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WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transiton of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. “This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day,” said Susie Wiles, Trump’s designate to be White House chief of staff. Related Articles The announcement comes a week after the Trump transition team with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts have emphasized to Trump’s team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. Republican Senators have also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump’s nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers have been particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump’s designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. “That’s why it’s so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing,” said. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine on Monday. John Thune, the incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team “understands there’s going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees.”Jean-Philippe Mateta struck in the second half with the only real piece of quality in a nervy encounter between two struggling teams. It is now two wins and three draws from the last six matches for Glasner’s side, whose winter revival is gathering pace nicely following a sticky start to the campaign. “I feel very happy, we’re all very pleased with the result, it was not the best performance but the result was more important,” said the Eagles boss. “Most of the time we controlled the game and we scored an amazing goal, a fantastic finish from JP. “We had more chances to decide the game but we couldn’t, but I think the win was well deserved. “We didn’t give them any chances from open play and with a clean sheet you can always take the win. “It’s a big win. Now it’s not time to sit back and relax but to keep going. In four days we face Manchester City. We stay humble. There are still many things to improve but we are on the right path.” Ipswich looked the likelier to score as a low-key first half drew to a close and were denied by a point-blank save by Dean Henderson from Harry Clarke’s near-post header. Shortly after the interval Wes Burns got clear down the right and lifted an inviting cross towards Liam Delap, whose header was straight at Henderson. However, from out of nowhere Palace conjured up a lightning counter-attack to go ahead on the hour. Eberechi Eze led the charge before feeding Mateta, who surged forward with a couple of stepovers before brushing off the attention of Jacob Greaves and finishing superbly past Arijanet Muric. It was the French forward’s sixth goal of the season, and his first away from Selhurst Park. Back came Ipswich with Leif Davis fizzing in another cross for Delap, who somehow mistimed his jump and completely missed the ball from six yards. As time ticked down Greaves looped a header against the far post, with the rebound just eluding substitute Ali-Al Hamadi. “Frustrating night,” said Town boss Kieran McKenna. “It was a tight first half, we weren’t fantastic in terms of the flow of the game and didn’t create as many opportunities as we wanted. But having said that neither did our opponents. “In the second half we conceded a really poor goal and that proved decisive. We can do better than we did tonight.”
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ACA.stmgirlshoops.112624.204.jpgCraft added five rebounds for the RedHawks (3-2). Suder shot 7 of 9 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 3 for 3 from the line. Eian Elmer shot 4 for 8 (2 for 4 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 15 points. The Saints (3-3) were led by Major Freeman, who recorded 15 points. Brendan Coyle added 12 points for Siena. Justice Shoats had 12 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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Pumpkin spice lattes have given way to turkey and stuffing, which in turn has given way to ugly sweaters and pop star Christmas albums and specials. For working professionals, it’s a time for prognostications about what might change in their industry in the new year. End of year predictions make timely reads in part because they come at a time when people are winding down for the year and getting ready to take their mind off of their day to day work. Yet while they may give us a broad and varied view into expectations (or hopes and dreams), the vast majority of predictions about how healthcare will change in 2025 are likely to be wrong. Not because prognosticators are foolish, but because our modern healthcare system has evolved over 80+ years, and any major change over the course of any twelve month period is unlikely; add the enormous complexity of healthcare and its myriad special interests, and forecasting a specific change is that much more difficult. Given this, and perhaps sprinkling a bit of Grinch spirit onto the season, below are six things that experts view as unlikely to change in healthcare in 2025, followed by a dash of optimism. 