https www 90jili com m home

A recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that 65% of Nigerian households relied on traditional cooking methods, with the three-stone cookstove being the most commonly used. The findings were highlighted in the Nigeria General Household Survey-Panel (Wave 5) 2023/2024 report. “The most common cookstove type used in the country is the three-stone/open fire, with 65.0 percent of households relying on this traditional cooking method,” the report noted. The NBS report outlined stark differences between rural and urban areas. Traditional cooking methods were predominantly used in rural areas, with 78.8% of households relying on the three-stone cookstove. The practice was even more widespread in certain regions, such as the North Central (72.1%), North East (82.4%), North West (85.7%), and South East (61.3%) zones. Conversely, urban areas were seeing a noticeable shift toward modern cooking technologies, with 49% of households using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or natural gas. The South West zone led in adopting modern cooking technologies, with 51% of households opting for LPG or natural gas. The report also highlighted the preferred locations for cooking across Nigeria. Slightly more than half (51.2%) of households using traditional cookstoves prefer outdoor cooking, while 37.9% cook indoors but outside the sleeping area. Only 1.8% of households use their cookstoves in sleeping areas. Geographical patterns also played a role. Households in the North East (59%) and North West (50.5%) zones were more likely to cook indoors, while those in the North Central (60.7%) and southern zones predominantly cooked outdoors or in separate buildings. This trend was consistent across urban (46.2%) and rural (52.6%) areas. Wood remained the most-used cooking fuel in Nigeria, reported by 70.2% of households, followed by LPG at 23.2%. The reliance on wood was especially pronounced in the North East (93.4%) and North West (84.8%) zones. In contrast, southern regions were more inclined toward LPG usage, with 35.3% of households in the South South and 51.7% in the South West using the modern cooking fuel. The urban-rural divide was also evident, with urban households showing stronger reliance on LPG (50.5%), while rural households overwhelmingly use wood (83.8%).https www 90jili com m home 。

Demko to return to the Canuck bench against Columbus — as the backup

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All-star goalie Thatcher Demko will return to the Vancouver Canucks lineup Friday. Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said Demko will backup Kevin Lankinen as Vancouver hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets. It will be Demko’s first game since April 21 when the Canucks beat the Nashville Predators 4-2 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. He suffered an injury to the popliteus muscle in his knee during the game and has been working his way back ever since. When the 28-year-old netminder from San Diego, Calif., gets a start remains to be seen, but having Demko back in uniform is an important step, Tocchet said. “He’s a leader on the team. He’s a different type of leader,” the coach said after morning skate Friday. “The guy works awfully hard. He’s spent a lot of time by himself working out, he’s here at 7 a.m. working with one trainer. So I think the what it’s contagious to me is the hard work he does. The young guys see this stuff how dedicated he is. I see that really helps our locker room.” Demko had a 35-14-2 record with a .918 save percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts in regular-season play last year and played in the all-star game for the second time in his career. Vancouver inked Lankinen to a one-year, US$875,000 deal during training camp and he has split the crease with Arturs Silovs to start the season, with the pair backstopping the Canucks to a 13-7-4 record.Liverpool boss Arne Slot talks up ‘special player’ Mohamed Salah

Republicans boasting about their great election mandate may want to hold the euphoria. As the final results trickle in from the late state of California, the GOP looks set to have the narrowest House majority in more than a century. The Democratic gerrymander in California, plus those in New York (19-7 Democratic to GOP seats), Illinois (14-3) and Massachusetts (9-0), means four states will deliver 85 of the Democratic total of 215 seats. The GOP could have as few as 220. One message is that while voters rejected the Biden-Harris administration, their support for Republicans is provisional. The GOP did better in the Senate, gaining a three-seat edge. But they narrowly lost winnable seats in Wisconsin, Michigan and Nevada despite fielding strong candidates. Another message is that the GOP has about a year to get anything done. The party is likely to lose the House in 2026, if midterm history is any guide, and the partisan Senate map is challenging. The GOP had better pass legislation it wants in 2025 before attention turns to political survival in 2026. This will require House Republicans in particular to stick together as they haven’t in years. Matt Gaetz will be out of Congress, saints be praised, but other performance artists are still around to blow things up and blame everyone else. Perhaps Donald Trump can keep them in line behind Speaker Mike Johnson. But factionalism will mean the end of a functioning majority and guaranteed defeat in 2026. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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[Source: Reuters] With the bodies of its fighters still strewn on the battlefield, Hezbollah must bury its dead and provide succour to its supporters who bore the brunt of Israel’s offensive, as the first steps on a long and costly road to recovery, four senior officials said. Hezbollah believes the number of its fighters killed during 14 months of hostilities could reach several thousand, with the vast majority killed since Israel went on the offensive in September, three sources familiar with its operations say, citing previously unreported internal estimates. One source said the Iran-backed group may have lost up to 4,000 people – well over 10 times the number killed in its month-long 2006 war with Israel. So far, Lebanese authorities have said some 3,800 people were killed in the current hostilities, without distinguishing fighters from civilians. Hezbollah emerges shaken from top to bottom, its leadership still reeling from the killing of its former leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and its supporters made homeless en masse by the carpet bombing of Beirut’s southern suburbs and the destruction of entire villages in the south. With a ceasefire taking hold on Wednesday, Hezbollah’s agenda includes working to re-establish its organisational structure fully, probing security breaches that helped Israel land so many painful blows, and a full review of the last year including its mistakes in underestimating Israel’s technological capabilities, three other sources familiar with the group’s thinking said. Israel’s campaign has focused largely on Hezbollah’s Shi’ite Muslim heartlands, where its supporters were badly hit. They include people still nursing casualties from Israel’s attack on its mobile communications devices in September. The Israeli offensive displaced more than 1 million people, the bulk of them from areas where Hezbollah has sway. A senior Lebanese official familiar with Hezbollah thinking said the group’s focus would be squarely on securing their return and rebuilding their homes: “Hezbollah is like a wounded man. Does a wounded man get up and fight? A wounded man needs to tend to his wounds.” The official expected Hezbollah to carry out a wide-ranging policy review after the war, dealing with all major issues: Israel, its weapons, and the internal politics of Lebanon, where its weapons have long been a point of conflict. Iran, which established Hezbollah in 1982, has promised to help with reconstruction. The costs are immense: The World Bank estimates $2.8 billion in damage to housing alone in Lebanon, with 99,000 homes partially or fully destroyed. The senior Lebanese official said Tehran has a variety of ways to get funds to Hezbollah, without giving details. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a close Hezbollah ally, is urging wealthy Lebanese Shi’ites in the diaspora to send funds to help the displaced, two Lebanese officials said. The officials also expected significant donations to come from Shi’ite religious foundations across the region. Hezbollah did not immediately respond to a detailed request for comment for this story. Iran’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.BlackRock Inc. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitorsATLANTA , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cousins Properties Incorporated (the "Company" or "Cousins") (NYSE:CUZ) announced today that its operating partnership, Cousins Properties LP (the "Operating Partnership"), has priced an offering of $400 million aggregate principal amount of 5.375% senior unsecured notes due 2032 at 99.463% of the principal amount. The offering is expected to close on December 17, 2024 , subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Cousins intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund a portion of the purchase price of 601 West 2nd Street, also known as Sail Tower, an 804,000 square foot trophy lifestyle office property in Austin (the "Sail Tower Acquisition"), and the remainder to repay borrowings under its credit facility and for general corporate purposes. In the event the Sail Tower Acquisition is not completed, Cousins will use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including the acquisition and development of office properties, other opportunistic investments and the repayment of debt. The notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by the Company. J.P. Morgan, Truist Securities, US Bancorp, BofA Securities, Morgan Stanley, PNC Capital Markets LLC, TD Securities and Wells Fargo Securities are acting as joint book-running managers. A shelf registration statement relating to these securities is effective with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. Copies of these documents may be obtained by contacting J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York , 10179, Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk, 3rd Floor, telephone collect at 1-212-834-4533; Truist Securities, Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, 303 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30308, telephone: 800-685-4786, or e-mail: TruistSecurities.prospectus@Truist.com ; or U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., Attention: High Grade Syndicate, 214 North Tryon Street, 26th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202, or by telephone at: (877) 558-2607. Electronic copies of these documents are also available from the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov . This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell the notes, nor shall it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About Cousins Properties Cousins Properties is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust ("REIT"). The Company, based in Atlanta, GA and acting through the Operating Partnership, primarily invests in Class A office buildings located in high growth Sun Belt markets. Founded in 1958, Cousins creates shareholder value through its extensive expertise in the development, acquisition, leasing, and management of high-quality real estate assets. The Company has a comprehensive strategy in place based on a simple platform, trophy assets, and opportunistic investments. Forward-Looking Statements Certain matters contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws and are subject to uncertainties and risks, as itemized in Item 1A included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024 . These forward-looking statements include information about the Company's possible or assumed future results of the business and the Company's financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans, and objectives. They also include, among other things, statements regarding subjects that are forward-looking by their nature, such as: guidance and underlying assumptions; business and financial strategy; future debt financings; future acquisitions and dispositions of operating assets or joint venture interests; future acquisitions and dispositions of land, including ground leases; future acquisitions of investments in real estate debt; future development and redevelopment opportunities; future issuances and repurchases of common stock, limited partnership units, or preferred stock; future distributions; projected capital expenditures; market and industry trends; future occupancy or volume and velocity of leasing activity; entry into new markets, changes in existing market concentrations, or exits from existing markets; future changes in interest rates and liquidity of capital markets; and all statements that address operating performance, events, investments, or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to creating value for stockholders. Any forward-looking statements are based upon management's beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of our future performance, taking into account information that is currently available. These beliefs, assumptions, and expectations may change as a result of possible events or factors, not all of which are known. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary from forward-looking statements due to, but not limited to, the following: the availability and terms of capital and our ability to obtain and maintain financing arrangements on terms favorable to us or at all; the ability to refinance or repay indebtedness as it matures; any changes to our credit rating; the failure of purchase, sale, or other contracts to ultimately close; the failure to achieve anticipated benefits from acquisitions, developments, investments, or dispositions; the effect of common stock or operating partnership unit issuances, including those undertaken on a forward basis, which may negatively affect the market price of our common stock; the availability of buyers and pricing with respect to the disposition of assets; changes in national and local economic conditions, the real estate industry, and the commercial real estate markets in which we operate (including supply and demand changes), particularly in Atlanta , Austin , Tampa , Charlotte , Phoenix , Dallas , and Nashville , including the impact of high unemployment, volatility in the public equity and debt markets, and international economic and other conditions; threatened terrorist attacks or sociopolitical unrest such as political instability, civil unrest, armed hostilities, or political activism, which may result in a disruption of day-to-day building operations; changes to our strategy in regard to our real estate assets may require impairment to be recognized; leasing risks, including the ability to obtain new tenants or renew expiring tenants, the ability to lease newly-developed and/or recently acquired space, the failure of a tenant to commence or complete tenant improvements on schedule or to occupy leased space, and the risk of declining leasing rates; changes in the preferences of our tenants brought about by the desire for co-working arrangements, trends toward utilizing less office space per employee, and the effect of employees working remotely; any adverse change in the financial condition or liquidity of one or more of our tenants or borrowers under our real estate debt investments; volatility in interest rates (including the impact upon the effectiveness of forward interest rate contract arrangements) and insurance rates; inflation; competition from other developers or investors; the risks associated with real estate developments (such as zoning approval, receipt of required permits, construction delays, cost overruns, and leasing risk); supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and