The assassin who cooly gunned down the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in front of witnesses on Wednesday morning made a head-scratching stop before he carried out his hit. New photos released by police show that the suspect dipped into a nearby Starbucks just before he descended upon the Midtown Hilton around 6:45 a.m. to fatally shoot the 50-year-old Thompson as he walked there to give a speech at an investors meeting. The new photos—pulled from security footage—revealed only the alleged gunman’s eyes and hands, as he was wearing the same black facemask and black hoodie he wore during the shooting. Police did not say if the mystery man ordered anything at the coffee joint or if—by some extreme luck—he happened to give his first name for his hypothetical order. Police said the gunman “targeted” Thompson and fled the scene on an e-bike after shooting the health insurance CEO in his calf and back. He remained at large as of Wednesday afternoon. Donald Trump ’s coming back home...to NBC. The president-elect will sit down with Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker for his first network interview since he won the presidency again last month. The conversation will tape on Friday before it airs on Sunday, and the network plans to release the full interview and transcript after it concludes. The sit-down marks a turn for Trump, who effectively shunned traditional media outlets in the run-up to the election in favor of either gabs with Fox News or lengthy debates with Joe Rogan. The interview comes more than a year after Welker launched her show with a Trump interview in September 2023, which critics— including at the Daily Beast —derided as unchallenging and ineffective despite Welker’s skill as an interviewer. Trump has previously derided Welker as “terrible,” “horrible,” and a “radical left Democrat.” The nights are longer, the weather is colder, and there’s no better time to get some sleep. 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A 60-year-old California art teacher died after being bit by a bat in her classroom, according to officials. Leah Seneng died on Nov. 22, a month after removing a bat from her classroom at Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos. Before class started, the teacher discovered the bat and “scooped it up to take it outside,” unaware that it had rabies, friend and family spokesperson Laura Splotch told NBC News. Seneng thought she had just been scratched, and didn’t seek immediate treatment, Splotch said. After not having any symptoms for weeks, Seneng went on Nov. 18 to the hospital, where it was determined that the classroom encounter likely gave her rabies. Her condition quickly worsened and she died four days later. NBC News reported that it was the first rabies death in Fresnno County since 1992. According to the CDC , less than 10 people die each year in the United States. The teacher is survived by her daughter and husband. “It’s very shocking, still, to think that she’s no longer around because of something so random,” Splotch said to NBC News. The Satanic Temple will begin offering a religious studies program at a public elementary school in Ohio after a parent’s request. Seeking an alternative to the school’s Christian release program, a concerned parent at Edgewood Elementary school in Marysville, Ohio requested for a different program to be implemented at the school for non-Christian students. The school’s initial release program, organized by LifeWise Academy, sees students being removed from classes for 55 minutes each week to study the Bible or visit local churches. With the Satanic Temple’s new program, the Hellion Academy of Independent Learning (Hail), students at Edgewood can instead partake in “self-directed learning” and “good works in the community” once every month, where they’ll also have “inspirational guest speakers” and “tons of fun,” per the organization’s Facebook page . The Satanic Temple identifies as a “non-theistic” church, meaning it doesn’t believe in deities like God or Satan, but rather claims it is instead on a mission to promote pluralism among different religious views. “We aren’t trying to shut the LifeWise Academy down,” June Everett, an ordained minister at the Temple, told WCMH . “But I do think a lot of school districts don’t realize when they open the door for one religion, they open it for all of them.” Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. 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M issing woman Hannah Kobayashi ’s Venmo account has reportedly been flooded with donations after news broke that she recently crossed into Mexico. The Hawaii native was initially reported missing by family on Nov. 11 after failing to board a connecting flight from Los Angeles to New York three days prior. The LA Police Department swiftly commenced an investigation into Kobayashi’s disappearance to determine if there was any foul play. On Monday, however, surveillance footage from Customs and Border Protection showed Kobayashi crossing into Mexico alone with her luggage, seemingly unharmed, the day before. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell disclosed that Kobayashi had been “classified a voluntary missing person” in a press conference on Monday, adding that foul play is no longer suspected in her disappearance. Following the update, Venmo users have been sending money and recommendations to Kobayashi for her apparent trip to Mexico, according to The Daily Mail . “I hope you’re safe. You don’t owe an explanation. Here’s some taco money, girl. Have fun!,” one user wrote. Another said, “Way to make it to Mexico girlie! Have a chicharron on me!” Frasier star Kelsey Grammer is set to release a memoir in 2025 about his sister, Karen, and her murder in 1975. Karen, who was 18 at the time of her death, was kidnapped by multiple men from her job at Red Lobster. She was later stabbed to death after being raped. In a People exclusive , Grammer talked about his sister’s memory, and the healing journey he and his family have been on since the tragedy. “It is not a grief book. It is a life book, a celebration of Karen’s life,” Grammer, 69, told the outlet. “From a loving brother, I invite you to meet Karen. To know her and remember her with me.” Grammer has faced multiple other untimely deaths in his family. His father was killed by a trespasser on his property when the actor was just 13-years-old, which was five