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betfred reviews TikTok's future in the U.S. appeared uncertain on Friday after a federal appeals court rejected a legal challenge to a law that requires the social media platform to cut ties with its China-based parent company or be banned by mid-January. A panel of three judges on The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled unanimously that the law withstood constitutional scrutiny, rebuffing arguments from the two companies that the statute violated their rights and the rights of TikTok users in the U.S. The government has said it wants ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to divest its stakes. But if it doesn't and the platform goes away, it would have a seismic impact on the lives of content creators who rely on the platform for income as well as users who use it for entertainment and connection. Here are some details on the ruling and what could happen next: In their lawsuit, TikTok and ByteDance, which is also a plaintiff in the case, had challenged the law on various fronts, arguing in part that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and was an unconstitutional bill of attainder that unfairly targeted the two companies. But the court sided with attorneys for the Justice Department who said that the government was attempting to address national security concerns and the way in which it chose to do so did not violate the constitution. The Justice Department has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say that Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok's U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread, or suppress, information. However, the U.S. hasn't publicly provided examples of that happening. The appeals court ruling, written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg, said the law was “carefully crafted to deal only with control by a foreign adversary." The judges also rejected the claim that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. Furthermore, Ginsburg wrote the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to “suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok. TikTok and ByteDance are expected to appeal the case to the Supreme Court, but it's unclear whether the court will take up the case. TikTok indicated in a statement on Friday the two companies are preparing to take their case to high court, saying the Supreme Court has “an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech." "We expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” a company spokesperson said. Alan Morrison, a professor at The George Washington University Law School, said he expects the Supreme Court to take up the case because of the novelty of the issues raised in the lawsuit. If that happens, attorneys for the two companies still have to convince the court to grant them an emergency stay that will prevent the government from enforcing the Jan. 19 divestiture deadline stipulated in the law, Morrison said. Such a move could drag out the process until the Justices make a ruling. Tiffany Cianci, a TikTok content creator who has supported the platform, said she was not shocked about the outcome of the court's ruling on Friday because lower courts typically defer to the executive branch on these types of cases. She believes the company will have a stronger case at the Supreme Court. “I believe that the next stages are more likely to produce a victory for TikTokers and for TikTok as a whole,” Cianci said. Another wild card is President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the recent presidential campaign that he is now against such action . The Trump transition team has not offered details on how Trump plans to carry out his pledge to “save TikTok." But spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement last month that he plans to “deliver” on his campaign promises. After Trump takes office on Jan. 20th, it would fall on his Justice Department to enforce the law and punish any potential violators. Penalties would apply to any app stores that would violate a prohibition on TikTok and to internet hosting services which would be barred from supporting it. Some have speculated that Trump could ask his Justice Department to abstain from enforcing the law. But tech companies like Apple and Google, which offer TikTok's app on their app stores, would then have to trust that the administration would not come after them for any violations. Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said enforcement discretion — or executive orders — can not override existing law, leaving Trump with “limited room for unilateral action." There are other things Trump could potentially do. It's possible he could invoke provisions of the law that allow the president to determine whether a sale or a similar transaction frees TikTok from “foreign adversary” control. Another option is to urge Congress to repeal the law. But that too would require support from congressional Republicans who have overwhelmingly supported the prospect of getting TikTok out of the hands of a Chinese company. In a statement issued Friday, Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said he was “optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok” and allow its continued use in the United States. ByteDance has said it won't sell TikTok . And even if it wanted to, a sale of the proprietary algorithm that powers TikTok is likely to get blocked under Chinese export controls that the country issued in 2020. That means if TikTok is sold without the algorithm, its likely that the buyer would only purchase a shell of the platform that doesn't contain the technology that made the app a cultural powerhouse. Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in buying it. This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital. The spokesperson did not disclose the identity of the participants.

