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Dec 9 (Reuters) - In the end, the big break turned out to be a pair of images at a New York hostel. New York police scoured hundreds of hours of video searching for clues to the identity of the person who shot UnitedHealth (UNH.N) , opens new tab executive Brian Thompson in a brazen killing outside a Manhattan hotel last week, but released only two images to the public that showed the suspect's face. In every other photograph captured from video - of the suspect pedaling away on a bike, standing at a coffee shop counter, riding in a taxi - the man's face was obscured by a mask and hood. But the two crucial images, released the day after the shooting, were captured when the suspect lowered his balaclava at the request of a hostel desk clerk in a flirtatious moment to see his face, according to media reports. They are taken from above, and while he is still wearing a hood, his face can be clearly seen in the pair of pictures. In one he is smiling, in the other he appears straight-faced. On Monday, the suspect, identified as Luigi Mangione, 26, was captured in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after he was spotted eating at McDonald's by an employee of the fast-food restaurant who thought he resembled the gunman from images. "This picture was obtained by the NYPD during one of their extensive video canvasses," New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a press conference. "Hundreds of tips began to pour into our hotline. Each tip was investigated thoroughly, and we began to release additional photographs as they came into our possession," he said. New York has one of the most advanced surveillance systems of any major U.S. city, largely built after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, according to Felipe Rodriguez, a former NYPD detective sergeant and now an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. The number of cameras in New York is in the thousands, and all camera feeds can be monitored in real time, as well as reviewed for previous footage, aided by facial-recognition software. Mangione appears to have been well aware of the extensive camera network, and seemingly took steps to shield his identity before, during and after the attack. The first images released by police came from footage of the shooting last Wednesday, with the suspect shown wearing a dark-colored hoodie and a backpack. Other footage showed him running from the scene and then riding a bike into Central Park. Over the weekend, police released a picture on the suspect inside a taxi. In all of them, he was masked. Meanwhile, police searched for the backpack - eventually finding it in Central Park - tested evidence for DNA, pored through tips from the public and, eventually, said they no longer believed he was in New York City. "For just over five days, our NYPD investigators combed through thousands of hours of video, followed up on hundreds of tips and processed every bit of forensic evidence, DNA, fingerprints, IP addresses and so much more to tighten the net," New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at Monday's press conference. But the case turned on a fast-food worker more than 200 miles outside the city recognizing the face of a customer. "In this case, (where) it really came down to technology was the use of drones in Central Park and it really comes down to the video canvass that we did," Kenny said. "We used every source of video that we could collect, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hours from hundreds of sources, and that helped bring this to where we are right now." Sign up here. Reporting by Costas Pitas; editing by Paul Thomasch and Rod Nickel Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tabSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general, including Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress earlier this year, saying social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people. “These companies know the harmful impact their products can have on our children, and they refuse to take meaningful steps to make them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference Monday. “Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and demanded change.” State officials haven’t provided details on the bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop up once weekly. Up to ages 13 to 17 say they use a social media platform, and more than a third say that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to banning social media for children under 16 in November. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the California bill, said Monday. “The attention economy is using our children and their well-being to make money for these California companies.” Lawmakers instead should focus on online safety education and mental health resources, not warning label bills that are “constitutionally unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “We strongly suspect that the courts will set them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told The Associated Press. Victoria Hinks’ 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died by suicide four months ago after being “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm. Hinks said the labels would help protect children from companies that turn a blind eye to the harm caused to children’s mental health when they become addicted to social media platforms. “There’s not a bone in my body that doubts social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could be your story.” Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in other states. California in the past decade has positioned itself as a leader in regulating and fighting the tech industry to bolster online safety for children. The state was the first in 2022 to bar online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that could harm children. It was one of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and for deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also in September to help curb the effects of social media on children, including one to prohibit social media platforms from knowingly providing addictive feeds to children without parental consent and one to on school campus. Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety and to force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The legislation has the support of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s son, . Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.

NEW YORK , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with market evolution powered by AI - The global pilates equipment market size is estimated to grow by USD 146.3 million from 2024 to 2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of about 12% during the forecast period. For comprehensive forecast and historic data on regions,market segments, customer landscape, and companies- Click for the snapshot of this report Report Attribute Details Base Year 2023 Forecast period 2024-2028 Historic Data for 2018 - 2022 Segments Covered Product (Pilates machines, Pilates mats, Pilates rings, Pilates balls, and Others), Distribution Channel (Offline and Online), and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa) Key Companies Covered Balanced Body Inc., BASI Systems Pilates Sanayi Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Bonpilates SL, CAP Barbell, Etsy Inc., Gratz Industries LLC, Mad Dogg Athletics Inc., Merrithew International Inc., Metalife, PILATES DESIGNS LLC, Pilates Scandinavia, PilatesEquip The Joint Workshop Pty Ltd., Sivan Health and Fitness, Stamina Products Inc., The Mad Group HQ Ltd, Tirado Pilates Apparatus, Trending Fit LLC, VIVA FITNESS, XtendPilates, and Zhejiang Woods Technology Co. Ltd. Regions Covered North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Region Outlook 1. North America - North America is estimated to contribute 37%. To the growth of the global market. The Pilates Equipment Market report forecasts market growth by revenue at global, regional & country levels from 2017 to 2027. The Pilates equipment market in the North American region is expected to grow significantly due to the increasing number of millennials joining fitness and recreational sports centers. This trend is driven by the availability of technologically advanced Pilates equipment designed for end-users. The US, being the largest market for fitness and recreational sports centers globally, contributes significantly to the Pilates equipment market in North America . Canada , the fifth-largest contributor to the global fitness market, is also experiencing growth due to rising health consciousness, government initiatives, and the increasing rate of obesity and related diseases. These factors are encouraging more Canadians to join fitness centers and invest in Pilates equipment for their workouts. For more insights on North America's significant contribution along with the market share of rest of the regions and countries - Download a FREE Sample Segmentation Overview Get a glance at the market contribution of rest of the segments - Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes! 1.1 Fastest growing segment: The Pilates equipment market is experiencing notable growth, particularly in the segment for Pilates machines. Popular machines include cadillacs, reformers, pilates towers, and trapezes, with pilates chairs and other products also available. The increasing use of reformers and cadillacs in medical clinics and health clubs for therapy and injury rehabilitation is a significant market driver. Product innovations and the shift towards eco-friendly manufacturing materials are also contributing factors. For instance, BASI Systems Pilates Sanayi Ticaret Anonim Sirketi's pilates reformer features an enhanced pulley system and expanded gear system for precise control. Traditionally, pilates machines were made from amber and bamboo, but modern equipment is increasingly manufactured using nanomaterials and carbon fiber for lightweight and eco-friendly options. These factors, along with the rising demand for pilates machines in developed countries, are expected to fuel the growth of this segment in the coming years. Research Analysis The Pilates Equipment Market has witnessed significant growth in recent years due to the increasing health awareness and the need for effective solutions to address various health issues such as diabetes, obesity, and lung problems. Pilates, with its low-impact and full-body workouts, has gained popularity as a preferred choice for those seeking to improve their overall health and fitness. Pilates equipment includes various types of machines and accessories such as mats, resistance bands, Pilates balls, rings, towers, Cadillacs, Reformers, Chairs, Barrels, and Arcs. These tools help individuals perform exercises that enhance physical activity, self-care, and promote better sleep. Pilates is also beneficial for individuals dealing with sexual preference issues, alcohol, and drug addiction recovery, as it helps improve mental and emotional well-being. Pilates equipment is used not only in gyms and professional Pilates studios but also in the comfort of one's own home. The Pilates method, with its focus on proper alignment, breathing, and controlled movements, offers a holistic approach to health and wellness. Market Overview The Pilates Equipment Market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing health awareness and the need for effective solutions to address various health issues such as diabetes, obesity, lung problems, and musculoskeletal disorders. Pilates equipment, including machines like Cadillacs, Reformers, Chairs, Barrels, Arcs, and mats, balls, rings, and towers, are popular choices for those seeking to improve their physical health and overall well-being. These devices offer numerous health advantages, making them an essential addition to fitness regimens, rehabilitation facilities, and professional Pilates studios. The market caters to diverse populations, including those with chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, respiratory issues, and cancer, as well as exercise enthusiasts looking to enhance their fitness routine. Pilates equipment is also gaining popularity in virtual fitness and at-home workout options, making it accessible to a wider audience. Smart features, novel materials, and eco-friendly collections are some of the trends shaping the Pilates Equipment Market. Moreover, Pilates equipment is not only beneficial for individuals with specific health concerns but also for those seeking to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is an effective tool for weight loss, improving flexibility, and promoting self-care. Additionally, Pilates is a low-impact form of physical exercise, making it suitable for individuals with sexual preference preferences or those recovering from injuries. The Pilates method, which controlled movements, proper alignment, and focus on the core, is gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional forms of exercise like running and swimming. Pilates equipment offers a more personalized and interactive experience, with smart features like AI-driven training applications and interactive mirrors, providing a more engaging workout experience. In conclusion, the Pilates Equipment Market is poised for continued growth as more individuals seek effective solutions to improve their health and well-being. With a focus on smart features, novel materials, and eco-friendly collections, Pilates equipment is an excellent investment for those looking to enhance their fitness routine and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Start exploring market insights by Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes! Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Venodr Landscape 11 Vendor Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pilates-equipment-market-37-of-growth-to-originate-from-north-america-with-ai-redefining-the-market-landscape---technavio-302327540.html SOURCE Technavio

Xavier aims to rebound from a tough week and get one more critical tune-up for a rivalry matchup when it hosts Morgan State on Tuesday night in Cincinnati. The Musketeers (7-2) were ranked No. 22 in the AP poll two weeks ago but fell out after a 25-point loss to Michigan in the Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament final on Nov. 27. Xavier then barely escaped with a 71-68 home win over South Carolina State on Dec. 1 before losing 76-72 at TCU on Thursday. Dante Maddox Jr. came off the bench to score nine points in 20 minutes on three 3-pointers against the Horned Frogs. He also grabbed six rebounds before fouling out. The Musketeers have been waiting for the Toledo transfer to add a punch to an underwhelming bench cast that many thought would be a strength for Xavier coming into the season. "I really feel like you can almost be baited into a false sense of how deep your team is because you're around guys every day and have a good, older group, which we do," Musketeers coach Sean Miller said. "You see the good in a lot of different guys. It's not until you get 8 to 10, 10 to 15 games in when you truly understand how deep your team is." Maddox hit a 3-pointer and started a fastbreak with a steal that gave Xavier a 60-54 lead with 7:28 remaining, but the Musketeers faded down the stretch and lost for the second time in three games. Maddox is averaging 4.7 points per game, while Ryan Conwell leads the team with 16.6. Tuesday's game will be the last chance for Xavier to straighten up before visiting No. 22 Cincinnati on Saturday for the teams' annual intense crosstown showdown. Morgan State (5-7) is coming off a 102-81 road loss at Bowling Green on Saturday. Preseason All-MEAC First Team selection Will Thomas led the Bears with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field, while Kameron Hobbs scored 12 points off the bench. Amahrie Simpkins made all five of his field-goal attempts to add 11 points and Wynston Tabbs had 10 points, six rebounds and six assists. Tabbs leads Morgan State in scoring this season at 16.8 points per game, while Simpkins (12.8) and Thomas (12.2) round out the Bears' double-digit scorers. The Bears have struggled away from home, losing all five road contests this season. --Field Level Media

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Capitol was deemed safe for reopening Friday afternoon after an emailed threat prompted an evacuation earlier in the day. State senators and their staff members were notified about the threat in a memo, according to officials. Members in the Assembly also received a similar note. They were asked to leave the area and work remotely “out of an abundance of caution” while law enforcement investigated the credibility of the threat, according to the memo. The California Highway Patrol conducted a sweep of the Capitol building and two others in the surrounding area and found no credible evidence of a threat. All three buildings were reopened to the public Friday afternoon. The California Highway Patrol said on a social media post that officers were investigating the threat, which was sent via an email, but did not give details. A spokesperson didn’t immediately return to calls for comment. The Legislature returned to Sacramento earlier this week to swear in new members and kick off , but the majority of them had left for their home districts Friday. Gov. Gavin Newsom is in Los Angeles for a Democratic Governors Association event.

