Guidehouse Names Shannon White Leader of Defense & Security Segment
WASHINGTON – A congressional hearing on Secret Service lapses surrounding attempted assassinations of President-elect Donald Trump erupted into a screaming match Thursday between the agency’s acting director and U.S. Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas. Fallon, an outspoken critic of the Secret Service’s recent failures, is a member of the special House task force investigating where the agency has fallen short protecting Trump in two attempts on his life. Ronald Rowe Jr. took over after former director Kimberly Cheatle resigned in the face of intense criticism after the assassination attempt at a July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was shot in the ear, a rally attendee was killed and two others critically injured. Rowe testified Thursday as the task force wrapped up its investigation and prepared to submit its final report. Rowe said the Butler attempt represented an “abject failure” by the agency that underscored critical problems. He said he has sought to implement reforms and be an “agent of change” to improve the agency’s performance. Fallon peppered Rowe with pointed questions before asking aides to display a photo of a Sept. 11 remembrance event in New York attended by President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump and other high-profile officials. Rowe was visible in the photo standing just behind the VIPs. Fallon asked Rowe if he was the special agent in charge, who would typically be closest to the president. Rowe quickly cut in to say the agent in charge was outside the picture’s frame and talked about the 3,000 people who died in the terror attacks. “I actually responded to ground zero. I was there going through the ashes of the World Trade Center. I was there at Fresh Kills...” “I’m not asking you that,” Fallon cut him off, his voice rising. “I’m asking you if you were, were you the special agent in charge? You were not!” “I was there to show respect for a Secret Service member that died on 9/11,” Rowe shouted back. “Oh, that’s a bunch of horse hockey,” Fallon interjected. “Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes,” Rowe said as each of the men jabbed their fingers in the air and talked over one another. “Don’t try to bully me,” Fallon said. “I am an elected member of Congress and I am asking you a serious question and you are playing politics.” “I am a public servant who has served this nation and spent time on our country’s darkest day,” Rowe said. “Do not politicize it.” Fallon’s time was expiring and the task force chairman started banging his gavel to cut him off but the congressman kept after Rowe, saying he wanted answers to very simple, serious questions. In the cross talk, it sounded as if Rowe said his presence did not affect protective operations at the event. “Do you know why you were there? Because you wanted to be visible because you are auditioning for this job that you’re not going to get,” Fallon said. “You endangered President Biden’s life, Vice President Harris’ life, because you put those agents out of position.” Rowe told Fallon he was out of line. “You’re a bully,” Fallon shot back before the task force resumed its regularly scheduled questioning. Fallon also delivered a tongue-lashing to Cheatle when she testified shortly after the Butler attempt. In that hearing, Fallon recounted how he sought to recreate the conditions that faced the would-be assassin. And he mockingly referred to Cheatle’s previous job as senior director in global security at Pepsico, which manufactures snack foods, by telling her she should “go back to guarding Doritos.” -------- ©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Why Dell Technologies Stock Crashed 11% Today
Liverpool leads as the class of the Champions League this season, dumping title holder Real Madrid into an almost unbelievable 24th place in the 36-team standings. No one felt the embarrassment of Madrid’s 2-0 loss at Anfield more than Kylian Mbappé, the superstar added in the offseason by the storied club that also was European champion against Liverpool in the finals of 2022 and 2018. Mbappé had a penalty saved in the second half and was earlier dumped on his behind by Conor Bradley’s perfect tackle in an instant viral moment. Monaco missed a chance to go second in the table, giving up a lead playing with 10 men from the 58th minute in a 3-2 loss at home to Benfica. Swiss forward Zeki Amdouni scored the winning goal in the 88th. Borussia Dortmund, the beaten finalist against Madrid in May, is up to fourth place after beating Dinamo Zagreb 3-0. Champions League standout Jamie Gittens now has four goals in five games, curling a rising shot in the 41st to open the scoring. The best comeback was at PSV Eindhoven, where the home team trailed Shakhtar Donetsk by two goals in the 87th minute before a 3-2 win was sealed by United States forward Ricardo Pepi’s goal deep in stoppage time. US defender Cameron Carter-Vickers scored an embarrassing own goal for Celtic — playing a no-look pass far beyond goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel — in a 1-1 draw with Club Brugge. Liverpool’s stand-in right back Bradley was a standout Wednesday, playing a key pass that set up Alexis Mac Allister to score the opening goal in the 52nd. After Mbappé’s penalty was pushed away by goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher in the 61st, Liverpool star Mo Salah missed with his spot-kick in the 70th, before substitute Cody Gakpo sealed the win with a header in the 77th. Madrid now has lost three of five games after defeats at Lille and at home to AC Milan. The record 15-time European champion has another tough trip next, at fifth-place Atalanta on Dec. 10. Congo teammates Ngal’Ayel Mukau and Silas impressed in wins for Lille and Red Star Belgrade. Mukau scored twice in 12th-place Lille’s 2-1 win at Bologna and Silas leveled for Red Star in a 5-1 rout of Stuttgart, though he barely celebrated his goal. Silas is on loan with the Serbian champion from Stuttgart. Aston Villa drew 0-0 with Juventus. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Graham Dunbar, The Associated PressF&O Query: Should you hold Coforge futures short?