years before his sister’s death. Then in 1980, his two half brothers dying in a scuba diving incident. The memoir, entitled, “Karen: A Brother Remembers,” is expected to be released in May 2025. “Fifty years hence, I learned that love, that our love, is forever,” Grammer said. Prince William and Prince Harry are engaging in yet another very public display showing how toxic their relationship has become by refusing, once again, to appear together at an award ceremony honoring their mother’s legacy. While Harry will appear via pre-recorded video at the Diana Awards tomorrow, William will not attend and instead handed out letters to the winners on Wednesday. It’s arguably a slightly less absurd solution than that employed at another awards ceremony for the charity in March this year, which saw William speak live at the event with Harry’s speech delayed till after he had left. Adding to the sense of bitterness back then, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, announced the launch of her American Riviera Orchard brand on Instagram minutes before William took to the stage. Prince William’s new letter seemed to adopt some Sussex buzzwords, with the future king writing: “I am so proud of the impact every one of you has had on your communities and beyond. You are driven by kindness and compassion and through this you are all changing the world for the better.” Donald Trump picked tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA, the president-elect announced on Truth Social. Isaacman currently serves as the CEO of the payments-technology company Shift4 Payments. The billionaire has also helped pioneer private space travel by funding Elon Musk’s SpaceX flights. “Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration,” Trump said in a post. Isaacman has been on two SpaceX flights, first in 2021 and most recently in September. “On my last mission to space, my crew and I traveled farther from Earth than anyone in over half a century. I can confidently say this second space age has only just begun,” Isaacman wrote on X following the announcement. “At NASA, we will passionately pursue these possibilities and usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization.” Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. It’s not every day that you can score a deal on a high-quality printer at a lower cost. 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For a limited time, score three months of Instant Ink with HP+. Donald Trump has named former White House aide Peter Navarro as a senior counselor in his impending administration after the MAGA loyalist spent four months in prison for refusing to testify to Congress about the Jan. 6 insurrection. Navarro will serve as senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, the president-elect announced in a pair of Wednesday Truth Social posts , hailing him as “a man who was treated horribly by the Deep State, or whatever else you would like to call it.” Navarro was convicted on two counts of contempt for refusing to comply with a subpoena from Congress—prosecutors said he “chose allegiance to former President Donald Trump over the rule of law.” Hours after his release from prison in July, Navarro delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention. Now, he will be back in the White House. “The Senior Counselor position leverages Peter’s broad range of White House experience, while harnessing his extensive Policy analytic and Media skills,” Trump wrote in his announcement. “His mission will be to help successfully advance and communicate the Trump Manufacturing, Tariff, and Trade Agendas.” A senior member of Russian President Vladimir Putin ’s government disclosed classified information on Russian soldiers who may be missing in action in Ukraine, The Times of London reports. At a recent parliamentary meeting, Anna Tsivileva—who happens to be Putin’s first cousin once removed, in addition to deputy defense minister—said the government had received 48,000 requests from soldiers’ relatives seeking to DNA test unidentified remains. Russia has not been publicizing casualties in the war, though efforts by Russian media to tally the deaths estimate that nearly 80,000 soldiers have died since fighting began. As the conflict drags on, families of the missing have been lobbying for answers on their loved ones’ whereabouts. Per The Times , Andrei Kartapolov, who leads the parliamentary defense committee, asked those present “not to mention these numbers anywhere,” adding: “This is classified information and quite sensitive.” To which Tsivileva reportedly responded: “I did not name the number of missing persons, but the number of requests to us. Many of them will be found.”
The Dow rocketed to a fresh record Friday, extending a post-election US equity rally while the euro retreated against the dollar following weak eurozone data. The blue-chip index piled on one percent to end the day at 44,296.51, narrowly overtaking a record set earlier this month. Major American indices have been at or near record territory since the US election, with investors betting that President-elect Donald Trump's program of tax cuts and regulatory scale-back would more than offset the drag from expected tariff increases. "The trading most of this week has been influenced by the growth agenda," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Cresset Capital Management. Market watchers have been cheered this week by a broadening of the rally beyond the tech names that dominated earlier in the year. The dollar also continued to strengthen, reflecting less certainty about additional Federal Reserve interest rate cuts and the US currency's status as a haven asset amid escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war. The euro was also battered by a closely watched survey showing contractions in November business activity in the eurozone. The HCOB Flash Eurozone purchasing managers' index (PMI) published by S&P Global dropped to 48.1 compared to 50.0 in October, the most marked rate of contraction in 10 months. Any reading above 50 indicates growth, while a figure below 50 shows contraction. "Things could hardly have turned out much worse," said Cyrus de la Rubia, chief economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank. "The eurozone's manufacturing sector is sinking deeper into recession, and now the services sector is starting to struggle after two months of marginal growth." But