increased construction costs; risks associated with security breaches through cyberattacks, cyber intrusions or otherwise, as well as other significant disruptions of our information technology networks and related systems, which support our operations and our buildings; changes in senior management, changes in the Company's board of directors, and the loss of key personnel; the potential liability for uninsured losses, condemnation, or environmental issues; the potential liability for a failure to meet regulatory requirements, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and similar laws or the impact of any investigation regarding the same; the financial condition and liquidity of, or disputes with, joint venture partners; any failure to comply with debt covenants under debt instruments and credit agreements; any failure to continue to qualify for taxation as a real estate investment trust or meet regulatory requirements; potential changes to state, local, or federal regulations applicable to our business; material changes in dividend rates on common shares or other securities or the ability to pay those dividends; potential changes to the tax laws impacting real estate investment trusts and real estate in general; risks associated with climate change and severe weather events, as well as the regulatory efforts intended to reduce the effects of climate changes and investor and public perception of our efforts to respond to the same; the impact of newly adopted accounting principles on our accounting policies and on period-to-period comparisons of financial results; risks associated with possible federal, state, local, or property tax audits; and those additional risks and environmental or other factors discussed in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company cannot guarantee the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements contained in this press release, and the Company does not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts Roni Imbeaux Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations 404-407-1104 rimbeaux@cousins.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cousins-properties-announces-pricing-of-senior-notes-offering-302330787.html SOURCE Cousins Properties

Best Buy's official Black Friday sale went live this week — and the deals and doorbusters do not disappoint! From now through actual Black Friday (November 29), you can expect the latest and greatest tech deals from popular brands like Apple, Sony, Ninja, Dyson and more. One of my personal favorite deals is on the Samsung's 65” The Frame TV, which boasts a $700 discount . If you're looking to stock up on smart home devices, brands like Blink, Ring and Eero are now offering up to 50% off . Best Buy's Black Friday sale is also the perfect excuse to get a head start on your holiday shopping list, with epic markdowns on headphones, laptops, gaming devices and more. Some of the deals and doorbusters will only be available to My Best Buy members, so be sure to join today for just $49/year . New deals will be rolling out all weekend (and week) long, so be sure to bookmark this page and check back often. (For more ways to save, check out our guide to this week's top Best Buy coupon codes ). Quick Links Editor's Choice Headphones & Speakers Apple Gifts Home Appliances TVs

CARY, N.C. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fathom Realty , a subsidiary of Fathom Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: FTHM) ("Fathom"; or the "Company "), a national, technology-driven, end-to-end real estate services platform integrating residential brokerage, mortgage, title, and SaaS offerings for brokerages and agents, has appointed Andrew Shock as Vice President of Operations. With over 20 years of experience in the residential brokerage industry, Shock brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to his new role, further strengthening Fathom Realty's operational capabilities. "Andrew's expertise, knowledge, and positive energy align perfectly with our vision and will drive us toward our goals," said Samantha Giuggio , President of Fathom Realty and Chief Operations Officer of Fathom Holdings. "With his leadership, we are confident in our continued journey to becoming the top choice for agents and clients in the country." Shock brings extensive real estate expertise spanning operational management, transactions across residential and commercial properties, corporate portfolio sales, and new home developments. As former Director of Operations at eXp Realty, he has demonstrated a track record of driving growth and operational excellence. His commitment to delivering exceptional results and creating value for clients and stakeholders makes him a valuable addition to the Fathom Realty team. Shock's operational oversight will allow DeJane Kerr , Senior Vice President of Compliance, to focus on brokerage compliance. This organizational change reflects Fathom Realty's commitment to driving growth and enhancing efficiency. "I'm honored to join Fathom and work with such a talented team," added Shock. "Throughout my career, I've been driven by a commitment to revolutionizing real estate, and Fathom's values strongly reflect that vision. Together, we're creating a platform where agents can grow, thrive, and achieve lasting success in a supportive environment." Shock earned two bachelor's degrees from the University of Toledo : one in Business Administration with a focus on Organizational Leadership and Management and another in Legal and Paralegal Studies. About Fathom Holdings Inc. Fathom Holdings Inc. is a national, technology-driven real estate services platform integrating residential brokerage, mortgage, title, and SaaS offerings to brokerages and agents by leveraging its proprietary cloud-based software, intelliAgent. The Company's brands include Fathom Realty, Encompass Lending, intelliAgent, LiveBy, Real Results, and Verus Title. For more information, visit www.FathomInc.com . Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties which we expect will or may occur in the future and may impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including risks associated with general economic conditions, including rising interest rates; its ability to generate positive operational cash flow; risks associated with the Company's ability to continue achieving significant growth; its ability to continue its growth trajectory while achieving profitability over time; risks related to ongoing and future litigation; and other risks as set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's most recent Form 10-K as filed with the SEC and supplemented from time to time in other Company filings made with the SEC. Copies of Fathom's Form 10-K and other SEC filings are available on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release except as required by law. Investor Contact: Matt Glover and Clay Liolios Gateway Group, Inc. 949-574-3860 FTHM@gateway-grp.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fathom-realty-names-andrew-shock-vice-president-of-operations-to-drive-growth-and-innovation-302330711.html SOURCE Fathom Holdings Inc.None

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Closed circuit screenshots of a person of interest in the UnitedHealthcare CEO killing. Source: NYPD UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot Wednesday doing something countless other American executives routinely do: Walking unaccompanied to an investor event held by his company. But Thompson's death this week in the heart of corporate America's capital has sent shockwaves throughout the business world, forcing companies to rethink the risks in even the most routine executive responsibilities. "Everyone's scrambling to say, 'Are we safe?'" said Chuck Randolph , chief security officer for Ontic, an Austin, Texas-based provider of threat management software. "This is an inflection point where the idea of executive protection is now raised to the board level. Everyone I know in the industry is feeling this." Threats against corporations have been rising for years, fueled in part by the echo chamber of social media and a more polarized political environment, according to security professionals. But the slaying on a Manhattan sidewalk of Thompson, head of the largest private health insurer in the U.S., is the highest profile such incident in decades. Companies now worry their leaders face greater risk of being targets of violence, especially as they hold more public investor events in New York in the coming weeks. The gunman is still at large, and his motivation isn't known. Words written on the shell casings found at the scene may offer hints about what incited the shooter. One question from security experts not involved in the case was whether the shooter demonstrated grievances against UnitedHealthcare in online forums and searched for information about the investor event. Several health-care companies have reacted by pulling photos of executives from websites, and health insurer Centene made an investor meeting virtual after the killing. Thompson didn't have a security detail with him on Wednesday morning, despite known threats against him, according to NYPD officials. None of the executives of UnitedHealth received personal security benefits, according to the company's filings . Cups mark the location of shell casings found at the scene where the CEO of United Healthcare Brian Thompson was reportedly shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan, in New York City, US, December 4, 2024. Shannon Stapleton | Reuters If Thompson had, several key factors would have been different. Personnel would have gone to the hotel before his arrival to detect threats; he also would have been accompanied by armed security who may have used an alternate hotel entrance, said Scott Stewart , a vice president of TorchStone Global. "This was preventable," said Stewart, who said he had nearly four decades in the industry. "I've never seen an executive with a comprehensive security program ever be victimized like that." Still, before this week's shocking events, it wasn't unusual for executives to decline security because of the disruption to their lives, or the image it may give, several security veterans said. "Not every CEO needs heavy duty protection," said the security chief of a technology firm who wasn't given permission to speak to the press. "Senior executives are subject to threats all day long, you need a platform to" examine them and determine whether they are credible and timely, he said. 