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IT was a typically sunny Los Angeles afternoon and I was sitting in a trailer at the ABC Studios car park watching Bruno Tonioli strip down to his underpants. Bruno was all hot and bothered after a full afternoon rehearsing for Dancing With The Stars, the US version of the show that made him a household name, Strictly Come Dancing. I was there, in this oven-cum-caravan, to interview him about his transatlantic life as a judge on both shows in the same week. I had only met him about two minutes before he decided he simply had to get out of his TV clobber. Then suddenly there he was, mere feet away from me wearing nothing but a pair of tighty whities and a very expensive-looking gold chain. He was gesticulating wildly by now and, in between puffs on a cigarette, was tearing into then Strictly pro Anton Du Beke who had been caught out calling Laila Rouass the P-word. “You say that to me and I’m gonna punch you in the f***ing face,” he boomed. Strong stuff. A bit too strong for his BBC paymasters, who asked me to exclude it from my subsequent interview for this newspaper. I would say I am very hard to shock but he had made me feel awkward during his rant about how his fellow Strictly star had made someone else feel awkward (and worse). The irony seemed completely lost on Bruno, who has famously stripped off for the cameras on many occasions. You say that to me and I’m gonna punch you in the f***ing face Yet I made no fuss because it was by no means threatening and only mildly uncomfortable. Also, I had an interview to do and, well, I quite liked Bruno and he was giving me some good copy (most of which the Beeb would not later request to be ignored). And, well, some stars are just a bit bonkers, aren’t they? But I couldn’t help thinking later, back at my hotel, would he have done that if I was a woman? I was reminded of that episode this week when the Gregg Wallace scandal blew up again. Not that Bruno’s behaviour was anything like that which Gregg is being accused of. But I would argue there is a common thread. Here was a star doing as he pleased without much of an apparent thought for whoever else was in the vicinity. It is behaviour that smacks of a supreme sense of entitlement where the star is the only person who matters. It is behaviour that smacks of a supreme sense of entitlement where the star is the only person who matters Much of this attitude comes from the “talent” — a word now banned by BBC chief Tim Davie to describe those “front of camera”. Many believe they are God’s gift to whatever line of work it is that has propelled them on to the flat screen 55-incher on your wall. Confidence is a prerequisite of fame. Sharp elbows will get you the audition, only then will talent get you the gig. But while celebrities and their egos are the frontmen and women of TV shows, it is the production teams that get them on the air. And unfortunately television is full of enablers — nervous executives and producers who will tolerate almost anything to get the show out. When it’s a hit they care even less how badly their stars might behave. Don’t mess with success! Indeed, the industry is awash with bad behaviour from famous faces and anyone (honest) who works in it will tell you that pretty much every star they work with can behave like a complete **** (and it’s usually the full-strength Anglo-Saxon term used). I can attest to this. In my many years of covering TV I met and wrote about the biggest names on the box on a regular basis and they all had their moments. Yes, even the saintly Ant and Dec. Just ask Kelly Brook , who blamed them for her sacking as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent in 2012. So the Gregg Wallace saga goes much deeper than Gregg Wallace, his potty mouth and allegedly wandering hands. It goes much deeper than the BBC and its patently piss-poor complaints procedure. It is about how the entire industry behaves. How time after time it has been shown to foster a toxic environment where stars are considered just too important to sack, no matter how appalling their behaviour. And it will continue to be that way until the people who perpetuate it decide enough is enough and enact the changes that are so urgently needed. EMMA “don’t call me a woman” Corrin has been doing her, sorry “their”, bit for gender diversity this week by appearing at the premiere of a new horror film with a brace of presumably non-female breasts, proudly on display. The star, who plays a female character in the film, showcased the daring braless look on the blood-red carpet for the remake of the classic 1922 Dracula-inspired Nosferatu. Vainglorious Emma insists on being called “they”, in keeping with the pronoun demands of her fellow non-binaries. Well, we certainly won’t forget them. NEWSREADER, Mastermind host and one of the only male stars left at the Beeb who hasn’t been revealed to be a sex pest, Clive Myrie has got himself into a pickle. He apologised this week after confessing that due to “administrative issues” he had failed to disclose extra-curricular activities totalling up to £250,000 . Strict BBC rules insist that people like Clive, who are supposed to be impartial, declare what they are up to elsewhere. Clive says he now won’t take on any other extra stuff for the time being and will instead struggle by on the £310,000 a year he gets from our licence fees (u ok hun?). But this whole episode reveals a fundamental flaw at the heart of the