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2025-01-10
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The United States called Monday for de-escalation in Syria, where an Islamist-led rebel alliance has wrested swathes of territory from the control of President Bashar al-Assad's government in a lightning offensive. The European Union also called on "all sides to de-escalate", while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "alarmed" by the violence and called for an immediate halt to the fighting. Syria has been at war since Assad cracked down on democracy protests in 2011. The conflict has since drawn in foreign powers and jihadists, and left 500,000 people dead. The conflict had been mostly dormant with Assad back in control of much of the country, until last week when the Islamist-led rebel alliance began its offensive. The attack has seen swathes of Syria fall to rebel control, including second city Aleppo for the first time since the start of the civil war. "We want to see all countries use their influence -- use their leverage -- to push for de-escalation, protection of civilians and ultimately, a political process forward," US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. In a statement issued by EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni, the European Union also called for de-escalation and the protection of civilians, while also condemning Assad backer Russia for conducting air strikes in his support. Russia first intervened directly in Syria's war in 2015 with strikes on rebel-held areas. Its help, along with that of Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, were instrumental in propping up Assad's rule. On Monday President Vladimir Putin and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian both pledged "unconditional support" for their ally, according to the Kremlin. Aleppo is home to two million people and saw fierce fighting earlier in the war. The Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies took the city at the weekend, except for neighbourhoods controlled by Kurdish forces, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. They also seized Aleppo International Airport. HTS, led by Al-Qaeda's former Syria branch, has faced accusations of human rights abuses including torturing detainees. Abu Sufyan, a rebel commander, told AFP: "God willing, we will continue, go into Damascus and liberate the rest of Syria." One Aleppo resident spoke of panic. "There were terrible traffic jams -- it took people 13 to 15 hours to reach Homs" in central Syria, which is under government control. Normally, he said, it would take a couple of hours. AFPTV footage showed rebels patrolling the streets, some burning a Syrian flag and others holding the flag of the revolution. On Monday, Assad branded the rebel offensive led by HTS an attempt to redraw the regional map in line with US interests. His comments came in a call with Iran's Pezeshkian, who in turn pledged continued support and said Iran hoped "Syria will pass through this stage with success and victory". On Monday, Syrian and Russian air raids on several areas of Idlib province in the northwest killed 11 civilians including five children, the Observatory said. "The strikes targeted... families living on the edge of a displacement camp," said Hussein Ahmed Khudur, a 45-year-old teacher who sought refuge at the camp from fighting in Aleppo province. Other strikes in Aleppo killed four civilians, two of them children, the Observatory said, adding that air raids also targeted a Christian-majority neighbourhood. AFPTV footage showed rebels pushing into Hama province in central Syria. Syria's defence ministry said troops were clashing with "terrorist organisations" in the northern Hama countryside. Islamist-led rebels killed six civilians on Monday in a rocket attack on the government-held city of Hama, the Observatory said. Aron Lund of the Century International think tank said a major question hangs over possible Turkish involvement. "I have a hard time imagining that Turkey-backed groups could launch a major rebel offensive out of Turkey-held areas without Turkey being very significantly involved," he said. "But I also don't think Turkey necessarily wanted the rebels to get this far." Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an end to the "instability" in Syria and an agreement to stop the civil war. On a visit to Ankara, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said it was crucial "to protect the achievements" of the so-called Astana process to end Syria's civil war, which involves Turkey, Russia and Iran. Several hours later, he said the respective foreign ministers would meet on the matter next weekend in Qatar. "We will try to activate this process again," he said. While the current fighting is rooted in a war that began more than a decade ago, much has changed since then. Millions of Syrians have been displaced, with about 5.5 million now in neighbouring countries. Most of those involved in the initial anti-Assad protests are either dead, in jail or in exile. Russia is at war in Ukraine, and Iran's militant allies Hezbollah and Hamas have been massively weakened by more than a year of conflict with Israel. Lebanon's Hezbollah played a key role in backing government forces particularly around Aleppo, but it withdrew from several positions to focus on fighting Israel. HTS and its allies launched their offensive on Wednesday, the day a Lebanon ceasefire began. The violence in Syria has killed 514 people, mostly combatants but also including 92 civilians, according to the Observatory. burs-srm-ser/smw
Tech billionaire Elon Musk spent at least $270 million to help Donald Trump win the US presidency, according to new federal filings, making him the country's biggest political donor. SpaceX and Tesla CEO Musk, the world's richest person, was an ardent supporter of Trump's White House campaign -- funneling money into door knocking operations and speaking at his rallies.
