Latest news with #Nathanson
The Citizen
20 hours ago
- The Citizen
Beaten, murdered and betrayed: What really happened to Luke Edwards?
Beaten, murdered and betrayed: What really happened to Luke Edwards? Luke Edwards, a 32-year-old described as bright, disciplined and full of promise, went into a facility seeking help. Instead, he died a violent and painful death, The Witness reports. His beaten, bloody, and half-clothed body was found just metres away from the Tetelestai Recovery Centre in KZN that he had been admitted into. He had no shirt or shoes, and his injuries told a horrific story. This week, Amanzimtoti police confirmed the arrest of four suspects in connection with his murder. Private investigator Brad Nathanson, hired by the Edwards family, said Luke's body showed clear signs of severe assault. 'It would be too gruesome to describe the state Edwards' body was found in,' said Nathanson. 'In my 45 years as an investigator, it was one of the most upsetting scenes I have ever seen.' Luke's father, Duncan Edwards, said the pain of losing his son under such brutal circumstances is indescribable. 'No words will ever describe the pain of seeing my son like that. Luke was not a drug addict. He was sick and needed care. We placed our trust in the wrong hands. They failed him,' he said. 'Luke was extremely clever, played a lot of chess, went to the gym daily and was proficient in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 'He was not addicted to any other drugs, and his system was completely clear of any drugs [other than marijuana],' he added. He said the family turned to Nathanson to uncover what happened. 'Brad has been amazing. He has helped us to answer almost all the questions we have been asking ourselves as a family,' he said. 'This act was senseless. A parent sends their child to a facility for them to get well, not to be murdered. '[There is] no motive other than entitled bullies who went too far and then feared the repercussions of their actions. The men responsible for Luke's death must face recompense. Well done detectives at SAPS Amanzimtoti. 'My sincere condolences to the Edwards family,' Nathanson said. Nathanson also questioned the qualification of some people who reside at the rehabilitation facility, receiving board and lodging in exchange for acting as volunteer 'monitors'. 'They are going to argue that these 'monitors' at the facility are not their 'employees'. Once again taking two steps away from the truth. Technically, these monitors don't work for the rehabilitation centre. 'They volunteer for benefits,' said Nathanson. Amanzimtoti SAPS spokesperson Captain Charlene van der Spuy confirmed that four suspects, aged between 24 and 28, were arrested on Thursday. A fifth person was arrested and charged with assault GBH for attacking a witness in the case. He appeared in Amanzimtoti Court on June 17, 2025. The accused are due in the Umlazi Magistrate's Court on June 30. The Tetelestai Recovery Centre, where Luke had been admitted prior to his murder, denied any involvement in Luke's death and said he was not harmed while under their care. 'Tetelestai Recovery Centre has no staff member, manager, board member or director who has ever been formally charged or convicted of any crime related to abuse, assault, or negligence,' said managing director Donovan de Klerk in a post on Facebook. We are fully co-operating with SAPS Amanzimtoti, and will continue to provide them with all documentation and assistance required. 'We have also instructed our legal team to monitor all public commentary and consider legal steps against anyone making false, misleading, or defamatory statements that may be causing reputational or operational harm.' In the Facebook post, De Klerk presents the facility's version of events. According to him: Luke Edwards was admitted to Tetelestai Recovery Centre on a voluntary basis. On April 8, at 23.06, Luke left the Centre without authorisation. This was documented and escalated internally, and our protocols were followed. On April 9, at 01:30, CCTV footage from a neighbouring facility, a retirement home, shows Luke alive, coherent, fully clothed, and without visible injuries. Later that morning, Luke was tragically discovered dead, lying in a big pool of blood on the Retirement Home property. Circumstances surrounding his death, including details regarding his injuries, are the subject of an active SAPS investigation, and we will not speculate on any cause or timeline. 'We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Luke Edwards. 'His untimely passing is a tragedy, and our thoughts are with all affected,' said De Klerk. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘It's un-Australian': Rabbi says the hate must stop after graffiti attack on heritage-listed synagogue
Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson has described a graffiti attack on the historic synagogue in South Yarra on Sunday as 'un-Australian'. Vandals used red paint to scrawl 'Free Palestine' and 'Iran is Da Bomb', set inside the outline of a nuclear mushroom cloud, on the heritage-listed synagogue in the early afternoon. There were no religious services or activities at the synagogue at the time. The attacks were reported to police, and cleaners using special chemicals were able to remove most of the graffiti from the building near the corner of Toorak and St Kilda roads just south of the inner city. The attack came only hours after news broke that the US had dropped bombs on three Iranian nuclear facilities, but Nathanson urged those people angry about the current situation in the Middle East to not take it out on fellow Australians like those of his Melbourne Hebrew Congregation. 'Tensions are understandably very high today, but an act like this on the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation is just unacceptable,' Nathanson told this masthead on Sunday evening. 'It's the place of worship and it has been since 1841. It's one of the oldest congregations in mainland Australia. Over which time, it has welcomed people from all faiths.' Nathanson said police were called and security footage was passed on to them. He stressed that the synagogue would continue to serve its broad community of worshippers. 'There's going to be a wide variety of opinions as to the politics in the Middle East and where things stand from one extreme to the other, but to translate that into violent acts and antisemitism and criminal activity here in Australia is un-Australian,' Nathanson said.
