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jili100 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 comment

Forte Speech & Language Therapy Announces New Report on the Benefits of In-Home Speech Therapy 11-25-2024 09:08 PM CET | Politics, Law & Society Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Spine PR Image: https://www.getnews.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/1732071668.jpg Forte Speech & Language Therapy is pleased to announce the release of a comprehensive new report highlighting the significant benefits of in-home speech therapy in Los Angeles [ https://www.fortespeech.com/ ] for individuals of all ages. The report outlines how in-home speech therapy can offer unique advantages, including enhanced convenience, individualized care, and better engagement for clients. As speech and language therapy plays a crucial role in improving communication, cognition, and quality of life, Forte's report underscores the increasing demand for home-based therapy sessions. This is true particularly for families with young children, elderly individuals, and those with mobility challenges. The report also presents data that demonstrate the positive outcomes of therapy delivered in the comfort of the home environment. The report takes a particular interest in children's speech therapy [ https://www.fortespeech.com/services/pediatric/ ] in an in-home setting, and its benefits for both kids with speech or language disorders, and their families. "Let's face it - we're all living busy, complicated lives," the report outlines. "Do you want to drive across Los Angeles in rush hour traffic after you've been working hard all day just to get to your speech therapy appointment?" But there's more to it than just convenience. When children receive speech therapy in their own home, it helps them to feel more at ease. This helps improve the efficacy of speech therapy from the first session when compared to in clinic services. All kids can benefit from this, the report outlines, but it's particularly beneficial for certain populations. For example, neurodivergent kids are often less accommodating to changes in schedule. This is also true for kids with anxiety-related speech disorders, like selective mutism, or for kids with diagnoses that affect their mobility, like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. In-home speech therapy also gives kids access to their favorite toys, which their speech therapist can use in treatment. But the benefits don't end there. When a child receives speech therapy interventions in their home, they have the chance to meet the whole family. This includes parents and caregivers, siblings, and anyone else who lives in the home. This makes it easier to get questions answered, but it actually improves a child's therapeutic outcomes. When everyone in the family is involved, they can more easily reinforce therapeutic goals. Forte Speech & Language Therapy's team of licensed speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide evidence-based, in-home therapy across a variety of diagnoses. These include articulation disorders, developmental delays, stuttering, and more. The new report serves as a valuable resource for families and healthcare professionals seeking insights into the advantages of this flexible and impactful approach to therapy. The report, titled "Why Choose In-Home Speech Therapy? [ https://www.fortespeech.com/why-choose-in-home-speech-therapy/ ]" can be accessed via the clinic's website. Location: https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d4911.4754883458045!2d-119.306607!3d37.269168!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x2aad123f7b3f5da1%3A0x39a6352ab447aaac!2sForte%20Speech%20%26%20Language%20Therapy!5e1!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1732071720425!5m2!1sen!2sus Media Contact Company Name: Forte Speech & Language Therapy Contact Person: Kylie Puckett, MA, CCC-SLP Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=forte-speech-language-therapy-announces-new-report-on-the-benefits-of-inhome-speech-therapy ] Phone: +1 (818) 208 0027 City: Los Angeles State: California Country: United States Website: https://www.fortespeech.com/ This release was published on openPR.

