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Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released, the White House has announced, in a rare diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration. or signup to continue reading The three are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, all of whom had been designated by the US government as wrongfully detained by China. Swidan had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while Li and Leung were imprisoned on espionage charges. "Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years," the White House said in a statement. The release comes two months after China freed David Lin, a Christian pastor from California who had spent nearly 20 years behind bars after being convicted of contract fraud. US-China relations have been roiled for years over major disagreements on trade, human rights, the production of fentanyl precursors, security issues that include espionage and hacking, China's aggressiveness toward Taiwan and its smaller neighbours in the South China Sea, and Beijing's support for Russia's military-industrial sector. The release of Americans deemed wrongfully detained in China has been a top agenda item in each conversation between the US and China. The development suggests a willingness by Beijing to engage with the outgoing Democratic administration before Republican President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House in January. Trump took significant actions against China on trade and diplomacy during his first term. He has pledged to continue those policies in his second term, leading to unease among many who fear that an all-out trade war will greatly affect the international economy and could spur potential Chinese military action against Taiwan. The State Department on Wednesday lowered its travel warning to China to "level two," advising US citizens to "exercise increased caution" from the norm when travelling to the mainland. The alert had previously been at "level three," telling Americans they should "reconsider travel" to China in part because of the "risk of wrongful detention" of Americans. The new alert retains a warning that the Chinese government "arbitrarily enforces local laws, including exit bans on US citizens and citizens of other countries, without fair and transparent process under the law." The White House has not confirmed whether any Chinese citizens in American custody had been returned home in a prisoner swap. Senators from both political parties praised the move. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, where Swidan's mother lives, said he was "overjoyed" and credited senior Biden administration officials for having "worked tirelessly to secure this achievement." Li, a Chinese immigrant who started an export business in the US and lived in New York, was detained in September 2016 after flying into Shanghai. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. A UN working group called his 10-year prison sentence arbitrary and his family has said the charges were politically motivated. Leung was sentenced last year to life in prison on spying charges. He was detained in 2021, by the local bureau of China's counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou after China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions and social controls to fight the spread of COVID-19. Swidan had been jailed for the last 12 years on a drug charge and, along with Li and Leung, was considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained. Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementApple Inc. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors despite daily gains

For business owners, a laptop is more than a device. It's an investment, and like any investment, there are ways to reduce risk before you go all in. MacBooks are a common choice for a reason. They're reliable, long-lasting, and powerful. However, the primary drawback is the high initial cost. There's a way around that, though. This refurbished MacBook Air has a significantly reduced price, but it's still in near-mint condition, so you get the benefit of the Apple functionality and the benefit of the reduced price, just $229.97 (reg. $999). Hardware specifications With its impressive 12-hour battery life, this MacBook Air makes sure you stay productive throughout your workday, from early morning meetings to evening project deadlines, without worrying about recharging. Wi-Fi connectivity keeps you connected wherever you are, whether you're working remotely, in a café, or on a business trip. The 128GB SSD offers fast data access and enough storage for essential documents, presentations, and software. The large hard drive also helps you avoid an over-reliance on cloud storage. All your files are always available. Avoid the lag of traditional hard drives and enjoy a smoother, faster work experience. The lightweight design and sleek silver finish make this MacBook Air an ideal companion for business owners who need a functional, portable, and professional-looking laptop. This model was originally manufactured in 2017, so some of the hardware does reflect that. As such, it may not be equipped for demanding software for video editing or 3D design. However, if you need a lightweight machine to stay connected anywhere, this is a good fit. January 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT is the deadline to get a MacBook Air on sale for $229.97. Apple MacBook Air 13.3" (2017) 1.8GHz i5 8GB RAM 128GB SSD Silver (Refurbished) - $229.97 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

World News | Counting is Underway in Ireland's Election as 3 Parties Battle for Top PlaceCarmel Sepuloni says coalition Government needs a ‘kuia’ at Christchurch Labour conference

Toward the end of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis released his fourth encyclical titled Dilexit Nos (DN), or He Loved Us in English. The encyclical is centered on the human and divine love of the heart of Jesus Christ. “The heart of Christ, as the symbol of the deepest and most personal source of his love for us, is the very core of the initial preaching of the Gospel. It stands at the origin of our faith, as the wellspring that refreshes and enlivens our Christian beliefs.” (DN 32) During the presentation of the document, Italian theologian Archbishop Bruno Forte explained that the encyclical expresses “in a profound way the heart and the inspiring motive of the whole ministry and magisterium of Pope Francis.” Furthermore, he adds that the text is “the key to understanding this Pope’s magisterium.” The encyclical is not merely another spiritual treatise unrelated to the magisterial teachings of the Pope. The Pope himself states in the encyclical that “the present document can help us see that the teaching of the social encyclicals Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti is not unrelated to our encounter with the love of Jesus Christ.” (DN 217) Love, mercy, and works for ecological and social justice are all intrinsically intertwined. The Pope laments the contemporary situation wherein there seems to be no room for the heart. The heart is devalued in today’s “ liquid world ,” meaning a fluid, dynamic, and unchanging world, an expression first coined by the sociologist Zygmunt Baumann. Citing Pope John Paul II, Pope Francis observes that men and women today “find themselves confused and torn apart, almost bereft of an inner principle that can create unity and harmony in their lives and actions.” (DN 9) But the heart can unite our fragmentary world. Even in anthropology and philosophy, with its concepts of rationalism and of materialism, the tendency is to value human intellect, will, and freedom over the heart due to its imprecision. “Many people feel safer constructing their systems of thought in the more readily controllable domain of intelligence and will.” (DN 10) It’s easier to rationalize than to embrace and be attuned to one’s feelings — an interior experience. Didn’t the prophet Jeremiah proclaim, “More tortuous than anything is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 NABRE) On the ‘Gold-Crowned Jesus’ Applying this to our relationship with Jesus Christ, our religious attitudes can reify Jesus Christ. If our relationship with Jesus is highly doctrinal and dogmatic, our Christian faith becomes fragmented as we separate Jesus Christ from our humanity. As a result, our image of Jesus becomes that of the “Gold-Crowned Jesus,” first depicted by the Korean Christian writer Kim Chi Ha in her play of the same title. Jesus becomes impersonal and too abstract for us. This distorted image of Jesus “seems to understand the misery of the people but does not seem to be affected by it. He is beyond the history of the people. It makes no difference whether God had once entered human history or not, if this history does not continue to be a part of his divine life,” elaborates the Indian theologian Jacob Parappally, MSFS . Criticizing a frozen religion lacking in personal religiosity, Parappally considers the “Gold-Crowned Jesus” as “the Christ of religion” for “he is just another god. He is not the real suffering Jesus of the poor.” Therefore, Jesus Christ is confined to the academic speculations and discourses of theologians and the institutional Church distancing him from human realities. The Pope doesn’t see the rejection of the humanity of Jesus by trapping him inside our conceptual and sophisticated categories as a problem in the past and concerning theologians only. As he states in the same encyclical, “in our societies, we are also seeing a proliferation of varied forms of religiosity that have nothing to do with a personal relationship with the God of love, but are new manifestations of a disembodied spirituality.” (DN 87) What is urgently needed as an antidote to this “disembodied spirituality” manifested in the image of the “Gold-Crowned Jesus” is no other than “The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.” Jesus in his full humanity and divinity has a heart. The Pope beautifully writes: “ The eternal Son of God, in his utter transcendence, chose to love each of us with a human heart. His human emotions became the sacrament of that infinite and endless love. His heart, then, is not merely a symbol for some disembodied spiritual truth. In gazing upon the Lord’s heart, we contemplate a physical reality, his human flesh, which enables him to possess genuine human emotions and feelings, like ourselves, albeit fully transformed by his divine love. ” (DN 60) Almost six decades ago before the publication of this encyclical, Vatican II’s pastoral document titled Gaudium et Spes affirmed with poetic language the real and tangible humanity of Jesus Christ: “ For by His incarnation the Son of God has united Himself in some fashion with every man. He worked with human hands, He thought with a human mind, acted by human choice and loved with a human heart. Born of the Virgin Mary, He has truly been made one of us, like us in all things except sin. ” Rediscovering the Sacred Heart Lest we neglect and forget the human love of Jesus Christ, Pope Francis is calling us to rediscover and return to the richness and centrality of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “ We must never forget that the image of the heart speaks to us of the flesh and of earthly realities. In this way, it points us to the God who wished to become one of us, a part of our history, and a companion on our earthly journey .” (DN 58) God’s love in Jesus is not abstract. In a fragmentary world, the Sacred Heart of Jesus is capable of uniting unnecessary dichotomies such as sacred and profane, spirituality and world, and most importantly, God and humans. In promoting the theology and spirituality of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Francis is drinking from the wells of Ignatian spirituality which is fondly called a “spirituality of the heart.” “ The spirituality of the Society of Jesus has always proposed an ‘interior knowledge of the Lord in order to love and follow him more fully .’” (DN 144) The grace of the Second Week of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola is to know Jesus Christ interiorly or, in other words, to gain an intimate “heart knowledge” of Jesus Christ. At the beginning of the Spiritual Exercises, Saint Ignatius writes this essential principle as a guide in cultivating a Christ-centered spirituality: “ It is not much knowing that fills and satisfies the soul, but feeling [sentir] and savoring things internally .” Dean Brackley, SJ , unpacks the nuances and multidimensionality of Ignatius’ use of the Spanish verb sentir : “... sentir means both feeling and understanding. Interior knowledge is experiential knowledge, involving intellect, imagination, will, the ‘affections,’ even action.” To know Jesus Christ for Ignatius is not just to know facts about him, not just the intellectual study of Christology, but a personal and heart-felt knowledge which transforms one to be a disciple of Jesus after feeling his deep human and divine love. “The theology underlying the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius Loyola is based on ‘affection’ ( affectus ). The structure of the Exercises assumes a firm and heartfelt desire to ‘rearrange’ one’s life, a desire that in turn provides the strength and the wherewithal to achieve that goal. The rules and the compositions of place that Ignatius furnishes are in the service of something much more important, namely, the mystery of the human heart.” (DN 24) Encountering Jesus When I did my Spiritual Exercises during my novitiate at Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, my retreat master asked me during the Second Week (contemplating the life and mission of Jesus Christ) to pray for the grace to appreciate Jesus’ humanity – to encounter him with my heart. For so long, I’ve been primarily relating with Jesus Christ through reading theology books and articles. I mistakenly equated “ knowing about Christ ” with “ knowing Christ .” Until I realized in my prayers and reflection that it is not enough to study Jesus Christ who is also fully human. Echoing Pope Francis, I am reminded that “it is essential to realize that our relationship to the Person of Jesus Christ is one of friendship and adoration, drawn by the love represented under the image of his heart.” (DN 49) Let me end by mentioning the six Jesuit priests of the University of Central America (UCA) in San Salvador, Ignacio Ellacuría, Ignacio Martín-Baró, Segundo Montes, Juan Ramón Moreno, Joaquín López y López, and Amando López, who were brutally assassinated by the military government together with their domestic worker Elba Ramos and her 16 year-old daughter Celina Ramos on November 16, 1989. This year is the 35th anniversary of their martyrdom for the cause of the Reign of God. These Jesuit witnesses who worked in the academe exemplified what it means to know Jesus from the depths of the heart. In spite of their intellectual mission in the university that is indeed heady, they immersed themselves in society, in suffering humanity, touching the hearts of people and bringing the liberating mission of the Gospel. For the Jesuit theologian Jon Sobrino, in his memoir Theology Without Deception , and a fellow Jesuit of UCA who was saved from the assassination since he was out of the country, their fundamental legacy is “they allowed themselves to be drawn and carried strongly by Jesus and by the poor.” In our world today which devalues the heart, we are all invited to be “drawn and carried strongly” by the divine and human love of Jesus Christ so that we can finally “turn... to the heart of Christ, that core of his being, which is a blazing furnace of divine and human love and the most sublime fulfilment to which humanity can aspire. There, in that heart, we truly come at last to know ourselves and we learn how to love.” (DN 30) – Rappler.com Kevin Stephon Centeno is a Jesuit scholastic. Born in Oriental Mindoro, he obtained his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and spent five years of seminary formation at Saint Augustine Seminary in Calapan City. His views do not represent the position of the entire Society of Jesus.The NSW government has drastically watered down the justification necessary for spending taxpayer dollars as accusations insist a new business case policy allows the premier to make major investment decisions “via media release”. NSW Treasury documents, quietly updated in November, reveal the government has provided a “fast track” pathway for investment decisions, meaning certain projects will not be subject to a business case assessment if they qualify under certain criteria. Under quietly updated reforms of NSW business case guidelines, the threshold for investment now includes a “public commitment” by the premier. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer A business case usually includes an overview of the purpose, benefits and costs of the investment decision, providing government justification for spending taxpayer dollars and cost-benefit analysis providing a metric for whether taxpayers dollars are being spent efficiently. The government has come under fire from the state’s audit office for a “lack of transparency” in financial reporting. An audit released in December found eight of the 15 most significant ongoing investment decisions did not have estimated total costs, while one-third did not have an estimated completion date. Projects which meet the following criteria could be accelerated: those considered a “public commitment” of the premier, where delivery is considered “time critical”, when “options development” is constrained by the investment, and when “bypassing or altering the business case” would “create benefits that outweigh risks”. However, a public commitment could constitute any “public statements approved by the premier”, projects that were considered time-critical when a delivery timeframe had been outlined by government publicly, and projects for which the benefits of bypassing the business case could include saving time and money from not proceeding with it. “Benefits include avoided expenditure on business case development and quicker progress to delivery,” the document said. Daniel Mookhey, NSW treasurer Credit: Fairfax “Business cases and assurance should not be done as a ‘tick the box’ when they won’t add value to resource allocation decisions or project delivery. This policy aims to get committed capital projects to delivery faster while ensuring appropriate analysis, due diligence and risk management takes place.” NSW Greens treasury spokesperson Abigail Boyd said while there were legitimate criticisms of the business case process, the new fast-track policy was a “deeply concerning backflip on promises of transparency and accountability” by the Labor government. “This new fast-track policy is a blatant attempt to bypass proper scrutiny and oversight,” she said. “This new policy literally allows the premier to make a major government investment decision via media release. “It deprives the parliament and the public the opportunity to check the government’s homework, to make sure we’re spending public money in ways that are in the public interest and not simply about trying to win elections.” University of Sydney Professor Hugh Harley said while he understood arguments against the premier’s prioritisation, he said the entirety of reforms changes were “sensible” in light of the need for governments to direct finite resources to the greatest good. “The government deserves some credit for reviewing the business case process. It would be entirely reasonable for someone to argue the premier’s prioritisation has gone a little too far, but in the context of the overall reforms I’m fairly relaxed about it,” Harley said, noting the additional role of the auditor-general. Loading A NSW government spokeswoman said the reforms of the business case guidelines were to “sharpen the efficiency, quality and cost of decision-making”, noting that $134 million was spent by the Coalition government on the business case to support building dams at Dungowan and Wyangala — projects that never proceeded. “A refined system means government can reduce wasted hours and wasted money that comes when proposals endlessly cycle through a business case system without a decision ever being made,” she said. Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Spending State Parliament Chris Minns ALP NSW Greens Sydney More... Max Maddison is a state political reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald. Most Viewed in Politics Loading

Injuries pile up, 49ers uncertain QB Brock Purdy can return Sunday

The experimental season is over. Next comes what could be termed the exhibition season, followed by the real deal. Are Washington State and Oregon State ready for their new existence? Are they on track to thrive when the Pac-12’s rebuild becomes official and five schools from the Mountain West join the conference? Did the fall of 2024 tell us anything about the fall of 2026 for the Cougars and Beavers? “This year, especially for Washington State but also the Pac-12 — it was an incredible win for the Pac-12 because there a season,” Ryan Leaf, The CW network analyst and former WSU quarterback, told the Hotline. Given the situation just 15 months ago, after 10 schools decided to flee the Pac-12 and leave the Cougars and Beavers behind, the past three months have been an undeniable success. The two-team conference produced a season that met major college standards operationally and competitively. The game broadcasts on The CW were first-rate. The Cougars and Beavers recorded three wins over power conference opponents. WSU won the Apple Cup and became bowl-eligible. Yet both teams finished on low notes — a reminder of the challenge ahead. The Beavers (5-7) were one game short of bowl eligibility, unable to overcome a long midseason losing streak. They experienced a barrage of injuries, especially on defense, and ineffective quarterback play. Gevani McCoy, Ben Gulbranson and Gabarri Johnson completed just 60 percent of their passes and threw more interceptions (11) than touchdowns (seven). Were they used properly by first-year coach Trent Bray and his staff? Gulbranson had the best efficiency rating and highest yards-per-attempt but spent much of the season behind McCoy. “Ever since Jake Luton (in 2019), they haven’t had a quarterback who was ‘the guy,’” said The CW’s Nigel Burton, a former Oregon State assistant coach. “They thought DJ Uiagalelei would be that, but he clearly wasn’t. They have got to find someone who can throw and run at this level.” That wasn’t an issue in Pullman, where sophomore quarterback John Mateer emerged as an elite playmaker: He led the country in total touchdowns with 44 — three more than his former teammate, Cam Ward, who transferred to Miami last winter. The Cougars (8-4) beat Washington and Texas Tech, won eight of their first nine, climbed to No. 19 in the AP poll and were on the outskirts of the College Football Playoff race in the middle of November. But a second-half defensive meltdown at New Mexico derailed their playoff drive and seemingly squashed their sense of urgency. The Cougars lost at Oregon State the following week and blew a fourth-quarter lead against lowly Wyoming at home in the finale. All three losses came with WSU favored by double digits. “Their only real goal when they were 8-1 was the playoff,” Leaf said. “When that went away, I think there really was a disconnect.” In his view, “people checked out.” What’s next for the Pac-12? At the conference level, there are momentous issues to address. The Pac-12 must sign a media rights agreement for the 2025 season and beyond, add at least one more football-playing school and prepare to welcome the five new members (Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State) on July 1, 2026. (Feedback from media companies will dictate which school, or schools, the conference targets and the degree to which it attempts to bolster its basketball product, which will include Gonzaga in the fall of 2026.) On the front lines, the Beavers and Cougars must fortify their rosters and coaching staffs for the next version of the Pac-12. If this season is any indication, the rebuilt conference will prove challenging. Washington State and Oregon State hardly dominated their Mountain West competition. In fact, they lost more games head-to-head (eight) than they won (seven). Clearly, neither program is on Boise State’s level. But several losses came to teams that finished in the bottom half of the Mountain West standings. There are immediate concerns, as well. Oregon State must identify a dependable quarterback, whether it’s one of the returnees or a transfer. And that quarterback needs targets in the passing game. “They need speed,” Burton said of the receivers. “They have nobody who can take the top off a defense and let (receivers) Trent Walker and Darrius Clemons go to work underneath.” Related Articles The offensive line is “good enough,” Burton added. But the other side of scrimmage is in bad shape. “They are woefully behind on the defensive line,” he said of a unit that allowed 186 rushing yards per game. “That’s the main issue. They have nobody who can push people in the middle and nobody who scares you off the edge.” Washington State’s to-do list isn’t nearly as long, with one item looming over everything: The Cougars must keep Mateer from entering the transfer portal — a task that seemingly became more daunting this week. On Monday, WSU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle left for the same position at Oklahoma. On Wednesday, Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold entered the portal, potentially opening a starting spot for Mateer, who grew up in Texas. And on Thursday, freshman tailback Wayshawn Parker announced he was entering the transfer portal. “They need to hang on for dear life to Mateer,” Burton said. “If they keep the team together, they have all the pieces.”Canada Post employees picket outside a distribution centre in Montreal, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press Canada Post workers will continue striking for the foreseeable future as negotiations between the postal service and the union representing these workers broke down on Wednesday. Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon announced that a special federal mediator appointed by him had temporarily suspended mediation because both sides remained “too far apart on critical issues.” The minister summoned both Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to his office, saying that they were both responsible for the “consequences of this conflict and for its resolution.” “The parties have had access to the best mediation services it is possible to have. They need a bit of time to rethink their positions and to come back to the table with a renewed determination to get a deal,” he told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday. Canada Post strike shines light on service’s struggle to survive amid fierce competition and financial losses More than 55,000 Canada Post workers have been on strike since Nov. 15, at odds with their employer over a slew of issues related to wages, benefits and how to conduct weekend parcel delivery. The strike is taking place during a critical holiday shopping season for retailers. A sticking point for both parties is the structure of Canada Post’s workforce , which includes a growing number of temporary and part-time staff. “If this were only about money it would be easier,” said Stephanie Ross, an associate professor of labour studies at McMaster University. “Because it’s about fundamental structure of work and Canada Post seems unwilling to think beyond a two-tier workforce, we are at an impasse.” Canada Post and CUPW are trying to reach an agreement over how to deliver parcels on the weekend. Parcel delivery is a growing part of Canada Post’s business and the corporation is intent on reducing its labour costs for packages in order to compete with low-cost third-party couriers, such as Intelcom, GoShare and delivery.com. These companies grew substantially during the pandemic and use independent contractors or gig workers to perform delivery every day of the week. Opinion: With Canada Post workers striking, it’s time to revive the privatization debate Canada Post says that more than 95 per cent of their parcel delivery team is made up of full-time employees with benefits and a pension plan. The corporation has proposed adding more part-time employees to conduct parcel delivery and to allow Canada Post to deliver parcels in a more cost-effective manner on weekends. Currently, weekend parcel delivery only takes place on a few weekends in a year. These part-time employees would have some benefits and a defined contribution pension plan (as opposed to a defined benefit plan like full-time employees have). But CUPW is deeply opposed to Canada Post’s proposal on expanding the size of the postal service’s part-time workforce. The union wants its existing, full-time employees to work on weekends to deliver parcels; they would have to be paid more than their hourly wage, as per the collective agreement, and Canada Post is not willing to do that. According to CUPW, Canada Post’s proposal on weekend delivery would see it hire part-time employees on Saturdays, but only have eight hours of scheduled work per week. “Who can live off that?” said the union in a statement on Tuesday. Explainer: How will the Canada Post strike affect me and my business? Your key questions, answered Mr. MacKinnon’s call for both parties to meet with him signals a strong expectation for a swift resolution, said Larry Savage, chair of the department of labour studies at Brock University. “It leaves the door open for government intervention if CUPW and Canada Post can’t reach an agreement,” he said. On multiple occasions this year, the federal government has employed section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, referring labour disputes to the Canadian Industrial Relations Board for binding arbitration. In August, striking rail workers were ordered back to work by the CIRB , and more recently, the government intervened through the CIRB to end two port strikes. “The Liberals’ recent interventionist role in ending labour disputes is unusual even by Canadian standards, and the Minister has been heavily criticized by the labour movement and their allies for siding with employers to quash the right to strike in airlines, railways and ports,” said David Doorey, Professor of Labour Law at York University. “The Minister no doubt wants to avoid intervening again, but he’s under pressure to get the mail moving.” At the start of the strike, Mr. MacKinnon ruled out government intervention, saying he expected both sides to reach an agreement through bargaining. Prof. Doorey believes that the minister’s statement on Wednesday is an attempt to pressure both parties to reach a deal. Meanwhile, consumers continue to feel the impact of the strike. Aftab Ahmed, a Bangladeshi national who recently became a Canadian citizen, told The Globe that both his Canadian and Bangladeshi passports are stuck in the mail after being mailed from the Bangladesh consulate in Toronto to his home, just hours after the strike began. He might not be able to travel to Bangladesh in December. “I strongly support unions and collective bargaining. However, this is the first time such a strike has directly affected me and I cannot deny my anxiety,” he said. Linda Croft, a resident of Fort Providence in the Northwest Territories, manages her town’s convenience store, gas bar and restaurant and said that the strike will mean fewer goods in stock at her stores. “The only alternative is to drive 16 hours to Alberta with hopes of finding what we need there in a store as opposed to getting goods delivered online.”

The City of Edmonton is working on plans to sell two downtown office buildings and relocate hundreds of staff as part of a $22.7 million downtown workplace optimization project. Chancery Hall and Century Place are just steps away from Edmonton's city hall, but city officials think they are too expensive to hold onto. The city is aiming to consolidate operations into existing owned or leased spaces and prepare the two properties for sale. City officials say the move is intended to cut operating costs, streamline efficiency, and make better use of underutilized properties in the city's downtown core. "By moving, we can save on those future expenses," said Pascale Ladouceur, branch manager of infrastructure planning and design for the city. "It really allows us to optimize our workspaces in downtown, bring more people together and create more vibrant and connected office spaces as well." The plan involves renovating city-owned and leased spaces to accommodate 1,350 staff being relocated from the two office buildings. It will require buying new furnishings and managing the logistics of moving employees and technology infrastructure currently housed at Century Place. The office vacancy rate is at 21.4 per cent for downtown Edmonton. (Paige Parsons/CBC) If approved by council, the city says that funding for the project will come from the interim financing reserve and be repaid through proceeds from the sales of the buildings and savings from reduced costs. But the plan does come with risks. "Our biggest risk is how we're going to be able to sell and when we're going to be able to sell the buildings and get that investment going." said Ladouceur. In recent years, Edmonton's downtown office market has faced some challenges with high vacancy rates, partially driven by the pandemic's impact on commercial real estate and the ongoing shift to hybrid work. Downtown Edmonton 'education district' could spur revitalization, school leaders say Edmonton city council approves 8.9% property tax increase for 2024 In commercial real estate company CBRE's 2024 quarterly report, the data shows that the overall Edmonton market vacancy rate was 20.1 per cent, while the vacancy rate across the downtown submarkets was at 21.4 per cent. One commercial real estate expert says the move could be a good thing for the downtown. "Buildings that aren't well used are not a positive contributor to their neighbourhoods," said Cory Wosnack, managing director at Avison Young real estate agency. "But those buildings are contenders for a conversion to another use that would then activate that neighbourhood in a different way." City officials outlined strategies to mitigate the risks in private reports to council, framing the project as a potential opportunity, if the buildings are repurposed for residential or mixed-use developments. Business leaders call on governments to invest in downtown Edmonton "These buildings are not something we want to get rid of. They're assets and we really believe that they have value and that a private investor will see the opportunity to envision the space." said Ladouceur. The city hopes to start the move by the end of 2025, but a final timeline for relocating staff and listing the properties for sale will be discussed next week as part of the overall budget plan.