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teekay Corporation Ltd. (Teekay) (NYSE:TK) and Teekay Tankers Ltd. ( Teekay Tankers ) (NYSE:TNK) announced today the following changes to their respective Boards of Directors, which are effective as of December 31, 2024. The changes further streamline and simplify the Teekay Group, and align with the previously announced goal of having Teekay Tankers serve as the sole operating platform within the Teekay Group and Teekay focusing on managing its controlling interest in Teekay Tankers: Teekay Board Changes David Schellenberg and Alan Semple will be stepping down as Directors of the Teekay Board of Directors ( Teekay Board ), and as Board Chair and Audit Committee Chair, respectively, in order to serve as independent Directors on the Teekay Tankers Board of Directors ( Teekay Tankers Board ) and for Mr. Semple to serve as Chair of the Teekay Tankers Board’s Audit Committee. The Teekay Board has appointed Poul Karlshoej, nephew of our late founder, Torben Karlshoej, and son of Teekay’s former Chairman Emeritus, Axel Karlshoej, to fill the vacancy as a Director of the Teekay Board that will be created upon the resignation of Mr. Schellenberg. The Teekay Board has elected not to fill the remaining vacancy, and, as a result, the size of the Teekay Board will be reduced from the current six members to five members. The Teekay Board has appointed current director, Heidi Locke Simon, to take over as Chair of the Teekay Board and Chair of the Teekay Board’s Audit Committee. Teekay Tankers Board Changes Richard du Moulin, Director, and Sai Chu, Director, are retiring from the Teekay Tankers Board. Messrs. Semple and Karlshoej will join the Teekay Tankers Board to fill these two vacancies. Mr. Semple will also serve as the Chair of the Teekay Tankers Board’s Audit Committee. Kenneth Hvid, President and CEO of Teekay and Teekay Tankers, will be stepping down from his role as Chair of the Teekay Tankers Board, but will remain as a Director on each Board. The size of the Teekay Tankers Board will be increased from five members to seven members. The two newly created positions will be filled by current Teekay Board members, Heidi Locke Simon and Rudolph Krediet. The Teekay Tankers Board has selected Ms. Locke Simon to take over as Chair of the Teekay Tankers Board. “On behalf of the Teekay Tankers Board, we would like to thank Rich and Sai for their significant contributions to the Teekay Tankers Board over the years,” commented Heidi Locke Simon. “Rich has provided valuable insight and leadership since Teekay Tankers’ initial public offering in 2007, growing the fleet from nine vessels to over 45 vessels today, and both Rich and Sai have been instrumental in successfully navigating Teekay Tankers through challenging years and positioning us to thrive during the current market upcycle.” “I’d also like to thank both David and Kenneth for their excellent leadership as Chairs of the Teekay and Teekay Tankers Boards. I’m grateful to be stepping into their positions at a time when the Teekay Group is well-positioned for the future and I look forward to continuing to work with them both in their respective Board roles. In addition, I welcome Poul to both Boards and Rudolph and Alan to the Teekay Tankers Board, and I look forward to continuing our work together.” Heidi Locke Simon Ms. Locke Simon joined the board of Teekay Corporation Ltd. in 2017 and currently serves as the Chair of the Compensation and Human Resources Committee and as a member of the Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees. She also served on the board of Teekay GP LLC, the general partner of Teekay LNG Partners LP (now known as Seapeak LLC), from June 2021 until Stonepeak’s acquisition of Seapeak in January 2022. Ms. Locke Simon brings over 30 years of experience to these roles. She was formerly a partner at Bain & Company and an Investment Banking Analyst at Goldman Sachs. Ms. Locke Simon has served as a Director of Compass Diversified Holdings (NYSE:CODI) since July 2023, where she is also a member of the Audit Committee. She has experience as Board Chair serving on several private company and non-profit organization boards. Ms. Locke Simon holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and has completed various certifications in governance (including cybersecurity governance). Poul Karlshoej Mr. Karlshoej has served as a Board Observer on the Teekay Corporation Ltd. board since 2019 and the Teekay Tankers Ltd. board since 2021. Prior to these roles, he also served in various business development, commercial management and chartering roles within the Teekay Group in its offshore and tanker segments since 2007. Mr. Karlshoej