DENVER (AP) — A wealthy dentist accused of fatally shooting his wife at the end of an African safari was found guilty of murder and mail fraud Monday.
The verdict for Lawrence “Larry” Rudolph’ came from a jury in a Denver federal court following a trial that lasted three weeks.
Rudolph was charged with murder and mail fraud for cashing in $4.8 million in life insurance claims in what prosecutors describe as a premeditated crime.
Rudolph maintained his innocence. His attorney suggested his wife of 34 years, Bianca Rudolph, shot herself while trying to pack a shotgun in a hurry as they prepared to return from Zambia to the United States in 2016.
But prosecutors countered that evidence showed that it was impossible because the wound to her heart came from a shot fired from 2 to 3.5 feet (1 meter) away.
Prosecutors also accused Rudolph’s girlfriend and manager of his Pittsburgh-area dental franchise, Lori Milliron, of lying to a federal grand jury about the case and her relationship with Rudolph.
She was found guilty by the same jury of being an accessory after the fact to murder, obstruction of a grand jury and two counts of perjury before a grand jury. She was found not guilty on two other counts of perjury.
Prosecutors alleged that Rudolph decided to kill his wife to regain control over his life after Bianca Rudolph asked for more say in the couple’s finances and demanded that Milliron be fired. Rudolph’s attorneys called that a false narrative.
August 1 2022, 9:15 am | BY Ricki Green | 23 Comments
Independent Creative Agency, Thinkerbell, has launched its first piece of work for Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt, following winning the business late last year. The Aussie All-Rounder platform celebrates Aussies’ love for putting Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt on everything.
The idea celebrates Aussies’ love for Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt, through a humorous film, featuring adults chasing down a Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt truck, desperate to add a bit of Australia’s most-loved plain Greek Style Yogurt to their various meals.
Says Sharon Winton, Marketing Director, Bega Dairy & Drinks Limited: “Farmers Union has been around in Australia for over 100 years, and we’re thrilled to be able to celebrate the many ways Aussies use Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt. We love the energy and fun that this idea creates and how unique it is in the yogurt category, much like our product.”
Says Ben Couzens, executive creative tinker at Thinkerbell: “Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt is a go-to for many Australians so we wanted to create work for the brand that dials up people’s love for it and their habit of plopping it on anything.”
The idea has been launched nationally in major broadcast channels, in conjunction with OOH, online and social.
Client – Bega: Sharon Winton – Marketing Director Jess Hoare – Senior Brand Manager Amy Hu – Assistant Brand Manager Anne Dowsley – Head of Yogurt & Culinary
Creative Agency – Thinkerbell Izzy Daniels – Thinker Regina Stroombergen – Lead Creative Tinker Ellen Woods – Creative Tinker Jess Evernden – Lead Production Tinker Ben Couzens – Executive Creative Tinker Adam Ferrier – Chief Thinker Nikia Shepherd – Head Thinker Katrina Khao – Lead Brand Thinker
Production Co – The Producers Director – Mitch Kennedy Executive Producer – Noelle Jones Music Composer – Terry Mann Sound Mix – Bang Bang
Media Agency – Starcom: Georgina O’Hare – Account Director Helen Karambilas – Group Business Director
Sabrent has just unveiled their very latest Rocket 4 Plus G SSD that offers the very fastest storage performance, enough for Elon Musk to power the systems required to get him to Mars… hell, he’s a big gamer, so Elon could power his Mars -based gaming PC with Sabrent’s new Rocket 4 Plus G SSD.
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The new Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G SSD is perfect for your new Windows 11-powered gaming PC, where the Microsoft DirectStorage API is ready to be taken advantage of in storage-strapped applications and games. Sabrent is pushing 7GB/sec+ with its Rocket 4 Plus G SSD, and capacities of 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB.
One of the crown jewels of the Rocket 4 Plus G is Sabrent’s new O₂ firmware, which the company says is “specially engineered to elevate our cutting-edge hardware to all-new levels. Sustain high levels of performance throughout your long gaming session, without ever missing a beat. Your drive’s health is intelligently maintained seamlessly in the background.”
