4÷88

Topline A New York Police Department official said Thursday they have “no indication” that Luigi Mangione—the 26-year-old suspect in last week’s fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson—was a client of UnitedHealthcare, a development that comes as police gather more physical evidence allegedly connecting Mangione to the crime. Key Facts Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here . What We Know About Brian Thompson’s Murder Thompson, 50, was the CEO of the health insurance division of the $550 billion UnitedHealth Group and was in New York City on Wednesday for UnitedHealth Group’s investor meeting. He was shot from behind just before 7 a.m. on Dec. 4 outside of the New York Hilton Midtown—where the meeting was being held—and was hit in the back and right calf, after which the suspect fled the area on foot and on an electric bike. A Minnesota resident, Thompson had served as chief executive since April 2021 and had been with UnitedHealth Group since 2004. A video of the shooting showed the suspect walk out behind Thompson—who did not have a security detail—before firing multiple times. Prior to Mangione’s arrest, police said they believed the shooting was “a brazen targeted attack” and searched New York City before saying they believed the suspect had left the city on a bus. Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News “there had been some threats,” but didn’t provide details on what the threats were. Thompson had two sons, one who just graduated from high school and one still in high school. Police had been searching for the gunman by utilizing diving teams in Central Park, flying helicopters, searching through security cameras in the area, maintaining drones and using dogs. They released several photos of the suspected shooter since Wednesday. What Do We Know About Luigi Mangione? Mangione, a Maryland native, was last known to be living in Honolulu, has no prior arrest history in New York or elsewhere in the country, and he may have attended college in Pennsylvania, police said. Social media pages that appeared to be Mangione’s said he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with bachelor's and master's degrees in computer and information science in 2020, after attending the Gilman School for high school. A LinkedIn page appearing to belong to Mangione describes internships at the Johns Hopkins Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics and Firaxis Games before going on to work as an engineer for TrueCar, a car shopping website based in California, where he’d been employed for four years. The Times also reported Mangione worked as a counselor in the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies Program in 2019. How Was Luigi Mangione Caught? New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Mangione was recognized in a McDonald’s in Altoona and was reported to local police, who then found he had “multiple fraudulent IDs,” a U.S. passport, a firearm and suppressor similar to what was used in the murder and a “handwritten document that speaks to both his motivation and mindset.” Officers reportedly asked Mangione if he was in New York recently, which resulted in him becoming quiet and shaking, according to a description of his arrest. A man named Larry who said he was a regular at the McDonald’s told Fox News his friend recognized Mangione and said he “looks like the shooter from New York,” but Larry thought he was kidding—“but then as it turned out, it was him.” Though his face was largely covered in most pictures law enforcement released, officials credited the images that were circulating of Mangione for him eventually being spotted and taken into custody. Pennsylvania State Police released a new photo Tuesday morning of Mangione eating what appears to be a McDonald’s hash brown with his mask down and wearing a beanie and dark coat. They are asking for help and information about Mangione’s “travel and recent whereabouts in Pennsylvania,” though Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said authorities believe Mangione had been all over the state and officials had “already identified businesses, for example, that he frequented in this area and activities that he engaged in.” A hotel clerk in Altoona told ABC News that Mangione tried to get a room at the hotel—which is about a 17-minute walk from McDonald’s—the morning he was arrested, but the hotel didn’t have any clean rooms, so Mangione, who the clerk described as “cagey, just looking around, making sure he wasn't being watched,” was turned away. What Has Luigi Mangione Been Charged With? He faces second-degree murder , gun and forgery charges in New York state. In New York, first-degree murder charges are reserved for killings with aggravated circumstances, such as those involving police officers, torture or if someone is hired to kill. Mangione was also initially charged in Pennsylvania with forgery, carrying firearms without a license, tampering with records or identification, possessing instruments of a crime and providing false identification to law enforcement. He was ordered in his arraignment Monday night to be held without bail, and has been placed in a single cell at the “maximum custody level,” Maria Bivens, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, told CNN . The New York Times reported Tuesday afternoon that Mangione will be moved from a prison in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, to Blair County Prison, where he will wait for his New York arrest warrant to be executed. When Will Luigi Mangione Appear In Court Next? Mangione appeared in court in Pennsylvania shortly after 1:30 p.m. EST on Dec. 10 for an extradition hearing and said he would be fighting extradition. He was arraigned on the Pennsylvania charges the night of Dec. 9, and a preliminary hearing in that state is scheduled for Dec. 23. On Thursday, a judge set a hearing for 1 p.m. on Dec. 30 to address Mangione’s extradition fight and request for bail. What Do We Know About Mangione’s Prison Conditions? NewsNation conducted an interview outside of the prison Mangione is being held in on Wednesday with inmates who were watching the show on television and yelling answers out to a field reporter. Inmates can be heard yelling “Luigi’s conditions suck!” and “free Luigi!” in the interview. CBS News reported Mangione is being held in a single cell, but is not in solitary confinement. A prison official told CBS Mangione does not get to interact with other inmates, but he has not been violent and is not on suicide watch. What Has Luigi Mangione’s Lawyer Said About The Case? Thomas Dickey told reporters he had been hired to represent Mangione in this case but refused to disclose if Mangione’s family was paying to retain his services. In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, he said he had not seen any evidence that the police have arrested the right guy in this case, adding that the New York officials requesting Mangione’s extradition will have to convince him. Dickey also disclosed that several people had emailed his staff offering to foot Mangione’s legal bills, but said while his “client appreciates the support that he has,” he “probably wouldn’t” accept the offers. In a CNN interview Wednesday , Dickey questioned the evidence police had against Mangione—specifically the ballistics and fingerprint evidence—saying those two forms of evidence have “come under some criticism in the past, relative to their credibility, their truthfulness, their accuracy.” What’s Known About Luigi Mangione's Alleged Ghost Gun? A description of Mangione’s arrest notes officers found a 3D-printed pistol and 3D-printed silencer in his backpack. The pistol was loaded with a Glock magazine containing six nine-millimeter full metal jacket rounds. A loose nine-millimeter hollow point round was also found in the backpack. Authorities have said the gun and silencer are consistent with the firearm used in the shooting of Thompson. Have Police Named A Motive? Police have not named a formal motive in the killing of Thompson—but have suggested Mangione had issues with the insurance industry. Officers found three 9mm rounds at the scene and bullet casings had the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” on them, which echo a phrase commonly used to criticize tactics insurance companies use to reject claims. At a Monday press conference, NYPD’s Kenny said a three-page handwritten manifesto found on Mangione when he was arrested is in the possession of Altoona police, but “it does seem that he has some ill will toward corporate America.” Kenny also said there were no other “specific threats” to people in the document. Citing an unnamed law enforcement official, the Associated Press reported that in the document mentioned Mangione admitted to working alone, stating: “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone.” The note added, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” What Has The Response To Luigi Mangione Been Online? There has been a flood of people supporting Mangione on social media platforms, with some offering to pay his bills and a number of GoFundMe campaigns popping up to offer financial support (though GoFundMe told Fox Business the fundraisers violated policy, were removed and donors were reimbursed). Some social media users have commented on his physical appearance and called him a hero , and accounts providing updates on Mangione have popped up on sites like X, formerly known as Twitter. On Tuesday, The Cut reported “Magione merch is everywhere” and The Washington Post reported merchandise with the words reportedly found on the bullet casings found at the scene was being sold on sites like Amazon and Etsy, though much of it was later removed. An assistant professor at Mangione’s alma mater received backlash after calling Mangione the “icon we all need and deserve” on Instagram and saying in a TikTok she had “never been prouder to be a professor” at the University of Pennsylvania, USA Today reported . The professor, Julia Alekseyeva, later apologized , but at least one lawmaker has called on the university to fire her, Fox News reported Thursday. One expert in social media told The New York Times the response supporting Mangione was “organic” as “people are legitimately actually pissed off at the health care industry, and there is some kind of support for vigilante justice.” On Wednesday, the NYPD’s deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner said the impact of the situation is “similar to that of a domestic terror attack,” adding: “That is already being reflected in this torrent of online vitriol that we’ve been in the midst of since last Wednesday and the lionization of the alleged perpetrator of the murder as a hero.” What We Know About An Online Fundraiser For Mangione's Legal Defense An online fundraiser on GiveSendGo to cover Mangione’s legal defense costs has raised more than $45,000 as of early Thursday. The fundraiser and accompanying messages further highlight the support the alleged shooter has gained online. Several donations on GiveSendGo have been accompanied by messages from people expressing anger about the U.S. healthcare system and health insurers. One message from an anonymous donor who gave $100 read: “Luigi has shone a light on an important social issue. Healthcare insurers have been killing people for years with their policies. Why aren’t they charged with murder?” The group raising the funds identifies itself as the “December 4th Legal Committee” and it doesn’t appear to have any affiliation with Mangione. In its most recent update on Wednesday night, the fundraising group said it has