The worlds richest man was just handed a chance to become historys first trillionaire.

Elon Musk won a shareholder vote on Thursday that would give the Tesla CEO stock worth $1 trillion if he hits certain performance targets over the next decade. The vote followed weeks of debate over his management record at the electric car maker and whether anyone deserved such unprecedented pay, drawing heated commentary from small investors to giant pension funds and even the pope.

In the end, more than 75% of voters approved the plan as shareholders gathered in Austin, Texas, for their annual meeting.

Fantastic group of shareholders," Musk said after the final vote was tallied, adding Hang on to your Tesla stock.

The vote is a resounding victory for Musk showing investors still have faith in him as Tesla struggles with plunging sales, market share and profits in no small part due to Musk himself. Car buyers fled the company this year as he has ventured into politics both in the U.S. and Europe, and trafficked in conspiracy theories.

The vote came just three days after a report from Europe showing Tesla car sales plunged again last month, including a 50% collapse in Germany.

Still, many Tesla investors consider Musk as a sort of miracle man capable of stunning business feats, such as when he pulled Tesla from the brink of bankruptcy a half-dozen years ago to turn it into one of the worlds most valuable companies.

The vote clears a path for Musk to become a trillionaire by granting him new shares, but it wont be easy. The board of directors that designed the pay package require him to hit several ambitious financial and operational targets, including increasing the value of the company on the stock market nearly six times its current level.

Musk also has to deliver 20 million Tesla electric vehicles to the market over 10 years amid new, stiff competition, more than double the number since the founding of the company. He also has to deploy 1 million of his human-like robots that he has promised will transform work and home he calls it a robot army from zero today.

Musk could add billions to his wealth in a few years by partly delivering these goals, according to various intermediate steps that will hand him newly created stock in the company as he nears the ultimate targets.

That could help him eventually top what is now considered Americas all-time richest man, John D. Rockefeller. The railroad titan is estimated by Guinness World Records to have been worth $630 billion, in current dollars, at his peak wealth more than 110 years ago. Musk is worth $493 billion, as estimated by Forbes magazine.

Musks win came despite opposition from several large funds, including CalPERS, the biggest U.S. public pension, and Norways sovereign wealth fund. Two corporate watchdogs, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis, also blasted the package, which so angered Musk he took to calling them corporate terrorists at a recent investor meeting.

RELATED STORY | Elon Musk launches Grokipedia to compete with online encyclopedia Wikipedia

Critics argued that the board of directors was too beholden to Musk, his behavior too reckless lately and the riches offered too much.

He has hundreds of billions of dollars already in the company and to say that he wont stay without a trillion is ridiculous, said Sam Abuelsamid, an analyst at research firm Telemetry who has been covering Tesla for nearly two decades. Its absurd that shareholders think he is worth this much.

Supporters said that Musk needed to be incentivized to focus on the company as he works to transform it into an AI powerhouse using software to operate hundreds of thousands of self-driving Tesla cars many without steering wheels and Tesla robots deployed in offices, factories and homes doing many tasks now handled by humans.

This AI chapter needs one person to lead it and thats Musk, said financial analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities. Its a huge win for shareholders.

Investors voting for the pay had to consider not only this Musk promise of a bold, new tomorrow, but whether he could ruin things today: He had threatened to walk away from the company, which investors feared would tank the stock.

Tesla shares, already up 80% in the past year, rose on news of the vote in after-hours trading but then flattened basically unchanged to $445.44.

For his part, Musk says the vote wasnt really about the money but getting a higher Tesla stake it will double to nearly 30% so he could have more power over the company. He said that was a pressing concern given Teslas future robot army that he suggested he didnt trust anyone else to control given the possible danger to humanity.

Other issues up for a vote at the annual meeting turned out wins for Musk, too.

Shareholders approved allowing Tesla to invest in one of Musks other ventures, xAI. They also shot down a proposal to make it easier for shareholders to sue the company by lowering the size of ownership needed to file. The current rule requires at least a 3% stake.

All eyes are on South Florida from New York City residents wanting to move from the Big Apple now that Zohran Mamdani is officially the city's Mayor-elect.

There has been a political shift in New York City with Mamdani building his campaign around making the city more affordable, but his policies have raised concerns among some about potential tax increases and policy changes from his administration.

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The Scripps News Group in West Palm Beach has uncovered that many New York City residents have already initiated whats being dubbed the "Mamdani Migration" as people are looking to make South Florida their new home full-time.

Rising demand in real estate

The real estate offices of Sutter & Nugget in North Palm Beach told the Scripps News Group that the Palm Beach County market is getting a surge in demand.

"The last two weeks, it's been completely a game changer," said CEO Talbot Sutter.

He said his New York City clients have been a mix of seniors, families, residents and workers whose companies are relocating to South Florida.

To meet this surging demand, Sutter shared that they are "having to hire more members to our team to handle the demand from New Yorkers wanting to move down."

So, where are New York City residents looking to move down to?