The Age
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
‘It's un-Australian': Rabbi says the hate must stop after graffiti attack on heritage-listed synagogue
Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson has described a graffiti attack on the historic Melbourne Synagogue on Sunday as 'un-Australian'. Vandals used red paint to scrawl 'Free Palestine' and 'Iran is Da Bomb', set inside the outline of a nuclear mushroom cloud, on the heritage-listed synagogue in the early afternoon. There were no religious services or activities at the synagogue at the time. The attacks were reported to police, and cleaners using special chemicals were able to remove most of the graffiti from the building near the corner of Toorak and St Kilda roads just south of the inner city. The attack came only hours after news broke that the US had dropped bombs on three Iranian nuclear facilities, but Nathanson urged those people angry about the current situation in the Middle East to not take it out on fellow Australians like those of his Melbourne Hebrew Congregation. 'Tensions are understandably very high today, but an act like this on the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation is just unacceptable,' Nathanson told this masthead on Sunday evening. 'It's the place of worship and it has been since 1841. It's one of the oldest congregations in mainland Australia. Over which time, it has welcomed people from all faiths.' Nathanson said police were called and security footage was passed on to them. He stressed that the synagogue would continue to serve its broad community of worshippers. 'There's going to be a wide variety of opinions as to the politics in the Middle East and where things stand from one extreme to the other, but to translate that into violent acts and antisemitism and criminal activity here in Australia is un-Australian,' Nathanson said.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Heartless and cruel' vandals deface posters of Holocaust survivors in NYC
'Heartless and cruel' vandals defaced art gallery posters featuring Holocaust survivors on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day Wednesday in Manhattan — and those who lived through the Nazi terror said they fear ominous echoes of their youth. 'I was shocked,' Eva Nathanson, an 84-year-old Hungarian Holocaust survivor who was part of an art exhibit promoted on posters along West 57th Street. The hateful act would 'hurt any day — but especially on Holocaust Remembrance Day,' she added. Vandals struck just before the start of the solemn commemoration, marking 80 years since liberation, scratching off the faces of survivors now in their 80s and 90s, while leaving neighboring posters untouched. 'I never thought in my lifetime that I'd have to deal with this kind of situation again,' said Nathanson. Rising antisemitism in New York – which led the nation with 1,437 antisemitic incidents last year — reminds her of 'when I was growing up. 'I've never been afraid in the US, and right now I am worried.' The posters showcase a new Chelsea gallery exhibit called 'Borrowed Spotlight,' a photo project that pairs celebs such as Chelsea Handler, Jennifer Garner, and Billy Porter with Holocaust survivors providing their testimonies to educate against antisemitism. The remnants of one poster show supermodel Cindy Crawford with a shorn Ella Mandel, a 98-year-old survivor who was 13 when the Germans invaded her native Poland. 'I was the only survivor,' said Mandel about her will to go on in the shadow of unfathomable horror. 'And then you can't help thinking and asking why?' The vandalism won't stop the survivors, Bryce Thompson, the photographer of the exhibition, told The Post. 'If anything, it motivates them, and channels their determination to use their voice more now.'\ Nathanson said she won't let the haters win. 'This won't stop me from telling my story.'