written to Mangione informing him about the money raised for his legal defense and adds that if he doesn’t want the funds, it will be put “toward the defense of other political prisoners.” Was Luigi Mangione Reported Missing? Mangione’s mother, Kathleen Mangione, reported him missing to the San Francisco police last month. According to the San Francisco Standard, the missing person report was filed on Nov. 18 although it is unclear if Mangione was supposed to be present in the city when his mother filed the report. Although he was born and raised in Maryland, Kenny said he has “ties to San Francisco” and most recently resided in Honolulu. What Do We Know About Luigi Mangione’s Life At Penn? Mangione graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020 with bachelor's and master's degrees in computer and information science, according to social media accounts appearing to belong to him and the university’s alumni database. The Daily Pennsylvanian—Penn’s student newspaper— reported that Mangione founded the school’s Game Research and Development Environment club and that he was inducted into the Eta Kappa Nu honor society for excellence in electrical and computer engineering before graduating in 2020. A post on an Instagram account seeming to belong to him as well shows him affiliated with the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. What Do We Know About Luigi Mangione’s Time At The Gilman School? Mangione attended the prestigious, all-boys K-12 Gilman School in Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated in 2016 as the valedictorian. The New York Times reported his valedictorian speech described his class as “coming up with new ideas and challenging the world around it.” Mangione reportedly wrestled and played soccer while he was a student there and was captain of the school’s robotics team. A number of Mangione’s former classmates from the Gilman School told CBS News he was a “nice” kid, and one former classmate told The New York Times Mangione was “a big believer in the power of technology to change the world.” The Gilman School lists its tuition for 2024-25 high school students as $37,690 and describes its mission as working to “unlock the greatness within each boy by educating the entire boy — mind, body, and spirit.” What Do We Know About Luigi Mangione’s Time In Hawaii? In Honolulu, where police said Mangione’s last known address was, he was a member of a co-working space called Hub Coworking Hawaii, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported . Mangione would reportedly come and work at the location with his roommates from a nearby co-living space called Surfbreak. On its website, Surfbreak describes itself as a “co-living and co-working community for digital nomads and remote workers.” Surfbreak founder and CEO R.J. Martin expressed shock about Mangione’s arrest and told the Honolulu Civil Beat , “I loved this guy...In some ways I feel like my members are my kids.” According to the report, other residents of the co-living space described Mangione as a “natural leader” and said he helped found a book club in the community. Martin and another resident told the outlet that they had suggested the book club should read “Industrial Society and Its Future”—a book written by Unabomber Ted Kaczynski —as “a joke.” What Did Mangione Say About The Unabomber’s Book? A Goodreads account seeming to belong to Mangione gave the book a four-star review in January. The review written by the account—which was made private on Monday—said “It's easy to quickly and thoughtless write this off as the manifesto of a lunatic, in order to avoid facing some of the uncomfortable problems it identifies. But it's simply impossible to ignore how prescient many of his predictions about modern society turned out.” The review also quoted another person’s take about how “violence is necessary to survive.” The New York Times reported Tuesday that Mangione told a writer in England, Gurwinder Bhogal, he disapproved of the Unabomber’s actions, but Bhogal said Mangione “was fascinated by [the Unabomber’s] ideology, and shared his concerns about rampant consumerism gradually eroding our agency and alienating us from ourselves.” Are Mangione’s Social Media Accounts Still Up? Shortly after his arrest, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X and Goodreads accounts that may have belonged to him were discovered. He also appeared to be active on Reddit, writing about back pain issues, Forbes reported . Nearly all social media accounts with reported ties to Mangione had been switched to private or taken down by platforms—with one notable exception. Mangione’s account on X was briefly taken down Monday evening, but X owner Elon Musk said it was done “without his knowledge” and he was looking into it. Shortly after, the account was reinstated. Mangione’s X account—which has a cover photo featuring an apparent spinal injury—had almost 400,000 followers as of Wednesday morning. Mangione’s X account gained a blue checkmark Tuesday. Did Luigi Mangione Have A Youtube Account? A YouTube account with Mangione’s name posted a video Monday that said “If you see this, I’m already under arrest” and had a countdown that ended by hinting at more information or videos to be released Wednesday. YouTube confirmed to Forbes the page was not associated with Mangione, though, saying “the channel’s metadata was updated following widespread reporting of Luigi Mangione’s arrest, including updates made to the channel name and handle.” YouTube added it terminated three other accounts that were linked to Mangione, but said they hadn’t been active in more than seven months. What Do We Know About Mangione’s Health Issues? Mangione’s friends in Hawaii told various news outlets that he was suffering from a serious back problem that caused him significant pain. Mangione