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NEW YORK — The man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was not a client of the medical insurer and may have targeted it because of its size and influence, a senior police official said Thursday. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC New York in an interview Thursday that investigators have uncovered evidence that Luigi Mangione had prior knowledge UnitedHealthcare was holding its annual investor conference in New York City. Mangione also mentioned the company in a note found in his possession when he was detained by police in Pennsylvania. Suspect Luigi Mangione is taken into the Blair County Courthouse on Tuesday in Hollidaysburg, Pa. "We have no indication that he was ever a client of United Healthcare, but he does make mention that it is the fifth largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America. So that's possibly why he targeted that company," Kenny said. UnitedHealthcare is in the top 20 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization but is not the fifth largest. It is the largest U.S. health insurer. Mangione remains jailed without bail in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday after being spotted at a McDonald's in the city of Altoona, about 230 miles west of New York City. His lawyer there, Thomas Dickey, said Mangione intends to plead not guilty. Dickey also said he had yet to see evidence decisively linking his client to the crime. Mangione's arrest came five days after the caught-on-camera killing of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, was arrested on December 9, 2024, after a six-day manhunt and charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. His arrest has sparked a viral social media movement, with many hailing him as a symbol of resistance against systemic healthcare failures. The #FreeLuigi movement gained significant traction, with his social media profiles amassing over 100,000 new followers before being suspended. Despite this, the movement continues to trend, highlighting public discontent with the U.S. healthcare system. Some social media users argue that Mangione's radicalization stemmed from the struggles faced by millions in obtaining necessary healthcare, and not from his university education. Mangione’s arrest at a McDonald's in Altoona led to the seizure of a "ghost gun," a suppressor, fake IDs, and a manifesto criticizing the healthcare system. While the manifesto seems to admit guilt, some users question Mangione's responsibility, pointing out discrepancies in surveillance photos. The fascination with Mangione has only intensified, with discussions about his attractiveness and comparisons to characters in Ryan Murphy's productions. The phenomenon is reminiscent of society's long-standing obsession with infamous criminals, blurring lines between horror and hero worship. Former FBI agent Rob D’Amico noted that Mangione is seen by some as a "Robin Hood" figure fighting against corporate greed, which complicates the investigation. Police say the shooter waited outside the hotel, where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, early Dec. 4. He approached Thompson from behind and shot him before fleeing on a bicycle through Central Park. Mangione is fighting attempts to extradite him back to New York so that he can face a murder charge in Thompson's killing. A hearing was scheduled for Dec. 30. The 26-year-old, who police say was found with a " ghost gun " matching shell casings found at the site of the shooting, is charged in Pennsylvania with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Luigi Mangione was arrested Monday in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in what law enforcement has called a "targeted attack." Mangione is from a prominent Maryland family with extensive business interests. The Mangione family is known for developing real estate and running businesses. Relatives expressed shock over the arrest and offered condolences to Thompson’s family. Mangione faces multiple charges, including murder, firearm possession, and forgery, in New York and Pennsylvania. Mangione is an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family. In posts on social media, Mangione wrote about experiencing severe chronic back pain before undergoing a spinal fusion surgery in 2023. Afterward, he posted that the operation was a success and that his pain improved and mobility returned. He urged others to consider the same type of surgery. On Wednesday, police said investigators are looking at his writings about his health problems and his criticism of corporate America and the U.S. health care system. Kenny said in the NBC interview that Mangione's family reported him missing to San Francisco authorities in November. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.jili slot machine 。