as the euro fell both Paris and Frankfurt stocks managed to recover their losses and advance. "The eurozone data has increased the chance of more rate cuts from the ECB next year," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, as well a cut of 50 basis points next month. "Investors have been jolted into recalibrating interest rate expectations on the back of this bleak economic news," she added. London managed to gain 1.4 percent despite data showing that retail sales figures for October undershot forecasts, as the pound fell against the dollar. In Asia, Tokyo climbed as the government prepared to announce a $140 billion stimulus package to kickstart the country's stuttering economy. However, Hong Kong and Shanghai sank on a sell-off in tech firms caused by weak earnings from firms including Temu-owner PDD Holdings and internet giant Baidu. Bitcoin set a new record high above $99,500 Friday, before easing back slightly. The leading digital currency is expected to soon burst through $100,000 as investors grow increasingly hopeful that Trump will pass measures to deregulate the crypto sector. Bitcoin has soared more than 40 percent since the Republican's election victory this month and has more than doubled since the turn of the year. More from this section The recent surge has also been "driven by news that Trump could set up an official crypto department that would sit in the heart of US government," said XTB's Brooks. New York - Dow: UP 1.0 percent at 44,296.51 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.4 percent at 5,969.34 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 19,003.65 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 1.4 percent at 8,262.08 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.6 percent at 7,255.01 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.9 percent at 19,322.59 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.7 percent at 38,283.85 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.9 percent at 19,229.97 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 3.1 percent at 3,267.19 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0418 from $1.0474 on Thursday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2530 from $1.2589 Dollar/yen: UP at 154.83 yen from 154.54 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.11 pence from 83.20 pence West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.6 percent at $71.24 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.3 percent at $75.17 per barrel burs-jmb/mlmBBC Return to Paradise fans say the same thing as 'favourite' character returns to spin-offNEW YORK (AP) — A piece of conceptual art consisting of a simple banana, duct-taped to a wall, sold for $6.2 million at an auction in New York on Wednesday, with the winning bid coming from a prominent cryptocurrency entrepreneur. “Comedian,” by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was a phenomenon when it debuted in 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach, as festivalgoers tried to make out whether the single yellow piece of fruit affixed to a white wall with silver duct tape was a joke or cheeky commentary on questionable standards among art collectors. At one point, another artist took the banana off the wall and ate it. The piece attracted so much attention that it had to be withdrawn from view. But three editions sold for between $120,000 and $150,000, according to the gallery handling sales at the time. Five years later, Justin Sun , founder of cryptocurrency platform TRON, has now paid more than 40 times that higher price point at the Sotheby’s auction. Or, more accurately, Sun purchased a certificate of authenticity that gives him the authority to duct-tape a banana to a wall and call it “Comedian.” The piece attracted heavy attention at the busy auction at Sotheby’s, with attendees in the crowded room holding up phones to take photos as two handlers wearing white gloves stood at both sides of the banana. Bidding started at $800,000 and within minutes shot up to $2 million, then $3 million, then $4 million, and higher, as the auctioneer, Oliver Barker, joked “Don’t let it slip away.” “Don’t miss this opportunity,” Barker said. “These are words I’ve never thought I’d say: Five million dollars for a banana.” The final hammer price announced in the room was $5.2 million, which didn’t include the about $1 million in auction house fees, paid by the buyer. In a statement, Sun said the piece “represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community.” But he said the latest version of “Comedian” won’t last long. “Additionally, in the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture,” Sun said. Sotheby’s calls Cattelan “among Contemporary Art’s most brilliant provocateurs.” “He has persistently disrupted the art world’s status quo in meaningful, irreverent, and often controversial ways,” the auction house said in a description of “Comedian.” Related Articles Entertainment | The right book can inspire the young readers in your life, from picture books to YA novels Entertainment | LeBron James says he’s taking a social media break for now Entertainment | Pamela Hayden, longtime ‘Simpsons’ voice actor, including Bart’s friend Milhouse, hangs up her mic Entertainment | Simone Biles to join Snoop Dogg as a guest mentor for an episode on NBC’s ‘The Voice’ Entertainment | Alec Baldwin wasn’t invited to ‘Rust’ premiere, incites anger of slain cinematographer’s family The sale came a day after a painting by the Belgian surrealist René Magritte sold for $121.2 million, a record for the artist, at a separate auction. “The Empire of Light,” an eerie nighttime streetscape below a pale blue daytime sky, sold Tuesday as part of Christie’s sale of the collection of interior designer Mica Ertegun, who died last year at age 97. The sale lifts Magritte into the ranks of artists whose works have gone for more than $100 million at auction. Magritte is the 16th member of the club, which also includes Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, according to the market analyst firm Artprice. “The Empire of Light,” executed in 1954, was one of 17 versions of the same scene that Magritte painted in oil. Marc Porter, chairman of Christie’s Americas, called the sale “a historic moment in our saleroom.” The $121.2 million price included the auction house’s fees. The buyer was a telephone bidder whose identity was not disclosed.