The rain didn’t stop scores of Jamaicans from visiting the Hope Gardens last Thursday for the Scientific Research Council’s (SRC) annual SRC on Show. Despite the intermittent showers, the event was a resounding success, with 31 clients and 12 key stakeholders showcasing a range of innovative products and services. This year’s event highlighted the SRC’s continued support for innovation and entrepreneurship in Jamaica. Notably, approximately 20 of the participating clients were new to the agency whose training workshops and technical services enabled the clients to develop, standardize, manufacture, and test their products, transforming ideas into market-ready solutions. Carolyn Rose Miller, Divisional Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications at the SRC, noted that the exhibitions were a testament to the incredible talent and potential of Jamaican entrepreneurs. “We encourage distributors, retail outlets, and public and private sector partners to support the growth of these innovative businesses, helping them reach their full potential,” Miller said. The products on display—spanning food and personal care categories—were nothing short of exceptional. From innovative formulations, such as Karley’s Dawta’s fruitcake mix that will give you the same Christmas taste in half the time, to excellent packaging and shelf-stable designs such as Genteel Brands’ flavoured peanuts, thee products demonstrated the capability to compete on the global stage. “These products hold tremendous promise, not only for the local market but also for export, where they can showcase the best of Jamaican creativity and quality on a global stage,” Miller added. SRC on Show was conceptualised to spotlight the work of the SRC, allowing its clients to share their success stories while providing them with an invaluable platform to promote their products, expand market access, and build networks. For consumers, it is an ideal space for sourcing authentic Jamaican products, perfect for gifting or personal use. According to the SRC, the positive feedback from clients and stakeholders underscored the event’s impact, highlighting its role in stimulating economic activity and fostering growth in the MSME sector. The SRC said it remains committed to making science and technology work for Jamaica, driving innovation and creating opportunities for entrepreneurs to thrive.Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 05.12.2024

BAXTER — Jim Exsted sits behind a worn wooden desk with its broad top bare by design. Clutter is not something one associates with the man who has been Baxter’s chief of police for 20 years. ADVERTISEMENT Outside his office window, barren branches and a bit of snow point toward his approaching retirement date of Tuesday, Dec. 10. He’s had the luxury of working on the transition this fall with the new chief Matt Maier taking over the reins on Dec. 11. In November, Exsted donned civilian clothes as part of the visual to the transition to staff and as Maier stepped into the chief's role for City Council meetings. After 28 years in a law enforcement uniform with the city, it meant some quick shopping for new clothes and making choices about apparel he hadn’t made in more than two decades. When people saw him in plain clothes, the comments were, “Oh, this is real.” It allowed Exsted to sit back and let the focus shift to Maier as they attended meetings together and prepared others for the coming transition. Transitions began early for Exsted. He grew up in Glencoe, west of the Twin Cities, the oldest of three boys. He was on the football team that was poised to make a decade-long run of strong seasons. He wanted to be a farmer. But things changed when his family left farm country. When he was 16, his family moved to Crosby. That can be a tough age to uproot from lifelong childhood friends and reestablish oneself in a new community in high school. It was tough, but Exsted also loved it up north and hunting. He kept in touch with his Glencoe friends and made new ones in Crosby, getting involved in sports. He later transitioned from the basketball court to the stands as a fan and had a blast doing that. “You're leaving a group of friends, that's all you've known all your life, and you're being introduced into another group, and in the end, you have two pretty cool groups of friends,” Exsted said. He didn’t think about what the future might hold beyond maintaining those groups of friends. There were multiple jobs every summer and a lot of things to do. He graduated from high school in 1989 and went on to what was then Brainerd Community College. The first quarter at BCC was also a little tough. “Like I said I was really big into hunting,” he said and smiled. But he recovered and went on to Bemidji State University for a four-year degree. He wasn’t thinking about law enforcement in the beginning but he was interested in public service. He was headed to BSU with a group of fellow students, none of whom were sure what they wanted to do, but they had an old class syllabus. ADVERTISEMENT “Criminal justice and teaching were my two interests, and I remember reading the teaching part of it and the requirements within that you had to take a music class and either sing or play the piano. I'm like, yeah, no, I'm out,” Exsted said. “So criminal justice was definitely the choice that was made over teaching on the way north in the car.” He never looked back. Exsted got to BSU and loved the criminal justice field. A ride-along with a Minnesota State Trooper proved impactful. For Exsted, it cemented law enforcement as the right career path. He liked the problem-solver aspect and helping people. He saw real tragedy, too, early on. He learned to be the guy in front of the microphone as needed, but he was also not waiting for the next opportunity either. After school, an internship brought Exsted to Brainerd as he worked at the detention center before going to boat and water. He said he also convinced a Brainerd girl to take him on as a husband. Once he was in Baxter, he went from patrol to investigations to sergeant and then to chief within nine years. A planner, Exsted said he’s always been interested in what the next step is and in setting goals. More than 20 years ago he went to a training session where a sheriff advised always creating short-term and long-term goals and having an inbox and an outbox. “And when it gets into your inbox, don't let it sit there,” Exsted said. “Get it to the outbox, meaning, either handle it or delegate it. Don't let it pile up. And then on your list, prioritize your list. And then don't skip the priority