NEW YORK — The man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was not a client of the medical insurer and may have targeted it because of its size and influence, a senior police official said Thursday. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC New York in an interview Thursday that investigators have uncovered evidence that Luigi Mangione had prior knowledge UnitedHealthcare was holding its annual investor conference in New York City. Mangione also mentioned the company in a note found in his possession when he was detained by police in Pennsylvania. Suspect Luigi Mangione is taken into the Blair County Courthouse on Tuesday in Hollidaysburg, Pa. "We have no indication that he was ever a client of United Healthcare, but he does make mention that it is the fifth largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America. So that's possibly why he targeted that company," Kenny said. UnitedHealthcare is in the top 20 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization but is not the fifth largest. It is the largest U.S. health insurer. Mangione remains jailed without bail in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday after being spotted at a McDonald's in the city of Altoona, about 230 miles west of New York City. His lawyer there, Thomas Dickey, said Mangione intends to plead not guilty. Dickey also said he had yet to see evidence decisively linking his client to the crime. Mangione's arrest came five days after the caught-on-camera killing of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, was arrested on December 9, 2024, after a six-day manhunt and charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. His arrest has sparked a viral social media movement, with many hailing him as a symbol of resistance against systemic healthcare failures. The #FreeLuigi movement gained significant traction, with his social media profiles amassing over 100,000 new followers before being suspended. Despite this, the movement continues to trend, highlighting public discontent with the U.S. healthcare system. Some social media users argue that Mangione's radicalization stemmed from the struggles faced by millions in obtaining necessary healthcare, and not from his university education. Mangione’s arrest at a McDonald's in Altoona led to the seizure of a "ghost gun," a suppressor, fake IDs, and a manifesto criticizing the healthcare system. While the manifesto seems to admit guilt, some users question Mangione's responsibility, pointing out discrepancies in surveillance photos. The fascination with Mangione has only intensified, with discussions about his attractiveness and comparisons to characters in Ryan Murphy's productions. The phenomenon is reminiscent of society's long-standing obsession with infamous criminals, blurring lines between horror and hero worship. Former FBI agent Rob D’Amico noted that Mangione is seen by some as a "Robin Hood" figure fighting against corporate greed, which complicates the investigation. Police say the shooter waited outside the hotel, where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, early Dec. 4. He approached Thompson from behind and shot him before fleeing on a bicycle through Central Park. Mangione is fighting attempts to extradite him back to New York so that he can face a murder charge in Thompson's killing. A hearing was scheduled for Dec. 30. The 26-year-old, who police say was found with a " ghost gun " matching shell casings found at the site of the shooting, is charged in Pennsylvania with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Luigi Mangione was arrested Monday in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in what law enforcement has called a "targeted attack." Mangione is from a prominent Maryland family with extensive business interests. The Mangione family is known for developing real estate and running businesses. Relatives expressed shock over the arrest and offered condolences to Thompson’s family. Mangione faces multiple charges, including murder, firearm possession, and forgery, in New York and Pennsylvania. Mangione is an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family. In posts on social media, Mangione wrote about experiencing severe chronic back pain before undergoing a spinal fusion surgery in 2023. Afterward, he posted that the operation was a success and that his pain improved and mobility returned. He urged others to consider the same type of surgery. On Wednesday, police said investigators are looking at his writings about his health problems and his criticism of corporate America and the U.S. health care system. Kenny said in the NBC interview that Mangione's family reported him missing to San Francisco authorities in November. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.

