Global stocks mostly rose Thursday following strong earnings from artificial intelligence leader Nvidia as bitcoin prices zoomed near $100,000 and oil prices rose. Nvidia itself had a volatile day, finishing modestly higher after several reversals. The chip company reported a whopping $19 billion in profits, although investors wondered if its current rate of stupendous growth is sustainable. But stocks rose as a "relief trade" after the Nvidia report, said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare, who noted that investors had feared a disappointing Nvidia announcement would spark a tech sell-off. All three major US indices rose, led by the Dow, which won more than one percent. The pickup on US markets also helped European bourses shake off early weakness. O'Hare called Thursday's rally a "broad-based move," noting nine of 11 US sectors rose and adding that investors are hopeful about a year-end rally. But worsening tensions between Russia and Ukraine also loom as a risk. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the conflict in Ukraine had characteristics of a "global" war and did not rule out strikes on Western countries. Putin spoke out after a day of frayed nerves, with Russia test-firing a new generation intermediate-range missile at Ukraine. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky branded the strike a major ramping up of the "scale and brutality" of the war by a "crazy neighbor", while Kyiv's main backer the United States said that Russia was to blame for escalating the conflict "at every turn". The tension helped push oil prices up around two percent and played a role in lifting natural gas prices to their highest level in a year. The dollar also continued to push higher, boosted by the falling odds of further Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, as well as the greenback's status as a haven currency. But the day's most impressive action may have been bitcoin, which soared above $99,000. The cryptocurrency has been lifted by expectations that Donald Trump, spurred by cryptocurrency cheerleader Elon Musk, will bring it further into everyday use upon re-entering the White House in January. "Will Americans be able to use crypto to pay their taxes in the future? There is a bigger possibility of this happening now than before the election," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB. In Asia, shares in Indian conglomerate Adani Group tanked after US prosecutors charged its owner Gautam Adani with handing out more than $250 million in bribes for key contracts. Flagship operation Adani Enterprises dived almost 20 percent, while several of its subsidiaries -- from coal to media businesses -- lost 10 to 20 percent. Among other companies, Google parent Alphabet tumbled 4.6 percent after the Justice Department asked a federal court to order Google to sell its widely used Chrome browser in a major antitrust crackdown. DOJ also asked the court to ban deals for Google to be the default search engine on smartphones and prevent it from exploiting its Android mobile operating system. New York - Dow: UP 1.1 percent at 43,870.35 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.5 percent at 5,948.71 (close) New York - Nasdaq: UP less than 0.1 percent at 18,972.42 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.8 percent at 8,149.27 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 7,213.32 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.7 percent at 19,146.17 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.9 percent at 38,026.17 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.5 percent at 19,601.11 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,370.40 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0476 from $1.0544 on Wednesday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2587 from $1.2652 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 154.54 yen from 155.44 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.20 pence from 83.33 pence Brent North Sea Crude: UP 2.0 percent at $74.23 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: UP 2.0 percent at $70.10 per barrel bur-jmb/mdThese holiday gifts change the game when building fires, printing photos, watching birds and more
Stock market today: Wall Street ends mixed after a bumpy week
A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and prevent an artificial intelligence "dictatorship" is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker's ongoing shift into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging it had betrayed its founding aims as a nonprofit research lab benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. The world's richest man, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and social media platform X, last year started his own rival AI company, xAI. Musk says it faces unfair competition from OpenAI and its close business partner Microsoft, which has supplied the huge computing resources needed to build AI systems such as ChatGPT. “OpenAI and Microsoft together exploiting Musk’s donations so they can build a for-profit monopoly, one now specifically targeting xAI, is just too much,” says Musk's filing that alleges the companies are violating the terms of Musk’s foundational contributions to the charity. OpenAI is filing a response Friday opposing Musk’s requested order, saying it would cripple OpenAI’s business and mission to the advantage of Musk and his own AI company. A hearing is set for January before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. At the heart of the dispute is a 2017 internal power struggle at the fledgling startup that led to Altman becoming OpenAI's CEO. Musk also sought to be CEO and in an email outlined a plan where he would “unequivocally have initial control of the company” but said that would be temporary. He grew frustrated after two other OpenAI co-founders said he would hold too much power as a major shareholder and chief executive if the startup succeeded in its goal to achieve better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence , or AGI. Musk has long voiced concerns about how advanced forms of AI could threaten humanity. “The current structure provides you with a path where you end up with unilateral absolute control over the AGI," said a 2017 email to Musk from co-founders Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman. “You stated that you don't want to control the final AGI, but during this negotiation, you've shown to us that absolute control is extremely important to you.” In the same email, titled “Honest Thoughts,” Sutskever and Brockman also voiced concerns about Altman's desire to be CEO and whether he was motivated by “political goals.” Altman eventually succeeded in becoming CEO, and has remained so except for a period last year when he was fired and then reinstated days later after the board that ousted him was replaced. OpenAI published the messages Friday in a blog post meant to show its side of the story, particularly Musk's early support for the idea of making OpenAI a for-profit business so it could raise money for the hardware and computer power that AI needs. It was Musk, through his wealth manager Jared Birchall, who first registered “Open Artificial Technologies Technologies, Inc.”, a public benefit corporation, in September 2017. Then came the “Honest Thoughts” email that Musk described as the “final straw.” “Either go do something on your own or continue with OpenAI as a nonprofit,” Musk wrote back. OpenAI said Musk later proposed merging the startup into Tesla before resigning as the co-chair of OpenAI's board in early 2018. Musk didn't immediately respond to emailed requests for comment sent to his companies Friday. Asked about his frayed relationship with Musk at a New York Times conference last week, Altman said he felt “tremendously sad” but also characterized Musk’s legal fight as one about business competition. “He’s a competitor and we’re doing well,” Altman said. He also said at the conference that he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence with President-elect Donald Trump. OpenAI said Friday that Altman plans to make a $1 million personal donation to Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships with the incoming administration. —————————— The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives.1. A velvety cream-to-powder Wet n Wild multi-stick to conceal, highlight, or contour. Pick a shade depending on your need, and then swipe away for a buildable and long-lasting color. Reviewers swear that you can also use them a lipstick, eyeshadow, or blush! Promising review: "I absolutely love this product!! I've been using it about every day for the past almost two years, and it's easily become my favorite cream bronzer ! I am a light-skinned gal with normal-dry skin, and I use the shade Oak's On You as a bronzer rather than a contour. Perfect shade, consistency, and texture and blends with NO problem. I find that while it does need some building up, I don't find that to be a bad thing if you are looking for a light wash of bronzer color on a light makeup day and/or can build it up enough to your liking without it being too much all at once. I will ALWAYS buy this product as long as it's still being made!" — Violet & Brandy Get it from Amazon for $3.98 (more shades available here ). 2. A pack of foaming garbage disposal cleaners because they'll deodorize your smelly pipes safely and dislodge buildup safely and effectively. No one wants to smell the leftovers you tossed down the sink three days ago. Promising review: "This product works! I followed the directions, which were super easy, and was very satisfied to see the gross slime and muck that was removed . You put the entire packet down your disposal, and the magic happens quickly! Very powerful and successful cleaning! The scent was not what I would call overpowering, but the inside of the disposal is super clean, confirmed. These will definitely be a cleaning staple for me. The garbage disposal runs much easier and more quiet now. When things fall into the disposal, my hands are not covered in gross slimy stuff anymore." — JSullivanJ Get a pack (good for four uses) from Amazon for $3.78 . 3. A pack of sound-dampening door bumpers if you love your family but they're also monsters who seem to enjoy shutting doors and closing cabinets as loud as possible when you're trying to sleep. Promising review: "Should have bought these years ago! Now, my cabinets don’t thud when closed, and they even open easily. Got rid of the sticky bumpers that the installers applied. I thought 40 bumpers would be way too many, but ended up using all but four." — Darcy M Get a sheet of 20 from Amazon for $3.99 . 4. A pack of slow cooker liners that'll come in handy if you have a lot of hungry people to feed. With the disposable liners, you can cook different recipes at the same time, reducing your overall cooking time *and* saving you from having to wash a huge stack of dishes. PS: They also come in handy with dishes going into a water bath (think cheesecakes, custards, and puddings). Promising review: "We constantly use our crockpot for easy meals. I'm a teacher and my husband is a firefighter, and it's just easy for our family of five. No real cleanup. I toss the bag in the trash after use and will just run a wet rag around the inside of the pot for good measure. Never have a problem with holes or burning." — Ashley Matthews Get a pack of six from Amazon for $3.48 . 