire Council is the only other local highway authority with shared boundaries. The council liaises with these two adjacent highway authorities to make sure the travelling public can rely on a consistent level of treatment. Follow the link to find out more about Gritting routes in your area. When snow and ice is predicted, in addition to treating the highway network, the council’s street cleansing teams also grit footways, pedestrian areas and streets with high footfall, as a precaution. “When adverse weather hits, we will aim to clear snow from main walking routes, such as the city centre, as our main priority. If conditions continue, we look at clearing snow from bus stops. Then we concentrate on areas where vulnerable people live,” added Councillor Ieronimo. To support local communities, there are also 400 grit bins positioned in locations around the city for the use of residents to treat footpaths in their area. To report an empty grit bin or request a refill or for a replacement or new bin, click here: Paths and grit bins | Hull

AP Business SummaryBrief at 5:25 p.m. ESTOlivia Hussey, star of the 1968 film 'Romeo and Juliet,' dies at 73

Tiffany Henyard, the scandal-plagued Democratic mayor of Dolton, Illinois, says shell seek to arrest political opponents as she faces eviction. (Credit: Tiffany Henyard via Facebook) Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard will be losing some of her political power after a historic caucus Tuesday night. The Illinois "super mayor" lost the Democratic nomination for Thornton Township supervisor, a position Henyard currently holds. Henyard’s name was not even on the ballot because she did not have a certified assessor on her ticket. All nominees are required to have eight people on their slate: supervisor, highway director, clerk, assessor, and four trustees. Instead, Illinois state senator and Thornton Township Democratic committeeman Napoleon Harris overwhelmingly won the nomination. The caucus and its results enraged Henyard later that night. Tiffany Henyard, the scandal-plagued Democratic mayor of Dolton, was removed from the ballot for Thornton Township supervisor. (Facebook) "You didn't run none of this the right way," Henyard was heard saying after the caucus. "Illegal, Napoleon." CONTROVERSIAL DEMOCRAT MAYOR UNDER INVESTIGATION AFTER WILD TIRADES, POLICE RAIDS, LAVISH SPENDING As committeeman, Harris made the decision to move from a primary to a caucus, the first caucus Thornton Township’s Democratic Party has had in decades. The party also announced that night that supervisor nominees cannot run for other positions. Harris denied the process was unfair and insisted voters had their say. "People in Thornton Township may be new to caucuses because they haven't had them in a while, but this has been the tradition for many other townships around the state," Harris said. Henyard is currently running for re-election despite several scandals against her. (Fox 32) Henyard can still be on the ballot in April for Thornton Township supervisor as a write-in or independent candidate, but so far, she has not shown any indication of running that way. However, after losing the nomination, Henyard was heard shouting that she would be suing everyone involved in the process. Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Henyard’s office for comment. Henyard is currently running for re-election as Dolton mayor as she faces several ongoing scandals for allegedly embezzling funds and politically targeting her opponents . Her office also faced an investigation by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. ILLINOIS GOV ADDRESSES SCANDAL-RIDDEN 'SUPER MAYOR' TIFFANY HENYARD: WE SUPPORT INVESTIGATIONS Lightfoot’s investigation into the Village of Dolton’s financial situation revealed in a preliminary report that Dolton's general fund balance was $5.61 million in 2022, but by May 2024 the balance had dropped to a deficit of $3.65 million. Tiffany Henyard is facing multiple accusations of embezzlement and corruption. (Fox News) Lightfoot also disclosed that Henyard used the village credit card to make purchases at Amazon, Target, Walgreens, Wayfair and other retailers. One jaw-dropping statement revealed that the embattled mayor had dropped $33,000 on Jan. 5, 2023, on Amazon. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News' Michael Dorgan contributed to this report. Lindsay Kornick is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to lindsay.kornick@fox.com and on Twitter: @lmkornick.

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