ones to get to an easy one. If you do that every once in a while, that's fine, but don't be consistently leaving the top priorities. ... For me, for years, that kind of went hand in hand with my goals.” Exsted wanted to set up a department as a place where people wanted to work and achieve their goals, and be able to walk away on top of his game and 20 years felt like a good milestone to make. Short-term goals may be addressing issues like speeding complaints and looking at what tools internally were being utilized in the effort. Nearly 30 years later, Exsted said there are still speeders so the goal then is to make people feel they are being heard in their complaints and the department is doing what it can to address it. And for his officers, Exsted said it’s also being aware of many demands on their skills may be a greater priority — crashes, crime, assaults. He always felt it was his job to balance those things. ADVERTISEMENT A small but busy city, Baxter has its share of big-city issues with drugs, shoplifting, financial crimes, a prominent prostitution sting, and shootings. There were good days, frustrating days and bad days. But through it all Exsted said really liked his job. The last four years on the job have been difficult with a short staff as he took care of administering the department and stayed involved on the patrol side. “We're a small department. There's an expectation, for me it's always been there, that you should be able to handle anything that comes in,” Exsted said. “That's what you get paid for. That's why, when you look at any of the officers out there and say, I need you to do this, there's never any question. Because, hopefully, they know if they're not going to do it, I'm going to have to go do it, and I will do it, and I can do it.” After being steady with staffing, the department had three retirements in 18 months and a resignation. Just like that they were four positions short. Or make that five if including the additional officer they planned to add. For a 15-member department, it was a lot to absorb. Now the department is back to full staff and Exsted said it’s a good group of people. In a few weeks, he’ll be 54 and he’s ready to let someone new come in and start setting their own goals. Thinking of his own mentors when he was starting out, Exsted pointed to Neal Gaalswyk, who was the boat and water supervisor with the Crow Wing Sheriff’s Office when Exsted started his law enforcement career. “Neal was definitely a big influence,” Exsted said. “Just a solid individual to watch and learn and grow from. And for me, he was more than just a law enforcement person, he was a well-rounded individual. He’d make little comments where he was teaching you, but he wasn't field training, he's just ‘Hey, think about this’ and ‘Make sure you have friends outside of the job.’” ADVERTISEMENT It was probably the first time Exsted heard that message, which he said was forward-thinking. “Have a group of friends outside of the profession to keep you grounded,” Exsted said of the advice. “So he was on the cutting edge of the mental health side of things. So Neal was a big influence prior to getting on the road here in Baxter.” Exsted had just that friend group that goes pheasant hunting together. Two are scholars and teachers. Exsted said he acts as a sponge during their conversations making notes notes of authors and books to read. From Gaalswyk, Exsted said he learned the work on the water wasn’t writing tickets, it was about public relations and keeping people safe in a way they may not even realize the officer is doing his job. Other mentors included Andy Rooney and John Bolduc. Exsted said a good group of area officers were there as resources as well like Dennis Lasher and Corky McQuiston as well as the Crow Wing County Chiefs Association. Exsted has also received accolades and should expect more as the city gives him a send-off on Tuesday. Brad Chapulis, Baxter administrator, previously thanked the chief for his years of service. “Seven years has been a pleasure working with you,” Chapulis said. “I wish it was a few more.” Mayor Darrel Olson has said the chief is highly respected in the community. ADVERTISEMENT “When I think of Jim, I just think of deep-seated integrity,” said Gaalswyk, current Cass County commissioner and former captain with the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office. Gaalswyk retired after a 27-year career in law enforcement. Gaalwyk said when he hired someone he always said one lie was one too many and he never needed to tell Exsted that. “I learned that I could completely rely on Jim, that if he said something, that's the way it was,” Gaalswyk said Thursday. “He was willing to learn. ... He put in the time. I mean, he went through a variety of job assignments on us with the sheriff's office. Did each one well, pleasant to be around. I just think Chief Exsted exemplifies what a person of character can be in the law enforcement profession. I really admire him.” Gaalswyk said Exsted was humble, a man of faith and a family man who kept a life balance and all those things add up to a quality man. Gaalswyk noted Exsted’s self-deprecating sense of humor where he turns his head and laughs and knows whatever is boiling that day will sooner or later cool off and he’ll figure it out. “He built a great department,” Gaalswyk said. “... The officers that he hired, he hired people that held similar values to his own, which is why Baxter has a really good police department, and it's populated by people who treat the people they serve with respect and dignity, and that comes from the top. An organization mirrors or takes on the personality of the person at the helm and that's why the personality of the Baxter Police Department is so good because Jim Exsted’s been at the helm for 20 years. ... He’s a good guy.” A lot has changed in law enforcement over the years — from technology and computers in the squad cars to embedded social workers with law enforcement, a focus on mental health and efforts to reduce recidivism at the jail by assisting inmates with social workers in the jail so it wasn’t a revolving door when they got out. Relationships established with community partners have turned into strong resources, Exsted said. Law enforcement has changed and Exsted said he tells people it’s changed for the better. The last few years have been hard in the industry but it forced a change in the profession that started about 2015. “On the professional end of it, we do things better,” Exsted said. “We understand the world better, how to interact, how to de-escalate, how to deal