OASIS, Coldplay and Dua Lipa will help drive a predicted £7billion into the UK economy next year. The British acts’ huge tours are contributing to what people in the industry are dubbing the biggest year ever for live music. Advertisement 21 Britain is set for a huge year of gigs and music tours in 2025 from stars including Dua Lipa, Coldplay and Oasis The massive appetite for tickets means concerts in the UK will help trounce the £6.1billion brought to our economy in 2023. And it is even ready to top the boost given to Britain by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour this summer, which is now the highest-grossing tour of all time. Leading talent manager Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE, whose company Chosen Music has worked with many international artists, said: “People are embracing the live music experience more than ever before. “With the rise of social media, many younger people are spending more time online and less time together in person. Advertisement READ MORE ON MUSIC FAT CHANCE Huge Brit DJ reveals he'll NEVER release another album & has lost love for music SLADE ON THE SLIDE Rows & tragedy saw Slade go from UK's biggest band to playing tiny gigs “As a result, the demand for shared, memorable, communal experiences, such as live concerts, has never been higher. “The UK’s 2025 live music calendar is already packed with huge names such as Dua Lipa , Oasis, Katy Perry, Sabrina Carpenter, Coldplay, Gracie Abrams, Teddy Swims and Billie Eilish , all contributing to the anticipation for what will surely be a landmark year for live music. “Moreover, record companies are recognising the power of live shows to boost music sales by offering bundled concert tickets with album purchases, catering to passionate fans eager for exclusive experiences. “With so much competition in the market, artists are being forced to be more creative with their offerings and their performances, ensuring their live shows are an unforgettable experience.” Advertisement Most read in Music BLANKED SPACE Taylor Swift 'ghosted' £1,000 tartan gift from Scots council be the one Dua Lipa looks loved up with Callum Turner in first snap since engagement CHLOE SO GLOWY Chloe Bennet shows some leg in split yellow skirt at LA premiere of new show Love lessons Emmerdale’s Kelvin Fletcher opens up about family after brief split from wife Lana Del Rey, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo , 50 Cent , Sam Fender and Iron Maiden have already helped drive huge revenues with their shows for 2025. R&B stars including Nelly , Sean Paul, Ashanti and Eve will also be helping to boost takings with nostalgia-driven shows. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin stops show in Sydney to save young boy in heartwarming A music industry source said: “Billions have already been generated in ticket sales, but there will be even more added from hotels, travel, food and drink. “It is becoming an increasingly lucrative market and 2025 will be the biggest year ever for live music. Advertisement “The industry is braced for a bumper year.” Billy Joel 21 Billy Joel is coming to Edinburgh and Liverpool Credit: Getty THE Piano Man will play his only Europe shows of 2025 in Edinburgh on June 7 and in Liverpool on June 21 – his first appearances in both cities for 46 years. Iron Maiden 21 Iron Maiden’s Run For Your Lives world tour includes shows in Birmingham, Manchester, London and Glasgow Credit: Getty Advertisement MARKING 50 years as a group, Iron Maiden’s Run For Your Lives world tour includes shows in Birmingham, Manchester, London and Glasgow in June. Billie Eilish 21 Billie Eilish will bring her Hit Me Hard And Soft tour to Glasgow and Dublin Credit: Getty TOURING the nation in July for the Hit Me Hard And Soft tour, beginning at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro. Her final night is at Dublin’s 3Arena on July 27. Advertisement Katy Perry 21 Katy Perry is back in Britain in October Credit: Getty SEVEN years after her last arena tour, she is back here in October for the Lifetimes Tour, hitting Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham and London. Imagine Dragons 21 Imagine Dragons will bring their LOOM World Tour to London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for two nights in July Credit: Getty ONE of the most popular pop-rock bands around, they will bring their LOOM World Tour to London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for two nights in July, with support from Declan McKenna. Advertisement Scissor Sisters 21 The Scissor Sisters will reunite for a UK tour in May Credit: Getty CELEBRATING the 21st anniversary of their self-titled debut album, the American Take Your Mama group will reunite for a UK tour in May. Dua Lipa June 20 – 27 21 Dua Lipa is doing a stadium tour Credit: Getty Advertisement SHE sold out her Future Nostalgia arena tour last year and this time is upgrading to stadiums. Dua has two nights at London’s Wembley Stadium and will play a further two dates at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium, plus another at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. It follows her Glasto headline performance this summer. Coldplay Aug 22–Sep 8 Advertisement 21 Coldplay are the first band ever to sell out ten nights at Wembley Stadium in a single year Credit: Getty THEY are the first band ever to sell out ten nights at Wembley Stadium in a single year – and they follow six sold-out shows there in 2022 on the same tour. Coldplay will kick off the final swansong of their Music Of The Spheres world tour with two nights at Hull’s Craven Park, before their residency in London. The tour has grossed more than £1billion. Advertisement Olivia Rodrigo Jun 24–Jul 1 21 On top of many other shows, Olivia Rodrigo will headline her own day at BST Hyde Park in London Credit: Getty SHE only completed the Guts World Tour in October, but Olivia will now keep the party going into 2025. As well as two rescheduled shows in Manchester, she will top the bill at Dublin’s Marlay Park and is heavily rumoured to be a headliner at Glastonbury. Advertisement The singing sensation, who has had hits including Deja Vu, Vampire and Drivers License, will also headline her own day at BST Hyde Park in London. Robbie Williams May 31–Jun 14, Aug 23 21 Robbie Williams will play two nights at London’s Emirates Stadium and concerts in Manchester, Bath and Dublin in 2025 Credit: Getty ROBBIE will be embarking on a huge tour, 30 years after his departure from Take That. Advertisement Fresh from his biopic Better Man hitting cinemas, he will headline Newcastle’s inaugural Come Together Festival on June 4. Then there will be two nights at London’s Emirates Stadium and concerts in Manchester, Bath and Dublin. Sabrina Carpenter March 3 -14, Jul 5 21 Popstar Sabrina Carpenter is at the height of her fame Credit: Getty Advertisement AFTER an incredible 21 weeks at number one this year, Sabrina is ready to take the UK by storm with her Short 'N' Sweet tour. She sold out all eight arena shows in Dublin, Birmingham, London Glasgow Manchester as well as a 65,000 ticket headline concert at BST Hyde Park in July. The Espresso singer's tour which began in the states in September has received rave reviews. Lana Del Rey Jun 23-Jul 4 Advertisement 21 Lana Del Rey will play her first stadium tour here in the UK Credit: Getty THE brooding American will play her first stadium tour here in the UK. She will start in Cardiff, before shows in Glasgow, Liverpool and London, most of which has sold out. Fans will also get to hear new music from the six-time chart-topper as she will release her record, The Right Person Will Stay, in May before hitting the road. Advertisement Oasis Jul 4-Aug 17, Sep 27-28 21 The Oasis reunion announcement made headlines around the world IT is the reunion that no one thought would ever happen. Noel and Liam Gallagher have put aside their 16-year rift to kick off Oasis’s comeback at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on July 4. Advertisement They then play shows in Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin, and return to London in September for two more shows following a stint in the US. Bruce Springsteen May 14-20 and Jun 4, 7 21 Hundreds of thousands of fans are ready to turn out for three Bruce Springsteen shows Credit: Getty HE has been in music for more than 50 years and The Boss will continue to bring in the crowds. Advertisement Hundreds of thousands of fans are ready to turn out for three shows at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena and a further two nights at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium. Bruce will be accompanied by his E Street Band for the shows. Usher 21 Usher will play ten nights at London’s O2 Arena Credit: Getty THE American R&B superstar will play ten nights at London’s O2 Arena between March and May as part of his Past Present Future tour. Advertisement Busted v McFly 21 Busted will go head-to-head against McFly - pictured Busted's James Bourne Credit: Getty THE two Noughties pop-rock groups will go head-to-head on a 32-show tour across the UK and Ireland, kicking off in September. Kylie Minogue 21 Kylie Minogue fans will be looking forward to May Credit: Getty SIX years after her last tour, the Aussie pop princess will return to the stage for her Tension Tour, in the UK from May to early June. Advertisement ELO 21 ELO will bow out permanently in July Credit: Getty - Contributor JEFF LYNNE’s Electric Light Orchestra will bow out of music for ever in July, with gigs in Birmingham and Manchester and their final show at BST Hyde Park on July 13. Read more on the Scottish Sun GHOST TOWN Former Scots shopping hotspot 'decaying' as multimillion pound revamp ‘failing’ VAX HORROR Striken Scots 'gaslit' by health bosses after complications from Covid vaccine Olly Murs 21 Olly Murs will tour the length and breadth of the country from April to May Credit: Getty X FACTOR’s cheeky chappy will tour the length and breadth of the country from April to May before a packed schedule of summer shows from June to August. Advertisement Sam Fender 21 Sam Fender headlines London Stadium on June 6 Credit: Getty HIS album People Watching will be out in February, which gives fans plenty of time to learn it before he headlines London Stadium on June 6, and three nights at Newcastle’s St James’ Park later in the month.US Stocks Rise as Market Heads for Fifth Gain in a Row
NFL Week 12: Seahawks vs Cardinals NFL TV coverage map and commentators - Field GullsThe 2024-25 N.J. indoor track season opened yesterday, but most teams and athletes won’t get their action underway until the third week of the month. Until then, NJ.com has you covered with a comprehensive preview package to keep you engaged and up to date with everything going on throughout the next few weeks. Things to know Key Dates Group and Sectional Classifications Returning All-State & All Group Selections: Boys | Girls Compelling storylines to watch in 2024-25 (Coming Dec. 16) Runners to watch Boys Runners Girls Runners (Coming Dec. 11) Teams to watch (Coming Dec. 14) Boys Teams Girls Teams Preseason Fab 50 (Coming Dec. 19) Boys Fab 50 Girls Fab 50 Bakari Tice can be reached at btice@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him on X at @BakariTice . The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)SNAX stock hits 52-week low at $0.74 amid market challenges
JERUSALEM — Israel approved a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire, starting at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday, would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. In this screen grab image from video provide by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a televised statement Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Israel says it will ‘attack with might’ if Hezbollah breaks truce Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” A police bomb squad officer inspects the site where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024. Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Rescuers and residents search for victims Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Beirut, Lebanon. Warplanes bombard Beirut and its southern suburbs Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. The warnings sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. Israeli forces reach Litani River in southern Lebanon The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few miles from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 20 miles north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israeli security officers and army soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!Former US president Jimmy Carter dies aged 100
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City's players were booed by their own fans Tuesday after blowing a three-goal lead against Feyenoord in the Champions League to extend their winless run to six games. Jeers rang around the Etihad Stadium after the final whistle of a dramatic 3-3 draw. After five-straight losses in all competitions, City looked to be cruising to victory after going three up inside 50 minutes. But Feyenoord mounted an improbable comeback and leveled the game in the 89th minute to leave the home crowd stunned. While the worst losing streak of Guardiola’s managerial career was brought to an end, his wait for a first win since Oct. 26 goes on. Erling Haaland had scored twice, with Ilkay Gundogan also on target to put City in control. But goals from Anis Hadj Moussa in the 75th, Santiago Gimenez in the 82nd and David Hancko in the 89th turned the game on its head. City's players, including Bernardo Silva, Josko Gvardiol and Haaland looked visibly frustrated as they left the field to cheers of the delirious traveling Dutch fans in the away section of the stadium. City plays Premier League leader Liverpool on Sunday — defeat would leave it 11 points adrift of its title rival. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerWINNIPEG — Kyle Walters doesn’t believe losing a third consecutive Grey Cup means the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ roster should be blown up. The CFL club’s general manager told reporters at his year-end availability Tuesday that reaching a fifth straight championship game by overcoming lots of injuries was a big accomplishment. Even before Winnipeg’s recent 41-24 Grey Cup loss to the Toronto Argonauts, Walters said he was looking forward to next season. “I was excited for next year based on what I’m looking at, compared to years past, where we’ve got more young guys that have contributed that are under contract,” he said. “We’ve got more young players in the building. So, the idea of, ‘This is the end of the road. The team is in a free-for-all downward,’ I don’t think is accurate. “We have a good group of guys and we were in a one-point (Grey Cup) game with 10 minutes left ... before things went downhill.” The Blue Bombers started the season 0-4, moved to 2-6 and finished 11-7 to claim the West Division title. Star receiver Dalton Schoen, veteran linebacker Adam Bighill and backup quarterback Chris Streveler all suffered season-ending injuries and are pending free agents. Negotiating with the team’s 27 unsigned players could be impacted by moves across the league among coaches, personnel staff and players such as quarterbacks, Walters said. The Bombers have given permission for offensive coordinator Buck Pierce to speak to the B.C. Lions and Edmonton Elks about those teams’ vacant head-coaching jobs, he said. Walters also revealed the Ottawa Redblacks were given the go-ahead to talk to Richie Hall about their defensive coordinator vacancy. Hall was a Winnipeg defensive assistant this season after Jordan Younger took over from him as defensive coordinator. Walters said the Bombers received permission to speak to Lions offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic in case Pierce leaves. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have already been given the OK to talk to Winnipeg assistant general managers Danny McManus and Ted Goveia about the Ticats’ GM opening. “You’re hesitant to have too much conversation with people who may not be in the organization next year, so it’s just been me and (head coach) Mike (O’Shea) in this moment huddled together and talking about next year,” Walters said. He said an NFL team had asked Tuesday morning to work out one Blue Bomber, but he didn’t reveal the player’s name in case he wasn’t aware of the request yet. The Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup in 2019 and ’21, but lost 28-24 to the Montreal Alouettes last year and 24-23 to Toronto in 2022. Winnipeg re-signed placekicker Sergio Castillo last week. Walters said he’d like to have deals done with three or four main players before the end of the year. The team has some up-and-coming young players inked for next year, and injuries gave others valuable experience on both sides of the ball, Walters said. Receivers such as rookie Ontaria Wilson (1,026 yards receiving in 18 games) and Keric Wheatfall (273 yards in seven games) are signed through next season. “The experience that they got was invaluable,” Walters said. Re-signing players who missed time because of injuries can get tricky. “Organizationally, can we approach (their agents) and say, ‘Well, your guy was hurt, he should come back for less money?’” Walters said. “Generally, they don’t view it like that. They view that they’ll be back 100 per cent.” One question mark is the backup to starting quarterback Zach Collaros, who suffered a deep cut to the index finger of his throwing hand late in the third quarter of the Grey Cup. Collaros got five stitches and numbing agent applied to his finger. He returned with a bandage on it, but admitted he had a hard time gripping the ball. “We’ll have to find out who our offensive coordinator is first,” Walters said when asked who might be Collaros’s backup. Terry Wilson, who briefly replaced Collaros in the Grey Cup, and Jake Dolegala are signed for next year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
Yankees should avoid trading for White Sox star outfielderLuigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation's top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. But Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sharply refuted that perception after Mangione's arrest on Monday when a customer at a McDonald's restaurant in Pennsylvania spotted Mangione eating and noticed he resembled the shooting suspect in security-camera photos released by New York police. “In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this, he is no hero,” Shapiro said. “The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this morning.” Mangione's family and upbringing Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather, Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. Reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. Nick Mangione had 37 grandchildren, including Luigi, according to the grandfather's obituary. Luigi Mangione’s grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes, including Catholic organizations, colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media by Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” Mangione's education and work history Mangione, who was valedictorian of his elite Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts suggest he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. The children of some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent residents, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have attended the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” Mangione took a software programming internship after high school at Maryland-based video game studio Firaxis, where he fixed bugs on the hit strategy game Civilization 6, according to a LinkedIn profile. Firaxis' parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said it would not comment on former employees. He more recently worked at the car-buying website TrueCar, but has not worked there since 2023, the head of the Santa Monica, California -based company confirmed to the AP. Time in Hawaii and reports of back pain From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, including surfing, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back,” Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. An image posted to a social media account linked to Mangione showed what appeared to be an X-ray of a metal rod and multiple screws inserted into someone's lower spine. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. An X account linked to Mangione includes recent posts about the negative impact of smartphones on children; healthy eating and exercise habits; psychological theories; and a quote from Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti about the dangers of becoming “well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” Police report a darker turn Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by AP. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. ___ Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio ; and Michael Kunzelman in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
(The Center Square) – Paula Scanlan is hopeful the narrative around gender ideology is shifting, especially as Republicans prepare for majorities in both chambers of the 119th Congress and a seat in the White House. “I am hopeful that with the majorities now that we will be able to get across the finish line,” Scanlan told The Center Square on Thursday, speaking of more legislation on the way to protect women's spaces. “Obviously, this goes beyond sports ... So ideally, I think that the biggest thing would be to federally pass something that says this is what a woman is.” Scanlan a day earlier was part of a panel where U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., announced that Republicans plan to soon introduce legislation to “protect children from transgender medical procedures.” A report from the advocacy group Do No Harm released four weeks before Election Day included documented evidence of such activity being performed on a 7-year-old . “We’ll be introducing the STOP Act soon,” said Marshall . “We are going to use the Commerce Act to punish people who perform any type of surgery, or who use any type of medications on minors.” STOP is an acronym for Safeguarding the Overall Protection of Minors. The panel said that the legislation is an important and necessary step to protect children. Scanlan and Marshall, a host with the American Principles Project, were on the panel alongside U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.; U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill.; Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project; and Sarah Parshall Perry, senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation. “We all know by now that so-called gender affirming care is anything but caring,” Tuberville said. “It is pure insanity and has caused irreversible damage to countless children. This isn’t about politics, this is about good and evil.” Scanlan is an ambassador for Independent Women's Voice and a former collegiate swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania. Swimming for the Quakers, she and teammates endured being not only on the same team but in the same locker room as a swimmer who for the first three years swam on the men's team. “I was a swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania and the administration, the university and the NCAA said , ‘Here's a man who wants to swim on your team, please accept him,’” she explained during the panel. “This entire situation really made all female athletes feel isolated and alone, and like they know where to go.” Scanlan said that it wasn’t just competing that isolated the female athletes. “Eighteen times per week, my teammates and I were forced to undress next to a 6-foot-4, fully-intact male,” Scanlan said. “As a female athlete, this was just something I couldn't even imagine. It was something I never imagined would happen to me when I went off to college.” The STOP Act is one of a few beginnings. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., has proposed legislation seeking to protect women’s spaces on all federal property nationwide. This would include bathrooms, locker rooms and prisons. Scanlan said this shows that public opinion is on the side of her and the panel. “This is really the first time we're seeing more of these people in power stepping up and actually doing the right thing and saying enough is enough” she said. “Now, we are looking at entire teams that are feeling empowered to be able to boycott ... or object to competing against males. It's widespread.” A notable case of that is San Jose State, where Blaire Fleming's participation has led to seven opponents forfeiting rather than playing a women's team that includes a man saying he is a woman. Tuberville and Marshall emphasized they believe the majority of Americans would agree with the proposed legislation. "The American people are sick of this nonsense," Tuberville said . "It’s time we restore some sanity and get common sense back in this country." Scanlan said that while she supports the national legislation Republicans are considering, it is important for states to also continue to pass legislation. “I always remind people who are really excited about having a presidency that we don't know what might happen in four years," she said. "So, of course, it's also important to codify this in states. We are going to continue our efforts. There's still a lot of work to be done, and I don't really see it as a win until we've finished this on the state level.”U.S. Bancorp ( NYSE:USB – Get Free Report ) declared a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, December 10th, RTT News reports. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be paid a dividend of 0.50 per share by the financial services provider on Wednesday, January 15th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.12%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. U.S. Bancorp has raised its dividend by an average of 4.7% per year over the last three years and has increased its dividend every year for the last 14 years. U.S. Bancorp has a payout ratio of 46.3% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect U.S. Bancorp to earn $4.31 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $2.00 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 46.4%. U.S. Bancorp Stock Down 1.1 % U.S. Bancorp stock opened at $48.49 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 0.81. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $50.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $45.89. U.S. Bancorp has a fifty-two week low of $37.81 and a fifty-two week high of $53.98. The company has a market capitalization of $75.65 billion, a PE ratio of 14.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.03 and a beta of 1.03. U.S. Bancorp announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Thursday, September 12th that allows the company to buyback $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to repurchase up to 7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued. Insiders Place Their Bets In other U.S. Bancorp news, insider Jodi L. Richard sold 25,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.03, for a total transaction of $1,225,750.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 129,790 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,363,603.70. This trade represents a 16.15 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . 0.23% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades USB has been the subject of several recent research reports. Stephens raised their price objective on shares of U.S. Bancorp from $49.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Robert W. Baird set a $54.00 price target on shares of U.S. Bancorp in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Barclays upped their price objective on U.S. Bancorp from $52.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Evercore ISI lifted their target price on U.S. Bancorp from $51.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded U.S. Bancorp from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $54.00 to $57.00 in a report on Monday, September 30th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $53.68. Read Our Latest Research Report on U.S. Bancorp About U.S. Bancorp ( Get Free Report ) U.S. Bancorp, a financial services holding company, provides various financial services to individuals, businesses, institutional organizations, governmental entities, and other financial institutions in the United States. It operates through Wealth, Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking; Consumer and Business Banking; Payment Services; and Treasury and Corporate Support segments. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for U.S. Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for U.S. Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Infinity Nikki was developed in secret for over a year, calling in former Breath of the Wild and The Witcher 3 talent to realize its open world
VANCOUVER - British Columbia business owner Joe Chaput will spend $5,500 a month on security guards during the holiday season and plans on upgrading his store’s video camera system for around $5,000 more. He’s not selling luxury brands or expensive jewels. Chaput sells cheese, and at Christmas, cheese is a hot commodity. He is the co-owner of specialty cheese store les amis du Fromage, with two locations in Vancouver. While cheeselifting is rare in their Kitsilano store, the outlet in East Vancouver is hit in waves, with nothing happening for a month, then three of four people trying to steal their inventory within a week. “Sometimes, you miss it. Sometimes, you catch it. The way shoplifters behave ... they tend to gravitate toward expensive things,” said Chaput. Expensive cheese is on shoplifters’ Christmas list, he said. “They tend to do the classic examples of staying away from customer service and trying to go to a different part of the store so they can be left alone to steal.” Chaput isn’t alone. Police say food-related crimes on are the rise in Canada and as prices climb for items such as cheese and butter, they become lucrative on the black market for organized crime groups, not to mention theft for local resale. Sylvain Charlebois, the director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-food Analytics Lab, said a black market tends to emerge as soon as food prices surge. “Organized crime will steal anything (if) they know they can sell it and so, they probably would have known who their clients are before even stealing anything at all, and that’s how a black market is organized,” said Charlebois. He said he believes there are two categories of people shoplifting — those who do so out of desperation because they can’t afford the food, or organized criminals, profiting from sales on the black market. Mounties in North Vancouver made cheesy headlines when they ran into a man with a cart of stolen cheese in the middle of the night in September. The cheese, valued at $12,800, was from a nearby Whole Foods Store. While the cheese was recovered, it had to be disposed of because it hadn’t been refrigerated. Const. Mansoor Sahak, with the North Vancouver RCMP, said officers believe cheese is targeted because it’s “profitable to resell.” “If they are drug addicts, they will commit further crimes with that or feed their drug habits. It’s a vicious cycle,” said Sahak. Sahak said meat is also a top target for grocery thieves, with store losses sometimes in the thousands. “So, we’re not surprised that this happened,” said Sahak. Police in Ontario have been chasing down slippery shoplifters going after butter. Scott Tracey, a spokesman with Guelph Police Service, said there have been eight or nine butter thefts over the last year, including one theft last December worth $1,000. In October, two men walked into a local grocer and filled their carts with cases of butter valued at $936, and four days later a Guelph grocer lost four cases valued at $958. Tracey said he has looked at online marketplaces and found listings by people selling 20 or 30 pounds of butter at a time. “Clearly, somebody didn’t accidentally buy 30 extra pounds of butter. So, they must have come from somewhere,” said Tracey, “I think at this point it appears to be the black market is where it’s headed.” He said the thefts seem to be organized, with two or three people working together in each case. Police in Brantford, Ont., are also investigating the theft of about $1,200 worth of butter from a store on Nov. 4. Charlebois said retailers could invest in prevention technologies like electronic tags, but putting them on butter or cheese is rare. He said up until recently grocery store theft has been a “taboo subject for many years.” Stores didn’t wanted to talk about thefts because they didn’t want to alarm people but now they feel they need to build awareness about what is “becoming a huge problem,” said Charlebois. Chaput, the cheese store owner, said he had been running the East Vancouver store for 15 years while managing the store in Kitsilano for 30 years, and he loves his customers. “It’s really one of the best parts of our businesses, seeing familiar faces and making new customers. It’s why we come to work, really. Partly it’s the cheese, and partly it’s the people,” said Chaput. He said his strategy to combat would-be thieves is to give them extra customer service to make it harder for them to steal. He admits, however, that the shoplifting causes him stress. “It’s challenging. You’re busy trying to run your business day to day and take care of customers and take care of employees. Having to deal with criminals, just kind of scratches away. It can be a bit exhausting,” said Chaput. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2024.
Cardiff microwave factory of Panasonic will generate all its power needs from renewables“I hope that I use my time wisely as a new retiree,” said M., when asked what her hope was for 2025. She spent her best years as a guidance counselor at a private school in Quezon City. “I hope to practice mindfulness by decluttering my space, gardening, and journaling.” In the light of the myriad of mental health sufferers among our students, her comment betrays the pressure counselors are under as well. M., however, belongs to a generation whose hope extends to the community. She quickly added: “On the macro level: I yearn for the election of honest, competent, service-oriented government officials. And that we Filipinos remember and honor the legacy of our heroic forebears, taking pride in our identity.” Recent literature in hope studies indicates that most people “have become accustomed to dreaming big at the individual scale. On the collective level, however, our hope is failing us.” As interest rates go down and election season begins, people’s hopes are palpably high. The promise of money, fame, and self-realization will be fulfilled once more. But what about collective hope? Are we seeing a brighter future for our communities and nation as a whole? I asked two political scientists if they had high hopes for the coming year. Hansley Juliano, who is currently working for his PhD from Nagoya University, said: “Personally, my hope lies in my engagement with my students and the organizations and advocates who still persist in fighting for our rights and necessary policies even in hostile situations. Even the hardest and most hostile times were made lighter by those who stood by what they believe in, sometimes at great cost to themselves and those they care about — mostly because they are trying to protect the ones they love anyway.” I didn’t ask any more for the gory details of the rights and policies the students were fighting for nor what price they had to pay for protecting their loved ones. This means, however, that hope is not the optimism that things will turn out fine. One has to dig deep to find hope through concrete action. Must Read 90% of Filipinos hopeful for New Year, but that’s a 15-year low — SWS People run away from hope because it is dangerous. It requires a form of dissent which is not rebelliousness. It is not rebellious because it is realistic. It demands an honest-to-goodness look at the situation and an acknowledgment of facts. It is nonetheless dissenting, for one does not simply accept the things as they are and he or she becomes open to new solutions. Unlike optimism, hope exercises intellectual humility of not shaping reality as we see fit. As they say, “If they say there will be mass deportations in the US, we better believe them.” Arj Aguirre, assistant professor at Ateneo de Manila University, said: “I am hoping that our midterms will be peaceful and less violent.... In this election, I am excited to see how our opposition is trying to survive despite being out of power for many years. This is, to me, is an indication, that we are indeed maturing. As you can see, some politicians are sticking to their party. They stay despite the temptation of party switching just to win.” Essentially a warning that things will get worse before they get better, the midterm elections will most likely be violent. People buzz about “ foreign malign influence .” The opposition, while not completely dead, is in survival mode. Does this mean that democracy itself is in survival mode? Evidences from the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia force us conclude this. One gleans a hint of spiritedness in Aguirre’s words, though, perhaps fueled by inside information of what is going on in the opposition. Both Juliano and Aguirre observe that enough political actors are doubling down, sticking to their convictions, despite the great convenience of becoming a political opportunist. We can share their stories more than the dominant narrative that the political landscape is infested by turncoats and butterflies. Furthermore, a physician and a Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary Officer, wishes “for stability in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and that the WPS be protected from marine destruction.” Father Ted Gonzales, president of the Center for Family Ministries, emphasizes: “Give jobs, not ayuda .... Identify corruption and codependency as another form of sin to the nation. Invest in quality and critical education instead of making people remain ignorant. Make education and healthy lifestyle with integrity a priority as a national value.” Both involved in active duty, their hope is having a sense of agency. Hope is acting with purpose and intentionality. Even more crucially, it is making sure actions align with one’s purpose. A nation of codependents and without agency will be weak, uncreative, and not ready for battle. Crucial in hope is the capacity to do something about the situation. Hope is the capacity to ask the question: Now that nothing can be done, what can be done? Must Read [REFLECTION] ‘Hope is not dead’ – Pope Francis Even if the enemies are literally hidden in plain sight and that government continues to sabotage its development plan, what can still be done? “Make good coffee!” A slogan that was born during Occupy Wall Street, it is a code for inviting people for a serious conversation. In isolation, the situation will seem bleak; with true comrades, anything is possible. One’s allies may not even be alive. As veteran journalist Howie Severino says: “Just before every new year we remember Jose Rizal on December 30. Sharing a nation with such a man reminds me that we’re a work in progress to something much better.” Finally, for Jesuit Father General, Arturo Sosa, in 2025 we are called for “a more interior knowledge of Jesus Christ.” This year we can go beyond piety and truly discover Christ in the living and breathing stories of our countrymen here and abroad. The hope of 2025 lies in our capacity to be galvanized by the call of our times. We just need to find the courage to refused to be engulfed by the darkness and say yes to the Yes! – Rappler.com Jovino G. Miroy teaches philosophy at Ateneo de Manila University. In 2018, he directed “Ang Apologia ni Sokrates salin ni R. Ferriols,” featuring Ron Capinding.