Tech companies claim AI can recognise human emotions. But the science doesn’t stack up

Retail giants Walmart ( WMT -1.22% ) and Costco Wholesale ( COST -1.72% ) have a lot in common. People go to these shopping hubs when budgets are tight. Actually, Walmart and Costco stay busy in any economy -- and despite their low-cost products and services, these companies make money by the truckload. Look up "consumer defensive" stocks in your favorite screener and sort the list by market cap . Walmart tops that list with a $734 billion market value on Dec. 27, followed by Costco at $415 billion. I'm talking about true business titans here. But should you buy Costco or Walmart stock today? You know how similar these companies can be, but let's check out how they differ, too. Retailer rockets in 2024 Both stocks have soared in 2024. Costco shares gained more than 41% this year, and Walmart investors saw a 73% share price increase. These stodgy old value stocks are behaving more like high-growth names from the tech sector. Walmart shares are trading at price-to-sales ( P/S ) ratios not seen in more than 20 years, and Costco's P/S valuation has never been this rich before. WMT PS Ratio data by YCharts. The growth gap narrows Costco used to grow its sales much faster than the retail giant from Arkansas. Costco's revenues rose 46% in the three-year period from fiscal year 2019 to 2022. Walmart's top-line growth stopped at 14.5% over that time span. But things have changed, and the two companies have shown very similar sales growth in the last two years. WMT Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts. Here's an unexpected AI leader Walmart's accelerated growth comes from a surprisingly high-tech setup. In the latest earnings call , Walmart's leaders highlighted growing e-commerce operations in places like Mexico and a growing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) tools . "[W]e're learning and applying generative AI, AI, and machine learning to solve the practical opportunities right in front of us," said Walmart CEO Doug McMillon. One generative AI tool is helping Walmart's staff access the proprietary business data they need. A customer-facing shopping assistant with machine learning smarts has been in beta testing since the summer, and should soon become widely available. E-commerce is also a large part of Costco's business plan, but the company appears to have fewer AI projects going on. Costco leaders haven't mentioned AI in a financial call since last spring , when (now retired) CFO Richard Galanti said that the company was in "early innings" of putting this technology to use. I'm almost shocked to see Walmart taking advantage of new technology faster than Costco. It can't be easy to drive that massive business in a new direction, given the unyielding law of large numbers . But that's what I see happening today. Great stocks, bad timing So Walmart is keeping up with Costco's business growth, with assistance from a promising set of AI tools. At the same time, the retail giant's stock is less expensive than Costco's across a wide range of valuation metrics. But that doesn't make Walmart's stock a slam-dunk buy today. With a price-to-earnings ratio ( P/E ) of 37.5 and price-to-free cash flow (P/FCF) of more than 43, even Walmart's lower-priced stock looks quite expensive. This malaise extends beyond Costco and Walmart. With a couple of exceptions, the entire category of discount-priced retail stores has enjoyed stellar market performance this year -- leaving their stocks stranded at very lofty valuation ratios. This secular trend makes sense, since people have been dodging inflation since the summer of 2021. Low-priced goods are worth their weight in gold these days. Yes, I'd rather buy Walmart stock than Costco shares at the moment. But even Walmart is more of a "hold" recommendation than a flat-out "buy" idea. This just doesn't look like the right time to start a position in most discount-store stocks.

In a surprise move, Xerox has announced a deal to acquire Lexington, Kentucky-based Lexmark, an acquisition that will create one of the largest printer makers. Xerox said it has agreed to acquire Lexmark from a conglomerate of companies, including Ninestar, that have owned the printer manufacturer since 2016 in a deal worth some $1.5 billion. The merger of Xerox and Lexmark will create a powerhouse printer company, one capable of challenging industry leader HP. “Our acquisition of Lexmark will bring together two industry-leading companies with shared values, complementary strengths, and a deep commitment to advancing the print industry to create one stronger organization,” , chief executive officer at Xerox. “By combining our capabilities, we will be better positioned to drive long-term profitable growth and serve our clients, furthering our Reinvention.” Xerox says the acquisition will improve its global presence, as well as help it compete in the growing A4 color market. The transaction will also strengthen the ability of Xerox to serve clients in the large, growing A4 color market and diversify its distribution and geographic presence, including the APAC region. The new organization will serve more than 200,000 clients in 170 countries with 125 manufacturing and distribution facilities in 16 countries. Combined, Lexmark and Xerox have a top five global share in each of the entry, mid and production print markets and are key players in the large, stable managed print services market. “Lexmark has a proud history of serving our customers with world-class technology, solutions and services, and we are excited to join Xerox and expand our reach with shared talent and a stronger portfolio of offerings,” said Allen Waugerman, Lexmark president and chief executive officer. “Lexmark and Xerox are two great companies that together will be even greater.” “Our shared values and vision are expected to streamline operations and drive efficiencies, taking the best of both companies to make it easier to do business with Xerox,” added Bandrowczak. Xerox went on to outline four specific benefits of the acquisition. The Xerox board has already unanimously approved the deal, which is still subject to regulatory approval and approval by Ninestar shareholders.A whopping Rs 640 crores will be splurged in the two days of the IPL 2025 players auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. So, expect some madness. Auctions always do that. However, what will truly stand out this time is the ruthlessness of the process. Assembly Election Results Live Updates Maharashtra Election Results Jharkhand Election Results Bypoll Election Results It’s expected to be a market-driven, or rather need-driven, exercise with no place for emotions. This auction will highlight how the IPL has evolved into a market-driven brand proposition, with return on investment (ROI) as its guiding principle. Players will be picked with two clear objectives — assembling a squad capable of winning eight games to make the playoffs and building a strong brand. For instance, picking Rishabh Pant for a hefty price will not just be a cricketing move, it will also be a strategic brand call. Any team Pant joins will see a significant boost in its brand value, which will bring in sponsors; and in the IPL, it all adds up. All the teams have been ideating for days now and have excel sheets ready with clearly defined plans A, B and C. Despite all the efforts, two teams will have a bad season and end up 9th and 10th in the points table. That’s the harsh reality. Emotions have always played a role in the IPL auctions. With some of India’s richest people in the room, it is only natural that egos will come into play -- and that’s where things usually go wrong. However, this auction is expected to be different. It will not be about egos. It will be about team balance and brand. After 18 years, the teams seem to have a better understanding of cricket and the needs of their teams. They are better prepared to stick to the plans and make tough decision under pressure. 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View Program Finance Tally Prime & GST Accounting: Complete Guide By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Leadership Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program As Sourav Ganguly said, “When the paddle goes up and you know the purse isn’t all there you do feel the pressure. You need to be extremely focused to get it right”. Venky Mysore, CEO of Kolkata Knight Riders, put it well, “We come in with a very conscious strategy. We want to add particular skillsets to the side and not simply go by names. Team balance is the key and that’s what we will aim to do again in the auction”. At the auction, some of cricket’s sharpest minds will be at the helm, strategizing for their franchises. If it is Stephen F leming and MS Dhoni for Chennai Super Kings and Mahela Jayawardene for Mumbai Indians, it will be Zaheer Khan for the Lucknow Super Giants and Ashish Nehra for Gujarat Titans. Each franchise knows that not every buy will go their way. With 10 teams now in the fray, this has become the norm. The challenge is to maintain composure. It is tough to back off when the need is urgent. Desperation leads to mistakes. Unlike smaller auctions, which are all about who is available and less about cricketing pedigree, the talent pool in the mega auction is enormous. At the end of the two-day mega auction, every team will walk away with matchwinners in their ranks. After that it will be all about which team plays the best cricket. You can do only so much at the auction table. The final act is always performed on the 22 yards, where the game is ultimately decided. Assembly Election Results Live Updates Maharashtra Poll Results Highlights 2024 Jharkhand Poll Results Highlights 2024 (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