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of Microsoft 365 customers worldwide reported having issues with services like Outlook and Teams on Monday. In social media posts and comments on platforms like outage tracker Downdetector, some impacted said that they were having trouble seeing their emails, loading calendars or opening other Microsoft 365 applications such as Powerpoint. Microsoft acknowledged “an issue impacting users attempting to access Exchange Online or functionality within Microsoft Teams calendar” earlier in the day. In updates posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the company’s status page said it identified a “recent change” that it believed to be behind the problem — and was working to revert it. Microsoft shared that it was deploying a fix — which, as of shortly before noon E.T., it said had reached about 98% of “affected environments.” Still, the company’s status page later added , targeted restarts were “progressing slower than anticipated for the majority of affected users.” As of midday Monday, Downdetector showed thousands of outage reports from users of Microsoft 365 , particularly Outlook .‘All we can do is fight’Key Takeaways In increasingly competitive markets, small business owners and founders must have an edge, and for many, it's their intellectual property (IP). Often considered your most valuable assets, your IP is your idea(s) and invention(s) in legally documented form. Your IP is pivotal to your founding and growth journey, allowing you to establish your company's market position, differentiate from other product offerings and protect yourself. But the global IP landscape today is hyper-complex, with more than 15 million active patents registered and hundreds of thousands of organizations holding those patents. For the tech-savvy entrepreneur, artificial intelligence (AI) means you can work smarter, not harder, when it comes to sharpening your edge. Leveraging AI as part of your IP strategy is an effective and affordable way to accelerate innovation, streamline processes and proactively manage your assets. IP-specific applications of AI are increasingly common these days. Buyers must be discerning and ask themselves, is this tool secure? Is it accurate? Is it cost-effective? Solutions like Patlytics are leading the charge of unburdening businesses from complex administrative work, accomplishing many IP workflows in minutes instead of months. Here are five strategies for how to use AI to drive significant IP wins for your small business. Related: Top 5 Intellectual-Property Challenges Businesses Face 1. Accelerate comprehensive patent searches with AI Conducting a thorough prior art search is a prerequisite to the patent application process. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), nearly half of all patent applications face rejections due to prior art . By confirming the uniqueness of your idea, you increase the chances of your application being approved. To prove uniqueness, you must search and compare . But try this with 15 million registered patents, and you won't be done for years. Traditionally, patent searches are labor-intensive and time-consuming. AI is enabling deeper, faster and more accurate searches. Through machine learning algorithms, AI-powered patent search tools quickly sift through vast databases to identify relevant patents and highlight potential overlaps or opportunities. For small businesses, this means a faster path to securing patents and reduced risk of infringement from the start. 2. Stay ahead of the competition with AI Always stay one step ahead of the competition. This is particularly meaningful in the IP sector, where similar products are constantly invented. It's also particularly hard to do , given the potentially hundreds of millions of different products, patents and companies to stay ahead of. Use AI to quickly and continuously scan for infringing products. Diligently monitor the market with an AI-powered infringement detection tool to identify potential products that may infringe on your innovation — and therefore represent a threat or opportunity — and help you find the evidence you need to take action. This intelligence enables timely, winning decisions and successful asset protection . 3. Use AI to transform patents into profit Patent licensing offers small businesses the opportunity to monetize their inventions without shouldering the costs associated with production. But this can be a guessing game. According to many IP experts, most patents are worthless — perhaps even more than 95% never recoup their filing costs . How do you know which big bets to make compared to your competitor's products, the market landscape and your own patents' strengths? AI introduces much-needed precision by eradicating guesswork from complex comparative decisions. It allows small businesses to pinpoint their most valuable assets and make informed decisions based on competing products, the market landscape and their own MVPs. Related: 5 Ways To Create Value From Your Intellectual Property 4. Build a strong and diverse portfolio with AI Consider the portfolio strategy of building strong patents around your core innovations. Holding multiple related patents can create a patent thicket, making it harder for competitors to challenge or work around your IP. Also, consider the strategy of diversifying. Diversifying your patent portfolio can protect against industry shifts and technological advancements. Having patents across sectors gives you multiple revenue streams and the ability to adapt to market changes with