The Evening: Man arrested after C.E.O. killing

Also, rebels assert control in Syria.

View in browser|nytimes.com December 9, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Monday. An arrest tied to N.Y.C. killing Rebel control in Syria Plus, the richest deal in sports history Mayor Eric Adams, Chief Detective Joseph Kenny and NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch, today. Brittainy Newman for The New York Times Police arrested a 'strong person of interest' in killing of C.E.O. After a five-day manhunt, police arrested a man today in connection with the brazen killing of a health insurance executive last week in Midtown Manhattan. Here's the latest. The man, who the authorities identified as Luigi Mangione, 26, was taken into custody at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pa. The local authorities were alerted to the man's whereabouts by an employee at the McDonald's who recognized him from photos shared by the police. He matched the description of the person suspected in the killing of the health executive, Brian Thompson, 50, chief of UnitedHealthcare. Police said that Mangione was carrying a so-called ghost gun with a silencer, a fake ID matching the one used by the suspected gunman and a handwritten manifesto criticizing health care companies for putting profits above care. Mangione was born and raised in Maryland, and has lived in San Francisco and Honolulu, the police said. He attended Gilman School, a private high school in Baltimore, where he wrestled and graduated in 2016 as the valedictorian. Here's what else we know about the man who was arrested, and what we know about the killing. Umayyad Square in Damascus, today. Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times Rebels assert control in Syria The rebels who ended the Assad family's regime in Syria began asserting control today over the capital, Damascus. Fighters took up positions outside public buildings and directed traffic along city roads. They announced that a new government would begin working immediately. But major questions remain unanswered, including who would be charged with leading the country, as the world processed the stunning end to the dictatorship. Euphoria around the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad over the weekend mixed with uncertainty about the country's future. Times reporters who entered the country today from Lebanon saw abandoned Syrian military tanks, empty checkpoints and many signs of lawlessness along the main highway to Damascus. See the videos: Al-Assad's grip over Syria was once visible everywhere in the capital. It was all dismantled in less than 24 hours. Daniel Penny, right, at a Manhattan courthouse last week. Jefferson Siegel for The New York Times Daniel Penny was acquitted in subway killing Daniel Penny, a former Marine who choked a fellow subway rider in New York City last year, was acquitted today on a charge of criminally negligent homicide. The jury concluded that Penny's actions were not criminal when he held the other rider, Jordan Neely, 30, in a minutes-long chokehold. Neely, who had a history of mental illness, had been yelling at passengers and frightening them, according to witnesses. Graham Dickie/The New York Times Schools aim to intercept self-harm by spying on students Millions of American schoolchildren — close to half, according to estimates — are subject to surveillance by software that alerts schools when students type words related to suicide. Sometimes the technology causes distressing false alarms. Other times, it allows for critical interventions. More top news Politics: Donald Trump chose Alina Habba, one of his lawyers during his civil fraud trial in New York, to serve as a counselor to the president. North Carolina: A Democrat won a seat on the state's Supreme Court by 734 votes. Her Republican opponent wants to disqualify 60,000 ballots. Haiti: The U.N.'s human rights chief said that more than 180 people had been killed in a massacre in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, the capital. Dominican Republic: Officials are deporting up to 10,000 Haitians a week back to their troubled country, many in cage-like trucks. Media: Rupert Murdoch failed in his bid to alter a family trust to consolidate his empire under his son Lachlan and lock in Fox News's right-wing editorial slant. Music: Jay-Z was accused in a lawsuit of raping a 13-year-old girl with Sean Combs. He denied the allegation. Climate: According to a U.N. report, more than three-quarters of Earth's land became persistently drier in recent decades because of global warming. Environment: The E.P.A. banned two cancer-causing solvents, Perc and TCE., that are used in dry cleaning. France: The actress Adèle Haenel has accused the director Christophe Ruggia of sexually assaulting her when she was 12. His trial caps the country's first major #MeToo case. Law: The Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the N.R.A. in May hinged on a secret meeting involving a regulator. The participants say it didn't happen. TIME TO UNWIND Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldaña in "Emilia Pérez." Netflix 'Emilia Pérez' topped the Golden Globe nominations The point of the Golden Globes has become clearer in recent years: "It's a cash register masquerading as an awards show," my colleague Brooks Barnes wrote. They are an opportunity to sell advertising, promote winter movies and show off designer gowns. Nevertheless, they draw in celebrities and provide an opportunity for awards-season chatter. This year's nominations were announced this morning, and Netflix's "Emilia Pérez" received 10, the most of any movie, followed by "The Brutalist" with seven. The most notable omissions included the actresses Danielle Deadwyler ("The Piano Lesson") and Marianne Jean-Baptiste ("Hard Truths"), both perceived as potential Oscar nominees. Julio Cortez/Associated Press The richest deal in sports history Last night, Juan Soto — who at 26 has already proved himself to be among the best hitters in baseball — agreed to sign a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets. It's the largest deal in professional sports history, breaking a record set just last year by the two-way Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. Several teams were involved in a bidding war for Soto. The Mets won him over in large part because they are owned by Steve Cohen, a hedge-fund billionaire with the willingness to outspend everyone. Alana Paterson for The New York Times Dinner table topics End of an era: Taylor Swift concluded her record-breaking, career-defining tour last night. It was a celebration. Four-day workweek: Here's what it looks like for the companies trying it out. Bad holiday movies: Our critic used to dislike made-for-television Christmas movies. Then she aged into their target demographic. A philanthropic debate: What if charity shouldn't be optimized? WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: Easy burritos were one of our most popular recipes of 2024. Watch: "Oh, Canada" is a meditative drama about guilt and seeking forgiveness. Read: In "A Century of Tomorrows," Glenn Adamson explains why we can't stop trying to predict the future. Listen: These were the best songs of the year. Dress: Our critic has advice for what to wear to your office holiday party. Build: This is the best gingerbread house kit. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. ONE LAST THING Marissa Alper for The New York Times A sushi master is quietly serving New Yorkers An iron law of sushi holds that the more impressive the restaurant, the smaller the sign. Take Sushi Sho on East 41st Street in Manhattan. You could walk right past and never guess that on the other side of the door is one of the world's most influential sushi chefs, Keiji Nakazawa. The restaurant opened to very little fanfare in March. But the more dishes you taste, the clearer it becomes that Nakazawa is extraordinarily accomplished in his craft, particularly a style of sushi called Edomae, which he helped revive. My colleague Pete Wells spoke to him about his path to becoming a sushi master. Have a skillful evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Vi Nguyen was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. 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