Sabrent has promised that the new Rocket 4 Plus G SSD is running at 1600MT, which makes it considerably faster than the competition that’s still sitting at 1200MT. I’m truly loving the color-infused Rocket 4 Plus G style that Sabrent has gone with, as it’s a true shame it’ll be hidden behind an M.2 SSD heat sink. Speaking of heat sinks, Sabrent has a beautifully designed M.2 “gaming heat sink” that it sells separately for $30. If you buy the 4TB variant of the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G for $700, you’ll get the gaming heat sink for free.
hunted is an incredibly silly show and I have watched every minute of it. Ten’s reality fugitive competition where contestants try to stay one step ahead of the production’s professional pursuers – alternate title: Tom Clancy’s Amazing Race – is a patchwork quilt of simulation and shortcuts tied to a fantastic concept and some intriguing implications. It also featured a tall, heavily bearded man trying to disguise himself as a “nonna” so as not to attract attention to himself. In this series being serious invariably gets bonkers.
If you’ve ever enjoyed the many sequences in a Jason Bourne film where the supporting cast stand in a darkened control room full of surveillance tech and bark orders as they pursue their elusive quarry, hunted is probably for you. Based on a successful British format (they even did a celebrity edition, which is a hilarious concept), the show is an elaborate game of tag: with curtailed resources and a lack of digital privacy, nine teams of two have to last 21 days on the run within Victoria’s borders.
The surveillance experts who are charged with tracking and finding the escaped fugitives.Credit:Network 10
Let’s get this out of the way: “Some powers available to government agencies including electronic surveillance have been simulated in the production of hunted” reads a closing credit. Much of the gameplay – the idea that the Hunters have access to CCTV and smartphones, for example – is duplicated by the production team, although both the Hunters and the Hunted are committed to staying in character and pretending it’s all happening in real-time. The paranoid should not watch hunted. Then again, maybe they could win it?
None of this actually matters. For a start, the seams are so obvious that some viewers enjoy pointing out the production’s fails; I’m watching with a 16-year-old who derisively noted that Google Maps and Microsoft Word are doing a lot of heavy lifting at Hunter HQ. More importantly, the idea is sticky. Could you survive on the run? Do you have instincts to not give your position away? Could you handle the deprivation, unlike the team that was yearning for champagne a few days in?
as with survivorviewers can at least imagine themselves being a contestant on hunted. That has helped make the series a mid-season success for Ten, prominent in the ratings and – crucially – not outstaying its welcome with just nine episodes spread over three weeks. It’s a palate cleanser, with the near misses and catches doled out across each installation. It’s also a reminder that perhaps we’re more open to new reality TV pitches than the networks imagine. Please give us more new concepts and make them as enjoyably stupid as this one.
Stathi and Matt put the hunters to the test, but one of their friends made a mistake when questioned.Credit:Network 10
“You’re cleared hot to go into anywhere you need to go,” senior Hunter Reece Dewar will bark to one of the ground teams, which sounds exciting but actually means politely knocking on someone’s door. All the Hunters have impeccable credentials, whether they’re former senior police officers, intelligence analysts, or ex-SAS operators. But not all of them can act. I am convinced that one of the HQ analysts is not even paying attention.
Occasionally the tone gets questionable, as when one Hunter driving around a country town muttered, “come on, girlies, where are ya?” but it’s fun watching people commit to this illusion. Some teams have embraced disguises and elaborate plots, while others have daft strategies that leave you yelling at the screen. I even have a favorite team of ground Hunters, Jason Spivey and Michelle Corlett of Alpha Team, although I prefer to recognize them as Jason Statham’s uncle and day-rate Charlize Theron.
Hunters Jason Spivey and Michelle Corlett of Alpha Team, although I prefer to recognize them as Jason Statham’s uncle and day-rate Charlize TheronCredit:Tins Smigielski
South Australian lighting company Valo has been announced as the naming rights sponsor for the return of the Adelaide 500.
The event will close out the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship over December 1-4.
It sees action return to the Adelaide Parklands Circuit for the first time since the event’s demise in 2020.
New title sponsor, Valo, a local advanced technology manufacturer, was confirmed at an official launch today.
The company was recently introduced into motorsport with a two-year Walkinshaw Andretti United partnership.
“At Valo, we’re passionate about motorsport and we couldn’t be more excited to be the naming rights sponsor of the Valo Adelaide 500,” said Valo CEO and founder Aaron Hickman.
“We support the South Australian Government bringing back the Valo Adelaide 500 just as we’re bringing back advanced manufacturing.
“Just as motorsport is a high-performance team sport, Valo produces high-performance products and emphasizes valuing team like family.”
The support category line-up for the event is also taking shape, with three Australian Racing Group categories locked in.
Last held at the beginning of 2020, the Adelaide 500 was axed later that year by former Premier of South Australia, Steven Marshall.
Opposition Leader, Peter Malinauskas, vowed to restore the event as a campaign promise, with Supercars committing to a 2022 season finale when Malinauskas won office in March 2022.
The chief of staff to Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has resigned, after reportedly asking a Liberal Party donor to make a $100,000 payment to his private marketing business.
Key points:
Mitch Catlin reportedly proposed a contract that would have seen a donor pay more than $8,000 a month to his private company
Matthew Guy says there are no similar agreements in place within the Victorian Liberals
The state government has criticized Mr Guy and put out a list of questions directed at him
The Age has reported that Mitch Catlin asked Mr Guy to forward a proposed contract to a donor that would have seen the donor pay more than $8,000 a month to Mr Catlin’s private marketing company, Catchy Media Marketing and Management.
The Andrews government this afternoon said it would refer the issue to the state’s corruption watchdog, as well as agencies including Victoria Police, the Victorian Ombudsman and the AFP.
In response, Mr Guy said he would cooperate with any investigation and looked forward to the state’s integrity agencies “confirming this referral for what it is — an unfounded and desperate political stunt.”
Earlier, Mr Guy said while “there was nothing signed” and he had not passed on the proposed contract, he had this morning accepted Mr Catlin’s resignation.
“I make it very, very clear that I value integrity in government and also in opposition,” he said.
“To that end, my chief of staff Mitch Catlin has this morning offered me his resignation.”
Mitch Catlin runs a private marketing company called Catchy Media Marketing and Management.(LinkedIn)
The Liberal leader pledged to establish a code of conduct for opposition staff.
“I accept that as an issue that needs resolution, I will fix that and I will make sure there is a code of conduct for opposition staff as there is, and should be, for government staff,” he said.
Mr Guy said there were no agreements in place within the party that resemble Mr Catlin’s proposed contract.
“We’ll make sure that any issues, even the perception of integrity, is taken seriously. We’re acting on a perception — this wasn’t even put in place,” he said.
MPs call for greater transparency
Labor minister Danny Pearson said Mr Guy needed to “come clean” and reveal his level of involvement.
“Matthew Guy is putting himself up as the alternative premier,” he said.
“He may be the premier by Christmas, and this goes to his credibility.”
The state government has put out a list of 14 questions directed at Mr Guy, asking why the documents have not been released and how the proposed contract would have benefited the donor.
Reason Party MP Fiona Patten said greater integrity was needed in the state’s political system and renewed calls for the urgent introduction of a parliamentary ethics committee.
“We know that the system needs greater transparency and greater integrity,” she said.
“What the major parties do affects us all.”
Addressing media this morning, Shadow Police Minister Brad Battin denied all knowledge of the proposed deal and took aim at the government’s recent issues with integrity.
“We need to make sure that integrity is the highest priority here in this state,” Mr Battin said.
“That includes in the parliament, that includes in your party and that includes trust across the whole sector.”
KABUL/WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) – The United States killed al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in a “precision” strike in the center of Kabul, the Afghanistan capital, President Joe Biden said, the biggest blow to the militant group since its founder Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011.
Zawahiri, an Egyptian surgeon who had a $25 million bounty on his head, helped coordinate the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Zawahiri was killed when he came out on the balcony of his safe house in Kabul on Sunday morning and was hit by “hellfire” missiles from a US drone.
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“Now justice has been delivered, and this terrorist leader is no more,” Biden said in remarks from the White House on Monday. “No matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you and take you out.”
He said he had authorized the precision strike in downtown Kabul and that no civilians were killed.
Three spokespeople in the Taliban administration in Kabul declined comment on Zawahiri’s death.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had previously confirmed that a strike took place in Kabul on Sunday and strongly condemned it, calling it a violation of “international principles.”
A spokesperson for the interior ministry said a house was hit by a rocket in Sherpoor, an upscale residential neighborhood of the city which also houses several embassies.
“There were no casualties as the house was empty,” Abdul Nafi Takor, the spokesperson, said.
Taliban authorities threw a security dragnet around the house in Sherpoor on Tuesday and journalists were not allowed nearby.
A senior Taliban official told Reuters that Zawahiri was previously in Helmand province and had moved to Kabul after the Taliban took over the country in August last year.
US intelligence determined with “high confidence” through multiple intelligence streams that the man killed was Zawahiri, one senior administration official told reporters.
“Zawahiri continued to pose an active threat to US persons, interests and national security,” the official said on a conference call. “His death of him deals a significant blow to al Qaeda and will degrade the group’s ability to operate.”