East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., a potential first-round pick, declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday. Revel, who sustained a torn left ACL in practice in September, had one season of eligibility remaining. "After an incredible journey at East Carolina, I am officially declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft," the senior posted on social media. "... Pirates nation, thank you for your unwavering energy and support every game. Representing ECU is an honor, and I look forward to continuing to do so on Sundays!" Revel recorded two interceptions in three games this season, returning one 50 yards for a touchdown on Sept. 14 against Appalachian State. Over three seasons with the Pirates, Revel had three interceptions, 15 passes defensed and 70 tackles in 24 games. He was a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection last season. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Revel as the No. 2 cornerback and No. 23 overall prospect in the 2025 draft class. --Field Level Media
All want restoration of caretaker government system: Badiul Alam MajumderEast Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., a potential first-round pick, declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Friday. Revel, who sustained a torn left ACL in practice in September, had one season of eligibility remaining. "After an incredible journey at East Carolina, I am officially declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft," the senior posted on social media. "... Pirates nation, thank you for your unwavering energy and support every game. Representing ECU is an honor, and I look forward to continuing to do so on Sundays!" Revel recorded two interceptions in three games this season, returning one 50 yards for a touchdown on Sept. 14 against Appalachian State. Over three seasons with the Pirates, Revel had three interceptions, 15 passes defensed and 70 tackles in 24 games. He was a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection last season. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Revel as the No. 2 cornerback and No. 23 overall prospect in the 2025 draft class. --Field Level MediaVikings withstand Bears' furious rally, win on field goal in OT
Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — In the year since the war in Gaza broke out, Israel's government has been cracking down on dissent among its Palestinian citizens. Authorities have charged Palestinians with “supporting terrorism” because of posts online or for demonstrating against the war. Activists and rights watchdogs say Palestinians have also lost jobs, been suspended from schools and faced police interrogations. Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel's population. Many feel forced to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society. Others still find ways to dissent, but carefully. Israel's National Security Ministry counters that, “Freedom of speech is not the freedom to incite.” Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel says the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found, citing Emirati authorities. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday said Zvi Kogan was killed, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” It said: “The state of Israel will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death." Kogan went missing on Thursday, and there were suspicions he had been kidnapped. His disappearance comes as Iran has been threatening to retaliate against Israel after the two countries traded fire in October. Hezbollah fires more than 180 rockets and other projectiles into Israel, wounding at least 7 BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah has fired at least 185 rockets and other projectiles into Israel, wounding seven people in the militant group's heaviest barrage in several days. The attacks in northern and central Israel happened Sunday in response to deadly Israeli strikes in central Beirut on Saturday. Meanwhile, negotiators pressed on with cease-fire efforts to halt the all-out war. Lebanon's military says an Israeli strike on a Lebanese army center in the southwest killed one soldier and wounded 18 others. Israel's military has expressed regret and said its operations are directed solely against the militants. Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister condemned the latest strike as an assault on the U.S.-led cease-fire efforts. The rising price of paying the national debt is a risk for Trump's promises on growth and inflation WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has big plans for the economy. He also has big debt problem that'll be a hurdle to delivering on those plan. Trump has bold ambitions on tax cuts, tariffs and other programs. But high interest rates and the price of repaying the federal government’s existing debt could limit what he’s able to do. The federal debt stands at roughly $36 trillion, and the spike in inflation after the pandemic has pushed up the government’s borrowing costs such that debt service next year will easily exceed spending on national security. After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles WASHINGTON (AP) — During the campaign, President-elect Donald Trump had hailed what would become Project 2025 as a conservative roadmap for “exactly what our movement will do." Trump pulled an about-face when Project 2025 became a political liability. He denied knowing anything about the “ridiculous and abysmal” plans, even though some were written by his former aides and many allies. Now, after winning the 2024 election, Trump is stocking his second administration with key players in the effort he temporarily shunned. Trump has tapped Russell Vought for an encore as director of the Office of Management and Budget; Tom Homan, his former immigration chief, as “border czar;” and immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy. Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — Forecasters in the U.S. have warned of another round of winter weather that could complicate travel leading up to Thanksgiving. California is bracing for more snow and rain this weekend while still grappling with some flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for California's Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at high elevations. Thousands remained without power in the Seattle area on Saturday after a “bomb cyclone” storm system hit the West Coast earlier in the week, killing two people. Parts of the Northeast and Appalachia also began the weekend with heavy precipitation. Pakistan partially stops mobile and internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns” as supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan gear up for a protest in the capital. The government and Interior Ministry made the announcement on X, which is banned in Pakistan. Sunday's protest is to demand Khan's release. He has been in prison for more than a year but remains popular. His supporters rely heavily on social media and messaging apps to coordinate with each other. Pakistan has already sealed off Islamabad and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with Khan's power bases. Here's what to know about the new funding deal that countries agreed to at UN climate talks BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. But it’s a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still unsatisfied but hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. Japan holds Sado mines memorial despite South Korean boycott amid lingering historical tensions SADO, Japan (AP) — Japan has held a memorial ceremony near the Sado Island Gold Mines despite a last-minute boycott of the event by South Korea that highlighted tensions between the neighbors over the brutal wartime use of Korean laborers. South Korea’s absence at Sunday’s memorial, to which Seoul government officials and Korean victims’ families were invited, is a major setback in the rapidly improving ties between the countries. The Sado mines were listed in July as a UNESCO World Heritage Site after Japan moved past years of disputes with South Korea and reluctantly acknowledged the mines’ dark history. Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. He teamed up with Young for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and became a full supporter Donald Trump.Joe Rogan (Image: PxImages/SPP/Louis Grasse) Donald Trump was joined for his post-midnight election victory address by his family, his running mate JD Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita. One apparent outlier was Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Speaking third, White thanked YouTube pranksters the Nelk Boys, Louisianan stand-up comedian and podcaster Theo Von, controversial Kick streamer Adin Ross, and “ the mighty and powerful Joe Rogan ”. Given the US election result, White’s description of the hugely popular podcaster seems apt. In the lead-up to November 5, both Kamala Harris and Trump scheduled a string of sitdowns with an eclectic mix of influencers, sports players, comedians and media personalities. It’s not difficult to understand why. Almost half of Americans — an estimated 135 million people — say they listen to a podcast monthly, which is more than twice the share who said the same in 2016, during Trump’s first presidential run. On election day, the two top streamers, right-wingers Dan Bongino and Steven Crowder, raked in around half a million viewers each, exceeding all media companies except for FOX and NBC. Da pacem, Domine: Why Trump is what democracy needs Read More But the election results indicate the presidential candidates did not garner equal success in this new media space. The porous ecosystem of the podcasting and streaming “manosphere” connects stand-up comedy, mixed martial arts and online bro culture. And it elevates figures such as Elon Musk, Ben Shapiro and Jordan Peterson, who offer unapologetic support for traditional gender roles and attacks against “wokeism”. Rogan might be the gravitational centre around which this ecosystem orbits, and it is a welcoming place for Trump’s anti-establishment message and his rebuke of mainstream media. The long and unstructured form of Rogan’s and adjacent podcasts and their sympathetic hosts allows Trump’s loose rhetorical style — his self-described “weave” — to land for audiences familiar with, and wanting, spontaneity and easygoing flow. And it is likely that these appearances helped him to propel traditionally low-propensity young male voters to the ballot box. In his bid to court the so-called “ bro vote, ” Trump engaged dozens of podcasters and streamers on the political fringe who share a common audience of young, politically disengaged men. In the final days of the campaign, Trump — followed by Vance, then billionaire backer Musk—went on The Joe Rogan Experience , America’s most-consumed podcast . These appearances culminated in Rogan offering his endorsement of the Republican ticket, arguably the zenith for a US presidential election where nontraditional media played an unprecedented role. The Trump campaign’s media strategy appears to have paid off. Trump scored massive gains among young men, winning this demographic 49% to Harris’s 47%. This marks a dramatic swing from 2020, when Joe Biden picked up most of the young male vote (52% to Trump’s 41%). Trump also made significant inroads in wresting away votes from traditional Democratic constituencies. According to exit polls, Latino men veered to Trump in higher numbers than ever before, across red and blue states alike . Meanwhile, the Democrats’ edge among Black men was blunted enough to tip the scale in Trump’s favour in key swing states such as Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania. By contrast, there are few signs that Harris’s approach to nontraditional media benefited her campaign, despite the Democratic nominee’s surge of early enthusiasm from young people on social media. An appearance with Rogan, which was reportedly on the cards, ultimately fell through after the two parties were unable to agree on interview conditions. This was viewed by some as a missed opportunity for her campaign to engage with young men. But whether she would have found success with Rogan’s audience remains an open question. ‘Deeply repulsive’: ABC chair Kim Williams rails against Joe Rogan amid pitch for greater funding Read More In the election post-mortem, some commentators and DNC insiders have argued that the Democrats need their own Rogan. But they did have their own Rogan in 2020, when Bernie Sanders, then a Democratic primary candidate, appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience and secured the host’s endorsement. At the time, Sanders was lambasted for going on the show. Harris’s strategy instead largely focused on reaching Independent and moderate Republican women through appearing on shows like Call Her Daddy , a podcast that is hugely popular among women, most of whom are young and a sizeable chunk of whom are independent voters . And Harris’s interview with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson for their podcast All the Smoke was seen as an attempt to shore up support among Black men. Harris hemorrhaged votes to Trump on all fronts. The gender gap, though notably wide among young people, did not reach the historic margins that were expected in the so-called “ gender election. ” Even among cohorts that Harris won — such as Black men, women, and young voters — she secured a far slimmer margin of victory compared to Hillary Clinton in 2016 or Biden in 2020. For candidates, the benefits of engaging with these non-traditional outlets seem clear: cutting through a saturated media market; leveraging the parasocial relationships between hosts and their fans; less chance of pushback than from a trained journalist. This election cycle also indicates just how ubiquitous “new media” has become, and its movement from the fringe to the centre. Future campaign strategists will continue to adapt to a mediascape beyond the world of prime-time interviews and broadcast advertising. And Trump’s victory suggests they will need to reckon with its gendered structure and content that — for the most successful shows — speak to the desires and interests of young men. Have something to say about this article? Write to us at letters@crikey.com.au . Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey’s Your Say . We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