Forbes
03-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
YouTube Projected To Surpass Disney As World's Largest Media Company
Earlier this week Michael Nathanson, a partner at MoffettNathanson, declared that based on revenue, YouTube will, by yearend, become "the new king of all media' surpassing Disney. In 2024 YouTube generated $54.2 billion in revenue ranking second to Disney. Last year, Disney's revenue (excluding their parks and experiences divisions) reached $59.7 billion. In its fourth quarter 2024 earnings report, YouTube's ad revenue reached a record quarterly high $10.5 billion. For all of 2024 ad revenue totaled $36.15 billion, a year-over-year increase of +15%. In the analysis Nathanson noted if YouTube was a standalone business, they would be worth upwards of $550 billion, accounting for approximately 30% of parent company Alphabet's total valuation. Besides ad dollars, YouTube revenue sources include; subscriptions such as YouTube Premium, YouTube Music along with NFL Sunday Ticket and YouTube Primetime Channels. Another revenue source is the virtual MVPD YouTube TV. Nathanson wrote, 'Looking ahead, we expect subscription revenue growth to continue to outpace advertising, driven primarily by subscriber additions. However, with no further price increases factored into our model, we anticipate a gradual slowdown in subscription growth as net additions moderate, particularly for YouTube TV. As a result, we forecast YouTube's total revenue growth to settle in the low- to mid-double-digit range from 2025 through 2027.' By 2027, Nathanson projects, YouTube could reach over $75 billion in revenue via subscription services (YouTube TV, YouTube Premium and Music) and advertising. According to Nielsen's monthly Media Distributor Gauge report for February 2025, YouTube led all media companies with an 11.6% share of time spent viewing, an increase of 2% from January. This was also YouTube's highest share to date and marked the second month they ranked first in time spent viewing. (They also ranked first in November 2024.) Disney ranked second with a 10.0% share followed by Fox (which televised and streamed Super Bowl LIX), with an audience share of 8.3% and Netflix at 8.2%. Nielsen added, nearly 27% of time spent streaming in February was watching YouTube. Nielsen also looked at the steady growth of YouTube over the past two years in time spent watching on television. Since February 2023 YouTube's share has risen 53%. While YouTube's growth has been prevalent across all age groups, the viewing increase has been greatest among adults 65+ at +96%. Nielsen notes the older demographic accounts for nearly as much to the audience contribution as kids 2-11 (15.4% vs. 16.9%). Nielsen's report includes only the television segment of YouTube's usage. Hence, any mobile or laptop viewing or watching on its virtual MVPD, YouTube TV is not measured. Earlier this year, in a blog post, YouTube CEO Neil Mohan, noted that U.S. television had surpassed mobile as the primary way people watch YouTube. On Wednesday, May 14 at 5:30 p.m. (ET), YouTube will host their fourth annual 'Brandcast'. Once again, the event will be held in New York's Lincoln Center. YouTube's Brandcast is scheduled amid upfront week with hundreds of advertising executives present. Lady Gaga is expected to perform. MrBeast, YouTube's top creator with over 378 million subscribers, is also expected to make an appearance. Brittany Broski, will be the creator host of this year's presentation. Nathanson's commentary also addressed the continued growth of the virtual MVPD YouTube TV. Launched in 2017, as of February 2024, YouTube TV had about eight million subscribers. This ranks YouTube TV as the fourth largest pay TV distributor behind Charter, Comcast and DirecTV. Nathanson estimates that nowadays the subscriber count is at 9.4 million. With cord-cutting continuing the report notes, 'YouTube TV is on a clear path to becoming the largest pay TV provider in the United States, by around 2026.' Nathanson estimates in 2027 YouTube TV will have 11.5 million subscribers compared to 9.2 million for Charter and 8.4 million subscribers for Comcast. Since its launch, the monthly subscription fee for YouTube TV has risen from $35 to $83. In 2023, YouTube became the home of NFL Sunday Ticket. The service streams out-of-market games on Fox and CBS on Sunday afternoons. YouTube had replaced DirecTV and outbid Apple among others in a seven-year, $14 billion agreement. NFL Sunday Ticket gave YouTube a toehold with the most popular sport and television program in the country. In addition, NFL Sunday Ticket is being bundled with YouTube TV. In March, YouTube announced they have over 125 million subscribers (including free trials) for YouTube Music and YouTube Premium services, an increase from 100 million from just one year prior. Lyor Cohen, YouTube's global head of music wrote, 'This momentum is critical to our goal of becoming the No. 1 contributor of revenue to the [music] Also in March, Edison Research reported among Gen Z (age 13-29), YouTube has now edged out Spotify in becoming the most used service for podcast listening. In February, YouTube said they now had over one billion monthly active users. Last year, more than 400 million hours of podcasts were watched each month on living room devices. Nathanson noted, 'YouTube has substantial runway for further growth, not just in monetization but also in expanding into new business segments, such as premier streaming aggregator'. Adding, 'If executed effectively, this could further widen the gap between YouTube and other media players.' Nathanson's prognosis comes 20 years after YouTube was launched on February 14, 2005, by three PayPal engineers Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim. On April 23, 2005 the first YouTube video entitled 'Me at The Zoo' was uploaded by co-founder Karim. The video lasted 19 seconds. Eighteen months after that first video, Google acquired YouTube, for the now bargain price of $1.65 billion.