'Guns, guards and gates' Since Thompson's killing, a wide spectrum of companies have sought extra protection for executives, Matthew Dumpert, managing director at Kroll Enterprise Security Risk Management, told CNBC. In the coming weeks, there are several financial conferences in New York with CEOs scheduled to attend in person. Until now, the major concern for these events has been disruption by environmental activists or other protestors, said a manager at large bank. "Everybody is taking a look and thinking through security for their senior people," said an executive at a major Wall Street firm who declined to be identified out of concern it would draw attention. Some corporate security veterans vented that they are seen as a cost center whose leaders are "buried too deeply in an organization to be listened to." "The bias is, security is a pain in people's butts, and not that important," said the person, who asked for anonymity to speak candidly. "I hope this opens their eyes," he said. "Risk intel and assessment is important, and security is about much more than just guns, guards and gates." — CNBC's Jordan Novet, Bertha Coombs and Dan Mangan contributed to this report watch now VIDEO 2:54 02:54 Companies bolster security around executives following United Healthcare CEO killing Money MoversThe Rick Campbell era has ended while the Ryan Rigmaiden era has begun. The B.C. Lions introduced Rigmaiden as the football club’s new general manager at a press conference at the team’s Surrey practice facility on Wednesday, and at the same time, announced that they had parted ways with head coach Rick Campbell after four seasons and that Neil McEvoy was moving from the co-GM position that he shared with Campbell to the newly-created title of Vice President of Football Operations. As we speculated last week in this column , the club moved quickly to elevate Rigmaiden from his previous role of Assistant General Manager and Director of U.S. Scouting in an effort to retain the 45-year-old native of Spokane, Washington. Rigmaiden was the Lions Director of U.S. Scouting from 2013 to 2017 before leaving to join the Winnipeg Blue Bombers organization. He returned in 2020 and has been responsible for bringing in import talent such as Sione Teuhema, Josh Banks, Alexander Hollins, Manny Rugamba, Jarell Broxton, Josh Woods and Kent Perkins to the Lions. His first task as general manager will be to find a new head coach. “The head coaching search is going to start immediately. There are several coaches that are currently unemployed that we are going to talk to. We also have several here internally that we will interview as well and then get permission (from other teams) for a handful of others,” said Rigmaiden, who becomes the 17th general manager in club history. There are approximately “eight to 10” candidates that the club will interview via ZOOM calls over the next week to 10 days, with that number being whittled down to three or four finalists who will then be interviewed in person. The front-runner for the head coaching position is former Lions quarterback Buck Pierce, who has been with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers organization since 2014 in various coaching capacities and has held the title of offensive coordinator since 2020. Other candidates include former Hamilton head coach Orlondo Steinauer, former Winnipeg and Ottawa head coach Paul LaPolice, former B.C. and Hamilton defensive coordinator Mark Washington and former Calgary special teams coordinator Mark Kilam as well as internal candidates that include offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic and defensive coordinator Ryan Phillips, who is the only assistant from last year’s staff still under contract. The organization has no timeline in terms of naming a head coach and both Rigmaiden and McEvoy stressed that this will not be a rushed decision. That being said, there has to be some urgency as the new head coach will need time to assemble his own staff moving forward. Rigmaiden has set out three criteria that his hire will have to meet. “Leadership, accountability and toughness. I think those are essential for any head coach no matter what sport you are talking about. That’s going to be something that we emphasize,” replied Rigmaiden when queried on the subject. Rigmaiden hopes the new coach will be able to get the Lions to play with some edge. “The biggest thing I see is our lack of ability to overcome adversity on the field. There is a lack of mental toughness on this team. Internally, we have all been discussing that after last season. There are a variety of reasons why that happens. Instilling a new head coach with some different ideas and different values is going to be the biggest part of that,” said Rigmaiden. Another pressing item on his agenda will be trading quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. and there has already been an organizational shift in philosophy in how that will be dealt with moving forward. “He (Adams Jr.) will not have a say in this process. We are going to do what’s best for the club but we are going to be in constant communication with him,” said Rigmaiden, walking back a promise that Campbell made as co-gm that Adams Jr. would be consulted in trade talks. Rigmaiden added that it was strictly a business call, referring to his solid relationship with Adams Jr. going back to the time when Adams Jr. was a 19-year-old at Eastern Washington University, and that the process would begin immediately by “calling two or three teams” on Monday night. EXTRA POINTS * The natural landing spot for Campbell is Edmonton. As we mentioned last