with mental health, all that, but it has been a lot of change in a pretty short window.” Exsted said he hopes that just continues to grow. He noted Crow Wing County has assigned one of its deputies as a mental health deputy and maybe someday there will be an officer with that designation in every department and then maybe on every shift. ADVERTISEMENT “It's been such a roller coaster ride in the last few years, sometimes it's hard to gauge what what has changed, but I think overall, finally, the profession is better today than 20 years ago,” Exsted said. “We're more professional or more in tune with the needs of the community, and we can provide a better service.” Over the years, one of his fond memories comes from the annual Night to Unite where the community and law enforcement, emergency services and local businesses gather on a summer night in the park. And it continues to grow. “So that, for me, has always been a fun night,” Exsted said. “You know, just tons of kids running around getting their face painted, lining up at the fence to watch the K-9 show, lining up over at the other fence to watch a helicopter land and blow sand in their face. And then, over the years, developing all the other partnerships.” Over the years, one of the things Exsted said he’s learned is that there is often more than one right answer to every question. And it’s important to enjoy the job. It includes tough situations, late-night calls and early mornings. Set a goal and push toward it. The department is looking at change, too, with possible new quarters after working in tight space for years. Exsted said he believes it is extremely important to have City Hall connected to the police department for cohesiveness with a lot of good coming from being in the same building. Now his legacy is leaving a department with a mix of young and experienced crew and completing a journey he started more than 30 years ago. Exsted said other advice he noted was to always be professional and remember all people have issues and when something isn’t going right don’t jump to a level of frustration — think about it and remember even the best have bad days. Exsted’s advice for Maier as he becomes chief is just to be himself. “They've hired you to be the next chief, not to be a continuation of me,” Exsted said. “So be yourself. You've set a standard in your first 21 years that puts you in this position. Just continue down that road. Don't change anything based on how you think it would have been done.” So what’s next? Exsted said he realizes it will be a transition, but he’s had friends who have retired to take on new jobs that have much lower stress levels. He loves doing landscaping work and is looking forward to time for hunting and making a bigger dent in the reading list of the next 10 books this winter. Renee Richardson, managing editor, may be reached at 218-855-5852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchBizBuzz.ROSEVILLE Calif. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Children in Northern California now have a cuddly companion to bring them comfort through their cancer treatment journey. Aflac Incorporated , a leading provider of health supplemental insurance in the U.S. donated the robotic ducks to Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance in Roseville Thursday. The event marks nearly 200 ducks given to Keaton's in the last two years and more than 33,000 ducks distributed free of charge since the program began in 2018. "Approximately 26 children are diagnosed with cancer each day in the United States , including the brave 'Child Cancer Warriors' supported by Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance," said Ines Rodriguez Gutzmer , Aflac senior vice president and chief Communications officer. "These incredible children, and their families, embody determination and resilience – and most of all, as we saw today, their joyful spirit continues to shine. We're thankful to the team at Keaton's for allowing us to be a part of the great work they do each and every day. Together, we're making a difference in the lives of the children, their families and their communities." My Special Aflac Duck is a social robot powered by innovative technology that helps kids prepare for medical procedures, communicate their feelings, practice distraction techniques and more. The robotic companion was designed in consult with more than 100 children, families and medical professionals in conjunction with Empath Labs. A three-year study revealed that patients reported a reduction in distress, nausea, pain and procedural anxiety compared to those in the study who had not yet received a duck. In addition, parents and caregivers reported a reduction in stress and anxiety, showing how My Special Aflac Duck helps children's support system. The duck delivery Thursday coincided with Keaton's annual Operation Gobble, where more than 20 families received Thanksgiving meal kits. "We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Aflac to ensure that young cancer warriors and their families receive the personalized support they need throughout their journey" said Jessica Alonso , Executive Director of Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance. "This generous contribution of My Special Aflac Ducks will have a meaningful impact on the children we serve. These comforting, interactive companions provide emotional support and help children navigate the complexities of treatment, bringing much-needed smiles and strength to families during some of their most challenging moments. Together, we are empowering those we serve to face cancer with courage and hope." Since its debut in 2018 , My Special Aflac Duck has received numerous awards; it was named one of Time Magazine's 50 Best Inventions and collected the Best in Show at CES and South by Southwest, among others. The My Special Aflac Duck program is a hallmark of Aflac's more than $184 million given toward pediatric cancer and blood disorder treatment, as part of the company's commitment to support the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta . Health care providers, support organizations and families can order My Special Aflac Duck free of charge for children 3 years or older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease at MySpecialAflacDuck.com . ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than 68 years to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan . In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products. 1 In Japan , Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol . Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability." 1 LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report Media contact: Jon Sullivan , 706-763-4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young , 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/my-special-aflac-duck-lands-in-the-sacramento-valley-302313728.html SOURCE Aflac