NFC-leading Lions host Bears on Thanksgiving, trying to stop 7-game losing streak on the holidaySINGAPORE: Having lived in Yishun for over 10 years, Ting Jian Rong comes prepared with a quip whenever he’s asked about the neighbourhood in Singapore’s north : “We have a lot of ‘crazy’ people here, but we don’t have criminals!” The 31-year-old was poking fun at Yishun’s largely social media-fuelled reputation for being a place of danger and just bad news overall, from misdemeanours to cat abuse cases and even more serious transgressions . Online chatter swelled to such an extent that in 2018, the area’s Nee Soon town council released a report with statistics to show that Yishun was not the crime hotspot it’s made out to be. More recent figures from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) back this up. Both Yishun North and Yishun South Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs) were among the most improved in terms of annual crime cases recorded, with the number dropping by at least 50 per cent over a decade from 2013 to last year. It matches the anecdotal, lived experience of Mr Ting, who works in the air freight sector. He recalled that about ten years ago, loanshark harassment was a big issue around his estate. But this has ceased to be the case and seems to have been replaced by a more modern scourge, as he’s noticed more anti-scam messaging in his neighbourhood in recent times. What’s happening in Yishun has been mirrored in most of Singapore’s 35 NPCs: A drop in physical crime – including in Geylang, another notorious locale – combined with increased awareness that location now matters less in a digital age. Scam cases in the first half of 2024, for instance, rose 16.3 per cent compared with the same period last year. White-collar crime has also taken centrestage in Singapore, after a S$3 billion money laundering case involving 10 foreigners made global headlines. This changing nature of crime and as a result, crime prevention has already driven a shake-up of what policing constitutes, according to experts. Tap on the map to see trends for preventable crime cases across Singapore’s Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs), over the past decade: THE YOUNGER THE OFFENDER The statistics, which are publicly available, related to what police term as five “preventable” crimes: Robbery, housebreaking, snatch theft, theft of motor vehicle and outrage of modesty. “Considering that the number of crimes is low overall, the public should not jump to the conclusion that some areas are more dangerous,” Associate Professor Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim, head of the public safety and security programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, cautioned. “Instead, they should review the data and look at the crime trend comprehensively and not panic.” Of note was the close relationship between age and offending, as highlighted by criminologist Olivia Choy, an assistant professor at the Nanyang Technological University. “At the aggregate level, prevalence of offending peaks in the late teenage years , and then declines afterward,” she said. “Based on this phenomenon, we would expect to see a greater deal of crime and delinquency in areas with more adolescents and young adults, rather than if the same areas were occupied by older adults or younger children.” Of the 35 NPCs across the country, only four — Punggol, Marina Bay, Sengkang and Sembawang — recorded an increase in the number of crime cases over the decade, based on data last updated in September. Citing government statistics, real estate advisory OrangeTee Group's chief researcher and strategist Christine Sun noted that the three residential planning areas among the four did indeed have a higher proportion of teenagers than the average across the country. A 65-year-old Yishun resident, who only wanted to be known as Mr Ang, told CNA that in the past, the demographic was younger and might have run into more issues typically faced by those in that age group, such as gambling addiction and loanshark borrowing. The kitchen helper, who has lived in Yishun Ring Road for over 40 years, said: “Now those residents have grown older; they have new responsibilities and priorities in life; they have their own families.” Ms Carrie Tan, a Nee Soon Member of Parliament since 2020, said Yishun’s improved 10-year crime statistics reflected the “strong community spirit and effective policing efforts” that have contributed to a safer environment in the area. She added that the police regularly take part in community events to raise crime awareness, and also engage residents through initiatives such as the Community Watch Scheme . And Ms Tan emphasised that social support was “vital”. “We’ve expanded financial assistance, welfare support, and mental health resources to help residents manage stress and prevent situations that might otherwise lead to crime.” RED LIGHT DISTRICT NO MORE Another standout data point related to outrage of modesty, which consistently made up the bulk of cases across NPCs. While only four neighbourhood police centres saw a rise in overall crime, 21 actually recorded a climb in outrage of modesty cases. Mention such “sex crimes” and for many, Geylang would come to mind . After the Little India riots in 2013, then-police commissioner Ng Joo Hee remarked that the cops were in fact more worried about Geylang because “all the indicators for potential trouble are there”. He called Geylang a “hot spot” for crimes such as illegal gambling and drug dealing, and where there was worryingly overt hostility and antagonism towards police presence. Over the next 10 years, however, Geylang’s NPC recorded the biggest – 66.2 per cent – drop in crime cases. Financial adviser Brandon Koh, who has lived in the Cassia Crescent estate in Geylang since he was six, said: “Last time, we could hear people running and chasing each other around and shouting at night. Nowadays, no more.” The 28-year-old believes the fall in crime has to do with Geylang NPC relocating in 2019 from Paya Lebar Road to Cassia Link, closer to the infamous Geylang Road stretch. “The frequent presence of the police officers nearby will have a deterrent effect on any would-be criminals,” said Mountbatten MP Lim Biow Chuan, who has been in office since 2006. Ms Utkalika Sahoo, who lives in Geylang and works as a cashier at Wandiantonglian convenience store in Geylang Lorong 22, told CNA she doesn’t feel unsafe even though she closes shop around 11.30pm daily. But she also said Geylang hasn’t completely shrugged off its reputation. Last month, Ms Utkalika wanted to book a mobile hairdresser to come to her home, but was told the service was not provided in the area due to its associations with vice. Still, MPs overseeing the neighbourhood said they’ve received fewer complaints from residents — in tandem with feedback on their increased comfort and security. Dr Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah, MP for Jalan Besar since 2020, pointed to what he said were simple but impactful changes, like installing better street lighting. The area’s urban redevelopment over the years has also helped reduce the concentration of vice-related activities, he said. “This shift has been essential in gradually reshaping the area’s reputation and dispelling outdated stereotypes.“ BUILT-UP PLACES Among the NPCs which saw a spike in crime, Marina Bay — with its 71.7 per cent jump — was the only one located in the city district. A breakdown of crimes committed by locals and foreigners was not available, but Mr Jason Chua, who teaches criminal law at Temasek Polytechnic, said a post-pandemic upswing in visitor numbers may have contributed. “Many tourists flocked to Singapore and many events went back in full swing , with mega events such as the F1 race – which drew over 260,000 attendees – Marina Bay Singapore Countdown, Chingay Parade and National Day Parade,” he said. “With more people, naturally, the incidence of crime rises.” Crime cases also climbed by 95 per cent in Punggol — the biggest surge — followed by 14.8 per cent in Sengkang and 6.5 per cent in Sembawang. "Generally, there are more HDB (Housing Board) flats that have been built and reached MOP (minimum occupation period) in Punggol, Sengkang and Sembawang in recent years," said OrangeTee’s Ms Sun. Residents in Punggol were generally unfazed and said they still felt safe. Aircraft technician Mohammed Salah, 27, who lives in Punggol Central, said one reason could be that the area was not a mature estate, with some parts not fully developed and lacking things like police cameras. But he said the 2022 relocation of Punggol NPC from Tebing Lane to his neighbourhood has increased police presence. “A lot of the back roads are opening up, so it’s easier for the police cars to move around,” noted Mr Salah. Other residents told CNA they’d observed police officers patrolling on foot regularly. “NO BOUNDARIES” For Mr Chua, the polytechnic lecturer, the overall drop in crime cases throughout Singapore can be attributed in part to the installation of more police cameras, providing surveillance on the ground. The SPF previously announced that by the mid-2030s, more than 200,000 police cameras will be installed in public areas islandwide to improve safety and security and help investigations. Higher penalties imposed by the courts in recent years may have also prompted would-be criminals to think twice before offending, Mr Chua added. But experts and authorities also stressed the evolving, increasingly less physical nature of crime and crime prevention. “Considering the increase in online and tech-facilitated crime, jurisdiction is not a good indicator considering there are no boundaries when it comes to them,” said Assoc Prof Razwana. The police also told CNA it has been dealing with more sophisticated and transnational crimes, including financial crimes and money laundering. With Singapore an international financial centre and a trading and transit hub, criminals could its economic openness and business infrastructure to move illicit funds and assets, the SPF said. Criminals could also convert their illicit funds to other assets here, like real estate or precious stones and precious metals. The police announced a slew of initiatives in May in recognition of the changing landscape — and to get the public further involved. These include public education campaigns and stepped-up dissemination of cybercrime alerts and advisories. SPF’s Anti-Scam Command (ASCom) has also conducted 13 island-wide enforcement operations in the first half of 2024 alone, leading to the investigation of over 4,000 money mules and scammers. More than 140 joint interventions by ASCom and Community Policing Units were also conducted in that period, averting more than S$36.5 million (US$27 million) in potential losses. Other efforts include an app released in 2020 to block scam calls and detect scam SMSes. PRESENT AND RELEVANT Meanwhile, the police have also been consolidating physical resources. Woodlands Police Division was launched in late 2018 to better serve a growing population across the north, northeastern and western parts of Singapore, especially new estates in Punggol and Tengah. SPF will also merge its Yishun North and Yishun South NPCs into one neighbourhood police centre on Dec 18, as part of a shift to pool resources “from smaller, geographically-linked NPCs to form a larger base”. “It is part of our ongoing efforts to review and restructure ground deployments across our 35 NPCs, to better meet the evolving security challenges and the community’s needs.” Experts told CNA that NPCs still have a part to play in Singapore. For one, the very presence of a police outpost in a neighbourhood serves as a visual deterrent. “Prevention is better than cure, and the NPC is still relevant being that symbolic authority,” said Assoc Prof Razwana. She said its role is no longer just about traditional policing, but proactively “working with the community and collecting data and information”. Mr Chua pointed out that the Community Policing Units are often based within NPCs too. These units were introduced back in 2012 to build closer relationships between the police and residents, through the likes of Citizens on Patrol and Neighbourhood Watch Group efforts. “Crime prevention is a shared responsibility. Everyone can contribute to the safety and security of Singapore,” the police said. Preschool teacher Amelia Quah, who has lived in Punggol Drive for three years, agrees. Beyond the sight of the men in blue keeping watch over her neighbourhood, it’s the community elements which make the 26-year-old feel more assured – including something as modest as a convenience store under her block, which is open 24/7. "So at least the place is well-lit," she said. "And there's always someone else around in case anything happens."
