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strat roulette NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets wanted Juan Soto to know his future with them could be set in stone. When the free agent outfielder traveled to owner Steve Cohen's house in Beverly Hills, California, for a presentation last month, the team unveiled a video that included an image of a future Soto statue outside Citi Field, next to the one erected of franchise great Tom Seaver . “Everything that they showed me, what they have, what they want to do, it was incredible,” Soto said. “But my favorite part was the video.” Soto was introduced at Citi Field on Thursday, a day after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized. Speaking in the Piazza 31 Club, he was flanked by Mets owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns and agent Scott Boras. Security men in gray suits wearing earpieces were off to the side. The slugger walked in led by Boras, wearing a dark suit, black turtle neck shirt and gold chain with his No. 22. Soto picked the Mets over the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. His deal includes a luxury suite and four premium tickets for home games , all for free, and personal team security for the four-time All-Star and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games. “My family is really important for me. Without them, I probably wouldn't have been here,” Soto said. “It's one of the biggest things.” Boras had asked for those sweeteners. “We included it at the beginning," Cohen said. “He made a request and we were happy to provide.” The crosstown Yankees, who reached the World Series for the first time since 2009 in part because of Soto, refused to consider the concept. “Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites, they buy them,” general manager Brian Cashman said. Cohen purchased the Mets ahead of the 2021 season and has boosted them to baseball's highest payroll in search of the team's first title since 1986 — when the World Series MVP, like Soto, wore No. 22 — Ray Knight. The owner thanked his son, Josh, for helping create the video and commended his 93-year-old father-in-law Ralph for attending the first get-together with Soto. While other teams met Soto at the Pendry Newport Beach, a hotel just a five-minute drive from Boras Corp.'s office, Cohen asked to host the session at one of his homes. “If we’re going to some restaurant, I didn’t know what the atmosphere would be,” Cohen said. “Food's better at my house.” Cohen and Soto met again Friday at another of the owner's homes in Boca Raton, Florida. Soto wanted to know how many championships Cohen expects over the next decade? “I said I’d like to win two to four,” the owner recalled. The value of Soto's contract eclipsed Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Its length topped Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million, 14-year agreement with San Diego that runs through 2034. The 26-year-old Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks this year and has a .285 career average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks over seven seasons with Washington, San Diego and the Yankees. Boras wouldn't discuss who finished second in the bidding in Soto's mind. “When you’re at a wedding, you don’t talk about the bridesmaids," he said. Soto made the decision Sunday while at home with his family. Boras referred to the group as the “Soto Supreme Court" defined as “mother, sister, father — he’s got a wide group. I think he may have eight or nine uncles.” “My information requests and such were rather unique,” Boras said, detailing that his team asked for OPS by ballpark. Soto's 1.175 at Citi Field is his highest at any stadium where he's played 15 or more games. Soto cited Cohen's relationship with Mets stars Francisco Lindor and Edwin Díaz as a factor in his mind. “They are kind of like (a tight) family, a family that wants to win but they definitely want to take care of their players and their families,” Soto said. Cohen had his wife Alex and father-in-law attend the initial meeting to emphasize kinship. “My father-in-law is at every game, every home game,” Cohen said. “I wanted him to see how important baseball is to this family. And Alex grew up with one TV in an apartment and that Met game was on every night.” Cohen relishes owning the Mets. He spoke earlier in the day to a town hall at his hedge fund. “Whenever you meet somebody, they want to talk about the Mets before they talk about financial markets,” he said. Soto's success will be determined by World Series titles. The Yankees have 27, the Mets two. “It's such a big city, right? There's plenty of room for both of us,” Cohen said. Soto had a more direct definition. "Championships is going to tell you if it's a Yankees or Mets town at the end of the day," he said. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb Ronald Blum, The Associated Press

Controversy Over Presidential Pardon: The Case of Hunter BidenInteractive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR), an automated global electronic broker, has introduced significant enhancements to its web-based Advisor Portal , bringing advanced trading and portfolio management tools to financial advisors worldwide. These updates streamline client account management and trading by integrating powerful features from the company’s flagship desktop platform into its web-based offering. The latest enhancements include tools like Portfolio View, Allocation, Rebalance, and Tax Loss Harvesting, all designed to help advisors optimize client portfolios efficiently. Additionally, US-based advisors can now access the AI Commentary Generator, a cutting-edge generative AI tool that simplifies the creation of custom portfolio performance reports and market commentary. “Our web-based Advisor Portal is now more powerful than ever, offering advisors the same robust trading and portfolio management experience they’ve come to expect from our desktop platform,” said Steve Sanders, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Product Development . “With tools like the AI-powered Commentary Generator, we’re empowering advisors to save time, deliver value, and focus on what matters most: their clients.” Advisor Portal gives financial advisors web-based access to Interactive Brokers’ technology and other resources at no charge, including: PortfolioAnalyst® , a client relationship management (CRM) dashboard, activity statements, QuickTrade, Investors’ Marketplace and more. The latest enhancements bring industry-leading trading tools from its Trader Workstation desktop platform to the web-based portal: Introducing the AI Commentary Generator US-based financial advisors can easily create custom portfolio performance reports and market commentary using the AI Commentary Generator, a new generative AI-enabled tool available through the Advisor Portal. The AI Commentary Generator is integrated with PortfolioAnalyst reporting and is designed to help – not replace – advisors with client portfolio performance reporting, market updates and ticker-specific news. By combing through dozens of sources and citing them for the advisor’s convenience, the AI Commentary Generator conducts research in seconds that would otherwise take hours to complete. The AI Commentary Generator provides four sections of content: Interactive Brokers’ free portfolio management offering, PortfolioAnalyst, offers a unified and holistic view of client accounts plus an extensive selection of reporting and analytics content. It enables advisors to consolidate their clients’ finances from over 15,000 financial institutions, assess client portfolios and simplify investment decision-making. “We’re excited about our clients’ early response to the AI Commentary Generator in the US and look forward to rolling it out to advisors worldwide,” said Sanders. “Interactive Brokers is always looking for new ways to apply innovation and automation to help advisors everywhere be more efficient and more engaged with their clients.”

Dynamis Capital PTE Ltd. has recently completed the acquisition of several ship financing transactions from Fleetscape Capital Ltd. (“Fleetscape”), a company owned by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (“Oaktree”), for an undisclosed sum. As part of the transaction, Fredrik Ulstein and Kaizad Doctor, previously with Oaktree, have transitioned to lead Dynamis Management PTE Ltd.. Fleetscape was founded in 2017 by Oaktree as a provider of alternative capital solutions to the maritime industry. Dynamis Capital PTE Ltd. is a Singapore-based company, with subsidiaries that currently own more than 20 vessels across various segments. The company is committed to the ongoing leasing of commercial maritime vessels, with a particular focus on supporting ship operators who are actively engaged in the industry’s energy transition. Dynamis Capital is part of the Quantum Pacific Group, an international group of businesses that includes significant interests in a broad range of industries globally. Companies associated with the group hold significant interests in, among other holdings, international shipping, chemicals, power generation and sports. DNB Markets and Crédit Agricole served as advisors to Oaktree on the transaction.” Quantum Pacific has extensive experience in the ship leasing sector, which is a key component of its broader investment strategy. The company has been considering the creation of a standalone ship leasing platform for some time, and this initiative aligns perfectly with Oaktree’s sale process of Fleetscape We are eager to leverage the investment team’s expertise in maritime finance and its systematic investment processes, with a strong focus on analytics and downside protection Dynamis Capital’s strategy is closely aligned with that of Quantum Pacific and Eastern Pacific Shipping, particularly in actively contributing to the decarbonization of the maritime industry and addressing the growing demand for modern vessels equipped with green propulsion technology. “We are excited to embark on this new venture with Dynamis Capital and believe that Quantum Pacific is the perfect partner for this journey. By combining Fleetscape’s expertise in structuring bespoke financing solutions with Quantum Pacific’s proven track record in forging successful partnerships, we are confident that Dynamis Capital is well-positioned for success. Combining the acquired Fleetscape transactions with the existing