joined Anholt Services (USA) Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kattegat Trust, which oversees the trust’s globally diversified investment portfolio, in 2018, and currently serves on its Investment Committee. In addition, Mr. Karlshoej is involved in a number of commercial ventures in real estate development and agriculture, both as an owner and investor. Mr. Karlshoej graduated from Colorado State with a degree in Agriculture Business in 2006. Alan Semple Mr. Semple has served as a Director of Teekay Corporation Ltd. since 2015 and currently serves as the Chair of the Audit Committee. He previously served on the board of Teekay GP LLC, the general partner of Teekay LNG Partners LP (now known as Seapeak LLC), from May 2019 until Stonepeak’s acquisition of Seapeak in January 2022. Mr. Semple brings over 30 years of finance experience, primarily in the energy industry, to these roles. He was formerly a Director and Chief Financial Officer at John Wood Group PLC ( Wood Group ), a provider of engineering, production support and maintenance management services to the oil and gas and power generation industries, a role he held from 2000 until his retirement in 2015. Prior to this, Mr. Semple held a number of senior finance roles in Wood Group from 1996. Mr. Semple currently serves on the board of Cactus, Inc. (NYSE:WHD), where he is the Chair of the Audit Committee. He also served as a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Cobham PLC until 2018. Mr. Semple graduated from the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, Scotland) in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. Rudolph Krediet Mr. Krediet joined the board of Teekay Corporation Ltd. in 2017 and brings over 20 years of experience as a financial investment professional to this role. He has served as a partner at Anholt Services (USA) Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kattegat Trust, which oversees the trust’s globally diversified investment portfolio, since 2013. Mr. Krediet acted as Principal at Compass Group Management LLC, the manager of Compass Diversified Holdings, from 2010 to 2013, and as Vice President from 2006 to 2009. He acted as Vice President at CPM Roskamp Champion, a global leader in the design of manufacturing of oil seed processing equipment, from 2003 to 2004. Mr. Krediet has an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia. About Teekay Teekay is a leading provider of international crude oil marine transportation and other marine services. Teekay provides these services directly and through its controlling ownership interest in Teekay Tankers Ltd. (NYSE: TNK), one of the world’s largest owners and operators of mid-sized crude tankers. The consolidated Teekay entities manage and operate approximately 62 conventional tankers and other marine assets, including vessels operated for the Australian government. With offices in eight countries and approximately 2,200 seagoing and shore-based employees, Teekay provides a comprehensive set of marine services to the world’s leading energy companies. Teekay’s common shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TK”. About Teekay Tankers Teekay Tankers has a fleet of 42 double-hull tankers (including 24 Suezmax tankers and 18 Aframax / LR2 tankers), and has six time chartered-in tankers. Teekay Tankers’ vessels are typically employed through a mix of spot tanker market trading and short- or medium-term fixed-rate time charter contracts. Teekay Tankers also owns a VLCC through a 50 percent-owned joint venture. In addition, Teekay Tankers owns a ship-to-ship transfer business that performs full-service lightering and lightering support operations in the U.S. Gulf and Caribbean. Teekay Tankers was formed in December 2007 by Teekay Corporation Ltd. as part of its strategy to expand its oil tanker business. Teekay Tankers’ Class A common shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TNK”. For Teekay Investor Relations enquiries contact: E-mail: investor.relations@teekay.com For Teekay Tankers Investor Relations enquiries contact: E-mail: TeekayTankers@IGBIR.com Website: www.teekay.com Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements (as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) which reflect management’s current views with respect to certain future events and performance, including the expected Board of Directors’ changes described in the release and the timing thereof. The following factors are among those that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, and that should be considered in evaluating any such statement. Teekay and Teekay Tankers expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Teekay’s or Teekay