Free Republic

Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R) conceded to Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro (D) on Sunday in the state’s gubernatorial race, five days after news outlets called the race against him. “Difficult to accept as the results are, there is no right course but to concede, which I do, and I look to the challenges ahead. Josh Shapiro will be our next Governor, and I ask everyone to give him the opportunity to lead and pray that he leads well,” Mastriano said in a statement.

Hutchison Whampoa, the mammoth company that runs the Panama Canal and has close ties to the Chinese army, has a new rhinestone in its crown: Global Crossing. Along with another Asian company, Singapore Technologies, it paid $250 million today for the bankrupt fiber-optic network company - a third of the original offer. "An outside financial adviser to Global Crossing who was called to testify at a hastily scheduled hearing early Friday said only three credible bids had been received during a lengthy auction process and that bidders were spooked by the ongoing collapse of the business," the Associated Press reported....