Zawahiri succeeded bin Laden as al Qaeda leader after years as its main organizer and strategist, but his lack of charisma and competition from rival militants Islamic State hobbled his ability to inspire devastating attacks on the West. read more
There were rumors of Zawahiri’s death several times in recent years, and he was long reported to have been in poor health.
SANCTUARY
Osama bin Laden sits with his adviser Ayman al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian linked to the al Qaeda network, during an interview with Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir (not pictured) in an image supplied by Dawn newspaper November 10, 2001. Hamid Mir/Editor/ Ausaf Newspaper for Daily Dawn/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
The drone attack is the first known US strike inside Afghanistan since US troops and diplomats left the country in August 2021. The move may bolster the credibility of Washington’s assurances that the United States can still address threats from Afghanistan without a military presence in the country.
His death also raises questions about whether Zawahiri received sanctuary from the Taliban following their takeover of Kabul in August 2021. The official said senior Taliban officials were aware of his presence in the city and said the United States expected the Taliban to abide by an agreement not to allow al Qaeda fighters to re-establish themselves in the country.
“The Taliban will have to answer for al-Zawahiri’s presence in Kabul, after assuring the world they would not give safe haven to al-Qaeda terrorists,” Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a statement.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Taliban had “grossly violated” the Doha Agreement between the two sides by hosting and sheltering Zawahiri.
Former President Barack Obama joined lawmakers in praising the operation.
“Tonight’s news is also proof that it’s possible to root out terrorism without being at war in Afghanistan,” Obama said in a Twitter message. “And I hope it provides a small measure of peace to the 9/11 families and everyone else who has suffered at the hands of al Qaeda.”
ReutersGraphics
Republican US Senator Marco Rubio said: “The world is safer without him in it and this strike demonstrates our ongoing commitment to hunt down all terrorists responsible for 9/11 and those who continue to pose a threat to US interests.” said
Until the US announcement, Zawahiri had been rumored variously to be in Pakistan’s tribal area or inside Afghanistan.
A video released in April in which he praised an Indian Muslim woman for defying a ban on wearing an Islamic head scarf dispelled rumors that he had died.
The senior US official said finding Zawahiri was the result of persistent counter-terrorism work. The United States found out this year that Zawahiri’s wife, daughter and her children had relocated to a safe house in Kabul, then identified that Zawahiri was there as well, the official said.
“Once Zawahiri arrived at the location, we are not aware of him ever leaving the safe house,” the official said. He was identified multiple times on the balcony, where he was ultimately struck. He continued to produce videos from the house and some may be released after his death, the official said.
In the last few weeks, Biden agreed to officials to scrutinize the intelligence. He was updated throughout May and June and was briefed on July 1 on a proposed operation by intelligence leaders. On July 25 I received an updated report and authorized the strike once an opportunity was available, the administration official said.
With other senior al Qaeda members, Zawahiri is believed to have plotted the October 12, 2000, attack on the USS Cole naval vessel in Yemen which killed 17 US sailors and injured more than 30 others, the Rewards for Justice website said.
He was indicted in the United States for his role in the August 7, 1998, bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people and wounded more than 5,000 others.
Both bin Laden and Zawahiri eluded capture when US-led forces toppled Afghanistan’s Taliban government in late 2001 following the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.
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Reporting by Idrees Ali and Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Alexandra Alper, Eric Beech, Jonathan Landay, Arshad Mohammed, Patricia Zengerle, Matt Spetalnick in Washington, Jibran Ahmad in Peshawar and Reuters staff in Kabul; Writing by Raju Gopalakrishnan; Editing by Stephen Coates
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Perth is now the most affordable city to purchase a unit, a title recovered in 2022 for the first time in 20 years.
New property data released on Monday showed WA was one of only two states to defy widespread declining house prices last month.
But growth has slowed significantly, with the PropTrack Home Price Index showing house prices in Perth grew only slightly last month by 0.04 per cent.
Economist Paul Ryan said Perth had not yet seen price growth slow at the same rate as in other capitals.
“Prices have increased by 8.8 per cent over the past year, only two percentage points below the rate seen at the start of the year,” he said.
“We continue to see the biggest price falls in the most expensive markets of Sydney, Melbourne and the ACT.”
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REIWA president Damian Collins said the Perth market was still tracking well, with 65 suburbs recording price growth during July.
“The Perth market typically slows in winter, so it’s pleasing that when we drill down to suburb level, a large number are still seeing growth – especially considering the three recent interest rate rises,” he said.
The five suburbs to record the biggest increase in price during July were Brabham (up 10.1 per cent to $333,750), Alkimos (up 4.6 per cent to $371,250), Lakelands (up 4.1 per cent to $385,000), Banksia Grove (up to 3.7 per cent to $420,000) and North Perth (up three per cent to $865,500).
Other suburbs to perform well were Gosnells, Hammond Park, Southern River, Kelmscott and Langford.
Bykski I-GNA380-X GPU BLOCK is a custom water block for GUNNIR Arc A380 Photon OC graphics card, thus far the only desktop Arc model available for sale. At this moment it is unclear if GUNNIR PCB is a full custom design or, what would make more sense at this price point, based on Intel reference layout. Therefore, one cannot be sure if Bykski A380 water block will only ever fit one model.
For now, this full cover block only supports GUNNIR PCB equipped with ACM-G11 GPU and 6GB of GDDR6 memory. This board has one 8-pin power connector which feeds 92W, just slightly more than Intel reference 75W TGP. One thing is sure though, such power requirements usually do not require sophisticated cooling solutions, let alone liquid cooling.
Water block for GUNNIR Arc A380, Source: Bykski
From the looks of it, this water block is single slot, so some A380 users may find this block interesting for smaller and quieter builds. But the last time we checked, there weren’t many users to begin with.
At the time of writing, the official product page did not list any pricing for this water block.
Want to watch something similar to billions? You’ve come to the right place.
If you’re a fan of billions – the Showtime drama that follows United States Attorney Chuck Rhoades as he tries to bring down crooked hedge fund manager, Bobby ‘Axe’ Axelrod – there are a few shows that you’ll enjoy just as much, if not more…
So sit back, relax and watch one of the following series to curb your billions appetite as you wait for Season 7 to be released.
house of cards
Image Credit: Sony Pictures Television
8.7 IMDb score, stars Robin Wright & Kevin Spacey, Drama, released in 2013, 6 seasons
House of Cards is extremely similar to billionsalthough House of Cards is more political than corporate. The series follows devious congressman Frank Underwood and his wife from him as they get revenge on those that wronged them.
Frank is an extremely similar character to Ax – they’re both extremely cunning – and overall, House of Cards is a well-written drama; just like billions.
Where To Watch: Netflix Australia
Industry
Image Credit: BBC Two/HBO
7.0 IMDb score, stars Myha’la Herrold, Marisa Abela & Ken Leung, Drama, released in 2020, 1 season
when Industry was first released, many described it as ‘billions meets Skins‘, so if you’re a fan of the British comedy-drama, Skins as well as billionsthen this is the show for you. Industry revolves around a group of young graduates as they vie for one of the few permanent positions at a prestigious investment bank in London.
For billions fans, the excellent cast, sharp writing and financial aspects are what make Industry worth your time.
Where To Watch: Binge and/or Foxtel Now
Succession
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Television Distribution
8.8 IMDb score, stars Brian Cox, Nicholas Braun & Peter Friedman, Drama, released in 2018, 3 seasons
billions and Succession both revolve around wealthy people who are really just the worst. Both shows are incredibly clever and feature witty dialogue and spectacular performances from the casts, although Succession is a tad more straightforward and less dramatic than billions.
That being said, Succession is extremely enjoyable and we guarantee that billions fans will love Succession just as much.
Where To Watch: Binge and/or Foxtel Now
Suits
Image Credit: USA Network
8.5 IMDb score, stars Gabriel Macht & Patrick J. Adams, Drama, Comedy, released in 2011, 9 seasons
Suits follows Harvey Spector and Mike Ross – one of New York’s best lawyers and a genius college dropout. Suits is like a lighthearted billions and the two shows are similar because of the sharp one-liners and charismatic characters.
Trust us, if you’re a billions fan, you’ll enjoy Suits.
Where To Watch: Netflix Australia
Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber
Image Credit: Paramount Global Distribution Group
7.2 IMDb score, stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Kyle Chandler, Biography & Drama, released in 2022, 1 season
A dramatized retelling of a true story, super-pumped follows the rise and fall of former Uber CEO, Travis Kalanick. super-pumped was created by Brain Koppelman and David Levien, the same team that created billions.
And because of this, even though super-pumped and billions aren’t super similar in terms of plot, super-pumped just gives off billions vibes, making it a must-watch for billions fans.