agility. Both portfolio strategies assume a baseline understanding of your current portfolio. This may seem basic (shouldn't we all know our own patents?), yet once scaled to hundreds or thousands of patents, how do you surface meaningful intelligence points at a glance, such as invention sector, jurisdiction, value or expiry? An AI classification tool can auto-tag your assets and triage which patents to action on. 5. Simplify the drafting process with AI support Proper documentation is vital. Developing detailed notes, sketches, and descriptions of how your invention works and why it's unique is required for your patent application and also serves as evidence if legal issues arise. But gathering all this information from various groups and compiling it can be painstaking and often takes over a year. That's a year when your idea is not yet fully protected, enforced or monetized. Leverage an AI patent drafting tool to help you discover and capture your inventions faster, reducing your time from idea to file and making the journey from idea to patent approval considerably easier. Related: 5 Benefits Patent Management Software Must Deliver

Medill Illinois News Bureau CHICAGO – A state watchdog has identified at least $7.2 million in fraudulent claims and more than 275 instances of misconduct by state employees accused of bilking a federal program designed to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2022, the Office of the Executive Inspector General has been investigating allegations that state employees fraudulently claimed Paycheck Protection Program loans for small businesses they didn’t disclose or entirely fabricated. State workers may engage in secondary employment, but only if it’s disclosed and permission is granted. Employees from 13 different state agencies are involved in the fraud and have illegally taken these federal public funds, according to the OEIG, which is charged with investigating allegations of misconduct within state government. As of April, more than 60% of those implicated to date worked for the Illinois Department of Human Services, which operates mental health hospitals and developmental centers across the state. The Paycheck Protection Program was an initiative established by the federal CARES Act in 2020. The Small Business Administration oversaw the implementation of the PPP to provide forgivable loans to cover payroll costs or other expenses for small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. By October 2022, the program gave out $786 billion in loans and forgave 93% of them, according to the SBA. Quickly, PPP loans led to “unprecedented fraud levels,” according to the SBA inspector general. Applicants self-certified their small business status and income. The OEIG is investigating only public employees who received more than approximately $20,000 from the program. To receive a $20,000 loan, businesses investigated by the OEIG typically declared $100,000 or more of net profit or gross income on the loan application. The OEIG could not comment on whether this investigation was close to the end. Due to the sheer size of this fraud, investigations involve many different agencies. In May 2023, the Illinois legislature passed House Bill 3304, which allows criminal prosecutions for COVID-19 related fraud to start up to five years after authorities discover the fraud. Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates, who filed the bill, said most of the routine checks such as cross-referencing data on the loan forms with other agency databases were suspended for this program. A large issue was also the lack of personnel. According to Crespo, between April 2020 and April 2022, the fraud hotline of the SBA received millions of calls, of which a large number went unanswered. “The vulnerabilities that led to the issues with PPP fraud weren’t really attributable to things at the state level. I would say that the issues had far more to do with the unaccountable nature of the program itself,” said State Rep. Mike Kelly, D-Chicago, who co-sponsored the bill. IDHS employees have been heavily involved in the fraud. Since 2022, at least 43 employees have been discharged and 53 resigned before further action by management. In most cases on the OEIG website, the employees either lied about being self-employed or provided false information about their income. Records show Deborah Reynolds-Jones was a human services caseworker who had been working for the IDHS since 2016. Reynolds-Jones told OEIG investigators that her barber recommended a company that could help her apply for the loan. She sent the company her personal information, including her Social Security number. The company filled out the form and simply asked her to sign. The information was inaccurate. Reynolds-Jones paid the company $3,000 for their service after she fraudulently received a $20,000 PPP loan. In another case, Shanythia Anderson admitted to the OEIG that she allowed a third party to apply for a PPP loan on her behalf and that the information provided was inaccurate. She began working as a mental health technician at IDHS in 2020. Anderson met a woman on Facebook, and she sent her personal records. In exchange for this service, the woman was to receive half of her loan, $10,000. Anderson worked at the Ludeman Development Center in Forest Park, where at least 36 other employees were accused of wrongdoing. “It happens that in one particular location when you find out there are 37 people that have done this, they’ve obviously been talking to one another at work,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news