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Conman who targeted Central Illinois investors gets 15 yearsSuspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggles, shouts while entering courthouse

Youngkin seeks additional $290 million boost for school constructionMicrosoft shareholders voted down a proposal for the company to possibly buy bitcoin. A think tank proposal called for the tech giant to add bitcoin to its balance sheet. MicroStrategy's Michael Saylor had pitched Microsoft's board on the benefits of holding bitcoin. A bid for Microsoft to consider investing in bitcoin was struck down by investors during Tuesday's annual shareholder meeting. Microsoft shareholders voted against a ballot proposal that was submitted by the National Center for Public Policy Research. The think tank called for the tech company to evaluate the benefits of adding bitcoin to its corporate balance sheet, arguing that the token is an "excellent" inflation hedge. The proposal, attached to Microsoft's proxy statement , also cited that bitcoin has outperformed corporate bonds, and is a promising way to diversify the firm's treasury. But shareholders balked at the measure, following the board's recommendation to vote against the proposal. The board has noted that it already considers cryptocurrency investments, but prefers to stick with less volatile assets. According to Bloomberg , proxy advisory firms such as Glass Lewis agreed with the move, citing the lack of evidence that crypto investments would boost returns. Even the virtual appearance of MicroStrategy's cofounder Michael Saylor failed to persuade investors. The crypto evangelist spoke on behalf of NCPPR's proposal at the meeting, Bloomberg reported. "You can convert your cash flows and your dividends and your buybacks and your debt into Bitcoin," he said. "If you do that, you'll add hundreds of dollars to the stock price." Saylor has previously pitched Microsoft on the idea of amassing bitcoin. In a presentation he made to Microsoft's leadership, he argued that bitcoin's valuation will jump from $2 trillion to over $200 trillion in 21 years — if Microsoft invests, it has the potential to add nearly $5 trillion in market value over the next decade. Saylor's confidence likely comes from a strict adherence to his own thesis, which has paid off for his company in recent years. MicroStrategy stock has rocketed 460% year-to-date as it sits on a trove of bitcoin . Investors have treated MicroStrategy as a proxy for the crypto rally . Though Microsoft may skip the bitcoin rally, NCCPR's efforts don't end there. Previously, the think tank sent a nearly identical proposal to Amazon. According to Bloomberg, it may also contact other firms.

Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation's top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. But Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sharply refuted that perception after Mangione's arrest on Monday when a customer at a McDonald's restaurant in Pennsylvania spotted Mangione eating and noticed he resembled the shooting suspect in security-camera photos released by New York police. “In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this, he is no hero,” Shapiro said. “The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this morning.” Mangione's family and upbringing Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather, Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. Reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. Nick Mangione had 37 grandchildren, including Luigi, according to the grandfather's obituary. Luigi Mangione’s grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes, including Catholic organizations, colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media by Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” Mangione's education and work history Mangione, who was valedictorian of his elite Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts suggest he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. The children of some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent residents, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have attended the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” Mangione took a software programming internship after high school at Maryland-based video game studio Firaxis, where he fixed bugs on the hit strategy game Civilization 6, according to a LinkedIn profile. Firaxis' parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said it would not comment on former employees. He more recently worked at the car-buying website TrueCar, but has not worked there since 2023, the head of the Santa Monica, California-based company confirmed to the AP. Time in Hawaii and reports of back pain From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, including surfing, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back,” Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. An image posted to a social media account linked to Mangione showed what appeared to be an X-ray of a metal rod and multiple screws inserted into someone's lower spine. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. An X account linked to Mangione includes recent posts about the negative impact of smartphones on children; healthy eating and exercise habits; psychological theories; and a quote from Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti about the dangers of becoming “well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” Police report a darker turn Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by AP. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; and Michael Kunzelman in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.Finnish Kick streamer ‘Pullis’ found himself on the wrong side of the law after setting his own couch ablaze several times during a live broadcast. Kick streamers are generally known for the absurd things that happen on their channels, but one creator on the platform has taken the proverbial cake with the stunt he pulled during a December 2024 broadcast. Finnish streamer ‘Pullis,’ who boasts over 10K followers on Kick, started his stream by announcing that he was moving to Estonia — before moving slightly to the right, showing that his couch presently was on fire. “I don’t know what the f*ck going on,” Pullis said to his chat. “I think my sofa is burning. What the f*ck? Why the f*ck is my sofa burning? So, I’m from Finland, I’m moving to Estonia, and my sofa is burning.” Pullis then revealed that he’d asked “his people” if they wanted to buy his sofa before he moved away. After they declined, he decided to say “f*ck it” and apparently lit the thing on fire (even though it cost him $8,000). 🚨 Finnish KICK Streamer almost burns his house down 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cJrPOe6SpU It appears that Pullis had trashed his apartment, as well, judging by the state of the living room where he was streaming. Around three minutes into the stream, the sofa truly started to blaze, and he put it out with a blanket, causing the room to fill with smoke that smelled so bad he threw up into his sink. Despite this, Pullis said he was going to “burn it again,” and did so with his cigarette. As it caught fire once more, the streamer went on a spiel about his childhood and life growing up — but had to put out the blaze again when it got too big. Related: “It was a funny joke to burn my sofa, but goddamn, it didn’t go down,” he said. “It smells disgusting.” Kick streamer put in handcuffs after setting his couch on fire It wasn’t long before Pullis lit his sofa on fire for a third time, forcing him to put a scarf over his face to avoid smoke inhalation. It seems this last stunt got the attention of law enforcement, who quickly showed up at his apartment complex and put the streamer in handcuffs. Firefighters also arrived on the scene to assess the situation, and Pullis’s broadcast ended with a policeman grabbing his phone and turning off the stream. Pullis’s stunt has gone viral across social media, but this is far from the first time a Kick streamer’s over-the-top actions have created a buzz online. In September, Kick streamer Mike Smalls “almost died” after trying to brave Hurricane Helene in a tent , which he streamed live as the storm descended on Florida. And in November, a Kick streamer got tested for rabies after trying to pet a “friendly” squirrel that ended up biting his hand, drawing blood and leaving viewers panicked.

URBANA — A California conman who fleeced investors of more than $22 million — with some 50 of his victims located in Central Illinois — has been sent to prison for more than 15 years. Brett Bartlett, 37, had pleaded guilty to wire fraud, mail fraud, securities fraud and money laundering. He was sentenced to 188 months, or 15 years and eight months. A news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois said the Central Illinois victims were among more than 1,000 investors caught-up in Bartlett’s web of deceit and lies. The defendant had lured them in with promises of returns up to 40% on his California-based companies called Dynasty Toys and the 7M E-group. Bartlett said he would make a fortune buying at liquidation sales and reselling online. He also offered Dynasty Toys preferred stock shares, selling them with the claim they would double in value. But federal prosecutors say the whole thing was an elaborate hoax built on deceit. And prosecutors say he tried to keep it all going, even as the whole venture fell apart, while looting yet more money for himself. The news release said he was busy mailing out checks in May of 2020 to Central Illinois investors that totaled millions of dollars, but all of the checks bounced. “Nonetheless, after that, Bartlett transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to his personal bank account and took his family members and employees to a luxury business retreat at Big Bear Lake in California,” according to the release. Bartlett was sentenced Nov. 25 when he appeared in federal court in Urbana. He was also ordered to pay back $22,502,092.66 in restitution. “The defendant’s reprehensible conduct had life-changing and devastating repercussions for his victims in Central Illinois and across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris in a statement. Bartlett was exposed in an investigation involving the FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation — Office of Inspector General. “Brett Bartlett’s greed left a trail of victims in the path of his fraudulent schemes,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “And while the victims’ lives and financial futures were sadly changed forever, this significant sentence brings justice.” Victim impact statements that were part of the sentencing proceedings described the pain of families and retired couples who had lost their life-savings and pensions. One family wrote: “Bartlett invoked faith, God, our families, his own family, and used every trick in trying to make his investors trust him. This loss from his crime altered several of our plans for retirement. It created stress and anger, ruined relationships, caused us to distrust more and more, and simply took the joy out of our lives.” The exact locations of the communities where the various victims lived has not been revealed, but federal officials said they were dotted throughout the Central Illinois area.Congress Appoints Qazi Nizamuddin AICC In-Charge Of Delhi Ahead Of Assembly Polls