left Hawaii to get back surgery last year and then returned to Honolulu to rent an apartment. Surfbreak’s Martin told The New York Times that Mangione said his spine was misaligned and “said his lower vertebrae were almost like a half-inch off, and I think it pinched a nerve.” Martin added that Mangione had confided to him about not being able to date people because of his back problem as “being physically intimate with his back condition wasn’t possible.” Martin told the Times he texted Mangione after his surgery asking how it had gone and got the response “long story” without further details. Although the two had promised to catch up over the phone later, Mangione eventually went “ radio silent. ” An account on Reddit that is believed to have belonged to Mangione was active in the subreddit “r/spondylolisthesis,” where people discussed the condition in which vertebrae in the spine slip out of place. “When my spondy went bad on me last year (23M) it was completely devastating as a young athletic person,” the alleged Mangione account wrote, Forbes reported. On Dec. 12, Kenny also told NBC New York it seems Mangione’s “life-changing, life-altering injury ... may have put him on this path,” the station reported. What Is Known About The Mangione Family? The Baltimore Banner reported Mangione comes “from a prominent Baltimore family.” According to the Banner, his grandfather was a self-made real estate developer who owned country clubs, nursing homes and a radio station, and that his grandmother was “a supporter of the Greater Baltimore Medical Center” and the Baltimore Opera Company. The Mangione family has owned Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley, Maryland—northwest of the city of Baltimore—since 1986, according to the Banner. Who Is Nino Mangione? Luigi Mangione is related to Nino Mangione , a Republican representative in the Maryland House of Delegates, The Baltimore Sun reported Monday. The Sun reported the two are cousins who are friends on social media. Forbes has reached out to Mangione for comment. A statement issued on his social media accounts on behalf of the Mangione family said they could not comment on the news reports. “We only know what we have read in the media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” Further ReadingHPE earnings, Lululemon stock gains: Market Domination Overtime4÷88 。

Trump transition team ethics pledge appears to exclude president-electHundreds of U.S. Steel workers gathered in the frigid cold at the Clairton Coke Works Thursday to rally support for the company’s sale to Japan-based Nippon Steel. Hundreds more appeared via video screens at various U.S. Steel plants across the country. After a number of those U.S. Steel representatives and workers spoke, several leaders from the Mon Valley towns where U.S. facilities reside took the stage. And one after another they called out the national politicians who they claimed were abandoning them. West Mifflin’s Mayor Chris Kelly specifically mentioned Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators who have opposed the deal and were absent on Thursday. “Once they get elected, they fly away,” he said. “Where is Fetterman? Where was Casey before he lost? Where's McCormick?” Both President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have also opposed the deal. Federal regulators are expected to make a decision within the next week or two about whether the deal would pose a threat to national security. While some earlier speakers called out Biden, North Braddock Mayor Cletus Lee said that many of the workers at the rally had voted for Trump and suggested that Trump had abandoned them too. He called on the president-elect to visit the towns and workers with an interest in the sale and rethink his opposition. “The bottom line is you made a promise. What you're going to do for these men and women who work here at the mill as well as these communities,” he said. “Look at what you're getting ready to destroy. ” Some speakers took aim at United Steelworkers union leaders, who have maintained opposition to the deal. USW president Dave McCall has continued to say that there aren’t enough guarantees in writing for the company’s union workers. Kurt Barshick, the vice president of U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works, said that the hundreds of workers who showed up for the rally were the true voices of the company’s union workers, and that they favored the deal. He suggested that union leadership was overly focused on a separate, less generous acquisition offer made by Cleveland Cliffs Steel. “These are the men and the women that the leaders in Washington, D.C., need to hear from,” Barshick said. “They don't need to hear from the Cleveland Cliffs fan club on the 12th floor of the USW office. ” U.S. Steel general manager Scott Buckiso made his final plea for sale, listing off what he said were the deal’s many benefits: cutting-edge technology, promises of billions in investments in the Mon Valley facilities, a $5,000 bonus for all employees and a promise to keep the company’s headquarters in Pittsburgh. Without Nippon’s help, he said, the company wouldn’t be able to afford these changes. “Our transaction with Nippon Steel is the last and unfortunately the best hope to preserve and grow our integrated steelmaking and union jobs — not just here in the Mon Valley, but across our entire footprint,” Buckiso said. Glenn Thomas, a powerhouse coordinator at the Edgar Thomson Steel Works in Braddock, said he’s worked for the company for 26 years. He said he wanted the union leadership to come to the bargaining table because the company’s facilities are in need of major work. “ Our hot strip mill is in dire need of upgrades or a complete rebuild,” he said. “Our blast furnaces ... are also in need of many investments or — in the cases of the furnaces — a relining.” Jason Zugai, the vice president of USW Local 2227, said he is a third generation U.S. Steel worker, who saw firsthand the effects of steel closures in the region over the decades. He was skeptical of the deal with Nippon at first, he said, but then he did his own research. “ I came to this conclusion,” he said. “The investments and commitment to our facilities and our members are more than I ever thought we would ever see again .”

House rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics report

Angela Rayner has decided how she'll vote on assisted dying - and praises 'national debate'Authored by Frank Fang via The Epoch Times, Chinese state-sponsored hackers compromised at least eight U.S. telecommunication companies, a top White House official said on Dec. 4. Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, provided an update on the Chinese threat actor group called “Salt Typhoon” during a press briefing on Wednesday. The threat group is believed to have hacked into the communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures, she said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger said. The Chinese hacking appeared to target a relatively small group of Americans, she added, with only their phone calls and texts compromised. The telecommunications companies that were breached have responded, but none of them “have fully removed the Chinese actors from these networks,” according to Neuberger. “So there is a risk of ongoing compromises to communications until U.S. companies address the cybersecurity gaps the Chinese are likely to maintain their access,” Neuberger said. In October, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) identified the Chinese hacks , saying at the time that an investigation was underway. In late November, Neuberger and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan hosted telecommunications executives for a meeting to share intelligence and discuss how the U.S. government and the private sector could work together. Neuberger said President Joe Biden has been briefed multiple times on the issue. The White House “has made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can,” she added. Additionally, Neuberger pointed to efforts to improve cybersecurity in multiple sectors including rail and energy, after the 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline . “So, to prevent ongoing Salt Typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice,” Neuberger said. Also at Wednesday’s press briefing, a senior administration official said Salt Typhoon’s activities started at least a year or two ago. Additionally, the official said a “couple dozen” countries have been impacted by the Chinese hacking. The FBI and the CSIA issued a joint statement on Nov. 13, revealing that Chinese hackers had compromised the networks of multiple telecom companies and stole customer call records and private communications from “a limited number of individuals who are primarily involved in government or political activity.” On Tuesday, the FBI, the CISA, the National Security Agency (NSA), and international partners published a guide on best practices for protecting communication infrastructures. CISA Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Jeff Greene conceded on Tuesday that he didn’t have a timeline on when Chinese hackers could be purged from U.S. telecom networks. “It would be impossible for us to predict when we'll have full eviction,” Greene said at the time. In September, the Justice Department announced that the FBI had taken down a botnet associated with “Flax Typhoon,” a threat group operating through the Beijing-based Integrity Technology Group. The botnet consisted of more than 200,000 consumer devices—such as network cameras, video recorders, and home and office routers—in the United States and elsewhere. Another Chinese threat group, “Volt Typhoon,” began targeting a wide range of networks across U.S. critical infrastructure in 2021. The group, which was dismantled by a multi-agency operation in January, had maintained “access and footholds within some victim IT environments for at least five years,” according to CISA. On Dec. 3, Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said her legislation, officially known as the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act, will combat the Chinese Communist Party’s growing threats against U.S. critical infrastructure. “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will continue to exploit and undermine our national security every chance they get. We must stand up against foreign adversaries,” Lee wrote on the social media platform X. If enacted, the legislation ( H.R.9769 ) would create an interagency task force led by CISA and the FBI to deal with cybersecurity threats posed by China’s state-sponsored cyber threat groups. It would also require the new task force to inform Congress of its findings every year for five years.Former BP boss Looney to chair US data company Prometheus Hyperscale

