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Rep-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.) said Sunday she is focused on governing, not on culture wars led by the right. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/ZUMA Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.) is not taking Rep. Nancy Mace’s (R-S.C.) bait. In her first interview after Mace’s weeklong, social media–fueled campaign —which included nearly 300 posts on X —to ban her from the women’s bathroom in the House of Representatives offices, McBride showed how a member of Congress who is actually interested in governing , not grabbing headlines, acts. “I’m in Congress to deliver for my constituents, to make health care, housing, and child care more affordable,” McBride said in a Sunday interview on MSNBC’s The Weekend , adding that she plans to support pro-union legislation as well as bills focused on paid leave and affordable childcare. “I’m so grateful to have this opportunity. I think on November 5, Delawareans showed the country what I’ve known throughout my life: that in our state of neighbors, we judge candidates based on their ideas and not their identities.” Mace kicked off this past week by introducing a resolution seeking to bar transgender members and employees in the House from using the bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity in the Capitol building, baselessly alleging that allowing trans women to use women’s bathrooms “jeopardizes the safety and dignity” of cisgender women. (In fact, research has found that there is “no link” between trans-inclusive bathroom policies and safety, and that reports of “privacy and safety violations” in bathrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms are “exceedingly rare.”) Though Mace’s resolution did not mention McBride—the first openly transgender person elected to Congress—by name, Mace admitted it was “absolutely” meant to target her. On Wednesday—which also happened to be the annually recognized Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day meant to memorialize trans people murdered in violent acts of bigotry—House speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) threw his support behind Mace’s effort, telling reporters he was simply formalizing what has long been an “unwritten policy”; he also noted in an emailed statement that all Members have private bathrooms in their offices and there are several unisex bathrooms throughout the Capitol. But Johnson has not clarified how the policy will be enforced or whether he will include it in the rules package the House will vote on in early January. “I worried that the heart of this country wasn’t big enough to love someone like me, and over the last decade, I have been able to bear witness the change that once seemed so impossible to me as a kid.” Johnson also has not addressed whether or not he condemns the threats of physical violence Mace and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) reportedly made against any trans person who violates the bathroom ban. (I’ve repeatedly asked Johnson’s spokesperson if he condemns these threats and if members would face consequences for carrying them out, but have yet to receive a direct answer.) Getting what she wanted did not make Mace dial back her bigotry, though: She has continued to repeatedly misgender McBride and denigrate trans people on social media. But on Sunday, McBride dismissed all that as “noise”—without mentioning Mace by name—and said she is focused on honoring the weight of history in her new role. “I have to be honest, this week was awe-inspiring, being at orientation, despite all of the noise,” McBride said. “Because as you were there, you realize you are in the body that Abraham Lincoln served in. We walked onto the House floor, and you’re in the space where they passed the 13th Amendment and the 14th Amendment, where women got the right to vote. You’re sitting in the chairs in the job where people passed the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act. And you feel that responsibility, but also you feel that you are part of a tradition, because every single one of your predecessors served in incredibly tumultuous, challenging times, and enough of them fulfilled their responsibilities to be stewards of our democracy and that is our calling in this moment, and I feel it very deeply.” Sarah McBride: "I worried that the heart of this country wasn't big enough to support someone like me. And over the last decade, I have been able to bear witness to change that once seemed so impossible to me as a kid that it was almost incomprehensible ... I carry that with me." pic.twitter.com/YKLnhQMeJl She also spoke about her own trailblazing role in Congress, which she said proves that anything is possible. As a college student, she said, “I worried that the heart of this country wasn’t big enough to love someone like me, and over the last decade, I have been able to bear witness the change that once seemed so impossible to me as a kid—that was almost incomprehensible—and I have seen it not only become possible, but become a reality. And I carry that with me in this moment, because I think in so many ways, this country—on both sides of the political divide—this country is facing its own crisis of hope. And I know we still have both the individual and collective capacity meet the scope and the scale of the challenges that we face. And I know, because I have seen it, that nothing is truly impossible.” Mace, meanwhile, spent the morning posting a Bible verse about the creation of “woman” all over social media.UK cannot stand idle With terrorism and the spread of international crime posing serious dangers after the collapse of dictator Bashar al-Assad’s barbaric regime in Syria, Britain cannot be an idle bystander. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy are aware of the risks which is why they are urging a transition in power without fresh bloodshed. When the HTS Islamist group at the heart of the overthrow is designated a terrorist organisation, the understandable fear is that Syria could be swapping one tyrant for another. The collapse of authority in Libya after Muammar Gaddafi’s 2011 assassination, which led to waves of refugees flocking across the Mediterranean to Europe, is a warning of what can happen in failing states. Britain’s direct influence is limited but hopefully by co-operating with allies we can play a role in helping Syria enter a happier era. Tackle this Football faces the biggest health challenge in the sport’s history as more former players blame headers for causing their brain injuries. The latest 75 legal cases are not just about responsibility and compensation but the very future of the sport. Many young children playing football now do not head the ball in training as a precaution and a decision may soon have to be taken on the adult game. Headers are an important part of the game but with evidence mounting that they are causing damage, players may one day find they are uninsurable. Football authorities must tackle an issue that won’t go away. Dan & dusted There are no flies on McFly’s Danny Jones after he beat Coleen Rooney to be crowned King of the Jungle. The second member of the band to win I’m a Celebrity, after Dougie Poynter in 2011, will be singing all the way home from Australia.
Stock image (Image: GettyImages) The UK Government has been urged to restrict gambling advertising in Northern Ireland. Members of the Stormont Assembly’s All Party Group on Reducing Harm Relating to Gambling have written to Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, asking her to act to protect the public in the region. In a letter sent at the end of Safer Gambling Week, the MLAs, including the group’s chairman Philip McGuigan, and Robbie Butler, have asked Ms Nandy to bridge a gap around gambling advertising online. READ MORE: New group supporting women experiencing harm from their own gambling They said Northern Ireland is an outlier in the UK in not having updated gambling legislation since the advent of the internet. While gambling policy is devolved, MLAs are concerned there is not enough time remaining in the current Assembly mandate to be able to pass a new Bill. The Irish Parliament recently passed legislation introducing tight restrictions on gambling marketing. It includes a new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland which has the power to set the times, places and events where gambling advertising can be broadcast, displayed or published. In their letter to Ms Nandy, the MLAs write: “We urge you to use your existing powers under the Gambling Act 2005 to take immediate action on gambling advertising and promotion and protect people across these islands from further gambling-related harm.” They pointed to a recent cross-border report by Maynooth University and Ulster University showing that young people across the island of Ireland are exposed to “extremely high levels of gambling marketing” through televised sports programmes and social media content. “Northern Ireland now stands alone as the only jurisdiction on these islands without updated gambling legislation since the advent of the internet,” they wrote. “Unfortunately, our Executive does not have sufficient legislative time in the current Assembly mandate to take forward a Gambling Bill. This leaves our population here (who already experience the highest levels of gambling-related harm across these islands) highly vulnerable. “While remote gambling operators licensed by the Gambling Commission can freely advertise in Northern Ireland, as online and broadcast advertising is a reserved matter, our population is afforded no protection by the regulator. “However, you have the power under existing laws to prevent our children from being bombarded with gambling related marketing during major sports broadcasts, such as Premier League matches, and prevent those already experiencing gambling harms from being targeted by gambling companies on social media. “Introducing restrictions similar to those in Ireland would have a profound benefit for Northern Ireland, Britain and Ireland, where British TV is widely watched.” They added: “Now is the time for you as Secretary of State to take positive steps towards restricting the promotion of gambling and act on the Government’s manifesto commitment to reduce gambling-related harm. “We urge you to use your existing powers to take immediate action to restrict the promotion of gambling in the UK and reduce the harm caused by gambling across these islands.” A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport indicated they would respond to the letter from the MLAs in due course. Join our Belfast Live breaking news service on WhatsApp Click this link or scan the QR code to receive breaking news and top stories from Belfast Live. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here. Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow BelfastLive Facebook Twitter Comment More On Sinn Fein Ulster Unionist Party Stormont Politics
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Cabinet ministers have been warned they must find more savings in their departments as the Chancellor said “every pound” of Government spending will be scrutinised in a major budget review. Secretaries of State are being told that any outgoings which are not contributing towards one of Labour’s “priorities” must be cut as Rachel Reeves vows to wield “an iron fist against waste.” In letters sent by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones, departments will be told to brace for “difficult” spending decisions in order to restore trust in the Government’s handling of the public finances. Every pound of departmental spending will be face a “line-by-line review” involving external finance experts from banks and think tanks in order to ensure it represents value for money, the Treasury said. The Chancellor will on Tuesday launch the next round of Government spending, and is expected to warn departments that they “cannot operate in a business-as-usual way when reviewing their budgets for the coming years”. She will insist that areas focused on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s “plan for change”, which includes targets to improve living standards across the country and build 1.5 million homes, must be prioritised. Ms Reeves said: “By totally rewiring how the Government spends money we will be able to deliver our plan for change and focus on what matters for working people. “The previous government allowed millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to go to waste on poor value for money projects. We will not tolerate it; I said I would have an iron grip on the public finances and that means taking an iron fist against waste. “By reforming our public services, we will ensure they are up to scratch for modern day demands, saving money and delivering better services for people across the country. That’s why we will inspect every pound of Government spend, so that it goes to the right places and we put an end to all waste.” Under the Treasury’s plans, departments will ensure budgets are scrutinised by “challenge panels” of external experts including former senior management of Lloyd’s Banking Group, Barclays Bank and the Co-operative Group. These panels, which will also involve think tanks, academics and the private sector, will advise on which spending “is or isn’t necessary”, the ministry said. The Treasury said work has already begun, with an evaluation of the £6.5 million spent on a scheme that placed social workers in schools finding “no evidence of positive impact on social care outcomes”. “Departments will be advised that where spending is not contributing to a priority, it should be stopped,” it said. “Although some of these decisions will be difficult, the Chancellor is clear that the public must have trust in the Government that it is rooting out waste and that their taxes are being spent on their priorities.” Ms Reeves had already announced efficiency and productivity savings of 2% across departments in her autumn budget as she seeks to put the public finances on a firmer footing. In a speech in east London , Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden hinted at a further squeeze. “At the Budget the Chancellor demanded efficiency and productivity savings of 2% across departments – and there will be more to come,” he said. “As we launch the next phase of the spending review at its heart must be reform of the state in order to do a better job for the public.”
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Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the murder of Brian Thompson , had previously shown an eerie interest in a quote on Goodreads before the crime occurred. After being arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, 286 miles from where the New York murder took place, authorities are delving into the 26-year-old's online activity. A keen reader, Mangione's GoodReads account reveals his engagement with controversial material, including quotes from Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, critiquing the American healthcare system. He shared his thoughts on Kaczynski's 'Industrial Society and Its Future,' writing. "It's easy to quickly and thoughtless write this off as the manifesto of a lunatic, in order to avoid facing some of the uncomfortable problems it identifies," wrote Mangione. "But it's simply impossible to ignore how prescient many of his predictions about modern society turned out. He was a violent individual - rightfully imprisoned - who maimed innocent people. While these actions tend to be characterized as those of a crazy luddite, however, they are more accurately seen as those of an extreme political revolutionary." NYC Mayor Adams says man detained in Altoona is 'strong person of interest' in shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Luigi Mangione officially ID'd as man connected to Brian Thompson shooting after McDonald's arrest Mangione also reflected on an online interpretation of the book, adding: "When all other forms of communication fail, violence is necessary to survive. You may not like his methods, but to see things from his perspective, it's not terrorism, it's war and revolution." Among his interests, he liked a quote from Kurt Vonnegut's book "Slaughterhouse Five" that discusses America as "the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves." Authorities discovered a ghost gun on him , similar to the one used in last week's shooting, along with a silencer, a counterfeit New Jersey driver's license, and a two-page manifesto criticizing healthcare companies. Mangione hails from Towson, Maryland, reports the Express US . In the manifesto, the man wrote that "It had to be done" as well as "These parasites had it coming." Elsewhere in the two-page document, Mangione states "I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done." He attended Gilman School, an all-boys independent school in Baltimore Maryland offering classes from pre-K through high school, with high school tuition reaching up to $40,000. As class valedictorian, he graduated in 2016, speaking about how the "next hundred years of our future are going to be unlike anything humanity has ever seen before." Mangione pursued a Bachelor's and Master's in Engineering, Computer, and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania. While still in high school, he volunteered for five months at an assisted living facility. He was employed as a Data Engineer at TrueCar, Inc. based in Santa Monica, California, and has also resided in Honolulu, Hawaii. Daily Express US has contacted TrueCar for a comment. Mangione is yet to face formal charges. He is currently detained in connection with the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Thompson in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday. The manhunt lasted nearly six days before Mangione was located in Pennsylvania. DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.Romanians are casting ballots on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that could pit a far-right nationalist against the incumbent leftist prime minister in the runoff. Thirteen candidates are vying for the presidency in the European Union and NATO member country, and the vote is expected to go to a second round on Dec. 8. Polls opened at 7.00 a.m. local time (0500GMT) and will close at 9.00 p.m. (1900GMT). Romanians abroad have been able to vote since Friday. By 8 p.m. local time (1800GMT), 9.2 million people — about 51% of eligible voters — had cast ballots, according to the Central Election Bureau. The final vote could see George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, face off against incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, backed by Romania’s largest party, the Social Democratic Party or PSD. The presidential role carries a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy, and judicial appointments. Romania will also hold parliamentary elections on Dec. 1 that will determine the country’s next government and prime minister. Simion, 38, is a vocal supporter of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and has long been a controversial figure. He campaigned for reunification with Moldova, which this year renewed a five-year ban on him from entering the country over security concerns, and he is banned for the same reason from entering neighbouring Ukraine. “I would like that in the next five to ten years, for Romanians to be really proud to be Romanians, to promote Romanian culture, Romanian products,” he told reporters on Wednesday in the capital, Bucharest. “As a Romanian president, I will promote Romanian interests. In most cases, Romanian interests coincide with partner interests.” Ecaterina Nawadia, a 20-year-old architecture student, said she voted for the first time in a national election on Sunday and hopes young people turn out in high numbers. “Since the (1989) revolution, we didn’t have a really good president,” she said. “I hope most of the people my age went to vote ... because the leading candidate is not the best option.” Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, says Sunday’s vote will be “a tight race” in which the diaspora will likely play a key role in which candidates make it to the runoff. “We are at a point where Romania can easily divert or slip toward a populist regime because (voter) dissatisfaction is pretty large among a lot of people from all social strata,” he told The Associated Press. “And the temptation for any regime, any leader — will be to go on a populist road.” He added that Romania’s large budget deficit, high inflation, and an economic slowdown could push more mainstream candidates to shift toward populist stances amid widespread dissatisfaction. Ciolacu told the AP that if he is elected, one of his biggest goals is “to convince Romanians that it is worth staying at home or returning” to Romania, which has a massive diaspora spread throughout EU countries. “Romania has a huge chance to become a developed economy in the next 10 years, where honest work is fairly rewarded and people have the security of a better life,” he said. “But for this, we need balance and responsibility ... I am running for the Presidency of Romania because we need a change.” Other key candidates include Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party, or USR former NATO deputy general secretary Mircea Geoana, who is running independently and Nicolae Ciuca, a former army general and head of the center-right National Liberal Party, which is currently in a tense coalition with the PSD. Geoana, a former foreign minister and ambassador to the United States, told the AP that he believes his international experience qualifies him above the other candidates. “I think I bring a lot of competence and experience and connections in this complicated world,” he said. Lasconi, a former journalist and the leader of the USR said she sees corruption as one of the biggest problems Romania faces and that she supports increased defence spending and continued aid to Ukraine. Romania has been a staunch ally of war-torn Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. But Simion of the AUR party said he opposes Romania — which has sent a Patriot missile system to Ukraine — contributing further military aid and that he hopes Trump can “stop the war.” In 2020, the AUR party went from relative obscurity to gaining 9% in a parliamentary vote, allowing it to enter parliament. Opponents have long accused Simion and AUR of being extremists, charges he denies. “We are sort of a Trumpist party in this new wave of patriotic political parties in Europe,” Simion said.Roche commences tender offer for all shares of Poseida Therapeutics, Inc. for $9.00 per share in cash, plus a non-tradeable contingent value right for up to $4.00 per share in cash
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Lou Basenese, chief market strategist at Public Ventures LLC, spoke with Quartz for the latest installment of our “Smart Investing” video series. Watch the interview above and check out the transcript of the conversation below, which has been lightly edited for length and clarity. ANDY MILLS: How should investors feel about Trump’s appointment of Scott Bessent as treasury secretary? LOU BASENESE: Yeah, man, it should be a huge sigh of relief. I think this was probably one of the more challenging and difficult and anxiety-ridden cabinet appointments. I think there was a fear that he would pick someone that had a Fed DNA that would be very antagonistic with what Trump and the pro-markets stance has on it. So I think picking someone that’s experienced, that’s a known quantity to Wall Street, will give investors the confidence that he can thread that needle, right? So, because we have a president-elect coming into power that is defying pretty much standard economic principles, being pro-tax cuts, pro-tariff, pro-energy independence, those things don’t always sync up well together with a booming economy and inflation under control. So I think Scott Bessent is, if there’s a person for the job, it’s him. But that being said, he’s gotta deliver now, too. AM: Do you think he’ll carry through Trump’s idea for tariffs? LB: Yeah, I view tariffs as a big stick that we threaten with to really get some economic trade partnerships agreed upon. So it’s promising that Bessent came out with this 3-3-3 proposal, right, where you’re gonna get spending down to 3% of GDP, keep GDP growth at 3%, and then increase energy production by 3 million barrels extra a year. I think those are tangible, real goals and targets that he’s now gotta get after. So I think the tariff stance, I think he’ll soften Trump’s tariff stance. I think that’s what people and investors are responding to right now is the fact that it’s not gonna be just all Trump, all tariffs that best will really be the buffer for that. AM: How do you see these tariffs affecting housing prices given that the majority of our lumber comes from Canada? LB: Yeah, I think there could be temporary increases, right? Like I said before, I think that tariff threat is a big stick. If we look historically, these tariffs don’t last very long and they’re not really a huge percentage of the economy. I think if we looked at the data from last year, it’s about 80 to 100 billion dollars in tariff receipts. You’re talking about less than half a point on GDP growth if you really got rid of those tariffs or doubled them. So again, I think it’s more threat and fear of the down-the-road repercussions. And if we look at last time, the 2016 tariffs really didn’t kick in higher prices until 2018, 2019. So it’s not an immediate impact. Therefore it’s not one that we can put a finger and say if X then Y is immediately gonna happen. I think we’ll have to wait and see. AM: Trump’s made some controversial picks, too. Who are the best cabinet picks for investors and the worst you think? LB: Whew, I’m a glass half full guy, so I’ll focus more on the best. I think Makary for FDA makes the most sense. And we talk about biotech, he’s a practitioner and researcher first. So when a pancreatic surgeon, cancer surgeon — cancer is one of the areas of disease management that we have the most barbaric approaches to. So we really need a lot of innovation focus there on drug approvals that are in the clinic. It’s the hardest to get cancer drugs approved. It’s usually about 3% of cancer drugs that go into the clinic actually get approved. Takes seven to eight years, can cost up upwards of $2 billion. We need to shorten and compress that for good patient care. So I think that’s a great pick. A practitioner. The one that scares me maybe a little bit is Dr. Oz. I mean that’s celebrity over practitioner for most practical purposes. I don’t know that that translates into politics, right? I think politics is a game of popularity on the front end and practicality on the back end. And a lot of politicians that get elected get into the machine and realize this is a lot harder to maneuver. It’s a lot harder to have an impact. I think Dr. Oz might be one of those guys that runs into that brick wall of reality. But to be determined. AM: How might that be reflected in the market with a Dr. Oz appointment? LB: Yeah, I think it’s tangential. I don’t think there’s any cabinet picks right now that scare me market-wise. Another good one for me was Chris Wright for energy secretary. I mean from Liberty Energy ( LBRT ) , that’s a fracking operation that understands energy independence, but can be very pragmatic. I think what we have to learn is just this is not a complete abandonment of renewables. It’s getting to reasonable renewable targets, right? We can’t just set an arbitrary deadline to transition. And the reality is we can’t ever fully transition. We have to have a good balance. So I think that includes fracking, that includes wind and solar. What that balance is, we have some practical guidelines from states like Texas. They got to north of 40% renewables and the grid started to collapse. So on a whole, the country’s at about 23% renewables. So that sweet spot is probably somewhere in that 30 to 35%. I think Chris Wright is a practical person that will understand the balance because he has been a businessman maneuvering between different administrations, both Republican and Democrat. I think he could do a good job of managing our energy policy to be both being conservationist, but also pragmatic about hey, what does our country need to be independent, keep prices down? AM: Taking all this into consideration, what are some of your top stock picks going into 2025? LB: Yeah, so not individual recommendations because I don’t know everyone’s situation. That’s the disclaimer. If I look at the market as a whole though, I think there’s areas of opportunity still. You look at small caps, they’ve just consistently lagged large caps. They’re trading at much cheaper prices. So at about 14, 15 times earnings versus 20-plus for large caps. I like to buy low, sell high. I think all investors do. Another area is biotech, right? We talked about the favorable appointments from a cabinet perspective, but if we just look at the valuations in biotech, that area of the market has really been left for dead unfortunately. But those innovations are desperately needed. So the XBI ( XBI ) index is a great way to measure the smaller innovators in biotech, still probably needs to increase another 50 to 60% to get to its 2021 highs. So there are areas of froth in the market for sure, but then there’s areas of opportunity and I think for us, we’re looking at small caps, biotech in particular. AM: Gotcha. The XBI index, is that an ETF? LB: There is an ETF by XBI. So the XBI, it tends to bring in some of the smaller biotechs. If you went for just a standard S&P biotech index, it gets a lot more larger caps in there. So yeah, the ticker on that is XBI. 📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.
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