President Claudio Lotito explains how Lazio went from pre-season protests to their best ever start. ‘Some people had got too comfortable, we brought in those with hunger.’ The Biancocelesti had to deal with when going from Maurizio Sarri to Igor Tudor and eventually Marco Baroni in charge, while the supporters were also critical of the transfer strategy. Nonetheless, keeps them in second place and never before had Lazio done better than nine wins in the first 13 rounds. “Baroni is the right man in the right place at the right moment,” “We chose him because we thought he was suited to our requirements. We needed to both win and be convincing, which is what we are doing. “We’ve created a big family where everyone has their role. We restructured everything around the club, seeing as there were some people who were a little too comfortable, bringing in those with hunger.” Among the figures who left in recent months are Ciro Immobile, Luis Alberto and Felipe Anderson, along with director of sport Igli Tare, who was in the DAZN studio as a pundit. Tare noted that the mood was similar to the one Lazio had in 2019-20 when they were top of the table until the season was interrupted by the pandemic. “I agree and remember that experience, where I delayed some changes because I was fond of the people who represented a sense of belonging,” replied Lotito. “We needed a revamp and completely different people who were highly-motivated, but must also maintain their humility. We haven’t achieved anything yet and difficult moments still await us.” Lazio are not only second in Serie A, but also the only team in the Europa League still with a 100 per cent record after four rounds. Another victory against Ludogorets on Thursday would effectively book their slot in the Round of 16, so have the players asked Lotito to add any performance-related bonuses to their contracts? “That does not suit our approach. In a family, the head of the family sees how people are behaving and evaluates if they deserve rewards,” replied the President. “Players are paid for their performances. Here we want a family atmosphere where everyone gives their contribution, everyone is united, everyone is useful and nobody is indispensable. “So far, they seem convinced that Lazio is a destination and not a stepping stone to somewhere else. Now we have also started work on the youth academy, building another seven training pitches.”Joe Burrow is no longer talking about the playoffs after another loss by the high-scoring Bengals CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals have found all manner of ways to lose close games this season. Mitch Stacy, The Associated Press Dec 2, 2024 2:30 PM Dec 2, 2024 2:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks off the field after his team's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals have found all manner of ways to lose close games this season. Sunday's 44-38 loss to AFC North rival Pittsburgh can be blamed on a defense that missed tackles and allowed 520 yards of offense, and three turnovers by Joe Burrow. It's become a familiar story in this disappointing season. Cincinnati (4-8) keeps scoring lots of points but can't close out games. Seven of the Bengals’ eight losses this year have been by one score. Burrow has stopped talking about the possibility of going on a run and making the playoffs. He'd just like to win another game or two. “Playoffs are the furthest thing from my mind,” the fifth-year quarterback said. “You never know what can happen, so I’ll keep putting one foot in front of the other and try to be the best player I can be for the rest of the season, week in and week out.” The Bengals allowed Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson to throw for a season-high 414 yards and three touchdowns. After Wilson threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown, the Steelers (9-3) scored on seven of their last nine possessions. They didn't punt until early in the fourth quarter. Burrow lost two fumbles and threw an interception. “We haven’t done enough to earn the win,” coach Zac Taylor said. “It’s a simple as that. It’s nobody else’s fault but our own. We haven’t earned it.” What’s working Turnovers aside, Burrow had another strong game, finishing with 28 for 38 for 309 yards with three touchdowns. Burrow is having a great season statistically, and he hasn't hidden his disappointment and frustration about Cincinnati's narrow losses. ... WR Ja'Marr Chase had a touchdown catch to bring his league-leading total to 13. What needs help The defense missed tackles and couldn't hold off the Steelers, even with Burrow keeping the game close. It didn’t help that LB Logan Wilson (knee) and DT Sheldon Rankins (illness) had to sit out. The Bengals have allowed 34 or more points six times, including in four of the past five games. Cincinnati became the first NFL team to lose four games in a season in which it scored 33 points or more. Stock up RB Chase Brown has been dependable as the featured back since Zack Moss went down with a neck injury. He rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers. He also had three catches for 30 yards. The second-year back has 677 yards rushing and six TDs. “He’s really coming along, improving his game every single week,” Burrow said. “Pass game, run game, running hard, understanding his protection responsibilities. He’s a guy that practices hard, plays hard, and a guy you can count on.” Stock down The Bengals' coaching staff. Something has got to give. There was no excuse for the defense to play this badly after a bye week. The unit gave up 500-plus yards for the second time this season. Injuries None were reported in the game. Key number 30.3 — The average points per game by the Bengals against teams with a .500 or better record this season. They are 0-7 in those games. Next steps The Bengals will try to regroup before facing the Dallas Cowboys (5-7) next Monday night. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Mitch Stacy, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Patriots turn their attention to the future after being eliminated from playoff contention Dec 2, 2024 2:54 PM 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey headed to IR with an injured right knee Dec 2, 2024 2:47 PM Titans are their own worst enemy as they fail again to string together wins Dec 2, 2024 2:36 PM