Sutter revealed that the top cities his New York City clients are targeting include Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Delray Beach, and Boca Raton. Impacts from the migration was further evidenced by recent offers.

"We've had directly two offers that were stalemated over the summer that we've had three showings Monday and Tuesday and offers today, Wednesday because of the race. Directly out of the buyer's mouth, they said they were waiting until Wednesday, and we got the offer this morning." Sutter said, emphasizing that issues surrounding taxes and quality of life are significant motivators for these New York City transplants.

In the past few years, Sutter estimates that around 30,000 New York residents have moved into Palm Beach County and Broward County alone.

Inventory concerns

"I'm seeing a lot of what I call a 'coke bottle' effect, where it's an influx of people, and not enough inventory," said Sutter. "Some people say inventory is up right now. We were just looking at stats this morning 56% from year to year, but that inventory is also being scooped up in the last month like that."

Despite a year-to-year increase in inventory, Sutter insists "that inventory is also being scooped up in the last month like that."

Boca Raton's appeal

On Tuesday, the Scripps News Group spoke with Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer about the city's efforts to attract New York City businesses and have them relocate their corporate offices to Boca Raton. Singer acknowledged the potential influx.

"We will expect to see that, but we can't accommodate everyone," he stated. "We're a fairly built-out city. We might have people trying to buy homes here, but we're not building to accommodate everyone who wants to come from New York."

Singer elaborated that new building projects arent primarily aimed at incoming residents but focus on creating space for New York City businesses that have already committed to relocating to the area. He calls Boca Raton the economic engine of Palm Beach County, highlighting that it is home to 40 publicly traded companies from industries such as financial services, financial technology, medical technology, AI, quantum computing, manufacturing and more.

"I think that's great; it provides the job and economic vitality we need in ensuring jobs for the next generation and beyond," Singer remarked.

Economic impact

Sutter acknowledged the potential for increased traffic but suggests where companies come, residents will follow. He noted that New York residents alone have contributed $9.2 billion in revenue to South Florida.

He also went through his inventory platform and told the Scripps News Group there are over 5,000 single-family houses available for purchase throughout Palm Beach County. However, Sutter fears that this inventory may not be enough, predicting they could be sold within the next three months from the surge in New York City residents.

"I've seen West Palm as the Wall Street not the new Wall Street and I see the area exploding," he warned.

To navigate the shifting landscape, Sutter has observed that his New York City clients are open to settling in communities further west. He said he has also heard from people in states like Illinois and California expressing interest in South Florida.

Advice for potential movers

Despite the fervent interest in relocating, Sutter advises potential movers to take their time.

"Don't rush into a property and research the areas," he advised.

He recommends buying property in a neighborhood that is in proximity to work, ensuring a smoother transition for new residents.

This story was originally published by Joel Lopez with the

Scripps News Group in West Palm Beach.

UPS on Thursday identified three crew members who died aboard a cargo plane that crashed shortly after taking off in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier in the week killing at least 13 people in total.

"Words cant express the sorrow we feel over the heartbreaking Flight 2976 accident," UPS Executive Vice President Nando Cesarone said in a statement. "Its with great sorrow that we share the names of the UPS pilots on board UPS Flight 2976. Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond were operating the flight."

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Several people killed in Tuesday's fatal UPS plane crash in Louisville, officials say

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, UPS Flight 2976 went down Tuesday around 5:15 p.m. local time after departing the airport. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu when it crashed. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said two businesses were hit when the plane crashed.

The FAA said both the agency and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. Black boxes from the plane have been recovered, federal investigators said on Wednesday.

NTSB Member J. Todd Inman said that video reviewed by investigators shows a large fire on the left side of the aircraft and the planes left engine detaching from the wing. He added that the plane still managed to gain enough altitude to clear a fence at the end of the runway before crashing into two businesses just beyond airport property and sparking a fire that stretched roughly half a mile.

"We need to not only take drone coverage and video coverage of where every piece of this evidence is, but then we need to recover it and tag it, and those will give us even more pieces of information," Inman said.

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Louisville is home to UPS's largest package handling facility, with around 300 flights a day leaving from the hub.

"Our hearts go out to every UPSer who has been impacted and all in our Louisville community supporting you and ensuring you receive the care and resources you need is our priority," Cesarone said. "This continues to be an incredibly sad time for our entire UPS family, and as our CEO, Carol Tom reminded us: 'United, we are strong.' We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of our colleagues, and to the loved ones of those in the Louisville community."

This holiday season, shoppers face a new challenge. Theyre being flooded with ads created by artificial intelligence where, if you buy that item, you never really know what youre going to get.

Maggie McGaugh buys them on purpose. Its the idea behind her viral segment, I Knew These Were Fake, But I Bought Them Anyways, where she orders products she thinks might be misleadingly advertised. McGaughs reviews have attracted millions of followers.

People just really responded to it because either, one, theyve been scammed by it in the past, or two, theyve seen it and been curious whats going to happen if you actually order it, McGaugh said.