1. GLP-1 Access Issues Will Take Time To Solve GLP-1s have been hailed as miracle drugs in recent years. Clinical studies are producing findings that support the enthusiasm. The class of drugs has been a miracle for the pharmaceutical firms that manufacture them, as spending has increased by more than 400% from 2019 to 2023 in Medicaid populations alone. Add to these developments the recent announcement that the Biden Administration is seeking to expand access to GLP-1 drugs among Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries (essentially by relaxing strict indications of use solely for diabetes), and there is palpable excitement about the continued use and healthcare system implications of these drugs. Yet thorny problems remain. First and foremost, the rapid increase in demand for these drugs has resulted in dramatic shortages, which in turn has led some pharmacies and virtual care companies to produce non-FDA approved (but legal) GLP-1 drugs via compounded generic ingredients. “We must first figure out the basics: how can we help more people access GLP-1s and achieve the best possible outcomes. Solving those problems means lowering the cost of treatment, through things like drug price competition and expanded insurance coverage, and overcoming barriers to access, through solutions like telehealth,” explains Zach Reitano of Ro, a virtual care company that offers access to FDA-approved and compounded GLP-1 drugs. Others point to the fact that while the drugs are promising, their impact may be transitory. “They’re not a silver bullet,” says Sean Duffy of Omada, a digital health company that focuses on helping consumers manage chronic diseases through lifestyle changes. Duffy argues that to have a lasting impact at scale, GLP-1s must be, “appropriately paired with proper nutrition, exercise, and other lifestyle improvements that have been proven over decades of research.” 2. Provider Consolidation And Desire For Scale And Efficiency Won’t Stop Horizontal mergers. Vertical acquisitions. Cross-market mergers. Between 2005 and 2022, the share of community hospitals that were part of a multi-hospital system increased from 53% to 68%. Related, the share of physicians practicing in hospital-owned practices increased to 41% in 2021 (up from 29% a decade earlier). The multitude of factors driving provider consolidation are many: administrative and operational challenges , increasing competition from private equity, and revenue uncertainty with shifting patient populations and preferences, among others. Given the industry’s inertia and the number of drivers, it seems unlikely that provider consolidation slows down in 2025. Scott Barclay, Managing Director of Insight Partners, a global venture capital and growth equity firm, sees relationship dynamics with health plans driving hospital self-interest and self-preservation. “We believe large providers will continue trying to buy market share and raise prices, and insurance companies will continue to raise premiums and fight with providers,” Barclay explains. (Disclosure: the author’s consulting firm works with Insight Partners). Where Barclay focuses on hospital relationships with health plans, others see continued strain on relationships with consumers. "The pressure on health systems to acquire new commercially-insured patients will only increase as more and more people age into Medicare. Ensuring that these patients are able to access the system will be a critical challenge for organizations already operating at 100% capacity,” says Graham Gardner, MD and CEO of Kyruus Health, a technology platform helping providers better connect with and improve access to consumers. 3. Hype Around Generative AI In Healthcare Remains Mostly That: Hype A Flare Capital report suggests $30 billion has been invested into healthcare AI in the past five years. The report highlights opportunities for AI to transform areas ranging from financial and back office functions to patient engagement to clinical care, among others. An Andreesen Horowitz analysis suggests that AI can help unlock $314 billion through more efficient healthcare operations. The numbers suggest massive investor enthusiasm in the technology. And certainly, the application of generative AI to certain use cases, most notably ambient scribe technology, seems to be finding the elusive product-market fit in healthcare. Yet for all of the excitement, there is a fair amount of skepticism around the actual application of AI within real world healthcare environments, or the ability to scale successful AI-first businesses in healthcare. "Generative AI has been proven useful in certain instances, but it is not the answer to everything in the healthcare industry,” says David Schweppe, Chief Analytics Officer of MedeAnalytics, an analytics and (ironically) AI company. Gardner of Kyruuus Health is skeptical that companies building AI-first solutions can stand out in a crowded field. “Point solutions — particularly new entrants leveraging AI — will struggle to differentiate themselves and risk having their features subsumed by incumbent vendors building these capabilities into their core offerings,” Gardner explains. Perhaps the most important insight relates to how AI should be used in the future: to build upon, rather than replace, the human connection that is (or should be) at the center of health. “True personalization will come from a people-centered approach... We're losing sight of how powerful it can be to simply ask patients, "How are you doing?",” notes Robin Glass of Included Health, a comprehensive virtual care provider. 