FARGO — North Dakota State football got a late boost to its 2025 recruiting class. Omaha Central (NE.) defensive end Alijah Wayne announced his commitment to the Bison Sunday night. ADVERTISEMENT Wayne is 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, who had originally committed to South Dakota State back in June. Wayne announced last week that he de-committed from the Jackrabbits. Wayne was on-site at the Fargodome last week prior to NDSU’s win over Missouri State. Regular Season Highlights!!🦅 https://t.co/KVWS37Siua @RingsNthingsCA @TerrenceMackey2 @CentralEaglesFB pic.twitter.com/ZYKC76Ixa7 "What sold it for me was how genuine the coaching staff and players were. On my official visit it felt like I was already apart of the team." Wayne said. "I felt welcomed, prioritized and throughout the weekend I kept envisioning myself being there, and being apart of this amazing program." Change of plans, headed in a new direction! #Committed #AGTG 🤘🦬 @NDSUfootball @CoachTimNDSU @NickGoeser @RingsNthingsCA @TerrenceMackey2 @CentralEaglesFB #RememberYano pic.twitter.com/BQUawJEIS8 Wayne earned an offer from Oregon State in September to go on top of offers from Air Force, Southern Illinois, SDSU and North Dakota. Rivals.com ranks Wayne as a three-star prospect. NDSU originally offered Wayne on May 15. ADVERTISEMENT Wayne added: "On my visit I could sense the relationship these coaches have with their players and I knew I wanted to be apart of that. NDSU also has a great program for sports management which is what I intend to major in. Overall NDSU doesn’t lack anything in what i’m looking for not only in the next four years but as well as the rest of my life." Wayne had 39 tackles, 3 for loss and one sack in eight games this season. He finished with 131 tackles and six sacks during his career. Omaha Central plays in the top class of Nebraska high school football, the Eagles season ended in the opening round of the playoffs to Papillion-La Vista. Wayne becomes the 31st commitment for the Bison Class of 2025 and the third from Nebraska. Thank you @NDSUfootball for having me for Junior Day this past Friday! I appreciated the opportunity! @CoachLJ38 @NickGoeser @CoachJakeLandry @CoachOlsonNDSU @RingsNthingsCA @FMPMentoring pic.twitter.com/hRs0JrS28Q Thomas Roberts from Boone Central High School and Mikhale Ford from Lincoln East committed over the summer. ADVERTISEMENT Wayne plans to sign on Dec. 4 on National Signing Day.Thomas House Family Shelter Celebrates Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Unveiling of Renovated Units

There was the Black Cats , who had drawn four games on the bounce, and the Baggies who had shared the spoils in seven of their last eight outings. It should have come as a surprise to nobody, then, that a winner would not emerge when the sides met. But only one team looked like they wanted three points rather than one. Sunderland were the side probing and pushing, having 18 shots compared to the visitors’ two. But Albion keeper Alex Palmer only had one save to make, though Wilson Isidor was denied what would have been a winner when a second half goal was ruled out. The decision was right but it was closest of calls. How harsh it would have been on Sunderland had West Brom managed to steal a win they wouldn’t have deserved when they broke late on, with substitute Lewis Dobbin missing a glorious opportunity to snatch the points. In isolation, a draw against West Brom isn’t a bad result at all. The frustration for Sunderland comes with the fact it’s now five without a win. Flip that, however, and the Black Cats are 10 unbeaten. That late scare aside, they never looked like losing to West Brom, who have now drawn nine of their 17 games. The Baggies made this a hard watch but that won’t have bothered boss Carlos Corberan. It did, however, result in a frustrating night for returning striker Josh Maja, who spurned one early opportunity and then hardly got a kick before his late withdrawal. Maja was booed before kick-off and another familiar face went the right way about getting the same treatment when Callum Styles wiped out Chris Rigg on the edge of the box. Bobby Madley somehow decided that wasn’t a free-kick but awarded Sunderland a set-piece moments later when the ball hit Maja’s hand on the edge of his own box. Patrick Roberts’ effort was disappointing but the returning winger was bright, linking up well with Rigg who created an early chance for Wilson Isidor. Jobe Bellingham was back in the midfield and Trai Hume returned to the defence, though the Northern Ireland international started on the left rather than the right, with Luke O’Nien continuing at full-back. Maja should have marked his Stadium of Light return with an early goal but to the relief of his former employers was off balance when he met Tom Fellows’ cut-back and fired wide. That was as close as West Brom came in the early stages, though Sunderland too struggled to create any clear cut chances. Isidor’s deflected effort was the game’s only shot on target in a first half that was flat and desperately needed a spark. Roberts looked most likely to make something happen for Sunderland but got his angles wrong and fired high and wide after cutting in from the right 10 minutes before the break. Watson then had a go, darting into the box after a short Sunderland corner and fizzing in a tempting low cross that Kyle Bartley hacked clear from underneath his own crossbar. Watson was positive but his decision making let him down on a couple of occasions. That said, the teenager and his fellow forwards