All but 1 of Arizona’s members of Congress supported the Laken Riley Act. Who voted no?

On Jan. 7, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill named for Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student killed in February by a man who was in the country illegally.

The Laken Riley Act would require U.S. immigration authorities to detain undocumented immigrants who are charged with theft-related crimes. It also includes a provision that would empower state attorneys general to sue the federal government over harms caused by illegal immigration.

Riley’s case drew national attention as part of the discussion about immigration, a major campaign issue in last year’s presidential race.

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Forty-eight House Democrats joined Republicans to pass the bill by a margin of 264-159. The measure now heads to the U.S. Senate. It will need a handful of Democratic votes in order to pass.

How did Arizona’s representatives vote on the bill?
All but two of Arizona’s House members voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act.

The state’s six Republican representatives voted to pass the bill, as did Rep. Greg Stanton, a Democrat. Freshman Rep. Yassamin Ansari, a progressive Democrat from Arizona, voted against the measure.

Rep. Raúl Grijalva, another progressive, did not vote. Grijalva has been in and out of Congress after his cancer treatment.

The last time the Laken Riley Act came up for a vote was in March 2024. At that time, all of Arizona’s U.S. House members voted in favor of it, except for Grijalva and Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., who did not vote.

The Laken Riley Act: Who voted no?
The only “no” vote from Arizona, Ansari wrote that the bill would serve as “a license to discriminate against our immigrant communities, including DREAMers.”

“The murder of Laken Riley was a horrific tragedy. But the anti-immigrant bill being pushed by House Republicans will do nothing to prevent this kind of violence or reform our broken immigration system,” she said in a written statement released after the vote.

“Under this legislation, someone charged — just charged, not found guilty — could be immediately deported. This is a gross miscarriage of justice, and I voted no.”

Republicans, meanwhile, celebrated the bill as an overdue action to address crime committed by migrants.

Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., wrote that he voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act “to honor her memory and ensure bad actors here illegally are detained to prevent innocent lives from being lost to the crisis.”

Reps. Eli Crane and Andy Biggs, both immigration hawks, criticized Democrats for voting against the bill. Crane called it “appalling” that “159 Democrats sided with criminal aliens by voting against this commonsense measure.”

Delivering remarks on the House floor, Biggs listed statistics and recent examples of crimes committed by people who are in the country illegally.

“You can stand up and say, ‘We’re not bringing meaningful legislation.’ You can stand up and say that you feel real bad for Laken Riley and her family. And how about all the other victims of illegal aliens who have committed crimes,” Biggs said. “But you know the first thing they did that was illegal? They entered our country. You want to protect them.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: All but 1 of Arizona’s members of Congress supported the Laken Riley Act. Who voted no?

The widow of late Padres president Peter Seidler is suing her husband’s two brothers. Who will gain control of the team?

Sheel Seidler, the widow of San Diego Padres chairman Peter Seidler, sued two of his brothers Monday in an attempt to become the team’s control person.

In a complaint filed in Texas probate court, Sheel Seidler claims she and her three children have been “effectively ostracized” from the organization since Peter Seidler’s death 14 months ago. The suit names Robert and Matthew Seidler as defendants, accusing the brothers of “fiduciary breaches of trust, fraud, conversion and egregious acts of self-dealing” in their roles as trustees and executors of Peter Seidler’s estate.

The Padres announced Dec. 21 that Peter’s oldest brother, John Seidler, would become the team’s control person, which Sheel opposed and claims went against her late husband’s wishes.

In a letter to fans, Sheel called her complaint “a very last resort” to “protect my family and to continue to carry out Peter’s legacy.”

“[A]s the holder of the largest individual ownership stake in the San Diego Padres, and the sole beneficiary of the Seidler Trusts, which possesses exclusive rights with respect to control of the franchise, I am seeking to be named the control person for the Padres,” Sheel Seidler wrote as part of her letter.

A statement from a spokesperson for the Peter Seidler Trust, which controls the Padres, called Sheel’s complaint “entirely without merit.”

“Peter had a clear estate plan,” the statement continued. “The plan specifically named three of his nine siblings, with whom he had worked closely for many decades, as successor trustees of his trust and Peter himself prohibited Sheel from ever serving as trustee. The trustee is exclusively responsible for designating the San Diego Padres’ next control person.”

The statement alleged that Sheel agreed in a sworn document that she had “no right to be or to designate the control person and that she would not interfere with the designated control person. The statement also alleges that Sheel stated in May 2024 that John Seidler “would be the best control person for the Padres.”

Peter Seidler, a two-time cancer survivor, died from complications of an infection on Nov. 14, 2023, leaving behind Sheel and their children, now ages 4, 9 and 11. Eric Kutsenda, a longtime friend and business partner, was named interim control person before essentially turning over responsibilities to John Seidler 13 months later.

Sheel Seidler’s complaint claims assurances from Peter’s brothers that they would act for the benefit of Sheel and the children have “shown to be hollow” in the wake of his death.

Matthew and Robert Seidler “not only disregarded the clear terms and purpose of the will and trust instrument that Peter created, but they also have intentionally schemed to take for themselves the estate and Seidler trusts’ value rights and assets,” the complaint reads. “They have done so by misleading Sheel, engaging in conflicted transactions and egregious acts of self-dealing, and when Sheel began expressing concern and questioning their actions, they responded by demeaning and attempting to intimidate her — including by using trust assets to pay lawyers to threaten her into submission and silence.”

“They are trying to erase Peter’s vision and legacy,” another part of the complaint reads, “as well as falsely cast themselves as Peter’s true heirs.”

Under Peter Seidler, the Padres became a financial juggernaut, signing and retaining stars and placing the club alongside big spenders such as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. Fans rallied around the team, setting attendance records at Petco Park.

Peter Seidler, grandson of prominent former Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, was part of a group that purchased the Padres in 2012 and assumed the role of chairman eight years later, becoming the organization’s largest stakeholder. The pinnacle of Peter’s ownership tenure arrived in October 2022 when the Padres defeated the rival Dodgers — once deemed by Peter as “the dragon up the freeway that we’re trying to slay” — in the National League Division Series, before being eliminated the following round.

In the first offseason after Seidler’s death, the Padres, who by that point had lost their local media contract through Diamond Sports Group’s bankruptcy proceedings, decreased payroll by about one-third.

Padres general manager A.J. Preller nonetheless fielded a competitive team in 2024 that won 93 games, made the playoffs for the third time in five years and almost defeated the Dodgers in the NLDS once again.

Seidler often expressed his hope to bring San Diego, a city that lost its NFL team, its first championship. Sheel Seidler believes she is the person who can help bring that dream to fruition.

“While the children and I feel Peter’s absence every day, our collective devotion to this team is stronger than ever,” Sheel Seidler wrote. “Peter and I always planned, one day, to leave the team to the children. That remains my steadfast commitment. In the meantime, it is my intention to build upon the many recent successes, investing in both the short-term and long-term future of the franchise, and ensuring our dream of multiple championships is fulfilled.”

John Seidler’s appointment as control person is still pending the approval of three-quarters of MLB’s owners. A vote hasn’t been scheduled but could occur as early as the upcoming owners meetings in February.

Sheel Seidler’s complaint alleges that she and her three children are not welcomed at the ownership suite during games and that Robert and Matthew Seidler have gone as far as to “inform Padres employees that Sheel is not an owner of the team, and that her presence and input are not welcome in interacting with free agents and current players.”

Sheel Seidler also claims to have been excluded from charitable events meant to mark Peter Seidler’s legacy.

The complaint includes what is said to be a handwritten note from Peter Seidler, listing the priorities for control person in the event of his death, with Sheel and the children at the top.

Sheel Seidler and the children own approximately one-quarter of the Padres, fulfilling MLB’s requirement of at least a 15% stake to qualify as a control person. But Matthew and Robert Seidler have “frozen Sheel out,” according to the complaint, and “deprived her of the benefits of being the largest beneficial owner of the baseball team, while themselves enjoying the benefits.”

The statement from the Seidler trust lauded John Seidler as someone who “has the right experience and shares Peter’s vision for the Padres: ensure there is a consistently competitive team on the field and a best-in-class fan experience, with the goal of bringing championship-caliber baseball to San Diego.”

Best forecast: Storm system brings wind, rain, snow and cooling into Arizona ‘life-threatening’ as officials issue deadly warning…

PHOENIX — Finally, a winter storm is headed to Arizona!

Winds will pick up, rain and snow will move in, and temperatures will drop significantly across our state.

Phoenix will drop into the 60s starting Tuesday and continue to cool through the middle of the week.

There’s a slight chance of a few spotty showers in the Valley too, mainly Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning. Some spots could pick up around a tenth of an inch of rain.

Up north, the snow level will gradually fall to around 3,500 feet. Flagstaff could get one to three inches with six to eight inches possible over the San Francisco Peaks.

Generally totals up up to two inches of snow are expected along the Mogollon Rim. High winds will lead to blowing snow and low visibility, so travel is not recommended Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning.

By Wednesday afternoon and evening, snow showers will spread into southeastern Arizona with the highest peaks potentially getting six to ten inches of fresh snow.

Out west, is more about the wind than the rain or snow.

A High Wind Warning is in effect for the Colorado River Valley from Tuesday morning through Wednesday afternoon. Gusts there could reach up to 60 mph. So, if you’re traveling in western Arizona, particularly in high-profile vehicles, consider postponing plans.

Wind Advisories are also in effect for parts of western Arizona, including Mohave County and portions of the Parker Valley Tuesday and Wednesday with gusts up to 50 mph possible.

Behind the storm, cooler air will continue to flow in.

Daytime highs will drop into the low to mid 60s in the Valley Wednesday through Friday with morning lows in the upper 30s to low 40s by Thursday morning. Some outlying areas may even experience freezing overnight temperatures later in the week.

Freeze Watches are in effect Wednesday night into Thursday morning and again Thursday night into Friday morning across southeastern Arizona, this includes parts of Pinal County like Eloy and Arizona City. So, remember to cover any exposed pipes and sensitive plants before those freezing temperatures hit.

How did the two crew members survive the South Korean plane crash that killed 179, and what caused the crash

Only two people – flight attendants – survived the deadly South Korea plane crash because they were seated at the rear tail section of the aircraft.

Seoul, South Korea:
Heartbreaking scenes unfolded at South Korea’s Muan International Airport on Sunday after a Jeju Air flight crashed on the runway, killing 179 out of 181 people onboard. Only two people – flight attendants – survived the deadly crash because they were seated at the rear tail section of the aircraft – statistically known to be the safest place on a commercial flight.

A 2015 study by TIME Magazine found that rear seats were the safest in case of accidents. The report suggested that the seats in the back of the aircraft had a 32 per cent fatality rate, compared to the middle third (39 per cent) and the front (38 per cent).

The two survivors, identified as 32-year-old Lee and 25-year-old Kwon, were pulled from the tail section of the charred aircraft. The crash has reportedly left their recollections of the event shrouded in shock and confusion. After rescue Lee repeatedly asked, “What happened” and “Why am I here”, a report by the Korean Times said. According to the hospital authorities, she sustained a fractured left shoulder and head injuries but remained conscious.

Kwon, who suffered a scalp laceration, a fractured ankle, and abdominal pain, also did not seem to recollect the accident.

Both the survivors have significant injuries and trauma, but their lives are not in danger, the hospital staff said.

The Jeju Air plane, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, was flying from Bangkok to Muan when it attempted to land shortly after 9 am but ended up crashing into a fence. Visuals showed the twin-engine plane skidding off the runway, crashing, and immediately bursting into flames. Within seconds, huge black smoke rose into the sky.

In the videos, it appeared the aircraft attempted a ‘belly landing’ (without its landing gear fully extended). Preliminary investigation suggested that the crash took place due to a landing gear malfunction.

While the oldest person on the flight was a 78-year-old man, the youngest was a three-year-old baby, reported South Korea’s News1 agency. There were also two Thai passengers on the plane who died in the crash.

Infinity Nicky – Official version 1.1 “Shooting Star Season” is available on PS5, iOS, Android and PC on December 29.

Check out the Version 1.1 ‘Shooting Star Season’ Preview Trailer for Infinity Nikki, an open-world adventure fashion game developed by inFold Games. A new season is coming to Infinity Nikki that will welcome the new year with hopes for good fortune and fresh starts. Players can experience the unique seasonal atmosphere in Florawish during the ‘Shooting Star Season’ with new content to enjoy. The Version 1.1 ‘Shooting Star Season’ for Infinity Nikki is launching on December 29 for PlayStation 5 (PS5), iOS, Android, and PC.

Who is Wayne Gretzky?Trump has endorsed hockey player Wayne Gretzky for prime minister of Canada

As Justin Trudeau’s tenure as Canadian Prime Minister faces challenges, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has stepped in with a surprising suggestion. On Christmas Day, Trump announced his unconventional choice for the next “Governor of Canada” – legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky.

On December 25, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to share the news: “I just spoke with Wayne Gretzky, known in the hockey world as ‘The Great One.’ I told him, ‘Wayne, why don’t you run for Prime Minister of Canada – soon to be known as Governor of Canada. You’ll win easily. You won’t even have to campaign.'”

Trump continued, “Although Wayne isn’t interested, I believe the Canadian people should start a movement to nominate Wayne Gretzky. This could be exciting!”
Wayne Gretzky, born in 1961 in Ontario, Canada, is a renowned Canadian ice hockey player and an iconic figure in global ice hockey. Over his 20-season career in the National Hockey League (NHL), he became the all-time leader in goals, assists, and points, earning the nickname “The Great One.”

Gretzky is one of the athletes who has publicly shown support for Donald Trump. In November, he and his family garnered attention on social media when they attended a campaign event at Mar-a-Lago hosted by Trump, where they were photographed wearing “Make America Great Again” hats.

Reports indicate that Gretzky holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United States. He has a history of supporting conservative politicians, including publicly endorsing then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party during the 2015 Canadian election.
Trump’s endorsement of Gretzky’s candidacy coincides with a period of mounting pressure on Canada’s current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, to step down.

On December 16, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland abruptly resigned from the Cabinet, citing disagreements with Trudeau over handling the threat of U.S. tariffs and other issues.

On December 20, Justin Singer, a key Trudeau ally and leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, announced plans to introduce a motion of no confidence against the Liberal government when the House of Commons reconvenes on January 27 next year. Should all opposition parties back the motion, Trudeau would be compelled to resign as Prime Minister after more than nine years in office, triggering a general election. Concurrently, an increasing number of Liberal Party lawmakers are advocating for Trudeau’s resignation.
Trump’s tariff threats against Canada are perceived as a factor that could expedite Prime Minister Trudeau’s removal from office. Opposition parties in Canada, along with members of Trudeau’s own Liberal Party, have criticized him for not taking sufficient action against Trump’s tariff threats.

Late last month, Trump threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico to address illegal immigration and drug issues. Following this, Trump repeatedly suggested that Canada could become the “51st state” of the United States and that Trudeau could serve as its “governor.”

Pierre Polievre, the leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, remarked: “Ultimately, Trudeau is a weak leader who garners no respect globally. We should approach negotiations with our American counterparts from a position of strength—independent, strong, and proud.”
Canada’s Calgary Herald pointedly remarked that President-elect Trump implied the Canadian Prime Minister was not the leader of an independent nation, calling it “an almost unimaginable insult.”

Netflix will spend $150 million on NFL Christmas test as shares post their best performance since 2015 and investors reap big profits

Topline

Netflix’s debut as a major sports broadcaster is poised to capture Wall Street’s attention, adding to an already impressive year for investors as the streaming giant continues to rapidly increase its profits.

Key Facts

Netflix has secured the national broadcast rights for two NFL games on Wednesday: the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. EST and the Baltimore Ravens vs. the Houston Texans at 4:30 p.m. EST. The event will feature performances by pop stars Mariah Carey and Beyoncé.

These football games represent a significant live advertising opportunity, with the potential to enhance “scale & monetization into 2025” for Netflix’s ad-supported subscription tier, according to JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth in a recent note to clients.

This high-profile Christmas event comes as Netflix has seen robust performance on the stock market, bolstered by its record financial achievements this year.
As of Tuesday, Netflix stock has surged by 91% year-to-date, positioning it for its best annual performance since 2015.

This impressive 91% rally ranks Netflix as the 13th-best performing stock on the S&P 500 index. Among American companies valued at $200 billion or more, it trails only artificial intelligence leaders Nvidia and Broadcom. Notably, Netflix’s gains significantly surpass those of its entertainment industry peers such as Disney (26%), Comcast (parent of NBC and Peacock, -7%), Warner Bros. Discovery (parent of Max, -7%), and Paramount (parent of CBS, -28%).

Netflix’s robust returns reflect a stellar year, marked by strong profitability amidst struggles faced by many of its streaming competitors. According to FactSet, Netflix is projected to achieve $39 billion in revenue and $8.7 billion in net profit for 2024, representing increases of 15% and 60%, respectively, compared to the record results of 2023. These projections are based on the company’s performance over the first three quarters of the year and consensus analyst forecasts for the final quarter.

Key Background
According to The Wall Street Journal, Netflix paid $150 million to secure the rights to Wednesday NFL games. This significant investment comes on the heels of the high ratings garnered by the trio of nationally televised Christmas games in 2023, each of which ranked among the top 20 U.S. broadcasts of the year. These Christmas NFL games will be the first mainstream American team sporting events to air on Netflix, marking a notable expansion into live sports for the streaming giant. Last month, Netflix broadcast a boxing match between influencer Jake Paul and 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, and subsequently acquired the rights to the next two FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments. In January, the company also announced it will air WWE’s weekly wrestling program “Raw” for a reported $5 billion over the next decade.

Big Number
7%. That’s the percentage of NFL games this season that are available exclusively through streaming services, as reported by boutique equity research firm MoffettNathanson.

Surprising Fact
Over the past five years, Netflix stock has significantly outperformed those of other traditional media and streaming services involved in the NFL broadcast business, achieving an impressive annualized return of 36%.

The arrest in Southern California of Sun, a Chinese national accused of acting as Beijing’s agent in local elections in California, shows the Chinese government’s expanding efforts to influence U.S. elections

U.S. officials on Thursday arrested a Chinese man prosecutors say was at the center of an effort to influence local politics in California, charging him with acting as an illegal foreign agent over his role in getting a politician elected to a City Council position in the Los Angeles area.

Prosecutors say Mike Sun, also identified as Yaoning Sun, 64, worked closely with another man, John Chen, who was sentenced in November to 20 months in prison for being an agent of China and bribery. The two discussed Mr. Sun’s effort to get the politician elected in 2022. Mr. Chen, who is identified in court documents as Jun Chen, asked Mr. Sun to prepare a report about the candidate that was sent to Chinese officials, according to a criminal complaint made public Thursday. The most recent draft of the report included a request for $80,000 from China to support pro-Beijing activities in the United States.

Mr. Sun is scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon. It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer. A phone number registered to Sun Yaoning was not in service.

Mr. Sun’s arrest and the sentencing in New York of Mr. Chen are part of an effort by federal prosecutors to curb attempts by China to influence local politicians in the United States. After setbacks in extending its influence in Washington, the Chinese government has turned to America’s cities and states, prosecutors say, hoping to nurture support for causes important to Beijing, such as curbing calls for autonomy for Taiwan, opposing any democracy movement in Hong Kong and combating the fiercely anti-Communist Falun Gong spiritual movement.

Officials say that the Chinese government is reaching into smaller local elections as a long-term investment: Successful local officials often seek higher office and can make introductions to more senior politicians.

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The arrest of Mr. Sun in Southern California suggests an expanding scope of Chinese government efforts to influence American elections, following a Times investigation focusing on a New York man with a criminal backround, John Chan, who has close ties to the local Chinese consulate and worked to shape election outcomes at the city, state and congressional levels. To build those ties, the Chinese government can dangle money, access to its huge domestic market, even pandas.

“We’ve seen a trend in which officials of the People’s Republic of China seek to influence the political system of our country, and they are doing so by taking a broad approach, including government officials who may be local, who may not be yet on a national stage,” Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, told reporters on a call.

Mr. Estrada noted that Mr. Sun and Mr. Chen had claimed credit for getting a “rising star” elected in California, someone they hoped would “continue to ascend within the political system.”

“So it’s definitely a long game approach that we are seeing from the People’s Republic of China,” Mr. Estrada said.

The politician for whom Mr. Sun served as campaign manager was referred to in the criminal complaint as “individual 1” because that person has not been charged, Mr. Estrada said. Campaign finance and other records show that a man named Yaoning Sun has worked closely with Eileen Wang, a councilwoman in Arcadia, a city in the Los Angeles area, whose biographical details match the description outlined in the complaint.

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Mr. Sun briefly shows up on Ms. Wang’s 2022 campaign filings as her treasurer and was reimbursed by her campaign for meetings, a fund-raiser and travel expenses. Ms. Wang won election to her seat that year, with more than 60 percent of the vote. Mr. Sun and Ms. Wang are also the officers of the American Southwest Chamber of Commerce USA, a nonprofit established in 2018 to “promote Chinese community small business.” An Instagram feed with Mr. Sun’s name has nearly 175 videos and photos calling on voters to support Ms. Wang.

Prosecutors also said that Mr. Sun’s last registered physical address with the Department of Motor Vehicles was a home owned by the local politician.

Ms. Wang has not been accused of any wrongdoing. And it is not clear from the complaint that Ms. Wang was aware of the conversations Mr. Sun and Mr. Chen were allegedly having between themselves and with Chinese government officials about her candidacy. Nor is it obvious from Ms. Wang’s social media posts or the criminal complaint against Mr. Sun that Ms. Wang is pro-Beijing. A recent entry on a Facebook account with her name and photo, for example, discusses a meeting she said she had in late July with a visiting official from Taiwan, the island democracy that China claims as its own. Beijing bristles when American lawmakers meet with Taiwan officials.

Ms. Wang did not immediately return a phone call and a text to her cellphone or an email seeking comment.

Last month, after pleading guilty, Mr. Chen — Mr. Sun’s alleged co-conspirator — was sentenced after, prosecutors say, he and a co-conspirator hatched a plot to repress members of Falun Gong in the United States and bribe an I.R.S. agent to help revoke the group’s tax-exempt status.

In the new complaint unsealed in Los Angeles on Thursday, Mr. Chen is described as an intermediary between Mr. Sun and Chinese government officials, to whom Mr. Chen bragged about assembling “a basic team dedicated for us,” referring to Mr. Sun and the elected official in Los Angeles County.

Mr. Chen also told a cellmate that a Chinese spy agency had given him $250,000 to come to the United States 30 years ago and had then paid him $52,000 a month, according to the complaint. In his conversations with a Chinese government official, Mr. Chen called Mr. Sun “my helping hand in the Chinese community since 1997.”

In a memo the two men prepared for an unnamed “big boss” in the Chinese Communist Party, Mr. Chen and Mr. Sun asked for $80,000 as part of an effort to promote pro-China activities in the United States; they also planned to ask for “100 drums” and uniforms in “China Red” that could be used in parades, the complaint said.

Prosecutors say Mr. Chen instructed Mr. Sun to claim credit for their electoral success, and Mr. Sun wrote: “Most proudly of all, during the 2022 U.S. midterm elections, I orchestrated and organized my team to win the election for City Council member candidate [Individual 1],” the complaint said.

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