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The vigorous Venezuelan opposition movement that could have dethroned Nicolás Maduro in this year’s presidential election has evaporated. About 100 leaders and many more activists from the Plataforma Unitaria have fled the country since Maduro unleashed an intense wave of repression after his disputed victory on July 28. Edmundo González Urrutia, now called president-elect by the United States, fled to Spain in September. Popular opposition leader María Corina Machado has been in hiding since early August, supposedly within Venezuelan borders, although the government says she is in Colombia. All this is because Maduro has made his enemies fear for their lives. The homes of his detractors were spray-painted with the letter X and visited by security force agents in the framework of the so-called “Tun-Tun” operation. At least 25 arrest warrants against opposition leaders were issued in the first month after the election. Dozens of passports were cancelled. Many were publicly identified and threatened on state television. The situation reached a deadly climax in late October, when Apure state opposition leader Edwin Santos was found dead after being detained by security forces for two days, according to his party. The government never acknowledged his arrest and said he died in a motorcycle accident. The ruling party and its allies have also been considering several laws that ultimately seek to eliminate all traces of opposition within the country. Maduro is scheduled to be sworn in on January 10, and parliamentary and regional elections for governors, mayors, and other lawmakers will be held later in the year. “On July 29, Maduro swept away the electoral system as we knew it,” said University of Navarra professor and political consultant Carmen Beatriz Fernández. “If elections were to take place next year,” he added, “it would be a very convenient election where each candidate must have the placebo, the approval of the dominant nomenclature, in order to be able to enter the ring.” At the most oppressive moment of his autocratic rule so far, Maduro is on track to get what he wants: a Venezuela with no-one to question his authority. Even if the United States refuses to recognise his presidency, it won’t make much of a material difference, given that the once-fervent opposition is only a shadow of its former self. The government did not respond to a request for comment. Had things been different, Viviana Save Torres would have considered running as a candidate in the opposition primaries for any of next year’s elections. However, the party organiser is thousands of miles from home after the government launched a manhunt against her. She asked Bloomberg News not to publish her location for fear of her safety. The 34-year-old helped organise the opposition primary last year and coordinated González Urrutia’s campaign in her home state of Trujillo. González Urrutia, a former diplomat, ran with the support of Machado, who was barred from running for public office. Having her help on the campaign trail was key: Machado won the opposition primary with 93 percent of the vote, and Venezuelans came to see her almost as a messianic figure who promised to reform the economy and reunite families separated by the largest diaspora in the Western Hemisphere. The opposition eventually offered evidence showing González Urrutia would likely have won nearly 70 percent of the presidential vote. But for Save, the intimidation began in the weeks before the election, when security forces stationed themselves outside her home. As a precaution, she changed her location and even her car up to three times a day. It all got worse in the days after the vote. The ruling party governor in Trujillo shared wanted posters for Save and six other local opposition leaders on his social media account. Security forces found the place where they were staying the next day and arrested one of them. Save managed to escape while agents questioned neighbors. On August 4, she learned that the government had issued an arrest warrant for her and decided to leave. She didn’t even have time to tell her family. That night at 2am, she crossed the border into Colombia on a motorcycle. She was barefoot, wearing only her pajamas, and pretended to be sick. “It was a week of terror,” she said. “When I got to Cúcuta, I felt relieved.” Sadly, her journey was far from over. Shortly afterward, the governor of Trujillo addressed her on regional television, telling her that the government knew where she was and that they would find her and deport her to Venezuela. Save barely went outside in Colombia; she was too afraid to even go to the grocery store, so she left. “This whole wave of terror is the reaction of some defeated people who want to perpetuate themselves in power,” she said in a telephone interview. “My call is to the international community: you cannot be complacent.” While González Urrutia is the most prominent leader to have left so far, there are many others like Save who were instrumental in enabling the opposition to reach out