BCSS launches holiday fundraising campaignPrime Minister Justin Trudeau met with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate Friday night, a source confirmed to The Canadian Press. Trudeau’s plane landed in West Palm Beach, Fla., Friday evening, not far from where Trump’s transition team is based at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The source, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the events, confirmed Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc was also in attendance. Trump was seated at the table with Trudeau and LeBlanc, along with the prime minister’s chief of staff, Katie Telford. Also at the table were Doug Burgum, who is Trump’s pick for interior secretary, and his spouse; Howard Lutnick, who will be Trump’s commerce secretary, along with his spouse; and Mike Waltz, the incoming president’s national security adviser, and his spouse. Burgum is to head up Trump’s new National Energy Council, overseeing a panel on permits, production, regulation and transportation. His appointment was applauded by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who said they would “strengthen energy security, fuel economic growth and showcase the power of cross-border collaboration” together. Lutnick, who has been tapped to oversee Trump’s tariff agenda, has called tariffs an “amazing tool” to protect the American worker. Waltz, a three-term congressman from Florida, has been critical of Trudeau on social media over his handling of issues related to China and recently posted that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was going to “send Trudeau packing in 2025” and “start digging Canada out of the progressive mess it’s in.” The in-person meeting came at the end of a rocky week in which Trump threatened to impose stiff tariffs on all imports from Canada. Earlier in the day, Trudeau said he believes the president-elect’s tariff threats against Canada and Mexico should be taken seriously. Trump said on social media on Monday night he would slap a 25 per cent tariff on imports from the U.S.’s closest neighbours unless the two countries stop illegal border crossings and prevent illicit drugs such as fentanyl from entering the U.S. “One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said when speaking with reporters in Queens County, P.E.I., on Friday. But the prime minister said Canada can get through what is expected to be a tumultuous four years by taking the same approach to working with Trump as it did during his first term as president. Trudeau said his government started assembling its outreach plan for the next U.S. administration at the start of the year, when they began a “Team Canada” effort by pulling together premiers, business and labour leaders to network with officials and politicians across the U.S. Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Trade Minister Mary Ng have been leading that effort. Trudeau activated a similar response during Trump’s first term in the White House, dispatching Canadians of all political stripes to remind American officials that the two nations’ economies are joined at the hip and that trade conflicts would cause blowback for American businesses and consumers as well. Trudeau said Friday he plans to remind Trump repeatedly that such tariffs would hamper the president’s own political goals as well. “Our responsibility is to point out in this way, he would be actually not just be harming Canadians,” Trudeau said. “He’d actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses.” Trudeau called Trump on Monday night after the social media post and talked up the mutual dependence of the two economies. The prime minister convened a meeting with the premiers on Wednesday at their request to discuss the