4. Neither Retail Nor Tech Is Coming To The Rescue (But Won’t Stay Away Entirely) When Tim Cook announced in January 2019 that he thought that Apple’s lasting impact would be about health, it set the healthcare industry afire with speculation: what direction would Apple’s healthcare strategy take, and how would it impact healthcare stakeholders? More than five years later, it seems Apple has not made much progress toward achieving the impact its CEO hoped for. Judging by its own assessment, neither Apple’s own efforts nor its results are material enough to mention. This hasn’t prevented Cook from recently recommitting to his vision. Color industry insiders are skeptical, if still supportive. But the skepticism is not just reserved for Apple: after dozens of failed high profile initiatives and investment from big tech (e.g., Amazon’s Haven partnership) and big retailers (e.g., Walmart and Walgreen), even Harvard Business Review is doubtful about disruption from corporate outsiders. “It’ll be definitive in 2025 that Amazon will be the only major corporation in “FAANG” (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google) that is truly committed to transforming care delivery,” expects Duffy of Omada, who points to Amazon’s long term thinking and focus on pharmacy and care delivery (via its Oneedical acquisition). 5. Progress On Data Interoperability Continues, But Painfully Slowly "The politics of access to healthcare data will continue as if it's a 6th grade student council election,” says Jonathan Bush, industry luminary and CEO of health data platform Zus Health. Bush could be referring to many things here: the ongoing difficulties in consumer access to their own data (or even awareness this is possible), the public feud between Oracle Health and Epic Systems regarding which company is the true enabler (or laggard) of data interoperability, whether federal efforts to support interoperability via standards are too heavy handed or not enough, or the dispute and subsequent antitrust lawsuit between startup Particle Health and Epic Systems regarding data accessibility. Alon Jaffee, Cofounder and CEO of Eleos Health, agrees, noting that while virtually all stakeholders want interoperability between their systems, we’re unlikely to see robust progress in 2025. “Legacy systems are too complex and lack the right incentives,” he explains. Despite the complexity and incentives, there is a sense of movement, if it feels plodding. That may be okay, given the implications. “Privacy concerns, regulatory uncertainty from a new administration, and the rapid emergence of new data producers complicate the landscape,” describes Nick Stepro, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Arcadia, an analytics and data platform enabling healthcare organizations to pivot to value-based models of care. (Disclosure: the author’s consulting firm works with Arcadia.) Bush is optimistic, if for no other reason than emerging financial incentives. “There’s too much economic force profiting from the liberated data, and that economic force is reducing the cost of care. Once the genie gets out of the bottle, he is very hard to squeeze back in," he notes. 6. Antitrust in Healthcare Scrutiny Remains, Especially On the Highest Profile Cases One area of the incoming Trump Administration that seems clear, with respect to its posture toward how the private sector functions and antitrust policy in particular, is that it intends to ensure it is getting a fair shake from traditional and social media companies. Hence what may have contributed to ABC News’ recent settlement offer of $15 million and Meta’s (Facebook’s) $1 million contribution to the Trump inauguration fund, among others. Outside of that, speculation abounds: will the administration return to a more traditionally Republican-held laissez-faire view of private sector competition, or hue towards J.D. Vance’s advocacy of Lina Khan, who has worked to expand Federal Trade Commission’s remit and scope? It is worth noting that the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust case against Google, which a judge found guilty of anticompetitive practices in August, was initiated under the previous Trump Administration. As were many other cases. A review of the DOJ's website suggests an average of ~42 antitrust case filings during the first Trump Administration versus ~32 antitrust filings per year during the Biden Administration. Based on the data and previous experience, as well as the current political and public climate facing healthcare, it seems reasonable to expect continued focus at a minimum on single firm conduct among dominant firms. Within healthcare, that suggests the DOJ’s investigation into UnitedHealth Group is likely to continue. So too with the FTC’s ongoing feud with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), who also face bipartisan policymaker pressure. Related to health technology, Stepro of Arcadia points to the issues affecting health data interoperability as creating barriers to innovation and improved insights in healthcare. “There’s growing friction between new and innovative entrants and incumbent organizations that threaten to slow momentum without sufficient incentives to embrace true openness.” While they may be on their way out, current top antitrust enforcers seem to be aware of the interoperability issues, and the extent to which they may be exacerbated by large technology incumbents. When recently asked about the Particle Health lawsuit alleging anticompetitive conduct by Epic, FTC Chairperson Lina Khan acknowledged awareness of the issue. “We're not involved in that litigation, which is brought by a private company, but it's actually something I had heard concerns about, especially among entrepreneurs and startups that were trying to enter the healthcare space,” Khan said . Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter recently echoed the awareness of technology platforms. “Using the outdated... approach, antitrust enforcement and policy missed opportunities to assess how broader changes in business, such as the rise of platform business models, health care technology and regulatory incentives, impacted competition.” A Case For Rational Optimism So if relatively little is likely to change writ large in 2025, and we have a healthcare system that produces below-average outcomes for exceptionally high spend, why be optimistic? Adjusting the aperture can be helpful. A Bill Gates quote comes to mind: “'Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” Specific to healthcare, Alon Joffee, Cofounder and CEO of Eleos Healthcare thinks we live in the best time ever to impact the system. “We finally have the technological tools to best the cost curve. It will still take time and be an uphill battle, but at least we have the tools to fight it,” he explains. Likewise, Barclay of Insight Partners advises taking a longer term view of progress. “There are many negatives in our current moment, but in the long run, they are only a moment in time,” he says. Working to improve healthcare can at times feel like a Sisyphean task. It also can be difficult to recognize progress in the moment. With this in mind, perhaps the wisest prediction (or just insight) comes from an unlikely source: a media and public relations executive, not normally known for their desire to keep things low key. “Healthcare takes a minute,” advises and predicts Darren Brandt of Sloane PR. Amidst a prediction season that touts all the ways the world might change in the next 12 months, sometimes the diligence to keep one’s head down and patience to see things through is the reminder we all need.VICTORIA — British Columbia Premier David Eby says his fellow premiers and the federal government have hatched a game plan to fight U.S. tariffs, with conservative premiers lobbying Republican counterparts, left-leaning provincial leaders courting the Democrats, and Ottawa focusing on president-elect Donald Trump. The premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talked about using their political diversity and connections to thwart the prospect of Trump's proposed 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, Eby said Thursday in a year-end interview. He said it was discussed that conservative premiers Danielle Smith in Alberta, Doug Ford in Ontario and Nova Scotia's Tim Houston are well-placed to lobby Republican governors and business leaders. Eby said as a New Democrat he will likely have more in common with Democrat governors and business leaders from the West Coast states. "I can easily have conversations with governors and businesses down the West Coast of the U.S., where we have close relationships and our politics are very similar," he said. "Premier Smith can have conversations with Republican governors. That would be more challenging for me, and (she) would have more connections potentially with the Trump administration than an NDP administration in B.C. would." He said a meeting last week between the premiers and Trudeau discussed Canada's diversity of representation, and how it could bring leverage and advantages in tariff talks. "It's interesting, there was a lot of talk about what unity means in terms of Canada's response to the tariffs," he said. "There's obviously a diversity of views around the Council of the Federation table of all the premiers. Certainly, mine is not the same as Premier Smith's or Premier Ford's or Premier Houston's, and that diversity of views is actually potentially a significant strength for us as we enter into these discussions." Eby also said he was prepared to appear on American's right-leaning Fox News TV network, as did premiers Ford and Smith. "Anything that I can do to support the national effort to protect the families in Canada from the impact of tariffs and also families in the U.S. from those unjustified tariffs," he said. "Absolutely, if I thought it was helpful." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press
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By Sam Nussey TOKYO (Reuters) - Netflix's subscribers passed 10 million in Japan in the first half of this year with the streaming firm's Japanese-language programming grabbing attention in the growing market. The subscriber base has doubled in the last four years and the streamer has recently released a string of well-received Japanese-language shows tackling subjects that set it apart from Japanese broadcasters. "This year in particular we're happy that productions such as 'Tokyo Swindlers', 'The Queen of Villains' and reality-romance show 'The Boyfriend' have been watched by so many people," said Kaata Sakamoto, vice president of content for Japan. Only two English-language series, the live-action adaptation of manga "One Piece" and the fourth season of "Stranger Things", have topped the viewing rankings in Japan since Netflix began disclosing them in 2021. "Japan in particular is a country which wants to see a lot of its own content so we strongly feel the need to produce it," Sakamoto said. Netflix said in September it has signed a five-year contract with Hitoshi One, the director of hit drama "Tokyo Swindlers" about a team of real estate scammers. Streaming has encouraged consumers to watch foreign-language content with entertainment players looking to Japan in recent years. Amazon has adapted Sega Sammy's long-running "Yakuza" game series and Reuters reported last month that Sony is in talks to acquire media powerhouse Kadokawa to bolster its entertainment portfolio. Netflix says Japanese content is its third-most-viewed non-English content after Korean and Spanish and its anime titles were viewed more than 1 billion times globally last year. Shares in the streamer, which has been boosted by an ad-supported tier and had 282.7 million subscribers globally at September-end, have climbed around 84% year-to-date at Monday's close. (Reporting by Sam Nussey; Additional reporting by Dawn Chmielewski; Editing by Stephen Coates)California AG reaffirms state’s commitment to sex reassignment procedures on minors
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California AG reaffirms state’s commitment to sex reassignment procedures on minorsThey’re tired of saying “Bring Them Home.” It’s been 14 months since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas kidnapped their family members — 14 months of agony, loneliness, anger and tears, with few glimmers of hope. On that fateful day, Hamas killed more than 1,200 people in Israel, beginning a war that continues today. Desperate to get the hostages freed, family members have been traveling around the world to plead their case. This week, they’re in South Florida, speaking with politicians, the media and community leaders, hoping for possible connections to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration and what they hope is his power to get the estimated 100 men, women and children out of captivity. The South Florida visit, which includes two events open to the public, is presented by We Are All Hostages, a volunteer organization that has helped hostage families travel to Washington, D.C., New York and Europe over the past few months. On Wednesday evening, the families will share their stories during a free forum at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie. The following night will feature an in-depth remembrance at the Nova Exhibition, an ongoing exhibit in North Miami that offers a timeline of events and remains rescued from the music festival grounds where 364 were killed on Oct. 7. The family members’ visit comes at a time when news reports say a deal to free the captives may be close to happening . Yehuda Cohen, father of hostage Nimrod Cohen, said he has heard reports like this before. “I don’t want to put my hopes too high because I don’t want to be disappointed again,” said Cohen, 55, an engineer at an American technology company in Rehovot, Israel. Nimrod Cohen, 20, was a soldier whose tank malfunctioned near the border with Gaza. His father plans to tell South Florida political leaders and community members that a ceasefire and hostage deal are the best way to get the Israelis out. In the meantime, he hopes his son somehow sees that he is fighting to get him freed. “I want him to know all the time that he’s not alone,” Cohen said. “I hope there is the smallest chance that my words get to him.” In addition to Cohen, the following family members are traveling in South Florida this week: “I could not miss this trip because maybe there is one word I will say that will liberate them,” Schnaider said. The family, natives of Peru, immigrated to Israel in 1971. His sister was Shiri Bibas’ mother, Margit, who was killed with her husband, Yossi, on Oct. 7 at Kibbutz Nir Oz. “I can’t erase from my mind how my sister died,” said Schnaider, 68, who lives in Kingston, New York. “I’m fighting for my family but also for every single hostage.” The families will share personal stories as relatives of hostages during a presentation, “Voices of Resilience,” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center, 5850 S. Pine Island Road, Davie. Free; register at dpjcc.org/events . They will also speak at an in-depth remembrance of the Oct. 7 massacre at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, as part of the Nova Music Festival Exhibition, 12100 NE 16th Ave., North Miami. Cost is $18; register at novafestival.seetickets.com .Oliver Glasner: Crystal Palace are heading in right direction after Ipswich win