Creditors approve proposed $32.5B deal with tobacco giants today: lawyerBy JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump loved to use tariffs on foreign goods during his first presidency. But their impact was barely noticeable in the overall economy, even if their aftershocks were clear in specific industries. The data show they never fully delivered on his promised factory jobs. Nor did they provoke the avalanche of inflation that critics feared. This time, though, his tariff threats might be different . The president-elect is talking about going much bigger — on a potential scale that creates more uncertainty about whether he’ll do what he says and what the consequences could be. “There’s going to be a lot more tariffs, I mean, he’s pretty clear,” said Michael Stumo, the CEO of Coalition for a Prosperous America, a group that has supported import taxes to help domestic manufacturing. The president-elect posted on social media Monday that on his first day in office he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada until those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his initial term. Chinese imports would face additional tariffs of 10% until Beijing cracks down on the production of materials used in making fentanyl, Trump posted. Democrats and business groups warn of risks from Trump’s tariff threats Business groups were quick to warn about rapidly escalating inflation , while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she would counter the move with tariffs on U.S. products. House Democrats put together legislation to strip a president’s ability to unilaterally apply tariffs this drastic, warning that they would likely lead to higher prices for autos, shoes, housing and groceries. Sheinbaum said Wednesday that her administration is already working up a list of possible retaliatory tariffs “if the situation comes to that.” “The economy department is preparing it,” Sheinbaum said. “If there are tariffs, Mexico would increase tariffs, it is a technical task about what would also benefit Mexico,” she said, suggesting her country would impose targeted import duties on U.S. goods in sensitive areas. House Democrats on Tuesday introduced a bill that would require congressional approval for a president to impose tariffs due to claims of a national emergency, a largely symbolic action given Republicans’ coming control of both the House and Senate. “This legislation would enable Congress to limit this sweeping emergency authority and put in place the necessary Congressional oversight before any president – Democrat or Republican – could indiscriminately raise costs on the American people through tariffs,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash. But for Trump, tariffs are now a tested tool that seems less politically controversial even if the mandate he received in November’s election largely involved restraining inflation. The tariffs he imposed on China in his first term were continued by President Joe Biden, a Democrat who even expanded tariffs and restrictions on the world’s second largest economy. Biden administration officials looked at removing Trump’s tariffs in order to bring down inflationary pressures, only to find they were unlikely to help significantly. Tariffs were “so new and unique that it freaked everybody out in 2017,” said Stumo, but they were ultimately somewhat modest. Trump’s first term tariffs had a modest impact on economy Trump imposed tariffs on solar panels and washing machines at the start of 2018, moves that might have pushed up prices in those sectors even though they also overlapped with plans to open washing machine plants in Tennessee and South Carolina. His administration also levied tariffs on steel and aluminum, including against allies. He then increased tariffs on China, leading to a trade conflict and a limited 2020 agreement that failed to produce the promised Chinese purchases of U.S. goods. Still, the dispute changed relations with China as more U.S. companies looked for alternative suppliers in other countries. Economic research also found the United States may have sacrificed some of its “soft power” as the Chinese population began to watch fewer American movies. The Federal Reserve kept inflation roughly on target, but factory construction spending never jumped in a way that suggested a lasting gain in manufacturing jobs. Separate economic research found the tariff war with China did nothing economically for the communities hurt by offshoring, but it did help Trump and Republicans in those communities politically. When Trump first became president in 2017, the federal government collected $34.6 billion in customs, duties and fees. That sum more than doubled under Trump to $70.8 billion in 2019, according to Office of Management and Budget records. While that sum might seem meaningful, it was relatively small compared to the overall economy. America’s gross domestic product is now $29.3 trillion, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The total tariffs collected in the United States would equal less than 0.3% of GDP. Trump wants much more far-reaching tariffs going forward The new tariffs being floated by Trump now are dramatically larger and there could be far more significant impacts. If Mexico, Canada, and China faced the additional tariffs proposed by Trump on all goods imported to the United States, that could be roughly equal to $266 billion in tax collections, a number that does not assume any disruptions in trade or retaliatory moves by other countries. The cost of those taxes would likely be borne by U.S. families, importers and domestic and foreign companies in the form of higher prices or lower profits. Former Biden administration officials said they worried that companies could piggyback on Trump’s tariffs — if they’re imposed — as a rationale to raise their prices, just as many companies after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 boosted food and energy costs and gave several major companies the space to raise prices, according to their own earnings calls with investors. But what Trump didn’t really spell out is what might cause him to back down on tariffs and declare a victory. What he is creating instead with his tariff threats is a sense of uncertainty as companies and countries await the details to figure out what all of this could mean. “We know the key economic policy priorities of the incoming Trump administration, but we don’t know how or when they will be addressed,” said Greg Daco, chief U.S. economist at EY-Parthenon. AP writer Mark Stevenson contributed to this report from Mexico City.

