This year's economic scorecard
Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant Pete Hegseth fought to save his nomination to be Donald Trump's defense secretary Wednesday as the president-elect considered possible replacements in the face of growing questions about the former Fox News host's personal conduct and ability to win Senate confirmation. Hegseth met with legislators on Capitol Hill, conducted a radio interview and released an opinion article denying allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. He insisted he was “not backing down one bit," that Trump was still supporting him and he planned to return Thursday for more meetings with lawmakers. But the president-elect's team was looking at alternatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump himself remained quiet about Hegseth while issuing a flurry of statements on social media Wednesday about other nominees and his news coverage. Hegeth, asked if he'd meet with Trump on Thursday, said he'd meet with him “anytime he'd like." Hegseth is the latest nominee-designate to be imperiled by personal baggage after the recent withdrawal of Trump’s initial pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose vulnerabilities were well-documented. But Hegseth’s past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies, was not widely known. Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — Former White House adviser Peter Navarro, who served prison time related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, will return to serve in Donald Trump’s second administration, the president-elect announced Wednesday. Navarro, a trade adviser during Trump’s first term, will be a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, Trump said on Truth Social. The position, Trump wrote, “leverages Peter’s broad range of White House experience, while harnessing his extensive Policy analytic and Media skills.” The appointment was only the first in a flurry of announcements that Trump made on Wednesday as his presidential transition faced controversy over Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief. Hegseth faces allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement, and Trump has considered replacing him with another potential nominee. As he works to fill out his team, Trump said he wanted Paul Atkins, a financial industry veteran and an advocate for cryptocurrency, to serve as the next chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He wrote on Truth Social that Atkins “recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.” Trump also said he was changing course on his choice for White House counsel. He said his original pick, William McGinley, will work with the Department of Government Efficiency, which will be run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy with the goal of cutting federal spending. Now David Warrington, who has worked as Trump’s personal lawyer and a lawyer for his campaign, will serve as White House counsel. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes tore through a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza on Wednesday, sparking fires and killing at least 21 people, according to the head of a nearby hospital, in the latest assault on a sprawling tent city that Israel designated a humanitarian safe zone but has repeatedly targeted. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants “involved in terrorist activities” in the area, without providing additional details, and said it took precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The strike on the Muwasi tent camp was one of several deadly assaults across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. An Israeli attack in central Gaza killed at least 10 more people, including four children, according to Palestinian medics. Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, shows no signs of ending after nearly 14 months. Hamas is still holding dozens of Israeli hostages, and most of Gaza’s population has been displaced and is reliant on international food aid to survive. Israel is also pressing a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say Palestinians might be experiencing famine. The Biden administration has pledged to make a new push for a Gaza ceasefire now that there's a truce in Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, ending more than a year of cross-border fighting. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump demanded this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term and whether he will abide by democratic principles. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Here's a look at the political firestorm caused by the martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years. Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law on Tuesday night was accompanied by a pledge to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces at a single stroke.” He vowed to protect the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” Yoon, a conservative, cited repeated attempts by his liberal rivals in control of parliament to impeach his top officials and curtail key parts of his budget bill for next year. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet members to resign, a first since 1962. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. A conservative appointed in September, Barnier becomes the shortest-serving prime minister in France’s modern Republic. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. President-elect Donald Trump won slightly more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, with a big assist from dog owners, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support the Republican over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Cat owners were split between the two candidates. About two-thirds of voters said they own a dog or cat, but pet owners don't usually get much attention from politicians. This year, however, past comments by Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue — and Taylor Swift signed her Instagram endorsement of Harris in September as “Taylor Swift Childless Cat Lady.” Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who owned a cat but not a dog. Still, those voters were a relatively small slice of the electorate, and pet owners as a whole did not seem to hold Vance's remarks against the GOP ticket. Childless or not, women who only owned a cat were more likely to support Harris than were dog owners, or voters who had a cat and a dog. About 6 in 10 women who owned a cat but not a dog supported Harris, according to AP VoteCast. She did similarly well among women who did not own either kind of pet.