Elena Rybakina takes Kazakhstan past Spain in United Cup debutTehran will support Damascus in beating back the jihadist onslaught in Syria, as it represents a danger to the entire region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said. The al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) launched a surprise attack from its base in Idlib last week, violating a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Türkiye in 2020. HTS militants have taken the cities of Aleppo and Hama so far, displacing over 280,000 people. “The Takfiri terrorist groups have hatched a long-term plot to cause insecurity and violence in the region,” Araghchi said on Friday, after meeting his Iraqi and Syrian colleagues in Baghdad. “Our goal is to strengthen consultations and coordination in order to support the Syrian government and people,” he added. At the Baghdad meeting, Iran and Iraq pledged to coordinate policy on Syria.The crisis in Syria has a “clear impact” on Iraqi security and needs to be contained, said Iraq’s prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. “It is imperative that we stand united to protect Syria’s unity, sovereignty and the safety of its people,” Iraqi President Latif Rashid said. Earlier this week, Araghchi said that Tehran would consider an open military intervention in Syria should Damascus request it. Iran has already provided President Bashar Assad’s government with intelligence and satellite data, a senior official who wished to remain anonymous told Reuters on Friday. “It is likely that Tehran will need to send military equipment, missiles and drones to Syria,” an Iranian official added on condition of anonymity, noting that Iran has already “taken all necessary steps to increase the number of its military advisers in Syria and deploy troops.” Militants backed by the US and some regional powers launched an armed insurgency against Damascus in 2011. An al-Qaeda splinter used the conflict to declare itself ‘Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’ (ISIS) in 2014. The following year, Russia sent an expeditionary force to Syria at Assad’s request and helped the government beat back both ISIS and other militants. Iran and the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah also aided Damascus. Kurdish militias aided by the US helped defeat ISIS in northwestern Syria, but then refused to reunite with Damascus and kept control of the country’s farmland and oil deposits. Meanwhile, Türkiye intervened in 2017 to block the Syrian army from overrunning Idlib province, the last holdout of HTS. Ankara later pledged to support a political solution in Syria.
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By John Kemp , senior energy analyst at JKempEnergy Europe’s gas inventories have depleted at the fastest rate for eight years, as the region has experienced repeated bouts of colder-than-normal temperatures and low wind speeds since the start of the winter heating season. Combined inventories in underground storage across the European Union and the United Kingdom dropped by 83 terawatt-hours (TWh) between the official start of winter on October 1 and November 26. Stocks have fallen more than four times faster than the average over the last ten years, and by the most for any year since 2016, according to data from operators compiled by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). Inventories were still 58 TWh (+6% or +0.55 standard deviations) above the prior ten-year seasonal average on November 26, but the surplus had narrowed from 122 TWh (+13% or +1.38 standard deviations) at the start of winter. Storage facilities across the region were 87% full on average, sharply lower than 97% on the same date in 2023 and 94% in 2022. Northwest Europe has experienced a colder start to the winter this year , after exceptionally mild winters in 2023/24 and 2022/23, which has boosted heating demand. With the heating season now approaching the 20% mark, Frankfurt has experienced 377 heating degree days, close to the average for the last ten years, but many more than in 2023 (303) and 2022 (345). London has so far shivered through 327 heating degree days, the coldest start to the winter for five years, and well above the number in 2023 (268) and 2022 (219). While colder temperatures have boosted heating demand, wind speeds in the North Sea have been below normal, cutting generation from offshore wind farms and forcing more reliance on gas-fired units. Based on inventory movements over the last decade, EU and UK stocks are currently on course to end the winter around 468 TWh (with a likely range from 293 TWh to 573 TWh). The projected carryout is already much lower than the 532 TWh (with a likely range from 349 TWh to 718 TWh) when the winter began. On this course, inventories will end the winter almost 30% below record carryouts at the end of winter 2023/24 and 2022/23. TOUGHER REFILL SEASON Stocks are still comfortable but can no longer be described as plentiful and prices have risen to discourage consumption and attract more liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes to the region. Front-month futures prices on the Dutch Title Transfer Facility have averaged €44 per megawatt-hour so far in