BBC’s argument as to why it must pay so much. The corporation says it is because of what the commercial sector offers. So it pays “market price”, despite insisting it rarely does pay that. But once installed at the BBC, stars like Clive can trade on that to make even more cash in the commercial market. So simply by having a job at the BBC, their stock rises. That would also be the case if we paid them less. Maybe if we did, executives could stop claiming to be skint – and then stop jacking up the increasingly unjustifiable licence fee. SPOTIFY’S Unwrapped week is upon us, when folk with the audio streaming app take to social media to boast about how cool their music choices are. Unless you’re a parent of young kids. Unwrapped collates all your most-played songs to reveal a bespoke top five. So my No1 was not one of the cool new indie bands I’ve been streaming all year but a song by Taylor Swift. Now I happen to like this particular tune but not as much as my daughter, who insists on it being streamed in the car from my Spotify account at least five times a journey. But it could be worse. A friend with younger kids revealed her number one was Wheels On The Bus. Cool points for that one: Zero. A HARD-and-fast rule of any new public policy is that by the time it’s actually ready to be implemented, it will be completely outdated. Take the plan to ban “junk food” ads before 9pm on telly or in paid online adverts. We’ve heard about this since cavemen created their first brontosaurus smash burger. And still it won’t come in until October 2025. But even if it was introduced now it would a waste of time, as a cursory glance at social media will confirm. The number of junk food influencers – aka snackfluencers – is expanding faster than their viewers’ waistlines. Food porn accounts Only Scrans and El Burrito Monster already have a million followers. Instagram and TikTok are stuffed to the gills with six-patty burgers deep fried in cheese. Or my favourite, a burrito made of about ten items from McDonald’s. Once again, the internet charges ahead while government puffs and pants behind it like someone from My 600lb Life. MANCHESTER United ’s new boss, Jim “local lad” Ratcliffe , has decided to endear himself to fans by ripping us off at the turnstiles. Ratcliffe – net worth £12.5billion – has whacked up ticket prices and scrapped all concessions so my lad’s £20 ticket is now £66. Squeezing more cash out of already fed-up Reds is quite the PR masterstroke, as the huge protests outside Old Trafford at Sunday’s Everton game showed. Now, Unlucky Jim is being spoken of with the same disdain fans have for owners the Glazers. But at least he can console himself that he now has his very own terrace chant, to the tune of The Beach Boys’ Sloop John B. All together now: “Jim Ratcliffe’s a c***, Jim Ratcliffe’s a c***, just like the Glazers . . . Jim Ratcliffe’s a c***.”
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Tim McGraw teases 'great things in store for' daughter Audrey on special dayStanford and California meet for the first time as Atlantic Coast Conference rivals when each tries to prove its impressive non-league record is no fluke on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley, Calif. Stanford (7-2) took last year's season series 2-1, but the clubs were so evenly matched -- the Cardinal won 14 games, the Golden Bears 13 -- it took overtime at the final Pacific-12 Conference tournament to determine the rivalry winner. The teams enter their first meeting this season with the same number of losses, but Cal (6-2) has had the edge in strength of schedule. The Golden Bears were invited to play in the SEC/ACC Challenge, in which they squandered a second-half lead en route to a 98-93 loss at Missouri. Cal's only other loss also came on the road at a Southeastern Conference site, an 85-69 setback at Vanderbilt on Nov. 13. Meanwhile, Stanford has played seven of its nine games at home and hasn't left the state of California. The Cardinal were beaten by Grand Canyon at a neutral site on Nov. 26 before getting shocked at home by Cal Poly last Saturday. This Saturday's matchup is the first since Andrej Stojakovic, Stanford's prize recruit last year, transferred to Cal after just one season. The son of former NBA standout Peja Stojakovic leads the Golden Bears in scoring at 18.8 points per game. Andrej Stojakovic has averaged 31.9 minutes per game for Cal after getting just 22.3 per game as a freshman at Stanford a season ago. He said anticipating that type of greater opportunity prompted his move across the San Francisco Bay. "I thought that when I played a large amount of minutes (last season), I performed to what I was expected to do from the staff and the program," he noted. "But just going into Cal and having a more consistent role and having the confidence instilled from the staff has been huge so far." Stanford returned just one of its top seven scorers from last season, but that was center Maxime Raynaud. The preseason All-ACC selection is averaging 22.3 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, with double-doubles in eight of nine outings. He had two double-doubles and a pair of 20-point games against Cal last season. Duke transfer Jaylen Blakes offered a unique perspective on his first Stanford-Cal experience. "Every ACC game is going to be a challenge," he claimed. "(Cal is) a rivalry game, but we are just trying to get a win." --Field Level Media
is celebrating his daughter Audrey's 23rd birthday, teasing that his youngest has "great things in store". " !!! Your Mom, your sisters and I are so proud of the sweet, strong and hard working young lady you have become," he wrote on social media, alongside a gorgeous picture of Audrey in black and white. "You have such great things in store for you in this beautiful life. Live it! Love it! Stay just as grateful for everyday as we are for having you in our lives everyday. You are beauty and grace in every way. We love you so much!" "Awwww dad!! Love you so much," Audrey commented on the post. Audrey is and was born on December 6, 2001; she is named after her mom, whose full name is Audrey Faith Perry. Audrey is the older sister of Maggie, who earned a Master's degree in Sustainability Science and Practice from Stanford, and , an aspiring Broadway star. "Happy birthday to this hot lounger," Gracie captioned a story celebrating her elder sister's birthday, and which showed Audrey lounging in a pool float. A second snap was of the pair as children, with Gracie writing: "I love you so much and I am so proud to be your older sister." Maggie also shared a sweet selfie the pair took, writing: "Happy bday to my hottie honey buns". You may also like Audrey graduated from high school in 2020, and was reportedly attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, which has campuses in both New York City and Los Angeles. She has a passion for singing and photography, and shares pictures and videos on social media with fans. She has been in a relationship with who is 20 years her senior, with the couple have been going from strength-to-strength, having been together for over a year. on their latest projects, having been linked since June 2023. Audrey supported her partner in November when his latest venture, the movie , dropped on Netflix. Sharing one of his Instagram Posts on Stories, she posted: "On the bright side, this beautiful beautiful film is out on Netflix today. Go watch!"IOC needs to take a binary position on transgender participation in women’s sport
It was a record close in the S&P 500, at 6021. Bank of America put out a target for next year of 6666 today, though the track record of those kinds of targets is sketchy at best. The index was nearly flat midway thorough trading but jumped late. Closing changes: S&P 500: +0.6% Nasdaq Comp: +0.6% DJIA: +0.3% Russell 2000: -0.7% Toronto TSX Comp: flat Canada's stock market held up fine despite the threat of US tariffs.Closed circuit screenshots of a person of interest in the UnitedHealthcare CEO killing. Source: NYPD UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot Wednesday doing something countless other American executives routinely do: Walking unaccompanied to an investor event held by his company. But Thompson's death this week in the heart of corporate America's capital has sent shockwaves throughout the business world, forcing companies to rethink the risks in even the most routine executive responsibilities. "Everyone's scrambling to say, 'Are we safe?'" said Chuck Randolph , chief security officer for Ontic, an Austin, Texas-based provider of threat management software. "This is an inflection point where the idea of executive protection is now raised to the board level. Everyone I know in the industry is feeling this." Threats against corporations have been rising for years, fueled in part by the echo chamber of social media and a more polarized political environment, according to security professionals. But the slaying on a Manhattan sidewalk of Thompson, head of the largest private health insurer in the U.S., is the highest profile such incident in decades. Companies now worry their leaders face greater risk of being targets of violence, especially as they hold more public investor events in New York in the coming weeks. The gunman is still at large, and his motivation isn't known. Words written on the shell casings found at the scene may offer hints about what incited the shooter. One question from security experts not involved in the case was whether the shooter demonstrated grievances against UnitedHealthcare in online forums and searched for information about the investor event. Several health-care companies have reacted by pulling photos of executives from websites, and health insurer Centene made an investor meeting virtual after the killing. Thompson didn't have a security detail with him on Wednesday morning, despite known threats against him, according to NYPD officials. None of the executives of UnitedHealth received personal security benefits, according to the company's filings . Cups mark the location of shell casings found at the scene where the CEO of United Healthcare Brian Thompson was reportedly shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan, in New York City, US, December 4, 2024. Shannon Stapleton | Reuters If Thompson had, several key factors would have been different. Personnel would have gone to the hotel before his arrival to detect threats; he also would have been accompanied by armed security who may have used an alternate hotel entrance, said Scott Stewart , a vice president of TorchStone Global. "This was preventable," said Stewart, who said he had nearly four decades in the industry. "I've never seen an executive with a comprehensive security program ever be victimized like that." Still, before this week's shocking events, it wasn't unusual for executives to decline security because of the disruption to their lives, or the image it may give, several security veterans said. "Not every CEO needs heavy duty protection," said the security chief of a technology firm who wasn't given permission to speak to the press. "Senior executives are subject to threats all day long, you need a platform to" examine them and determine whether they are credible and timely, he said. 