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Abortion has become slightly more common despite bans or deep restrictions in most Republican-controlled states, and the legal and political fights over its future are not over yet. It’s now been two and a half years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and opened the door for states to implement bans. The policies and their impact have been in flux ever since the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Here’s a look at data on where things stand: Overturning Roe and enforcing abortion bans has changed how woman obtain abortions in the U.S. But one thing it hasn’t done is put a dent in the number of abortions being obtained. There have been slightly more monthly abortions across the country recently than there were in the months leading up to the June 2022 ruling, even as the number in states with bans dropped to near zero. “Abortion bans don’t actually prevent abortions from happening,” said Ushma Upadhyay, a public health social scientist at the University of California San Francisco. But, she said, they do change care. For women in some states, there are major obstacles to getting abortions — and advocates say that low-income, minority and immigrant women are least likely to be able to get them when they want. For those living in states with bans, the ways to access abortion are through travel or abortion pills. As the bans swept in, abortion pills became a bigger part of the equation. They were involved in about half the abortions before Dobbs. More recently, it’s been closer to two-thirds of them, according to research by the Guttmacher Institute. The uptick of that kind of abortion, usually involving a combination of two drugs, was underway before the ruling. But now, it’s become more common for pill prescriptions to be made by telehealth. By the summer of 2024, about 1 in 10 abortions was via pills prescribed via telehealth to patients in states where abortion is banned. As a result, the pills are now at the center of battles over abortion access. This month, Texas sued a New York doctor for prescribing pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. There’s also an effort by Idaho, Kansas and Missouri to roll back their federal approvals and treat them as “controlled dangerous substances,” and a push for the federal government to start enforcing a 19th-century federal law to ban mailing them. Clinics have closed or halted abortions in states with bans. But a network of efforts to get women seeking abortions to places where they’re legal has strengthened and travel for abortion is now common. The Guttmacher Institute found that more than twice as many Texas residents obtained abortion in 2023 in New Mexico as New Mexico residents did. And as many Texans received them in Kansas as Kansans. Abortion funds, which benefitted from “rage giving” in 2022, have helped pay the costs for many abortion-seekers. But some funds have had to cap how much they can give. Since the downfall of Roe, the actions of lawmakers and courts have kept shifting where abortion is legal and under what conditions. Here’s where it stands now: Florida, the nation’s third most-populous state, began enforcing a ban on abortions after the first six weeks of pregnancy on May 1. That immediately changed the state from one that was a refuge for other Southerners seeking abortion to an exporter of people looking for them. There were about 30% fewer abortions there in May compared with the average for the first three months of the year. And in June, there were 35% fewer. While the ban is not unique, the impact is especially large. The average driving time from Florida to a facility in North Carolina where abortion is available for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is more than nine hours, according to data maintained by Caitlin Myers, a Middlebury College economics professor. The bans have meant clinics closed or stopped offering abortions in some states. But some states where abortion remains legal until viability – generally considered to be sometime past 21 weeks of pregnancy, though there’s no fixed time for it – have seen clinics open and expand. Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico are among the states with new clinics. There were 799 publicly identifiable abortion providers in the U.S. in May 2022, the month before the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. And by this November, it was 792, according to a tally by Myers, who is collecting data on abortion providers. But Myers says some hospitals that always provided some abortions have begun advertising it. So they’re now in the count of clinics – even though they might provide few of them. How hospitals handle pregnancy complications, especially those that threaten the lives of the women, has emerged as a major issue since Roe was overturned. President Joe Biden’s administration says hospitals must offer abortions when they’re needed to prevent organ loss, hemorrhage or deadly infections, even in states with bans. Texas is challenging the administration’s policy and the U.S. Supreme Court this year declined to take it up after the Biden administration sued Idaho. More than 100 pregnant women seeking help in emergency rooms and were turned away or left unstable since 2022, The Associated Press found in an analysis of federal hospital investigative records. Among the complaints were a woman who miscarried in the lobby restroom of Texas emergency room after staff refused to see her and a woman who gave birth in a car after a North Carolina hospital couldn’t offer an ultrasound. The baby later died. “It is increasingly less safe to be pregnant and seeking emergency care in an emergency department,” Dara Kass, an emergency medicine doctor and former U.S. Health and Human Services official told the AP earlier this year. Since Roe was overturned, there have been 18 reproductive rights-related statewide ballot questions. Abortion rights advocates have prevailed on 14 of them and lost on four. In the 2024 election, they amended the constitutions in five states to add the right to abortion. Such measures failed in three states: In Florida, where it required 60% support; in Nebraska, which had competing abortion ballot measures; and in South Dakota, where most national abortion rights groups did support the measure. AP VoteCast data found that more than three-fifths of voters in 2024 supported abortion being legal in all or most cases – a slight uptick from 2020. The support came even as voters supported Republicans to control the White House and both houses of Congress. Associated Press writers Linley Sanders, Amanda Seitz and Laura Ungar contributed to this article.
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