November up from €36 in September and just €26 in February. After adjusting for inflation, front-month prices in November are in the 87th percentile for all months since 2010 up from the 43rd percentile in February, signalling the need to conserve stocks and attract more supply. But the greatest futures price increases have been for deliveries after this winter ends, in the second and third quarters of 2025. Because of the much bigger depletion this winter, traders anticipate Europe will need to buy much more gas to refill its storage facilities in the summer of 2025 than was the case in the summers of 2024 and 2023. Futures prices for the summer of 2025 (April-September) have recently traded as much as €4 per megawatt-hour above those for the winter of 2025/26 (October-March). The unusual backwardation is a sign traders expect Europe will have to pay more next summer to refill storage and ensure stocks are back to a comfortable level ahead of winter 2025/26. Europe will have to attract more LNG cargoes away from the fast-growing gas markets in Asia next summer and that implies higher prices. In most seasonal commodity markets, the biggest risk of shortages comes not from a single disruption but repeated disruptions in successive years. Inventories are normally enough to absorb one unexpected supply disruption or demand shock but that will leave them depleted and poorly prepared in the event of a second disruption or shock. Europe’s major challenge is what would happen if winter 2024/25 remains colder-than-normal and is followed by another cold winter in 2025/26. To minimise that risk, depleted inventories will have to rebuilt during the summer of 2025, and traders are already betting that will prove expensive as Europe competes for more gas with fast-growing economies in Asia.The Edmonton Oilers have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL over the past five and a half weeks. Now, with the holiday break in the rearview mirror, they'll look to keep it going when they visit the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Back on Nov. 18, the Oilers were 9-8-2 after a 3-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. They rebounded the next night with a 5-2 win against the host Ottawa Senators, spurring their current 12-3-0 stretch. Most recently, they've won three in a row, including a 3-1 home victory against the Senators on Sunday. "I think we're in a good spot," goalie Stuart Skinner said after that contest. "We're finding ways to win games. We don't want to lose two in a row, and we've been doing a pretty good job of that lately. I think the way we've been playing in all ends of the ice has been pretty consistent." Edmonton scored 2.63 goals per game and allowed 3.16 goals through the first five weeks of the season. They've done a 180-degree flip, averaging 4.07 goals for while limiting opponents to an average of 2.33 from Nov. 19 and on. Special teams have also improved, with the power play going from 16.3 percent efficiency to 28.2 percent and the penalty kill from a 67.4 percent success rate up to 86.7 percent. A resurgent Zach Hyman has helped contribute to the Oilers' success. The 32-year-old has seven goals in a six-game goal streak and has 10 of his 13 on the season in nine games since returning from injury Dec. 5. "When you're feeling good, things are easier, things slow down," he said. "When you're not feeling good, everything seems fast. ... So much of hockey and sports are results-driven. And when you're not getting the results, you know that it's about the process and about getting your looks and getting your chances and being around it." The Kings, meanwhile, kick off a five-game homestand with Saturday's tilt, hoping to rebound following back-to-back losses in the finale of a seven-game road trip that spanned 13 days. Los Angeles has struggled slightly since posting a sixth straight win against the New York Islanders, dropping four of the six games that followed (2-2-2). Despite the average results on the trip, the Kings are just one point behind the Oilers for second place in the Pacific Division. "It's a pretty good trip," coach Jim Hiller said. "We would have liked points out of (a 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Sunday), but the trip itself was good. We played some pretty good hockey." The comforts of home could help fuel the team to get the results it missed out on during its road trip. Los Angeles has been one of the best home teams thus far, going 10-2-1 in 13 games. The Kings have won five straight as the hosts, with their last defeat coming on Nov. 20 against Buffalo. Defenseman Mikey Anderson has been stellar for the team on the back end in the absence of Drew Doughty, averaging a career-high 22:43 of ice time, a minute-plus more than his previous high set two seasons ago. "What an engine and he's really taking a step," Hiller said. "we've talked about that more than once. He's a really important player for us." --Field Level Media
Former UCF head coach Gus Malzahn hired as Florida State OCDespite Mary Lou McDonald’s confidence around shaping a coalition without Fine Gael and Fianna Fail – the two parties that have dominated the landscape of Irish politics for a century – the pathway to government for Sinn Fein still appears challenging. With counting following Friday’s election still in the relatively early stages – after an exit poll that showed the main three parties effectively neck-and-neck – there is some way to go before the final picture emerges and the options for government formation crystalise. Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader, Simon Harris, has dismissed talk of a Sinn Fein surge and said he was “cautiously optimistic” about where his party will stand after all the votes are counted. Meanwhile, Ireland’s deputy premier and Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin, insisted his party has a “very clear route back to government” as he predicted seat gains. The counting process could last days because of Ireland’s complex system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV), where candidates are ranked by preference. The leaders of the main three parties were all re-elected as TDs on Saturday evening, topping the polls in their respective constituencies. The early indications have turned the focus to the tricky arithmetic of government formation, as the country’s several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockey for a place in government. Ms McDonald told reporters at the RDS count centre in Dublin that she would be “very, very actively pursuing” the potential to form a government with other parties on the left of the political spectrum. The smaller, left-leaning parties in Ireland include the Social Democrats, the Irish Labour Party, the Green Party and People Before Profit-Solidarity. Ms McDonald said her party had delivered an “incredible performance” in the election. “I think it’s fair to say that we have now confirmed that we have broken the political mould here in this state,” she said. “Two party politics is now gone. It’s consigned to the dustbin of history and that, in itself, is very significant.” She added: “I am looking to bring about a government of change, and I’m going to go and look at all formulations. “If you want my bottom line, the idea of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for another five years, in our strong opinion, is not a good outcome for Irish society. “Obviously, I want to talk to other parties of the left and those that we share very significant policy objectives with. So I’m going to do that first and just hear their mind, hear their thinking. But be very clear, we will be very, very actively pursuing entrance into government.” In Friday night’s exit poll, Sinn Fein was predicted to take 21.1% of first-preference votes, narrowly ahead of outgoing coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21% and 19.5% respectively. Prior to the election, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael both ruled out entering government with Sinn Fein. Fine Gael leader Mr Harris rejected suggestions Sinn Fein had broken new ground. He told reporters in his count centre in Greystones, Co Wicklow: “Certainly we haven’t seen a Sinn Fein surge or anything like it. “I mean, it looks likely, on the figures that we’ve seen now, fewer people, many fewer people would have voted Sinn Fein in this election than the last one. “In fact, I think they’re down by around 5% and actually the parties, particularly the two parties, the two larger parties in government, are likely to receive significant support from the electorate. So definitely, politics in Ireland has gotten much more fragmented.” He said it was too early to tell what the next government would look like. “I think anybody who makes any suggestion about who is going to be the largest party or the construct of the next government, they’re a braver person than I am,” he said. “Our electoral system dictates that there’ll be many, many transfers that will go on for hours, if not days, before we know the final computations at all. “But what I am very confident about is that my party will have a very significant role to play in the years ahead, and I’m cautiously optimistic and excited.” Fianna Fail’s Mr Martin told reporters at a count centre in Cork he was confident that the numbers exist to form a government with parties that shared his political viewpoint. Mr Martin said it “remains to be seen” whether he would return to the role of Taoiseach – a position he held between 2020 and 2022 – but he expressed confidence his party would outperform the exit poll prediction. “It’s a bit too early yet to call the exact type of government that will be formed or the composition of the next government,” he said. “But I think there are, there will be a sufficiency of seats, it seems to me, that aligns with the core principles that I articulated at the outset of this campaign and throughout the campaign, around the pro-enterprise economy, around a positively pro-European position, a government that will strongly push for home ownership and around parties that are transparently democratic in how they conduct their affairs.” Asked if it would be in a coalition with Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Social Democrats, he said that would be “racing a bit too far ahead”. The final result may dictate that if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are to return to government, they may need more than one junior partner, or potentially the buy-in of several independent TDs. Mr Martin said it was unclear how quickly a government can be formed, as he predicted his party would gain new seats. “It will be challenging. This is not easy,” he added. The junior partner in the outgoing government – the Green Party – looks set for a bruising set of results. Green leader Roderic O’Gorman is in a fight to hold onto his seat, as are a number of party colleagues, including Media Minister Catherine Martin. “It’s clear the Green Party has not had a good day,” he said. The early counting also suggested potential trouble for Fianna Fail in Wicklow, where the party’s only candidate in the constituency, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, is considered to have a battle ahead, with the risk of losing his seat. Meanwhile, there is significant focus on independent candidate Gerard Hutch who, on Saturday evening, was sitting in fourth place in the four-seat constituency of Dublin Central. Last spring, Mr Hutch was found not guilty by the non-jury Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne, in one of the first deadly attacks of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud. Mr Byrne, 33, died after being shot six times at a crowded boxing weigh-in event at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. A Special Criminal Court judge described Mr Hutch, 61, as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation and said he had engaged in “serious criminal conduct”. The constituency will be closely watched as other hopefuls wait to see if transfers from eliminated candidates may eventually rule him out of contention. In the constituency of Louth, the much-criticised selection of John McGahon appeared not to have paid off for Fine Gael. The party’s campaign was beset by questioning over footage entering the public domain of the candidate engaged in a fight outside a pub in 2018. The Social Democrats have a strong chance of emerging as the largest of the smaller parties. The party’s leader, Holly Cairns, was already celebrating before a single vote was counted however, having announced the birth of her baby girl on polling day.
The United States called Monday for de-escalation in Syria, where an Islamist-led rebel alliance has wrested swathes of territory from the control of President Bashar al-Assad's government in a lightning offensive. The European Union also called on "all sides to de-escalate", while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "alarmed" by the violence and called for an immediate halt to the fighting. Syria has been at war since Assad cracked down on democracy protests in 2011. The conflict has since drawn in foreign powers and jihadists, and left 500,000 people dead. The conflict had been mostly dormant with Assad back in control of much of the country, until last week when the Islamist-led rebel alliance began its offensive. The attack has seen swathes of Syria fall to rebel control, including second city Aleppo for the first time since the start of the civil war. "We want to see all countries use their influence -- use their leverage -- to push for de-escalation, protection of civilians and ultimately, a political process forward," US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. In a statement issued by EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni, the European Union also called for de-escalation and the protection of civilians, while also condemning Assad backer Russia for conducting air strikes in his support. Russia first intervened directly in Syria's war in 2015 with strikes on rebel-held areas. Its help, along with that of Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, were instrumental in propping up Assad's rule. On Monday President Vladimir Putin and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian both pledged "unconditional support" for their ally, according to the Kremlin. Aleppo is home to two million people and saw fierce fighting earlier in the war. The Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies took the city at the weekend, except for neighbourhoods controlled by Kurdish forces, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. They also seized Aleppo International Airport. HTS, led by Al-Qaeda's former Syria branch, has faced accusations of human rights abuses including torturing detainees. Abu Sufyan, a rebel commander, told AFP: "God willing, we will continue, go into Damascus and liberate the rest of Syria." One Aleppo resident spoke of panic. "There were terrible traffic jams -- it took people 13 to 15 hours to reach Homs" in central Syria, which is under government control. Normally, he said, it would take a couple of hours. AFPTV footage showed rebels patrolling the streets, some burning a Syrian flag and others holding the flag of the revolution. On Monday, Assad branded the rebel offensive led by HTS an attempt to redraw the regional map in line with US interests. His comments came in a call with Iran's Pezeshkian, who in turn pledged continued support and said Iran hoped "Syria will pass through this stage with success and victory". On Monday, Syrian and Russian air raids on several areas of Idlib province in the northwest killed 11 civilians including five children, the Observatory said. "The strikes targeted... families living on the edge of a displacement camp," said Hussein Ahmed Khudur, a 45-year-old teacher who sought refuge at the camp from fighting in Aleppo province. Other strikes in Aleppo killed four civilians, two of them children, the Observatory said, adding that air raids also targeted a Christian-majority neighbourhood. AFPTV footage showed rebels pushing into Hama province in central Syria. Syria's defence ministry said troops were clashing with "terrorist organisations" in the northern Hama countryside. Islamist-led rebels killed six civilians on Monday in a rocket attack on the government-held city of Hama, the Observatory said. Aron Lund of the Century International think tank said a major question hangs over possible Turkish involvement. "I have a hard time imagining that Turkey-backed groups could launch a major rebel offensive out of Turkey-held areas without Turkey being very significantly involved," he said. "But I also don't think Turkey necessarily wanted the rebels to get this far." Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an end to the "instability" in Syria and an agreement to stop the civil war. On a visit to Ankara, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said it was crucial "to protect the achievements" of the so-called Astana process to end Syria's civil war, which involves Turkey, Russia and Iran. Several hours later, he said the respective foreign ministers would meet on the matter next weekend in Qatar. "We will try to activate this process again," he said. While the current fighting is rooted in a war that began more than a decade ago, much has changed since then. Millions of Syrians have been displaced, with about 5.5 million now in neighbouring countries. Most of those involved in the initial anti-Assad protests are either dead, in jail or in exile. Russia is at war in Ukraine, and Iran's militant allies Hezbollah and Hamas have been massively weakened by more than a year of conflict with Israel. Lebanon's Hezbollah played a key role in backing government forces particularly around Aleppo, but it withdrew from several positions to focus on fighting Israel. HTS and its allies launched their offensive on Wednesday, the day a Lebanon ceasefire began. The violence in Syria has killed 514 people, mostly combatants but also including 92 civilians, according to the Observatory. burs-srm-ser/smw
Sinn Fein actively pursuing route into government, insists leader McDonald
The TOI Entertainment Desk is a dynamic and dedicated team of journalists, working tirelessly to bring the pulse of the entertainment world straight to the readers of The Times of India. No red carpet goes unrolled, no stage goes dark - our team spans the globe, bringing you the latest scoops and insider insights from Bollywood to Hollywood, and every entertainment hotspot in between. We don't just report; we tell tales of stardom and stories untold. Whether it's the rise of a new sensation or the seasoned journey of an industry veteran, the TOI Entertainment Desk is your front-row seat to the fascinating narratives that shape the entertainment landscape. Beyond the breaking news, we present a celebration of culture. We explore the intersections of entertainment with society, politics, and everyday life. Read More Shriya Saran stuns in a stunning display of ethnic wear How to make Kashmiri-style Methi Mutton at home 8 plant milks and how to consume them Shriya Pilgaonkar's stunning look commands all eyes Remembering RJ Simran Singh: The girl next door with timeless style How to make spicy Chicken Seek Kebabs at home Is your partner manipulative? How to know 10 Vedic baby names after Indian sages 10 Gen Z words that became popular in 2024 and what do they mean
The gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Here's the latest: The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity. A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . ▶ Read more about the search for the gunman In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. ▶ Read more about how companies protect their leaders Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. — Mike Balsamo Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations. The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday. “The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.” Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution. The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event. “All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.” Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage. The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said. But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter. “We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX. Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said. Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled. The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. ▶ Read more about the steps companies take to protect their leadership Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.
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