White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaignPTC Therapeutics director Jerome Zeldis sells $1.24m in stock
Closing marks second significant acquisition from RA Capital's Raven incubator in 2024, and first acquisition of a company built by Raven from a technology platform in-licensed from a large pharmaceutical company BOSTON , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RA Capital Management, LP (RA Capital), a multi-stage investment manager dedicated to evidence-based investing in public and private healthcare, life sciences, and planetary health companies, today announced that AbbVie has closed its $1.4 billion acquisition of RA Capital's portfolio company Aliada Therapeutics. Aliada's lead investigational asset is ALIA-1758, an anti-pyroglutamate amyloid beta (3pE-Aβ) antibody, which is in development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial. ALIA-1758 utilizes a novel blood-brain barrier-crossing technology that enhances delivery of targeted drugs into the central nervous system. Johnson & Johnson (through its venture capital arm, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.), RA Capital, and Raven (RA Capital's healthcare incubator) co-founded Aliada and co-led the series seed financing in 2021 to advance the MODELTM platform created by Johnson & Johnson scientists that was licensed to Aliada at its inception. "Congratulations to the Aliada and AbbVie teams and our fellow investors on the close of this transaction," said Joshua Resnick , MD, Senior Managing Director at RA Capital Management and former board director at Aliada. "The acquisition of Aliada is the second significant acquisition of a Raven-grown company this year, joining Novartis' $1 billion upfront acquisition of radiopharmaceutical developer Mariana Oncology in May." "Delivering therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier with a low-volume, subcutaneous injection would be revolutionary for treating Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders, and has long been a dream in the field," said Laura Tadvalkar , PhD, Managing Director at RA Capital Management and former board chair at Aliada. "We look forward to following ALIA-1758's progress through the clinic, as AbbVie advances this important medicine for Alzheimer's disease patients." About Raven Raven is RA Capital Management's healthcare incubator. Raven's experienced team of scientists, operators, and innovators bring deep sector expertise, insight and executional capabilities across therapeutics, diagnostics, devices, and services. Raven builds companies: from originating and incubating new ideas to accelerating compelling innovations and rejuvenating promising assets. About RA Capital Founded in 2004, RA Capital Management is a multi-stage investment manager dedicated to evidence-based investing in public and private healthcare, life sciences, and planetary health companies. RA Capital creates and funds innovative companies, from private seed rounds to public follow-on financings, allowing management teams to drive value creation from inception through commercialization and beyond. RA Capital's knowledge engine is guided by our TechAtlas internal research division, and Raven, RA Capital's company creation team, offers entrepreneurs and innovators a collaborative and comprehensive platform to explore the novel and the re-imagined. RA Capital has more than 175 employees and over $10 billion in assets under management. The companies presented herein were selected to demonstrate a potential successful outcome of a company being incubated within our Raven incubator. They are not intended to represent a complete picture of RA Capital's portfolio, its exposures, risks or potential for positive or negative returns. Past performance is not indicative of future results. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ra-capital-management-announces-close-of-1-4-billion-acquisition-of-aliada-therapeutics-by-abbvie-302329567.html SOURCE RA Capital Management, LP
Kylian Mbappe’s spot-kick woe goes on as Real Madrid lose at Athletic BilbaoCreative Group Nominated for SITE 2025 Crystal Award for Most Creative Solution Deployed to Overcome Adversity
US President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by January 19 while the government emphasised its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Mr Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case. The filings come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for January 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute, leading TikTok to appeal to the Supreme Court. The brief from Mr Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office”.Real Madrid suffered a 2-1 LaLiga defeat at Athletic Bilbao as Kylian Mbappe missed from the penalty spot again. Alex Berenguer prodded the hosts ahead after 53 minutes before Mbappe – who failed to convert a Champions League penalty against Liverpool last week – sent his kick too close to Bilbao goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala. Jude Bellingham appeared to have rescued a point for Real after scoring for the fourth successive league game 12 minutes from time. 📸 PORTERAZO. JULEN, JULEN! JULEN JULEN! #AthleticRealMadrid #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/w260s6xo79 — Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) December 4, 2024 But Federico Valverde’s mistake two minutes later gifted Gorka Guruzeta the winner in front of a delirious San Mames crowd. On a busy night of second-round Copa del Rey action, Villarreal suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at Pontevedra while there were wins for Real Betis, Rayo Vallecano and Valencia. Fiorentina went out of the Coppa Italia to Empoli on penalties on an emotional night at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Viola were back in action after Edoardo Bove’s health scare forced their weekend league fixture with Inter Milan to be abandoned during the first half. Midfielder Bove collapsed on the pitch and required emergency medical treatment. He was taken to hospital but regained consciousness in intensive care. Esposito's penalty books Empoli's place in the next round 💪 #FiorentinaEmpoli pic.twitter.com/UUxghH9l6b — Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) December 4, 2024 Empoli led at half-time through Emmanuel Ekong’s fourth-minute opener before Moise Kean and Riccardo Sottil put Fiorentina ahead. Sebastiano Esposito struck 15 minutes from time to make it 2-2 and take the last-16 tie into extra time, Empoli eventually winning 4-3 on penalties. Benjamin Sesko opened the scoring and Luis Openda struck twice as RB Leipzig brushed aside Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 in the German DFB Pokal. Second-half goals from Denis Vavro, Jonas Wind and Yannick Gerhardt saw Wolfsburg beat Hoffenheim 3-0. Cologne knocked out Hertha Berlin 2-1 after extra time with Dejan Ljubicic converting a penalty in the final seconds, while Augsburg prevailed 5-4 on penalties against Karlsruhe after a 2-2 draw.Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal