News of the World

[kyonides]

Pelé, Brazil’s Mighty King of ‘Beautiful Game,’ Has Died

Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died Thursday. He was 82.

The standard-bearer of “the beautiful game” had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. The medical center where he had been hospitalized for the last month said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the cancer.
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Widely regarded as one of soccer’s greatest players, Pelé spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents as the game’s most prolific scorer with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team.

His grace, athleticism and mesmerizing moves transfixed players and fans. He orchestrated a fast, fluid style that revolutionized the sport—a samba-like flair that personified his country’s elegance on the field.
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Different sources, counting different sets of games, list Pelé’s goal totals anywhere between 650 (league matches) and 1,281 (all senior matches, some against low-level competition.)

The player who would be dubbed “The King” was introduced to the world at 17 at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, the youngest player ever at the tournament. He was carried off the field on teammates’ shoulders after scoring two goals in Brazil’s 5–2 victory over the host country in the final.

January 6 Committee Withdraws Subpoena for Trump

The Jan. 6 House select committee withdraw its subpoena of former President Donald Trump, which prompted a victory lap from his attorney and the former commander-in-chief himself.

The panel’s chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), said in a letter to Trump’s attorneys that the committee is no longer pursuing the subpoena that was issued in October for the former president’s testimony and documents regarding the Jan. 6, 2021 incident at the Capitol.
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“Was just advised that the Unselect Committee of political Thugs has withdrawn the Subpoena of me concerning the January 6th Protest of the CROOKED 2020 Presidential Election,” Trump wrote.

“They probably did so because they knew I did nothing wrong, or they were about to lose in Court. Perhaps the FBI’s involvement in RIGGING the Election played into their decision. In any event, the Subpoena is DEAD!” he added.

Trump’s mentioning of the FBI is a likely reference to explosive Twitter Files disclosures that show there was an effort by the agency to discredit leaked information about Hunter Biden’s laptop ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

The former president has been deeply critical of the Jan. 6 panel, whose probe he has called a partisan “witch-hunt” and a “fake trial.”

Controversial Media Personality Andrew Tate Detained in Romania in Human Trafficking Probe

Controversial social media personality Andrew Tate has been detained by Romanian police on suspicion of rape and human trafficking following a raid of his luxury home and other properties in the capital city of Bucharest.

Tate, 36, a former professional kickboxer, was arrested alongside his brother Tristan and detained for 23 hours, Romanian prosecutors said. The brothers have been under investigation since April alongside two Romanian nationals.

Prosecutors allege that the brothers are suspects in an alleged organized crime ring that sexually exploited women.
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In a press release translated by Business Insider, Romanian authorities alleged that at least one woman had been raped during the organized crime ring, which they said was based between Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The press release did not specifically name the Tate brothers.
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A spokesperson for Tate told the Daily Mirror said the brothers have “the utmost respect for the Romanian authorities and will always assist and help in any way they can.”

9 Controversial California Laws Taking Effect on Jan. 1

Jaywalking (AB 2147)

Under the new “Freedom to Walk Act,” pedestrians will no longer be fined for crossing the street outside of designated intersections or crosswalks unless the person causes a hazard on the street.
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Opponents worry that it will lead to more accidents and ultimately cause more pedestrian deaths.
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Criminal Records (SB 731)

At least 225,000 Californians with prior convictions or arrests will be able to have their records automatically sealed from criminal background checks due to a new law.

While these records will be automatically sealed once people complete their sentence and go four years without new arrests, others will be able to petition a judge to have theirs sealed.

In California, there are around 8 million people that have criminal records, according to Californians for Safety and Justice.
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FAST Recovery Act (AB 257)

The new law applies to fast-food chains that have 100 or more locations nationally and would create a council that would set industry-wide minimum standards on wages, working hours, and other conditions.

Under the law, minimum wages could rise to as high as $22 an hour for 2023, with the option to increase further each year based on inflation.

Opponents argue that the law would lead to higher food prices and job losses. Additionally, the effects of the law won’t be limited to just major fast-food chains, but small businesses as well—since they will be compelled to raise pay to compete for staff.

DOJ Files Lawsuit Against One of Largest Pharma Companies in the US

In a civil complaint, federal prosecutors wrote (pdf) Thursday that AmerisourceBergen violated federal laws that require opioid manufacturers to alert the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to any suspicious orders. Pharmaceutical companies, under the law, are also required to block shipments of orders that are deemed suspicious.

It said that AmerisourceBergen and two of its subsidiaries since 2014 had systematically refused or negligently failed to flag suspicious orders by pharmacy customers when it had reason to know that opioids were being diverted to illegal channels.

The suit also said the Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based company, with $238.6 billion of revenue in its latest fiscal year, even intentionally altered how one of its units monitored orders, dramatically reducing the number that underwent internal scrutiny. The lawsuit seeks penalties that could reach billions of dollars, and an injunction against future violations of the federal Controlled Substances Act.
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In a release, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram hailed the lawsuit. “The company’s repeated and systemic failure to fulfill this simple obligation helped ignite an opioid epidemic that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths over the past decade,” she said Thursday.
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Between 1999 and 2020, some 564,000 people died from an opioid-involved overdose, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 80,000 people died from opioid overdoses last year, the agency said.

Last week, the federal health agency said that new data shows U.S. life-expectancy dropped in the past year to the lowest levels in 25 years. Officials, in part, blamed the decline on the opioid epidemic.

And obviously, that company doesn't admit they've broken the law at all.