Tankers’ expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.First Take: Parallax CEO Jeff Eckerle In some respects, Edina-based tech firm is in the business of helping other businesses predict the future. Founded by local tech industry vet , the 35-person firm uses technology to help professional services firms forecast future workloads. The idea is to help companies rightsize staffing and resources for projects. It appears to have caught on: Since Parallax was founded about five years ago, the company has landed over 100 customers, says Jeff Eckerle, who took over as CEO on Nov. 11. He’s the first to take the top job after O’Neill. Eckerle sees opportunity to land even more customers, and investors. To date, Parallax has raised $24.5 million to date. “Anytime I step into a new role as CEO, I think one of the most important responsibilities I have is to continue to paint a picture that has investors excited,” Eckerle says. In an interview with TCB, Eckerle talks through his approach to leadership, the state of the Twin Cities’ tech scene, and what might come next for Parallax. It goes back to , partner at [a Parallax investor]. I’ve known him for probably 12 years. When I first met him, I was at a company called Deltek. A lot of what Deltek did at that point is very analogous to what Parallax is doing now. So I’ve had a lot of experience in project-based accounting, resource management, et cetera. Justin remembered that, and when Parallax needed a new leader, he called me. The fit felt right. I was appointed as CEO by a founder of the company. He had written software for a plumbing business, and we brought that to market for any trades business to use, particularly in the new home construction space. It’s all around internal office efficiency – we automated things like receiving invoices, checking pricing on invoices, and so on. Think of it as office automation software for trades businesses. To me, the community seems smaller now than maybe it did in the early 2000s. There used to be meetups everywhere, and all kinds of activities. I’ve talked to a friend about this, and he made a comment that Covid kind of shut a lot of that down. It just hasn’t regenerated in the same way. I think there’s an awesome opportunity to do that, especially given where we are in the tech innovation cycle right now. AI is the buzzword, right? But if you really understand what has started to happen in the last couple years, we’re all in for a very different future in terms of what the work world looks like. I think that creates a lot of opportunities to start new things. There’s room to leverage new tools and help business evolve. There’s going to be so much change, and usually that’s the time for tech startups to flourish. It’ll be up to local tech leaders to step up. One of the things I’m involved with outside work is [Minnesota Emerging Software Advisory]. It’s a phenomenal organization that’s made up of a bunch of current and former tech executives and founders in the Twin Cities. They’ve had success doing pro bono mentoring for new startups and first-time founders. I see a lot of potential there. As a software company, there are really two ways to look at this. First, we have to look at how we operate our business internally and do everything we can to leverage efficiency tools. We’ve got to find ways to do things faster, smarter, better. Second, we also have to think about how our product can change. We’ve got 100-plus customers doing activities on our application all day long. They’re trying to make decisions that best suit their business based off the data we’re showing them. I think we can help them be a lot more effective in those decisions by making them easier. Their interaction with the data can be a lot easier. These are areas where AI models and LLM models can assist: The intent is not to make decisions for humans in a lot of cases. The first step that we have to take is to be an assistant with our data-driven capabilities. That’s where I see opportunities for a company like Parallax When you grow a company to 100+ customers, you do it based on a certain segment and persona. You focus your product on serving those needs. I think there’s ways to continue to expand what we do for our current customers in a way that will bring more value to other segments that historically we haven’t served. We’ve had a pretty narrow focus on digital service agencies, but the reality is there are a lot of different professional services companies trying to figure out how AI is going to affect their businesses. There’s an opportunity for Parallax to help lead the way on how to best operate services-driven businesses in the future. It’s an area we’re well-suited for.
Robert Wickens moving up to IMSA GTD series in 2025 thanks to new Bosch hand controlsThe Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) and other security forces in a concerted effort to end insurgency activities in the country have neutralised 8,034 terrorists, arrested 11,623 suspects, and rescued 7,967 kidnapped victims in 2024. The Director of Legal Services in the office of t6 National Security Adviser, ONSA, Zakari Mijinyawa disclosed this on Monday during the end-of-year press briefing by Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee (SCIPC) Zakari added that during the period under review, the security Agencies arrested 30,313 suspected criminals while 1,438 stolen vehicles were recovered from criminals, and assorted firearms comprising 10,200 weapons and 224,709 ammunition were also recovered. According to him, ” efforts of the security forces in 2024 prevented oil theft valued at over 57 billion naira, and raised crude oil production to 1.8 million barrels per day, thereby aligning with the Presidential mandate of eradicating crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region. He said the feat was made possible through the deployment of advanced naval assets, including personnel, helicopters, and UAVs, conducting surveillance and interdiction across the Niger Delta region. According to him, “Key successes from January to date include the seizure of illegal refinery sites, the recovery of stolen crude oil, and the disruption of oil bunkering activities. In August, the Navy seized nine illegal refinery sites and recovered large quantities of stolen oil. “September saw the arrest of eight suspects and the seizure of 19 illegal refinery sites, while October saw 23 illegal refinery sites dismantled. November’s efforts led to the dismantling of 27 refinery sites, the seizure of 75 wooden boats, and the arrest of 17 suspects. “The Navy also rescued eight victims of human trafficking and apprehended eight stowaways. These actions have contributed to a rise in crude oil production, reaching 1.8 million barrels per day, aligning with the President’s mandate to eradicate crude oil theft.” Speaking on the activities of the Nigeria Police Force. Zakari said that the Force has demonstrated steadfast dedication to tackling crime and criminality across the nation nationwide in 2024, achieving remarkable successes in maintaining public safety. According to him, “Between January and December, the Force arrested thirty thousand three hundred and thirteen (30,313) suspects for crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, and homicide, while rescuing one thousand five hundred and eighty-one (1,581) kidnapped victims. “Significant recoveries were made, including one thousand nine hundred and eighty-four (1,984) firearms, one thousand four hundred and thirty-eight (1,438) stolen vehicles, and twenty-three thousand two hundred and fifty (23,250) rounds of ammunition. Notable achievements include the rescue of eighty-nine (89) victims from armed bandits in Kaduna State on November 24 and the foiling of a kidnapping in Delta State on November 28, which led to the recovery of multiple firearms. In Kebbi State, thirty-six (36) abducted farmers were freed on December 8 through coordinated efforts with the military and vigilantes. “The Force also disrupted illegal arms trade, arresting suspects involved in trans-border gun running and recovering both locally and internationally made weapons. In operations with the Nigerian Army, the FCT Police cleared bandit camps in Kaduna and Niger States, while Rivers State Police arrested a notorious cult leader, Gift Okpara, recovering a cache of arms and explosives. “These efforts underscore the Force’s resolute pursuit of justice and national security. Speaking on the activities of he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) he stated that the Commission has achieved unprecedented milestones in 2024, reinforcing its commitment to combating corruption and financial crimes in Nigeria. According to him, “Notably, four former governors, three ex-ministers, and a former Central Bank governor are facing trial for money laundering and other financial crimes, reflecting the Commission’s pursuit of justice and accountability. ” In asset recovery, the EFCC reclaimed over N248 billion, $105 million, and 753 duplexes, while recording an impressive 3,455 convictions as of October 2024. Under the leadership of Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede, He added that in the period under review, the EFCC implemented key reforms, including the creation of new departments like Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC), the restructuring of zonal offices, and the launch of EFCC 97.3FM for public education. He further explained that the Commission also hosted a national cybercrime dialogue with stakeholders, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR IN attendance while the Commission also through its special task force against naira abuse achieved 55 convictions. On the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS he explained Service under Comptroller General KN Nandap, achieved significant milestones in infrastructure development, policy implementation, and capacity building. According to him, “Key accomplishments included the completion of the Technology Complex, which houses the Command-and-Control Centre, NIS Data Centre, and ECOWAS Biometric Card Centre thus enhancing real-time border