Before she buys, McGaugh checks for clues a seller might not be the real deal.

I need to check the actual website. So, if you Google, you know, 'Is this website legit?' she said.

RELATED STORY | 'Out of control': Cyber experts track increase in online scams, more fraudsters targeting seniors

McGaugh also reads reviews knowing some may be fake checks the product description and materials, looks for a business address or phone number, and does a reverse image search. And shes particular about how she pays.

I dont use my personal credit card at all. Its all PayPal, McGaugh said.

They are at the point now where they can take a photo of something or create something with AI, a photo of an item, and then they can plug it into an AI system that makes it into a video. So now youve gone from not even having a product to having a photo of a product that doesnt exist, to turning that into a girl wearing that dress that does not exist, McGaugh said.

Balaji Padmanabhan, director for the University of Maryland Smith School of Business Center for Artificial Intelligence in Business, says the same technology that helps companies market smarter is also being used to deceive shoppers.

AI-generated videos used to have cues that tell you, hey, this is not real, but the modern ones have become amazing. I mean, its very hard to tell the difference from real and fake anymore, Padmanabhan said. [AI] can create videos for small businesses wanting to market their products cheaply who otherwise wouldnt be able to afford the costs of creating videos but can also be used by scammers to create extremely compelling ads that consumers fall for."

Padmanabhan says social media platforms are stepping up enforcement, but scammers adapt quickly.

As soon as the platform finds them they shut down and they come up with a new name, so theyre so fleeting, so I think thats part of it. Its very hard to tell, so if its a strange name youve never seen before, maybe the holiday season is not the time to try it out, he said. Do your best to question these things or at least consult your teenage kids.

RELATED STORY | Americans hit with about 100 scam calls, texts and emails monthly, survey finds

Because when, or if, that order arrives, you might get more than disappointment.

I think something that a lot of people dont realize with these scam items is how bad they smell, McGaugh said. When you open these packages, they just like smack you in the face, and thats because theyre using chemicals. Theyre using like resin that hasnt cured and is highly toxic. Just a lot of stuff that we really shouldnt be wearing on our skin, rubbing on our face, you know, putting in our homes."

McGaugh says she usually tries to return the item for a refund sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt. Thats why she recommends using payment methods with built-in protection, like credit cards or PayPal. They make it easier to get your money back if somethings off.

This story was originally published by Mallory Sofastaii with the

Scripps News Group in Baltimore.

Starbucks is launching its holiday collection with a new teddy bear-shaped cup that's already capturing hearts on social media.

The "Bearista" cold cup features a glass teddy bear wearing a green Starbucks beanie. The 20-ounce cup is available in stores and costs about $30.

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"From cold brew to an iced matcha latte, your drinks have never looked cuter," Starbucks says about the cup.

Other holiday cups include tumblers featuring ribbons and gingerbread cookies.

Holiday drinks like peppermint mocha and caramel brulee latte also returned Thursday, marking the official start of Starbucks' holiday season.

A federal judge in Rhode Island on Thursday ordered the Trump Administration to fully fund nationwide SNAP benefits for the month of November.

The Trump administration immediately appealed that order and earlier court decisions that required it to make at least partial payments to the SNAP program.

The order issued Thursday requires that full funding be delivered to states no later than Friday, Nov. 7, from additional money held in reserve by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr.'s decision comes after a coalition of cities and nonprofit groups argued that a proposal to partially fund SNAP payments was insufficient.

The judge on Thursday agreed, saying the government had acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" when it chose to only partially fund SNAP in November.

The defendants failed to consider the practical consequences associated with this decision to only partially fund SNAP, he wrote in the order. They knew that there would be a long delay in paying partial Snap payments and failed to consider the harms individual who rely on those benefits would suffer.

RELATED STORY | 'We are in uncharted territory:' Agriculture secretary says SNAP benefits could dry up due to the shutdown

President Donald Trump and his administration sent mixed signals all week about whether SNAP would be paid.

Court rulings at the end of October said that SNAP payments could not be suspended.

On Tuesday morning, President Trump said benefits will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt then said the president was referring to future payments, not the ones currently being processed.

And in an interview with Scripps News, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warned that the program does not have funds available to extend benefits past November.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

As Thanksgiving travel approaches, some travelers are looking for trips that not only offer rest, but also give back to the people and places they visit, according to award-winning travel expert Alice Ford.

Gratitude and giving go hand in hand, Ford told Scripps News.

She said the holidays are a good time to consider travel that supports local communities, wildlife and conservation efforts.

Ford highlighted opportunities in the U.S., including along Floridas Space Coast, which she called one of the top places in the world for sea turtle nesting.

For travelers drawn to the beach, Ford recommended coral restoration trips in the Florida Keys. With the Coral Restoration Foundation, snorkelers and divers can plant coral fragments back onto reefs.

She said the experience is colorful and immersive.