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The masked gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday. The gunman is still at large and a manhunt is underway. Here's the latest: Just minutes before the shooting, the suspect was seen on surveillance footage purchasing the two items from a nearby Starbucks. Both the water bottle and protein bar wrapper were later recovered from a trash can in the vicinity of the killing, according to a police spokesperson. They’ve been sent to the city’s medical examiner for expedited fingerprint testing. As the suspect remained at large Thursday afternoon, New York police were sorting through a growing number of leads coming in through a public hotline. Many have been unfounded, including a tip from a commuter who claimed to have spotted the shooter on a Long Island Rail Road train Wednesday evening. Police searched the train, but found no sign of the gunman. Members of the public have also provided police with several different names of people who bear a resemblance to the gunman — though they have yet to confirm the shooter’s identity. NYPD spokesperson Carlos Nieves urged anyone with information to contact the department “even if it seems trivial.” “We ask you to call the tip line because that little piece of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that ties everything together,” he said. Users’ reactions — and in many cases jokes — populated comment sections teeming with frustration toward health insurers broadly and UnitedHealthcare in particular. “I would be happy to help look for the shooter but vision isn’t covered under my healthcare plan,” one comment read on Instagram. “Thoughts and prior authorizations!” wrote another user. Images released by police of a person they say is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Both feature a black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semicircle. Matheus Taranto, a guest at the hostel who’s visiting from Brazil, says he saw police at the lodging Wednesday evening. He said an officer wouldn’t let him access a bathroom where he wanted to brush his teeth. “I asked why, he was like, no, nothing happened,” said Taranto, 24. He didn’t connect the dots with the shooting until later. In Minnesota, police in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove, where Thompson lived, said Thursday they believe a bomb threat on Wednesday night was a hoax. Maple Grove police put out a statement Thursday saying a “suspected swatting investigation” was underway. The department said it received a report of a bomb threat directed at two addresses around 7 p.m. CT Wednesday. The Minneapolis Bomb Squad and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office assisted, but investigators found no suspicions devices or other items. “The case is considered an active investigation, while the incident appears to be a hoax. No further comments will be made at this time,” the police statement said. Police reports provided to The Associated Press by the department show that officers made contact with family members at one of the homes and were told they had seen nothing suspicious and had received no direct threats. Back in Thompson’s home state of Minnesota, authorities were investigating a bomb threat that reportedly was made against his home Wednesday night, after his death. It was first reported by TMZ. City Prosecutor Andrew Draper confirmed to The Associated Press via email Thursday that he received an email Wednesday night “regarding a bomb threat. I reported it to the Maple Grove Police Department and do not have any additional information.” Maple Grove police officials did not immediately respond to requests for details Thursday. Local ATF spokesperson Ashlee Sherrill said: “ATF was made aware of the incident in Maple Grove last night, but no ATF resources were deployed. We are unable to confirm any further details.” A local FBI spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for information on the FBI’s involvement in the investigation. The words emblazoned on the ammunition used in the shooting – “deny,” “defend” and “depose” – were written in permanent marker, according to a law enforcement official. The official wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. — Jake Offenhartz As of Thursday morning, police were still searching for the shooter. They released new photos of a person they said is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting. The images match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, including its black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semi-circle. An employee at the hostel said police had visited but declined to provide further information. Danielle Brumfitt, a spokesperson for the lodging, said in an emailed statement that they are cooperating with the NYPD but can’t comment due to the active investigation. According to the official who spoke to AP about the ammunition messaging, investigators are running DNA and fingerprint analysis on items found near the shooting, including a water bottle, that they believe the suspect may have discarded. Additionally, they’re looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bike as part of an escape plan. Doctors and patients have become particularly frustrated with prior authorizations, which are requirements that an insurer approve surgery or care before it happens. UnitedHealthcare was named in an October report detailing how the insurer’s prior authorization denial rate for some Medicare Advantage patients has surged in recent years. The report from the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations also named rivals Humana and CVS. Insurers say tactics like prior authorization are needed to limit unnecessary care and help control spiraling medical costs. Frustrations extend beyond the coverage of care. Expensive breakthrough medications to slow Alzheimer’s disease or help with obesity are frequently not covered or have coverage limits. In the U.S. health care system, patients get coverage through a mix of private insurers such as UnitedHealthcare and government-funded programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. That can prove particularly frustrating for doctors and patients because coverage often varies by insurer. Polls reflect those frustrations with the U.S. health care system in general and insurance companies in particular. About two-thirds of Americans said health insurance companies deserve “a lot of blame” for high health care costs, according to a KFF poll conducted in February . Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive. A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting — “deny,” “defend” and “depose” — echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The three words were emblazoned on the ammunition a masked gunman used to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Thursday. They’re similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend” — the way some attorneys describe how insurers deny services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book that was highly critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the wording or any connection between them and the common phrase. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting a deepening frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. ▶ Read more about the messaging left behind by the shooter The New York Police Department released photos Thursday morning, asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual pictured. Police say the person is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. A Senate panel has been investigating how frequently three major insurers, including UnitedHealthcare, deny care to patients who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. It has also investigated the use of artificial intelligence in deny those claims. Medicare Advantage is the private version of Medicare, which provides health insurance to millions of older Americans. The Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee’s report released earlier this year found that as UnitedHealthcare relied more on its automated system to review claims denials increased for post-acute treatment, which includes nursing home or rehabilitation care. The insurer denied nearly a quarter of claims, a rate that doubled over just a two-year period from 2020 to 2022. Joseph Kenny, the NYPD chief of detectives, says the shooter wore a black face mask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack. He arrived outside the hotel about five minutes before UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson did, then waited and ignored other pedestrians before he approached Thompson from behind. After the assailant began to fire, his 9 mm pistol jammed but he quickly fixed it and kept firing, Kenny said, another sign of the shooter’s professionalism. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” Kenny said. The hostels were on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and police were following a tip that the suspect may have stayed at one of the residences, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the ongoing search. According to an employee of Kama Central Park, two detectives arrived at the hostel at 7 a.m. Thursday with a photo of the shooter and asked staff if they recognized the man. They did not, the employee said, and the detectives left soon after. An employee at the nearby HI New York City hostel also confirmed that police had visited the location Thursday, but declined to provide further information. — Jake Offenhartz New York Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday the shooter used a silencer — something he’d never encountered in his 22 years as a police officer. “In all of my years in law enforcement I have never seen a silencer before,” Adams, a retired NYPD captain, said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “And so that was really something that was shocking to us all.” The masked gunman used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to strategies insurance companies use to try to avoid paying claims. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny had said earlier. — Mike Balsamo, Jake Offenhartz and Michael R. Sisak The chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation’s largest insurers, was killed Wednesday in midtown Manhattan in what police described as a targeted attack by a shooter outside a hotel where the company was holding a conference. ▶ Read more about the key things to know about the fatal attackWray Continues Pattern Of Honoring Institutions Even As Trump Burns Them Down

A designated disability minister will be appointed to each Government department to “champion disability inclusion and accessibility”, the Government has announced. Work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms said the move aims to drive “real improvements” for disabled people, whom the ministers will be encouraged to engage with on a regular basis. He told the Commons: “I am very pleased to be able to announce today the appointment of new lead ministers for disability in each Government department, they will represent the interests of disabled people, champion disability inclusion and accessibility within their departments. “I’m going to chair regular meetings with them and will encourage them to engage directly with disabled people and their representative organisations, as they take forward their departmental priorities. “And I look forward to this new group of lead ministers for disability together driving real improvements across Government for disabled people.” This came during an adjournment debate on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, where Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling raised concerns about “floating bus stops”, which have a cycle lane between the stop and the pavement. Intervening, the MP for Torbay, who is registered blind, said: “The Government needs to ban floating bus stops.” Sir Stephen said: “I do think this issue about floating bus stops is an important issue which we need to work across Government to reflect on.” Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, who led the debate, had earlier criticised the lack of accessibility for disabled people on trains. The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP said: “Our train network does not have level access, and we heard Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson from the other place make this plea back in the summer, absolutely outrageous what she was put through. “But I was absolutely shocked to find, when I had a presentation of the TransPennine route upgrade, that the rolling stock yet to be commissioned is not going to provide that level access. “It’s absolute nonsense, it’s not even in the design of that procurement, so we must do better than this.”

Everyone has a “wish list” — things they’d like to get done, things they’d like to see happen, things they wish would come true. But the Nebraska Republican Party recently put together the mother of all wish lists. In a four-page document unveiled last month, the Nebraska GOP listed more than 70 policy changes they’d like to see at the state, local and national levels. Paul Hammel The long list of wishes include returning the state to a “winner-take-all” system of awarding its electoral votes for president, further restrictions on abortions (just after voters approved a 12-week ban) and adopting an EPIC (“eliminate property, income and corporate taxes”) tax system. The Republican Party’s wish list includes some other long-hoped-for policy changes, such as adopting a spending lid on local governments, ending secret ballots for state legislative leaders, and lowering the votes needed to fend off a filibuster in the State Legislature from 33 to 30. To be sure, the Nebraska Democratic Party likely has a similar wish list of policies they’d like to see adopted. But unlike the Nebraska GOP, they don’t have a filibuster-proof majority in the State Legislature. The November elections gave Republicans 33 members in the officially nonpartisan Unicameral, which is enough to shut off a filibuster and pass controversial policies. Whether or not those 33 legislators will vote for every one of the GOP’s priorities, of course, remains to be seen. And remember, today’s Nebraska Republican Party is run by a group of farther right members than in the past, after they ousted the less, far right backers of former governor and now U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts from leadership posts. There’s still some independence in the Statehouse, if you ask me, though it gets less and less every year. Example No. 1 recently was when state Sen. Merv Reipe of Ralston, a Republican, declined to vote in favor of an abortion bill in 2023 that banned the procedure after a fetal heartbeat was detected, which is around six weeks. Reipe, a former hospital executive who is in his second go-around in Lincoln, argued that the “heartbeat bill” was too strict. That demonstration of independence later prompted state lawmakers to pass a compromise abortion bill, which banned the procedure after 12 weeks. In addition, some Republicans in the past have not supported doing away with Nebraska’s unique system of awarding three of its electoral votes by congressional district, and returning to a winner-take-all approach. A dose of skepticism was sprinkled on the GOP’s current wish list by one Republican, Central City Sen. Loren Lippincott. “You have to remember we live in ‘Realville,’” Lippincott told Andrew Wegley of the Lincoln Journal Star. (“Realville” was a term used by the late Rush Limbaugh, a conservative radio commentator to describe the difference between fantasy and what can really happen in Washington, D.C.) Of course, some Democrats also have an independence streak. Omaha Sen. Mike McDonnell (who is now running for mayor in Omaha) voted more than once with his GOP colleagues in the Legislature before he switched to become a Republican. Democrat Sen. Justin Wayne also voted in favor of some conservative, GOP-backed bills. Which leads us to another item on the GOP wish list — turning the nonpartisan Legislature into a partisan body. That, in my estimation, is a really bad idea. It makes senators more beholden to a political party rather than to the voters who put them in office, and makes it less likely that more than one candidate from each political party will run for election. Let’s hope that one stays on the wish list. Paul Hammel has covered the Nebraska state government and the state for decades. He retired in April as senior contributor with the Nebraska Examiner. He was previously with the Omaha World-Herald, Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha Sun. Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!Ana Navarro Defends Pam Bondi for Trump’s AG: 'She’s Not a Kook'Premiers call for meeting with Trudeau to discuss Canada-U.S. relations

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