monitoring with advanced technology. “The NIS also deployed 30 border patrol vehicles and partnered with Huawei to provide e-solutions for over two hundred 200 border formations while on Policy advancement, the service also began the implementation of the Complete Automated Passport Acquisition System (CAPAS) and the launch of the New Visa Policy 2024 to promote tourism along with the establishment of the Country Signing Certificate Authority (CSCA). The Comptroller General also conducted border tours across the country to assess the newly installed e-border solutions and engage with border communities. On the of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Zakari said that the Corps has made notable efforts in enhancing road safety and contributing to national security throughout 2024. According to him, ” The Corps implemented a series of special operations aimed at reducing road traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities, including targeted patrols against overloading, tanker crashes, and the use of fake number plates. “These efforts resulted in the arrest of 538,398 traffic offenders. FRSC also conducted rescue operations for 7,872 crashes, saving 25,127 individuals with injuries and 27,597 without, although 4,378 fatalities were recorded. “The FRSC also recovered 72 stolen vehicles and produced over 740,000 number plates, with a high percentage registered in the National Vehicle Identification Scheme (NVIS) portal during the period under review. “Additionally, the Corps played a key role during the ‘EndBadGovernance’ protests, ensuring public safety through coordinated operations with the Nigerian Police and other security agencies while providing timely rescue services for injured individuals.” He commended the bravery and sacrifices of all the security personnel who continue to face evolving challenges with courage and determination while lauding media for its support and collaboration throughout the year. READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
By MIKE CATALINI, Associated Press TRENTON, N.J. — A large number of mysterious drones have been reported flying over New Jersey and across the eastern U.S., sparking speculation and concern over where they came from and why. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and U.S. Sen. Andy Kim have both gone out on drone hunts, hoping for answers. The FBI, Homeland Security, state police and other agencies are investigating. Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to be a threat to public safety, but many state and municipal lawmakers have nonetheless called for stricter rules about who can fly the unmanned aircraft — and to be allowed to shoot them out of the sky. Dozens of witnesses have reported seeing drones statewide since mid-November, including near the Picatinny Arsenal, a military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Murphy, a Democrat, said Monday that equipment supplied by the federal government has yielded little new information. He declined to describe the equipment except to say it was powerful and could even “mitigate” the drones, though he added that’s not currently legal on U.S. soil. The state tallied 12 sightings Saturday and just one on Sunday. Murphy urged Congress to give states more authority to deal with the drones. The growing anxiety among some residents is not lost on the Biden administration, which has faced criticism from Trump for not dealing with the matter more aggressively. White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Monday said the federal government has yet to identify any public safety or national security risks from reported drone sightings in the northeast, saying officials believe they were lawfully flown drones, planes or even stars. “There are more than 1 million drones that are lawfully registered with the Federal Aviation Administration here in the United States,” Kirby said. “And there are thousands of commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones that are lawfully in the sky on any given day. That is the ecosystem that we are dealing with.” The federal government has deployed personnel and advanced technology to investigate the reports in New Jersey and other states, and is evaluating each tip reported by citizens, he said. The FBI received more than 5,000 tips in recent weeks, he added, with only “about 100” deemed credible enough to require additional investigation. Authorities say they do not know. The Department of Homeland Security and FBI said they have no evidence that the aircraft pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” Speculation has nevertheless raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents. Officials stress that ongoing investigations have found no evidence to support such concerns, but U.S. Rep Chris Smith, a Republican, on Saturday echoed such speculation. “The elusive maneuvering of these drones suggests a major military power sophistication that begs the question whether they have been deployed to test our defense capabilities — or worse — by violent dictatorships, perhaps maybe Russia, or China, or Iran, or North Korea,” he said. On Monday, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder cast doubt on the idea that the drones are engaged in intelligence gathering, given how loud and bright they are. He said about 1 million drones are registered drones in the U.S. and about 8,000 flying on any given day. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh has said the aircraft are not U.S. military drones. Drones flying around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, forced base officials to close its airspace for about four hours late Friday into early Saturday, said Robert Purtiman, a base spokesperson. It was the first time drones had been spotted at the base, one of the largest in the world, and no sightings have been reported since, Purtiman said Monday. He said the drones had no impact on any facilities on the base. Trump has said he believes the government knows more than it’s saying. “Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” he posted on Truth Social. Kim said he’s heard no support for the notion the government is hiding anything. He said a lack of faith in institutions is playing a key part in the saga. “Nothing that I’m seeing, nothing that I’ve engaged in gives me any impression of that nature. But like, I get it, some people won’t believe me, right? Because that’s the level of distrust that we face,” Kim said Monday. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut last week called for the drones to be “shot down.” Rep. Smith urged the Pentagon to authorize the use of force to bring down one or more drones to try to figure out who deployed them. The objects could be downed over the ocean or in an unpopulated area on land, Smith said Saturday. “Why can’t we bag at least one of these drones and get to the bottom of it?” Smith said.ALTOONA, Pa. — After UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was gunned down on a New York sidewalk, police searched for the masked gunman with dogs, drones and scuba divers. Officers used the city's muscular surveillance system. Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door-to-door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later, those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian's instincts. A Pennsylvania McDonald's customer noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos that New York police had publicized. Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, was arrested Monday in the killing of Brian Thompson, who headed one of the United States’ largest medical insurance companies. People are also reading... He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. He's expected to be extradited to New York eventually. It’s unclear whether Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday's arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after the McDonald's customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Police in Altoona, about 233 miles (375 kilometers) west of New York City, were soon summoned. This booking photo released Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shows Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections via AP) HOGP They arrived to find Mangione sitting at a table in the back of the restaurant, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, “we knew that was our guy,” rookie Officer Tyler Frye said at a news conference in Hollidaysburg. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Manhattan news conference that Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America." An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Yuki Iwamura A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and $10,000 in cash — $2,000 of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a midtown Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9 mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Thompson’s body. The words mimic a phrase used to criticize the insurance industry. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts A poster issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows a wanted unknown suspect. (FBI via AP) Federal Bureau of Investigation From surveillance video, New York investigators gathered that the shooter fled by bike into Central Park, emerged, then took a taxi to a northern Manhattan bus terminal. Once in Pennsylvania, he went from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, “trying to stay low-profile” by avoiding cameras, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. Mangione was valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, where his 2016 graduation speech lauded his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Yuki Iwamura Luigi Nicholas Mangione worked for a time for the car-buying website TrueCar and left in 2023, CEO Jantoon Reigersman said by email. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Honolulu tourist mecca Waikiki. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back," Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. NYPD officers in diving suits search a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Yuki Iwamura Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. Although the gunman obscured his face during the shooting, he left a trail of evidence in New York, including a backpack he ditched in Central Park, a cellphone found in a pedestrian plaza, a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper. In the days after the shooting, the NYPD collected hundreds of hours of surveillance video and released multiple clips and still images in hopes of enlisting the public’s eyes to help find a suspect. “This combination of old-school detective work and new-age technology is what led to this result today,” Tisch said at the New York news conference. ___ Be the first to know