conference last year. “Maybe somebody committed this kind of fraud and then tried to convince somebody else.” IDHS declined to comment on why so many of its employees were implicated. IDHS is the largest public agency in Illinois, which could be one explanation. Crespo said that his best guess was that public employees had early access to the loan forms, so it was easier for them to understand how to file them, fraudulently or not. “While the vast majority of IDHS’ roughly 14,000 State employees are hard-working people of strong character who work tirelessly to help the most vulnerable, it is deeply concerning any time an employee takes advantage of public programs,” IDHS said in a statement. Other state agencies where the OEIG found multiple cases of PPP fraud included the Department of Corrections (31 cases), the Department of Children and Family Services (27), Pace (10) and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (8). The OEIG, through the Executive Ethics Commission, publishes reports of wrongdoings only if there is proof of employee misconduct. It can refer cases to the Attorney General if the fraud is significant enough. The Attorney General, specifically the Public Integrity Bureau, then conducts its own investigation in order to prosecute involved public employees. Many cases mentioned third parties who applied for the PPP loan on behalf of an individual. The DOJ has gone after some of these third parties in Illinois, but it’s unclear that these are the same third parties that helped public employees. In June, the a federal jury in Chicago convicted Hadi Isbaih on charges of wire fraud. According to the DOJ, Isbaih used his company, Flash Tax Service Inc., to file fraudulent loan applications on behalf of his clients. Isbaih would ask for an upfront fee to file the loan form, and when the client received the loan, he would charge an additional fee. A sentencing date has not yet been announced for Isbaih. In September 2023, two Illinois businessmen were indicted on federal charges for obtaining $7.8 million in fraudulent business loans. According to the DOJ, they recruited self-employed individuals to provide personal information. With that, they would fill out loan forms with false data by inflating the individuals’ income, for example. They would then charge the clients up to $4,000 if the loan was successfully received. These two have not been convicted. There are severe consequences for PPP fraud. Knowingly declaring false statements to a financial institution can result in up to 30 years in prison or a fine of up to $1 million. Wire fraud, the use of the Internet or electronic communication to carry out fraud, is a federal crime that can be punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Amalia Huot-Marchand is a graduate student in journalism with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, and a Fellow in its Medill Illinois News Bureau working in partnership with Capitol News Illinois.Is Outlook down? Thousands of Microsoft 365 users report outage issues

Nancy Mace, now targeting transgender lawmaker, called herself ‘pro-transgender rights’ in 2023

UN Resolution 1701 is at the heart of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal. What is it?Donald Trump has been filmed telling a young girl he would like to buy her hair “for millions”, after encountering her . At the wheel of a golf cart, the president-elect was struck by the child’s curls, held in place by a white cloth band. “I love that girl. I love her hair, I want her hair. I’d buy your hair, I’ll pay you millions,” he said before inviting her to sit alongside him in the cart. President Donald J Trump playing golf yesterday at Trump International Golf Club Palm Beach!! THE GREATEST! TRUMP-VANCE 2024! @trumpgolfpalmbeach 📸: @mashawbird... — Michael Solakiewicz (@michaelsolakie) — like many other things — has been the subject of some controversy. Author Michael Wolff said the president-elect’s orange-blond mop is genuine, although he did have “scalp reduction surgery”. It is a painful procedure which entails pulling portions of the scalp with hair together, eliminating a bald spot. The recent biopic of Mr Trump The Apprentice featured a scene depicting the operation. Details of the procedure were also disclosed by Mr Trump’s first wife, Ivana, in her divorce deposition. According to Harry Hurt III’s book, The Lost Tycoon, Mr Trump was less than pleased with the results. It is claimed that Mr Trump has had more procedures since, spending, according to an estimate by celebrity plastic surgeon Gary Motykie, $160,000 on maintaining his locks.

Portal products Desmond Reid, Konata Mumpfield bright points of light during Pitt losing streakPrestige Exterior Services Offers Landscaping Services in the Louisville, KY Area 12-10-2024 10:42 PM CET | Politics, Law & Society Press release from: ABNewswire Louisville, KY - A beautiful landscape adds a great deal of beauty to any residential or commercial property. However, these results are not earned without putting in an equivalent amount of effort. Maintaining a landscape requires hours of work, and if forgotten about for too long, a once-attractive landscape can quickly become an eyesore. For this reason, Prestige Exterior Services [ https://www.myprestigeservice.com/ ] offers a variety of landscaping services [ https://www.myprestigeservice.com/landscaping-company-in-louisville-kentucky/ ] to the Louisville, KY community. The company shares more information about these services below. Lawn Mowing Services to Keep Grass Properly Cut Mowing a lawn has