'Guns, guards and gates' Since Thompson's killing, a wide spectrum of companies have sought extra protection for executives, Matthew Dumpert, managing director at Kroll Enterprise Security Risk Management, told CNBC. In the coming weeks, there are several financial conferences in New York with CEOs scheduled to attend in person. Until now, the major concern for these events has been disruption by environmental activists or other protestors, said a manager at large bank. "Everybody is taking a look and thinking through security for their senior people," said an executive at a major Wall Street firm who declined to be identified out of concern it would draw attention. Some corporate security veterans vented that they are seen as a cost center whose leaders are "buried too deeply in an organization to be listened to." "The bias is, security is a pain in people's butts, and not that important," said the person, who asked for anonymity to speak candidly. "I hope this opens their eyes," he said. "Risk intel and assessment is important, and security is about much more than just guns, guards and gates." — CNBC's Jordan Novet, Bertha Coombs and Dan Mangan contributed to this report watch now VIDEO 2:54 02:54 Companies bolster security around executives following United Healthcare CEO killing Money MoversArticle content After some good vibes with the reunion of the Nylander brothers on the Maple Leafs, there could be some separation anxiety. Given a relatively quiet four games without a point following his elevation from the Marlies with an NHL contract, it was no surprise Alex took a seat Wednesday night against the Nashville Predators. His five-game suspension complete, Ryan Reaves returned for at least a game on right wing, but Max Domi isn’t far off in his recovery from a lower body injury that will force at least one other forward to the press box. Just as he has been supportive of the younger Nylander’s recall, coach Craig Berube sees room for improvement. “Just OK,” was how the coach described his play. “He has done some good things, had some scoring opportunities early on when he was playing. “He’s a skilled guy that scores (but there) hasn’t been a ton of power play time for him. The first unit eats a lot of that up. I’d say (he has been) fair.” Should the Leafs be forced to consider demoting Alex, he would be on waivers as an NHL veteran. Other than the power play, he and William aren’t on the ice together, as William enjoys another great season, backing up his selection for Team Sweden’s 4 Nations Faceoff team with 15 goals and 26 points in 24 games entering play Wednesday. MINTEN A KEEN STUDENT Since being called up around the same time as Alex Nylander, centre Fraser Minten is earning lot of praise for his hockey brain power, impressing older teammates with his understanding of X’s and O’s. “I watched a lot of hockey when I was younger, trying to study how I could get to the NHL,” Minten said Wednesday morning. “The best part of my day would be watching a game on TV, (usually his hometown Vancouver Canucks or the 2010 Olympics) and I still love watching almost every night. The whole game was exciting to me. “I wasn’t very big when I was younger, never had a ton of skill and was a late developer, so I got through each level by being smart. If you want to play and the coach is looking up and down the bench for someone, he has to know he can trust you to do little things.” Minten said Berube’s “straight lines north” system is similar to what he learned in junior with Kamloops and Saskatoon. “There are not too many moving parts, so it’s easier to jump into as a call-up,” Minten observed. “The development staff here also really break it down for you and that helps the analytical side.” STAMMER STRUGGLES Steven Stamkos expected a period of adjustment to Nashville after 16 seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but probably didn’t expect his new team to be fighting with Chicago to avoid the Central Division basement. “We’re getting to the point of the season where we have to find a way to rattle off some wins,” Stamkos said after the Preds’ skate. “We’ve played tight games against really good teams and tried to find the positives. I think we’re on the brink of getting there.” He and his mates don’t have to look far back to see teams which have been in similar autumn predicaments, and then recovered to make a playoff push, starting with the Edmonton Oilers in 2023-24. “You look at Florida a couple of years ago, struggling, and they went to the (Stanley Cup) final. Go back St. Louis (which fired coach Mike Yeo, replaced him with Berube and won it all in 2019). By no means is this group thinking it can’t be done. But we can’t look that far ahead.” Stamkos entered Wednesday’s game with points in back-to-back games for the first time this season, though he had just one goal in his previous six starts. “You’re in one place for so long and your hockey sense is one way. It’s a little different here, but whether it’s the system or the personnel, you have to find a way to adjust. It has taken some time.” HELP FIGHT ALS A reminder that the ALS ‘Courage To Fight’ virtual