Dec 4 (Reuters) - Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth's (UNH.N) , opens new tab insurance unit, was fatally shot on Wednesday morning outside a midtown Manhattan hotel in what appears to have been a targeted attack, New York City police officials said.

The shooting occurred around 6:40 a.m. ET (1140 GMT) outside the Hilton on Sixth Avenue, just before a scheduled company investor conference at that hotel. Thompson was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Summary

Ekaterina Zhdanova, a Russian socialite turned entrepreneur, is accused of leading a massive money-laundering network, the Smart Group, which allegedly swaps Russian cryptocurrency for cash to help oligarchs, ransomware gangs, and criminals evade sanctions.

Operation Destabilise, involving U.S., UK, and European authorities, also targeted TGR Group, run by George Rossi, which integrates laundered funds into legitimate financial systems.

Both networks allegedly moved billions annually.

Investigators uncovered sophisticated methods, such as crypto layering and cash-for-crypto swaps linked to organized crime, Russian elites, and state entities like RT.

Authorities arrested 84 people, seized millions, and imposed sanctions, but some network components may remain active.

Summary

The Satanic Temple will launch a religious program, HAIL (Hellion Academy of Independent Learning), at Edgewood Elementary in Marysville, Ohio, offering an alternative to the evangelical LifeWise program.

LifeWise, part of a growing "release time" religious instruction trend, removes students weekly for Christian teachings.

Critics argue it alienates non-Christian students and raises concerns about religious pluralism in schools.

The Satanic Temple's HAIL program emphasizes empathy, pluralism, and critical thinking in its program, removing students monthly.

Remember this?

UnitedHealth uses AI model with 90% error rate to deny care, lawsuit alleges

https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/11/ai-with-90-error-rate-forces-elderly-out-of-rehab-nursing-homes-suit-claims/

Summary

Donald Trump is considering Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a replacement for embattled Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth faces wavering GOP Senate support due to past allegations of misconduct, including a 2017 sexual assault claim, which he denies.

DeSantis, a Navy veteran and former Trump rival in the 2024 presidential race, has reportedly spoken directly with Trump about the role.

Other contenders include Senators Joni Ernst and Bill Hagerty, along with Rep. Mike Waltz.

Summary

U.S. officials are urging Americans to use encrypted messaging apps like Signal and WhatsApp after a massive cyberespionage campaign, dubbed “Salt Typhoon,” targeted telecom giants AT&T, Verizon, and others.

Linked to Chinese hackers, the attack compromised call metadata, live phone calls, and sensitive surveillance systems used by law enforcement.

Officials warn the breach is unresolved and emphasize encryption to safeguard communications.

The hack is seen as a major intelligence-gathering effort rather than election interference.

Summary

Florida is set to receive nearly $1 billion in federal funds to replace lead service lines, despite lacking significant need, according to an EPA inspector general report.

The state falsely claimed to have 1.1 million lead pipes, a figure disputed by its own utilities.

Meanwhile, states like Illinois, with over 400,000 lead pipes in Chicago alone, are underfunded despite having far greater needs.

Critics urge the EPA to reallocate funds, as lead exposure causes severe health risks.

Summary

Two Democratic-appointed federal judges have unretired after the 2024 election, preventing Trump from appointing replacements.

The judges’ decisions were influenced by the Senate’s “blue slip” policy, which requires support from home-state senators for presidential nominees.

Republican leaders, including Mitch McConnell, have criticized the judges’ actions as partisan, while Democrats are rushing to confirm as many judges as possible before Trump takes office.

Summary

Neo-Nazi demonstrations in the U.S. are surging, with 34 rallies reported in 2024 across 16 states, up from 4 in 2021.

Groups like Blood Tribe and Hate Club 1488 increasingly use Nazi imagery and target immigrants, shifting from prior focus on drag shows and Pride events.

These extremists exploit Trump-era rhetoric and GOP anti-immigrant campaigns to normalize their ideas and recruit.

Ohio and Tennessee have become hotspots, with groups holding armed rallies and stoking fear in liberal cities.

Experts warn this rising visibility risks mainstreaming hate and escalating domestic terror threats.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/22758459

Crypto mogul hires LA Sheriffs to commit crimes for him.

Summary

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in US v. Skrmetti, challenging Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

Plaintiffs argue the law violates the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause by discriminating based on sex, while Tennessee defends it as protecting minors.

The decision, expected by June, could impact trans youth nationwide, as 26 states have enacted similar bans.

Medical experts and advocates oppose the law, citing evidence-based care’s benefits.

The conservative-leaning court’s ruling could set a pivotal precedent for trans rights and healthcare access.

Three current employees said his drinking remained a concern up until Trump announced him as his choice to run the Pentagon, at which point Hegseth left Fox.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened to pull funding from a children's hospital after a doctor went viral for telling patients they are not legally required to disclose their citizenship status.

Dr. Tony Pastor, an adult congenital cardiologist at Texas Children's Hospital and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, posted a video on TikTok, responding to Abbott's executive orderrequiring Texas public hospitals that accept Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Plan to report on health care for undocumented immigrants. The order was implemented Nov. 1.

Summary

Allexis Ferrell, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced to one year in prison for animal cruelty after killing a cat in Canton, Ohio.

The incident fueled baseless online rumors that Haitian immigrants were eating pets, which were later amplified by Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance, despite denials from local police.

The rumors falsely linked Ferrell to immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, home to a large Haitian community.

Authorities and media debunked the claims, highlighting how isolated incidents were manipulated into anti-immigrant narratives for political gain.