many benefits beyond the obvious visual appeal. For example, when all blades of grass are at a uniform height, it helps distribute sunlight and rainwater evenly across the lawn. Furthermore, mowing can keep weed growth under control, and the resulting grass clippings provide nutrition to the soil. However, the process of mowing can be a time-consuming one. Because of this, residential and commercial owners may be dissuaded from mowing their own lawns, causing them to miss out on any related benefits. Prestige Exterior Services offers mowing services so that local residents and business owners can enjoy the advantages of mowing without having to do the work on their own. The company brings the lawn mowers, the fuel, and team members who understand how to complete the job. Giving Lawns Crisp Boundaries With Lawn Edging Services Lawn edging is the process of providing a clean cut to the grass on the edge of a property, especially when it approaches a curb. The importance of lawn edging is mostly cosmetic-the clear boundary between the grass and the pavement looks better than the alternative. However, there are practical benefits to lawn edging as well. It can prevent soil from spilling out of the lawn, and it can halt the spread of grass into areas where it is not supposed to be. Lawn edging is accomplished with a specialized tool known as an edger. This device makes use of a rotating blade to provide a straight cut to the grass. When Prestige Exterior Services is contacted for full-service lawn edging, the company provides the necessary equipment as well as team members who know how to use it. Keeping Lawns Healthy With Lawn Aeration Services A lawn is an ecosystem, in a sense, and that ecosystem needs access to natural resources to survive. To illustrate this point, it is worth pointing out that a lawn has naturally occurring holes and channels that bore through it. These passages allow rainwater and air to enter the soil, giving plants the necessities they need to flourish. However, when soil becomes compacted, these natural passages disappear, and plants suffer the consequences. Lawn aeration is the solution to this frustrating problem. The machine used during this process-the lawn aerator-can be compared to a spinning wheel that pierces the soil with a series of spikes. This reintroduces entry points for rainwater and air, helping revitalize the soil as well as the grass. About Prestige Exterior Services Prestige Exterior Services is a locally owned and operated business with a focus on pressure washing and landscaping services. The company has mowed, edged, and aerated landscapes at residential and commercial properties, and it is delighted to continue providing these services to clients all across Louisville, KY. [ https://maps.app.goo.gl/PwuzNsNtujCGodZV8 ] For more information about Prestige Exterior Services, visit their website [ https://www.myprestigeservice.com/ ] or call (502) 663-1858. Media Contact Company Name: Prestige Exterior Services Contact Person: Denis Perez Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=prestige-exterior-services-offers-landscaping-services-in-the-louisville-ky-area ] Phone: (502) 663-1858 City: Louisville State: Kentucky Country: United States Website: https://www.myprestigeservice.com/ This release was published on openPR.

After a far-right pro-Russia candidate secured a surprise lead in Romania's presidential election Monday, the eastern European NATO member is bracing for a high-stakes parliamentary vote on Sunday, amid fears it could bring about a strategic shift in the country. Calin Georgescu was in pole position with almost 23 percent after the first round of voting, a political earthquake in the country of 19 million people that has so far resisted nationalist appeals that have gained traction in Hungary and Slovakia. His victory ahead of centre-right mayor Elena Lasconi -- who scored 19.18 percent -- ended the hopes of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to compete for the presidency in the December runoff. After coming third at 19.15, Ciolacu said his Social Democratic Party (PSD) won't challenge the narrow result, and announced his resignation as party leader. Experts say the far right's surprise success could affect the parliamentary elections later this week, and even influence the chances of forming a future government. In the runoff ballot on December 8, Lasconi will face Georgescu, a NATO critic who in the past expressed his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Georgescu's popularity surged ahead of the vote with a viral TikTok campaign calling for an end to aid for Ukraine, which shares a 650-kilometre (400-mile) border with Romania. In a first reaction on his YouTube channel, the 62-year-old independent candidate insisted "there is no East or West", stressing that neutrality was "absolutely necessary". "I am not an extremist, I am not a fascist -- I am a Romanian who loves his country," he said in reference to media reports that "tried to portray" him in a wrongful way. For his rival Lasconi, the upcoming runoff represents "an existential battle", "a historic confrontation" between those who wish to "preserve Romania's young democracy" and those who want to "return to the Russian sphere of influence". "We must not allow anger to throw us back into the past," she said to thunderous applause from her supporters, vowing to stand up for Europe and NATO. The political earthquake comes amid soaring inflation and mounting fears of Romania being potentially dragged into Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine, as the country has emerged as a key player on the alliance's eastern flank. In Sunday's vote, another far-right contender, AUR party leader George Simion, secured nearly 14 percent. Already pounding the campaign trail for this week's parliamentary elections, Simion said Romania now has "the chance to have a sovereign government and a sovereign president". Overall, the far right won more than a third of all votes in Sunday's presidential ballot. "The far right is by far the big winner of this election," political scientist Cristian Pirvulescu told AFP, predicting a possible "contagion effect" in the parliamentary vote. Extremist forces and Lasconi's centre-right party now have "wind in their sails", sociologist Gelu Duminica said, though "it remains to be seen if they know how to capitalise" on it. The PSD, which has shaped the country's politics for more than three decades, has never before been eliminated in the first round of a presidential election. The National Liberal Party (PNL) party, with whom the PSD currently governs, also suffered a defeat. While many expressed their disbelief over the poll in the streets of the capital Bucharest, others were enthused. Maria Chis, 70, said she was surprised by Georgescu's lead in the first round but had been impressed after watching his TikTok videos. "He seems a man of integrity, serious and patriotic. He inspires seriousness. I think only someone like him can bring change," said the pensioner, who was planning to vote for him in the second round. Alex Tudose, the owner of a construction company, was gloomy. "There is sorrow, disappointment, that after so many years in Euro-Atlantic structures we voted for a pro-Russian by over 20 percent," the 42-year-old said. "There is clearly a strong fragmentation both in society and in the political class, and I think we saw that yesterday," he said. ani-anb-kym/sbk

Feds suspend ACA marketplace access to companies accused of falsely promising ‘cash cards’Stitch Fix Announces First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Results

New Orleans mayor launches own 'news' service for the cityGamers are in for a treat with Amazon's Black Friday tech deal offering a significant discount on the Meta Quest headset. The price of the Meta Quest 3 512GB has been slashed to £468.48, down by £151.51 from its usual retail price of £619.99. According to the price tracking website camelcamelcamel, this is the lowest price ever for the device. Other retailers such as Very, Currys and Meta direct have also reduced the price of the gadget, with offers starting from £468.89. In addition to the discounted price, purchasers will receive a complimentary copy of the new Batman: Arkham Shadow game and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+ which includes two free games each month at no additional charge. The Meta Quest 3 is hailed as the brand's 'most powerful' mixed reality headset, delivering 'next-level' performance with more than double the graphic processing power of the Quest 2. For just £468.48, customers can get their hands on the headset, the new Batman: Arkham Shadow game and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+ without any extra charges , as reported by the Express. The device promises a more immersive gaming experience with enhanced visuals, a wider field of vision and a 4K+ Infinite Display, which has increased the resolution from the previous model by nearly 30%. It also boasts rich 3D audio with improved sound clarity, bass performance and a volume range that's 40% louder. Meta has recently introduced a more wallet-friendly option, the Meta Quest 3S , which boasts high-definition gameplay with a resolution of 1832x1920 pixels per eye and comes with 128GB of storage, unlike its counterpart, the 3, which offers 4K resolution and 512GB. Despite this, the 3S houses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor and sports the identical white casing as the 3, making its lower price tag particularly attractive. Currently, the 3S is out of stock on Amazon but can be purchased from other retailers such as Very, Currys, and directly from Meta starting at £275. However, Amazon customers seem to think the Meta Quest 3 justifies its price , having accumulated over 1,500 four and five-star reviews. A particularly enthusiastic review states: "I can't say enough about how incredible this product is. From the moment I unboxed it I was blown away by the sleek design and top-notch quality. The performance [is] out of this world. It works so smoothly and seamlessly that it feels like magic. "Every feature works exactly as advertised and it exceeded my expectations in so many ways. I've used similar products before but this one blows them all out of the water. It's so intuitive that even my non-tech-savvy friends could use it without any trouble. It's rare to come across a product that does everything it promises and more. It's honestly a game-changer, and I can't imagine life without it now." Another enthused: " The Meta Quest 3 is, without a doubt, the perfect VR headset on the market right now. From the moment I put it on, I was impressed by the crystal-clear visuals and the high-quality build. The display resolution and refresh rate make the VR experience incredibly immersive, with no noticeable lag or screen door effect, making every game look stunningly real. "The performance is consistently smooth and the headset's lightweight design means I can comfortably play for extended periods without any discomfort. The setup process was straightforward, and the intuitive controls make it easy to navigate through