Tens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents in BarcelonaCowboys RB Rico Dowdle could be in line for a big game against Carolina's 32nd-ranked run defense

BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored the Celtics’ first 15 points on five consecutive 3-pointers and finished with 29 points, before Boston withstood a late charge to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-105 on Sunday. Jayson Tatum added 26 points and eight rebounds to help Boston post a season-high fifth straight victory. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

NORRISTOWN — Montgomery County’s elected officials designated more than $5.37 million for a during its November meeting. The seven-figure sum furthered projects and services proposed in a 25-item package that was unanimously authorized by county commissioners during the Nov. 14 meeting. Respective agencies included the county’s Health and Human Services Planning Commission, Recorder of Deeds, and Youth Center. Of note, a $453,798 agreement with Tyler Technologies, Inc., of Plano, Texas, furnished a “cashiering and imaging system” for the Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds office. The six-figure contract with the Texas-based firm’s scope of work included an “enterprise records management solution with business process assessment and consulting, implementation of software and services, technical and functional staff training, and ongoing maintenance and support” services, the contract states. The three-year contract is expected to take effect in September 2025, according to county officials, and it includes terms for two optional one-year renewals. The “records improvement fund” was expected to cover the costs associated with the contract. Prior to authorization, three firms submitted bids to a previously advertised request for proposals. While the row office endorsed the Plano firm, GovOS, of Austin, Texas, and Catalis Courts & Land Records, of Alpharetta, Georgia, also applied. An existing contract with the Harrrisburg-based PrimeCare Medical, Inc. was renewed for $370,500. The company will provide health care services for the county’s Youth Center for 2025, with funding supplied through the county’s general-operational budget. While the initial three-year contract was listed at more than $1 million, county commissioners opted to use the “first available contract renewal term.” One more remains, according to the contract. Also concerning the county’s Youth Center, a $285,000 agreement with the Philadelphia-based Precision Doors & Hardware, LLC, dba James Doorcheck, covered the “full replacement and installation” of 58 doors at the facility located in West Norriton Township. Funding was expected through Montgomery County Capital Improvement Program monies. Four firms responded to a previously advertised request for proposals, with three other applicants listed as Donald E Reisinger, Inc., of West Chester, NCFurman LLC, of Ridley Park, Delaware County and S&S Electrical Services, of Warrington, Bucks County, according to the contract. Additionally, county commissioners procured drone equipment for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. A roughly $224,318 agreement with Brinc, of Seattle, covered “drones with related equipment to be used with the technology currently deployed in Pottstown and Norristown.” The equipment was made “available through an NPPGov cooperative contract,” the contract states, with funding secured through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s Gun Violence Investigation and Prosecution Grant Program as well as “equitable sharing funds.” The next Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19 on the eighth floor of One Montgomery Plaza, 425 Swede St., in Norristown. Those interested in attending the meeting can also do so virtually. Visit montgomerycountypa.gov for more information.Black Caps v England: Hagley Oval test underwayCONX Corp. Announces Acquisition of Red Technologies SAS