TORONTO, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rivalry Corp. (the "Company" or "Rivalry") (TSXV: RVLY) (OTCQX: RVLCF) (FSE: 9VK), the leading sportsbook and iGaming operator for digital-first players, is pleased to announce that it has closed the third tranche (the “Third Closing”) of its non-brokered private placement of units of the Company (the "Units"), previously announced on November 26, 2024 (the "Offering"). Under the Third Closing, the Company issued 2,231,253 Units at a price of $0.15 per Unit, for gross proceeds of $334,688. The Company may complete one or more additional closings, for aggregate gross proceeds (together with the proceeds raised under the initial closing, second closing and Third Closing) of up to approximately USD$3 million. Unless otherwise noted, all dollar figures are quoted in Canadian dollars. Each Unit is comprised of one (1) subordinate voting share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Subordinate Voting Share") and one-half of one (1/2) Subordinate Voting Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable into one Subordinate Voting Share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.25 per Warrant Share for a period of 12 months from the date hereof, subject to the Company's right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants upon 30 days' notice in the event that the closing price of the Subordinate Voting Shares is equal to or exceeds $0.50 on the TSX Venture Exchange (or such other recognized Canadian stock exchange as the Subordinate Voting Shares are primarily traded on) for a period of 10 consecutive trading days. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Offering for corporate development and general working capital purposes. The Subordinate Voting Shares and Warrants, and any securities issuable upon exercise thereof, are subject to a four-month statutory hold period, in accordance with applicable securities legislation. The Company has paid an aggregate of $10,501.20 in finder's fees in connection with the Third Closing. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any applicable state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. 100,200 Units were issued to family members of Steven Isenberg, a director of the Company and a "related party" (within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101")) and 500,000 Units were issued to Kevin Wimer, a director of the Company and a "related party", and such issuances are considered a "related party transaction" for the purposes of MI 61-101. Such related party transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the securities being issued to the related parties nor the consideration being paid by the related parties exceeded 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. The purchasers of the Units and the extent of such participation were not finalized until shortly prior to the completion of the Offering. Accordingly, it was not possible to publicly disclose details of the nature and extent of related party participation in the transactions contemplated hereby pursuant to a material change report filed at least 21 days prior to the completion of such transactions. About Rivalry Rivalry Corp. wholly owns and operates Rivalry Limited , a leading sport betting and media company offering fully regulated online wagering on esports, traditional sports, and casino for the digital generation. Based in Toronto, Rivalry operates a global team in more than 20 countries and growing. Rivalry Limited has held an Isle of Man license since 2018, considered one of the premier online gambling jurisdictions, as well as an internet gaming registration in Ontario, and is currently in the process of obtaining additional country licenses. With world class creative execution and brand positioning in online culture, a native crypto token, and demonstrated market leadership among digital-first users Rivalry is shaping the future of online gambling for a generation born on the internet. Company Contact: Steven Salz, Co-founder & CEO ss@rivalry.com Investor Contact: investors@rivalry.com Media Contact: Cody Luongo, Head of Communications cody@rivalry.com 203-947-1936 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "project" and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management of the Company at the date the statements are made based on information then available to the Company. Various factors and assumptions are applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to and involve a number of known and unknown, variables, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may cause the Company’s actual performance and results to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations; the ability to obtain and maintain required licenses; the esports and sports betting industry being a heavily regulated industry; the complex and evolving regulatory environment for the online gaming and online gambling industry; the success of esports and other betting products are not guaranteed; changes in public perception of the esports and online gambling industry; failure to retain or add customers; the Company having a limited operating history; negative cash flow from operations; operational risks; cybersecurity risks; reliance on management; reliance on third parties and third-party networks; exchange rate risks; risks related to cryptocurrency transactions; risk of intellectual property infringement or invalid claims; the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; and general economic, market and business conditions. For additional risks, please see the Company’s MD&A dated April 30, 2024 and other disclosure documents available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca . No assurance can be given that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Source: Rivalry Corp.Former Ukrainian President Poroshenko: We can stop the war in 24 hours

The LPGA said Wednesday that players assigned male at birth or those who have not transitioned to female before puberty are not eligible to compete in LPGA tournaments. The U.S. Golf Association concurrently released similar guidance that applies to its championship season. The new gender policies will take effect at the start of the 2025 season. “Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said in a statement. “The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.” Under the new policies, athletes who are assigned female at birth are eligible to compete on the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and in USGA women’s competitions. Players who were assigned male at birth and have gone through male puberty are not eligible to compete in the aforementioned events. “We remain committed to providing opportunities for everyone to compete for a national title or team but have made changes to our eligibility criteria that reflects current scientific data and strives to maintain competitive integrity,” USGA CEO Mike Whan said in a statement. “Our updated policy reflects a thoughtful and thorough process during which the USGA consulted with leading medical professionals from around the world.” In its statement, the USGA said “current scientific and medical research shows that sports performance differences exist between biological sexes and such differences begin to occur during the onset of puberty.” The LPGA added that its update was “informed by a working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance and gender policy law.” The LPGA axed its requirement that eligible players be “female at birth” in 2010, after a transgender woman filed a lawsuit against the tour. The organization currently allows players to compete if they have undergone gender-affirming surgery after puberty and met hormone therapy requirements. Its updated policy would rule golfer Hailey Davidson ineligible. Davidson previously played on the men’s teams at Wilmington and Christopher Newport, a Division III school in Virginia. In 2015, she began undergoing hormone treatments in her early 20s, and in January 2021, she underwent gender-affirming surgery. Davidson missed qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open by one shot in May, and in October came up short in her bid to become the first transgender golfer to earn an LPGA card. As Davidson sought to qualify for the tour this year, the LPGA said its gender policy was under review. The organization in August sent a memo to players saying it would conclude a more than yearlong review of its current policy, which it planned to update ahead of the 2025 season. In October, reports surfaced of a letter signed by 275 current and former female golfers asking the LPGA, USGA and International Golf Federation to repeal their policies allowing people assigned male at birth to compete in women’s events. “Can’t say I didn’t see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on her Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.” Whan, the USGA CEO, told The Associated Press the organization’s decision was rooted in competitive balance. “It starts with competitive fairness as the North Star,” Whan said. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody – at least medically today – where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line.” Earlier this week, Marcoux Samaan announced that she was stepping down as LPGA commissioner, effective Jan. 9.Two students wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California elementary schoolBoston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson has reportedly been arrested by the FBI on federal public corruption charges. Shortly after the arrest, U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy issued a statement about Anderson's alleged charges. “When her constituents elected Ms. Fernandes Anderson, she had a fundamental obligation to act with the utmost integrity,” Levy stated. “Public officials who line their pockets with taxpayer money erode the trust and confidence of the public and the officials who serve them.” Fernandes Anderson, 45, was reportedly arrested early Friday morning around 6:30 a.m. outside her home in Dorchester, CW affiliate WHDH-TV reported. According to an 11-page indictment , she is facing five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson murder: Cops have 200 pics of assassin and give 5-word update FBI investigates mystery drones flying over central New Jersey in recent weeks The indictment accuses the former councilwoman of a kickback scheme in cooperation with a relative she hired to work in her office and then paid a bonus too that was nearly twice as much as all the other bonuses in her office combined. She is further accused of receiving $7,000 of that bonus in a Boston City Hall bathroom. According to the document, Fernandes Anderson hired two members of her immediate family in 2022 after she took office. This move by the councilwoman goes against state laws allowing for the hiring of family members. After it was discovered in August 2022, she was forced to terminate the two staffers and pay a $5,000 fine. “From in or about early to mid-2023, Fernandes Anderson was allegedly facing personal financial difficulty, which included the outstanding $5,000 civil penalty payment to the Ethics Commission,” the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a statement. “It is further alleged that, in or about early May 2023, Fernandes Anderson told Staff Member A that she would give them extra pay in the form of a large bonus, but that Staff Member A would have to give a portion of the bonus back to Fernandes Anderson. Staff Member A agreed to the arrangement with Fernandes Anderson.” It was reported by the outlet that prior to her arrest, Fernandes Anderson said that her main focus was serving her constituents. “I’m not thinking about stepping down,” Fernandes Anderson told reporters who hounded her when she showed up to work on Wednesday. “I’m not thinking about any of that. I’m thinking about the work.” When she was hounded by reporters asking about what federal investigators are looking for, or if she did anything wrong, Fernandes Anderson remained tight-lipped. “I can not comment on the case itself,” she said. “I can not comment on it at all.” According to the outlet, Fernandes Anderson was elected to the position in 2021. She is the first African immigrant and Muslim-American elected to the council. After being arrested, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu called on Fernandes Anderson to resign. “Like any member of the community, Councilor Fernandes Anderson has the right to a fair legal process,” Wu said in a statement. “But the serious nature of these charges undermine the public trust and will prevent her from effectively serving the city. I urge Councilor Fernandes Anderson to resign.” DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.