the VR world." A third satisfied customer chimed in: "Best VR headset so far. The Meta Quest 3 is a breakthrough in mixed reality technology. Its powerful performance, stunning visuals and enhanced audio make it the most impressive Quest headset to date. The integration of virtual elements into your real-world environment is seamless and exciting, turning your home into a new realm of possibilities. Whether you're new to mixed reality or a seasoned user, the Quest 3 offers an extraordinary experience that is both safe and incredibly immersive." Despite being utterly impressed by the VR experience , one review did highlight a drawback, noting: "Its battery which is the biggest feature/factor in such a product is designed to last just a couple of hours initially, which as it makes sense, after months of using it, drops down to just about over an hour, so you can't really enjoy a game, unless you buy powerbanks to keep it charging while you play." The Meta Quest 3 isn't alone in the virtual reality headset arena, with competitors like the PlayStation VR2. For those armed with a PlayStation 5 console , the VR2 is hailed as the 'next generation' of VR gaming, boasting 'intuitive' controls and stunning 4K HDR visuals. Shoppers can find it at various retailers including Amazon for £339 , while Game and PlayStation are selling it for £349.99, slashed from its original price of £529.99.NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted lower Tuesday in the runup to the highlight of the week for the market, the latest update on inflation that’s coming on Wednesday. The S&P 500 dipped 0.3%, a day after pulling back from its latest all-time high . They’re the first back-to-back losses for the index in nearly a month, as momentum slows following a big rally that has it on track for one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 154 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%. Tech titan Oracle dragged on the market and sank 6.7% after reporting growth for the latest quarter that fell just short of analysts’ expectations. It was one of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500, even though CEO Safra Catz said the company saw record demand related to artificial-intelligence technology for its cloud infrastructure business, which trains generative AI models. AI has been a big source of growth that’s helped many companies’ stock prices skyrocket. Oracle’s stock had already leaped more than 80% for the year coming into Tuesday, which raised the bar of expectations for its profit report. In the bond market, Treasury yields ticked higher ahead of Wednesday’s report on the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling. Economists expect it to show similar increases as the month before. Wednesday’s update and a report on Thursday about inflation at the wholesale level will be the final big pieces of data the Federal Reserve will get before its meeting next week, where many investors expect the year’s third cut to interest rates . The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to take pressure off the slowing jobs market, after bringing inflation nearly down to its 2% target. Lower rates would help give support to the economy, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts through next year have been a big reason the S&P 500 has set so many records this year. Trading in the options market suggests traders aren’t expecting a very big move for U.S. stocks following Wednesday’s report, according to strategists at Barclays. But a reading far off expectations in either direction could quickly change that. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.22% from 4.20% late Monday. Even though the Fed has been cutting its main interest rate, mortgage rates have been more stubborn to stay high and have been volatile since the autumn. That has hampered the housing industry, and homebuilder Toll Brothers’ stock fell 6.9% even though it delivered profit and revenue for the latest quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. CEO Douglas Yearley Jr. said the luxury builder has been seeing strong demand since the start of its fiscal year six weeks ago, an encouraging signal as it approaches the beginning of the spring selling season in mid-January. Elsewhere on Wall Street, Alaska Air Group soared 13.2% after raising its forecast for profit in the current quarter. The airline said demand for flying around the holidays has been stronger than expected. It also approved a plan to buy back up to $1 billion of its stock, along with new service from Seattle to Tokyo and Seoul . Boeing climbed 4.5% after saying it’s resuming production of its bestselling plane , the 737 Max, for the first time since 33,000 workers began a seven-week strike that ended in early November. Vail Resorts rose 2.5% after the ski resort operator reported a smaller first-quarter loss than analysts expected in what is traditionally its worst quarter. All told, the S&P 500 fell 17.94 points to 6,034.91. The Dow dipped 154.10 to 44,247.83, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 49.45 to 19,687.24. In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed in China after the world’s second-largest economy said its exports rose by less than expected in November. Stocks rose 0.6% in Shanghai but fell 0.5% in Hong Kong. Indexes fell across much of Europe ahead of a meeting this week by the European Central Bank, where the widespread expectation is for another cut in interest rates. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

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