Thanksgiving dinner in Kansas doesn’t need to be rehash of November election riftsBy JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Related Articles Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition: A Hands-On Look at Power, Style, and Smarts
Freedom of the press is “on the slide” in Cyprus , MP Alexandra Attalides said on Wednesday. Speaking at a House institutions committee meeting which focused on the withdrawing of an award to a journalist who had uncovered corruption in Cypriot football, Attalides, who belongs to political party Volt, said the level of freedom Cyprus’ press enjoys may “sink even further” after this case. “Democracies are at risk when the rich and the powerful can silence their critics just because they raise their voices on matters of public interest,” she added. Committee chairman and Disy MP Demetris Demetriou said sports journalism in Cyprus finds itself “in limbo”, and issued scathing criticism in the direction of the sports journalists’ union chairman Herodotos Miltiadous , who had given and then retracted the award. “You did not just cancel the award. In my opinion, you cancelled people’s dignity, You cancelled free speech and freedom of the press and of the people the awards’ jury chose to honour. You cancelled the work which is being done. You cancelled the courage of colleagues to continue writing or to do investigative journalism,” he said. Miltiadous insisted that the award had not been retracted out of a wish to silence the press, but after his association had received legal advice. “Our board of directors is made up of journalists, not lawyers, so it is obliged when legal issues are brought to its attention to seek the advice and guidance of experts ,” he said. He added, “the award was not cancelled, but our legal advisor’s opinion was adopted. He considered that there were issues of a legal nature and that for the association’s best interest, the award be handed out at a later stage.” The journalist whose award was revoked, Fanis Makrides, had been the subject of a letter sent by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) in October , wherein the association expressed “surprise and displeasure” at the award. The CFA had alleged that Makrides’ work had been defamatory and said it “rejected” the content of the work in which he had written that corruption was to be found deep at the heart of the CFA. After the award was withdrawn, the Cyprus journalists’ union decried what it described as “unfair interference”, and said the CFA’s actions were “reprehensible”, “anachronistic” and “antidemocratic” . “The suspension of Makrides’ award, following the unimaginable intervention made by the CFA, is a disgrace to freedom of expression, the plurality of opinions and the freedom of the press,” the union said, while also lamenting that the sports writers’ union had “given in to CFA pressure”. “Free, investigative, penetrating, quality journalism must be left unhindered and unabated to fulfil its role and carry out its mission,” it said, adding that Makrides has its full support. “For free investigative journalism, there are no sacred cows, nor anything else which is allowed to remain away from the line of fire. ” Koumas had been accused , among other things, of having created an “unfair advantage” for some clubs by way of manipulating the money paid to them as part of television rights deals. “ Teams received money in violation of agreements ... in such a way as to create an unfair advantage in favour of some club s,” Makrides reported last year. This includes an accusation that money paid to the CFA by CytaVision for television rights to domestic Cypriot football matches “was distributed by the CFA, in time and quantity, according to the will of Giorgos Koumas”. “It is also noted that he received CytaVision’s millions from the television agreements and sponsorship on behalf of the teams and distributed them as he wanted,” the accusations state. “There were occasions where CytaVision money was given on the instructions of [Koumas] in violation of the agreements made with the clubs,” Makrides’ report said. In addition, Koumas was accused of having granted a bonus of €200,000 to one club “without reasonable cause” , and that this bonus was granted while the club in question was participating in games surrounded by “suspicious betting activity”.Trump's Lawyers Formally Ask Hush Money Judge To Dismiss Case