The first Egyptian-Sudanese Business Forum, held on Saturday, focused on strengthening economic cooperation between the two nations. Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel Al-Wazir, opened the forum by emphasizing the importance of expanding industrial investment and trade. He stated that the forum aims “to strengthen existing cooperation frameworks between Egypt and Sudan across all sectors, maximizing both countries’ potential and boosting trade levels for the mutual benefit of both peoples.” Al-Wazir underscored the benefits of deeper industrial investment, including job creation and technological advancement. Held under Al-Wazir’s patronage, the forum featured participation from several high-ranking officials: Omar Bannafir, Sudanese Minister of Trade and Supply; Mahasen Yaqoub, Sudanese Minister of Industry; Abubakr Abu Al-Qasim Abdullah, Sudanese Minister of Transport; Muhyi El-Din Naeem, Sudanese Minister of Energy and Oil; Sherif Farouk, Egyptian Minister of Supply and Domestic Trade; and Emad El-Din Mostafa Adawi, Sudanese Ambassador to Cairo. In his address, Al-Wazir conveyed greetings from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and expressed hope for the forum’s success. He welcomed the Sudanese delegation, highlighting the strong bonds between the two nations and reaffirming Egypt’s support for Sudan. Stressing the forum’s goal of fostering cooperation and boosting trade, Al-Wazir also addressed the economic impact of regional conflicts, emphasizing the importance of creating new frameworks to mitigate these effects and advocating for international cooperation to find solutions. Al-Wazir reiterated Egypt’s commitment to regional economic stability and development, affirming the country’s ongoing support for Arab nations facing conflict. He emphasized national unity as a key to overcoming challenges and highlighted Egypt’s active role in promoting regional peace efforts and international collaboration. Focusing on Egypt’s support for Sudan’s economic recovery, Al-Wazir outlined the shared history and strong ties between the two nations. He described existing transport networks linking Egypt and Sudan, including three land transport axes—Toshka-Arqin (West Nile, 100 km), Qustul-Wadi Halfa (East Nile, 35 km), and Halaib-Port Sudan (Red Sea coast, 280 km). Additionally, he mentioned plans for an intermodal railway station at Abu Simbel, three land ports (Qustul, Arqin, and Ras Hadarba), logistics zones in Qustul and Arqin, and a new river wharf at Wadi Halfa port in Sudan. Highlighting the benefits of enhanced industrial investment between the two nations, Al-Wazir pointed to mutual gains such as job creation, the provision of equipment, technological advancements, and economic growth. He emphasized the forum’s role in initiating an industrial integration partnership to promote regional collaboration, enabling both countries to capitalize on their strengths and address shared challenges. Al-Wazir also noted the untapped cooperation potential between Egypt and Sudan and reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to attracting Sudanese investments. He cited Egypt’s favorable investment climate, its range of incentives, and access to free trade agreements. He added that Egypt has undertaken significant institutional reforms to improve investor procedures, enhancing its appeal to foreign investors. The minister highlighted the transport sector’s critical role in economic integration, stressing the importance of strong infrastructure for sustainable development. He detailed the Egyptian Ministry of Transport’s initiatives to transform Egypt into a regional transport and logistics hub, including logistics corridor developments and plans for 32 dry ports and logistics zones across the country. These efforts align with President Al-Sisi’s directives to enhance Egypt’s regional connectivity. Concluding his remarks, Al-Wazir highlighted the forum’s timeliness, noting Sudan’s economic reforms and its progress in attracting investments for public-private partnerships in key sectors such as agriculture, energy, infrastructure, information and communication technology, and mining. He praised Sudan’s abundant resources and strategic location, which continue to attract global investors to its agricultural and food industries. Al-Wazir closed by reiterating the need for sustained cooperation between Egypt and Sudan to strengthen their relationship across all levels, particularly in trade and investment. Expressing optimism for the future, he emphasized the importance of continuous collaboration to enhance mutual benefits.

Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn lead the Stars past the Blackhawks 5-1How Adani’s indictment rocked his empire and what comes next Gautam Adani, one of the world’s richest people, was in good spirits Wednesday evening. Earlier in the day, the Indian billionaire’s green energy business had raised $600 million through a bond sale, reports Bloomberg. Before heading to bed in the city of Ahmedabad, he relaxed by playing a card game with his wife, according to a person close to him. But around 3am, a colleague delivered some shocking news: The US had charged Adani and several associates with fraud in a sprawling criminal investigation. Within minutes, senior executives from the Adani Group assembled on conference calls and in the conglomerate’s headquarters in western India. Federal prosecutors in New York had accused Adani and his colleagues of lying to US investors about their anti-bribery practices while promising more than $250 million of bribes to Indian officials. To cover their tracks, collaborators used code names for Adani, referring to him as “the big man” and “numero uno”, the indictment said. As the rest of India woke up on Thursday, Adani was apparently still unsure whether releasing a statement would even be a good idea. When stock markets opened in Mumbai, Adani Group companies’ shares plunged. The conglomerate scrapped the planned $600 million bond sale. By midday, the group had denied all accusations of misconduct by its executives and threatened legal action. What happens next for Adani, 62, and his empire is unclear. Political controversy is likely in the months ahead, with a tussle over possible extradition. US President-elect Donald Trump will soon be in a position to cut a deal with India to make the matter go away, if he chooses. Key figures in Trump’s orbit see India, and the Adani Group more specifically, as important partners to push against Chinese hegemony. Unrelated to Wednesday’s charges, Trump’s family members have visited Adani’s home in Ahmedabad, according to people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be named discussing sensitive information. In any case, prosecution would take months, if not years, meaning that it will fall to Trump’s Justice Department to determine how to proceed. But for now, the implications could reverberate beyond the group and its founder, potentially affecting the global banks that lend to it, threatening its overseas expansion and tarnishing by association the reputation of other Indian companies. “I suspect this will have a larger impact on Adani’s global growth ambitions,” said Rick Rossow, chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In addition, “a case like this could fan lingering concerns in India that the United States and other western nations seek to slow India’s rise.” Over the years, global investors and banks parked billions of dollars in the Adani Group, helping transform the commodity trading business into one of India’s most diversified conglomerates. Today, the group’s business interests span ports, weapons and renewable energy. With projects stretching from Vietnam to Israel, the Adani Group’s overseas endeavours have become the closest proxy India has to China’s belt-and-road initiative. Even after Thursday’s stock slump, Gautam Adani’s personal fortune was at $72 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. On his swift ascent to the upper ranks of the world’s rich list, Adani stressed a policy of “zero tolerance” for bribery. But the group’s image was called into question when US-based short seller Hindenburg Research published a damning report in January 2023, causing a plunge in its companies’ shares. The Adani Group denied any wrongdoing. Then the stocks recovered, until Wednesday’s five-count indictment from the Eastern District of New York sent them tumbling again. Between 2020 and 2024, Adani and several of his employees allegedly hid their fraud as they collected tens of millions of dollars from US-based investors, according to the indictment. Prosecutors claim that top executives attached to Adani Green Energy Ltd. created PowerPoints detailing how to cover up the alleged bribes, which were promised to government officials in the state of Andhra Pradesh to secure solar energy contracts. Adani, whose personal fortune at one point made him Asia’s richest man, pulled the strings, US law enforcement said.AP Trending SummaryBrief at 1:12 p.m. ESTHome | EFF snubs MKP’s first anniversary rally celebration Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Secretary-General Marshall Dlamini says that the party will not attend the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s first anniversary rally celebration. Dlamini’s comments come as the uMkhonto weSizwe Party says it has extended an invitation to the red berets ahead of its birthday celebration at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday. Dlamini has further added that the party has not received MK’s well wishes on its upcoming conference. “The well-wishes we have, (we) got [received] them from different political parties ... [including] UDM, ATM and everyone else. I don’t have a letter from the MK president. They put it in the media. And we are not going to the rally of MK,” adds Dlamini. The video below is reporting more on the story: SABC © 2024