concert, featuring Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo and hosted by Ron MacLean, takes place at 8 p.m., ET, Thursday, streamed via ALSSuperFund.ca. In aid of the tireless work that survivor and former Leaf Mark Kirton has done to raise money and highlight family sacrifices of patients, the concert and many encouraging testimonials are the warmup for a sports and celebrity auction running Feb. 6-20. “I’ve been Iiving with ALS for six years and determined to raise awareness and help others facing the disease,” Kirton said. LOOSE LEAFS Predators head coach Andrew Brunette sees better things for his team, despite three overtime losses prior to the Toronto game. “It looks a lot more like us four of the last five, things that continue to stack up. I think we’re pounding on the door” ... Two-time former Leafs defenceman Luke Schenn loves the change of scenery in Nashville. “Awesome for families, we’re 12 minutes from downtown. Property sizes for what you pay in Toronto, I got for quadruple. The minor hockey isn’t as (popular), but me, Stammer, (Jonathan) Marchessault and Ryan O’Reilly all have kids on the same team” ... Brunette on O’Reilly being among the handful of remaining NHLers who don’t wear a visor. “I wore no visor most of my career, he’s the last of the Mohicans in a lot of things he does, how he prepares and his love of the game.” Lhornby@postmedia.com X: @sunhornby
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Obama trades optimism for harsh realism in speech on democracyATLANTA (AP) — Deliberations are underway in Atlanta after a year of testimony in the gang and racketeering trial that originally included the rapper Young Thug. Jurors are considering whether to convict Shannon Stillwell and Deamonte Kendrick, who raps as Yak Gotti, on gang, murder, drug and gun charges. The original indictment charged 28 people with conspiring to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Opening statements in the trial for six of those defendants happened a year ago . Four of them, including Young Thug, pleaded guilty last month. The rapper was freed on probation. Stillwell and Kendrick rejected plea deals after more than a week of negotiations, and their lawyers chose not to present evidence or witnesses. Both seemed to be in good spirits Tuesday morning after closings wrapped the previous night. Kendrick was chatting and laughing with Stillwell and his lawyers before the jury arrived for instructions. The jury started deliberating Tuesday afternoon and was dismissed at 5 p.m. Jurors are expected to resume deliberations Wednesday morning. If they don’t reach a verdict by 3 p.m. Wednesday, the judge will send them home for the Thanksgiving weekend and they will return Monday morning. Kendrick and Stillwell were charged in the 2015 killing of Donovan Thomas Jr., also known as “Big Nut,” in an Atlanta barbershop. Prosecutors painted Stillwell and Kendrick as members of a violent street gang called Young Slime Life, or YSL, co-founded in 2012 by Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams. During closings on Monday, they pointed to tattoos, song lyrics and social media posts they said proved members, including Stillwell, admitted to killing people in rival gangs. Prosecutors say Thomas was in a rival gang. Stillwell was also charged in the 2022 killing of Shymel Drinks, which prosecutors said was in retaliation for the killing of two YSL associates days earlier. Defense attorneys Doug Weinstein and Max Schardt said the state presented unreliable witnesses, weak evidence and cherry-picked lyrics and social media posts to push a false narrative about Stillwell, Kendrick and the members of YSL. Schardt, Stillwell's attorney, reminded the jury that alleged YSL affiliates said during the trial that they had lied to police. Law enforcement played a “sick game” by promising they would escape long prison sentences if they said what police wanted them to say, Schardt said. He theorized that one of those witnesses could have killed Thomas. The truth is that their clients were just trying to escape poverty through music, Schardt said. “As a whole, we know the struggles that these communities have had,” Schardt said. “A sad, tacit acceptance that it’s either rap, prison or death.” Young Thug’s record label is also known as YSL, an acronym of Young Stoner Life. Kendrick was featured on two popular songs from the label’s compilation album Slime Language 2, “Take It to Trial" and “Slatty," which prosecutors presented as evidence in the trial. Weinstein, Kendrick’s defense attorney, said during closings it was wrong for prosecutors to target the defendants for their music and lyrics. Prosecutor Simone Hylton disagreed, and said surveillance footage and phone evidence supported her case. “They have the audacity to think they can just brag about killing somebody and nobody’s gonna hold them accountable,” Hylton said. The trial had more than its fair share of delays. Jury selection took nearly 10 months , and Stillwell was stabbed last year at the Fulton County jail, which paused trial proceedings. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker took over after Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville was removed from the case in July because he had a meeting with prosecutors and a state witness without defense attorneys present. Whitaker often lost patience with prosecutors over moves such as not sharing evidence with defense attorneys, once accusing them of “poor lawyering.” But the trial sped up under her watch. In October, four defendants, including Young Thug , pleaded guilty, with the rapper entering a non-negotiated or “blind” plea, meaning he didn't have a deal worked out with prosecutors. Nine people charged in the indictment, including rapper Gunna , accepted plea deals before the trial began. Charges against 12 others are pending. Prosecutors dropped charges against one defendant after he was convicted of murder in an unrelated case. Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramonRegions Financial Corp. stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitors
Elway: Remorse over passing on Allen mitigated by play of NixThe gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Here's the latest: The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity. A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . ▶ Read more about the search for the gunman In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. ▶ Read more about how companies protect their leaders Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. — Mike Balsamo Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations. The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday. “The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.” Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution. The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event. “All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.” Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage. The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said. But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter. “We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX. Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said. Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled. The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. ▶ Read more about the steps companies take to protect their leadership Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.Hronsky scores 13 as Duquesne defeats Old Dominion 67-54
Several states are looking to strengthen oversight of medical credit cards.CALHOUN COUNTY, Ga. and FORT WAYNE, Ind. , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Calhoun County E911 has achieved a significant milestone in November as the first in the United States to implement Ryzyliant's revolutionary EDGETM platform, seamlessly integrated with INdigital's Next Generation Core Services (NGCS). This partnership marks a leap forward in delivering agile, reliable, and community-focused emergency response capabilities. This deployment is a groundbreaking achievement for Calhoun County , one of Georgia's smaller Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) with two positions. It is also INdigital's third live NGCS customer in Georgia , underscoring the company's growing presence and commitment to advancing public safety infrastructure across the state. As the NGCS provider for Calhoun County , INdigital ensured the seamless delivery of 911 calls and integrated Ryzyliant's EDGETM platform into the Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet). This integration, combined with Ryzyliant's hybrid cloud-hosted solution with local survivability, provides unmatched resilience, efficiency, and security. Ryzyliant's EDGETM platform simplifies emergency call handling with integrated features such as NG9-1-1 call taking, mapping, and computer-aided dispatch (CAD). Powered by INdigital's reliable NGCS circuits, the system ensures rapid response times and full compliance with evolving NG9-1-1 standards. "This partnership represents the future of public safety technology," said Eric Hartman , Vice President of INdigital. "By combining INdigital's robust NGCS infrastructure with Ryzyliant's cutting-edge EDGE platform, we're ensuring that every 911 call is delivered and answered with precision, no matter the circumstances." INdigital's local backup capabilities and proven expertise in NGCS projects were instrumental in this deployment. The company also provided database services and implemented Texty, enabling text-to-911 functionality for the county. These services ensure that Calhoun County E911 is prepared to respond to the community's needs with the most reliable tools available. "Delivering 9-1-1 calls is INdigital's mission, and with Ryzyliant's innovative platform, Calhoun County now has the tools to handle and respond to calls seamlessly," said Caleb Branch , Vice President of Market Management at INdigital. "This collaboration exemplifies our shared commitment to enhancing public safety operations nationwide." The successful implementation in Calhoun County highlights the synergy between INdigital and Ryzyliant, setting a new standard for NG9-1-1 solutions. As public safety agencies across the country transition to next-generation systems, this collaboration demonstrates how advanced technology and reliable infrastructure can work hand in hand to serve communities effectively. About INdigital INdigital specializes in delivering Next Generation 9-1-1 services, focusing on agile, reliable, and resilient core services tailored to individual PSAP needs. With a mission to ensure every 9-1-1 call is delivered, INdigital partners with agencies nationwide to support their unique public safety requirements. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/calhoun-county-e911-becomes-first-to-launch-ryzyliants-solution-with-indigital-ngcs-support-302325294.html SOURCE INdigital