faced an unenviable task breaking down a defence that was more a back nine than four out of possession. The Baggies headed for Wearside with the third best defensive record in the division and it wasn’t difficult to see why. Sunderland probed early in the second half but their best opening came when a Rigg cross deflected and looped to the back post but bounced beyond the waiting Watson. The closest of offside calls then denied Sunderland an opener just before the hour mark. It was a fine move with Bellingham, Roberts and Rigg all involved before O’Nien’s cross was turned in by Isidor, who wasn’t much more than a toenail ahead of the last defender. Sunderland were the only team trying to win it but nothing summed up their challenge and frustration more than the sight of Bellingham being crowded out inside the West Brom box by four yellow shirts. Eliezer Mayenda and Aji Alese were introduced and both were involved in the move that led to a Rigg shot being superbly blocked by Albion captain Alex Mowatt. And Sunderland would come closer still. Hume, shifted back to the right after the introduction of Alese, teed up Roberts to poke agonisingly wide. West Brom went closest in the final stages but Dobbin fluffed his lines.After 20 years and $2.3 trillion spent, after more than 100,000 American and Afghan lives lost, one would think our war in Afghanistan would be more of a reference point today. Yet, outside of a few jabs from conservatives regarding President Biden’s handling of the exit, the war was hardly brought up at all this election cycle — despite having ended just three years earlier. A reminder of how fast society moves and perhaps a glimpse into the future. When was the last time you heard someone mention Ukraine in casual conversation? Back in February 2022, when Russia invaded, there were vigils in our streets. Now, more than 1,000 days later, after Congress has approved $175 billion in aid , it’s likely to fade into distant memory. President-elect Donald Trump, who has repeatedly questioned funding Ukraine, has vowed to end the war quickly. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said he would like to do so through “diplomatic means” next year. While the average American probably hadn’t thought much about Ukraine before the 2022 invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been thinking about the country for more than 30 years. “The breakup of the Soviet Union was the collapse of a historic Russia,” he said in a documentary that aired on Russia’s airwaves. Putin has also referred to his country’s 1991 fall as “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century.” For those keeping score at home, he’s ranking the end of the U.S.S.R. as worse than both world wars and the 20 years in Vietnam. “We lost 40% of the territory, production capacities and population. We became a different country. What had been built over a millennium was lost to a large extent.” Make Russia Great Again may not lend itself to a pronounceable acronym, but it does clearly define Putin’s foreign policy agenda. It’s one predicated on a worldview that sees Ukraine as a rebellious commonwealth and not an independent democracy. “Throwing off oppression” is a story we know well in this country. It’s a story we teach our children and base our exceptionalism on. It’s a story of freedom. But as we all know, freedom isn’t free. Under the Biden administration, America was willing to help Ukraine pay to keep its freedom. The incoming Trump administration has signaled this will likely not continue. Other nations will go on to help Ukraine in its fight, but without America’s military and economic power, this coalition will struggle to hold together against Russia’s might. The gamble in not providing aid to Ukraine is that should that country fall, it won’t satisfy Putin. His desire to restore his country’s glory has been burning for three decades. Why would he stop just as resistance crumbles? The phrase “elections have consequences” isn’t just about domestic politics. There are consequences abroad as well. When most voters supported Trump’s candidacy, did they fully understand what walking away from Ukraine would mean? As former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) told me: “Ukraine gave up its nukes, in exchange for peace. The fact that Russia is attacking now means that only nukes work as a deterrent, so you can expect nuclear proliferation throughout the world.” As president, Trump was slow to respond after Russia fired on and captured Ukrainian vessels and sailors back in 2018 . Based on that lukewarm response, and his comments about helping Ukraine, it does make one wonder if Trump has any “red line” for Putin, and if so, what it is and what he is prepared to do to defend it. Unfortunately, there weren’t many opportunities to have these conversations during this election cycle. If there had been, perhaps voters would have a better understanding about the money for Ukraine. According to Kinzinger, a member of the Air National Guard and an Air Force veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, “the money spent on weapons is actually produced here in the United States and we send our old [weapons] to Ukraine. So, we’re actually building jobs and refreshing our own weapons.” Normally the U.S. pays to have old weapons destroyed, Kinzinger said. None of this rose above the noise that surrounded a campaign season saturated with misinformation. Trump’s pitch for isolationism, or his willingness to ignore Ukraine, apparently resonated with many voters. And given our habit of quickly moving on from talking about war, it’s doubtful many of us would even remember just how much supporting Ukraine cost us. On the other hand, we might find abandoning Ukraine and caving to Russia has a far steeper cost — one that will be impossible for us to forget. @LZGranderson