For those seeking luxury with an impact, she pointed to hotels that offer conservation-focused guest programs, including Atlantis Paradise Island and the Hyatt Regency Maui.

For more travel ideas and volunteer opportunities, watch the full interview with travel expert Alice Ford above.

Nearly 400 young leaders from over 40 countries have declared loneliness and social isolation a global public health emergency, urging governments to take action to strengthen social bonds and mental well-being.

Gathering at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva for the Global Model WHO 2025, delegates adopted the Global Model WHO Youth Declaration on Social Connection.

The document calls for "national strategies, community investments, and inclusive digital policies to foster belonging" and curb what they describe as a rising epidemic of disconnection.

Over the multi-day conference, the young delegates debated solutions on issues ranging from mental health and vaccine hesitancy to digital health and artificial intelligence.

RELATED STORY | Families mourn after loved ones' last words went to AI instead of a human

The young leaders' appeal echoes recent findings from the WHO Commission on Social Connection, which revealed that loneliness affects one in six people globally, disproportionately impacting young adults and lower-income communities. The commission links social disconnection to 871,000 deaths annually.

The declarations closing statement read, "By acting with empathy, courage, and intentionality, we can transform isolation into belonging, silence into conversation, and indifference into collective care."

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump's administration to enforce a policy blocking transgender and nonbinary people from choosing passport sex markers that align with their gender identity.

The decision by the high court's conservative majority is Trump's latest win on the high court's emergency docket, and it means his administration can enforce the policy while a lawsuit over it plays out. It halts a lower-court order requiring the government to keep letting people choose male, female or X on their passport to line up with their gender identity on new or renewed passports.

The State Department changed its passport rules after Trump, a Republican, handed down an executive order in January declaring the United States would "recognize two sexes, male and female," based on birth certificates and "biological classification."

Transgender actor Hunter Schafer, for example, said in February that her new passport had been issued with a male gender marker, even though she's marked female on her driver's license and passport for years.

RELATED STORY | Trump administration shuts down LGBTQ+ suicide prevention hotline

The plaintiffs argue that passports limited to the sex listed on a birth certificate can spark harassment or even violence for transgender people.

"By classifying people based on sex assigned at birth and exclusively issuing sex markers on passports based on that sex classification, the State Department deprives plaintiffs of a usable identification document and the ability to travel safely," attorneys wrote in court documents.

Sex markers began appearing on passports in the mid-1970s and the federal government started allowing them to be changed with medical documentation in the early 1990s, the plaintiffs said in court documents. A 2021 change under President Joe Biden, a Democrat, removed documentation requirements and allowed nonbinary people to choose an X gender marker after years of litigation.

A judge blocked the Trump administration policy in June after a lawsuit from nonbinary and transgender people, some of whom said they were afraid to submit applications. An appeals court left the judge's order in place.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer then turned to the Supreme Court, pointing to its recent ruling upholding a ban on transition-related health care for transgender minors. He also argued Congress gave the president control over passports, which overlap with his authority over foreign affairs.

"It is hard to imagine a system less conducive to accurate identification than one in which anyone can refuse to identify his or her sex and withhold relevant identifying information for any reason, or can rely on a mutable sense of self-identification," Sauer wrote in court documents.

France's court of auditors urged the Louvre museum to speed up its security modernization plans as a priority, in a report conducted before the Oct. 19 jewels heist that noted major delays in the renovation of the worlds most-visited museum.

Thursdays report by the Cour des Comptes comes after a series of failings and security issues came to light following the robbery of the $102-million worth Crown Jewels that shocked the world. The thieves used a truck-mounted basket lift to reach a window of the Apollo Gallery and fled with the trove within minutes.

The theft of the crown jewels is undoubtedly a deafening alarm bell, Pierre Moscovici, head of the court of auditors, said at a news conference.

RELATED STORY | Preliminary charges filed against two new suspects in Louvre jewels heist

The report, focusing on the 2018-2024 period, said the museum's investments prioritized visible and attractive operations like buying new pieces of art and improving visitor experience. That was at the expense of the maintenance and renovation of buildings and technical installations, particularly safety and security systems, it said.

A plan to modernize security equipment was being studied since 2018 but its implementation kept being delayed, the report said. Actual technical work was only to start next year and was planned to be fully implemented by 2032.

"The pace is far too slow," Moscovici said.

The court of auditors believes security can be improved without hiring more staff at the museum, Moscovici added. A previous assessment shows that the Oct. 19 heist was made possible by outdated security systems, not because of lack of staff, he said.

The cost for security modernization is estimated to 83 million euros ($95 million), out of which only 3 million euros ($3.5 million) have been invested between 2018 and 2024, according to the report.

The museum said that over the past three years, 134 digital cameras have been installed to supplement or replace outdated cameras throughout the museum, the report noted.

The court of auditors, which is an independent body, recommended that the Louvre focuses on priorities including bringing the museums technical facilities, particularly safety and security, up to standards, and cut its expenses in other areas. That means reducing art acquisition and saving on museum rooms' renovation projects, the report said.