Vibhor Mohan is Special Correspondent with The Times of India’s Punjab Bureau at Chandigarh. He holds post-graduate degrees in Mass Communication and English and has nearly 15 years of experience, having covered important stations in Punjab. He covers news concerning Punjab politics, NRI affairs and the power sector, besides specializing in writing on architecture, especially on the works of Le Corbusier, the man who gave India its first designed city – Chandigarh. Read More How to make healthy Oats Palak Chilla for a kid's tiffin 10 best Fried Chicken dishes from around the world 10 ways to use turmeric in winters ​10 animals not allowed as pets in India​ 10 types of Dosa and how they are made Animals and their favourite foods 9 nuts to eat daily for hair growth in winters How to make South Indian Podi Dosa at home From tigers to cheetahs: India’s big cats and where to find them Weekend Special: How to make Multigrain ThaalipeethHardwicks Kyneton is to cease facilitating smaller beef and sheep kills in the new year, leaving many of Victoria's small producers without a processor. or signup to continue reading In a letter sent to clients last week, the company announced that it would no longer be able to accommodate service kill requests that do not meet the minimum volumes of 15 for beef and 50 for lamb. The change would come into effect from January 1, 2025. However, as the company's final service kill day will be on December 14, producers were effectively given two weeks of notice. vice president of primary sales Murray Jeffrey urged clients to keep the announcement confidential. "After a detailed review of our existing arrangements, we have revised our service kill arrangements, regrettably to include updated minimum volumes for the foreseeable future," he said. "We appreciate your understanding and acknowledge that this may impact how you may do business with us." Jono Hurst and Natalie Hardy, Blampied, had been supplying cattle to Hardwicks at Kyneton since 2016 and were now left with few processor options. "The timing was just awful," Ms Hardy said. "Give us some time to at least get something together." The couple typically killed two cattle a month from their , supplying to local markets and restaurants. They recently signed a lease on a further 100 acres of agistment and purchased 10 new pedigree heifers, hoping to increase their output and kill four steers or heifers a month in 2025. The Hardwicks announcement had thrown a complete spanner in the works. Fortunately, as it had for many similar producers, the Meat Crew team at Colac had agreed to take some of Ms Hardy's cattle for slaughter at Geelong. However, she insisted this was far from ideal. "It's not ideal for what we do because of the distance but we have no choice," she said. The 1.5 hour round trip to Kyneton would become a five-hour round trip to Colac every month and she said the extra distance would have an impact on animal and farmer welfare. The couple planned their finishing program 12 months in advance and the short notice from Hardwicks now had them forced to re-evaluate. "Meat Crew are helping out at the moment where they can but they can only do so much," Ms Hardy said. The Hardwicks announcement came just days after the publication of a Victorian parliamentary report which recommended that processing facilities be made more readily available for local and small-scale livestock producers. The parliament's Legislative Assembly Environment and Planning Committee said government should define 'micro-abattoir' in the Meat Industry Act, and make micro-abattoirs a section one use in the Farming Zone, Rural Activity Zone, Green Wedge Zone and Green Wedge. The move would enable improved planning application processes for those looking to invest in micro-abattoirs within farming communities. The Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance welcomed the recommendation but upon hearing of the Hardwicks decision, just 48 hours later, the organisation wrote an urgent letter to the government. The alliance's president Tammi Jonas called on Agriculture Minister Ros Spence to act. Ms Jonas said the committee report recommended that the "Victorian government take immediate steps to negotiate ongoing access for smaller producers in impacted communities and pursue long-term reform to reduce smaller producers' reliance on larger commercial abattoirs". "We rejoiced at this and other very positive recommendations in the report," she said. "Today, however, we received notice that Hardwicks - the largest, most central abattoir that has conducted service kills for its entire 50-year history - is ceasing service kills of less than 15 cattle or 50 sheep effective January 1." She warned the change would "impact thousands of small and medium scale farmers". "In particular, every farm who sells their meat directly to their community will no longer have access to slaughter," she said. "The other potential abattoirs such as Benalla and Wangaratta do not have capacity to absorb all the displaced farmers, and for most, this option would substantially increase travel times with obvious major negative impacts on animal welfare." Ms Jonas called for an urgent meeting with the Minister and her officials to address the issue. "Not only are farmers affected, of course, local butcher shops and restaurants will also lose access to local meat, with cascading effects on the resilience and viability of rural communities," she said. Morwell MP Martin Cameron was a member of the parliamentary committee which recommended for greater for Victorian producers. "It's like anything, the little fella gets forgotten about," he said. "There is an actual need now for the micro-abattoirs." He urged the government to consider the committee's recommendation. Barry is a journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. He previously worked in agricultural media in his native Ireland and hails from a small beef and sheep farm in the country's south-east. Email Barry at barry.murphy@stockandland.com.au. Barry is a journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. He previously worked in agricultural media in his native Ireland and hails from a small beef and sheep farm in the country's south-east. Email Barry at barry.murphy@stockandland.com.au. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. 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Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released, the White House has announced, in a rare diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration. or signup to continue reading The three are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, all of whom had been designated by the US government as wrongfully detained by China. Swidan had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while Li and Leung were imprisoned on espionage charges. "Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years," the White House said in a statement. The release comes two months after China freed David Lin, a Christian pastor from California who had spent nearly 20 years behind bars after being convicted of contract fraud. US-China relations have been roiled for years over major disagreements on trade, human rights, the production of fentanyl precursors, security issues that include espionage and hacking, China's aggressiveness toward Taiwan and its smaller neighbours in the South China Sea, and Beijing's support for Russia's military-industrial sector. The release of Americans deemed wrongfully detained in China has been a top agenda item in each conversation between the US and China. The development suggests a willingness by Beijing to engage with the outgoing Democratic administration before Republican President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House in January. Trump took significant actions against China on trade and diplomacy during his first term. He has pledged to continue those policies in his second term, leading to unease among many who fear that an all-out trade war will greatly affect the international economy and could spur potential Chinese military action against Taiwan. The State Department on Wednesday lowered its travel warning to China to "level two," advising US citizens to "exercise increased caution" from the norm when travelling to the mainland. The alert had previously been at "level three," telling Americans they should "reconsider travel" to China in part because of the "risk of wrongful detention" of Americans. The new alert retains a warning that the Chinese government "arbitrarily enforces local laws, including exit bans on US citizens and citizens of other countries, without fair and transparent process under the law." The White House has not confirmed whether any Chinese citizens in American custody had been returned home in a prisoner swap. Senators from both political parties praised the move. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, where Swidan's mother lives, said he was "overjoyed" and credited senior Biden administration officials for having "worked tirelessly to secure this achievement." Li, a Chinese immigrant who started an export business in the US and lived in New York, was detained in September 2016 after flying into Shanghai. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. A UN working group called his 10-year prison sentence arbitrary and his family has said the charges were politically motivated. Leung was sentenced last year to life in prison on spying charges. He was detained in 2021, by the local bureau of China's counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou after China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions and social controls to fight the spread of COVID-19. Swidan had been jailed for the last 12 years on a drug charge and, along with Li and Leung, was considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained. Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementAustralia is welcoming a record number of working holidaymakers into the country – with numbers surpassing 200,000 for the first time – as a strong labour market and a surge of British backpackers boost the ranks of working travellers this summer. Their arrival is a boon to regional industries but will compound the Albanese government’s challenge in bringing down migration levels as it heads into a federal election campaign dominated by voters’ concerns about the cost of living, housing and immigration. Hundreds of backpackers flocked to Sydney’s Bronte Beach on Christmas Day. Credit: Wolter Peeters There were a record 213,400 people on working holidaymaker visas in Australia at the end of November – 43,000 more than last Christmas and 72,300 more than the pre-COVID level of 141,100 in December 2019. Last year, Australia took in about half of the world’s working travellers. Those numbers will put pressure on Australia’s annual migration targets, which the Albanese government is scrambling to meet after overshooting Treasury’s forecasts for the past two years as visitors delay their departures from the country. The post-pandemic immigration surge will be a heated political issue coming into next year’s election as both Labor and the Coalition pledge to bring down numbers . Former immigration department official Abul Rizvi said Australia had set records for working holidaymakers throughout 2024 and politicians would need to address that if they wanted to reduce migration. “It’s happened for several reasons,” Rizvi said. “Over the last decade, we have signed up for large number of new working holidaymaker agreements with a lot of countries. “We changed the rules for the UK: all others have to work in regional Australia but Brits don’t; they can stay in Bondi the whole time. The third reason would be our strong labour market. You can get a pretty well-paying job for a long time.”

Hudson Meek, the 16-year-old actor who appeared in “Baby Driver,” died last week after falling from a moving vehicle in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, according to CNN affiliate WVTM. The teen sustained blunt force trauma in the fall on Dec. 19 and was admitted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, where he died from his injuries on Dec. 21, the Jefferson County Coroner’s office told CNN affiliate WVTM . “His 16 years on this earth were far too short, but he accomplished so much and significantly impacted everyone he met,” reads a post on his Instagram account . Hudson Meek attends the "A Different Man" premiere during the Deauville American Film Festival in Deauville, France, on September 9. The teen actor had various acting and voice over credits, most notably playing a younger version of Ansel Elgort’s character Baby in 2017 movie “Baby Driver.” Meek also voiced the lead in “Badanamu Stories” — a children’s show that examines themes relevant to preschoolers, according to IMDb . He also appeared in shows including NBC’s “Found” and The CW’s “Legacies,” as well as the recently released thriller “The School Duel.” Meek’s obituary described the teenager as a “reflective and thoughtful” avid traveler and fan of the outdoors. “He loved snow-skiing and could easily navigate the hardest trails that no one else in the family would dare attempt,” the obituary read. “One of his favorite places to be was at the lake, tubing and wakeboarding.” The Vestavia Hills Police Department is still investigating the circumstances surrounding Meek’s death, WTVM reported. CNN has reached out to Vestavia Hills police for more information on the incident. Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim, died, Thursday, Jan. 4, 2023. She was 100. Adan Canto, the Mexican singer and actor best known for his roles in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and “Agent Game” as well as the TV series “The Cleaning Lady,” “Narcos,” and “Designated Survivor,” died Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, after a private battle with appendiceal cancer. He was 42. Bud Harrelson, the scrappy and sure-handed shortstop who fought Pete Rose on the field during a playoff game and helped the New York Mets win an astonishing championship, died Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. He was 79. The Mets said that Harrelson died at a hospice house in East Northport, New York after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević, a mentor to two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and a former star player in his native Serbia, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, after suffering a heart attack, the team announced. He was 46. Jack Burke Jr., the oldest living Masters champion who staged the greatest comeback ever at Augusta National for one of his two majors, died Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, in Houston. He was 100. Mary Weiss, the lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included “The Leader of the Pack,” died Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, in Palm Springs, Calif. She was 75. Norman Jewison, a three-time Oscar nominee who in 1999 received an Academy Award for lifetime achievement, died “peacefully” Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, according to publicist Jeff Sanderson. He was 97. Charles Osgood, who anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, hosted the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence, died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. He was 91. Melanie, a singer-songwriter behind 1970s hits including “Brand New Key,” died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. She was 76. Born Melanie Safka, the singer rose through the New York folk scene and was one of only three solo women to perform at Woodstock. Her hits included “Lay Down” and “Look What They've Done to My Song Ma.” Chita Rivera, the dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists, died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. She was 91. Carl Weathers, a former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, facing-off against Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore,” died Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. He was 76. Wayne Kramer, the co-founder of the protopunk Detroit band the MC5 that thrashed out such hardcore anthems as “Kick Out the Jams” and influenced everyone from the Clash to Rage Against the Machine, died Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, according to Jason Heath, a close friend and executive director of Kramer's charity, Jail Guitar Doors. Heath said the cause of death was pancreatic cancer. He was 75. Actor Ian Lavender, who played a hapless Home Guard soldier in the classic British sitcom “Dad’s Army,” died Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. He was 77. Country music singer-songwriter Toby Keith, whose pro-American anthems were both beloved and criticized, died Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. He was 62. Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, whose hits included “It’s a Shame,” “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love,” and “The Rubberband Man,” died Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, of natural causes, according to a statement from his spokeswoman. He was 85. Bob Edwards, right, the news anchor many Americans woke up to as founding host of National Public Radio's “Morning Edition” for nearly a quarter-century, died Saturday, Feb. 10, 20243. He was 76. He's shown here with sports announcer Red Barber. Don Gullett, a former major league pitcher and coach who played for four consecutive World Series champions in the 1970s, died Feb. 14. He was 73. He finished his playing career with a 109-50 record playing for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees. Lefty Driesell, the coach whose folksy drawl belied a fiery on-court demeanor that put Maryland on the college basketball map and enabled him to rebuild several struggling programs, died Feb. 17, 2024, at age 92. Germany players celebrate after Andreas Brehme, left on ground, scores the winning goal in the World Cup soccer final match against Argentina, in the Olympic Stadium, in Rome, July 8, 1990. Andreas Brehme, who scored the only goal as West Germany beat Argentina to win the 1990 World Cup final, died Feb. 20, 2024. He was 63. Despite the effort of Denver Broncos defensive back Steve Foley (43), Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Golden Richards hauls in a touchdown pass during NFL football's Super Bowl 12 in New Orleans on Jan 15, 1978. Richards died Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, of congestive heart failure at his home in Murray, Utah. He was 73. Richards' nephew Lance Richards confirmed his death in a post on his Facebook page. Comedian Richard Lewis attends an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles on Dec. 25, 2012. Lewis, an acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain,” died Feb. 27, 2024. He was 76. He died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack, according to his publicist Jeff Abraham. Former Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Ryzhkov attends a session of the Federation Council, Russian parliament's upper house, in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 25, 2014. Ryzhkov, former Soviet prime minister who presided over failed efforts to shore up the crumbling economy in the final years before the collapse of the USSR, died Feb. 28, 2024, at age 94. Brian Mulroney, the former prime minister of Canada, listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico relationship, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mulroney died at the age of 84 on Feb. 29, 2024. Akira Toriyama is pictured in 1982. Toriyama, the creator of one of Japan's best-selling “Dragon Ball” and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics, died March 1, 2024. He was 68. Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style, died March 1, 2024, at 102. Andy Russell, the standout linebacker who was an integral part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ evolution from perennial losers to champions, died Feb. 29, 2024. He was 82. Russell won two Super Bowls during a 12-year NFL career between 1963-76 that was briefly interrupted by a stint in the military. Russell played in 168 consecutive games and spent 10 years as a team captain. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven times. Russell remained active in the Pittsburgh community after retiring, writing several books and launching the Andy Russell Charitable Foundation. Pittsburgh Pirates' Ed Ott slides across home late out of reach of Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey to score the winning run in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the World Series at Baltimore, Oct. 11, 1979. Ott, a former major league catcher and coach who helped the Pittsburgh Pirates win the 1979 World Series, died March 3, 2024. He was 72. He batted .259 with 33 homers and 195 RBIs in 567 major league games. Ott and Steve Nicosia were the main catchers when the Pirates won it all in 1979. In a photo supplied by ESPN, Chris Mortensen appears on the set of Sunday NFL Countdown at ESPN's studios in Bristol, Conn., on Sept. 22, 2019. Mortensen, the award-winning journalist who covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN, died March 3, 2024. He was 72. Mortensen announced in 2016 that he he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. Even while undergoing treatment, he was the first to confirm the retirement of Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. Mortensen announced his retirement after the NFL draft last year so that he could “focus on my health, family and faith.” Singer Steve Lawrence, left, and his wife Eydie Gorme arrive at a black-tie gala called honoring Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas on May 30, 1998. Lawrence, a singer and top stage act who as a solo performer and in tandem with his wife Gorme kept Tin Pan Alley alive during the rock era, died Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at age 88. Gorme died on Aug. 10, 2013. Martin Luther King III, right, the son of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., walks with his daughter Yolanda, and Naomi Barber King, left, the wife of Rev. King's brother, A.D., through an exhibition devoted to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to King at the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Site, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014, in Atlanta. Civil rights activist Naomi Barber King died Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Atlanta, according to family members. She was 92. A Texas man who spent decades using an iron lung after contracting polio as a child died March 11, 2024, at the age of 78. Paul Alexander's longtime friend Daniel Spinks says Alexander died Monday at a Dallas hospital. Spinks called his friend one of the "bright stars of the world.” Friends of Alexander, who graduated from law school and had a career as an attorney, say he was a man who had a great joy for life. Alexander was a child when he began using an iron lung, a cylinder that encased his body as the air pressure in the chamber forced air in and out of his lungs. Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford stands near the NASA Motor Vessel Retriever during training Aug. 23, 1965, in the Gulf of Mexico. Stafford, who commanded a dress rehearsal flight for the 1969 moon landing and the first U.S.-Soviet space linkup, died March 18, 2024, at 93. New York Rangers' Chris Simon celebrates his second-period goal against the New York Islanders, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2004, at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. Former NHL enforcer Chris Simon has died. He was 52. Simon died March 18, 2024, according to a spokesperson for the NHL Players' Association. M. Emmet Walsh arrives at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards, March 1, 2014, in Santa Monica, Calif. Walsh, the character actor who brought his unmistakable face and unsettling presence to films including “Blood Simple” and “Blade Runner,” died March 19, 2024, at age 88, his manager said Wednesday. "Babar" author Laurent de Brunhoff, who revived his father's popular picture book series about an elephant-king, has died at 98 after being in hospice care for two weeks. De Brunhoff was a Paris native who moved to the U.S. in the 1980s. He died March 22, 2024, at his home in Key West, Florida. Just 12 years old when his father, Jean de Brunhoff, died of tuberculosis, Laurent drew upon his own gifts as a painter and storyteller and as an adult released dozens of books about the elephant who reigns over Celesteville, among them "Babar at the Circus" and "Babar's Yoga for Elephants." Longtime Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos has died at the age of 94. His family announced in a statement that Angelos, who had been ill for several years, died March 23, 2024. Angelos was owner of an Orioles team that endured long losing stretches and shrewd proprietor of a law firm that won high-profile cases against industry titans such as tobacco giant Philip Morris. Angelos’ death came as his son, John, was in the process of selling the Orioles to a group headed by Carlyle Group Inc. co-founder David Rubenstein. Peter Angelos purchased the team for $173 million in 1993, at the time the highest for a sports franchise. His public role diminished significantly in his final years. Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore, left, and his running mate, vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, wave to supporters Oct. 25, 2000, at a campaign rally in Jackson, Tenn. Lieberman died March 27, 2024. He was 82 and died Wednesday of complications from a fall. Lieberman nearly won the vice presidency on Democrat Al Gore's ticket in the disputed 2000 White House race. Eight years later, he came close to joining the GOP ticket as John McCain’s running mate. The Democrat-turned-independent stepped down from the Senate in January 2013 after 24 years. His independent streak often irked Senate Democrats he aligned with. Yet his support for gay rights, civil rights, abortion rights and environmental causes at times won him the praise of many liberals over the years. Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” died March 28, 2024. He was 87. Gossett always thought of his early career as a reverse Cinderella story, with success finding him from an early age and propelling him forward, toward his Academy Award for “An Officer and a Gentleman.” He also was a star on Broadway, replacing Billy Daniels in “Golden Boy” with Sammy Davis Jr. in 1964 and recently played an obstinate patriarch in the 2023 remake of “The Color Purple.” Former cast members of SCTV, from left, Dave Thomas, Joe Flaherty, Catherine O'Hara, Andrea Martin, foreground, Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy and Martin Short, pose at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival on March 6, 1999, in Aspen, Colo. Flaherty, a founding member of the Canadian sketch series “SCTV,” died Monday, April 1, 2024 at age 82. John Sinclair talks at the John Sinclair Foundation Café and Coffeeshop, Dec. 26, 2018, in Detroit. Sinclair, a poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him, has died at age 82. Sinclair died Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at Detroit Receiving Hospital of congestive heart failure following an illness, his publicist Matt Lee said. Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, right, tips his cap to fans as majority owner John Henry holds the 2013 World Series championship trophy during a parade in celebration of the baseball team's win, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013, in Boston. Larry Lucchino, the force behind baseball’s retro ballpark revolution and the transformation of the Boston Red Sox from cursed losers to World Series champions, has died. He was 78. Lucchino had suffered from cancer. The Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, his last project in a career that also included three major league baseball franchises and one in the NFL, confirmed his death on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Playwright Christopher Durang appears on stage with producers to accept the award for best play for "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" at the 67th Annual Tony Awards, on June 9, 2013 in New York. Also on stage are actors, background from left, Shalita Grant, Kristine Nielsen and Billy Magnussen. Durang died Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at his home in Pipersville, Pennsylvania, of complications from logopenic primary progressive aphasia. He was 75. In this Oct. 16, 1969 file photo, New York Mets catcher Jerry Grote, right, embraces pitcher Jerry Koosman as Ed Charles, left, joins the celebration after the Mets defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the Game 5 to win the baseball World Series at New York's Shea Stadium. Grote, the catcher who helped transform the New York Mets from a perennial loser into the 1969 World Series champion, died Sunday, April 7, 2024. He was 81. In this July 8, 2003 photo, Lori, left, and George Schappell, conjoined twins, are photographed in their Reading, Pa., apartment. Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died April 7, 2024, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. They were 62. The University of Edinburgh says Nobel prize-winning physicist Peter Higgs, who proposed the existence of a sub-atomic particle that came to be known as the Higgs boson, died April 8, 2024, at 94. Higgs predicted the existence of the particle in 1964. But it would be almost 50 years before the its existence could be confirmed at a particle collider in Switzerland called the Large Hadron Collider. Higgs’ work helps scientists understand of the most fundamental riddles of the universe: how the Big Bang created something out of nothing 13.7 billion years ago. Higgs won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work, alongside Francois Englert of Belgium. A retired U.S. Army colonel who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Korean War died April 8, 2024, at age 97. A funeral home says that Ralph Puckett Jr. died Monday at his home in Columbus, Georgia. President Joe Biden presented Puckett with the Medal of Honor in 2021, more than seven decades after Puckett was seriously wounded leading an outnumbered company of Army Rangers in battle. Puckett refused a medical discharge and served as an Army officer for another 20 years before retiring in 1971. Puckett received the U.S. military's highest honor from President Joe Biden on May 21, 2021, following a policy change that lifted a requirement for medals to be given within five years of a valorous act. O.J. Simpson, left, grimaces June 15, 1995, in a Los Angeles courtroom as he famously tries on one of the leather gloves prosecutors say he wore the night his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered. Simpson, t he decorated football star who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but wound up in prison years later in an unrelated case, died April 10, 2024. He was 76. His family made an announcement Thursday in a statement on Simpson's X account. Simpson said last year that he was battling prostate cancer. Simpson’s gridiron legacy was forever overshadowed by the 1994 knife slayings of Brown Simpson and Goldman. A criminal court jury found him not guilty of murder, but a separate civil trial jury found him liable. Simpson's nine-year prison stint in Nevada was for the armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers. Francis Coppola and wife, Eleanor, pose July 16, 1991, in Los Angeles. Eleanor Coppola, who documented the making of some of her husband Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic films, including the infamously tortured production of “Apocalypse Now,” and who raised a family of filmmakers, has died. She was 87. Coppola died April 12, 2024, at home in Rutherford, California, her family announced in a statement. Eleanor, who grew in Orange County, California, met Francis while working as an assistant art director on his directorial debut, the Roger Corman-produced 1963 horror film “Dementia 13.” Their first-born, Gian-Carlo, quickly became a regular presence in his father’s films, as did their subsequent children, Roman, and Sofia. After acting in their father’s films and growing up on sets, all would go into the movies. Robert MacNeil, seen in February 1978, who created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show for with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades, died April 12, 2024, at age 93. Artist Faith Ringgold poses for a portrait in front of a painted self-portrait during a press preview of her exhibition, "American People, Black Light: Faith Ringgold's Paintings of the 1960s" at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, June 19, 2013. Ringgold, an award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling, died Friday, April 12, 2024, at her home in Englewood, N.J. She was 93. Alabama coach Bear Bryant, left, talks with his former star quarterback Steve Sloan, right, after practice in Miami for the Orange Bowl game New Years' night against Nebraska, Dec. 29, 1968. Former college coach and administrator Sloan, who played quarterback and served as athletic director at Alabama. has passed away. He was 79. Sloan died Sunday, April 14, 2024, after three months of memory care at Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, according to an obituary from former Alabama sports information director Wayne Atcheson. Oakland A's pitcher Ken Holtzman poses for a photo in March 1975. Holtzman, who pitched two no-hitters for the Chicago Cubs and helped the Oakland Athletics win three straight World Series championships in the 1970s, died April 14, 2024. He finished with a career record of 174-150 over 15 season with four teams and was the winningest Jewish pitcher in baseball history. Carl Erskine, center, pictured with teammate Duke Snider, left, and manager Charley Dressen in 1952, after beating the Yankees 6-5 in Game 5 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium in New York, Oct. 5, 1952. Erskine, who pitched two no-hitters for the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series, has died. Among the last survivors from the celebrated Brooklyn teams of the 1950s, Erskine spent his entire major league career with the Dodgers. He helped them win five National League pennants from 1948-59. Erskine won Game 3 of the 1953 World Series, beating the Yankees 3-2. He appeared in five World Series, with the Dodgers beating the Yankees in 1955 for their only championship in Brooklyn. Erksine died April 16 in his hometown of Anderson, Indiana, according to a hospital official. He was 97. St. Louis Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog lets umpire John Shulock, right, know how he feels about Shulock's call on the tag attempt on Kansas City Royals Jim Sundberg by Cardinals catcher Tom Nieto, second from left, in the second inning of Game 5 of the 1985 World Series in St. Louis. Herzog, the gruff and ingenious Hall of Fame manager who guided the St. Louis Cardinals to three pennants and a World Series title and perfected an intricate, nail-biting strategy known as “Whiteyball,” has died. Herzog, affectionately nicknamed “The White Rat,” was a manager for 18 seasons, compiling an overall record of 1,281 wins and 1,125 losses. He was named Manager of the Year in 1985. Under Herzog, the Cardinals won pennants in 1982, 1985 and 1987 and won the World Series in 1982, when they edged the Milwaukee Brewers in seven games. He died April 15, 2024, and was 92. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., gestures as he answers questions regarding the ongoing security hearing on Capitol Hill, June 18, 2002, in Washington. Graham, who chaired the Intelligence Committee following the 2001 terrorist attacks and opposed the Iraq invasion, died April 16, 2024. He was 87. His family announced the death Tuesday in a statement posted on X by his daughter Gwen Graham. Graham served three terms in the Senate and two terms as Florida's governor. He made an unsuccessful bid for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, emphasizing his opposition to the Iraq invasion. But that bid was delayed by heart surgery in January 2003, and he was never able to gain enough traction with voters to catch up. He didn’t seek re-election in 2004 and was replaced by Republican Mel Martinez. Guitar legend and Allman Brothers Band co-founder Dickey Betts died April 18, 2024, at age 80. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer wrote the band's biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man.” Manager David Spero told The Associated Press that Betts died early Thursday at his home in Osprey, Florida. He says Betts had been battling cancer for more than a year and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Betts shared lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the original Allman Brothers Band to help give the group its distinctive sound and create a new genre: Southern rock. Acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Kid Rock were influenced by the Allmans’ music, which combined blues, country, R&B and jazz with ’60s rock. Contemporary Christian singer Mandisa, who appeared on “American Idol” and won a Grammy for her 2013 album “Overcomer,” died April 18, 2024. She was 47. Mandisa gained stardom after finishing ninth on “American Idol” in 2006. In 2014, she won a Grammy for best contemporary Christian music album for “Overcomer,” her fifth album. She spoke openly about her struggles with depression, releasing a memoir that detailed her experiences with severe depression, weight-related challenges, the coronavirus pandemic and her faith. David Pryor, a former Arkansas governor and U.S. senator who was one of the state’s most beloved and active political figures, died April 20, 2024, at the age of 89. His son, former two-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, says the Democrat died Saturday of natural causes in Little Rock surrounded by family. David Pryor was considered one of the Democratic party’s giants in Arkansas and remained active in public life after he left office, including serving on the University of Arkansas’s Board of Trustees. Roman Gabriel was known for his big size and big arm. He was the first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL. And he still holds the Los Angeles Rams record for touchdown passes. Gabriel died April 20, 2024, at age 83. His son posted the news on social media. He says Gabriel died at home of natural causes. Gabriel starred at North Carolina State and was the No. 2 pick by the Rams in the 1962 draft. The Oakland Raider of the rival AFL made him the No. 1 pick. Gabriel signed with the Rams and later played with the Philadelphia Eagles. Andrew Davis, an acclaimed British conductor who was music director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and orchestras on three continents, died April 20, 2024. He was 80. Davis died Saturday at Rusk Institute in Chicago from leukemia. That is according to his manager, Jonathan Brill of Opus 3 Artists. Davis had been managing the disease for 1 1/2 to 2 years but it became acute shortly after his 80th birthday on Feb. 2. Davis was music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1975-88, Britain’s Glyndebourne Festival from 1988-2000, chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1989-2000, then was music director of the Lyric Opera from 2000-21. Former hostage Terry Anderson waves to the crowd as he rides in a parade in Lorain, Ohio, June 22, 1992. Anderson, the globe-trotting Associated Press correspondent who became one of America’s longest-held hostages, died April 21, 2024. Anderson was snatched from a street in war-torn Lebanon in 1985 and held for nearly seven years. Anderson, who was tortured and chained to a wall, wrote about his experiences in the best-selling memoir, “Den of Lions.” After returning to the United States in 1991, Anderson gave public speeches, taught journalism and, at various times, operated a blues bar, Cajun restaurant, horse ranch and gourmet restaurant. He also struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder. British army veteran Bill Gladden, who survived a glider landing on D-Day and a bullet that tore through his ankle a few days later, wanted to return to France for the 80th anniversary of the invasion so he could honor the men who didn’t come home. It was not to be. Gladden, one of the dwindling number of veterans who took part in the landings that kicked off the campaign to liberate Western Europe from the Nazis during World War II, died April 24, his family said. He was 100. With fewer and fewer veterans taking part each year, the ceremony may be one of the last big events marking the assault that began on June 6, 1944. Duane Eddy, a pioneering guitar hero whose reverberating electric sound on instrumentals such as “Rebel Rouser,” “Forty Miles of Bad Road" and “Cannonball” helped put the twang in early rock ‘n’ roll and influenced George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen and countless other musicians, died April 30 at age 86. With his raucous rhythms, and backing hollers and hand claps, Eddy sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and mastered a distinctive sound based on the premise that a guitar’s bass strings sounded better on tape than the high ones. Author Paul Auster has died at age 77. Auster was a prolific, prize-winning man of letters and filmmaker known for such inventive narratives and meta-narratives as “The New York Trilogy” and “4 3 2 1." Auster’s death on April 30 was confirmed by his literary representatives. Auster completed more than 30 books, translated into dozens of languages. He never achieved major commercial success in the U.S., but he was widely admired overseas for his cosmopolitan worldview and erudite and introspective style. Auster’s novels were a mix of history, politics, genre experiments, existential quests and self-conscious references to writers and writing. Co-pilots Dick Rutan, right, and Jeana Yeager, no relationship to test pilot Chuck Yeager, pose for a photo after a test flight over the Mojave Desert, Dec. 19, 1985. Rutan, a decorated Vietnam War pilot, who along with copilot Yeager completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refueling, died late Friday, May 3, 2024. He was 85. Music producer Steve Albini, seen in his Chicago studio in 2014, produced albums by Nirvana, the Pixies and PJ Harvey. Albini died at 61. Brian Fox, an engineer at Albini’s studio, Electrical Audio, says Albini died after a heart attack May 7. In addition to his work on canonized rock albums such as Nirvana‘s “In Utero,” the Pixies’ breakthrough “Surfer Rosa,” and PJ Harvey’s “Rid of Me,” Albini was the frontman of the underground bands Big Black and Shellac. He dismissed the term “producer” and requested he be credited with “Recorded by Steve Albini." San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame football player Jimmy Johnson, left, is honored by owner Jed York before a 2011 game between against the St. Louis Rams in San Francisco. Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Jimmy Johnson, a three-time All-Pro and member of the All-Decade Team of the 1970s, has died. He was 86. Johnson's family told the Pro Football Hall of Fame that he died May 8. Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994. He played his entire 16-year pro career with San Francisco. He played in 213 games, more than any other 49ers player at the time of his retirement. San Diego Padres third baseman Sean Burroughs fires a throw to first from his knees but is unable to get Los Angeles Dodgers' D. J. Houlton at first during the third inning of a baseball game June 22, 2005, in San Diego. Burroughs, a two-time Little League World Series champion who won an Olympic gold medal and went on to a major league career that was interrupted by substance abuse, has died. He was 43. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s online records said Burroughs died Thursday, May 9, 2024, with the cause of death deferred. Producer Roger Corman poses in his Los Angeles office, May 8, 2013. Corman, the Oscar-winning “King of the Bs” who helped turn out such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters” and gave many of Hollywood's most famous actors and directors an early break, died Thursday, May 9, 2024. He was 98. A.J. Smith, a longtime NFL executive who was the winningest general manager in Chargers history, has died. He was 75. His son, Atlanta assistant general manager Kyle Smith, announced in a statement released by the Falcons that his father died May 12. Kyle Smith said his father had been battling prostate cancer for seven years. The Chargers won five division titles during Smith’s 10 seasons as GM. The franchise’s 98 wins, including the playoffs, were the sixth most in the league from 2003-12. Saxophone player David Sanborn performs during his concert at the Stravinski hall at the "Colours of Music night" during the 34th Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland on July 10, 2000. Sanborn, the Grammy-winning saxophonist who played lively solos on such hits as David Bowie's “Young Americans” and James Taylor's “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” and enjoyed his own highly successful recording career as a leading performer of contemporary jazz, died Sunday, May 12, 2024, at age 78. Nobel laureate Alice Munro has died. The Canadian literary giant who became one of the world’s most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history’s most honored short story writers was 92. Munro achieved stature rare for an art form traditionally placed beneath the novel. She was the first lifelong Canadian to win the Nobel and the first recipient cited exclusively for short fiction. Munro was little known beyond Canada until her late 30s but became one of the few short story writers to enjoy ongoing commercial success. A spokesperson for publisher Penguin Random House Canada said Munro died May 13 at home in Port Hope, Ontario. Dabney Coleman, the mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in “9 to 5” and the nasty TV director in “Tootsie,” died May 16. He was 92. For two decades Coleman labored in movies and TV shows as a talented but largely unnoticed performer. That changed abruptly in 1976 when he was cast as the incorrigibly corrupt mayor of the hamlet of Fernwood in “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” a satirical soap opera. He won a Golden Globe for “The Slap Maxwell Story” and an Emmy Award for best supporting actor in Peter Levin’s 1987 small screen legal drama “Sworn to Silence.” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi listens to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, not in photo, during a joint news conference following their meeting at the Presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey, Jan. 24, 2024. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and others were found dead at the site of a helicopter crash site, state media reported Monday, May 20, 2024. Jim Otto, the Hall of Fame center known as Mr. Raider for his durability through a litany of injuries, died May 19. He was 86. The cause of death was not immediately known. Otto joined the Raiders for their inaugural season in the American Football League in 1960 and was a fixture on the team for the next 15 years. He never missed a game because of injuries and competed in 210 consecutive regular-season games and 308 straight total contests despite undergoing nine operations on his knees during his playing career. His right leg was amputated in 2007. Ivan F. Boesky, the flamboyant stock trader whose cooperation with the government cracked open one of the largest insider trading scandals on Wall Street, has died at the age of 87. A representative at the Marianne Boesky Gallery, owned by his daughter, confirmed his death. The son of a Detroit delicatessen owner, Boesky was once considered one of the richest and most influential risk-takers on Wall Street. He had parlayed $700,000 from his late mother-in-law’s estate into a fortune estimated at more than $200 million. Once implicated in insider trading, Boesky cooperated with a brash young U.S. attorney named Rudolph Giuliani, uncovering a scandal that blemished some of the most respected U.S. investment brokerages. Boesky died May 20. Jan. A.P. Kaczmarek poses with the Oscar for best original score for his work on "Finding Neverland" during the 77th Academy Awards, Feb. 27, 2005, in Los Angeles. Polish composer Kaczmarek, who won a 2005 Oscar for the movie “Finding Neverland,” has died on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at age 71. Kaczmarek’s death was announced by Poland’s Music Foundation. Train bassist and founding member Charlie Colin has died at 58. Colin’s sister confirmed the musician's death Wednesday to The Associated Press. Variety reported Colin slipped and fell in the shower while house-sitting for a friend in Brussels. Train formed in San Francisco in the early ’90s. Colin played on Train's first three records, 1998’s self-titled album, 2001’s “Drops of Jupiter” and 2003’s “My Private Nation.” The track “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” hit No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also earned two Grammys. Colin left the band in 2003. He also worked with the Newport Beach Film Festival. Colin died May 22. Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America’s food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet, has died of cancer. He was 53. Spurlock made a splash in 2004 with his groundbreaking film “Super Size Me,” and returned in 2019 with “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” — a sober look at an industry that processes 9 billion animals a year in America. Spurlock was a gonzo-like filmmaker who leaned into the bizarre and ridiculous. His stylistic touches included zippy graphics and amusing music. Spurlock died May 23. Richard M. Sherman, one half of the prolific, award-winning pair of brothers who helped form millions of childhoods by penning classic Disney tunes, has died. He was 95. Sherman, along with his late brother Robert, wrote hundreds of songs together, including songs for “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” — as well as the most-played tune on Earth, “It’s a Small World (After All).” The Walt Disney Co. announced that Sherman died Saturday due to age-related illness. The brothers won two Academy Awards for Walt Disney’s 1964 smash “Mary Poppins.” Robert Sherman died May 25 in London in 2012. Basketball Hall of Fame legend Bill Walton laughs during a practice session for the NBA All-Star basketball game in Cleveland, Feb. 19, 2022. Walton, who starred for John Wooden's UCLA Bruins before becoming a Basketball Hall of Famer and one of the biggest stars of basketball broadcasting, died Monday, May 27, 2024, the league announced on behalf of his family. He was 71. “The Godfather” producer Albert S. Ruddy died May 25 at 94. The Canadian-born producer and writer won Oscars for “The Godfather” and “Million Dollar Baby,” developed the raucous prison-sports comedy “The Longest Yard” and helped create the hit sitcom “Hogan’s Heroes." A spokesperson says Ruddy died Saturday at the UCLA Medical Center. Ruddy produced more than 30 movies and was on hand for the very top and the very bottom. “The Godfather” and “Million Dollar Baby” were box office hits and winners of best picture Oscars. But Ruddy also helped give us “Cannonball Run II” and “Megaforce,” nominees for Golden Raspberry awards for worst movie of the year. Larry Allen, one of the most dominant offensive linemen in the NFL during a 12-year career spent mostly with the Dallas Cowboys, died June 2. He was 52. The Cowboys say Allen died suddenly on Sunday while on vacation with his family in Mexico. Allen was named an All-Pro six consecutive years from 1996-2001 and was inducted into the Pro Football of Hall of Fame in 2013. He said few words but let his blocking do the talking. Allen once bench-pressed 700 pounds and had the speed to chase down opposing running backs. Bob Hope and Janis Paige hug during the annual Christmas show in Saigon, Vietnam, Dec. 25, 1964. Paige, a popular actor in Hollywood and in Broadway musicals and comedies who danced with Fred Astaire, toured with Bob Hope and continued to perform into her 80s, died Sunday, June 2, 2024, of natural causes at her Los Angeles home, longtime friend Stuart Lampert said Monday, June 3. Parnelli Jones, the 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner, died June 4 at Torrance Memorial Medical Center after a battle with Parkinson’s disease, his son said. Jones was 90. At the time of his death, Jones was the oldest living winner of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Rufus Parnell Jones was born in Texarkana, Arkansas, in 1933 but moved to Torrance as a young child and never left. It was there that he became “Parnelli” because his given name of Rufus was too well known for him to compete without locals knowing that he wasn’t old enough to race. Boston Celtics' John Havlicek (17) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers' Chet Walker (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball playoff game April 14, 1968, in Boston. Walker, a seven-time All-Star forward who helped Wilt Chamberlain and the 76ers win the 1967 NBA title, died June 8. He was 84. The National Basketball Players Association confirmed Walker's death, according to NBA.com . The 76ers, Chicago Bulls and National Basketball Retired Players Association also extended their condolences on social media on Saturday, June 8, 2024. The Rev. James Lawson Jr. speaks Sept. 17, 2015, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Lawson Jr., an apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction, has died, his family said Monday. He was 95. His family said Lawson died on Sunday after a short illness in Los Angeles, where he spent decades working as a pastor, labor movement organizer and university professor. Lawson was a close adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who called him “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” Lawson met King in 1957, after spending three years in India soaking up knowledge about Mohandas K. Gandhi’s independence movement. King would travel to India himself two years later, but at the time, he had only read about Gandhi in books. Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Jerry West, representing the 1960 USA Olympic Team, is seen Aug. 13, 2010, during the enshrinement news conference at the Hall of Fame Museum in Springfield, Mass. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died June 12, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, was an NBA champion who went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the gold medal-winning 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called West “one of the greatest executives in sports history.” Actor and director Ron Simons, seen Jan. 23, 2011, during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, died June 12. Simons turned into a formidable screen and stage producer, winning four Tony Awards and having several films selected at the Sundance Film Festival. He won Tonys for producing “Porgy and Bess,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” and “Jitney.” He also co-produced “Hughie,” with Forest Whitaker, “The Gin Game,” starring Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,” an all-Black production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” the revival of "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" and the original work “Thoughts of a Colored Man.” He was in the films “27 Dresses” and “Mystery Team,” as well as on the small screen in “The Resident,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “Law & Order: SVU.” Bob Schul of West Milton, Ohio, hits the tape Oct. 18, 1964, to win the 5,000 meter run at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Schul, the only American distance runner to win the 5,000 meters at the Olympics, died June 16. He was 86. His death was announced by Miami University in Ohio , where Schul shined on the track and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 1973. Schul predicted gold leading into the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and followed through with his promise. On a rainy day in Japan, he finished the final lap in a blistering 54.8 seconds to sprint to the win. His white shorts were covered in mud at the finish. He was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1991. He also helped write a book called “In the Long Run.” San Francisco Giants superstar Willie Mays poses for a photo during baseball spring training in 1972. Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, died June 18. He was 93. The center fielder, who began his professional career in the Negro Leagues in 1948, had been baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. He was voted into the Hall in 1979, his first year of eligibility, and in 1999 followed only Babe Ruth on The Sporting News’ list of the game’s top stars. The Giants retired his uniform number, 24, and set their AT&T Park in San Francisco on Willie Mays Plaza. Mays died two days before a game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to honor the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham , Alabama. Over 23 major league seasons, virtually all with the New York/San Francisco Giants but also including one in the Negro Leagues, Mays batted .301, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,293 hits, scored more than 2,000 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves. He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, twice was named the Most Valuable Player and finished in the top 10 for the MVP 10 other times. His lightning sprint and over-the-shoulder grab of an apparent extra base hit in the 1954 World Series remains the most celebrated defensive play in baseball history. For millions in the 1950s and ’60s and after, the smiling ballplayer with the friendly, high-pitched voice was a signature athlete and showman during an era when baseball was still the signature pastime. Awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015, Mays left his fans with countless memories. But a single feat served to capture his magic — one so untoppable it was simply called “The Catch.” Actor Donald Sutherland appears Oct. 13, 2017, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sutherland, the Canadian actor whose wry, arrestingly off-kilter screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games,” died June 20. He was 88. Kiefer Sutherland said on X he believed his father was one of the most important actors in the history of film: “Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that.” The tall and gaunt Sutherland, who flashed a grin that could be sweet or diabolical, was known for offbeat characters like Hawkeye Pierce in Robert Altman's "M.A.S.H.," the hippie tank commander in "Kelly's Heroes" and the stoned professor in "Animal House." Before transitioning into a long career as a respected character actor, Sutherland epitomized the unpredictable, antiestablishment cinema of the 1970s. He never stopped working, appearing in nearly 200 films and series. Over the decades, Sutherland showed his range in more buttoned-down — but still eccentric — roles in Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" and Oliver Stone's "JFK." More, recently, he starred in the “Hunger Games” films. A memoir, “Made Up, But Still True,” is due out in November. Actor Bill Cobbs, a cast member in "Get Low," arrives July 27, 2010, at the premiere of the film in Beverly Hills, Calif. Cobbs, the veteran character actor who became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man, died June 25. He was 90. A Cleveland native, Cobbs acted in such films as “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “The Bodyguard” and “Night at the Museum.” He made his first big-screen appearance in a fleeting role in 1974's “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three." He became a lifelong actor with some 200 film and TV credits. The lion share of those came in his 50s, 60s, and 70s, as filmmakers and TV producers turned to him again and again to imbue small but pivotal parts with a wizened and worn soulfulness. Cobbs appeared on television shows including “The Sopranos," “The West Wing,” “Sesame Street” and “Good Times.” He was Whitney Houston's manager in “The Bodyguard” (1992), the mystical clock man of the Coen brothers' “The Hudsucker Proxy” (1994) and the doctor of John Sayles' “Sunshine State” (2002). He played the coach in “Air Bud” (1997), the security guard in “Night at the Museum” (2006) and the father on “The Gregory Hines Show." Cobbs rarely got the kinds of major parts that stand out and win awards. Instead, Cobbs was a familiar and memorable everyman who left an impression on audiences, regardless of screen time. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding limited performance in a daytime program for the series “Dino Dana” in 2020. Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman speaks with the media Nov. 7, 2009, at his campaign headquarters in Austin, Texas. The singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist, who led the alt-country band Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan, sang with Willie Nelson, and dabbled in politics with campaigns for Texas governor and other statewide offices, died June 27. He was 79 and had suffered from Parkinson's disease. Often called “The Kinkster" and sporting sideburns, a thick mustache and cowboy hat, Friedman earned a cult following and reputation as a provocateur throughout his career across musical and literary genres. In the 1970s, his satirical country band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys wrote songs with titles such as “They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in Bed.” Friedman joined part of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1976. By the 1980s, Friedman was writing crime novels that often included a version of himself, and he wrote a column for Texas Monthly magazine in the 2000s. Friedman's run at politics brought his brand of irreverence to the serious world of public policy. In 2006, Friedman ran for governor as an independent in a five-way race that included incumbent Republican Rick Perry. Friedman launched his campaign against the backdrop of the Alamo. Martin Mull participates in "The Cool Kids" panel during the Fox Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour on Aug. 2, 2018, at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development,” died June 28. He was 80. Mull, who was also a guitarist and painter, came to national fame with a recurring role on the Norman Lear-created satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” and the starring role in its spinoff, “Fernwood Tonight." His first foray into show business was as a songwriter, penning the 1970 semi-hit “A Girl Named Johnny Cash” for singer Jane Morgan. He would combine music and comedy in an act that he brought to hip Hollywood clubs in the 1970s. Mull often played slightly sleazy, somewhat slimy and often smarmy characters as he did as Teri Garr's boss and Michael Keaton's foe in 1983's “Mr. Mom.” He played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 movie adaptation of the board game “Clue,” which, like many things Mull appeared in, has become a cult classic. The 1980s also brought what many thought was his best work, “A History of White People in America,” a mockumentary that first aired on Cinemax. Mull co-created the show and starred as a “60 Minutes” style investigative reporter investigating all things milquetoast and mundane. Willard was again a co-star. In the 1990s he was best known for his recurring role on several seasons on “Roseanne,” in which he played a warmer, less sleazy boss to the title character, an openly gay man whose partner was played by Willard, who died in 2020 . Mull would later play private eye Gene Parmesan on “Arrested Development,” a cult-classic character on a cult-classic show, and would be nominated for an Emmy, his first, in 2016 for a guest run on “Veep.” Screenwriter Robert Towne poses at The Regency Hotel, March 7, 2006, in New York. Towne, the Oscar-winning screenplay writer of "Shampoo," "The Last Detail" and other acclaimed films whose work on "Chinatown" became a model of the art form and helped define the jaded allure of his native Los Angeles, died Monday, July 1, 2024, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said publicist Carri McClure. She declined to comment on any cause of death. Vic Seixas of the United States backhands a volley from Denmark's Jurgen Ulrich in the first round of men's singles match at Wimbledon, England, June 27, 1967. Vic Seixas, a Wimbledon winner and tennis Hall of Famer who was the oldest living Grand Slam champion, has died July 5 at the age of 100. The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Seixas’ death on Saturday July 6, 2024, based on confirmation from his daughter Tori. In this June 30, 2020, file photo, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., speaks to reporters following a GOP policy meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Former Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma died July 9. He was 89. The family says in a statement that the Republican had a stroke during the July Fourth holiday and died Tuesday morning. Inhofe was a powerful fixture in state politics for decades. He doubted that climate change was caused by human activity, calling the theory “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” As Oklahoma’s senior U.S. senator, he was a staunch supporter of the state’s military installations. He was elected to a fifth Senate term in 2020 and stepped down in early 2023. The Oak Ridge Boys, from left, Joe Bonsall, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen and William Lee Golden hold their awards for Top Vocal Group and Best Album of the Year for "Ya'll Come Back Saloon", during the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., May 3, 1979. Bonsall died on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Hendersonville, Tenn. He was 76. A Philadelphia native and resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Bonsall joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973, which originally formed in the 1940s. He saw the band through its golden period in the '80s and beyond, which included their signature 1981 song “Elvira.” The hit marked a massive crossover moment for the group, reaching No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100. The group is also known for such hits as 1982’s “Bobbie Sue." Shelley Duvall poses for photographers at the 30th Cannes Film Festival in France, May 27, 1977. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” died July 11. She was 75. Dr. Ruth Westheimer holds a copy of her book "Sex for Dummies" at the International Frankfurt Book Fair 'Frankfurter Buchmesse' in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Westheimer, the sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics, died on July 12, 2024. She was 96. Richard Simmons sits for a portrait in Los Angeles, June 23, 1982. Simmons, a fitness guru who urged the overweight to exercise and eat better, died July 13 at the age of 76. Simmons was a court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. Simmons was a former 268-pound teen who shared his hard-won weight loss tips as the host of the Emmy-winning daytime “Richard Simmons Show" and the “Sweatin' to the Oldies” line of exercise videos, which became a cultural phenomenon. Former NFL receiver Jacoby Jones died July 14 at age 40. Jones' 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. The Houston Texans were Jones’ team for the first five seasons of his career. They announced his death on Sunday. In a statement released by the NFL Players Association, his family said he died at his home in New Orleans. A cause of death was not given. Jones played from 2007-15 for the Texans, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He made several huge plays for the Ravens during their most recent Super Bowl title season, including that kick return. The "Beverly Hills, 90210" star whose life and career were roiled by tabloid stories, Shannen Doherty died July 13 at 53. Doherty's publicist said the actor died Saturday following years with breast cancer. Catapulted to fame as Brenda in “Beverly Hills, 90210,” she worked in big-screen films including "Mallrats" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and in TV movies including "A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story," in which she played the "Gone with the Wind" author. Doherty co-starred with Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano in the series “Charmed” from 1998-2001; appeared in the “90210” sequel series seven years later and competed on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2010. Actor James Sikking poses for a photograph at the Los Angeles gala celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Organization for Women, Dec. 1, 1986. Sikking, who starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character's kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” died July 13 of complications from dementia, his publicist Cynthia Snyder said in a statement. He was 90. Pat Williams chats with media before the 2004 NBA draft in Orlando, Fla. Williams, a co-founder of the Orlando Magic and someone who spent more than a half-century working within the NBA, died July 17 from complications related to viral pneumonia. The team announced the death Wednesday. Williams was 84. He started his NBA career as business manager of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1968, then had stints as general manager of the Chicago Bulls, the Atlanta Hawks and the 76ers — helping that franchise win a title in 1983. Williams was later involved in starting the process of bringing an NBA team to Orlando. The league’s board of governors granted an expansion franchise in 1987, and the team began play in 1989. Lou Dobbs speaks Feb. 24, 2017, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Md. Dobbs, the conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host who was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade, died July 18. He was 78. His death was announced in a post on his official X account, which called him a “fighter till the very end – fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country.” He hosted “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on Fox from 2011 to 2021, following two separate stints at CNN. No cause of death was given. Bob Newhart, center, poses with members of the cast and crew of the "Bob Newhart Show," from top left, Marcia Wallace, Bill Daily, Jack Riley, and, Suzanne Pleshette, foreground left, and Dick Martin at TV Land's 35th anniversary tribute to "The Bob Newhart Show" on Sept. 5, 2007, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Newhart has died at age 94. Jerry Digney, Newhart’s publicist, says the actor died July 18 in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses. The accountant-turned-comedian gained fame with a smash album and became one of the most popular TV stars of his time. Newhart was a Chicago psychologist in “The Bob Newhart Show” in the 1970s and a Vermont innkeeper on “Newhart” in the 1980s. Both shows featured a low-key Newhart surrounded by eccentric characters. The second had a twist ending in its final show — the whole series was revealed to have been a dream by the psychologist he played in the other show. Cheng Pei-pei, a Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” died July 17 at age 78. Her family says Cheng, who had been diagnosed with a rare illness with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, passed away Wednesday at home surrounded by her loved ones. The Shanghai-born film star became a household name in Hong Kong, once dubbed the Hollywood of the Far East, for her performances in martial arts movies in the 1960s. She played Jade Fox, who uses poisoned needles, in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which was released in 2000, grossed $128 million in North America and won four Oscars. Abdul “Duke” Fakir holds his life time achievement award backstage at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles. The last surviving original member of the Four Tops died July 22. Abdul “Duke” Fakir was 88. He was a charter member of the Motown group along with lead singer Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton. Between 1964 and 1967, the Tops had 11 top 20 hits and two No. 1′s: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and the operatic classic “Reach Out I’ll Be There.” Other songs, often stories of romantic pain and longing, included “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” “Bernadette” and “Just Ask the Lonely.” Sculptress Elizabeth Catlett, left, then-Washington D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon, center, and then-curator, division of community life, Smithsonian institution Bernice Johnson Reagon chat during the reception at the Candace awards on June 25, 1991 in New York. Reagon, a musician and scholar who used her rich, powerful contralto voice in the service of the American Civil Rights Movement and human rights struggles around the world, died on July 16, 2024, according to her daughter's social media post. She was 81. John Mayall, the British blues musician whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars, died July 22. He was 90. He is credited with helping develop the English take on urban, Chicago-style rhythm and blues that played an important role in the blues revival of the late 1960s. A statement on Mayall's official Instagram page says he died Monday at his home in California. Though Mayall never approached the fame of some of his illustrious alumni, he was still performing in his late 80s, pounding out his version of Chicago blues. Erica Ash, an actor and comedian skilled in sketch comedy who starred in the parody series “Mad TV” and “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” has died. She was 46. Her publicist and a statement by her mother, Diann, says Ash died July 28 in Los Angeles of cancer. Ash impersonated Michelle Obama and Condoleeza Rice on “Mad TV,” a Fox sketch series, and was a key performer on the Rosie O’Donnell-created series “The Big Gay Sketch Show.” Her other credits included “Scary Movie V,” “Uncle Drew” and the LeBron James-produced basketball dramedy “Survivor’s Remorse.” On the BET series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” Ash played the ex-wife of Kevin Hart’s character. Jack Russell, the lead singer of the bluesy '80s metal band Great White whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me” and was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. He was 63. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Susan Wojcicki, the former YouTube chief executive officer and longtime Google executive, died Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, after suffering with non small cell lung cancer for the past two years. She was 56. Frank Selvy, an All-America guard at Furman who scored an NCAA Division I-record 100 points in a game and later played nine NBA seasons, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. He was 91. Wallace “Wally” Amos, the creator of the cookie empire that took his name and made it famous and who went on to become a children’s literacy advocate, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, from complications with dementia. He was 88. Gena Rowlands, hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes, and who later charmed audiences in her son's tear-jerker “The Notebook,” died Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. She was 94. Peter Marshall, the actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares,” died. Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 He was 98. Alain Delon, the internationally acclaimed French actor who embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. He was 88. Phil Donahue, whose pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, after a long illness. He was 88. Al Attles, a Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador, died Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. He was 87. John Amos, who starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots,” died Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. He was 84. James Darren, a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget,” died Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. He was 88. James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen has died. He was 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Sept. 9 at home. Jones was a pioneering actor who eventually lent his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Working deep into his 80s, he won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor. Frankie Beverly, who with his band Maze inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go,” has died. He was 77. His family said in a post on the band’s website and social media accounts that Beverly died Sept. 10. In the post, which asked for privacy, the family said “he lived his life with a pure soul, as one would say, and for us, no one did it better.” The post did not say his cause of death or where he died. Beverly, whose songs include “Joy and Pain,” “Love is the Key,” and “Southern Girl,” finished his farewell “I Wanna Thank You Tour” in his hometown of Philadelphia in July. Joe Schmidt, the Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team, has died. He was 92. The Lions said family informed the team Schmidt died Sept. 11. A cause of death was not provided. One of pro football’s first great middle linebackers, Schmidt played his entire NFL career with the Lions from 1953-65. An eight-time All-Pro, he was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and the college football version in 2000. Born in Pittsburgh, Schmidt played college football in his hometown at Pitt. Chad McQueen, an actor known for his performances in the “Karate Kid” movies and the son of the late actor and racer Steve McQueen, died Sep. 11. His lawyer confirmed his death at age 63. McQueen's family shared a statement on social media saying he lived a life “filled with love and dedication.” McQueen was a professional race car driver, like his father, and competed in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona races. He is survived by his wife Jeanie and three children, Chase, Madison and Steven, who is an actor best known for “The Vampire Diaries.” Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, died at age 70 on Sept. 15. Jackson was the third of nine children, including global superstars Michael and Janet. The Jackson 5 included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. They signed with Berry Gordy’s Motown empire in the 1960s. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s, including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.” John David “JD” Souther has died. He was a prolific songwriter and musician whose collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s. Souther joined in on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such as “Best of My Love,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Heartache Tonight." The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee also collaborated with James Taylor, Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt and many more. His biggest hit as a solo artist was “You’re Only Lonely.” He was about to tour with Karla Bonoff. Souther died Sept. 17 at his home in New Mexico, at 78. In this photo, JD Souther and Alison Krauss attend the Songwriters Hall of Fame 44th annual induction and awards gala on Thursday, June 13, 2013 in New York. Sen. Dan Evans stands with his three sons, from left, Mark, Bruce and Dan Jr., after he won the election for Washington's senate seat in Seattle, Nov. 8, 1983. Evans, a former Washington state governor and a U.S. Senator, died Sept. 20. The popular Republican was 98. He served as governor from 1965 to 1977, and he was the keynote speaker at the 1968 National Republican Convention. In 1983, Evans was appointed to served out the term of Democratic Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson after he died in office. Evans opted not to stand for election in 1988, citing the “tediousness" of the Senate. He later served as a regent at the University of Washington, where the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance bears his name. Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded backfield and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, died Sept. 21. He was 77. The team on Sunday confirmed the death of Morris, a three-time Pro Bowl selection. In a statement, his family said his “talent and passion left an indelible mark on the sport.” Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go-to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-to-back title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons. John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. He was 76. Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and won new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Sept. 27 at 89. Smith's publicist announced the news Friday. She was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. “Jean Brodie” brought her the Academy Award for best actress in 1969. Smith added a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978. Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 88. Drake Hogestyn, the “Days of Our Lives” star who appeared on the show for 38 years, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 70. Ron Ely, the tall, musclebound actor who played the title character in the 1960s NBC series “Tarzan,” died Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at age 86. Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58. Frank Fritz, left, part of a two-man team who drove around the U.S. looking for antiques and collectibles to buy and resell on the reality show “American Pickers,” died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 60. He's shown here with co-host Mike Wolfe at the A+E Networks 2015 Upfront in New York on April 30, 2015. Pete Rose, baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 83. Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, died Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in her New Jersey home. She was 91. Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, her family said. She was 96. Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans, was found dead Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, local officials said. He was 31. Mitzi Gaynor, among the last survivors of the so-called golden age of the Hollywood musical, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. She was 93. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. He was 63. Jack Jones, a Grammy-winning crooner known for “The Love Boat” television show theme song, died, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. He was 86. Phil Lesh, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at age 84. Teri Garr, the quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie," died Tuesday, Oct 29, 2024. She was 79. Quincy Jones, the multitalented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, died Sunday, Nov 3, 2024. He was 91 Bobby Allison, founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, died Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. He was 86. Song Jae-lim, a South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Queen Woo,” was found dead at his home in capital Seoul, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. He was 39. British actor Timothy West, who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain's waterways, died Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024. He was 90. Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport, died Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. He was 82. Arthur Frommer, whose "Europe on 5 Dollars a Day" guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 95. Former Chicago Bulls forward Bob Love, a three-time All-Star who spent 11 years in the NBA, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 81. Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, died Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. He was 83. Barbara Taylor Bradford, a British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga "A Woman of Substance" and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies, died Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. She was 91. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

It’s been decades in the making. On Friday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union (EU) and Mercosur, the South American economic bloc comprising Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, had struck a major trade agreement. The deal, which would create a free trade area covering more than 780 million people, came over vocal opposition from France and still needs to be approved by a qualified majority of EU member states and by a majority in the European Parliament before it goes into effect. What are the economic and political implications of this massive trade agreement? And what hurdles remain before it can be finalized and implemented? Our experts freely exchange their insights below. 1. Why is the deal moving forward now? On the one hand, this agreement has been in process for a long time, so at some point, the EU just has to move forward, and a fresh start with a new European Commission is a good excuse and as good a time as any. On the other hand, it’s hard to ignore that the main opponent of the agreement, France, is in a weak position politically, as is Germany, and that the portfolio structure of the new Commission gives von der Leyen more power to advance her priorities. Therefore, there is likely an element of “striking while the iron is hot” to the timing of the agreement. — L. Daniel Mullaney is a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center and GeoEconomics Center. He served as assistant US trade representative for Europe and the Middle East in the Office of the United States Trade Representative from 2010 to 2023. Both sides clearly felt the global circumstances made the deal even more important for their respective interests. From an EU perspective, it’s about having new destinations for EU exports if President-elect Donald Trump raises US tariffs and the Chinese economic slump continues. More broadly, it’s a win for the EU’s longstanding approach to economic security: instead of using economic coercion, the EU prefers to use the attractiveness of its single market to secure bilateral deals on market access. But this approach has become less and less fashionable, including in the EU, so von der Leyen felt the months ahead were the last chance to get a Mercosur deal ratified. But its passage is still far from certain. — Charles Lichfield is the deputy director and C. Boyden Gray senior fellow of the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center. The deal is moving forward now in large part because the negotiations have produced a text that most parties believe they can live with; the deal is “ripe,” so to say. But three other factors have been influential in why the deal is being signed right now: The most vocal opponent of the deal, French President Emmanuel Macron, has been politically wounded, perhaps mortally, by the collapse of Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government, although it remains to be seen whether he can marshal a blocking minority in the European Council. Von der Leyen is in a strong political position, and she knows there will be opposition, so she might as well get this done early in her term. This also allows her to give a gift to the country she knows best—Germany—which looks to the Mercosur countries as a valuable market. The Commission is well aware that it needs to be seen as engaging with developing countries, and it needs to bring them on as economic and political partners, especially as relations with the United States could become difficult. If you see this as, in part, a signal to Trump, you are probably right. — Frances Burwell is a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center and a senior director at McLarty Associates. The current geopolitical landscape—marked by rising global protectionism and economic uncertainties—has created momentum for finalizing the deal. Both blocs view this agreement as a strategic move to bolster economic ties and secure a stronger position in global trade. — Abrão Neto is a nonresident fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center and a former secretary of foreign trade of Brazil. 2. What are the pros and cons for Mercosur members? For Mercosur nations, the agreement unlocks significant access to the European market, a major importer of key Mercosur exports, such as food and critical minerals. It also positions these economies to attract greater investment, driven by the EU’s stringent criteria. On the other hand, the influx of European manufactured goods will challenge Mercosur industries to modernize, digitalize, and boost efficiency to stay competitive. — Valentina Sader is a deputy director at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, where she leads the Center’s work on Brazil, gender equality, and diversity, and manages the Center’s Advisory Council. The agreement improves market access for Mercosur exports, reduces costs for importing essential inputs and machinery, attracts foreign investment, and fosters economic growth and job creation. However, local industries might face heightened competition from EU manufacturers, and there is concern that EU-imposed environmental and sustainability standards could disproportionately affect Mercosur producers, potentially offsetting some benefits. — Abrão Neto 3. What are the pros and cons for the EU and EU member states? Improving trade integration with a significant part of the Western Hemisphere will be a useful diversification of the EU trade portfolio, as US-China and US-EU trade relations shift to a potentially more disruptive period with the incoming US administration. The other side of the coin is that providing agricultural market access to Mercosur has been very controversial, particularly in France (whose government is weakened, perhaps only temporarily, by political challenges from the left and the right). Some of the “sustainability” practices in Mercosur countries have also drawn controversy. So while this may be a wise economic choice, it could trigger significant political backlash. —L. Daniel Mullaney The pros are clear. In addition to better market access terms to Latin America for EU goods, the bloc hopes to access the critical minerals available in the ground in Mercosur countries and stymie China’s increasing influence in that sector. The cons are supposedly a glut of cheap Argentine beef and Brazilian bananas. But there are tough quotas in the deal, including a limit equivalent to one Mercosur steak per EU citizen per year. So European farmers’ objections are not entirely justified, although the complaint that they have to follow more constraints (on emissions and the use of fertilizer and pesticides) than Mercosur farmers do is probably more reasonable. —Charles Lichfield This agreement has the potential to bring serious economic benefits to the EU in terms of new markets. In 2023, the EU had a slight trade surplus vis-à-vis Mercosur, and certain European countries had a significant surplus. Germany’s surplus was nine billion euros, Belgium’s was three billion euros, and even France had a two-billion-euro surplus. These countries are all in a position to benefit from the Mercosur arrangement. But in every trade deal, there are winners and losers, and clearly some of the losers in France, especially the farmers, are very powerful politically. It is also true that critics of Mercosur have ignored some of the provisions in the deal that answer their concerns, such as a ban on imports of hormone-fed beef. In this partisan environment, the economic advantages of the deal may be cancelled out by the political disadvantages. The signature today will only exacerbate the anger of those in Europe who believe the Commission acts in its own interests and fails to protect the interests of European citizens. While the German government and mainstream parties may support the EU-Mercosur arrangement, there are many in that country who feel left out economically and who are likely to see this as another reason to vote for a Euroskeptic party. Thus, while the agreement brings many economic benefits, these might be outweighed by the political costs. —Frances Burwell 4. What do the next steps look like for the deal? The process involves legal scrubbing, translation into multiple languages, formal signing, and ratification by national parliaments in both blocs. While this agreement represents a historic milestone, significant political and stakeholder debates are anticipated, presenting challenges before full implementation. — Abrão Neto In the EU, the next steps are a likely challenging process of approval from the member states and consent by the European Parliament. The debate over the positive and negative aspects of this initiative will play out very publicly among relatively new actors in the EU institutions and member states. In the meantime, France’s and Germany’s political challenges may or may not endure. Fasten your seat belts and pass the popcorn! —L. Daniel Mullaney Further reading

