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Pentagon aide’s past comments criticized as antisemitic : NPR

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Members of Congress and Jewish civil rights organizations are criticizing the new deputy press secretary at the Department of Defense, Kingsley Wilson, for a series of online posts and past political commentary she made before joining the Trump administration.

Over the last several years, Wilson posted and commented prolifically on podcasts in her position at the right-wing think tank the Center for Renewing America. Wilson praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, promoted theories widely seen as antisemitic, excoriated Republicans in Congress who supported Ukraine, frequently used a slur for people with intellectual disabilities and also appeared to support political violence.

Now that Wilson is serving in the Pentagon, her comments have raised new scrutiny.

Amy Spitalnick, the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, told NPR Wilson’s hiring was “one of the more concerning examples I’ve seen over the last few months of extremists being given prominent roles in the federal government.”

Among Wilson’s comments that drew the toughest criticism were those regarding Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was lynched by an antisemitic mob in Georgia in 1915.

Historians widely believe that Frank was falsely accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl, and the state of Georgia granted Frank a posthumous pardon in 1986. But many antisemitic extremists continue to argue that Frank was guilty. In 2023, neo-Nazis protested the Broadway musical “Parade,” which dramatizes Frank’s trial and lynching.

“Leo Frank raped & murdered a 13-year-old girl. He also tried to frame a black man for his crime,” Wilson wrote in 2023. She repeated the same sentiment in a post last year.

Spitalnick said that Wilson’s comments about Frank are especially notable, because they so closely align with neo-Nazi talking points.

“This is something that is a deep cut in terms of the sorts of antisemitic ideas that neo-Nazis and others latch on to,” Spitalnick said. “So for someone who is now in a senior role in the federal government to have directly and explicitly engaged in this sort of conspiracy theory tells me that she is frequently trafficking in these neo-Nazi and other antisemitic spaces.”

“Anyone who posts antisemitic conspiracy theories lifted right out of the neo-Nazi playbook should not be in public office,” wrote the American Jewish Committee on X, calling Wilson “unfit” for her job.

Mother Jones and Jewish Insider first reported many of Wilson’s comments, including her stated belief in the “great replacement theory,” which the Anti-Defamation League describes as a “racist conspiracy theory” amplified by white nationalist groups. The “great replacement theory” poses that societal elites, often cast as Jewish leaders, are orchestrating mass migration to the United States in order to displace white people and seize power.

Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer told Politico that Wilson’s comments were “horrible” and “just not appropriate.”

Wilson is not the first Trump administration official whose online commentary has attracted criticism. Marko Elez, an employee working with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, resigned over racist posts he had written in recent years. “Normalize Indian hate,” one post read. “Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool,” Elez said in another.

Soon after his resignation, the Trump administration rehired Elez, who is 25 years old. Vice President JD Vance wrote, “I obviously disagree with some of Elez’s posts, but I don’t think stupid social media activity should ruin a kid’s life.”

Seen in that light, Wilson’s history of extreme rhetoric “should be shocking, but it’s certainly not surprising,” said Spitalnick, “because this administration has over and over again normalized platformed and emboldened extremism.”

The Department of Defense did not respond to NPR’s request for comment.

NPR has identified additional comments that raise questions about Wilson’s views and the Pentagon’s decision to hire her.

In a 2023 interview on the right-wing channel One America News, Wilson said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “should be arrested on sight for what he has done to the American taxpayer.”

By contrast, Wilson has praised Putin. Last year, Wilson touted Putin’s “encyclopedic knowledge of his people’s history,” calling it “beyond impressive.” At the same time, she has attacked U.S. intelligence services, which include her current employer, the Department of Defense.

“The American intelligence apparatus is more evil than Vladimir Putin,” Wilson posted in 2022, months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Wilson also criticized U.S. defense contractors for their role in providing military equipment for the Ukrainian war effort.

“The U.S. Military Industrial Complex genocided an entire generation of Ukrainian men because PUTIN BAD” she wrote in 2024.

Among Wilson’s other targets are Republican leaders in Congress.

In one podcast interview from 2024, she said House Speaker Mike Johnson was “weak-willed” and lacked “testicular fortitude,” because he supported U.S. aid to Ukraine, adding that continuing to provide military support was “an un-Christian thing to do.”

“Mini-Mike Johnson is an embarrassment,” she posted later that year.

“DEPORT Lindsey Graham & ship him to Ukraine!” she posted regarding the Republican U.S. Senator from South Carolina over his support for that country.

Wilson is 26 years old and comes from a political family. Her father is Steve Cortes, a former Trump campaign adviser. Like many young right-wing activists, she appears to have adopted a deliberately edgy and often trolling online persona. The Trump administration’s media strategy has also shunned mainstream news organizations, while embracing figures who were once on the fringe.

Over the course of several posts, Wilson used a slur for people with intellectual disabilities to attack former Vice President Kamala Harris, members of NATO and libertarians.

And she has seemed to justify political violence.

In the fall of 2022, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, a conservative, called for his supporters to “be peaceful” after he lost his reelection campaign.

Wilson responded online, “I’m so tired of being the ‘good guys.’ Our ancestors answered violence with violence.”

The following year, she wrote, “There can be virtue in violence.”

In other posts, she has expressed support for colonialism, the Confederacy of the United States and a belief that the U.S is based on “blood and soil.”

“Colonialism was a humanitarian venture,” Wilson wrote of Haiti in 2024.

Wilson called Confederate General Robert E. Lee, who fought to preserve slavery, “One of the greatest Americans to ever live.” She also praised “Pickett’s Charge,” an infantry assault by the Confederates during the battle of Gettysburg in 1863, as one of the most “daring” ever attempted.

In 2023, Wilson wrote that “America is quite literally based on blood and soil.”

According to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the phrase “blood and soil” was “an early Nazi slogan used in Germany to evoke the idea of a pure ‘Aryan’ race and the territory it wanted to conquer. The concept was foundational to Nazi ideology and its appeal.” Some white nationalists have since adopted the rhetoric of “blood and soil” to advocate for restricting immigration, and the slogan was used at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va.

Wilson has also frequently expressed opposition to immigration.

“American communities across the country are being conquered by an invading horde of Third World migrants,” Wilson wrote in 2024. “Foundational Americans, who were never asked or consulted, are being made strangers in their own country.”

“I think it’s totally fair for us as American citizens to say, ‘Not all cultures are equal. I recognize that some cultures don’t assimilate well into my culture. And I don’t want more of those people here,'” Wilson said on a right-wing podcast in 2024.



This story originally appeared on NPR

Two teens shot near James Monroe High School in North Hills

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Two teenagers were shot near James Monroe High School on Thursday morning after they were approached by five suspects at a bus stop, police said.

The shooting prompted the North Hills campus to go on lockdown as Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the scene.

The shooting was reported at 9:30 a.m. at a bus stop near Nordhoff Street and Orion Avenue, where two boys, between the ages of 15 and 16 years old, were waiting for a bus, said LAPD Officer Drake Madison.

The two victims were approached by five suspects and shot, Madison said.

The suspects were seen fleeing west from the scene, while the victims fled east.

The two teenagers were taken to a nearby hospital and are stable, Madison said.

The victims have been uncooperative in the investigation, he said, and a description of the suspects was not available.

Los Angeles Unified School District officials sent an alert to parents informing them of the lockdown, which has since been lifted.

“Los Angeles School Police was called to our campus after individuals off-campus sustained injuries,” the alert read. “Our campus is safe and open for instruction.”



This story originally appeared on LA Times

UFC 313 press conference video, LIVE stream updates | Pereira vs. Ankalaev

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LIVE: UFC 313 press conference video updates! Tune in TONIGHT (Thurs., March 6, 2025) at 8 p.m. ET in the embedded video above to watch the Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev-led media extravaganza in “Sin City,” held just two days in advance of the upcoming UFC 313 pay-per-view (PPV) on Sat. night (March 8) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Emceed by UFC CEO Dana White, the UFC 313 press conference is expected to feature a bevy of main card attractions, including Alex Pereira, Magomed Ankalaev, Justin Gaethje, and Rafael Fiziev, among others. Remember too, that we’ll have all the corresponding staredowns and face offs posted right here on MMAmania.com just as soon as today’s UFC 313 presser concludes.

“Originally, when I heard about this fight I was like, ‘this is is a tough matchup for Pereira’ — I still think it is a tough matchup,” former UFC featherweight champion, Alex Volkanovksi, said on YouTube. “But then the more and more I look into it and chat about it; Pereira, his takedown defense is getting better and better. Let’s remember his fight with Jan Blachowicz. He was able to stop takedowns, get back to his feet. Showed a lot of improvements in his takedown defense against a solid wrestler. Probably not as good as Ankalaev.”

“I think Ankalaev’s wrestling and grappling is going to be much better than Jan Blachowicz to be quite honest,” Volkanovski continued. “But I think Pereira’s confidence, [he has] an even better understanding of the grappling, takedown defense. All that sort of stuff. On the feet; Ankalaev, great fighter. Southpaw. Does some great things. Can look very effective on his feet, but Pereira is insanely good on the feet. I think it’s going to be hard to bet against Alex Pereira with just how things are going to be. That inside leg kick. I don’t know if you remember with Jan Blachowicz and Ankalaev, [Jan] was able to make a mess of Ankalaev’s lead leg. So obviously for Pereira to find that opportunity, it’s going to be there.”




LIVE! Watch UFC 313 PPV On ESPN+ Here!

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE TILT! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues its 2025 pay-per-view (PPV) schedule on Sat., March 8, 2025, with a high-stakes clash between 205-pound kingpin, Alex Pereira, defending his Light Heavyweight crown against formidable No. 1-ranked contender, Magomed Ankalaev, in the five-round main event. In UFC 313’s electrifying co-headliner from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lightweight fan-favorite and former interim champion, Justin Gaethje, will rematch the dynamic Rafael Fiziev in a three-round rematch, stepping in on short notice after Dan Hooker’s withdrawal due to injury. UFC 313 will also feature a hard-hitting Heavyweight battle between Curtis Blaydes and promotional newcomer, Rizvan Kuniev, alongside a Lightweight showdown with Jalin Turner facing Ignacio Bahamondes, and so much more! UFC 313’s start time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (“Prelims” undercard) and 10 p.m. ET (PPV main card).

Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 313 fight card right RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPNN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the UFC 313 PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 313: “Pereira vs. Ankalaev” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 313 fight card and PPV lineup click here.



This story originally appeared on MMA Mania

BBC doctor issues warning over eye twitching as co-host has condition

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BBC Morning Live’s Dr Punam Krishan has offered some advice to those experiencing eye twitching. The GP, who also graced the Strictly Come Dancing stage in 2024 with Gorka Márquez, was quizzed by co-hosts Gethin Jones and Sara Cox on a range of eye health topics.

However, it was Sara’s personal query that caught viewers’ attention. She asked: “So what about when you’ve been sitting there, you’ve had a long day and your eyes are twitching?” Jokingly adding: “Husband thinks I’m winking at him – he’s like, aye-aye!

“But actually it’s just twitchy eyes sadly. Why do they twitch?

“It’s weird, isnt it?” Responding, Dr Krishan explained: “Yeah, it is and yeah, lots of people can go: what’s going on?

“Now it’s an involuntary spasm of the muscles of your eyes. It’s nothing to panic about. It usually tends to go away.”

She then advised that lifestyle factors could be the cause, asking Sara: “Lifestyle factors are the first thing that I would normally question you about. Are you getting enough rest, Sara?

“Have you been drinking alcohol?” At this, Sara jokingly shook her head to say no. “Have you had too much coffee today?” continued the doctor.

“This kind of thing.” The doctor then highlighted the impact of stress and screen time on eye twitching. “That can actually really affect the twitching,” she said. “Are you stressed, are you worried about something?

“Are you spending too much time on your devices? This a very common cause.

“The eyes strain. So with that in mind, the treatment is to address these factors, you know, try to make sure that you are resting enough, that you are hydrated, that you are cutting down caffeine intake – you’re mindfully watching your stress levels.

“Just regular screenbreaks. All these things can make a difference.

“However, on occasion nutritional imbalances can also cause muscle twitches, so magnesium being a culprit. So if you are finding that you have tried all of this, you’ve addressed everything that I have talked about and it’s still twitching away, then speak to your GP.

“We would usually do blood tests and ascertain whether there’s another problem going on that we can solve.”

Gethin then asked what else we could do to look after our eyes.

Dr Punam said: “Regularly visit your opticians. The number of times I’ve asked my patients, when was the last time you visited your opticians?

“The thing, is we take our eyes for granted until there’s a problem with them. And that’s when we go, let me reverse or let me see what’s wrong.”

What does the NHS say about eye twitching?

According to the NHS website: “Twitches are common and very rarely a sign of anything serious. They often go away on their own, but see a GP if a twitch lasts more than 2 weeks.”

The NHS acknowledges that most people experience twitches occasionally.

Experts have highlighted that common factors such as guzzling caffeine or alcohol, stress and anxiety, as well as sheer exhaustion can lead to twitching. Certain medications may also play a role – it’s advised to check the side effects listed on your medication’s packaging or leaflet.

The site says: “Twitches can affect any part of the body. Twitches in the eyes or legs are particularly common. You may also have tingling or cramps (spasms) in the same area.”

It’s time to consult your GP if twitches persist longer than two weeks, crop up in multiple areas, or are accompanied by weakness or stiffness. Moreover, seek medical advice if you suspect your medication is the culprit behind the twitches.



This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk

The New Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card

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Scotiabank has officially launched the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card, a premium travel credit card designed for high-spending travellers who want a combination of strong earning rates, elevated perks, and no foreign transaction fees.

With a juicy welcome bonus, 10 complimentary airport lounge visits, and an annual travel credit, this card is positioned as one of the best premium fixed-value travel credit cards in Canada.

Let’s take a closer look at this card, and see how many features it boasts to help justify its $599 annual fee.

Welcome Bonus & Annual Fee

As an introductory welcome bonus, the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card is offering up to 80,000 Scene+ points, awarded in three stages:

  • 30,000 Scene+ points after spending $3,000 in the first three months.
  • 30,000 Scene+ points after spending $20,000 in the first six months.
  • 20,000 Scene+ points after making at least one purchase in the 14th month after account opening.

Since Scene+ points have a fixed value of 1 cent per point, this welcome bonus alone is worth up to $800.

The annual fee for the card is $599, and supplementary cards cost $199 per year. However, Scotiabank offers a $150 rebate on the annual fee for those who hold a Scotiabank Ultimate Package banking account.

While $800 in travel value sounds impressive, it’s important to note that maximizing the full bonus requires $20,000 in spending within the first six months — which isn’t feasible for everyone.

Earning Rates on Everyday Spending

The Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card offers offers solid earning rates for travel purchases, but there are also some noticeable gaps that make it less competitive than expected for everyday spending.

Here’s how you’ll earn Scene+ points on everyday spending:

  • 3 Scene+ points per dollar spent on all eligible travel purchases, such as flights, hotels, car rentals, trains, and cruises
  • 2 Scene+ points per dollar spent on dining and entertainment, making it a solid card for foodies and event-goers.
  • 1 Scene+ point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

The card is also marketed as offering up to 6 Scene+ points per dollar spent on eligible travel purchases, and at first glance, earning 6x Scene+ points on Scene+ Travel sounds great — but there’s a catch.

All Scene+ members earn 3 Scene+ points per dollar spent on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do booked via Scene+ Travel.

Earning 6x Scene+ points just means that you’ll earn 3x Scene+ points for eligible travel purchases from your credit card, as well as an additional 3x points on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do booked through Scene+ Travel.

Furthermore, this elevated earning rate only applies to bookings made through the Scene+ Travel portal, which means that you lose out on valuable loyalty benefits like elite status, points accumulation, and/or qualifying nights that you’d earn if you book directly with the hotel or car rental chain.

This is a major drawback, especially if you prefer to maximize your hotel and car rental loyalty program perks.

Hotel loyalty status benefits, such as suite upgrades, can be crucial for some travelers

Perhaps the most underwhelming aspect of this card is its baseline earning rate of just 1 Scene+ point per dollar spent on non-bonus categories.

Many other premium travel cards in Canada offer a baseline earning rate of 1.25 points per dollar spent, such as the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* (1.25 Aeroplan points per dollar spent) or the RBC® Avion Visa Infinite Privilege† (1.25 Avion points per dollar spent).

Redeeming Scene+ Points

One of the strongest features of the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card is the flexible redemption options offered with Scene+ points.

Unlike other fixed-value rewards programs in Canada that require you to book travel through in-house travel agencies, Scene+ points allow you to book any travel the way you want and apply your points later.

  • Points are worth 1 cent per point, meaning 10,000 points = $100 in travel redemptions.
  • Points can be redeemed for flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages, and more.
  • Redemptions can be made as a statement credit up to 12 months after the transaction date.
  • Scene+ points never expire as long as your account remains open.

This flexibility is especially useful for hotel bookings. Since you can book directly with the hotel chain, you can enjoy elite status perks, earn hotel points, and accumulate qualifying nights—something many other travel rewards programs don’t allow.

Perks & Benefits

One of the biggest advantages of this card is that it waives foreign transaction fees, making it an ideal travel credit card and for international purchases. While most Canadian credit cards charge a 2.5% markup on foreign transactions, this card processes purchases at the Visa mid-market exchange rate with no added fees.

The card also provides complimentary airport lounge access through the Visa Airport Companion Program, offering 10 free lounge visits per year at over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide.

A comfortable rest in an airport lounge can be incredibly valuable before a long flight

Other key benefits include:

  • $250 annual travel credit, which applies to flights, hotels, and vacation packages booked through Scene+ Travel.
  • Visa Infinite Privilege priority services, including priority check-in, priority security lanes, and expedited baggage handling at select Canadian airports.
  • Complimentary Avis® President’s Club membership, providing free car-class upgrades and priority service.
  • Exclusive hotel benefits, including VIP perks at Relais & Châteaux properties and the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection.

That said, the $250 travel credit is restricted to Scene+ Travel bookings, which isn’t ideal. A truly premium travel card should offer a travel credit that can be used directly with airlines or hotels, rather than limiting it to a specific booking portal.

A full list of benefits and card features can be found on the Scotiabank website.

Insurance Coverage

As a premium travel credit card, the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card includes comprehensive travel insurance:

  • Emergency medical insurance: Up to $5 million for trips up to 31 days (10 days for travellers aged 65+).
  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Up to $2,500 per person for trip cancellation and $5,000 per person for trip interruption.
  • Flight delay insurance: Up to $1,000 per person for delays over four hours.
  • Lost and delayed baggage insurance: Up to $1,000 per person.
  • Rental car collision and damage insurance: Covers vehicles with an MSRP of up to $85,000, eliminating the need for rental car insurance.
  • Mobile device insurance: Covers up to $1,000 for lost, stolen, or damaged smartphones and tablets.
  • Purchase security and extended warranty: Extends manufacturer warranties by up to two years and covers purchases against theft or damage for 180 days.

With this robust insurance package, the card offers peace of mind when traveling or making major purchases.

Should You Apply for the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card?

The Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card is an upgraded version of the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card, which has long been a favourite among Canadian travellers for its no foreign transaction fees and solid earning structure.

Compared to the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card, this Visa Infinite Privilege version offers higher earning rates on travel, more lounge visits, and stronger insurance coverage. However, despite being a premium card with a hefty $599 annual fee, some aspects of its earning structure fall short of expectations.

For frequent travellers who spend heavily on travel and dining, this card delivers excellent value through strong earning rates, premium benefits, and flexible redemptions.

The biggest advantages of the card include:

  • No foreign transaction fees, saving 2.5% on all foreign purchases.
  • 10 annual airport lounge visits, ideal for frequent flyers.
  • $250 annual travel credit, offsetting a good portion of the annual fee.
  • Strong insurance coverage, making it a great primary travel card.

However, there are a few drawbacks that can’t be ignored. It’s a bit surprising to see the lack of a grocery multiplier, a low baseline earning rate of 1 Scene+ point per dollar spent, and the travel credit being limited to Scene+ Travel make this card less competitive than it could be.

If your spending isn’t heavily concentrated on travel purchases, the mid-tier Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Card with an annual fee of $150 might actually be a better choice—offering no foreign transaction fees, six lounge visits, and strong multipliers on grocery, dining, entertainment, and transit.

Alternatively, the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card has excellent earning rates of up to 6 Scene+ points per dollar spent, depending on the category.

Conclusion

The Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card is an exciting new addition to the premium travel credit card market in Canada. It offers excellent perks for frequent travellers, but its earning structure could have been stronger given the high annual fee.

If you value high earning rate on travel purchases, no FX fees, and lounge access, this card is certainly worth considering.

However, for those who prioritize higher everyday earning rates, other cards like the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Card or the Scotiabank American Express® Gold Card may provide better overall value.



This story originally appeared on princeoftravel

‘Don’t Work at Anduril’ Recruitment Campaign Goes Viral

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Last month, it was announced that defense technology startup Anduril Industries will take over Microsoft’s $22 billion contract to make high-tech goggles for the U.S. Army. The company has also recently revealed other defense contracts in the $200 million range each.

Now, it needs employees to make it all happen.

Anduril, which was founded by Palmer Luckey (who created the Oculus VR and sold it for $2 billion to Facebook in 2014), has been targeting cities with large populations of young tech talent, like Boston, Atlanta, and Seattle, for its unconventional recruitment campaign.

The campaign says “Work at Anduril.com” with a “Don’t” placed over the top in a spray-painted, street-art-like font. The ads use various mediums around the cities, especially in key public transportation hubs. In Boston, for example, the ads look like graffiti on the T (Boston’s subway system).

Australian site Defence Connect called the campaign “kooky” and wrote that its staff initially thought the Anduril had been hacked. Last year, Anduril Australia announced it was building a manufacturing facility in the country, the outlet noted.

In response to the ads and their viral appeal, Anduril’s Vice President of Marketing Jeff Miller told the Boston Globe: “Anduril is not for everyone. That’s the point.”

The stunt has worked, at least on the mega job site, LinkedIn, where it has been posted about several times.

Anduril currently has 711 open positions on its website.

Related: Elon Musk’s xAI Is Reportedly Set to Hire Thousands of ‘AI Tutors’ With Pay Up to $65 an Hour




This story originally appeared on Entrepreneur

Harry Styles nearing deal for 35-show residency at James Dolan’s Las Vegas Sphere: sources

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Pop icon Harry Styles could soon bring his boa-clad act to the Las Vegas Strip — with an extended residency at James Dolan’s Sphere, The Post has learned.

The “Watermelon Sugar” singer and former One Direction member is in final negotiations to do as many as 35 shows at the state-of-the-art music mecca that could begin as early as the second half of the year, sources with knowledge of the talks said.

Booking the Grammy winner would be a major coup for The Sphere, after U2 opened the $2.3 billion arena in 2023 with its own 40-show residency.

Harry Styles is in final negotiations to do as many as 35 shows at the Las Vegas Sphere, sources told The Post. Getty Images for Coachella

“For the Sphere to continue to be on everyone’s radar they need to book some real “live” artists like Styles,” one source told The Post.

“Almost everything at the Sphere has been geared for the 60-and-over crowd — The Eagles and The Dead, and even U2.”

Dolan, who also owns Madison Square Garden and the Knicks and Rangers, had been close to nabbing Beyoncé before those talks fell through, The Post exclusively reported last year.

However, the sports and media mogul has a strong track record with Styles.

The British superstar performed 15 sold-out shows at the Garden in 2022 — leading Dolan to raise a banner in the rafters honoring the singer.

Another factor pointing to a likely reunion is that the singer is managed by Jeffrey Azoff, whose father, Irving, has a long relationship with Dolan. Irving Azoff’s acts include U2, as well as the Eagles and Dead & Co., which have all had residencies at the Sphere.

James Dolan lifted a Harry Styles banner to the rafters and hopes to have him at The Sphere. Charles Wenzelberg

Financial details for a possible deal with Styles were not available.

“We do not comment on any artists performing at Sphere except for those who have been announced,” a Sphere spokeswoman said.

Full Stop Management, which represents Styles, also declined to comment.

The “Watermelon Sugar” singer hasn’t been on tour since 2023. Getty Images for ABA

The Sphere paid U2 $10 million to produce their residency and Live Nation gave the band a guaranteed $4 million a show regardless of how many tickets were sold in the 17,500 seat arena.

U2 walked away with an estimated $170 million over the seven-month residency, The Post previously reported.

The venue typically makes less money from concerts than its daily run of movies, which include “Postcards from Earth” and “V-U2: An Immersive Concert Film.”

Country star Kenny Chesney will be the next big act to take the Sphere stage, doing 18 shows in May and June.

He’ll be followed by The Backstreet Boys for an 18-show run that ends on Aug. 17, according to the Sphere website.

Styles doesn’t have any upcoming tours scheduled. His “Love On Tour,” between 2022 and 2023, reportedly grossed $617 million.

He has remained largely out of the limelight following the tragic death last October of One Direction bandmate Liam Payne, who fell from the balcony of a third-story hotel room in Argentina.

Styles and his girlfriend reportedly did take in a U2 concert at the Sphere last November and he ran the Tokyo Marathon on Feb. 3.

Revenue at the arena was up 1% compared to last year, the company reported this week.

The futuristic venue has no acts booked after The Backstreet Boys end their run in August, according to its site. Sphere Entertainment/Mega

However, shares of Sphere Entertainment, which also includes MSG cable television network that broadcasts Knicks and Rangers games, are down 20% over the last 12 months.

The number of MSG Networks subscribers fell 11.5% in the quarter, Sphere reported.

The drop in subscribers came as Knicks and Rangers games were blacked out for six weeks by cable operator Optimum because of a contract dispute with MSGN.

Nicholas Hautman contributed reporting



This story originally appeared on NYPost

Sunny Hostin’s Dem prescription? No policy, just political theater!

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“The View” host Sunny Hostin was outraged — outraged! — that all Democrats didn’t walk out after self-righteous crank Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) got booted for yelling impotently during President Trump’s speech to Congress. 

Sadly, that would’ve been in line with the attitude most lefties are taking these days: Witness congressional Dems’ bizarre singing of “We Shall Overcome” on the floor of the House Thursday as Green was rightly censured.

“I expected the rest of his Democratic caucus, the rest of his colleagues, to walk out with him,” Hostin said Wednesday.

But … why? What would that have accomplished?

A seal-clap moment for journos at the New York Times — and nothing more. 

Hostin justifies this because Trump’s presidency so far “is not normal. It is a five-alarm fire.”  

Yet were that true, the literal last thing Democrats should be doing is walking out. 

They should be fighting like hell to block Trump’s agenda, doing everything they can to leverage the GOP’s super-narrow House minority and in general making their case on policy 24/7 to the American people.

Big, blubbering acts of theater will have literally zero effect; indeed, visible public abdications often empower opponents.

Same with the bingo-hall paddles various Democrats held up to (incoherently) criticize Trump during his speech. 

That should be obvious even to a witless racist like Hostin. 

November’s results show that Americans are tired of Democrats’ political theater: They want action on inflation, the border and crime — plus an end to woke social engineering.

They made this beyond clear at the voting booth, yet almost all Dem electeds are refusing to listen. 

Hence the paddles, Green’s election denial (he screamed at Trump, falsely, “You don’t have a mandate”), Hostin’s malarkey, Thursday’s syrupy singing and every other bit of empty rage.

The sad truth?

Dems are resorting to this theater-kid insanity because they have nothing beyond the same failed policies — and it’s easier to act out than do any real rethinking. 



This story originally appeared on NYPost

£10,000 invested in a FTSE 100 index fund in 2019 is now worth…

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Image source: Getty Images

The FTSE 100 is a rich hunting ground for elite UK shares. Conceived in Thatcher’s Britain, it quickly became the country’s leading stock market indicator. Today, it’s easy to gain broad FTSE 100 exposure via low-cost index funds.

But how has the Footsie performed compared to the S&P 500 recently? Should investors consider looking for individual stocks with the potential to outpace Britain’s premier benchmark?

Let’s explore.

Index returns

14 May 2019 was a big date for index investors. On this day, asset management giant Vanguard launched exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking the FTSE 100 and S&P 500.

Including dividend reinvestments, £10,000 put into Vanguard’s FTSE 100 UCITS ETF (VUKE) at its inception would be worth £15,065.21 today. That 50% gain looks decent at first glance!

However, there’s a fly in the ointment. Vanguard’s S&P 500 UCITS ETF (VUSA) significantly outperformed its UK counterpart, rising 133% over this time period.

Individuals who invested their cash in the US ETF would have £23,336 today. Those juicy compound gains add up over time.

Winds of change?

Despite shining on dividends, the UK index lacks cutting-edge growth shares. Technology stocks represent just 1% of the FTSE 100 ETF. That’s dwarfed by a 32.5% allocation for Vanguard’s US tracker.

Essentially, a tech boom stateside has powered a colossal bull run in US stocks, while homegrown equities have struggled to keep pace. It’s an uncomfortable dynamic for British investors to grapple with.

But fear not, FTSE 100 fans! I have some good news. Vanguard’s forecast for US stocks’ 10-year annualised return is just 3.9%. Regarding UK shares, anticipated gains are almost double at 6.7%.

Attractive valuations for British equities sit at the crux of the fund manager’s logic. The Footsie’s average price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 16.4 compares favourably to a 27.5 multiple for the S&P 500. Whether this is enough to stop the UK stock market’s relative decline remains to be seen.

A potential FTSE 100 gem

Index funds warrant a place in most portfolios, especially for those getting started in investing. However, it’s also worthwhile to consider individual FTSE 100 stocks, although this brings greater risks.

One that merits contemplation is 3i Group (LSE:III), a closed-ended investment fund focusing on private equity and infrastructure.

The 3i Group share price has advanced 316% in five years. These mighty gains can primarily be attributed to a single position accounting for 70% of the company’s portfolio, Dutch discount retailer Action.

This unlisted firm operates 2,750 stores across 12 European countries, selling low-cost household goods. With limited numbers of SKUs and spartan stores, Action aims to undercut supermarket competition by keeping overheads down. What’s more, 80% of products are priced under €5.

Growth has been spectacular, driven by Action’s aggressive expansion beyond Europe’s northern shores and its fast turnover strategy. 3i Group initially invested in the business in 2011 for €279m. That position was worth a whopping €17.1bn in December 2024.

However, I have some concerns. There’s an obvious concentration risk in 3i Group’s portfolio. That’s especially worrying if Action’s growth slows down. A reliance on constant expansion could cause problems if new store openings begin to wane.

That said, even if 3i Group’s a one-trick pony, its huge return on investment thus far must be admired.



This story originally appeared on Motley Fool

Tutu Atwell and Rams agree to terms on one-year, $10-million deal

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While the Rams continue their attempt to trade star receiver Cooper Kupp, they moved Thursday to make sure quarterback Matthew Stafford still has another familiar face to pass to.

The Rams have agreed to terms with pending free-agent receiver Tutu Atwell on a one-year contract that includes $10 million in salary and bonuses, a person with knowledge of the situation said Thursday. The person requested anonymity because the deal has not been finalized.

Atwell, 5 feet 9 inches and 165 pounds, was a surprise second-round draft pick in 2021. After a rough rookie season, the speedy and diminutive Atwell became a solid contributor in a receiver corps that eventually included Kupp, Puka Nacua and Demarcus Robinson.

Nacua supplanted Kupp, who struggled with injuries the last three seasons, as the No. 1 receiver in coach Sean McVay’s offense. He is expected to lead a unit that now includes Atwell, second-year pro Jordan Whittington and will grow during free agency and the draft.

Unless he is re-signed, Robinson will become a free agent Wednesday.

Kupp is due to earn $20 million in salary and bonuses this season, according to Overthecap.com. He is due to receive a $7.5-million bonus next week, so the Rams are working to trade him before that comes due.

“We’re working to try to find a partner and a next chapter for Cooper and ourselves,” general manager Les Snead said Wednesday.

Last season, Atwell had 42 catches for 562 yards, both career bests. He earned about $1.5 million in salary in 2024, according to Overthecap.com.

Atwell is the second pending free agent to re-sign with the Rams.

Left tackle Alaric Jackson received a three-year contract that includes $35 million in guarantees.



This story originally appeared on LA Times