The dos and don'ts of Christmas – according to etiquette expert William HansonDrivers slam Toyota for ‘worst’ vehicle names – but car ‘nobody can spell correctly’ might be disappearing for good

Report: Former Nebraska coach Scott Frost returns to UCF as head coach

Close encounters between distant DNA regions cause bursts of gene activity December 6, 2024 Kyushu University Researchers have revealed a new mechanism underlying how spatial distance between specific regions of DNA is linked to bursts of gene activity. Using advanced cell imaging techniques and computer modeling, the researchers showed that the folding and movement of DNA, as well as the accumulation of certain proteins, changes depending on whether a gene is active or inactive. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email Researchers at Kyushu University have revealed how spatial distance between specific regions of DNA is linked to bursts of gene activity. Using advanced cell imaging techniques and computer modeling, the researchers showed that the folding and movement of DNA, as well as the accumulation of certain proteins, changes depending on whether a gene is active or inactive. The study, published on December 6 in Science Advances , sheds insight into the complicated world of gene expression and could lead to new therapeutic techniques for diseases caused by improper regulation of gene expression. Gene expression is a fundamental process that occurs within cells, with two main phases: transcription, where DNA is copied into RNA, and translation, where the RNA is used to make proteins. For each cell to carry out its specific functions in the body, or to respond to changing conditions, the right amount of a protein must be produced at the right time, meaning genes must be carefully switched on and off. Previously, gene transcription was thought to occur in a continuous, smooth process. But with better technology to observe individual cells, scientists now know that transcription occurs in short, unpredictable bursts. "A gene will randomly switch on for a few minutes and large amounts of RNA will be produced. Then, the gene will suddenly switch off again," says Professor Hiroshi Ochiai, from Kyushu University's Medical Institute of Bioregulation and the study's senior author. "It happens in nearly all genes, and in all living things, from plants, to animals, to bacteria." This erratic and dynamic nature of transcription, known as transcriptional bursting, is a key mechanism for controlling gene activity in individual cells. It's one reason why cells within the same tissue or culture environment show variability in their gene expression levels, which is crucial for processes like early embryonic development and cancer evolution. However, the exact mechanisms behind bursting remains unknown. In this study, the researchers decided to look into the role of DNA sequences known as enhancers and promoters, and how their spatial distance impacts transcriptional bursting. The promoter is usually located right next to the gene, and is where the protein that carries out transcription attaches to the DNA. Enhancers, on the other hand, are often many hundreds of thousands of bases away from the gene, but as DNA strands move and fold, enhancers can still end up close to genes in 3D space, amplifying gene activity. "We believe that enhancers play a crucial role in why transcription occurs in bursts of activity, but so far, the research is unclear," says Ochiai. To test this idea, Ochiai and his team used an advanced imaging technique called seq-DNA/RNA-IF-FISH, which labels DNA, RNA and specific proteins with fluorescent probes. This triple-layered technique allowed the researchers to simultaneously capture the location of DNA, RNA and specific proteins in 3D space within individual mouse embryonic stem cells. With that information, the team could determine whether certain genes were on or off, see how the promoters and enhancers were interacting during bursts of activity, and where the proteins were accumulating, at an unprecedented level of detail. As an example, the researchers focused on a gene called Nanog, a 770,000-base length of DNA on chromosome 6, which has a promoter and three enhancer regions and is known to undergo transcriptional bursting in cultured mouse embryonic stem cells. The researchers found that in imaged cells where Nanog RNA was present (meaning the gene was active), the most distant enhancer was located in close spatial proximity to the Nanog gene. In contrast, when Nanog was inactive, the imaging showed that the same enhancer region was physically further away. Additionally, the scientists also found that proteins involved in regulating transcription also accumulated in the area around the enhancers and promoters when Nanog was active. To better understand the mechanism, Ochiai and his team used computer modeling to simulate how the different parts of DNA interact and move inside the cell, both when the Nanog gene is active and inactive. They developed their model by using data from their imaging experiments to make a "map" of how frequently different regions of DNA interacted with each other and how the DNA was folded in space. Using this map, the model then simulated how the DNA chain might randomly move. The model predicted that when in the active state, each enhancer region interacted for more than twice as long with the promoters, compared to when the gene was inactive. The model showed that these longer periods of interaction occurred due to "friction" around the DNA. Due to the accumulation of proteins and RNA when Nanog was active, the fluid became more viscous, and caused the modelled DNA strand to move slowly. Therefore, the gene was able to stay active for longer bursts of time. In contrast, the simulated DNA moved quicker when Nanog was inactive, meaning that the promoter and enhancers didn't have time to interact. "The modeling suggests that bursting is stabilized due to these reinforcing loops," concluded Ochiai. "Of course, this is just a simulation. The next step is to prove this mechanism also occurs in cells." Story Source: Materials provided by Kyushu University . Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :

UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New YorkNone