Injuries pile up, 49ers uncertain QB Brock Purdy can return Sunday

Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more! I can’t deny it. When it comes to hats, I’m absolutely obsessed. From fuzzy bucket hats that keep me warm during the winter to chic baseball caps and dressy fedoras, I just can’t get enough. Every shopping trip turns into an opportunity to expand my collection. Now that the holidays are in full swing, I’m looking forward to stocking up on new ones. I recently came across a picture of Katie Holmes rocking a Canyons of the Unknown Ranch Dad Hat and it inspired me to launch a search for similar caps. The original style she wore is an absolute game-changer. Not to mention, it only costs $35. I figured I couldn’t be the only one on the hunt for stylish caps, so I headed to retailers like Amazon, Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom to scope the scene and I was pleasantly surprised. I compiled this round-up with 9 stylish caps that channel Holmes’ laid-back style. Happy shopping. Just don’t be surprised if everyone ends up asking you for product deets once you get your hands on one! 1. Affordable Find: Caps often cost a pretty penny. Thankfully, you can snag this trendy style for just $20 at Amazon! 2. Editor’s Pick: As a proud New Yorker, I have an assortment of hats that represent my home state. I snagged this American Needle Brooklyn Eagles Jacquard Hat during a trip to Urban Outfitters two weeks ago, and I’ve received endless compliments every single time I’ve worn it! 3. Cheers: Put your love for espresso martinis on full display in this trucker-style cap ! 4. Athleisure Slay: This sophisticated nautical-style hat is perfect for shoppers who can’t get enough of pickleball! 5. Minimalist: Keep things short and sweet with this minimalist-style hat ! 6. All About Hobbies: Do you know your way around a fishing pole? This hilarious hat is perfect for fishing enthusiasts! 7. Favoritism for the Win: Let everyone know where you stand with your parents, courtesy of this Favorite Daughter cap ! 8. Yeehaw: Giddy up! This Western-inspired cap channels the trendy style influencers and celebrities are wearing nonstop! Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News 9. Duck, Duck, Goose: This laid-back hat features a trio of ducks and delivers a fun message!HELEN Flanagan has broken her silence on the reunion she had with her footballer ex Scott Sinclair. Just a few weeks ago, the former Coronation Street star admitted that he blocked her on social media . Helen , 34, and Scott , 35, previously announced their split in 2022 after 13 years together . Since then, the Celebs Go Dating star has found love with an older man - former footballer Robbie Talbot, 44. She recently reunited with Scott as they both took their daughter Matilda, nine, to the launch of Winter Wonderland . The duo put on a show of unity at the star-studded event at London 's Hyde Park. READ MORE ON HELEN Now, Helen has exclusively opened up on her relationship with Scott to The Sun, saying they are both "respectful" of one another. This especially applies to the duo living their individual lives with new partners on social media. In an exclusive interview hosted by WhichBingo.co.uk , she told us: "I've always used my social media," "I've always been really open about parts of my life on social media. Most read in I’m A Celebrity 2024 "But like, if I post, if I posted on anything, like, with my boyfriend, maybe say, with my children, I'm always very respectful to the father of my children. "It works both ways, you know, like each way and stuff." The I'm A Celebrity legend admitted that she has learned to get on with her former partner. "Me and my ex now, you know we get on fine, like, for our children and stuff. So, so that's good. "And I think it's important for children as well to see their mum and dad be okay with each other. "I think it's good for, you know, their mental health and what have you." HELEN Flanagan has revealed that she is in a new relationship. While appearing on Celebs Go Dating, she confessed that she was already taken - here's everything we know about her boyfriend Robbie Talbot . Helen has opened up about her relationship with former footballer Robbie Talbot . He is a decade older than the actress. Robbie was born in Liverpool on October 31, 1979 which is how he earned his nickname Halloween Hitman in football. He has played for a series of non-league teams such as Burton Albion, Burscough and Morcambe. He then became a coach at Ashton in 2010. Robbie is retired from football. He left his role as Assistant Manager at Ashton due to family and work commitments in 2011. It's unknown what he has done for work since leaving football. Helen admitted that she was dating Robbie while appearing on Celebs Go Dating . In a first for the show, it has been revealed that her relationship had to be written into the series due to requirements that those taking part have to be single. The pair went public at her birthday party on August 10, 2024. She also admitted that their eldest daughter was most affected by the split as she remembers the pair when they were together. "When me and my ex split, Matilda was seven, Delilah was four and Charlie was one," she explained. "So, you know, Matilda really remembers me and her dad together, the other two didn't really know any different, but Matilda was more kind of affected by it. "So I think it was nice that we went to the Winter Wonderland event together. It’s good for them." I'm always very respectful to the father of my children. It works both ways. This was after Helen admitted that she was 'on block' on her ex-boyfriends phone. Speaking on The Mail's The Life of Bryony podcast, she previously said: "No disrespect to the father of my children, you know, I've had three children with him , and I always have a lot of love for him. "We're both good people, but together we were very toxic . READ MORE SUN STORIES "I think a toxic relationship can just damage your mental health a lot, especially when you struggle with your mental health anyway. "I mean, I'm on block at the moment on Scott 's phone. I really am. I'm on block."

The Saskatchewan Party's election promises of action on affordability and continued carbon tax exemptions have been fulfilled as the short sitting of the legislature carries on. Both The Saskatchewan Affordability Act and The SaskEnergy (Carbon Tax Fairness For Families) Amendment Act, 2024 passed in the house Thursday in unanimous votes. The affordability act will implement 13 commitments the Sask. Party outlined during its campaign – promising “the largest personal income tax reduction in the province since 2008.” The amendment act will continue to exempt residents from paying federal carbon levies for home heating. The act is estimated to save the average Saskatchewan family $480 next year. Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier Jim Reiter said earlier in the week that he would be reaching out to his federal counterparts to help ensure the tax measures are quickly instituted come Jan. 1, 2025. On Thursday, Premier Scott Moe said he was unaware if Reiter has received an answer to the request. “We would ask them to fast track to change the formulary for employers so that Saskatchewan residents can start receiving, on a monthly basis, the financial advantages that are in [the act],” Moe explained. Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck said her party supported the legislation because Saskatchewan residents desperately need cost-of-living relief. Beck and her MLAs have consistently said the government’s measures stop too short – and have called for the suspension of the provincial gas tax and the removal of the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on ready-to-eat grocery items. The Sask. Party has moved quickly in introducing its priority bills and amendments during the short sitting. Other pieces of legislation introduced during this week included: NDP calls for investigation fail The Saskatchewan NDP’s repeated attempts to begin an investigation into high food prices in northern Saskatchewan and to compel former Sask. Party MLA Gary Grewal to appear before a legislative committee were again unsuccessful. The opposition attempted to bring both issues forward during proceedings Thursday, utilizing emergency motions. However, both motions, divided among party lines, failed. On Wednesday, the NDP attempted to bring the matters up at two separate committees. The opposition alleges that the government blocked their attempts to introduce the matters. Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck speaks at the APAS AGM on Dec. 3 2024. (Donovan Maess/CTV News) Cumberland MLA Jordan McPhail shared his frustrations on Wednesday with the government’s alleged refusal to hear the issues out. “We let them know that we were bringing a motion forward to committee,” he explained. “Through that process, in the committees this morning, they blocked us bringing that forward.” The government maintained that the NDP was not blocked in making any motion during the committee sittings earlier in the week. “I understand that the NDP are leveling accusations. If you watch the transcript of the meeting, nobody was blocked. There was nothing on the agenda, and quite frankly, the member from the NDP this afternoon was called out for that,” Minister of Justice and Attorney General Tim McLeod told reporters following Question Period on Wednesday. “If they're going to level accusations, they need to be based in fact and if you review the transcript of the meeting, the committee meeting that he's alleging, nothing like that transpired.” The issue of grocery prices in northern Saskatchewan came to the forefront after more than two dozen cases of scurvy were discovered by a doctor in La Ronge, Sask. “People are not able to afford groceries. They're getting diagnosed with scurvy. This is not a hypothetical. This is what's actually happening and it's really frustrating to hear a minister that does not take this seriously, that is trying to silence northern voices and my constituents’ voice here today at the legislature,” McPhail added, referring to McLeod’s comments. “As a father myself of two growing girls, I know the challenges it takes to put as much healthy food into that grocery carts, and I know that it's going to take a government that takes those food security issues seriously to make sure that all families in northern Saskatchewan have that same access to affordable groceries." The opposition has long called for more attention to the case of Gary Grewal, the former Sask. Party backbencher whose hotel received over $700,000 from the ministry of social services by providing rooms to those on social assistance. The province’s Conflict of Interest Commissioner found that Grewal violated rules for elected officials and tasked the assembly with determining a proper penalty. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Moe pointed to the fact that Grewal is no longer an MLA and therefore is now outside the purview of the assembly. “I would say that in this case, this individual didn't run for our party ... he's a private citizen now, and I don't know the last time, under any government, that a private citizen has been summoned to appear before, whether it be a committee or the legislature itself,” he said. Speaking to reporters following Moe, Beck disagreed with the premier’s sentiments and suggested it sets a bad example. “The message we heard from the government today was that an MLA can break the law, and as long as they don't run again, there is no penalty,” she said. "What message does that send to the people of this province? ... just because there, there is no precedent, perhaps, doesn't mean that something shouldn't be done in this case, and I think that's what we'll continue to press for."Zooming in on surveillance footage of a gun that could have had a silencer fitted to it. Scouring the web to identify the brand of a backpack. Triangulating data of a rental bike to uncover an escape route. Wednesday’s shocking murder in Manhattan of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson – what police called a targeted killing — brought out a bevy of sleuths and true-crime fans across social media looking for clues about the killer’s motivation and how he managed to flee from the scene and seemingly disappear into the city of more than 8 million people. By Thursday, police were examining evidence ranging from surveillance video to items discarded nearby that could contain DNA to find the killer. Authorities also asked for the public’s help, releasing a photo with a clear view of his face. Meanwhile, platforms including Bluesky, Reddit and X sprouted hundreds of posts from amateur gumshoes poring over video and photos. “Dude had a suppressor, which is an extremely difficult thing to acquire, especially in a state like New York,” wrote one Reddit user. Such forums are rife with so-called internet detectives who pick through publicly available reports to uncover information in the aftermath of major crimes. Sometimes, they succeed: Online sleuths helped investigators identify numerous rioters who took part in the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, following Joe Biden’s presidential election victory in 2020. But such “crowd-sourced investigations” also can go awry. Following the April 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, Reddit users spread theories that pointed at the wrong people, which were later amplified by publications including the New York Post. The FBI released pictures of their leading suspects to quell the speculation. Social media helps people connect around a shared subject, but it also blurs the line between news and speculation, said Tahneer Oksman, a professor in Marymount Manhattan College’s communications department in New York. “So many people are no longer making the important distinctions between getting vetted information and chatting/speculating about such vetted information,” she said. SCOURING THE INTERNET A Reddit post about Thompson on the subreddit MorbidReality, which has more than 1 million members, garnered over 260 comments. Users speculated the killer’s weapon was a Station 6 pistol or an “exotic firearm called a B&T VP9.” Others focused on the backpack, calling it a “Peak Design Everyday Backpack 30L, Camera Bag.” On X, some users tried to chase leads on Citi Bike – New York’s bicycle rental system – for clues. One user posted details about a bike that seemed to have been the only one that left the area shortly after the shooting and headed toward Central Park. Police later told media outlets they believe that the killer likely used an unmarked e-bike, not a Citi Bike. Early Thursday, users examined another crumb: reports that the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were carved into the shell casings found at the scene. The words evoke the title of a 2010 book critical of the insurance industry titled “Delay Deny Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.” Those comments set off more chatter about the shooter’s motivation, ranging from an early 2024 federal investigation into the company to a lawsuit filed by a Florida pension fund alleging insider trading. Retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer on Thursday posted a 26-minute video on X laying out thoughts on the murder, saying the killer knew exactly where Thompson would be and when. “That just tells me there likely could be somebody on the inside, somebody that knew when he would be leaving,” she said. Coffindaffer did not respond to attempts to contact her on X or LinkedIn.iPhone fans predict release date of upcoming iOS 18 update in leaks from cellular provider