incoming U.S. administration’s approach on trade and its concerns about the Canadian border. During a debate in Parliament this week over Trump’s tariff threat, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland pointed to a long list of industry leaders she has met with since the U.S. election: steel, automotive, pension funds, oil and gas, nuclear, aluminum, electricity, banks and even AI companies. “This is Team Canada,” she said. But the last time the Trudeau Liberals assembled such an effort, they were a relatively new majority government. They also had a lot of help from key conservative figures, such as former Conservative leader Rona Ambrose and, importantly, the late former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who personally knew Trump and his former commerce secretary Wilbur Ross. Asa McKercher, the Hudson Chair in Canada-U.S. Relations at St. Francis Xavier University, said those relationships are now lacking. “Remember the video of Mr. Mulroney singing to Mr. Trump at his birthday party? We have nothing like that this time,” McKercher said. “The centre of the Trump administration is Mr. Trump himself, and so having a good in with Mr. Trump is really important.” While Trudeau and Trump are familiar with each other, there is a question about just how united a front Trudeau can rally this time around. His government has less political capital, as his Liberal party trails behind in public opinion polls and is running out of time before the next election, which has to happen in the next 11 months. After Trudeau’s meeting with the premiers, Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s office sent a statement to media criticizing Ottawa for being “slow to react” and “stuck on its back foot.” Several premiers have also said Trump’s complaints are legitimate. “The Team Canada approach is good, but it’s really a Liberal party, Canadian diplomatic kind of thing,” said McKercher. “This government is on life support. Investors know it, the opposition knows that. The Americans know it, too. Canada doesn’t have a strong hand to play necessarily in terms of building bridges if the Trudeau government’s out in eight months or nine months.” Sebastian Skamski, a press secretary for Poilievre, said Trudeau’s office had not reached out seeking help from the Conservative leader to network with the incoming U.S. administration. Freeland was asked whether she would bring Poilievre into the fold at a Nov. 8 news conference, and said she would not speak for him. She said she has, however, spoken with some Conservatives and New Democrats, though she did not name any. At the same press conference, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said, “The question is whether Pierre Poilievre will want to be partisan and defend Canada’s interests.”

How Kash Patel has used children's books and podcasts to promote conspiracy theoriesMoore 2-5 2-2 7, Olsen 3-5 3-3 9, Ford 3-7 0-0 6, Cave 3-16 1-2 7, Weir 0-1 0-0 0, Gardner 3-5 1-1 8, Horne 0-0 0-0 0, Stephens 1-3 0-0 3, Harvey 6-11 0-0 14, Keitges 3-3 0-0 9, Perry 0-0 0-0 0, Powell 1-2 0-0 2, Totals 25-58 7-8 65 Williams 9-13 2-4 20, McCray 0-3 0-0 0, Jimenez 1-5 0-0 2, Leuzinger 4-8 7-10 16, Myers 5-11 0-0 15, Bisballe 0-0 0-0 0, Douglass 2-7 1-2 6, Krahn 1-3 0-0 2, Spasovski 3-4 0-0 6, Totals 25-54 10-16 67 3-Point Goals_Nebraska-Omaha 8-18 (Moore 1-2, Olsen 0-2, Cave 0-4, Gardner 1-2, Stephens 1-2, Harvey 2-3, Keitges 3-3), Wisconsin 7-18 (Williams 0-1, Leuzinger 1-2, Myers 5-10, Douglass 1-4, Krahn 0-1). Assists_Nebraska-Omaha 15 (Cave 5), Wisconsin 13 (Douglass 3, Leuzinger 3, Williams 3). Fouled Out_None. Rebounds_Nebraska-Omaha 26 (Ford 6), Wisconsin 38 (Williams 14). Total Fouls_Nebraska-Omaha 16, Wisconsin 12. Technical Fouls_None. A_3,014.

Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich explains the latest on President-elect Donald Trump publicly supporting his nomination of Pete Hegseth for defense secretary on Truth Social and more on 'Special Report.' Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate and a member of the Armed Services Committee, has signaled toward supporting President-elect Trump's nominee for defense secretary. After meeting on Monday for a second time with Pete Hegseth, Ernst wrote in a statement that "as I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources." An Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who until last month was a longtime Fox News host, Hegseth has been the focus of a slew of reports spotlighting a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations. Hegseth has denied allegations that he mistreated women and has vowed that he won't drink "a drop of alcohol" if confirmed as defense secretary. A separate report showcased allegations Hegseth mismanaged a veterans nonprofit organization that he once led. TRUMP RALLIES BEHIND HEGSETH BUT INVITES DESANTIS TO ARMY-NAVY GAME Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's nominee for defense secretary, walks with his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, left, to meet with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, of the Armed Services Committee at the Capitol on Dec. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Ernst, a conservative lawmaker first elected to the Senate in 2014, is considered a pivotal vote in the confirmation battle over Hegseth, who in the past has questioned the role of women in combat. The senator is also a survivor of sexual assault who has a strong legislative record of addressing sexual assault and harassment in the military. She said in her statement that "following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women – based on quality and standards, not quotas – and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks." TRUMP ORBIT RAMPS UP CRITICISM OF ERNST OVER HEGSETH NOMINATION Ernst's office told Fox News on Monday that "the senator has consistently followed the process, which she has said since the beginning, and doing her job as a United States senator." After meeting with Hegseth last week, Ernst said in a social media post that she and Trump's defense secretary nominee had a "frank and thorough" conversation. A day later, when asked in an interview on Fox News' "America's Newsroom" if she wasn't ready to vote to confirm Hegseth, the senator replied, "I think you are right." Ahead of his second meeting with the senator, Hegseth told Fox News' Aishah Hasnie, "I'm really looking forward to meeting with Sen. Ernst. I appreciate her. I respect her background and her service. She's incredible. And the ongoing conversation has been very fruitful." Over the past few days, a high-profile Trump ally has threatened to fuel a primary challenge against Ernst when she's up for re-election in 2026. "This is the red line. This is not a joke. ... The funding is already being put together. Donors are calling like crazy. Primaries are going to be launched," said Charlie Kirk, an influential conservative activist and radio and TV host who co-founded and steers Turning Point USA. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? Kirk, on his radio program, warned that "if you support the president’s agenda, you’re good. You’re marked safe from a primary. You go up against Pete Hegseth, the president repeatedly, then don’t be surprised, Joni Ernst, if all of a sudden you have a primary challenge in Iowa." In Iowa, conservative commentator and media personality Steve Deace took to social media and used his radio program to highlight that he would consider launching a primary challenge against Ernst. "Defeating an incumbent US Senator takes high name ID, connections, and funding potential," Deace wrote. "I'm one of the few people in Iowa with all three." Deace, who supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in this year's Iowa GOP presidential caucus, said, "I don't want to be a Senator, but I am willing to primary her for the good of the cause if I'm assured I have Trump's support going in. Or I am willing to throw my support and network behind someone else President Trump prefers to primary Joni Ernst instead." Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, a top Trump supporter in the Iowa caucuses, wrote a column on Breitbart urging Hegseth's confirmation. While she didn't mention Ernst by name, Bird took aim at "D.C. politicians" who "think they can ignore the voices of their constituents and entertain smears from the same outlets that have pushed out lies for years." Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa (Drew Angerer/Getty Images/File) David Kochel, a veteran GOP consultant who was a key strategist and early backer of Ernst during her successful 2014 Senate campaign, told Fox News that "Joni Ernst is doing what the Constitution says what her job is, which is advise and consent." "I think that everybody should just give her the space to do her job, and making threats to a combat veteran usually doesn't work out great," Kochel said. CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump has praised Hegseth in the past few days. "Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News," the president-elect wrote on Friday. But Fox News and other news organizations have reported that Trump is potentially considering nominating DeSantis as defense secretary as a possible replacement should Hegseth's nomination falter. Ernst's name has also come up as a possible replacement. But the senator said last week in an interview with RealClearPolitics that "I am not seeking to be secretary of defense." Fox News' Chad Pergram, Tyler Olson and Julia Johnson contributed to this report.None