John Parker Romo made a 29-yard field goal to lift the Minnesota Vikings to a 30-27 overtime win against the host Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon. Romo buried the game-winning kick in his third career game for Minnesota (9-2), which won its fourth game in a row. The score capped a 10-play, 68-yard drive for the Vikings after the Bears went three-and-out on the first overtime possession. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Scenes from Georgia vs. Massachusetts college football in Athens on Nov. 23, 2024. (Photos: Dave Quick) Click for more. PHOTOS: Georgia vs. UMass College Football

Greener pastures: New solutions to combat climate challenges

Israeli troops forcibly remove staff and patients from northern Gaza hospital, officials sayQUÉBEC — Quebec Premier François Legault says he's looking at ways to end prayer in public places, including parks, as his government promises to table new legislation to strengthen secularism in schools. Legault made the comments during a press conference in Quebec City on Friday to mark the end of the fall legislative session. He said he wants to send a "very clear message to Islamists" that Quebec will fight against any disrespect of its fundamental values, including secularism. The premier said that recent reports of teachers allowing prayers in classrooms and preventing girls from playing sports, which have triggered an outcry in Quebec, are "totally unacceptable." "There are teachers who are bringing Islamist religious concepts into Quebec schools," he said. "I will definitely not tolerate that. We don't want that in Quebec." Legault then went a step further when asked by a reporter if he was also bothered by prayer in public places. "Seeing people on their knees in the streets, praying, I think we have to ask ourselves the question. I don't think it's something we should see," he said, adding that his government is considering whether it can legislate on the issue. He went on to say he doesn't want to see people praying "in public parks or public streets." When questioned about the constitutionality of banning public prayer, he said the government is "looking at all possibilities, including the use of the notwithstanding clause," which allows governments to override certain sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Images of Muslims praying in Montreal have sparked controversy in recent months, including when a group gathered in a city park to celebrate Eid al-Adha last June, prompting the borough mayor to muse about banning all religious events in public parks. In a statement, the Canadian Muslim Forum said Legault's comments suggest that some politicians view Muslims as second-class citizens. "These remarks add to a pattern of political rhetoric that unfairly targets Quebecers, especially those of Muslim faith, based solely on their backgrounds," the statement reads. Legault's comments come as the province grapples with a series of reports about Muslim religious practices appearing in some of the province's public schools. On Friday, Education Minister Bernard Drainville declared the government will introduce a new bill aimed at reinforcing secularism in Quebec schools. The announcement followed a Friday report in La Presse that documented students at a high school in Laval, north of Montreal, praying in classrooms and hallways and disrupting a play focused on sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy prevention. Drainville told reporters in Quebec City that the behaviour does not represent "our Quebec" and is "completely intolerable and unacceptable." "These acts of a religious nature clearly contravene secularism obligations," he said in a social media statement. "One can easily imagine the psychological impact that some of these behaviours may have had on students." The news story is the latest in a growing number of incidents reported at Quebec schools involving Muslim teachers and students. The wave of allegations was sparked by a government investigation, made public in October, that found a toxic climate at a Montreal elementary school. The report found that a group of teachers at Bedford school, mostly of North African descent, yelled at and humiliated students. Some teachers didn’t believe in learning disabilities and attributed students’ difficulties to laziness. Subjects like science and sex education were either ignored or barely taught, and girls were prevented from playing soccer. Eleven teachers have since been suspended from the school. The government is now looking into 17 schools it believes may have breached the province's secularism law. The report on those schools is expected in January, but Drainville says he can already confirm that the government is going to act. Quebec used the notwithstanding clause to shield the province's controversial secularism law, Bill 21, from constitutional challenges. That law prevents certain public sector workers, including teachers and police officers, from wearing religious symbols on the job. The government also invoked the clause to protect its contentious language law, Bill 96. On Friday, Legault said the protection of Quebec's identity has been one of his top priorities over the last year and repeated his claims that temporary immigration is threatening the French language in Montreal. He also reiterated that he's "open" to the idea of a Quebec constitution, following a recent recommendation from a committee tasked with coming up with ways to boost Quebec's autonomy. He said a constitution could enshrine Quebec's values, including secularism and equality between men and women. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024. — By Maura Forrest in Montreal The Canadian PressTanger Earns Sustainability Certifications for Taking Steps to Address Climate Change and Well-Being Across its Portfolio

The Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah , has said that President Bola Tinubu, his predecessor Muhammadu Buhari, and other previous heads of state were not fully prepared before taking over power. He insisted that Tinubu and other past leaders found themselves in power by accident. Kukah stated this on Sunday while delivering a keynote address at the official commissioning of Start-Rite School’s new building and the 4th Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture in Abuja. He lamented that the fundamental element missing in Nigerian leadership is knowledge. The clergyman expressed concern that democracy appears to be malfunctioning under successive administrations. He stated, “ If we are to start from the beginning, you will find that almost every leader who came to power in Nigeria did so as a result of one accident or another. President Tinubu, who said he was prepared for the role, is struggling. We are still trying to get off the ground. He took over from Buhari, who had already given up. “Buhari succeeded Jonathan, who thought he would retire after being deputy governor, but circumstances thrust him into power. Jonathan succeeded Yar’Adua, who had planned to return to teaching at Ahmadu Bello University after his governorship. “Yar’Adua, in turn, succeeded Obasanjo, who was unexpectedly released from prison to become president. Obasanjo took over after Abacha, who was being positioned by five political parties to rule indefinitely until nature intervened. “Abacha succeeded Shonekan, who was a business executive at UAC before being called to serve as Head of State. We can go on and on, but the fundamental issue in governance is knowledge. Leaders need a deep understanding of their environment.” Kukah stressed that while the world has changed, the expectations of leadership have not.Common sense is back in America. Donald Trump is right: Not only is the Republican Party the “party of common sense,” but he has a clear mandate to bring common-sense policies back to America after years of radical leftist failure. Trump’s 2024 victory was a win for normality and a crushing loss for left-wing Democrats who insist on selling wokeness to American voters who refused to buy it. The left’s meltdown post-Election Day has been a testament to the craziness of today’s liberals, who are now pivoting (again) to “resistance” mode. We have heard liberals complain about racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, fascism, and everything else under the sun to vilify Trump and his voters. ADVERTISEMENT The reality is the people who claim Trump is Adolf Hitler probably shouldn’t be taken seriously. The left is so mindlessly committed to its radical, anti-American orthodoxy that it is missing an opportunity to self-diagnose the failures of the agenda of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Over the years, the left has utterly lost its mind, and yet Democrats refuse to see the light. We cannot overlook the insanity of expecting a different outcome for the “woke” agenda than a historic defeat. The 2024 election brought one of the most significant red waves in history, with the supposed fascists winning the Electoral College and the popular vote — and easily. Should this even be surprising? Today’s Democrats believe feelings matter more than facts and that there are more than two genders. They openly embrace the same socialism and communism that has brutally failed everywhere in the world and killed more than 100 million people . They believe Israelis are terrorists and not Hamas. They believe in open borders, supporting tens of millions of undocumented immigrants — even if they are criminals — over law-abiding U.S. citizens, who voted for safety and security by voting for Trump. The Democratic Party pretends inflation doesn’t exist (it does), that the Inflation Reduction Act actually reduced inflation (it didn’t), and Bidenomics makes our lives better (it doesn’t). Democrats pretend the Afghanistan withdrawal wasn’t an unmitigated disaster. The world is a better place in their feeble, feckless hands, despite proof to the contrary in the Middle East and Eastern Europe and the South China Sea and everywhere else. The world is on fire because of Democrats. Democrats can’t even secure our own borders, let alone peace abroad, and American voters were not in the business of pretending any longer. Failure after failure, it is no shock that Democrats lost about 20 million votes between 2020 and 2024 — a 25% drop. The only surprise is that tens of millions of Americans continue to vote for Democrats. The years ahead will expose the foolishness of stubbornly loyal Democrats. Returning to common sense means enacting common-sense policies that any good-faith American — even a Trump critic — can accept. No one wants a weak economy. No one wants lawlessness. No one wants transgenderism in elementary schools. No one wants illegal immigration unless you’re a left-wing nut who wants undocumented immigrants to become loyal Democrats one day but hilariously refuses to house them in their homes . Trump’s win was a rejection of nonsense. It will result in a strong economy, mass deportation, toughness on crime, old-school American education, and a reversal of the wokeness that parents and students despise. It will strengthen allies like Israel and weaken enemies like Hamas or China. Come January, America will have a president who believes in traditional values and isn’t afraid to say it. We will have a president who actually wants to enforce the law. ADVERTISEMENT Unless you’re a left-wing radical, you will support the mass deportation of criminals who are here illegally. Most Americans are fed up with the free ride given to undocumented immigrants at our expense — more generous than our struggling countrymen, including veterans. People want to address inflation, and most Americans are sick of the high cost of living under the Biden-Harris administration. People believe in bringing peace back to the world, and most Americans don’t want their sons and daughters dying for ineffectual militarism. And people accept that there are only two genders — because most Americans put facts over feelings and want to get the mentally ill the help they so desperately need. If you’re a radical leftist, the next four years will be intolerable. For left-wing crazies, the Trump administration will be a struggle, but it is a great victory for sanity. It is morning in America again. Dan Backer is a veteran GOP campaign counsel. He practices law as a member of Chalmers, Adams, Backer & Kaufman LLC in Atlanta.

McCormick Place is called the nation’s largest convention center, but reputed Outfit guys, ex-cons and criminals have another name for it: A haven. The kind of guys who populate a prison yard have been getting work at McCormick Place for decades, especially through the small but politically powerful riggers union that sets up some of Chicago’s biggest trade shows, including the Chicago Auto Show. There’s a man working there who has ties to reputed organized crime figures and who helped run a heroin ring while locked up in Leavenworth. There’s also a mobster’s son, a convicted felon, who beat a murder rap. There’s a guy who looted $40,000 from a Catholic church where he worked on the side as a bookkeeper. And there’s a former state senator who is a convicted ghost payroller. “When the guys got out of jail, that was where they sent them to work,” said Robert Cooley, a former mob attorney turned federal informant whose cooperation helped decimate the Outfit. The Outfit had great influence at the lakefront convention center in the 1970s and 1980s, Cooley said. And its influence is still felt there. This year, the longtime president of the Machinery Movers, Riggers and Machinery Erectors Union Local 136 was charged with accepting a free Harley-Davidson bike from a pension fund manager. Despite the charge, the president, Fred Schreier, and other union officers he’s allied with are seeking re-election next month. “We do not believe the indictment will hurt the re-election campaign,” union attorney Marc Pekay said in a letter to the Chicago Sun-Times. Their opponents include a man once accused of running illegal gambling at McCormick Place and then giving jobs at the convention center to deadbeats to pay their debts. The man, Charles O’Connell, was never charged. The Sun-Times has obtained a list of riggers who work at McCormick Place, which gives a first-time look at some of the people who help run one of Chicago’s key economic engines. While the cast of characters may raise some eyebrows, it will come as no surprise to people who work or exhibit at McCormick Place. When asked about the ex-cons and reputed mobsters who have worked as riggers, Pekay, the union attorney, wrote, “The riggers do not discriminate or do checks on individuals, but merely serve the secured jobs of thousands of men. . . . This question impugns the integrity of hardworking and functioning individuals.” McCormick Place visitors pump an estimated $1.6 billion each year into Chicago’s economy. The convention center is run by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, a government agency known as McPier, which lures groups to stage conventions and trade shows in Chicago. Those groups hire companies, such as Freeman Decorating Co., to set up the exhibitions. Those companies hire carpenters, electricians and riggers to set the shows up and take them apart. A former McPier executive said some McCormick Place managers have been aware of the shady folks working as riggers in recent years. McPier’s current chief, Leticia Peralta Davis, said the agency has no control over who is hired by the companies that set up the trade shows. But she said Mayor Daley and Gov. Blagojevich are pushing for more labor reforms at McCormick Place so Chicago remains the convention king. Riggers typically are paid $24.15 an hour to move large machines or items. Becoming a rigger and getting steady work can require clout or connections, critics say. The convention center is the biggest source of jobs, but riggers also work at Rosemont’s convention center and at hotels. They even moved the presses at the Sun-Times’ new printing plant. Of course, many of the 350 members of the riggers union are hard workers with clean pasts, union members emphasize, calling the rogues a few bad eggs. Thousands more people are hired as riggers temporarily under permits. McCormick Place itself has a history of corruption that goes well beyond the riggers union. Just three months ago, Scott Fawell, the former head of the agency that runs McCormick Place, was indicted for allegedly fixing an $11.5 million contract to oversee the convention center’s $800 million expansion project. Fawell is already behind bars for political corruption while he worked in the secretary of state’s office under George Ryan. Insiders say a culture of corruption permeates McCormick Place. Take the story of one exhibitor, told by Robert Cappiello, industry vice president for the National Hardware Show. The exhibitor watched the contents of his booth loaded onto a freight elevator but he wasn’t allowed on. He went to meet the elevator, but when the doors opened, “nothing came out,” Cappiello said. “The whole booth was gone.” There’s no evidence the riggers were involved. But such stories of thefts, ghost-payrolling, bookmaking and other wrongdoing abound at McCormick Place. The riggers are no exception, and some have pasts rife with a certain colorful history. Sharon Campagna, wife of a late union official, worked in the riggers office for 16 years before she says she was forced out. She knows all about the riggers. “When I first met these people, I thought, ‘You must have to have a record to get into the union,’ ” Campagna joked. Good news, bad news Charles “Chuck” O’Connell has no criminal record, but he was in hot water with Freeman Decorating Co., the national firm that puts on the most conventions and trade shows at McCormick Place. Freeman said in court records that it fired O’Connell, its longtime riggers foreman, in 1997 for ghost-payrolling. O’Connell was taking bets on sporting events from employees at McCormick Place, Freeman said in court records. O’Connell allegedly put deadbeat gamblers on the payroll to cover their debts to him during the late 1990s. O’Connell allegedly received “numerous unsigned Freeman Decorating payroll checks upon which he forged the recipient’s signature and then deposited the forged payroll checks into his personal bank accounts,” a Freeman lawyer said in court records. But it wasn’t all bad news for O’Connell, 57, of Bensenville. He never was charged with any crime, saying in a court deposition that he “left Freeman Decorating on a mutual agreement.” It’s unclear whether Freeman reported the alleged crimes to police or McCormick Place officials. When asked about O’Connell, Freeman vice president Doug Van Ort hung up on a reporter. “That’s such old news,” Van Ort said. “Goodbye.” O’Connell eventually got to return to work at Freeman, but as a basic rigger, not a foreman, Van Ort said in a court deposition. “We were very bothered about what Mr. O’Connell had done,” Van Ort said in the deposition. “After I terminated him, we felt like . . . that we were not going to deny him a living wage, so we allowed him to come down at show site and operate as a rigger.” O’Connell declined to comment. He’s seeking election next month as the union’s business agent. McCormick Place officials were apparently never told about the alleged ghost-payrolling, but worry because it could mean conventions and trade shows were overcharged. “If that’s true, that’s extremely, extremely disturbing,” said Leticia Peralta Davis, McPier CEO. “If our customers are getting billed for something that wasn’t delivered . . . we certainly would want to know that.” “Prolific and multifaceted” Inside prison, Thomas “Danny” Bambulas was definitely industrious. He was caught setting up a heroin ring at Leavenworth. Now, Bambulas, 67, of Park Ridge, sets up trade shows. He says he and other ex-cons deserve a chance to make an honest living. “Would they rather me on the street trying to rob people?” asked Bambulas, who has a lengthy criminal record and ties to reputed organized crime figures. “Nobody’s giving me nothing for nothing. I’m working for whatever I’m getting,” Bambulas said. “It’s keeping me out of trouble. My grandchildren, everybody, are very proud of me.” Calling Bambulas “a prolific and multifaceted criminal would be a major understatement,” a federal prosecutor said. Charles Fasano of the John Howard Association, a prison watchdog, said it’s “good public policy” to let ex-cons make a decent living. But he said the riggers union seems to favor a certain type of ex-convict. “It’s not your typical ex-convict, because that would be a black man,” he said. A pair of Roccos Rocco LaMantia is a convicted felon, but he beat the most serious rap against him. He was charged 25 years ago with killing his girlfriend by shooting her in the mouth. Cook County Judge Thomas Maloney, one of the most corrupt judges in state history, acquitted him, and the feds later alleged that the case was fixed. LaMantia is the son of the late top mobster Joseph “Shorty” LaMantia. The son received attention earlier this year when the Sun-Times reported he had helped set up a trucking business that made more than $400,000 from the City of Chicago in its scandal-ridden Hired Truck Program. LaMantia, 45, of Chicago, is a rigger now. A more well-known Rocco was also a rigger at McCormick Place. He’s now in prison. Ernest Rocco Infelice, 80, was sentenced to 63 years in prison in 1993 for running a mob street crew that plotted to murder a bookie who refused to pay street tax. Infelice tried to get a riggers union card, one source recalled, but was denied. He wound up on the rolls as an occasional rigger. The two Roccos just scratch the surface of people tied to the Outfit who have been riggers at McCormick Place. Take Michael J. Swiatek, described in court records as a suspected mob enforcer and a once-frequent visitor to reputed mob boss Joey “The Clown” Lombardo. After his release from prison in the mid-1990s, Swiatek became a rigger at McCormick Place. He said he stopped a couple of years ago because of a bum leg. There’s also the Calabreses, who have been entrenched at McCormick Place for decades, sources said. Nick Calabrese has worked as a rigger, as have his relatives. Nick Calabrese is cooperating with the FBI in its investigation of nearly 20 mob hits, sources said. He also was a major focus of a federal ghost-payrolling investigation at McCormick Place that centered on the riggers, sources said. Pressure from FBI The feds used what they learned from their investigation, among other pressure points, to turn Calabrese into a witness, sources said. The ghost-payrolling investigation has come to a halt, but the FBI is believed to be working on a broader investigation at McCormick Place. A onetime employee of the Calabrese Street Crew, Terry Scalise, a convicted juice loan collector, also found work at McCormick Place after he left prison in 2000. “I wish I was still working there,” said Scalise, 48, of Chicago, who is recovering from back surgery. “If anyone’s looking to hire me, give them my phone number.” A rigger currently on the union rolls, records show, is Charles Miller, 53, of Chicago, a jewel thief with mob ties who was sentenced to prison after robbing a jeweler in Wisconsin. Miller left prison in 1997 and became a rigger. He even filed a workers comp claim after he said he was hurt at McCormick Place. Looting the collection box William Tuzik was a rigger when he swiped $40,000 from All Saints Polish National Catholic Church on the Northwest Side. Tuzik was arrested in 1988 and admitted skimming weekly collections while he was church treasurer. He got 30 months probation and said he made restitution. Tuzik, 64, of Chicago, is still a rigger. He said he was planning to work this past week at Rosemont’s convention center. “Dr. Mengele” It’s not only crooks who work at McCormick Place. There are also crooked cops. Take Joseph Miedzianowski, described as Chicago’s most corrupt cop for running a Miami-to-Chicago drug ring while he was supposed to fight street gangs. Miedzianowski, 51, and his crooked partner, John Galligan, 54, started working as riggers at McCormick Place in the 1980s after they were suspended following brutality complaints. They needed money, so a police official asked a friend at the riggers union to put the cops to work, sources said. After they returned to the Police Department, they continued at McCormick Place on their off-days, sources said. Miedzianowski’s reputation as a wild man from the police force followed him to the convention center, where he got dubbed with an unusual nickname, Dr. Mengele, after the Nazi who experimented on human beings. Miedzianowski started working less and less as a rigger — and it’s now apparent why, a union member said. He probably was too busy running his cocaine operation, the person said. Miedzianowski is serving a life sentence. Galligan was sent away for five years. When Galligan gets out, he would be welcomed back to the riggers, a union source said. In a similar case, Edward Freemon landed a rigging job and other work at McCormick Place in the 1990s after he was released from prison for a drug crime committed while he was a Chicago Fire Department captain. Freemon, 68, of Chicago, now works for another union at McCormick Place. A gentleman and a killer? For most of their relationship, Orville “Orvie” Cochran was a gentleman, opening car doors and pulling out chairs for his girlfriend. But he had another side as well, federal authorities said. Cochran, 54, is charged in a massive racketeering case out of Wisconsin involving drug dealing, bombings and two murders by the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. He is also wanted for questioning in the 1999 murder of fellow Outlaw Tommy Stimac, sources said. Stimac worked occasionally at McCormick Place. Cochran’s past may have come back with a vengeance in February 2000. He was outside the Outlaws’ South Side clubhouse when someone opened fire. Cochran was shot but survived. He fell below the barrage of bullets because he slipped on the ice, a former friend said. “This guy was goddamn lucky,” the ex-friend said. Cochran is on the lam. Before taking off, he was known as a consistent worker at McCormick Place with an eye toward becoming a union leader, sources said. Another Outlaw and rigger, Carl Warneke, is lying low too, but for a different reason. He’s in a prison witness protection program after testifying against his former club members charged in federal indictments in recent years. The riggers union continues to draw on the Outlaws as a source of labor for McCormick Place, but none of those men has been accused of any wrongdoing. Haunted by ghosts Federal investigators have long believed that not everyone is breaking a sweat at McCormick Place. Some are suspected of not showing up but getting paid anyway, sources said. Others apparently work under other names to avoid government scrutiny. A recent federal investigation of ghost-payrolling at McCormick Place involved riggers union president Fred Schreier, sources said. Schreier, 59, of Willow Springs, has not been charged in that investigation. But he was indicted earlier this year for illegally taking a motorcycle from a pension fund consultant who was working with the union. Schreier’s first wife, Pamela, was a niece of Chicago’s late mob boss Anthony “Joe Batters” Accardo. Schreier isn’t the first union leader to let people with shady pasts work as riggers — or find himself in trouble with the law. The late business manager for the riggers and secretary-treasurer Ernest Gibas Sr. and two other union officials were convicted in 1960 of shaking down machinery- moving firms. Charles LaTour, a Gibas associate and union steward in the 1960s, was a convicted robber who was questioned in a 1967 bombing of the Wilmette home of an exposition company executive. Quid pro quo? Absolutely! The union has seen tough times before and weathered challenges to its very existence. In 1998, the riggers and other unions made concessions so McCormick Place would become more competitive with other cities that were threatening to lure conventions from Chicago. In another case, legislation before the General Assembly would have consolidated McCormick Place’s unions and made the workers government employees, rather than employees of contractors. Some union officials feared it would have cut wages and wounded or killed the riggers union. That crisis was averted, thanks to political help in Springfield. The bill was defeated by a narrow margin with help from then-state Sen. Bruce Farley (D-Chicago), who at the time was under indictment as a ghost payroller in the Cook County treasurer’s office. He was later convicted. The riggers remembered Farley’s help when he was released from federal custody in 2001. Farley, 61, of Chicago, found work as a rigger at McCormick Place. “I don’t want to talk about my employment,” Farley said, before hanging up. One union source was more talkative about Farley’s job. “Is that quid pro quo?” he asked. “Absolutely.” “We owed him an opportunity.”NoneA second-half Harry Kane hat-trick secured Bayern Munich a 3-0 home win over Augsburg on Friday, extending their lead at the top of the Bundesliga table to eight points ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain. Bayern, unbeaten in the league during the 2024-25 season, dominated throughout but faced resilient defending from their Bavarian neighbours. After 61 minutes, a handball by Augsburg’s Mads Pedersen in the box, confirmed by VAR, allowed the England captain to convert a penalty and put Bayern ahead. In stoppage time, Kane earned another penalty after being fouled by Keven Schlotterbeck, who received a second yellow card and was sent off. Kane calmly scored from the spot again. The England striker completed his hat-trick by heading in a cross, marking his seventh treble since joining Bayern. He now has 14 goals in 11 league matches, with five coming from penalties. “We knew it would be difficult to break them down. At halftime, we said, ‘Just keep doing what we’re doing.’ Thankfully, we got the penalty to open the game up and then finished it off,” Kane told DAZN. Reflecting on his penalties, Kane said: “I work on them a lot. They’re a big part of the game. Thankfully, they helped us today. Of course, I’ve missed many in training, but that’s the time to miss them,” he laughed. Neuer Boost for Bayern Related News Kane hopes to extend England career beyond 2026 World Cup Harry Kane urges players to prioritise England amid Nations League withdrawals Bundesliga: Musiala stars as Bayern go six clear, Dortmund lose again Pre-match, Bayern received a lift as captain and veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was cleared to start despite missing training with a rib issue. Bayern dominated possession but struggled to break through Augsburg’s defence in the first half. Goalkeeper Nediljko Labrovic thwarted chances from Jamal Musiala and Leon Goretzka. Eventually, Bayern broke Augsburg’s resistance with 30 minutes remaining, capitalising on Pedersen’s handball. While Bayern soar in the Bundesliga, they have faced challenges in the Champions League, currently sitting 17th after four games, six points behind leaders Liverpool. Tuesday’s match with PSG, also struggling in the tournament, is seen as crucial for both teams. Kane expressed optimism about Bayern’s upcoming fixtures, including a trip to Borussia Dortmund and a German Cup clash with holders Bayer Leverkusen. “It’s a big week ahead, but the team is feeling good. We just need to maintain this momentum,” Kane added. AFP

In South Korea’s crisis playbook, currency stability is paramountNone