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Washington, Dec 19 (AP) The Senate passed a defence bill on Wednesday that authorises significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, aims to counter China's growing power and boosts overall military spending to USD 895 billion while also stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for children of military members. The annual defence authorisation bill usually gains strong bipartisan support and has not failed to pass Congress in nearly six decades, but the Pentagon policy measure in recent years has become a battleground for cultural issues. Republicans this year sought to tack on to the legislation priorities for social conservatives, contributing to a months-long negotiation over the bill and a falloff in support from Democrats. Also Read | Cyclone Chido: Tropical Cyclone Kills 13, Affects Over 45,000 in Malawi. Still, the bill passed comfortably 85-14, sending it to President Joe Biden. Eleven senators who caucus with Democrats, as well as three Republicans, voted against the legislation. The bill "isn't perfect, but it still includes some very good things that Democrats fought for", said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, in a floor speech. "It has strong provisions to stand up against the Chinese Communist Party here on a national security basis." Also Read | Nigeria Stampede: Several Children Killed During Stampede at Holiday Fair Event in Basorun, Oyo State Governor Says (Watch Video). In the House, a majority of Democrats voted against the bill last week after House Speaker Mike Johnson insisted on adding the provision to ban the military health system from providing transgender medical care for children. The legislation easily passed by a vote of 281-140. Senate Republican leaders argued that its 1 per cent increase for defence spending was not enough, especially at a time of global unrest and challenges to American dominance. Senate Republicans had argued for a generational boost to defence spending this year, but are planning another push for more defence funding once they control the White House and Congress next year. "We are currently experiencing the most dangerous national security moments since World War II," said Republican Senator Roger Wicker, who will chair the Senate Armed Services Committee next year. He has pushed for larger boosts to defence funding that would break spending caps that were agreed to in the bipartisan deal to suspend the nation's debt ceiling last year. The annual defence authorisation bill directs key Pentagon policy, but it would still need to be backed up with an appropriations package. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in a floor speech this week that without the topline increase, "major bill provisions like a pay raise for enlisted service members will come at the expense of investments in the critical weapons systems and munitions that deter conflict and keep them safe". The legislation provides for a 14.5 per cent pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5 per cent increase for others. Lawmakers said those were key to improving the quality of life of service members at a time when many military families rely on food banks and other government assistance programmes to make ends meet. "It includes major quality of life improvements, enhancing things like childcare, housing, medical services, employment support for military spouses and much more," said Senator Jack Reed, D-RI, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee. The legislation also directs resources towards a more confrontational approach to China, including establishing a fund that could be used to send military resources to Taiwan in much the same way that the US has backed Ukraine. It also invests in new military technologies, including artificial intelligence, and bolsters the US production of ammunition. The US has also moved in recent years to ban the military from purchasing Chinese products, and the defence bill extended that with prohibitions on Chinese goods from garlic in military commissaries to drone technology. The Chinese foreign ministry responded to that move last week by calling the bans laughable. "I do not think it could ever occur to garlic that it would pose a major threat to the US," said Mao Ning, a ministry spokeswoman. "From drones to cranes, from refrigerators to garlic, more and more Chinese-made products have been accused by the US of posing national security risks. But has the US shown any reliable evidence or rationale to back up those accusations?" But in Congress, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been mostly united in their stance that China is a rising threat. Instead, it was culture war issues that divided lawmakers on the bill, which took months to negotiate. The Republican-controlled House had passed a version of the bill in June that would have banned the Defence Department's policy of reimbursing costs for service members who travel to another state for an abortion, ended gender affirming care for transgender troops and weeded out diversity initiatives in the military. Most of those provisions did not make it into the final package, though Republicans are expecting Donald Trump to make sweeping changes to Pentagon policy when he enters office in January. The bill also still prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in "sterilisation". (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)AGNC Investment Corp. Declares Monthly Common Stock Dividend of $0.12 per Common Share for December 2024fishing fafafa 。