leasing portfolio contributed by Quantum Pacific is a key step in scaling our operations, which is vital in our industry,” commented Fredrik Ulstein. “Dynamis Capital is an asset backed private credit platform offering superior risk adjusted returns with the added advantage of being de-correlated from the liquid investable segments. Dynamis Capital will operate as an independent entity under Quantum Pacific, but we see tremendous synergies across the broader platform. We plan to leverage their expertise and network to further strengthen the platform. Our ultimate goal is to become a leading, long-term provider of alternative financing solutions for the maritime industry,” added Kaizad Doctor. Guillaume Bayol, Managing Director at Oaktree, said: “Dynamis has acquired a leading platform led by an experienced team together with a high-quality loan portfolio with reputable customers. We wish Fredrik, Kaizad and the rest of the team the best as they embark on this new chapter.” Oaktree was advised by DNB Markets and Crédit Agricole in relation to the transaction. Source: Dynamis Capital PTE Ltd.Several times following New England’s 24-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said he wanted to review the game film before making a final assessment of his team’s performance. He did, and on Monday he said the overarching feeling he was left with was one of pride. Going toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the NFL is commendable. Mayo also remains confident this group has even more room for growth over its final two games this season. “To be frank, I don’t believe in good losses,” Mayo said. “I think there’s a lot to learn from the game. Look, we’re headed in the right direction, but it’s all about consistency, and we have to do that on a down-after-down, a game-after-game basis to be successful in this league.” What is also clear is that despite their 3-12 record, Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye wants people to know that he and his teammates believe in their coach. No matter what conversations might be going on outside the Patriots locker room regarding shortcomings by the coaching staff, or Mayo’s job status. “We’ve got his back, and he’s coached us hard. He wants to win. We all want to win. We’re all frustrated,” Maye said. “We’re just plays away, and it’s basically me turning the ball over. I think it’s just a testament to these guys that keep fighting. We keep fighting. Shoot, we’re not going to make the playoffs; we’re out of the race, and these guys are coming in, frustrated when we don’t score. ... So, I think we’re building something good, building something that feels right here, and I’m proud to be a Patriot.” The Patriots entered the week scoring only 7.5 points per game in the first half this season, which ranked 29th in the NFL. The offense woke up with 14 points in the first half on Sunday, notching multiple offensive touchdowns in the first half for the first time in 2024. Stopping the run has been an issue for New England’s defense for most of the season and it was on display against the Bills. With Buffalo trailing 14-0 in the second quarter, running back James Cook sliced through the interior of the Patriots defense and broke free for a 46-yard TD run. It was a big chunk of Buffalo’s 172 yards on the ground for the game. CB Jonathan Jones. He was tasked with being the primary defender on Buffalo’s top receiver Khalil Shakir for most of the game. The veteran held his own, helping limit the Bills’ leader in catches and receiving yards to only two catches for 22 yards on six targets. Jones also forced a fumble by Shakir in the fourth quarter, though Shakir was able to recover it. Marte Mapu. The linebacker started at safety with Jabrill Peppers sidelined with a hamstring injury. Mapu was strong for most of the game and had a chance to set up the Patriots offense in the second quarter when he snagged his second career interception, picking off Josh Allen’s pass in the end zone. But Mapu decided to run the ball out of the end zone and was tackled on the New England 1-yard line. The poor starting field position eventually led to a punt and the Patriots couldn’t add to their 14-7 lead. The Patriots didn’t announce any injuries during the game. But along with Peppers, cornerback Marcus Jones also sat out with a hip injury. 2-6 — The Patriots’ record in one-score games this season. Four of those have been by three or fewer points. The Patriots host the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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NEW YORK — There's a Christmas Day basketball game at Walt Disney World, featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Wemby. An animated game, anyway. The real game takes place at Madison Square Garden, where Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs face the New York Knicks in a game televised on ABC and ESPN and streamed on Disney+ and ESPN+. The special alt-cast, the first animated presentation of an NBA game, will be shown on ESPN2 and also stream on Disney+ and ESPN+. Madison Square Garden is a staple of the NBA's Christmas schedule. Now it merges with a bigger home of the holidays, because the "Dunk the Halls" game will be staged at Disney, on a court set up right smack in the middle of where countless families have posed for vacation photos. Why that location? Because it was Mickey Mouse's Christmas wish. "Basketball courts often have the ability to make a normal environment look special, but in Disney it can only turn out incredible," Wembanyama said in an ESPN video promoting his Christmas debut. The story — this is Disney, after all — begins with Mickey penning a letter to Santa Claus, asking if he and his pals can host a basketball game. They'll not only get to watch one with NBA players, but some of them will even get to play. Goofy and Donald Duck will sub in for a couple Knicks players, while Mickey and Minnie Mouse will come on to play for the Spurs. "It looks to me like Goofy and Jalen Brunson have a really good pick-and-roll at the elite level," said Phil Orlins, an ESPN vice president of production. Walt Disney World hosted real NBA games in 2020, when the league set up there to complete its season that had been suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those games were played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. The setting for the Christmas game will be Main Street USA, at the entrance of the Magic Kingdom. Viewers will recognize Cinderella's castle behind one baseline and the train station at the other end, and perhaps some shops they have visited in between. Previous alternate animated broadcasts included an NFL game taking place in Andy's room from "Toy Story;" the "NHL Big City Greens Classic" during a game between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers; and earlier this month, another NFL matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys also taking place at Springfield's Atoms Stadium as part of "The Simpsons Funday Football." Unlike basketball, the players are helmeted in those sports. So, this telecast required an extra level of detail and cooperation with players and teams to create accurate appearances of their faces and hairstyles. "So, this is a level of detail that we've never gone, that we've never done on any other broadcast," said David Sparrgrove, the senior director of creative animation for ESPN. Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 phenom from France who was last season's NBA Rookie of the Year, looks huge even among most NBA players. The creators of the alternate telecast had to design how he'd look not only among his teammates and rivals, but among mice, ducks and chipmunks. "Like, Victor Wembanyama, seeing him in person is insane. It's like seeing an alien descend on a basketball court, and I think we kind of captured that in his animated character," said Drew Carter, who will again handle play-by-play duties, as he had in the previous animated telecasts, and will get an assist from sideline reporter Daisy Duck. Wembanyama's presence is one reason the Spurs-Knicks matchup, the leadoff to the NBA's five-game Christmas slate, was the obvious choice to do the animated telecast. The noon EST start means it will begin in the early evening in France and should draw well there. Also, it comes after ABC televises the "Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade" for the previous two hours, providing more time to hype the broadcast. Recognizing that some viewers who then switch over to the animated game may be Disney experts but NBA novices, there will be 10 educational explainers to help with basketball lingo and rules. Beyond Sports' visualization technology and Sony's Hawk-Eye tracking allow the animated players to make the same movements and plays made moments earlier by the real ones at MSG. Carter and analyst Monica McNutt will be animated in the style of the telecast, donning VR headsets to experience the game from Main Street, USA. Other animated faces recognizable to some viewers include NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who will judge a halftime dunk contest among Mickey and his friends, and Santa himself, who will operate ESPN's "SkyCam" during the game. The players are curious how the production — and themselves — will look. "It's going to be so crazy to see the game animated," Spurs veteran Chris Paul said. "I think what's dope about it is it will give kids another opportunity to watch a game and to see us, basically, as characters." Get local news delivered to your inbox!He’s Person Of The Year, again! But Trump’s most powerful years are ahead

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NEW YORK >> Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man charged with murder in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, pleaded not guilty today as he was arraigned in New York state Supreme Court. The Manhattan district attorney’s office has charged Mangione with first-degree murder, as well as two variations of second-degree murder and weapons charges. He faces the possibility of life in prison without parole on those charges. Mangione also faces federal charges that could result in the death penalty: The Southern District of New York charged him with murder through use of a firearm, as well as two stalking counts and a firearms offense. He pleaded not guilty to those charges last week. State prosecutors said in court filings that Mangione’s actions were meant to further terrorism and were “intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population” and to “affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder.” Appearing in court today, his lawyer argued that his case had been politicized and expressed concern that he would not receive a fair trial. The state case is expected to go to trial before the federal one, said Edward Y. Kim, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District, and state prosecutors said they would coordinate with federal agencies. Mangione entered the courtroom for his arraignment today wearing a maroon sweater and light-colored pants. His wrists and ankles were shackled. During the hearing, his lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, told the judge she was concerned about her client’s right to a fair trial. “His rights are being violated,” she said. “He’s a young man, and he is being treated like a human pingpong ball between two warring jurisdictions,” she said, pointing to the federal and state cases and their differing arguments. She also described Mangione’s perp walk after he was extradited to New York last week, during which he was accompanied by Mayor Eric Adams, as “absolutely unnecessary” and “utterly political.” “What was the New York City mayor doing at this press conference?” she asked, adding that Adams, who faces bribery and fraud charges, “should know more than anyone about the presumption of innocence.” She pointed to a number of statements Adams had made publicly about the case, including that he wanted to look Mangione in the eye and say “you carried out this terroristic act in my city.” Friedman Agnifilo noted that he had not used the word “alleged,” and that his statements could be heard by “future, potential jurors.” Judge Gregory Carro responded that he had little control over what happened outside the courtroom but that he would guarantee that Mangione would receive a fair trial. “We will carefully select the jury,” Carro said. Joel J. Seidemann, a prosecutor, took issue with the decision to repeat Adams’ words in court. “I don’t know how that advances the ball,” he said. “We will comply with our ethical obligations with respect to trying this defendant’s guilt in this courtroom, in this courtroom alone.” Mangione’s next appearance in state court is scheduled for Feb. 21. The killing of CEO Brian Thompson renewed a debate about the American health care system. Many took to social media to voice their frustrations in their dealings with insurance companies and their practices of denying claims. Mangione became, to some, a folk hero. Spectators had gathered on the street in 11-degree weather by 6 a.m., hoping to get into the courtroom. A small group of protesters could be seen outside before the hearing began, and it had grown slightly by the time it was over. Some of them chanted, “Free Luigi!” One protester, Nicholas Zamudio, 33, held a sign that read: “United States Healthcare Stole My Livelihood. Prosecute Malicious Profiteers.” Zamudio, who lives in midtown Manhattan, described his experiences with the health care system as “atrocious” and said that the day Thompson was killed had been “a good day.” Zamudio said he had had spinal fusion surgery for back problems and could not afford the injections and other treatments he needed after the operation. He pointed to how Mangione had written in Reddit posts about his own experience with spinal fusion surgery and his painful back issues. “When he writes about things like not being able to lay down, not being able to sleep, that part resonates with me,” Zamudio said, adding that sometimes he can only sleep two to three hours a night. “You start losing your mind when that happens.” Thompson was walking to the entrance of a Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan on the morning of Dec. 4 for an investor meeting when a masked and hooded gunman opened fire behind him. He was shot once in the back and once in the leg. Authorities have said it was Mangione who waited nearly an hour outside the hotel that morning and raised a 3D-printed 9 mm handgun fitted with a suppressor, known in generic terms as a silencer, and fired at Thompson. Mangione was arrested after a five-day search. He was spotted eating hash browns at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, by a fellow customer who remarked to a friend that he looked like the person in photos that had been released by the New York Police Department. An employee overheard the conversation and alerted police. He was found with a handgun, a suppressor, ammunition and a fake identification card, as well as a 262-word handwritten manifesto in which he appeared to take responsibility for the shooting, authorities said. The manifesto also indicated that he saw the killing as a direct challenge to the health care industry’s “corruption” and “power games.” Mangione also faces five charges in Pennsylvania, including carrying a gun without a license, forgery, falsely identifying himself to authorities and possessing “instruments of crime,” according to a criminal complaint. This article originally appeared in The New York Times . © 2024 The New York Times CompanySeahawks have taken a bumpy path to first place in the NFC West