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ye7 casino online The US tech giant said it now supported 550,000 jobs in the UK through direct employment, its supply chain and the economy around its App Store – with app developers having earned nearly £9 billion since it launched in 2008. Apple said its engineering teams were carrying out critical work on the firm’s biggest services, including key technology within Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s suite of generative AI-powered tools which are expected to launch in the UK for the first time this week. Elsewhere, the firm said its growing TV empire, spearheaded by its Apple TV+ streaming service and production arm, had also helped boost its investment in the UK with Apple TV+ production in this country tripling in the last two years, the company said. Chief executive Tim Cook said: “We’ve been serving customers in the UK for more than 40 years, and we’re proud of our deep connection with communities across this country. “We’re thrilled to be growing our Apple teams here, and to keep supporting the extraordinary innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of technology in so many ways.” The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said companies such as Apple were “intrinsic” to the UK’s prosperity by boosting jobs. “This government is laser focused on creating the right conditions for growth to help put more money in people’s pockets. “That’s what underpins the Plan for Change and is what has driven £63 billion worth of inward investment in the UK through our first international investment summit. “Companies like Apple are intrinsic to the success of our nation’s prosperity – helping deliver jobs, innovative technology, and boost infrastructure.”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 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, 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. 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.” 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.

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EXCLUSIVE Luigi Mangione was 'anti-woke', says friend as he reveals regret over last messages with Brian Thompson 'assassin' READ MORE: 'Sex toys should be banned': Mangione's bizarre rant about Japan Follow all the latest news and updates in the manhunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killer By LAURA PARNABY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 21:18, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 21:30, 10 December 2024 e-mail 44 shares View comments A friend of Luigi Mangione has given a deeper insight into the alleged assassin 's political views - and what might have radicalized him. Gurwinder Bhogal, a UK-based writer, told DailyMail.com Mangione was 'anti-woke', and that he expressed a deep envy for the UK's nationalized health system. Bhogal, who lives in Birmingham, England, suggested Mangione, who has been charged over the fatal shooting of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson, may have become radicalized by what he read on social media. 'Luigi sent me a Twitter DM on June 10th, in which he asked me to show him how to curate his social media feeds,' he told DailyMail.com. 'I forgot to get back to him, and a part of me wonders, if I’d helped him find good information sources sooner, whether he would still have gone on to allegedly shoot the CEO.' The pair began speaking when Mangione, 26, took an interest in Bhogal's blog about politics and 'the digital age' called The Prism, and reached out to him on X. Bhogal said they exchanged more than a dozen emails, seen by DailyMail.com, before sharing a two-hour video chat while Mangione was traveling in Japan . 'He was left-wing on some things and right-wing on others,' Bhogal recalled. 'For instance, he was pro-equality of opportunity, but anti-woke: for example anti-DEI (and) anti-identity politics. Luigi Mangione's friend has given a deeper insight into the alleged assassin 's political views - and what might have radicalized him. (Pictured: Mangione arriving for his extradition hearing at Blair County Courthouse in Pennsylvania on Tuesday afternoon) Gurwinder Bhogal (pictured), a UK-based writer, told DailyMail.com Mangione was 'anti-woke', and that he expressed a deep envy for the UK's nationalized health system Mangione has been accused of shooting Brian Thompson at point-blank range in New York 'He opposed woke-ism because he didn’t believe it was an effective way to help minorities. 'He expressed interest in more rational, evidence-based forms of compassion, like effective altruism.' 'We briefly touched on the differences between the UK and US healthcare systems,' Bhogal added. 'Luigi complained about how expensive healthcare in the US was, and expressed envy at the UK’s nationalized health system.' Bhogal said they also discussed Ted Kaczynski, the 'Unabomber' who used terrorism to campaign against modern technology. Mangione had previously appeared to praise Kaczynski on Goodreads. 'Luigi disapproved of the Unabomber’s actions, but was fascinated by his ideology, and shared his concerns about rampant consumerism gradually eroding our agency and alienating us from ourselves,' Bhogal said. 'He expressed fears over smartphone addiction. Luigi asked me how to maximize agency in a world constantly trying to deprive us of it, so we also discussed that. 'Overall, the impression I got of him, besides his curiosity and kindness, was a deep concern for the future of humanity, and a determination to improve himself and the world.' Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson at point-blank range on December 5 Luigi Mangione, 26, was taken into custody on firearm charges Monday afternoon Bhogal said his overriding impression of Mangione was that he was 'one of the nicest people I've ever met', who even bought him a subscription to Readwise Reader, an app designed to help users retain more information from books. The writer said he was 'bewildered' when his friend was charged with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Monday. 'He was so thoughtful and polite that he seemed like the last person I’d suspect of murdering someone,' Bhogal told DailyMail.com. Ivy League engineering graduate Mangione was arrested on Monday morning moments after eating a hash brown in an Altoona, PA McDonald's. Cops closed in on the alleged killer after an employee at the restaurant recognized him from surveillance images NYPD shared online in the wake of the Midtown Manhattan shooting. He was later charged with second-degree murder over the slaying of Thompson, 50, just before 7am on Wednesday outside the Hilton hotel where the exec had been set to make a speech to finance heavyweights later that day. Cops closed in on the alleged killer after an employee at the restaurant recognized him from surveillance images NYPD shared online in the wake of the Midtown Manhattan shooting. Mangione appears to have led police on a 280-mile manhunt from New York City's 6th Avenue to the small Pennsylvania city of Altoona, around 100 miles east of Pittsburgh. He reportedly gave police a fake ID when they started to question him He was located by staff members at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania The suspect was picked up on 86th Street and Columbus Avenue two minutes after he left Central Park in Manhattan's Upper West Side He left a trail of overt clues about his motive, including ammunition etched with the words 'delay' 'deny' and 'depose' and a bag of Monopoly board game money in his backpack left in Central Park. Officials believe the bullet etchings refer to the 'three Ds of insurance' - tactics used by American insurance giants to reject patients' claims. This motive appeared to be even more clearly outlined in a handwritten manifesto cops seized from Mangione during his arrest on Monday, which the NYPD's chief of detectives Joseph Kenny said expressed 'ill will toward corporate America.' 