to its supporters and carry out a campaign against the ruling socialists. There are also those who served as vote-counting witnesses and polling station employees, who have also received direct threats from Maduro’s security forces. Of course, some remain in hiding within Venezuelan borders. And there are six close Machado aides who remain holed up in Argentina’s Embassy in Caracas, now under Brazilian control. Over the weekend, the opposition said the government had resumed its siege of the Embassy by cutting off electricity and placing signal jammers. The onslaught has been especially harsh against Machado’s Vente Venezuela party, but this has happened to others before. Most of the leaders of the once-powerful opposition groups Voluntad Popular and Primero Justicia are in exile, and some of their most prominent leaders have faced the possibility of prison time. Many of those who fled after the July election refused to share their testimonies for fear that any clues to their identity could lead to reprisals. Another young opposition leader, who asked to remain anonymous, left after an arrest warrant was issued and security forces raided his home. The individual had helped organise opposition primaries in 2023 and, like Save, hoped to run for office next year. The situation is expected to worsen in the coming weeks, and Maduro’s government may pass electoral reforms seeking to exclude the opposition and its parties before the December 15 deadline. Simultaneously, authorities are investigating more than 300 people, mostly politicians, for what it says was the theft of Citgo Petroleum Corp, the US arm of Venezuela’s state oil company. In 2019, the Venezuelan government lost control of Citgo to an ad hoc opposition-led board. The company is now being auctioned off in the United States “Hopefully all those involved in the blatant Citgo theft will be prosecuted, captured, and brought to trial,” Maduro said on the October 28 episode of his weekly television show. The latest wave of persecution against Maduro does not appear to be over yet. He is also promoting a law to counter the US “Bolívar Law,” which provides for sanctions such as lifetime bans from holding public office, trials , and 30-year prison sentences for those who support actions against Venezuela. The legislation was pushed by Florida Congressman Mike Vals, who is US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for national security adviser. The repercussions of this and the electoral reforms will be felt for years to come. “While some opposition forces will likely participate in the elections anyway, it is hard to imagine the opposition remaining completely unified in its approach to the election after the blatant fraud in July,” said Risa Grais-Targow, an analyst at Eurasia Group. “It is always in Maduro’s interest to have a divided and demoralized opposition, especially in the run-up to a vote.” by Bloomberg News Ads Space Ads SpaceIn the midst of uncertainty and speculation, one thing is certain: Neymar's heart still beats for Barcelona, and he will stop at nothing to don the iconic colors of the Catalan giants once again. Whether this summer will see the dream reunion come to fruition remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure – Neymar's passion for Barcelona burns brighter than ever.‘Wheel of Fortune’ Player Misses $40,000 Win After Disney Disaster

Furthermore, Tencent Video has also faced criticism for reducing the benefits associated with their premium memberships. Subscribers have noticed a decrease in the availability of exclusive content, early access to new releases, and other perks that were once included in their membership packages. This has left many users questioning the value of continuing their subscriptions with the platform.

Lobbyist Nancy Kimme, a Republican with connections in the administration of then-Gov. Bruce Rauner, called a longtime confidant of Democratic House Speaker Michael Michael Madigan to talk it through. Kimme told Michael McClain that Sandoval was putting the brick on the plan to transfer the land, which was owned by the Illinois Department of Transportation, by amending an existing real estate bill, and it may be because of the blood with Solis. “I believe that Sandoval is just mad at Solis,” Kimme said on the April 2018 call played in Madigan’s corruption trial Thursday. “Kinda makes sense what’s happening,” McClain responded. “Sandoval’s a small man.” The call was one of nearly a dozen played for jurors during Kimme’s testimony so far that have painted a detailed picture of the political mechanizations, power plays, and bruised egos that unfolded in 2018 over the tiny 2 1/2-acre parking lot along Wentworth Avenue that a group of deep-pocketed Chinatown developers wanted to turn into a hotel. Prosecutors allege Madigan agreed to help Solis, whose 25th Ward included the land, with the transfer in return for an introduction to the developers so he could pitch his private real estate firm to do their property tax appeals. But Madigan knew Rauner, his arch political enemy, would never let the land transfer go through if he knew the speaker’s fingerprints were on it. So Madigan enlisted the help of his friend, retired lobbyist McClain, who in turn went to Kimme to try and seal the deal. That’s when the problems with Sandoval, a Democrat who headed the powerful Senate Transportation Committee, reared their head. In call after call, Kimme and McClain commiserated over Sandoval’s boorishness, and also lamented the behavior of his colleague, state Sen. Tony Munoz, who at the time was vying to be the next Senate president. In one call played for the jury, Kimme told McClain, "I don’t know why (Sandoval) goes out of his way to piss off the speaker... That’s short-sighted. Madigan could take him out pretty easily.” McClain responded that all Madigan has to do is put up a Latino in Cicero to beat him. A few days later, Kimme and McClain talked about ways to get Sandoval and Munoz to “settle down.” Munoz, Kimme said seemed to be consumed with becoming the Senate president and was “not gonna want to piss off Marty,” “I’m sure that’s why he got involved (in blocking the Chinatown deal) in the first place ... Sandoval’s so crazy,” Kimme said. “I don’t believe there is any way for Solis to make peace now,” McClain responded. He said Sandoval “had a rally or something several months ago where Sandoval announced that Alex Acevedo is the next alderman.” Kimme said after a long pause, said, “We’re in the middle of some kind of range war.” On the stand, Kimme was asked by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz what she meant by that statement. “That they were all shootin’ at each other for different reasons,” Kimme testified. You mean for political reasons? Schwartz asked. “Yes.” McClain said suppose they got the Chinese Chamber of Commerce involved to show Munoz “there is a political consequence.” Kimme said Munoz probably wouldn’t care. “He knows that Marty is a bad enemy to have because he reacts so much.” At the end of the call, Kimme asked, Who is close to Sandoval? “Victor Reyes,” McClain said, the longtime Democratic political consultant and fundraiser. “Who is Reyes close to?” McClain paused for several seconds. “Well...Victor Reyes is close to Victor Reyes,” he said, “But um I got him you know a lot of business over the years.” A few weeks later, Kimme again asked McClain how they could solve the Sandoval issue, maybe “try and get Victor (Reyes) to go after Sandoval and quiet him down?” “I think I ought to call somebody and let ’em know that Sandoval is blowing it up,” McClain responded. “So why don’t you give me a day or two?” Kimme later told McClain that she’d found out Munoz was angry about a city-owned property on Damen Avenue that he’d wanted Solis to sign off on for development, but the alderman was dragging his feet. So she negotiated a plan with Munoz to put both properties in the same bill. “I think that’s a good deal,” McClain said. “That’s why you’re the master.” In May 2018, with the session deadline looming, Kimme reached out to Democratic state Rep. Theresa Mah to make her a sponsor of the land transfer. But the deal was later tabled due to pressure from the community that caused other political heavyweights to oppose it, including then-Secretary of State Jesse White, according to evidence the jury has heard. Sandoval later pleaded guilty to an arrange of bribery schemes unrelated to the Chinatown parcel and was cooperating with investigators when he died of COVID-19 in December 2020. Kimme’s testimony will continue after a lunch break. Madigan, 82, of Chicago, who served for decades as speaker of the Illinois House and the head of the state Democratic Party, faces racketeering charges alleging he ran his state and political operations like a criminal enterprise. He is charged alongside his longtime confidant McClain, 77, a former ComEd contract lobbyist from downstate Quincy. Both men have pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. Prosecutors could rest their case in chief as early as next week. Before the jury took their seats Thursday, prosecutors said they want to call former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo as a witness next week. But Acevedo’s attorney signaled that she would try to keep him off the stand on grounds that he is not competent to testify, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu. In addition, Bhachu said, Acevedo has invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify, meaning prosecutors must jump through administrative hoops in order to compel him to the stand. Acevedo, a Chicago Democrat, pleaded guilty in 2021 to a relatively minor tax charge stemming from the federal probe into ComEd’s lobbying practices. He was sentenced to six months in prison. Before his sentencing, his attorneys filed a memo from his doctor on the public docket saying he had “mild cognitive impairment,” gout, hypertension, high cholesterol and depression and anxiety. Acevedo has not testified in any of the Madigan-related trials so far. One of the conspiracy counts against Madigan and McClain alleges that AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza agreed to pay $22,500 to Acevedo for a do-nothing consulting job in exchange for Madigan’s help passing a bill to end mandated landline service. Acevedo also allegedly was hired by ComEd as a favor to Madigan, one of many people whom prosecutors say were given jobs as part of a bribery scheme. Jurors last month saw a memorable email in which then-ComEd executive Fidel Marquez seemingly lost his cool after Acevedo asked for a job for a friend. “Geez...he has a son and a nephew at ComEd. He’s got a contract at ComEd. Has he no limit?” Marquez emailed McClain. McClain responded using his frequent euphemism for Madigan, saying that Marquez’s rant “sounded like our Friend.” Also Thursday, jurors heard a series of phone calls meant to emphasize Madigan’s influence over state board appointments. “Think about Carrie to go to the Illinois Commerce Commission,” then-state Rep. Michael J. Zalewski told McClain in a November 2018 call, referring to his wife. “Pritzker gets two picks in January and the pay is the same, so it wouldn’t get us a story for bumping her pay, he could say she gets the same amount of money,” Zalewski said. Madigan ended up successfully recommending that Pritzker put Carrie Zalewski on the commission. Madigan and McClain are accused of getting ComEd to hire Michael J. Zalewski’s father, former 23rd Ward Ald. Michael Zalewski, as a no-work subcontractor, in order to sway Madigan’s support for utility-friendly legislation. Jurors also heard Madigan tell McClain about a meeting he had with Pritzker in December 2018. Madigan’s former chief of staff testified Wednesday that at that meeting, Madigan suggested Pritzker could reconstitute boards and commissions and appoint all new members. “You can wipe out the board too ... So I put that idea in his head,” Madigan told McClain on the recording jurors heard Thursday. Madigan’s sway over board seats is crucial to prosecutors’ allegations that he was planning to recommend Solis to a lucrative position on a board. Solis has testified he was not actually interested in a seat, but the FBI directed him to ask about it. Jurors last week saw undercover video from an August 2018 meeting in which Solis asked Madigan about a board seat appointment, and emphasized all the business he could bring in for Madigan’s firm. Moments later, Madigan asked Solis to put in a good word with the nonprofit Resurrection Project on behalf of his son Andrew, who worked at an insurance broker. The CEO and co-founder of the Resurrection Project, Raul Raymundo, testified Thursday that Solis had reached out to him in 2018 and asked him to consider meeting with Andrew Madigan. Raymundo subsequently connected Andrew Madigan with the Resurrection Project’s chief financial officer, who ultimately decided to start working with Andrew Madigan’s firm.

Dow Jones futures were little changed after hours, along with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures. ( ) headlined a busy Tuesday night earnings lineup. The stock market rally saw modest gains on the major indexes Tuesday, with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 hitting fresh highs. That's despite President-elect Donald Trump vowing on his first day in office, along with Treasury yields bouncing back. Bitcoin fell solidly again, with ( ) leading crypto plays lower. Most stocks retreated Tuesday, but megacap techs did relatively well after lagging in recent days. ( ) rose nicely within a buy zone. ( ) is just below a buy point while ( ) is near a potential early entry. Google parent ( ) and ( ), which have been struggling, reclaimed key levels Tuesday. ( ) edged higher, but came well off highs. flashed a buy signal as the nuclear-powered utility reclaimed the 50-day line. Nvidia and Meta stock are on . Microsoft stock is on . Nvidia stock is on the . CrowdStrike stock and Nvidia are on the . The video embedded in the article discusses Tuesday's stock market action and analyzes Amazon stock, ( ) and ( ) Dow Jones Futures Today Dow Jones futures rose a fraction vs. fair value. S&P 500 futures tilted higher and Nasdaq 100 futures edged lower. Bitcoin moved back above $92,000. Early Wednesday, investors will get the October PCE price index, the Fed's favorite inflation gauge, along with October durable goods and weekly jobless claims, as well as revised GDP figures for Q3. Remember that overnight action in and elsewhere doesn't necessarily translate into actual trading in the next regular session. Key Earnings CrowdStrike and fellow software makers ( ), ( ) and ( ) reported Tuesday night, tech hardware giants ( ) and ( ), vision-chip maker ( ) and upscale department store operator ( ). Ambarella stock skyrocketed overnight, signaling a 52-week high after closing in buy range. Nutanix stock rose solidly, with the storage software maker set to clear an alternate handle entry. On the downside, Dell stock, Workday, Autodesk and HP Inc. fell sharply. Dell had been modestly above a while Workday and HPQ stock had been close. CrowdStrike declined modestly and Nordstrom stock edged lower. CrowdStrike stock is extended from a buy point, but in range of an alternate handle entry. Nordstrom is just below a handle entry. Stock Market Rally The stock market rally saw gains on the major indexes, despite weak breadth, with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 setting new highs. Trump tariff threats are a concern for Wall Street, but investors seem to be taking a wait-and-see vs. a wait-and-hear approach for now. Megacaps buoyed the major indexes, while Israel-Lebanon permanent cease-fire was announced late in the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3% in Tuesday's . The S&P 500 index and Nasdaq composite climbed 0.6%. The small-cap Russell 2000 gave up 0.7%. The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF ( ) rose a fraction, setting a record close. The First Trust Nasdaq 100 Equal Weighted Index ETF ( ) dipped 0.4% from Monday's all-time levels. U.S. crude oil prices edged down 0.25% to $68.77 a barrel. The 10-year Treasury yield rose 4 basis points to 4.3%, after tumbling 15 basis points on Monday. Trump tariff threats raise the possibility of higher inflation and fewer Fed rate cuts. Fed minutes from the Nov. 6-7 meeting released on Wednesday reiterated that policymakers are looking to cut rates "gradually," with no discussion of Trump policies for now. Bitcoin, MicroStrategy Stock Plunge 4.1% to $90,982.08 as of 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, continuing to back off from just shy of $100,000 on Friday. The bitcoin price is still up sharply in November. MicroStrategy stock sold off 12.3% to 353.69, but found support just above the 21-day line. The leveraged bitcoin play has plunged nearly 35% from its Nov. 21 record high of 543. MSTR stock remains up almost 65% just in November and 460% for the year. Megacap Techs Amazon stock popped 3.2% to 207.87 on Tuesday, rising with a buy zone after just reclaiming the 201.20 consolidation buy point on Monday. Meta stock climbed 1.5% to 573.54, just below the 50-day line within a . A clear move above that level could be actionable. Apple stock advanced 0.9% to 235.06, nearing a 237.49 buy point from a flat base right next to another base, according to . Shares have made a three-day advance from the 50-day line. Google parent ( ) rose 0.9%, reclaiming its 50-day line after last week's sell-off. ( ), which has lagged for months, gained 2.2%, back above its 50-day and 200-day lines. Nvidia stock edged up 0.6% to 136.86, coming off early highs after trying to move back toward the 140.76 buy point. NVDA, which tumbled 4.2% on Monday, is still holding the 50-day line. ETFs Among growth ETFs, the Innovator IBD 50 ETF ( ) rose 0.6%. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF ( ) gained 0.4%, with Microsoft stock a major holding. The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF ( ) fell 0.9%, with Nvidia stock the dominant component. ARK Innovation ETF ( ) retreated 1.5% and ARK Genomics ETF ( ) lost 0.9%. SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF ( ) declined 0.9%. SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF ( ) gave up 1.9%. The Energy Select SPDR ETF ( ) dipped 0.2% and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( ) rose 0.5%. The Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( ) inched 0.1% higher. The Financial Select SPDR ETF ( ) edged up 0.2%. What To Do Now The stock market rally is still acting well. Much of the strength has been outside the megacap techs, though Amazon and a few others showed strength Tuesday. After big gains since Election Day, investors don't need to ramp up exposure. Be patient, and picky. Don't buy extended stocks or the third- or fourth-tier names flashing buy signals while group leaders are well advanced. Keep working on watchlists while looking at your portfolio for laggards that you might peel off. Read every day to stay in sync with the market direction and leading stocks and sectors.When it comes to choosing a down jacket, the price can vary significantly depending on factors such as brand, quality, materials, and features. With so many options available on the market, it can be challenging to determine how much is considered reasonable to spend on a down jacket. In this article, we will explore what factors to consider when evaluating the price of a down jacket and provide a guideline on how much you should expect to pay for a high-quality and reliable option.

Raiders will start O'Connell at quarterback when they visit the Chiefs

Flag football uses talent camps to uncover new stars

Global Food Ingredients Market To Reach $91.11 Billion By 2028 With A Growth Rate Of 6.6%The management of the bathhouse center, upon learning of the situation, moved swiftly to close the facility for an extensive period of renovation and thorough disinfection. This proactive measure aimed to identify and rectify any potential health hazards within the premises, ensuring the safety and comfort of future visitors. The management apologized for any inconvenience caused and expressed their commitment to upholding the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene moving forward.