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The baseball that Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman hit for the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history is coming to auction. The " December Dynasty Auction " from SCP Auctions could make the family of the 10-year-old boy who retrieved Freeman's historic baseball quite wealthy overnight. The auction will run from Dec. 4 to Dec. 14. More news: Dodgers' Fan Favorite Likely to Sign Quickly in Free Agency: Report The father of Zachary Ruderman, the lucky fifth grader who was in the right place at the right time in Dodger Stadium on Oct. 25, spoke to the Los Angeles Times about their life since that night. "It's a lot more attention than my son has ever had," Nico Ruderman told the Times . "He's spoken to so many media outlets, so many interviews. People recognize him. I mean, literally everywhere we go people stop him and want to take pictures with him. He's really actually been loving it. It's been a fun experience for him." More news: Dodgers Veteran Takes Parting Shot at Yankees' Jazz Chisholm on Social Media As a timely comparison, the baseball Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani hit for his historic 50th home run of the season sold for $4.392 million at an auction in October. SCP said that Ohtani's auction makes Freeman's ball " easily worth seven figures. " Like Ohtani's home run, which made him the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season, Freeman's home run represented a singular event in baseball history. No player had ever ended a World Series game with a grand slam before Freeman's 10th-inning home run off Nestor Cortes lifted the Dodgers to a 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees en route to the championship. More news: Fernando Valenzuela's Cause of Death Revealed in New Report Freeman, playing on a sprained right ankle and a rib cartilage fracture, hit home runs in four straight World Series games to collect the World Series MVP award. None was bigger than the Game 1 walkoff that many compared to Kirk Gibson's home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. More news: Kamala Harris Personally Called Dodgers Manager After World Series When Freeman's home run ball landed, according to the Times , it rolled next to Zachary Ruderman's feet. He then batted it over to his father, who pounced on it, stood up, and handed the ball back to his son. Now, the family will wait and see how the market values their little piece of baseball history. For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports .
Sports on TV for Sunday, Nov. 24Jarrod Bowen held Antonio’s number nine shirt aloft after scoring the winner in support of the Hammers striker, who is recovering after a horror car crash on Saturday. Boss Julen Lopetegui said: “He is not in his best moment but he kept his humour. It was a special moment for us. “I think we have a lot of reason to win matches but this was one reason more. He’s alive so we are happy.” MA9 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fXwtdSQWYE — West Ham United (@WestHam) December 9, 2024 West Ham players wore ‘Antonio 9′ shirts while warming up and walking out before kick-off. The shirts will be signed by the players, including Antonio, and auctioned off with the proceeds going to the NHS and Air Ambulances UK. Tomas Soucek headed West Ham into the lead and held up nine fingers to a TV camera. The Czech midfielder told Sky Sports: “He’s been here since I came here. He is really my favourite. I said it would be tough for me to play without him. "He was here since I came and he's really my favourite" Tomáš Souček on dedicating his goal to Michail Antonio ❤️ pic.twitter.com/smNy26wmuX — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 9, 2024 “I was so scared what was going to happen. It was a really tough week for him, his family and us.” Matt Doherty equalised for Wolves, and boss Gary O’Neil felt they should have had two penalties for fouls on Goncalo Guedes and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, both of which were checked by VAR. But Bowen’s winner – O’Neil believed there was a foul in the build-up – condemned Wolves to a 10th defeat of the season and a third in a row. While under-pressure Lopetegui may have earned a stay of execution, O’Neil’s future as Wolves manager is now in serious doubt. “A lot of things went against us but ultimately we have not found a way to turn the game in our favour,” he said. “But the players showed they are still fighting for me, for the fans and the group. “Where does this leave me? In the same place I was. I’m aware of the noise. But if anyone expected this to be easy – I’m happy to be judged on results but it should be done in context. “Whenever this journey ends with Wolves I’ll be proud of it.” There was an acrimonious end to the match as captains Bowen and Mario Lemina scuffled after the final whistle, with the Wolves midfielder angrily shoving people including one of his own coaches, Shaun Derry. “I just went to shake his hand after the game,” Bowen said. “He didn’t want to shake my hand, two captains together just to say ‘well done’ after the game. “I know it’s difficult when you lose. I’ve been on the end of that situation.” O’Neil added: “Mario is calm now. He’s a passionate guy and something was said that upset him. “The instinct of the staff was to make sure he didn’t get into trouble, but he took some calming down.”
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