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As we approach the end of 2024, the full Cold Moon will shine in the middle of December, bringing a lively social energy just in time for the holiday season. Celebrity astrologer Kyle Thomas, who is known for his cosmic guidance among celebrities, businesses and online influencers, spoke to "Good Morning America" about the best ways to take advantage of this engaging full moon. But first, let's break down the meaning of the Cold Moon and what to know about this particular celestial event. The Cold Moon will arrive on Dec. 15, according to Thomas. The Cold Moon gets its name because December is the month when the weather typically turns cold, according to NASA. The Old Farmer's Almanac states that some Native Americans also called the Cold Moon the Long Night Moon. The second name likely originates from the fact that the full moon in December occurs near the winter solstice, which has the longest night of the year, according to NASA. "The full moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite to the low sun, so the moon will be above the horizon longer than at other times of the year," NASA states. The zodiac sign of each full moon is determined by its position in the night sky relative to the astrological signs. This year, the Cold Moon occurs as a full moon in Gemini, an air sign associated with communication, technology, and short-distance travel, according to Thomas. It encourages mental connections, particularly with those in our immediate circles -- friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and siblings. "We will be motivated to express our minds and may be in the process of launching a significant writing, speaking, advertising, digital or social media project," Thomas added. "The pace of life will also quicken rapidly." Rituals and manifestations to try during the Cold Moon Many ancient cultures, from Chinese traditions to Hebrew holidays, celebrate celestial cycles and revere the power of the moon. For instance, Thomas noted that Gemini, an air sign, makes this an ideal time to integrate communication -- whether written or spoken -- into your rituals. "This is a great moment to communicate our desires to the world -- as well as to others," he explained. "Writing down explicit statements, manifestation goals, and plans can be particularly useful. Also, as an Air sign, using smoke, sage, or incense can be excellent tools during meditation or ritual." Potential meditations, mantras or journal prompts: Speak up and speak out, Aries! "You have an important message that you'd like to broadcast to the world. This full moon could help you to launch an important writing, speaking, advertising or social media endeavor to great success. People will be listening!" Thomas said. Wealth is top of mind, Taurus. "Prosperity could soon be on its way," Thomas explained. "The full moon should bring to [ a ] culmination an important financial matter for you - perhaps in the form of a raise, new job offer or large check." Claim your spotlight, Gemini. According to Thomas, "the most important full moon of the year has arrived for you, as you reach an important turning point. Something of vital personal significance will reach [ its ] culmination at this time, perhaps giving you closure that will improve your life going forward." Relax and recharge, Cancer. "This full moon will encourage you to reset your emotional, mental and physical batteries-you've earned it! Lie low and give yourself some much-needed TLC. If you are in need of finding a specialist, therapist or healer, this lunation could also aid you in doing so." Thomas added. Get out and mingle, Leo. "You're always popular, but with this full moon highlighting your friendships, you'll be on the top of everyone's holiday list!" Thomas explained. "You'll likely attend at least one dazzling event where you're the star of the show. Circulate amongst those who you love and make time to show how much you appreciate them." Embrace your success, Virgo. According to Thomas, "A major professional victory could now be within reach. A promotion, new job offer, milestone or opportunity for public praise may present itself near this time. Previous hard work will surely be celebrated." Keep an open mind for a new adventure, Libra. "You could now be ready to soar in a breathtaking new direction-or make plans to do so in 2024!" Thomas said. "This full moon will energize you to slightly shift the narrative of your life and examine what else you'd like to learn. Some Libras will make a decision or hear news regarding an academic, travelling, immigration or media endeavor." It's time to explore your intimacy department, Scorpio. "The full moon will be helping you to get in touch with your most sensitive parts-emotionally and physically," Thomas explained. "If single, you could attract someone who knows how to complete you in every way. If taken, you'll be assessing if your authentic needs are being fulfilled by your partner." Take a closer look at your partnership, Sagittarius. "This full moon will help you to grow closer with someone in business, collaboration or love," Thomas added. "Single Sagittarians may have luck finding a perfect match, so be sure to put yourself out there. Love won't find you if you're not making an effort! Those already committed could decide it's time to make long-term plans, move in, get engaged or even be wed." Get ready to make progress, Capricorn. According to Thomas, "the full moon will make you busier than ever." "You may now be focused upon an important project for your employer that must have final approval," he said. "You could be putting everything you have into completing the task, but be sure to do so, as it could end up making you shine brighter than ever in your boss's eyes." Open your heart to love, Aquarius. "Get excited for a vibrant, romantic period to appear," Thomas added. "Single Aquarians must not let this energy go to waste, as you could find someone who is a soulmate or who lights your heart on fire." Toast to the holidays and reflect on the year, Pisces. "This full moon will bring to [ a ] culmination a domestic, family or real estate matter for you," Thomas said. "Some Pisceans could be hosting a lovely gathering at their home with their kindred. Others may be contemplating a big renovation, redecoration or move now or in the coming year."

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