Title: Udinese End 5-Game Winless Streak, Closely Chasing AC Milan with 2-Point Gap in Latest Serie A StandingsThe Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) quickly raised the alert level to [insert level], indicating that a hazardous eruption could occur within hours or days. This prompted the immediate evacuation of over [insert number] residents living in the high-risk areas surrounding the volcano. Evacuation centers were set up to accommodate those displaced by the eruption, providing shelter, food, and basic necessities.

Some were crime victims. Others lived and died in solitude. Some may have been lost hikers, runaway children, or wanderers. One thing connects the 58 or so remains at the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office found with no identification card and no next of kin to claim them: They remain nameless. Forensic pathologists hope that advanced DNA testing technology will allow them to attach names to all of the agency’s unidentified people. But for now, five cases — all children and teens — have been sent for additional testing thanks to a $50,000 grant from Texas-based cold case resolution company, Othram. They include the partial skeleton of a teenager found in Keehi Lagoon near the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in 2002; parts of the body of a 7- to 10-year-old boy discovered in Waianae in 2000; six fingers of a girl under the age of 4 who was found in Honolulu in 2012; and the skeletal remains of an adolescent found mixed with animal bones inside of a vase purchased in Honolulu in 2015. The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office wouldn’t provide additional details about the individual cases but medicolegal investigator Charlotte Carter said each one represents a person whose family deserves closure. The five cases sent to Othram for testing were chosen in part because they are juveniles, who DNA experts felt had a good chance being identified through advanced technology. One case is connected to a 2014 homicide so the Honolulu Medical Examiners Office declined to provide information while the investigation continues. For the case involving the severed fingers, it’s unclear whether they belong to a child who died or only suffered trauma to their hands. The other cases could be missing children, a possibility that can’t be ruled out until DNA testing is complete. Carter said she’s committed to resolving the other unidentified cases in Honolulu’s morgue, especially if DNA testing becomes more accessible and affordable. “Anybody who’s unidentified deserves to have a chance at being found and identified,” she said, “and given their name back.” The Honolulu City Council in June accepted the grant from Houston-based Othram, which performs forensic genetic genealogy testing, which combines DNA analysis with genealogy research. So far, Carter said none of the samples have been identified. Sparse information about each case is available publicly through the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs , an organization funded by the National Institute of Justice that runs a national database of unidentified, missing and unclaimed persons. Representatives with NamUs did not respond to interview requests. For some cases, very little is known. For the skeletal remains found inside the vase in Honolulu, for example, forensic pathologists could not identify an age range, gender, height, weight or year of death — only that the person was still an adolescent. Other cases include more clues. The young boy found in Waianae in 2000 was suspected to have died that same year. He was recovered without a torso and was missing one or more of his limbs and one or both of his hands. A forensic artist reconstructed his face, which is included on his NamUs profile, showing what he may have looked like in life. He is listed in the missing children’s database as “John Waianae Doe 2000.” Carter said it can take a year or more for DNA testing results to come back. Thus far, her agency has worked on one successful identification with Othram. Skeletal remains unearthed by a construction crew in Manoa in 2010 were tested and later identified as belonging to William Hans Holling Jr., a Washington man last seen by friends and family in January 1985. Othram identified Holling’s remains and the Honolulu Police Department confirmed his identity in July. No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains open. Forensic genetic genealogy testing allows investigators to search for an unidentified person’s relatives as a starting point and, with the help of public records, to build a family tree that they hope will get them closer to an identification. The method became popular in criminal investigations in the 2010s after companies like 23andMe and Ancestry came onto the market. Those companies block law enforcement agencies like the FBI from their databases, but investigators can use others, like GEDMatch, which is public facing, and FamilyTreeDNA, which allows limited access by law enforcement, according to Stephen Kramer, a former FBI in-house counsel and founder of Indago Solutions, a DNA identification company. While still working with the FBI in 2018, Kramer helped identify the Golden State Killer using forensic genetic genealogy testing. Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., pleaded guilty to 13 murder and rape charges for crimes committed in the 1970s and ’80s, and has admitted overall to 161 crimes involving 48 victims, including dozens of rapes. Kramer’s company recently identified Albert Lauro as the murder suspect in the 1991 killing of Dana Ireland on the Big Island. During a presentation to University of Hawaii law students this month, Kramer said genetic analysis of the DNA found on Ireland’s body connected him to ancestry information about the suspect. He discovered the man was 83% Filipino, meaning he had three Filipino grandparents. He was also 5% European and Scandinavian, with the rest a mix of Hawaiian, Maori and South Pacific Islander. That told Kramer the suspect’s fourth grandparent was about 30% European and 25% Pacific Islander, he said. Kramer focused on that grandparent because it’s generally easier to find public records for people of European descent. He used records to identify people with this ancestry who had moved to Hawaii and married into Filipino families, leaving very few potential matches. He traced a family tree with three Filipino grandparents and one grandparent descending from Europeans, Scandinavians and Pacific Islanders. There, he found his suspect. Investigators followed Lauro, picking up a fork he discarded, which was tested against a DNA sample from Ireland’s body. Detectives later reconfirmed Lauro’s identity with a swab when they brought him in for questioning on July 19. Hawaii County Police Chief Ben Moszkowicz later said police didn’t have enough probable cause to arrest Lauro for Ireland’s murder, and they let him go. He killed himself four days later. Lack of funds is the main obstacle to more intensive screening and forensic genetic genealogy on cold cases, Carter said. Each case costs about $10,000, and NamUs pays for Honolulu to send around five cases per year for testing. The 58 unidentified cases at the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office date back to about 1966 and include people found under a variety of circumstances. Many are skeletal remains uncovered at construction sites, Carter said. Others are remains discovered by hikers that likely belonged to people who were homeless and living in encampments in remote parts of the island. If remains are found on tribal lands, are more than 50 years old or otherwise suspected to be Native Hawaiian, medical examiners contact the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ State Historic Preservation Division for confirmation. If the remains are confirmed to be Native Hawaiian, the agency takes custody of them for repatriation. But some unidentified cases involve people who died fairly recently and, although they were physically recognizable when they were found, they still haven’t been claimed by family members or matched through any national database. Forensic pathologists have not been able to identify a woman fatally struck by a car while trying to cross the road at Ke’eaumoku and South King streets on May 21, 2016, Carter said. She was between 50 and 75 years old, of Asian or mixed Asian ancestry and appeared to be homeless, according to her NamUs profile . Her DNA was run through the national database, and Honolulu police collected her fingerprints and sent them to the FBI, but received no matches. A few people have come forward thinking they knew her, but her identity wasn’t able to be confirmed, Carter said. “That is a person who was a victim of a crime,” she said. “But, unfortunately, we’re not able to figure out who she is.” The most recent case was discovered on Oct. 9 when military personnel doing a training exercise found two femurs inside a camping tent off a hiking trail in Haleiwa. Carter said her office doesn’t track statistics on identifications but said usually one or two unidentified remains are ID’d each year through DNA testing. If a person is identified but their next of kin can’t be found, their case is moved to NamUs’s unclaimed persons database. If family members are found, they are able to collect their relative’s remains for burial or cremation, Carter said. She hopes that as technology improves, testing will become more accessible so every case can be resolved. “I just think everybody deserves a name and their family deserves an answer,” she said. “We have a lot of families who are out there wondering what happened to somebody they love. And now that there’s new technologies, we’re maybe going to get a little step closer to having more closure or more processing to that new normal for those families.” This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.Four More Banks Approved for Dissolution as Reform and Restructuring of Rural Banks Continues

Luckily, there’s another tactic to help you earn a “gift whisperer” reputation: seeking out unique, practical, game-changing gifts that will truly surprise and delight. But that’s about as easy as it sounds, which is to say it’s not easy at all. So, we’ve done the legwork for you. Start making your list with this compilation of some of the most innovative, functional and fun gifts of 2024. There’s something for every budget. A pepper grinder, really? Bear with me: The new FinaMill Ultimate Spice Grinder set elevates the pedestrian pepper and spice mill in both function and style. Available in three colors (Sangria Red, Midnight Black and Soft Cream), the rechargeable-battery unit grinds with a light touch rather than hand-tiring twists. That’s easier for everyone and especially helpful for those experiencing hand or wrist issues such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis. And it’s fun to use. The set includes a stackable storage tray and four pods that can be easily swapped as needed: The GT microplane grater for hard spices, nuts and chocolate; the MAX for large spices and dried herbs; the ProPlus for smaller and oily spices; and the Pepper Pod for, well, pepper. $110. To build a fire Campers and backyard firepit lovers who have experienced the heartbreak of wet wood will appreciate having a three-pack of Pull Start Fire on hand. Made of 89% recycled materials, including sanding dust, wax and flint, the food-safe, eco-friendly, 3-by-2-by-1-inch fire starters will light a fire quickly without matches, lighters or kindling. Just loop the attached green string around a log, incorporate it into a wood stack, and pull the attached red string to ignite. Each windproof, rainproof block burns for 30 minutes. $29.99. The place for a ladle is on the pot The No Mess Utensil Set from Souper Cubes , a company known for its portioned, silicone freezer trays, lives up to its name. The utensils — a serving spoon and a ladle — have innovative, S-shaped handles designed to rest on the edge of a pot, keeping them upright so they won’t slip in. The design also eliminates the need for a spoon rest or, worse, placing dirty utensils on the kitchen counter or stovetop between stirs. A silicone coating in a choice of Aqua, Charcoal, Cranberry or Blueberry keeps handles cool to the touch. $24.99. Up your birdwatching with this feeder The FeatherSnap Wi-Fi smart bird feeder could turn anyone into an avid birdwatcher. Equipped with an HD camera, the dual-chamber feeder enables up-close livestreaming of avian visitors, as well as species-logging via the free mobile app. An optional premium subscription ($59.99 annually or $6.99 monthly) includes unlimited photo and video storage, AI identification with species-specific details, and the opportunity to earn badges for logging new visitors. Turn on notifications to get alerts sent to your phone whenever there’s activity at the feeder. $179.99. Printing old-fashioned photos via Bluetooth Fujifilm's Instax Mini Link 3 smartphone printer offers a touch of nostalgia without sacrificing technology. Just load the 4.9-by-3.5-by-1.3-inch printer with Instax Mini instant film and connect it to your Android or iOS device via Bluetooth to print wallet-size photos. If you want to get fancy, you can adjust brightness, contrast and saturation, or apply filters, including 3D augmented-reality effects, via the free Instax Mini Link app. It can also make collages of up to six images, or animate photos to share on social media. Available in Rose Pink, Clay White and Sage Green. $99.95. Houseplants don't get much easier than this The appropriately named easyplant is one of the best gifts you can give your houseplant-loving friends, regardless of their experience level. Select a pot color, size and plant (or get recommendations based on sunlight requirements, pet friendliness and other attributes) and fill the self-watering container’s built-in reservoir roughly once a month. Moisture will permeate the soil from the bottom as needed, eliminating the often-fatal consequences of over- or under-watering. It’s also a literal lifesaver come vacation time. $49-$259. Making your own (plant-based) milk If you’ve got a no-dairy friend on your list, a plant-based milk maker could save them money while allowing them to avoid sugar, stabilizers, thickeners and preservatives. The Nama M1 appliance both blends and strains ingredients, converting nuts, seeds, grains or oats into velvety-smooth milk in just one minute, with zero grit. And for zero waste, the pasty leftover pulp can be used in other recipes for added nutrients. The device also makes infused oils, flavored waters and soups. And, importantly, cleanup is easy. Available in white and black. $400. The perfect temperature for 350,000-plus wines For friends who prefer stronger beverages, the QelviQ personal sommelier uses “smart” technology to ensure wine is served at its ideal temperature. Unlike traditional wine refrigerators, this device doesn’t take up any floor space. It also doesn’t chill wine to just one or two temperatures based on its color. Instead — paired with the free QelviQ app — the tabletop chiller relies on a database of more than 350,000 wines to bring a bottle to its specific recommended serving temperature in as little as 20 minutes. It also suggests food-wine and wine-food pairings. Plus, the appliance serves as a great icebreaker to inspire dinnertime conversation. Available in Exciting Red, Dashing Black and Dreamy White. $495. Casting light on the grill after dark Grilling food after dark — and ascertaining its doneness — can prove challenging without outdoor lighting, and it’s nearly impossible to cook while holding a flashlight. But as is often the case, the simplest of solutions can make the biggest of impacts: Uncommon Good’s 2-piece LED Grilling Tool Set puts illumination into the handles of its stainless-steel spatula and tongs. After use, the lights can be removed and the utensils run through the dishwasher. $40.