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Female athletes sue California school district after officials compared ‘Save Girls Sports’ shirt to a swastikaTrevor Lawrence could very well be done for the season. The Jaguars have placed the quarterback on injured reserve with a concussion and his time on the field during the 2024 NFL season is likely over. Lawrence would be eligible to return in Week 18, though it will be Mac Jones under center to finish the season with the Jags at 2-10 and mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Lawrence was injured during Sunday’s loss to the Texans when Azeez Al-Shaair hit him in the head area as the QB slid during a run. The Jaguars star remained down on the ground for several moments and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game. The hit has drawn plenty of criticism for Al-Shaair who was handed a three-game suspension on Tuesday. In a statement on his social media, Lawrence wrote on Dec. 1 that he had been “home and feeling better” while thanking everyone for their concern. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Jags running back Travis Etienne told reporters that Lawrence was “in great spirits.” “Just seeing him on that field, just kind of running over and seeing him like that, I never seen that ever,” Etienne said about the moment the injury occurred. “You kind of hate that. You kind of hate that feeling because we’re brothers first and we’re football players second. ... I’m just happy he’s in a better place mentally. “I told him, ‘you have a daughter — you have a blessing that’s coming. So get right, take care of yourself, take care of your family. And we’ll be here holding it down and waiting til’ you get back next year” If Lawrence has played his final game of the season then he’ll finish the year with 2,045 passing yards, 11 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. His best game of the season occurred during Week 5 when the Jaguars defeated the Colts and Lawrence finished the day with 371 passing yards, two touchdown passes and an 82.4 completion percentage.Sources: Belichick finalizing deal to be UNC coach

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First Church of Christ, Scientist gives thanks on holiday LANCASTER — First Church of Christ, Scientist, 44802 Fern Ave., is holding their annual Thanksgiving Day service for one hour starting at 10:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day for a special time of gratitude. Following the reading of the sermon, the congregation will be invited to share gratitude to God for their blessings during the year. For details, call 661-942-9926 or visit ChristianScienceAV.org . Reading room celebrates Bible Week with 20% off sale LANCASTER — In recognition of National Bible Week, which is Thanksgiving week, and through Christmas, the Christian Science Reading Room, 44802 Fern Ave., is having a 20% off sale of everything in stock from Sunday to Dec. 21. A variety of gift ideas encouraging spiritual growth, including posters, puzzles, and books for all ages,is available. There are several Bible translations and other reference materials for Bible study, including the writings of Mary Baker Eddy. During this sale, free Bibles (King James version) in paperback will be available while supplies last. The reading room, at the east side of the church building, is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and after church services. For details, call 661-942-9926 or visit ChristianScienceAV.org . Cornerstone Church of Littlerock sets Bethlehem recreation LITTLEROCK — Cornerstone Church of Littlerock, 8533 East Ave. T, will present its sixth annual “Back to Bethlehem,” a live recreation of Bethlehem and the Nativity. The presentation will be open from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 7, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 8. Christ Our Savior Church hosting adult Bible discussion QUARTZ HILL — Christ Our Savior Church, 5027 Columbia Way (Avenue M), is hosting an adult Bible discussion group from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. twice a month on Wednesday evenings. The suggested book of reference is “Knowing the Bible 101 — A Guide to God’s Word in Plain Language” by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz. This study group is for all curious about the Christian faith, motivated to read the Bible and searching for answers. It will continue through November. RSVP at 661-943-2774 or cosumc@gmail.com . For details, call Chris Ulvin at 661-816-0038, or visit the study blog link at cosumc.com . Volunteer chaplains wanted at Antelope Valley Medical Center LANCASTER — Antelope Valley Med­ical Center is looking for volunteer chaplains to address patients’ spiritual needs or to serve through intercessory prayer Monday through Friday. The center welcomes volunteers who dem­onstrate a genuine interest in pro­vi­ding spiritual support for their neigh­bors in an interfaith healthcare setting. Anyone who is interested in becoming a volunteer chaplain can contact Dennis Mortimer, director of volunteer resources, at dennis.mortimer@avmc.org or 661-949-5102. Registration for upcoming year open at Saint Mary’s School PALMDALE — Saint Mary’s School, 1600 East Ave. R-4, is accepting applications for the upcoming school year for its transitional kindergarten through eighth grade. Call 661-273-5555 or visit www.stmaryspalmdale.org for applications or details. Registration for current year open at Grace Lutheran Christian School LANCASTER — Grace Lutheran School, 856 West Newgrove St., is accepting applications for the current school year for its pre-school program through grade 8. Call 661-948-1018, visit www.gracelancaster.org , or email school@gracelancaster.org for details. o The Antelope Valley Press welcomes contributions to its Religion Bulletin Board. Announcements are published as a public service; items are run as space allows and priority is given to entries that have not yet run in the newspaper. Entries are limited to special events, as opposed to routine services and meetings in the church. Written press releases are required, including the name of the church or organization; the time, date and place of the event; cost, if any; and a telephone number, email address and/or web address the public can contact for details. Send press releases to Religion Editor, Antelope Valley Press , P.O. Box 4050, Palmdale, CA 93590-4050; fax them to 661-947-4870; email them to editor@avpress.com ; or drop them by the Valley Press office, 37404 Sierra Highway in Palmdale. Releases need to be received no later than noon on the Wednesday a week prior to the event, since the bulletin board runs only in the Saturday Religion section. For answers to questions about submissions, call 661-441-6150.

Walmart's DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump's election victory NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are re-evaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer on Monday followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The retreat from such programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump's threat to impose tariffs could raise prices for consumers, colliding with promise for relief DETROIT (AP) — If Donald Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists and industry officials say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, booze and other goods. The president-elect floated the tariff idea and an additional 10% tax on goods from China, as a way to force the countries to halt the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the U.S. But his posts Monday threatening tariffs on his first day in office could be a negotiating ploy to get the countries to change behavior. Trump’s latest tariff plan aims at multiple countries. What does it mean for the US? WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has identified what he sees as an all-purpose fix for what ails America: Slap huge new tariffs on foreign goods entering the United States. On Monday, Trump sent shockwaves across the nation’s northern and southern borders, vowing sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, as well as China, as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. Trump said he will impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders. Federal Reserve officials signal cautious path for rate cuts amid still-high inflation WASHINGTON (AP) — With inflation still elevated, Federal Reserve officials expressed caution at their last meeting about cutting interest rates too quickly, adding to uncertainty about their next moves. Even if inflation continued declining to the Fed’s 2% target, officials said, “it would likely be appropriate to move gradually” in lowering rates, according to minutes of the November 6-7 meeting. The minutes don’t specifically provide much guidance about what the Fed will do at its next meeting in December. Wall Street investors see the odds of another quarter-point reduction in the Fed’s key rate at that meeting as nearly even, according to CME Fedwatch. Canadian officials blast Trump's tariff threat and one calls Mexico comparison an insult TORONTO (AP) — Canadian officials are blasting President-elect Donald’s Trump’s threat to impose sweeping tariffs. The leader of Canada's most populous province on Tuesday called Trump’s comparison of Canada to Mexico “the most insulting thing I’ve ever heard.” Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada, Mexico and China as soon as he takes office in January as part of efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. Canadians say their economy and the U.S. one are deeply intertwined and Americans would feel tariffs, too. Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. The proposal, which would not be finalized until after President-elect Donald Trump takes office, could cost taxpayers as much as $35 billion over the next decade. It would give millions of people access to weekly injectables that have helped people shed pounds so quickly that some people have labeled them miracle drugs. Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision. It’s almost time for Spotify Wrapped. When can you expect your 2024 recap? NEW YORK (AP) — It’s almost that time of year. Spotify is gearing up to release its annual Spotify Wrapped, a personalized recap of its users' listening habits and year in audio. The streaming service has been sharing these personalized analyses with since 2016. And each year, it’s become a bigger production than the last. Spotify claimed its 2023 Wrapped was the “biggest ever created” in terms of audience reach and the kind of data it provided to users. But information on Wrapped's 2024 release has been kept under ... er, wraps. In previous years, it’s been released after Thanksgiving, between Nov. 30 and Dec. 6. Thanksgiving travel is cranking up. Will the weather cooperate? The Thanksgiving travel rush is picking up, with Tuesday and Wednesday expected to be much busier than the last couple days. A lot of travelers will be watching weather forecasts to see if rain or snow could slow them down. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen more than 2.8 million people on Tuesday and 2.9 million on Wednesday after handling more than 2.5 million people on Monday. So far, relatively few flights have been canceled this week, but there have been thousands of delayed flights every day. That is becoming normal for U.S. airlines. Federal agency raises the size of most single-family loans the government can guarantee to $806,500 The Federal Housing Finance Agency is increasing the size of home loans that the government can guarantee against default as it takes into account rising housing prices. Beginning next year, mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be able to acquire loans of up to $806,500 on single-family homes in most of the country, the agency said Tuesday. The new conforming loan limit is a 5.2% increase from its 2024 level. FHFA oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which buy home loans from banks and other lenders. FHFA adjusts the loan limits annually to reflect changes in U.S. home values, which have been rising this year despite a national home sales slump.

Repairs and street lighting planned for city bridge amid safety concernsIsrael and Lebanon's Hezbollah start a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fighting

Japanese automakers Nissan Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co confirmed Wednesday that they are discussing closer collaboration but denied reports they have decided on a merger. Nissan’s share price soared nearly 24% in Tokyo after reports citing unnamed sources said it might merge with Honda to form the world’s third-largest automaking group. Honda’s share price fell as much as 3%. Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors Corp. is also part of the talks. Trading in Nissan’s shares was suspended but then resumed after the companies jointly issued a statement saying they were “considering various possibilities for future collaboration, but no decisions have been made.” The ascent of Chinese automakers is rattling the industry at a time when manufacturers are struggling to shift from fossil fuel-driven vehicles to electrics. Relatively inexpensive EVs from China's BYD, Great Wall and Nio are eating into the market shares of U.S. and Japanese car companies in China and elsewhere. Japanese automakers have lagged behind big rivals in EVs and are now trying to cut costs and make up for lost time. Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi announced in August that they will share components for electric vehicles like batteries and jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to dramatic changes in the auto industry centered around electrification. A preliminary agreement between Honda, Japan's second-largest automaker, and Nissan, third largest, was announced in March. A merger could result in a behemoth worth about $55 billion based on the market capitalization of all three automakers. Joining forces would help the smaller Japanese automakers add scale to compete with Japan's market leader Toyota Motor Corp. and with Germany’s Volkswagen AG. Toyota itself has technology partnerships with Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp. Nissan has truck-based body-on-frame large SUVs such as the Armada and Infiniti QX80 that Honda doesn't have, with large towing capacities and good off-road performance, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions. Nissan also has years of experience building batteries and electric vehicles, and gas-electric hybird powertrains that could help Honda in developing its own EVs and next generation of hybrids, he said. “Nissan does have some product segments where Honda doesn’t currently play,” that a merger or partnership could help, said Sam Abuelsamid, a Detroit-area automotive industry analsyt. While Nissan's electric Leaf and Ariya haven't sold well in the U.S., they're solid vehicles, Fiorani said. “They haven't been resting on their laurels, and they have been developing this technology,” he said. “They have new products coming that could provide a good platform for Honda for its next generation.” Nissan said last month that it was slashing 9,000 jobs, or about 6% of its global work force, and reducing global production capacity by 20% after reporting a quarterly loss of 9.3 billion yen ($61 million). Earlier this month it reshuffled its management and its chief executive, Makoto Uchida, took a 50% pay cut to take responsibility for the financial woes, saying Nissan needed to become more efficient and respond better to market tastes, rising costs and other global changes. Fitch Ratings recently downgraded Nissan's credit outlook to “negative,” citing worsening profitability, partly due to price cuts in the North American market. But it noted that it has a strong financial structure and solid cash reserves that amounted to 1.44 trillion yen ($9.4 billion). Nissan's share price has fallen to the point where it is considered something of a bargain. A report in the Japanese financial magazine Diamond said talks with Honda gained urgency after the Taiwan maker of iPhones Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, began exploring a possible acquisition of Nissan as part of its push into the EV sector. The company has struggled for years following a scandal that began with the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn in late 2018 on charges of fraud and misuse of company assets, allegations that he denies. He eventually was released on bail and fled to Lebanon. Honda reported its profits slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the April-March fiscal year from a year earlier, as sales suffered in China. Toyota made 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, while Honda rolled out 4 million and Nissan produced 3.4 million. Mitsubishi Motors made just over 1 million. Even after a merger Toyota would remain the leading Japanese automaker. All the global automakers are facing potential shocks if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on threats to raise or impose tariffs on imports of foreign products, even from allies like Japan and neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico. Nissan is among the major car companies that have adjusted their supply chains to include vehicles assembled in Mexico. Meanwhile, analysts say there is an “affordability shift” taking place across the industry, led by people who feel they cannot afford to pay nearly $50,000 for a new vehicle. In American, a vital market for companies like Nissan, Honda and Toyota, that's forcing automakers to consider lower pricing, which will eat further into industry profits. AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit.LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein was carted off the field and taken to a hospital with a left leg injury sustained while being sacked in the first quarter of Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference game at Louisville. The redshirt freshman's left ankle was caught at an awkward angle beneath Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte's hip on a twisting tackle for a 4-yard loss at midfield. Panthers medical personnel rushed to Holstein's aid, with a cart arriving quickly on the field within minutes. Holstein’s leg was placed in a boot before he was helped onto the cart. He gave a thumbs-up to nearby teammates as he left the field to applause before being taken a hospital. Holstein started for the Panthers (7-3, 3-3 ACC) after missing last week’s 24-20 home loss to No. 17 Clemson with a head injury sustained in the previous game against Virginia while sliding at the end of a run. He left an Oct. 24 game against Syracuse after taking a hit, but returned against SMU the following week. Holstein completed 3 of 4 passes for 51 yards before being intercepted in the end zone by Louisville's Stanquan Clark on the game-opening possession. He was relieved by junior Nate Yarnell. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballMELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia's House of Representatives passes bill banning children younger than age 16 from social media.

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Article content While so many Oilers forwards not named Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl have struggled for to find some offence in the first quarter of the NHL season, one of the pleasant surprises has been role-playing winger Mattias Janmark. Janmark, who is playing 12:55 a night, has 10 points in 22 games, eight coming even-strength, one short-handed — a dandy feed to Darnell Nurse against New York Rangers last Saturday. He has just one goal, but, again, he has 10 points. The only Oilers forwards in double digits (points) are 97, 29 and Janmark. “Janne has played extremely well for four weeks,” said Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch, who currently has the Swedish forward on right wing on the third line with Adam Henrique and Jeff Skinner. “He rarely has a bad shift and we obviously rely on him on the penalty kill (with partner Connor Brown) with our forward group. A really nice play to Darnell short-handed. He carried the puck up, had an opportunity to shoot, then a wraparound try but he held it and found Darnell coming in late.” “We talk about players who do all the little things right and that’s Janne.” Janmark is never measured on his offence but after signing a three-year free-agent deal in July for a $1.45 million AAV he is very much underrated. While the Oilers lost lots of speed over the summer — Warren Foegele, Dylan Holloway and Ryan McLeod up front — Janmark is sneaky fast, turning 32 in two weeks. “I don’t really think about points much. I know when I’m playing good or not (points aside),” said Janmark, whose career high in points for a single season is 34 when playing for Dallas. NHL forwards coming into the league are always looked upon to put up points but that’s never been Janmark’s deal. When did points cease to be important to him? “When you’re younger you rely on them a bit more. You get hard on yourself if they (points) aren’t coming and then you go through stretches in your career when you’re simply not scoring. To stay in this league you have to find other things” apart from points, he said. Janmark was excellent in the Oilers playoff run last spring, especially in a penalty-kill role, but he also beat Sergei Bobvrovsky on a breakaway early in the first period of Game 7 in Florida to tie it 1-1 after Carter Verhaeghe’s Panthers’ goal. “I had a tough regular season, not many points (12 in 72 games), but you go through a good playoffs, yeah, it gives you confidence that you can do it at the highest level,” he said. SHOTS TO GOALS Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ career shooting percentage is 11.9, with his out-of-nowhere 18.4 in 2022-23 when he scored 37, but it’s 4.5 this season. He has 40 shots on net (80 attempted) and only two goals. “A forward’s average shooting percentage in the NHL is between nine and 15 percent. There’s a few players above that, exceptional shooters. Like Leon,” said Knoblauch. Draisaitl’s at 26.7 right now, with 16 goals on 60 shots and a career average of 18.5. Draisaitl was 14.3, 16.9, 12.3 shots-to-goals his first three seasons, but hasn’t had one under 18.5 over the past six years. “Leon can obviously shoot the puck well. That one-timer from a bad angle is difficult for a goalie to save if you hit the net. Also if you miss, well, that doesn’t count against the shooting percentage,” said Knoblauch. “Sometimes you have an outlier season where you’re shooting really well. Last year, Zach Hyman’s was 18.6 per cent but he is typically about 13 or 14. There’s a lot of luck, circumstances dictating scoring goals,” said Knoblauch. Nugent-Hopkins’s 4.5 per cent mirrors the scoring difficulties of most of the Oilers forwards. He was 9.8 per cent last season, with18 goals on 183 shots, so it’s going down. “Maybe you could say Nuge isn’t taking the same quality of shots as he should. The last two or three games, though, Nuge ripped one shot off the crossbar and hit the butt-end of the goalie’s stick in the Ranger game. That’s two goals, and his shooting percentage is 10 per cent,” said Knoblauch. This ‘n that : Newcomer Kasperi Kapanen and Derek Ryan were absent from Tuesday’s practice along with the injured Viktor Arvidsson and Hyman. “Kapanen had an immigration appointment,” said Knoblauch, in the wake of the Finnish winger’s waiver claim from St. Louis to Edmonton. “Ryan was sick.” ... Phil Esposito, who scored 717 goals, many from the high slot, said recently he used to employ a paddle like Draisaitl’s. Good company ... Evander Kane, who had surgery two months ago to repair two sports hernias and tears to two adductor and abdominal muscles, was seen walking around the Oilers dressing room Tuesday, with no visible movement issues. The time frame for a return is unclear but doctors said five to six months. He seems ahead of schedule. Would anybody be surprised if he’s back in January sometime? ... Unless the Oilers wanted to give up winger Matt Savoie, 20, to try and get Columbus right-shot defenceman David Jiricek, who turns 20 on Thursday and is unhappy there, is there any conceivable way the Oilers and Jackets are a fit? Savoie was the ninth-overall pick in 2022, Jiricek was sixth ... Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner, who got Marc-Andre Fleury’s stick autographed last week, wants to get more. “I’d like to get Vasy (Andrei Vasilevskiy) and (Sergei) Bobrovsky. I would have loved Carey Price’s. But I guess that won’t happen now. I did see him once in a hallway (during practice when Montreal was in town several years back). He said, ‘How are you doing?’ I, said, ‘Uh, good.’ I didn’t know what to say,” said the awestruck Skinner ... The Oilers will likely be adding a forward for their upcoming three-day trip to Utah, Colorado and Vegas. They’ll probably bring back fourth-line winger Drake Caggiula, who has been recalled twice for four games and who was sent back to Bakersfield for salary-cap reasons ... Seth Griffith was just named Bakersfield captain. Brad Malone was the former captain before retiring and taking a job as an assistant coach in junior in Oshawa ... Nashville got a fourth-round draft pick from Pittsburgh for forward Phil Tomasino on Monday. Must be the going rate now for former first-round draft forwards, with Oilers the giving Vancouver a fourth-rounder for Vasily Podkolzin in August ... Savoie and Noah Philp are percolating on the farm. The organization wants to leave them in the AHL to learn more. Barring a run of injuries here, you likely won’t see either player until the New Year ... James Hamblin remains out with a lower-body injury in Bakersfield ... Winger Roby Jarventie, acquired in the Ottawa Xavier Bourgault summer trade, remains out on the farm. He did play two games there after missing all of camp with a knee issue and had two points, but GM Keith Gretzky says they were maybe pushing things a little fast. The knee, different from the one operated on while playing in the Senators’ organization, isn’t strong enough for games just yet.

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.