AP News Summary at 6:21 p.m. EST

Horizon Kinetics CEO Murray Stahl buys $560 in company stock

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Attorneys for Fox Corp. asked a Delaware judge Friday to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit seeking to hold current and former company officials personally liable for the financial fallout stemming from Fox News reports regarding alleged vote rigging in the 2020 election. Five New York City public employee pension funds, along with Oregon’s public employee retirement fund, allege that former chairman Rupert Murdoch and other Fox Corp. leaders deliberately turned a blind eye to liability risks posed by reporting false claims of vote rigging by election technology companies Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic USA. Smartmatic is suing Fox News for defamation in New York, alleging damages of $2.7 billion. It recently settled a lawsuit in the District of Columbia against One America News Network, another conservative outlet, over reports of vote fraud. Dominion also filed several defamation lawsuits against those who spread conspiracy theories blaming its election equipment for Donald Trump’s loss in 2020. Last year, Fox News settled a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion in Delaware for $787 million. The shareholder plaintiffs also allege that Fox corporate leaders ignored “red flags” about liability arising from a 2017 report suggesting that Seth Rich, a Democratic National Committee staffer, may have been killed because he had leaked Democratic party emails to Wikileaks during the 2016 presidential campaign. Rich, 27, was shot in 2016 in Washington, D.C., in what authorities have said was an attempted robbery. Fox News retracted the Seth Rich story a week after its initial broadcast, but Rich’s parents sued the network for falsely portraying their son as a criminal and traitor. Fox News settled the lawsuit in 2020 for “millions of dollars,” shortly before program hosts Lou Dobbs and Sean Hannity were to be deposed, according to the shareholder lawsuit. Joel Friedlander, an attorney for the institutional shareholders, argued that Fox officials waited until the company’s reporting about Rich became a national scandal before addressing the issue. Similarly, according to the shareholders, corporate officials, including Rupert Murdoch and his son, CEO Lachlan Murdoch, allowed Fox News to continue broadcasting false narratives about the 2020 election, despite internal communications suggesting that they knew there was no evidence to support the conspiracy theories. “The Murdochs could have minimized future monetary exposure, but they chose not to,” Friedlander said. Instead, he argued, they engaged in “bad-faith decision making” with other defendants in a profit-driven effort to retain viewers and remain in Trump’s good graces. “Decisions were made at the highest level to promote pro-Trump conspiracy theories without editorial control,” Friedlander said. Defense attorneys argue that the case should be dismissed because the plaintiffs filed their lawsuit without first demanding that the Fox Corp. board take action, as required under Delaware law. They say the plaintiffs also failed to demonstrate that a pre-suit demand on the Fox board would have been futile because at least half of the directors face a substantial likelihood of liability or are not independent of someone who does. Beyond the “demand futility” issue, defense attorneys also argue that allegations that Fox officials breached their fiduciary duties fail to meet the pleading standards under Delaware and therefore should be dismissed. Defense attorney William Savitt argued, for example, that neither the Rich settlement, which he described as “immaterial,” nor the allegedly defamatory statements about Dominion and Smartmatic constitute red flags putting directors on notice about the risk of defamation liability. Nor do they demonstrate that directors acted in bad faith or that Fox “utterly failed” to implement and monitor a system to report and mitigate legal risks, including defamation liability risk, according to the defendants. Savitt noted that the Rich article was promptly retracted, and that the settlement included no admission of liability. The Dominion and Smartmatic statements, meanwhile, gave rise themselves to the currently liability issues and therefore can not serve as red flags about future liability risks, according to the defendants. “A ‘red flag’ must be what the term commonly implies — warning of a risk of a liability-causing event that allows the directors to take action to avert the event, not notice that a liability-causing event has already occurred,” defense attorneys wrote in their motion to dismiss. Defense attorneys also say there are no factual allegations to support claims that Fox officials condoned illegal conduct in pursuit of corporate profits, or that they deliberately ignored their oversight responsibilities. They note that a “bad outcome” is not sufficient to demonstrate “bad faith.” Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster is expected to rule within 90 days.A fugitive gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and nets

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The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) Saturday appealed to the Members of the Parliament to raise their voice for the release of fellow parliamentarian and party chief Sheikh Abdul Rashid. Addressing a press conference here, AIP vice president G N Shaheen said Rashid alias Engineer Rashid “was summoned to Delhi and detained under false and baseless charges” on August 5, 2019, the day Article 370 was abrogated. “Despite being held in custody, he contested the parliamentary elections, won with a massive mandate and became the elected voice of the Baramulla constituency. However, since taking his oath as a Member of Parliament, he has not been allowed to attend even a single session of the Lok Sabha,” Shaheen said. He said the Baramulla constituency consists of 18 assembly segments and accounts for nearly 40 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir’s population, and from 2008 to 2018, Rashid “fearlessly served” his people, voicing their concerns and aspirations without compromise. “Yet today, the same voice is being silenced under the pretext of incarceration, denying the people of Baramulla their rightful representation,” he added. The AIP leader urged all parliamentarians to rise above political affiliations and stand for “democratic principles” by demanding’s Rashid’s release and his right to attend the Parliament. “Denying him this opportunity is not just a betrayal of his mandate, but an insult to the democratic process itself. It sets a dangerous precedent where the will of the people is suppressed and their chosen representative is silenced,” he said. Shaheen warned what was happening with Rashid “could happen to any of you (MPs) tomorrow.”NoneXavier tries to get right vs. Morgan State before rivalry clash

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Xavier aims to rebound from a tough week and get one more critical tune-up for a rivalry matchup when it hosts Morgan State on Tuesday night in Cincinnati. The Musketeers (7-2) were ranked No. 22 in the AP poll two weeks ago but fell out after a 25-point loss to Michigan in the Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament final on Nov. 27. Xavier then barely escaped with a 71-68 home win over South Carolina State on Dec. 1 before losing 76-72 at TCU on Thursday. Dante Maddox Jr. came off the bench to score nine points in 20 minutes on three 3-pointers against the Horned Frogs. He also grabbed six rebounds before fouling out. The Musketeers have been waiting for the Toledo transfer to add a punch to an underwhelming bench cast that many thought would be a strength for Xavier coming into the season. "I really feel like you can almost be baited into a false sense of how deep your team is because you're around guys every day and have a good, older group, which we do," Musketeers coach Sean Miller said. "You see the good in a lot of different guys. It's not until you get 8 to 10, 10 to 15 games in when you truly understand how deep your team is." Maddox hit a 3-pointer and started a fastbreak with a steal that gave Xavier a 60-54 lead with 7:28 remaining, but the Musketeers faded down the stretch and lost for the second time in three games. Maddox is averaging 4.7 points per game, while Ryan Conwell leads the team with 16.6. Tuesday's game will be the last chance for Xavier to straighten up before visiting No. 22 Cincinnati on Saturday for the teams' annual intense crosstown showdown. Morgan State (5-7) is coming off a 102-81 road loss at Bowling Green on Saturday. Preseason All-MEAC First Team selection Will Thomas led the Bears with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field, while Kameron Hobbs scored 12 points off the bench. Amahrie Simpkins made all five of his field-goal attempts to add 11 points and Wynston Tabbs had 10 points, six rebounds and six assists. Tabbs leads Morgan State in scoring this season at 16.8 points per game, while Simpkins (12.8) and Thomas (12.2) round out the Bears' double-digit scorers. The Bears have struggled away from home, losing all five road contests this season. --Field Level MediaCase filed against woman who ‘bullied’ Kashmiri shawl sellers in Himachal