In response to the audit, the Louvre on Thursday said it regretted that the report did not take into account the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and the 2024 Paris Olympics, which the museum said impacted certain decisions.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Scientists learn new secret about how 'Mona Lisa' was painted

The Louvre said it agrees with most of the court of auditors recommendations and already made similar proposals. It noted that the Oct. 19 theft occurred weeks before planned security improvements were to start being implemented.

The decade-long Louvre New Renaissance plan, which includes security improvements, was launched earlier this year. It is estimated it would cost up to $933 million to modernize infrastructure, ease crowding and give the famed Mona Lisa a dedicated gallery by 2031.

Last week, Culture Minister Rachida Dati said the Louvre will install streetside anti-ramming and anti-intrusion devices in the next two months, following a provisional investigation that found a chronic, structural underestimation of the risk of theft at the Paris landmark.

Dati acknowledged security gaps, refused the resignation of the museum director and cited four failings: underestimated risk, underequipped security, ill-suited governance and obsolete protocols.

Four suspects in the Louvre heist were arrested last week, including three believed to be members of the team of four that was filmed using a basket lift to reach the museums window. They face preliminary charges of theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy. The jewels have not been recovered, authorities said.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel announced his show team is establishing a food donation center on their studio's backlot in response to cuts to SNAP benefits affecting millions of Americans.

Kimmel said he's naming the community service "The Jimmy Kimmel Live Big Beautiful Food Bank" an apparent dig at President Donald Trump's "big beautiful bill" legislation passed earlier this year.

The "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" initiative will support the Los Angeles Food Bank and the Saint Joseph Center, according to the announcement.

RELATED STORY | White House clarifies Trump's remark on withholding SNAP money during shutdown

For those unable to donate to the studio's collection center, the show encourages people to contribute to local food banks in their communities.

"Cutting SNAP benefits creates uncertainty for American children, seniors and families," the show wrote on Instagram. "If you are in LA, please come by to donate food and if you are not, please consider supporting your local food banks."

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

A former Justice Department employee who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trumps law enforcement surge in Washington was found not guilty of assault on Thursday in the latest legal rebuke of the federal intervention.

A viral video of the sandwich tossing made Sean Charles Dunn a symbol of resistance to Trumps deployment of federal agents to combat crime in the nations capital.

His misdemeanor acquittal is another setback for prosecutors, who have faced a backlash for their aggressive charging tactics during the law enforcement surge. The Justice Department had initially sought a felony assault indictment against Dunn, but in a highly unusual move, the grand jury declined to sign off on the felony charge. The office of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro then charged Dunn with a misdemeanor.

RELATED STORY | Prosecutors fail to obtain felony indictment on sandwich thrower in Trump's Washington public safety operation

There was no dispute over whether Dunn threw the sandwich at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent on the night of Aug. 10. But his lawyers argued it was a harmless gesture during an act of protest protected by the First Amendment.

Prosecutors said Dunn knew he did not have a right to throw the sandwich at the agent. Dunn shouted fascists and racists and chanted shame toward the group of agents who were in front of a club hosting a Latin Night."

Why are you here? I dont want you in my city! Dunn shouted, according to police.

Dunn hugged his lawyers after the foreperson read the verdict. Later, he said, Im relieved and Im looking forward to moving on with my life.

Court officers escorted the 12 jurors out of the building with a gaggle of reporters following. Several jurors, including the foreperson, declined to be interviewed.

Dunn ran away after hitting the agent with the sandwich but was apprehended. He was released from custody but rearrested when armed federal agents in riot gear raided his home. The White House posted a highly produced propaganda video of the raid on its official X account, Dunns lawyers said.

Dunn worked as an international affairs specialist in the Justice Departments criminal division. After Dunns arrest, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced his firing in a social media post that referred to him as an example of the Deep State.

Dunn lawyers urged the judge to dismiss the case for what they alleged was a vindictive and selective prosecution. They argued that the posts by Bondi and the White House show Dunn was impermissibly targeted for his political speech.

A representative from a drug manufacturer fainted during an event at the White House on Thursday, where President Donald Trump was discussing efforts to lower the cost of GLP-1 medications.

The event focused on new agreements with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. During the remarks, the man collapsed. Several people, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, helped guide him safely to the floor.

RELATED STORY | Trump announces effort to lower cost and expand coverage for weight-loss drugs

The name of the individual who fainted has not been released. But before the video feed was cut, a voice could be heard saying, Gordon, are you OK?

In a statement, the White House said, "The gentleman is okay."

Oz was at the event in his official capacity as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a White House deal with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to lower prices and expand coverage for their GLP-1 medications Zepbound and Wegovy, widely used for weight loss.

"The agreement represents a historic reduction in prices for Americans on the two drugs with the highest annual expenditures in the United States, both of which help adults struggling with diabetes, heart disease (Ozempic and Wegovy only), obesity, and other conditions," the White House said in a statement.

WATCH | Trump announcement on lowering GLP-1 drug costs

White House announcement on the popular weight-loss drug GLP-1

The agreement part of Trump's Make America Healthy Again initiative is aimed at reducing drug prices for millions of Americans. The medications, which also help manage diabetes and lower the risk of things like stroke, heart attack and kidney disease, will now cost between $149 and $350 a month under the deal, depending on insurance coverage or whether patients pay out of pocket.

Currently, some patients pay more than $1,000 monthly for the drugs. The price drop will apply to Medicare and Medicaid recipients, affecting roughly 145 million Americans.

"The prices of Ozempic and Wegovy will fall from $1,000 and $1,350 per month, respectively, to $350 when purchased through TrumpRx," the White House said. "The price of Zepbound and Orforglipron, if approved, will fall from $1,086 per month to an average of $346 when purchased through TrumpRX. In the even that the FDA later approves the Wegovy pill, or certain similar 'GLP-1' drugs in each company's pipeline intended to be taken orally rather than as a shot, the initial dose of those drugs will be priced at $150 per month through TrumpRX."

RELATED STORY | Weight loss drugs aren't just changing how people look they're also changing how they shop

The deal does not directly include private insurers, but administration officials told Scripps News they expect those companies to voluntarily reduce GLP-1 prices by up to 25%. Zepbound and Wegovy have surged in popularity in recent years as demand for effective weight-loss treatments grows nationwide.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, these drugs help manage blood sugar levels by triggering insulin release from the pancreas. The drugs also help slow digestion, which causes less glucose to enter the bloodstream. The medicine also affects satiety, allowing patients to feel full after eating, the Cleveland Clinic said.

Ukrainian drones struck a major oil refinery in Russias Volgograd region for the second time in almost three months, Ukraines general staff said Thursday. Russian officials did not confirm the attack, although the local governor said drones started a fire at an unspecified industrial facility in the region.

Ukraines general staff said in a statement that the attack took place the previous day. The refinery is the largest producer of fuel and lubricants in Russias Southern Federal District, processing more than 15 million tons of crude annually about 5.6% of the countrys total refining capacity, according to Ukrainian officials.

Russia and Ukraine have traded almost daily assaults on each others energy infrastructure as U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to stop the nearly four-year war make no impact on the battlefield.

RELATED STORY | Trump pushes Putin and Zelenskyy to end war in Ukraine

Ukraines long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries aim to deprive Moscow of the oil export revenue it needs to pursue its full-scale invasion. Russia wants to cripple the Ukrainian power grid, seeking to deny civilians access to heat, light and running water in what Kyiv officials say is an attempt to weaponize winter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said foreign countries are helping Kyiv in its efforts to keep the power grid operating amid Russias onslaught.

Practically every day, our power engineers, repair brigades, and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine are carrying out restorations on-site after attacks: hits keep occurring across various points, especially in our communities, and especially near the Russian border and close to the front, Zelenskyy said late Wednesday.

Also, saboteurs inside Russia burned dozens of locomotives in a bid to hamper the logistics of Russias armed forces, Ukraines military intelligence said Thursday.

The Freedom of Russia group used Molotov cocktails to set fire to the control and power supply systems of dozens of locomotives that transported military cargo, according to a statement from GUR, as the intelligence agency is known.

It was not possible to independently verify the claim, nor did the statement say whether the GUR was involved in the operation. Russian officials offered no immediate comment.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has attempted to strike targets on Russian soil with domestically developed long-range drones.

Ukrainian forces also struck three fuel lubricants facilities in the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula and a storage and assembly base for Russias Shahed drones in an occupied area of Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, the general staff statement said.

In the Kostroma region northeast of Moscow, a Ukrainian aerial attack hit unidentified energy infrastructure facilities, Gov. Sergei Sitnikov said. There were no casualties and power supplies were not disrupted, he said.

Unconfirmed media reports said the attack targeted a hydroelectric power plant in the Kostroma region, one of the biggest in Russia.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday its air defenses shot down 75 drones overnight over multiple Russian regions and annexed Crimea.

RELATED STORY | Documentary reveals Ukrainian medics fight to heal amid relentless war

Russia, meantime, attacked the city of Kamianske in Ukraines eastern Dnipropetrovsk region with drones overnight, killing one person and injuring eight others, the head of the regional military administration, Vladyslav Haivanenko, said on his official Telegram channel.

Several fires broke out and the roof of a four-story building was partially destroyed, he said.

The Russian military also continued its assault on Ukraines rail infrastructure, causing delays and route changes in Ukraines eastern regions of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk and in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraines state-owned railway company Ukrzaliznytsia said.

Russia attacked Ukraine with 135 drones of various types overnight on Thursday, Ukraines air force said.

Democrat Jay Jones was elected Tuesday as Virginia attorney general, riding a wave of voter dissatisfaction with the White House to overcome the revelation that in 2022 he sent widely condemned texts embracing violence against a fellow state lawmaker.

The former Virginia delegate defeated Republican incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares weeks after it emerged that Jones had texted a fellow delegate suggesting the then-House speaker should get two bullets to the head. Jones apologized for the private messages both in statements and at a debate in October.

At the end of the day, this election has never been about me or my opponent, Jones said at a campaign party. It has always been about every single one of us and the future of Virginia.

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Jones victory amid the controversy could signal trouble for Republicans heading into next years midterm elections. He weathered the storm in part by working to shift the debate away from his character and toward President Donald Trumps administration.

Jones campaigned against the impact of federal encroachment on Virginia since Trump took office in January shrinking the civil service, levying tariffs and a Republican federal tax cut bill that Democrats argued imperiled the states health care system.

The win could soon add Virginia to the roster of Democratic-led states legally challenging actions taken by Trump.

A descendant of slaves, Jones is set to become the first Black attorney general in the former capital of the Confederacy. His victory is a landmark moment for Black Virginians in a statewide contest that was already poised to make history, with voters choosing between two women to elect the states first female governor.

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Miyares faced a difficult political climate in his bid for reelection. Ever since Democrat Jimmy Carter won the White House in 1976, every time a new president has been elected, Virginia has voted in a governor the following year from the opposite party.

And while the state has had split tickets before meaning voters backed candidates for statewide offices from a party that differs from the elected governor they havent picked an attorney general from the opposite party in 20 years.

Listen, Virginians, politics is like a pendulum. The publics sentiments sway one way and then the next, Miyares said Tuesday. Tonight, it swung a bit too far in the wrong direction, in my opinion. And folks, it will swing back.

Republicans had hoped to persuade swing voters to reelect Miyares but faced challenging headwinds in a state with tens of thousands of federal employees.

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Outrage over Jones text messages is unlikely to fade once Jones is sworn into office. Republicans, including Trump and Miyares, described his conduct from three years ago as disqualifying him from the attorney generals position in 2025.

Even Democrats Abigail Spanberger and Ghazala Hashmi, the partys candidates for governor and lieutenant governor Tuesday, had stayed silent about whether Jones still had their endorsements. Jones did, however, speak at a Spanberger campaign rally on Saturday.

Jones comes from a family of Hampton Roads politicians and civil rights pioneers. His father was also a Virginia delegate, and his grandfather was the first Black member of the Norfolk School Board. Jones previously ran for attorney general in 2021 but lost the primary to then-incumbent Mark Herring.

My father, my mother, my uncles, my aunts endured segregation, all so that I could stand here before you today, Jones said.

Voters in California on Tuesday are projected to approve a ballot measure to redraw the state's congressional maps, which could give Democrats a new five-seat edge in the House of Representatives.

The redrawing is a response to similar GOP efforts in Texas, where Republicans recently redrew boundaries to strengthen their hold on key seats.

Under the new rules, California will move forward with a redrawing of electoral districts only after GOP-led states do so first. Its changes would remain in force until elections in 2030.

In August, Lawmakers in California approved a bill that stipulated if voters approved the new maps, they would be used for the 2026 midterms.

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Redrawing congressional districts typically happens once a decade, based on data from the U.S. Census. California typically relies on an independent commission to outline its maps.

But California Governor Gavin Newsom has said the change is a necessary counter to Republican efforts nationwide.

We cant stand back and watch this democracy disappear district by district all across the country," Newsom said in August.

"Donald Trump, you have poked the bear and we will punch back."

GOP election monitors draw concern from Democrats

In October, the Department of Justice announced it would send federal election monitors to five counties in California, in response to a specific request from the California Republican Party.

Because the election in California focused solely on state and local matters and not federal issues, its unusual for federal monitors to participate, experts say.

This is not a federal election. The US DOJ has no business or basis to interfere with this election. This is solely about whether California amends our state constitution, echoed Brandon Richards, a spokesman for California Governor Gavin Newsom. This administration has made no secret of its goal to undermine free and fair elections. Deploying these federal forces appears to be an intimidation tactic meant for one thing: suppress the vote."

All three of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices who sought reelection Tuesday will get another term, ensuring Democratic jurists keep their majority on the presidential battleground states highest court one at the center of pivotal fights over voting rights, redistricting and elections.

The result shapes the makeup of the seven-member court through the next presidential election in 2028. The three justices had been elected as Democrats, and voters were deciding whether to extend the courts Democratic majority. Rejecting all three could have plunged the court into a partisan deadlock if the states politically divided government could not agree on temporary appointees to fill in.

Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht won new terms, with support from the Democratic Party and allies including Planned Parenthood, labor unions, trial lawyers and a constellation of progressive groups.

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In particular, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro considered a potential White House contender in 2028 who is up for reelection next year appeared in ads for the justices and lobbied for their retention.

Pennsylvania sent a resounding message by voting to retain all three Supreme Court Justices who will continue to defend the rule of law, safeguard our elections, and protect our constitutional rights, Shapiro said in a statement.