5. A before-you-go toilet spray so your coworker is none the wiser when they enter the bathroom after you. Promising review: "Took it on a cruise — I would highly recommend. One spray and smells are gone! " — phyllis parker Get it from Amazon for $4.99 . 6. Some Tide sink packets with the perfect amount of detergent to clean your sweaty T-shirts, and dirty undies. Rewear clothing instead of stuffing your suitcase with pieces you'll only wear once! Promising review: "My husband and I travel often. If we go to Europe, we stay for at least a month. We stay longer to make the use of my airline reward points more valuable in seeing more cities and in seeing more places. Now retired, we can take our time in cities. We take minimal clothes and re-wear them. With these Tide travel packs, I can wash our clothes in the bathtub, use travel clothespins to hang and dry items, and even use a hair dryer to dry heavier items like jeans quickly. Always pack these Tide packs for all travel. They are especially great during hot times and hot temperature locations." — B Tatum Get three packs from Amazon for $4.31 . 7. A cruelty-free lengthening mascara because you're tired of mascaras that don't live up to their promises. This one won't let you down — I promise! It's lightweight, won't transfer, doesn't smudge, and lasts all day. Consider your expectations exceeded! Promising review: "Love this mascara! I’ve used the 'best of the best' designer, super hyped, ultra-popular mascara available, and NOTHING compares to this stuff ! I don’t even bother using a lash curler anymore! I buy two at a time, so I always have a spare (yes, it’s that good!!). I highly recommend this particular mascara... it goes on effortlessly, it lasts pretty much all day, and the price — I feel like I’m almost stealing it! I’d give it 10 stars if I could!!! " — Chulaboola & MCD Get it from Amazon for $4.99 . 8. Some acne patches for those days when a pimple pops up at the *worst* possible moment. Hydrocolloid, tea tree oil, and calendula oil are gentle on the skin while still drawing out fluids and pus from your pimple. Promising review: "I've tried a few pimple patches, and they often work just 'fine.' Not particularly well, but better than just leaving a whitehead alone. Super stoked to say these work great for me — better than any other brand I've tried. I leave a patch on overnight, and I'm always impressed by how much gunk it pulls out by the morning. The only advice I have is to make sure your skin is dry when you put these on. Some other patches have decent adhesion even if your skin is still wet, but these become almost unstickable if your skin's not dry enough." — Jac Get 30 round patches from Amazon for $4.88 . 9. An interactive cat toy that'll appease your furry rulers and occupy them for a few hours...until they come howling for dinner. Promising review: "I have a whole room filled with cat toys that my cat is not interested in. It's funny how the least expensive cat toy I have makes him go crazy. He plays with this until he's panting like a dog, and I have never seen him jump so high. I'm certain this toy will help him lose his belly. He loves it! I highly recommend it! " — Kwoo Get it from Amazon for $3.99 . 10. An exfoliating heel mask so you can soften and unglue those rock-hard calluses to reveal the soft, smooth skin underneath 'em. Promising review: "This worked great! My heels were pretty badly cracked, and after about a week of using it (I did leave it on for the full hour), the skin began peeling off. After several days of peeling the cracks were all gone. I used one a few years ago on my whole foot. I liked that this one was just for the heels. You can't walk around once it's on, so get all set up in advance and plan on staying put before you put it on." — Sunnylaz Get it from Amazon for $4.68 . 11. A pack of light-dimming stickers because bright alarm clocks and flashing electronics shouldn't distract you from sleep. Promising review: "My wife hates all my gadgets in our room and how they do an excellent job at lighting it up. Between the constantly flashing red, blue, and green LEDs, it was hard for her to fall asleep and stay asleep, causing some not-so-nice mornings, if you know what I mean. LightDims was an inexpensive impulse purchase because, hey, why not? It may compel my wife to stop complaining and actually get some peaceful sleep. Well, I'm glad to announce that LightDims did the trick ! I'm still able to monitor device activity at a glance without putting on a personal light show in the room. The LightDims adhere strongly and come in various shapes and sizes for convenience. It seems like they'd remove easily, although who would want to? I'd definitely recommend LightDims to anyone for use on all their devices!" — A. Williams Get a sheet of more than 100 stickers of varying shapes and sizes on Amazon for $1.49 . 12. A moisturizing saline gel if you're a drippy, sneezy mess thanks to allergies (me right now!) and are constantly blowing your nose, which has led to some not-infrequent nosebleeds (so fun!). Reviewers who use CPAP machines swear by this stuff, as do airplane travelers (dry airplane air!). Promising review: "So thankful for this gel. Was having nosebleeds daily with the dry air and this stopped them! It doesn’t make your nose feel sticky, and it’s not really smelly. Easy to use. It was everything I needed." — Danica Get it from Amazon for $3.62 . 13. A pack of food spikes for plants that are in desperate need of a #glowup. These fertilizer spikes inject nutrients and nourishment into your plant's roots continuously. Promising review: "Purchased flowers from a famous store near us, was disappointed when all the flowers and greenery were dying. I purchased these and put them in my pots, deep under the soil, and a good dose of water for a few days; within a week, the flowers and greenery burst into their best vibrant colors. A strong bump of growth. I was stunned the colors were so vibrant. They saved dying greenery and flowers." — Patzy Get a pack of 50 spikes from Amazon for $2.59 . 14. A double-sided scour pad that'll obliterate soap scum, limescale, hard water stains, pink mold and whatever else is gunking up your tub, tiles, shower, sinks, and other bathroom surfaces. Promising review: "I don't know what this thing is made of or what is in it, but it works. I used it to clean my glass shower doors and it cleaned deep enough to go through layers of hard water stains. I used it on the shower fixtures and my large bathroom mirror. It is not worn out." — Lee Get it from Amazon for $4.97 . 15. A color-changing aloe vera lipstick so every time you swipe it on you're wearing *your* perfect shade. It magically adjusts hues depending on your temperature and your lip's pH and leaves behind a subtle sheen and a hydrating finish. Promising review: "I’m so happy with these! They smell SUPER nice and clean. It goes on clear and smooth, is decently moisturizing, and it’s not overly greasy. It gave me a nice pinkish-reddish tone, like my lips are two shades darker, and I love it! It looks very natural and perfect! PLEASE keep these in stock, I want to keep these forever! I applied once hours ago, and also applied a different clear lip balm over it later on, and I still have color even. It seems to last so long, even through eating and drinking. It doesn’t smudge off and looks so cute! I’m so happy with these! I love the smell and the color so much! Much better and longer lasting than a lipgloss I had!" — Lin Get it from Amazon for $3.99 . 16. An adorable cat spoon to keep you company while you're sipping your cat-puccino. Promising review: "Bought these on impulse. They serve as great baby feeding spoons and to stir coffee." — Ricky Get it from Amazon for $3.59 . 17. A triangle powder puff because they'll give your skin that airbrushed look. You can use it with wet or dry products, but reviewers swear it's the secret to applying setting powder that isn't cakey and doesn't crease. Promising review: "These thingies are so essential to your makeup routine. They make everything look so smooth when you set with the powder! It’s a must." — Karla J Get a two-pack from Amazon for $2.99 . 18. A travel jewelry organizer if your current method for packing your jewelry is just dumping it all in a plastic bag and hoping for the best. (Just me?) This handy dandy case will keep your earrings, rings, and necklaces neat and organized. Promising review: "This compact jewelry case is perfect for travel! It’s small and lightweight, making it easy to pack in any suitcase or bag. The interior is thoughtfully designed with multiple compartments to keep my jewelry organized and tangle-free. The quality is excellent, and the material feels durable yet soft enough to protect delicate pieces." — Lourdes Get it from Amazon for $4.50 (available in 26 colors). 19. A soap brow kit for anyone who wants to try this beauty trend they've seen all over TikTok. This method will help make your brows look thicker using just your existing hairs. And of course you can go in with a brow pen or powder to add even more fullness. Promising review: "I can say I am very satisfied with this one. You just have to wet your brush with a fixing mist or water and then brush it on the soap and comb. Ultra-fixed brows all day! It’s really the best thing for my brows; it keeps them the way that I like all day long. I'll use it every day. Easy to apply, easy to use." — Hadasa Get it from Amazon for $4.99 . 20. Some clear drawer organizers that'll bring some much-needed order to the chaos of your bathroom shelves and kitchen cabinets. Promising review: "I love this little organizer. I bought one to hold my weekly pack of daily contacts in a large drawer to keep them together instead of shifting around when I open the drawer. It was the perfect size and really nice quality for the price. I liked it so much that I bought a second one for a grouping of random pens I wanted to keep together in another drawer. Again, the perfect size. It does exactly what I need it to, and the price just cannot be beaten. I've already ordered this two separate times and will definitely keep buying if/when the need arises. " — lishy Get it from Amazon for $3.59+ (available in various sizes). 21. A soap saver dish so the expensive bar soap you treated yourself to isn't sitting in its wet juices all day. The slanted divots help liquid drain and allows for airflow under the bar, which helps extend the life of your soap *and* prevents the icky feeling of touching a soggy soap bar. Promising review: "I was pleasantly surprised at how nice these little soap holders are. They are more of a little pad than a 'soap dish': flexible and easy to put on the ledge in your shower or edge of the sink. They're designed to drain, so there isn't a water buildup under your soap bar; the water just drains off immediately. I liked the first ones so much, I ordered a second set." — Tam2dogs Get a three-pack for $4.99+ (available in four color combinations). 22. An exfoliating towel because reviewers with keratosis pilaris (aka "chicken skin" and "strawberry skin") swear it helps clear up those pesky reddish bumps. Promising review: "Worth the hype. Took off an embarrassing amount of dead skin. Very satisfying, though. I can’t describe how soft my skin feels now!!" — Jordan Nichols Get four towels from Amazon for $4.80 . 23. A pill organizer if you could use a helping hand when it comes to consistently remembering to take your meds. Promising review: "I got this to put my supplements in for when I travel. Love how cute and compact it is. It does come with a plastic pick to help you open the container if you have nails like me. I even use this to throw in my bag so when I forget to take my vitamins at home, I have it on me." — Clairessa Tessier Get it from Amazon for $4.99+ (available in four colors). 24. An earbuds cleaning pen so you can stop listening to muffled podcasts and enjoy clear, crisp audio. This double-sided pen offers a sponge, brush, and metal tip (yeah, to scoop out that earwax...). Promising review: "Wow! This is one handy and very sturdy little tool. I can see myself using it on many things, but I purchased it for AirPods. One of mine was not charging properly, and once I used the cleaner, it started making the connection again. The nib and brush really work well to get the gunk out of the ear pod speaker area, also. I’m very happy with this purchase. I don’t usually write reviews. Also, it’s very sturdy, not flimsy at all." — Joanna Davis Get it from Amazon for $4.99 . These products once they come into your life: The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus The U.S. government has ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. The Agriculture Department on Friday said raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The move is aimed at eliminating the virus, which has infected more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states. Words on ammo in CEO shooting echo common phrase on insurer tactics: Delay, deny, defend A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were written on the ammunition used to kill UnitedHealthcare's CEO. That's according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday. The words are similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend.” That's how attorneys describe insurers denying services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the words. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. Michigan Democrats move to protect reproductive health data before GOP takes control of House LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Democrats in Michigan are pressing to pass reproductive health care legislation before the party loses its majority with the new legislative session next year. A bill to protect digital reproductive health data including data logged on menstrual cycle tracking apps is a Democratic priority as lawmakers meet this month. Democratic women and supporters of the legislation say they are acting with new urgency before President-elect Donald Trump takes office because they don't believe his campaign promise to leave abortion to the states. The rush is also a reaction to Republicans taking control of the state House in January. Democrats kept control of the state Senate in the November election. Japan's Nippon Steel sets sights on a growing overseas market in its bid to acquire US Steel KASHIMA, Japan (AP) — The signs at Nippon Steel read: “The world through steel,” underlining why Japan’s top steelmaker is pursuing its $15 billion bid to acquire U.S. Steel. Japan's domestic market isn't growing, so Nippon Steel has its eyes on India, Southeast Asia and the United States, where populations are still growing. Nippon Steel gave reporters a tour of one of its plants in Japan on Friday. The bid for U.S. Steet is opposed by President-elect Donald Trump, President Joe Biden and American steelworkers. If the deal goes through, U.S. Steel will keep its name and its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but become subsidiary of Nippon Steel.
NEW YORK (AP) — Same iconic statue, very different race. With two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty leading the field, these certainly aren't your typical Heisman Trophy contenders. Sure, veteran quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel from top-ranked Oregon and Cam Ward of No. 15 Miami are finalists for college football's most prestigious award as well, but the 90th annual ceremony coming up Saturday night at Lincoln Center in New York City offers a fresh flavor this year. To start with, none of the four are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has produced four of the past five Heisman winners — two each from Alabama and LSU. Jeanty, who played his home games for a Group of Five team on that peculiar blue turf in Idaho more than 2,100 miles from Manhattan, is the first running back even invited to the Heisman party since 2017. After leading the country with 2,497 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, he joined quarterback Kellen Moore (2010) as the only Boise State players to be named a finalist. “The running back position has been overlooked for a while now," said Jeanty, who plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Colorado star Travis Hunter says Coach Prime `ain’t going nowhere'