'To the Feds, I'll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country,' Mangione wrote in the three-page document. 'To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn't working with anyone.' 'I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done,' Mangione added in the document. 'Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.' Mangione also allegedly had a ghost gun believed to be the rare World War Two era-inspired 9mm pistol used in Thompson's murder, which the New York Post reported was a Swiss-made Brugger & Thomet VP9, and a silencer. He was denied bond and not represented by an attorney during his arraignment in the Blair County Courthouse in Pennsylvania on Monday night. Mangione will next appear in court in New York at a later date. Luigi Mangione Brian Thompson Share or comment on this article: Luigi Mangione was 'anti-woke', says friend as he reveals regret over last messages with Brian Thompson 'assassin' e-mail 44 shares Add commentIsrael cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — In the year since the war in Gaza broke out, Israel's government has been cracking down on dissent among its Palestinian citizens. Authorities have charged Palestinians with “supporting terrorism” because of posts online or for demonstrating against the war. Activists and rights watchdogs say Palestinians have also lost jobs, been suspended from schools and faced police interrogations. Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel's population. Many feel forced to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society. Others still find ways to dissent, but carefully. Israel's National Security Ministry counters that, “Freedom of speech is not the freedom to incite.” Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel says the body of of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found, citing Emirati authorities. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday said Zvi Kogan was murdered, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” It said: “The state of Israel will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death." Kogan went missing on Thursday, and there were suspicions he had been kidnapped. His disappearance comes as Iran has been threatening to retaliate against Israel after the two countries traded fire in October. Israeli strikes in central Beirut kill at least 20 as diplomats push for a cease-fire BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Lebanese officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 20 people and injured dozens in central Beirut, as the once-rare attacks on the heart of Lebanon’s capital continue without warning. Diplomats are scrambling to broker a cease-fire but say obstacles still remain. The current proposal calls for a two-month cease-fire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,500 people in Lebanon in the months of fighting that have turned into all-out war. After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles WASHINGTON (AP) — During the campaign, President-elect Donald Trump had hailed what would become Project 2025 as a conservative roadmap for “exactly what our movement will do." Trump pulled an about-face when Project 2025 became a political liability. He denied knowing anything about the “ridiculous and abysmal” plans, even though some were written by his former aides and many allies. Now, after winning the 2024 election, Trump is stocking his second administration with key players in the effort he temporarily shunned. Trump has tapped Russell Vought for an encore as director of the Office of Management and Budget; Tom Homan, his former immigration chief, as “border czar;” and immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy. Trump's Republican Party is increasingly winning union voters. It's a shift seen in his labor pick WASHINGTON (AP) — Working-class voters helped Republicans make steady election gains this year and expanded a coalition that increasingly includes rank-and-file union members. It's a political shift spotlighting one of President-elect Donald Trump’s latest Cabinet picks: a GOP congresswoman, who has drawn labor support, to be his labor secretary. Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her bid for a second term this month, despite strong backing from union members. They're a key part of the Democratic base but are gravitating in the Trump era toward a Republican Party traditionally allied with business interests. Will a winter storm hit the US over Thanksgiving week? Here's what forecasts show so far WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — The U.S. is reeling from snow and rain while preparing for another bout of bad weather ahead of Thanksgiving that could disrupt holiday travel. California is bracing for more snow and rain this weekend while still grappling with some flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for California's Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at high elevations. Parts of the Northeast and Appalachia also started the weekend with heavy precipitation. Meanwhile, thousands remained without power in the Seattle area on Saturday afternoon after a “bomb cyclone” storm system roared ashore the West Coast earlier in the week, killing two people. Pakistan partially stops mobile and internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan says it is suspending mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns” as supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan gear up for a protest in the capital. The government and Interior Ministry made the announcement on X, which is banned in Pakistan. Sunday's protest is to demand Khan's release. He has been in prison for more than a year but remains popular. His supporters rely heavily on social media and messaging apps to coordinate with each other. Pakistan has already sealed off Islamabad and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with Khan's power bases. Here's what to know about the new funding deal that countries agreed to at UN climate talks BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. But it’s a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still unsatisfied but hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. Japan holds Sado mines memorial despite South Korean boycott amid lingering historical tensions SADO, Japan (AP) — Japan held a memorial ceremony on Sunday near the Sado Island Gold Mines despite a last-minute boycott of the event by South Korea that highlighted tensions between the neighbors over the issue of Korean forced laborers at the site before and during World War II. South Korea’s absence at Sunday’s memorial, to which Seoul government officials and Korean victims’ families were invited, is a major setback in the rapidly improving ties between the two countries, which since last year have set aside their historical disputes to prioritize U.S.-led security cooperation. Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. He teamed up with Young for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and became a full supporter Donald Trump.

Mail Saver Debuts Revolutionary Snow Deflector for Mailbox Protection 11-26-2024 12:02 AM CET | Politics, Law & Society Press release from: ABNewswire An Innovative Solution to Snowplow Damage, Built to Last in the Toughest Winters. Michigan-based Pine Knot Enterprises has launched the Mail Saver [ https://mail-saver.com/ ], a patented steel snow deflector that protects residential mailboxes from devastating snowplow damage. Built in the US of heavy gauge steel, this innovative V-shaped shield deflects snow and slush that can hit mailboxes with up to 600 pounds of force. Designed to combine functionality with durability, the Mail Saver ensures peace of mind for homeowners by eliminating the frustration of mailbox replacements during winter. Its user-friendly installation and sleek appearance make it a practical and aesthetic upgrade for any residence. The Mail Saver's superior engineering features: * Heavy-duty 16-gauge powder-coated steel construction * Patented V-shaped design that diverts heavy impacts * Generous 12" x 16" x 12" dimensions to protect large mailboxes * Simple installation on standard 4" wooden posts * Rust-resistant zinc-plated screws with nylon locking nuts * Clean surface suitable for house numbers or team logos Mail Saver offers a "one and done" solution for snowbelt residents facing relentless winter conditions. Its clean, professional design looks attractive year-round while providing superior protection compared to bulky homemade barriers. The Mail Saver is available exclusively at https://mail-saver.com [ https://mail-saver.com/ ] for $99. About Pine Knot Enterprises Pine Knot Enterprises manufactures tough, American-made products in Michigan engineered to withstand the harshest conditions. Image: https://www.abnewswire.com/uploads/34079f558c96f8cd635efeb143572030.jpg Media Contact Company Name: Pine Knot Enterprises Contact Person: Tom Battjes Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=mail-saver-debuts-revolutionary-snow-deflector-for-mailbox-protection ] Phone: +1 (269) 650-9184 Country: United States Website: https://mail-saver.com This release was published on openPR.Dear Sen. Duckworth: If We Have Bigger Issues Than Bathrooms, the Left Should Stop Trying to Invade Them

Atria Investments Inc Lowers Stake in Mplx Lp (NYSE:MPLX)HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Paul Zilinskas put up 32 points as IU Indianapolis beat Alabama A&M 88-83 on Monday. Zilinskas shot 11 for 20 (5 for 10 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line for the Jaguars (3-5). Jarvis Walker scored 13 points while going 3 of 9 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 5 for 7 from the line. Timaris Brown and Sean Craight both added 11 points. Darius Ford led the Bulldogs (4-4) in scoring, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Anthony Bryant added 17 points for Alabama A&M. Chad Moodie also had 16 points and three blocks. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s personnel choices for his new Cabinet and White House reflect his signature positions on immigration and trade but also a range of viewpoints and backgrounds that raise questions about what ideological anchors might guide his Oval Office encore. With a rapid assembly of his second administration — faster than his effort eight years ago — the former and incoming president has combined television personalities , former Democrats, a wrestling executive and traditional elected Republicans into a mix that makes clear his intentions to impose tariffs on imported goods and crack down on illegal immigration but leaves open a range of possibilities on other policy pursuits. “The president has his two big priorities and doesn’t feel as strongly about anything else — so it’s going to be a real jump ball and zigzag,” predicted Marc Short, chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence during Trump’s 2017-21 term. “In the first administration, he surrounded himself with more conservative thinkers, and the results showed we were mostly rowing in the same direction. This is more eclectic.” Indeed, Secretary of State-designee Marco Rubio , the Florida senator who has pilloried authoritarian regimes around the world, is in line to serve as top diplomat to a president who praises autocratic leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Hungary’s Viktor Orban. Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon has been tapped to sit at the Cabinet table as a pro-union labor secretary alongside multiple billionaires, former governors and others who oppose making it easier for workers to organize themselves. The prospective treasury secretary, Scott Bessent , wants to cut deficits for a president who promised more tax cuts, better veterans services and no rollbacks of the largest federal outlays: Social Security, Medicare and national defense. Abortion-rights supporter Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Trump's choice to lead the Health and Human Services Department, which Trump’s conservative Christian base has long targeted as an agency where the anti-abortion movement must wield more influence. Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich allowed that members of Trump’s slate will not always agree with the president and certainly not with one another. But he minimized the potential for irreconcilable differences: “A strong Cabinet, by definition, means you’re going to have people with different opinions and different skills.” That kind of unpredictability is at the core of Trump’s political identity. He is the erstwhile reality TV star who already upended Washington once and is returning to power with sweeping, sometimes contradictory promises that convinced voters, especially those in the working class, that he will do it all again. “What Donald Trump has done is reorient political leadership and activism to a more entrepreneurial spirit,” Gingrich said. There's also plenty of room for conflict, given the breadth of Trump's 2024 campaign promises and his pattern of cycling through Cabinet members and national security personnel during his first term. This time, Trump has pledged to impose tariffs on foreign goods, end illegal immigration and launch a mass deportation force, goose U.S. energy production and exact retribution on people who opposed — and prosecuted — him. He's added promises to cut taxes, raise wages, end wars in Israel and Ukraine , streamline government, protect Social Security and Medicare, help veterans and squelch cultural progressivism. Trump alluded to some of those promises in recent weeks as he completed his proposed roster of federal department heads and named top White House staff members. But his announcements skimmed over any policy paradoxes or potential complications. Bessent has crusaded as a deficit hawk, warning that the ballooning national debt , paired with higher interest rates, drives consumer inflation. But he also supports extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts that added to the overall debt and annual debt service payments to investors who buy Treasury notes. A hedge-fund billionaire, Bessent built his wealth in world markets. Yet, generally speaking, he’s endorsed Trump's tariffs. He rejects the idea that they feed inflation and instead frames tariffs as one-time price adjustments and leverage to achieve U.S. foreign policy and domestic economic aims. Trump, for his part, declared that Bessent would “help me usher in a new Golden Age for the United States.” Chavez-DeRemer, Trump promised, “will achieve historic cooperation between Business and Labor that will restore the American Dream for Working Families.” Trump did not address the Oregon congresswoman’s staunch support for the PRO-Act, a Democratic-backed measure that would make it easier for workers to unionize, among other provisions. That proposal passed the House when Democrats held a majority. But it’s never had measurable Republican support in either chamber on Capitol Hill, and Trump has never made it part of his agenda. When Trump named Kennedy as his pick for health secretary, he did not mention the former Democrat’s support for abortion rights. Instead, Trump put the focus on Kennedy’s intention to take on the U.S. agriculture, food processing and drug manufacturing sectors. The vagaries of Trump’s foreign policy stand out, as well. Trump's choice for national security adviser , Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, offered mixed messages Sunday when discussing the Russia-Ukraine war, which Trump claims never would have started had he been president, because he would have prevailed on Putin not to invade his neighboring country. Speaking on “Fox News Sunday,” Waltz repeated Trump’s concerns over recent escalations, which include President Joe Biden approving sending antipersonnel mines to Ukrainian forces. “We need to restore deterrence, restore peace and get ahead of this escalation ladder, rather than responding to it,” Waltz said. But in the same interview, Waltz declared the mines necessary to help Ukraine “stop Russian gains” and said he’s working “hand in glove” with Biden’s team during the transition. Meanwhile, Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence , the top intelligence post in government, is an outspoken defender of Putin and Syrian President Bashar al Assad, a close ally of Russia and Iran. Perhaps the biggest wildcards of Trump’s governing constellation are budget-and-spending advisers Russell Vought, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Vought led Trump’s Office of Management and Budget in his first term and is in line for the same post again. Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, and Ramaswamy, a mega-millionaire venture capitalist, are leading an outside advisory panel known as the “Department of Government Efficiency.” The latter effort is a quasi-official exercise to identify waste. It carries no statutory authority, but Trump can route Musk’s and Ramaswamy’s recommendations to official government pathways, including via Vought. A leading author of Project 2025 , the conservative movement’s blueprint for a hard-right turn in U.S. government and society, Vought envisions OMB not just as an influential office to shape Trump’s budget proposals for Congress but a power center of the executive branch, “powerful enough to override implementing agencies’ bureaucracies.” As for how Trump might navigate differences across his administration, Gingrich pointed to Chavez-DeRemer. “He might not agree with her on union issues, but he might not stop her from pushing it herself,” Gingrich said of the PRO-Act. “And he will listen to anybody. If you convince him, he absolutely will spend presidential capital.” Short said other factors are more likely to influence Trump: personalities and, of course, loyalty . Vought “brought him potential spending cuts” in the first administration, Short said, “that Trump wouldn’t go along with.” This time, Short continued, “maybe Elon and Vivek provide backup,” giving Vought the imprimatur of two wealthy businessmen. “He will always calculate who has been good to him,” Short said. “You already see that: The unions got the labor secretary they wanted, and Putin and Assad got the DNI (intelligence chief) they wanted. ... This is not so much a team-of-rivals situation. I think it’s going to look a lot like a reality TV show.”

As Trump's return threatens to end U.S. support for Ukraine, allies scramble to fill the gap

‘Rezoning Batu Arang land for incinerator project may take up to a year’NEWARK — After a recount, the results of a Newark City Council race have held, with Jactina Arteaga headed toward victory with a four vote advantage. By Friday afternoon, Arteaga had a 0.1% lead, with 6,446 votes to Julie Del Catancio’s 6,442 votes. The Alameda County Registrar of Voters manually recounted all of the race’s ballots by Friday afternoon and the results appeared to hold the same, an official said Friday. Tim DuPuis, the Alameda County registrar, said Friday that he personally made the decision to review the race’s results because it was within 10 votes of separation – the closest race in the county. The results of the recount appeared to hold, Dupuis said Friday. The only other tight race in the county, he added, was the Fremont District 6 council race where Raymond Liu had a 36-vote lead over incumbent Teresa Cox. At one point, the contest had been as close as 12 votes before more ballots were counted.Dupuis said he did not elect to recount that race. Arteaga received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Cal State University, Hayward. She has previous experience as a child support officer for San Mateo County, in finance and public safety administration in San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe’s office and as an assistant agency director with the Social Services Agency. “Although it has been a roller coaster with the results these past few weeks, it is important that every vote gets counted. I’m glad the ROV is doing a manual count and I hope that I remain in the lead,” Arteaga said in a statement Friday before the recount was completed. “Either way the voters have spoken and we will have new leadership on the council beginning in December.” The latest campaign finance records show Arteaga raised $14,902 through October, mostly through small donations, including a $2,500 personal loan. She spent $5,820, largely on print ads and other campaign advertising materials. “It seems like what people really want to see is that they’re safe, that their families are safe, and that we’re responsible,” Del Catancio said in an interview Friday. “I feel like I’d fit in wholeheartedly because I really love Newark, I’m a long term resident here and I also work in the area.” Del Catancio received a law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law and a master’s degree in administration from the University of Kansas. She is currently a Newark planning commissioner and educator in the Newark Unified School District. “Win or lose, I feel like we put our heart and soul into it and we tried the best that we could. And so I think that it’s really up to the people,” Del Catancio added. “The fact is that in any race, you set out, you try your hardest, you meet the people and they make a decision. We’ll see how it goes, fingers crossed.” The registrar’s office expects to certify the Nov. 5 election results in December.Blowout loss to Packers leaves the 49ers on the playoff brink

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Libyan military officials said Monday they apprehended hoping to ultimately cross the Mediterranean Sea in pursuit of a better life in Europe. The 444 Brigade, a powerful militia group that operates under the auspices of the Libyan army, said in a statement that its patrolling commanders detained more than 300 migrants and referred them to authorities. The group in a post on Facebook condemned smuggling and human trafficking and said its patrols would continue efforts to block smuggling routes. It posted satellite images of the desert and pictures of what appeared to be migrants sitting in rows in front of armed and masked militants. The apprehensions come as Libya remains a primary point of departure for men, women and children from the Middle East and Africa aiming to reach Europe. Many are escaping war or poverty and many employ smugglers to help them negotiate treacherous deserts and sea routes. Roughly 38,000 people have arrived in Italy and Malta from Libya this year, according to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. The overcrowded boats used by migrants and smugglers are known to routinely capsize and a key priority for European leaders has been to encourage North African countries to prevent migrants from reaching the sea. But unlike in Morocco and Tunisia — where tens of thousands of migrants also attempt to pass through en route to the southern shores of Europe — fighting between rival governments in Libya has added additional challenges to migration management partnerships. Migrant apprehensions are rarely reported in Libya, though the country’s state news service LANA reported more than 2,000 arrests in July. plunged into turmoil after a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Since then, the country has been divided between dueling governments in the east and west, each backed by militias and foreign powers. Human traffickers have for years benefited from the political chaos. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in July said migrants in the country had been subjected to torture, forced labor and starvation while being detained. The Associated Press

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles prediction, odds, best bets for NFL Week 15Luigi 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 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, 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. 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.” 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. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it's going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn't seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There's reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He's also the rare baseball player who has true international appeal . His every move ( like his unexpected marriage announcement ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers' coffers. Then there's Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It's rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a $330 million contract to join the Phillies. Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation's great players but didn't hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It's a major factor that led to him signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted among the top 30 picks in the 2024 draft . Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn't been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn't been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto's deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn't in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that's what makes Soto so unique. And it's also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlbDAN JAMES MARKED his 100th Leeds appearance with a crucial goal as his side beat Middlesbrough 3-1 at Elland Road to regain top spot in the English Championship. James fired home in the second half after Max Wober’s own goal had cancelled out Willy Gnonto’s opener. Brenden Aaronson added Leeds’ third in stoppage time. Daniel Farke’s side, who who made it eight straight home wins, sit two points clear of Sheffield United who play their game in hand at Millwall on Wednesday. Boro’s own promotion hopes were dealt a blow as they slipped to a seventh league defeat of the season and are eight points adrift of the top two. Elsewhere in the Championship, Patrick Roberts scored a stoppage-time equaliser as Sunderland salvaged a point to record a 1-1 draw with Bristol City. Meath native Luke McNally fired Bristol ahead in the 63rd minute after Sunderland were unable to clear the ball. However, Roberts struck in the third minute of second-half stoppage-time to snatch a point for the Black Cats and maintain their unbeaten run at the Stadium of Light this season. Ireland striker Tom Cannon scored for Stoke City but there was late heartbreak as Elijah Adebayo’s 90th-minute winner helped Luton Town return to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Kenilworth Road. Cannon’s early strike mounted more pressure on underfire Hatters boss Rob Edwards, whose side ended a three-game winless streak thanks to goals from Carlton Morris and Adebayo. Luton now sit on 22 points, five above the relegation zone, with Stoke in 16th. Things are worse for Wayne Rooney after Swansea City ended Plymouth’s six-match unbeaten home run with a 2-1 win. Rooney’s side slipped to 23rd in the table. Swansea took a 44th-minute lead through Jay Fulton following Josh Tymon’s cross from the left, with Liam Cullen doubling their lead on the hour. Mustapha Bundu pulled one back but Argyle were left looking up at all bar Hull in the table. Makhtar Gueye stepped off the bench to fire Blackburn to a fifth straight victory with a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Meanwhile, Burnley were frustrated by a rejected first-half penalty appeal as they were held to a goalless draw by a stubborn Derby County side at Turf Moor.The Dallas Cowboys entered Week 12 and expected to lose to the Washington Commanders . Instead, they pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the week, beating their divisional rival 34-26 . KaVontae Turpin played a major role in the victory. The third-year wide receiver made one of the most important plays of Dallas' season, returning a kickoff 99 yards for a game-winning score late in the fourth quarter. The Commanders had just cut the Cowboys ' lead to 20-17 after a Zach Ertz touchdown and a Jayden Daniels 2-point conversion. Austin Seibert 's kickoff landed short of the end-zone and bounced through Turpin's legs, eliciting a gasp from the crowd. Turpin gathered the ball at the 1-yard line before starting upfield. He ran about 10 yards before he executed a perfect spin move to evade two defenders. From there, he burst through an open lane and sped into the end-zone without being touched. 2025 NFL MOCK DRAFT: QBs Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward crack top five NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more. Below is a look at Turpin's impressive play, which gave the Cowboys a 27-17 lead: Turpin's return was part of the overarching theme of Sunday's game. Dallas' special teams dominated Washington's, as the Commanders allowed two kick return touchdowns, missed two extra points and missed a field goal in its eight-point loss. Turpin's touchdown also ended up being the game-winning score. It gave the Cowboys a 27-17 lead that they nearly blew, as the Commanders scored on each of their next two possessions. That included a Terry McLaurin touchdown with 21 seconds left that cut Dallas' lead to 27-26. However, one of Washington's two missed extra points came after the McLaurin score. That allowed Dallas to snap its five-game losing streak and build momentum ahead of the team's Thanksgiving Day matchup with the New York Giants . KaVontae Turpin 40 time For those wondering how fast KaVontae Turpin is, the 28-year-old ran the 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds at his Pro Day in 2019, according to Sports Management Worldwide Agency . More recently, Turpin logged the fastest speed by an NFL ball carrier during the 2024 season, per the NFL's Next Gen Stats . That came in Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season after he posted a top speed of 22.36 mph on his 64-yard touchdown against the Houston Texans .

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Blowout loss to Packers leaves the 49ers on the playoff brinkCHEYENNE – Food is a basic necessity of life, and few places in Cheyenne understand this as much as St. Joseph's Food Pantry. Whether it be a single mom working two jobs or senior citizens raising their grandchildren, it can be a struggle sometimes to get food on the table for the whole family. Monday morning, from 9:30 to noon, St. Joseph's Food Pantry gave away more than 500 boxes full of food for Thanksgiving meals to local families. There was no financial requirement for pick-up; you only needed to be a resident of Laramie County. The pantry opened pre-registration for the Thanksgiving boxes late last month, and maxed out by Nov. 11, according to food pantry director Eva Estorga. She said this was the fastest they've ever "sold out." When the pantry initially began in the 1980s, it was relatively small, starting in the basement of the parish office of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Cheyenne. Over the course of many years, the demand for assistance required the pantry to move to a larger space, and then another one. They've been at their current location since 2016. The pantry currently provides an average of 700 to 800 clients a week with a week's worth of groceries. They serve their clients Monday through Thursday and have help from more than 80 volunteers. A majority of their produce, whether it be for Thanksgiving or any other day, is donated by local businesses, the community or food drives, but they also use any money donated to them to buy products themselves. The Thanksgiving box distribution day takes months of preparation. Estorga has to make sure they have enough food and boxes, is constantly seeking volunteers, and double-checks that all of the orders can be fulfilled when the day comes. Volunteers spend the beginning of November helping bring Thanksgiving food donations into the warehouse, and the day of the event is when they pack and hand out all the boxes. They usually need about 40 volunteers every year for it, and any extra ingredients they have will go to the boxes they hand out at Christmas time. The pantry has been doing the Thanksgiving box distribution for more than 15 years, and most of the food items have remained the same, but they try to get more each year. They give away boxed potato mixes, stuffing, turkey, canned yams and other Thanksgiving staples. Kathy Cunningham, a volunteer with the pantry who helps with check-ins, told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, "We've had families tell us that if we didn't put this on, they wouldn't have had a Thanksgiving." The way the pantry distributes its boxes is with a drive-through system, where volunteers help with unloading food deliveries, picking up donations, filling boxes, welcoming clients, managing volunteer teams and distributing food. Wyoming first lady Jennie Gordon also helped in the assembly line as a volunteer. Another volunteer, Denise Hawkins, who helps with St. Joseph's Food Pantry's website and social media, told the WTE, "I love volunteering, in general, but here it's more of a family, and it feels like I receive more than I give." The pantry will be closed until next Monday so volunteers can spend the holidays with their families. "We've been doing this for years, and it just wouldn't be possible without (the kindness) of the community," said Hawkins. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.

What the heck is going on with Sen. John Fetterman?Former Chicago Alderman Daniel Solis returned to the Everett McKinley U.S. Courthouse Monday. Solis is facing one federal count of bribery under a deferred prosecution agreement. The ex-alderman began cooperating with federal investigators in 2016. Separately Monday, former Chicago Alderman Daniel Solis, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and Madigan codefendant Michael McClain enter the federal court building in Chicago Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. U.S. government attorney Diane MacArthur first introduced a recording of Madigan and Solis nearly two years before the alderman started cooperating with the government. The recording involved a conversation with Chinese developer, See Wong, who wanted to build a hotel on a parcel of land in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood. The land was owned by the state of Illinois at the time, but Solis said a zoning change would be required from the city in order for a hotel to be built. At Madigan’s request, Solis said he facilitated the meeting on Aug. 8, 2014, at Madigan’s law firm, Madigan and Getzendanner, about the land along Wentworth Avenue between Archer Avenue and Cermak Road. Madigan’s law partner, Bud Getzendanner, discussed how successful the firm had been in working with hotels to make sure they were not taxed more than necessary. ”A large component of your expense for hotels is real estate taxes,” Getzendanner said during the recorded meeting. Getzendanner said the firm charged 12.5% of the tax savings obtained. Madigan told Wong and an interpreter about the quality of service his firm provided. “We don’t take a second seat to anybody,” Madigan said. The developer then asked for a picture with Madigan and Solis. Solis told the group that Wong would benefit from working with Madigan. “If he works with the Speaker, he will get anything he needs for that hotel,” Solis said on the recording. Solis testified that he meant the city would provide the zoning change the developer needed from the city if the developer hired Madigan’s law firm. Solis said the zoning change was approved, but the proposed hotel was never built. MacArthur asked Solis about the bribery charge he is still facing, which Solis said involved the redevelopment of a property in Chicago from a restaurant to a residential building in 2015. Solis said two problems prevented the project from moving forward: labor unions’ perceived lack of representation in the development and residents' concerns in the ward. The former alderman admitted that he solicited a campaign contribution from the developer or from one or more of the developer’s vendors while the project’s zoning change was still under consideration. Solis said he believed the developer was on board and that he would be getting donations from the developers’ vendors. The zoning change was approved by the city council, Solis said. He testified he solicited and accepted campaign contributions from other developers who had matters pending before the city council’s zoning committee. Solis then testified about about a variety of things like massages that turned sexual, trips to Las Vegas, tickets to professional sporting events, no-paperwork six-figure loans he'd paid back. He even admitted to an extramarital affair he had with an interpreter. Solis said he was separated from his wife for about five years and their house went into foreclosure. He also confessed that he lied to a collection agency by saying he was out of work. MacArthur asked Solis about his sister, Patti Solis Doyle, who worked on campaigns for former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, former President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, D-New York. Solis Doyle also managed Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2008. Solis said his sister was involved in a hotel project in which the developer offered her $100,000. Solis said his sister offered to split the sum with her brother. As chairman of the city’s zoning committee, Solis said he told his sister he could not accept money regarding a hotel development. Solis said his sister told him there would be another way she could compensate him. The former alderman said he did receive funds from his sister for referring her to his friend Brian Hynes’ state vendor assistance program. Monday afternoon, Solis testified that FBI agents visited his home on June 1, 2016, and played audio and video recordings. After considering an attorney, Solis said he decided to cooperate with the FBI a few days later and agreed to let investigators tap his phone. Solis also said he told an attorney friend that he was cooperating with the FBI in regard to an investigation of an organization he was involved in. Solis said he made recordings for several investigations he was involved in as part of his deferred prosecution agreement. He began communicating with Madigan after receiving a voicemail message on June 12, 2017. Solis said he discussed the Chinatown land deal, his interest in getting a state board appointment, and referring clients to Madigan’s law firm while cooperating with the government from June 2016 to December 2017. Solis admitted that he was not really interested in a state board appointment, but he raised the issue with Madigan at the direction of law enforcement. Solis said he began communicating with Madigan codefendant Michael McClain about the Chinatown parcel in the fall of 2017. He said he had to continue to perform his duties as an alderman while cooperating with the FBI because of “the farce” that he was involved in. Solis discussed a 2017 redevelopment project that required a zoning change involving a Union West development in Chicago’s West Loop. MacArthur played a recording, dated June 12, 2017, of Madigan asking Solis about the development. During the call, Solis told the speaker he would try to arrange an introduction for Madigan with the developers. In a subsequent call, Solis promised to arrange a meeting and said, “I think these guys get it, the quid pro quo and how it works.” When MacArthur asked Solis why he said that, Solis said he didn’t know and said it was “dumb.” MacArthur asked Solis if he used the words “quid pro quo” at the direction of law enforcement. “No,” Solis said. Union West developer Andrew Cretal agreed to meet with Madigan and told Solis, “confidentially,” that his company was working with Goldman Sachs as an equity partner and that he would “circle back” with Solis. MacArthur played a recording of Madigan privately telling Solis not to use the words, “quid quo pro.” The conversation immediately preceded the meeting Cretal and the Union West group had at Madigan's and Getzendanner’s law office. During the meeting, Madigan repeated to Cretal’s group what he had said to See Wong. “We don’t take a second seat to anybody,” Madigan said. Solis said he met with Madigan again privately after the meeting with the intention of discussing the Chinatown parcel. Solis said he had been having frequent meetings about the land with potential developers. During the recording, Solis said that nothing could really happen until the state transferred the land. Connie Mixon, professor of Political Science and director of the Urban Studies Program at Elmhurst University, served as an expert witness at the corruption trial of longtime Chicago Democrat Ed Burke, who served on the city council from 1969 to 2023. A jury convicted Burke in December 2023 on 18 counts of racketeering, bribery, attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion and using interstate commerce to facilitate an unlawful activity. Mixon said that Solis also testified as a cooperating witness during Burke’s trial. “It seemed as if, in the sentencing for the Burke trial, the judge did take a bit of exception to the fact that Solis, who also had potential criminal charges, was essentially getting away without any sort of repercussions,” Mixon told The Center Square. Mixon described Solis as a damaged witness. “He’s absolutely damaged, but as much as he’s damaged, you have the words on the wiretap. Having the defendants’ words played in the courtroom, they are really the witness against themselves when you have those wiretaps,” Mixon explained. Before the jury was seated Monday morning, prosecutors said they would provide the court with revised jury instructions by Dec. 3. Judge John Robert Blakey said he could deny admittance of new materials after that date if he deemed them to be untimely. Madigan and McClain are charged with 23 counts of bribery, racketeering and official misconduct. The trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday morning in Chicago.