In addition to voting rights, Democrats leaned heavily on the protection of abortion rights in a state where abortion remains legal.

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All three were running in what is called a retention election, in which voters are asked to vote yes or no on whether to give current justices another term. They were not identified by party on the ballot. Terms are 10 years, though age limits can shorten that time on the bench.

Reelecting them extends the Democratic majority, currently 5-2.

The court could again be called on to settle partisan battles over election laws ahead of next years midterm contests to decide the governors office and the U.S. House majority. Democrats need to gain just three seats in the 2026 elections to take control of the House.

Traditionally, a retention campaign is an under-the-radar election. But in an era of increasingly polarized judicial elections, spending in the race was on track to exceed $15 million, far surpassing previous spending in a retention election.

While not all spending or financial sources have been disclosed publicly, Democrats easily outspent a Republican campaign by as much as four-to-one. President Donald Trump didn't campaign against the justices and only weighed in on social media on Sunday night, urging Republicans to vote no.

Defeating all three justices could have left the bench in a partisan 2-2 stalemate for two years, including through next years elections.

In recent years, the court has made major decisions around voting and elections, necessitated in part by the politically divided and often stalemated state government.

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The justices in 2018 threw out a GOP-drawn map of Pennsylvanias congressional districts as unconstitutionally gerrymandered and, four years later, again picked new boundaries after a stalemate in government.

The court turned away GOP challenges to Pennsylvanias expansive vote-by-mail law, which became a focal point of Republican efforts to overturn Trumps loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Republican justices dissented.

The justices also rendered verdicts in cases involving abortion rights and public school funding.

Two years after the deadliest mass shooting in state history, Maine residents voted Tuesday to make it easier for family members to petition a court to restrict a potentially dangerous persons access to guns.

A ballot question asked residents if they wanted to build on the states yellow flag law, which allows police officers to initiate a process to keep someone away from firearms. Approval adds Maine to more than 20 states that have a red flag law, which empowers family members to take the same step.

Gun safety advocates began pushing for that after 18 people were killed when an Army reservist opened fire at a bowling alley and a bar and grill in Lewiston in October 2023. An independent commission appointed by Maines governor later concluded that there were numerous opportunities for intervention by both Army officials and civilian law enforcement.

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Gun control proponents characterized that law as too weak and difficult to implement. The yellow flag law requires police to take the potentially dangerous person into protective custody and hold them for a mental health evaluation.

Maine voters have taken the safety of our communities into our own hands by passing common-sense, responsible gun legislation that will save lives and help keep our kids and families safe, not just from the horrors of a tragedy like Lewiston, but from the devastating impacts of everyday gun violence, said Nacole Palmer, executive director of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, which sponsored Tuesday's proposal.

Opponents of the red flag law said Tuesday that it's significant the yellow flag law is still state law.

"We are glad that Maines yellow flag law remains intact, and we look forward to continuing to work to improve our states safety. Were going to be reviewing all options to keep Mainers safe as we move into the future of the state, the No on 2 Coalition said in a statement.

In the aftermath of the shooting, law enforcement officers testified before the independent commission that they had difficulty implementing the states existing yellow flag law, which they described as cumbersome and time-consuming.

The campaign in favor of the red flag law released an ad this fall in which Arthur Barnard, father of Lewiston shooting victim Artie Strout, said the stronger law could have saved his sons life.

People who are having a mental health crisis need help, not easy access to guns, Barnard said in the ad. Maines laws were too weak to save my sons life. Vote Yes on 2 to change that.

The red flag proposal has encountered resistance from Republicans, hunting groups, gun rights organizations and some Democrats. Maine is a state with relatively low crime where gun ownership is common, and the states laws should reflect that, opponents have said.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, opposed the ballot question. She said in October that the yellow flag law was carefully crafted with Maine in mind, and it remains the right law for the state.

We found common ground on one of the most controversial issues of our time, Mills wrote in an opinion piece in the Portland Press Herald. Question 2 would create a new, separate and confusing process that will undermine the effectiveness of the law and endanger public safety along with it.

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The ballot question campaign came as the legal aftermath of the Lewiston shooting is still unfolding.

The survivors and family members of victims of the deadly shooting have sued the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense, seeking unspecified damages and arguing the U.S. Army could have stopped Robert Card, the reservist, from carrying out the shootings. They also point to a Department of Defense watchdog report issued in September that faults the U.S. Army for a high rate of failure to report violent threats by service members.

The report specifically mentions Card, who died by suicide two days after the shootings. It says failure to consistently report violent threats could increase the risk of additional violent incidents by service members, such as what occurred with SFC (Sgt. 1st Class) Card.

Card was in the midst of a mental health spiral that was known to many, and that led to his hospitalization and left him paranoid, delusional and expressing homicidal ideations, attorneys for the victims have said.

Cards family members and fellow reservists said he had exhibited delusional and paranoid behavior months before the shootings. One fellow reservist said in a text: I believe hes going to snap and do a mass shooting.