week, new Edmonton owner Larry Thompson wants to reconnect the Elks to the history and tradition of the Eskimos. He already has hired Chris Morris as the Elks president and then followed that up by signing Ed Hervey as the Elks general manager. Morris played 14 years for the Eskimos while Hervey suited up for eight seasons with the green and gold. Hiring Campbell would be a natural fit seeing how his father Hugh coached the Eskimos to five straight Grey Cups from 1978 to 1982. Hervey also hired Campbell in B.C. during his stint as the Lions general manager. * As for the Lions assistant coaches, Phillips could be reunited with former teammate Dave Dickenson as the defensive coordinator for the Calgary Stampeders if things don’t work out in B.C. Meanwhile, Edmonton has asked the Lions for permission to speak to Maksymic about their head coaching vacancy. In other news, linebackers coach Travis Brown has interviewed for the defensive coordinators position in Ottawa but could follow Campbell to Edmonton if the Ottawa job falls through as the two have history together going back to Brown’s playing days as a RedBlack. * With Hervey leaving as Tiger-Cats general manager, former Lions quarterback Danny McManus becomes the leading candidate to replace him in Hamilton. McManus, who led the Leos to a Grey Cup in 1994, has been with Winnipeg since 2013 as the club’s assistant general manager and director of U.S. scouting. McManus was also the quarterback for Hamilton when they last won the Grey Cup in 1999 and is revered in The Hammer. Other candidates include former UBC head coach Ted Goveia, who is the Bombers assistant GM and director of player personnel and a pair of Canadians working as scouts in the NFL in Vince Magri (Buffalo) and Chris Rossetti (New York Giants). Magri and Rossetti both spent time with the Toronto organization before going south. Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob “the Moj” Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.

With Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight

The gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Here's the latest: The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity. A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . ▶ Read more about the search for the gunman In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. ▶ Read more about how companies protect their leaders Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. — Mike Balsamo Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations. The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday. “The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.” Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution. The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event. “All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.” Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage. The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said. But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter. “We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX. Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said. Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled. The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. ▶ Read more about the steps companies take to protect their leadership Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row. The league has been reviewing the case for months , trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. “The matter is closed,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday in an email to The Associated Press. “There was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault in Texas by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damages before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson strongly denied the allegations through his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The 29-year-old Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in October. He's been rehabbing the injury in hopes of returning next season. The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons after they traded three first-round picks to Houston and signed him to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract that has backfired. Watson has only played in 19 games over three seasons due to the suspension and injuries. He was acquired by the Browns, who were comfortable with his character despite Watson being accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions while he played for the Texans. While he's in the clear with the league, Watson's future with Cleveland isn't so certain. His massive contract — and its salary-cap ramifications — has put the Browns in a bind in terms of trying to improve their roster. Cleveland has had a disappointing season after making the playoffs a year ago and could move on from Watson, but the cost would be exorbitant if the team just releases him. The Browns signed Jameis Winston for one season to be Watson's backup. Winston has gone 2-3 as a starter since taking over and he's put some life into Cleveland's offense, which didn't score 20 points or gain 300 yards with Watson before his injury. His 2023 season was ended by a broken bone in his shoulder, requiring surgery. Winston has indicated he would come back, and he could be a viable option as a starter even if the Browns draft a young QB. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL