Julie Appleby | KFF Health News Unauthorized switching of Affordable Care Act plans appears to have tapered off in recent weeks based on an almost one-third drop in casework associated with consumer complaints, say federal regulators . The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees the ACA, credits steps taken to thwart enrollment and switching problems that triggered more than 274,000 complaints this year through August. Now, the annual ACA open enrollment period that began Nov. 1 poses a real-world test: Will the changes curb fraud by rogue agents or brokerages without unduly slowing the process of enrolling or reducing the total number of sign-ups for 2025 coverage? “They really have this tightrope to walk,” said Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. “The more you tighten it up to prevent fraud, the more barriers there are that could inhibit enrollment among those who need the coverage.” CMS said in July that some types of policy changes — those in which the agent is not “affiliated” with the existing plan — will face more requirements, such as a three-way call with the consumer, broker, and a healthcare.gov call center representative. In August, the agency barred two of about a dozen private sector online-enrollment platforms from connecting with healthcare.gov over concerns related to improper switching. And CMS has suspended 850 agents suspected of being involved in unauthorized plan-switching from accessing the ACA marketplace. Still, the clampdown could add complexity to enrollment and slow the process. For example, a consumer might have to wait in a queue for a three-way call, or scramble to find a new agent because the one they previously worked with had been suspended. Given that phone lines with healthcare.gov staff already get busy — especially during mid-December — agents and policy analysts advise consumers not to dally this year. “Hit the ground running,” said Ronnell Nolan, president and CEO of Health Agents for America, a professional organization for brokers. Meanwhile, reports are emerging that some rogue entities are already figuring out workarounds that could undermine some of the anti-fraud protections CMS put in place, Nolan said. “Bottom line is: Fraud and abuse is still happening,” Nolan said. Brokers assist the majority of people actively enrolling in ACA plans and are paid a monthly commission by insurers for their efforts. Consumers can compare plans or enroll themselves online through federal or state marketplace websites. They can also seek help from people called assisters or navigators — certified helpers who are not paid commissions. Under a “find local help” button on the federal and state ACA websites , consumers can search for nearby brokers or navigators. CMS says it has “ramped up support operations” at its healthcare.gov marketplace call centers, which are open 24/7, in anticipation of increased demand for three-way calls, and it expects “minimal wait times,” said Jeff Wu, deputy director for policy of the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. Wu said those three-way calls are necessary only when an agent or a broker not already associated with a consumer’s enrollment wants to change that consumer’s enrollment or end that consumer’s coverage. It does not apply to people seeking coverage for the first time. Organizations paid by the government to offer navigator services have a dedicated phone line to the federal marketplace, and callers are not currently experiencing long waits, said Xonjenese Jacobs, director of Florida Covering Kids & Families, a program based at the University of South Florida that coordinates enrollment across the state through its Covering Florida navigator program. Navigators can assist with the three-way calls if a consumer’s situation requires it. “Because we have our quick line in, there’s no increased wait time,” Jacobs said. The problem of unauthorized switches has been around for a while but took off during last year’s open enrollment season. Brokers generally blamed much of the problem on the ease with which rogue agents can access ACA information in the federal marketplace, needing only a person’s name, date of birth, and state of residence. Though federal regulators have worked to tighten that access with the three-way call requirement, they stopped short of instituting what some agent groups say is needed: two-factor authentication, which could involve a code accessed by a consumer through a smartphone. Unauthorized switches can lead to a host of problems for consumers, from higher deductibles to landing in new networks that do not include their preferred physicians or hospitals. Some people have received tax bills when unauthorized policies came with premium credits for which they did not qualify. Unauthorized switches posed a political liability for the Biden administration, a blemish on two years of record ACA enrollment. The practice drew criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle; Democrats demanded more oversight and punishment of rogue agents, while Republicans said fraud attempts were fueled by Biden administration moves that allowed for more generous premium subsidies and special enrollment periods. The fate of those enhanced subsidies, which are set to expire, will be decided by Congress next year as the Trump administration takes power. But the premiums and subsidies that come with 2025 plans that people are enrolling in now will remain in effect for the entire year. The actions taken this year to thwart the unauthorized enrollments apply to the federal marketplace, used by 31 states . The remaining states and the District of Columbia run their own websites, with many having in place additional layers of security. Related Articles Health | Do not wash your turkey and other Thanksgiving tips to keep your food safe Health | Feds suspend ACA marketplace access to companies accused of falsely promising ‘cash cards’ Health | Condor re-released after being treated for lead exposure Health | More foods are making us sick: What to know as foodborne outbreaks hit Health | At least 19 people are sick in Minnesota from ground beef tied to E. coli recall For its part, CMS says its efforts are working, pointing to the 30% drop in complaint casework. The agency also noted a 90% drop in the number of times an agent’s name was replaced by another’s, which it says indicates that it is tougher for rival agents to steal clients to gain the monthly commissions that insurers pay. Still, the move to suspend 850 agents has drawn pushback from agent groups that initially brought the problem to federal regulators’ attention. They say some of those accused were suspended before getting a chance to respond to the allegations. “There will be a certain number of agents and brokers who are going to be suspended without due process,” said Nolan, with the health agents’ group. She said that it has called for increased protections against unauthorized switching and that two-factor authentication, like that used in some state marketplaces or in the financial sector, would be more effective than what’s been done. “We now have to jump through so many hoops that I’m not sure we’re going to survive,” she said of agents in general. “They are just throwing things against the wall to see what sticks when they could just do two-factor.” The agency did not respond to questions asking for details about how the 850 agents suspended since July were selected, the states where they were located, or how many had their suspensions reversed after supplying additional information.
Trump’s lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it 'absurd'Viewers of The Great British Bake Off were left in shock as Georgie Grasso was declared the champion of 2024 beating the series favourite. Following a suspense-filled series hosted by Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding, the final three contestants standing were Georgie, 34, Christiaan de Vries, 34, and Dylan Bachelet, aged 20. The finalists' first task in the tent involved crafting scones. They were later asked to impress the judges with an afternoon tea spread. Their final challenge required them to construct an intricate hanging celebration cake. As the tension escalated, Alison declared: "This is the bake between winning or losing," reports Wales Online . With the pressure intensifying, Christian, Georgie, and Dylan started showing signs of anxiety under the scrutinising gaze of judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, as well as hosts Alison and Noel. The finalists took on their last challenge on The Great British Bake Off (Image: Channel 4) Read More Related Articles The Great British Bake Off finale: What time is it on, who are the finalists, and everything else you need to know Read More Related Articles Paul Hollywood's 'easiest dessert to impress guests' looks like a £40 cake but costs £4 Fan favourite Dylan, who had been performing well throughout the competition, encountered difficulties with his genoise sponge's consistency in the final round. This led viewers to speculate that Christian, who remained composed under pressure, might steal the victory from him. Meanwhile, Georgie also faced her own set of challenges during her final showstopper, as she seemed to lose track of what she was doing. Retreating to the back of the tent, Georgie voiced her confusion aloud: "What am I doing here? What did I come over here for?" Despite initial uncertainty, Georgie clinched the title after conquering three nail-biting challenges. Pru heaped praise on Georgie's show-stopping creation, declaring the cake "absolutely delicious," with both Pru and Paul in agreement over the cakes remarkable presentation. Nevertheless, some fans were puzzled by the outcome and took to social media platform X to voice their opinions. One perplexed viewer questioned: "How on earth has Georgie won?" Georgie's show-stopper impressed the judges Another said: "Even with my Welsh bias, I think Christiaan should've won that. My money was on Dylan at the start, but unfortunately, he chose to morph into the wonderful Lucy Beaumont for the final. Congratulations to Georgie though." Meanwhile, another commented: "I'm happy for Georgie BUT Dylan is probably the best contestant this show has ever had. Such a weird result." Georgie was crowned the winner of the show (Image: Channel 4) However, several supporters rejoiced over Georgie's triumph. One fan praised her victory: "Bravo Georgie, well done!" and another endorsed the win: "Go Georgie... well deserved Welsh winner." Georgie, who is a children's nurse from Carmarthenshire, admitted that her final showstopper was "the most challenging bake I've ever done". Overcome with emotion, she revealed: "When I saw the brief, I thought, game over. The Bake Off star didn't think she could scoop the win (Image: Channel 4) "It took a lot of thought and planning to be able to make it work. I practised about three times. I really wanted the judges to get a 'true' reflection of me in the bake, with my colours and flavours. The most stressful element was by far the construction along with the time." As a mother of three, she also spoke candidly about the immense personal cost of staying in the competition. She revealed: "I've had to put the family on the back burner which has been really hard. I've had to tell the kids 'no' a lot." The Great British Bake Off is available to watch on Channel4.com.Hyderabad: TGFDC launches overnight-stay nature camp at Chilkur forest
No. 6 Houston faces No. 9 Alabama in a men’s college basketball game on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, (11/26/24) at Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. How to watch: Fans can watch the game for free via DirecTV Stream or via a subscription to Sling TV , which is 50% off the first month. Here’s what you need to know: What: Men’s college basketball Who: Houston vs. Alabama When: Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 (11/26/2024) Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena Time: 8 p.m. ET TV: TBS Live Stream: DirecTV Stream AP Story: Eight of the nation’s premier basketball programs are descending on Las Vegas during the traditional Thanksgiving tournament week for a unique event where real money for their school’s name, image and likeness collectives is riding on the outcome. Welcome to a brave new world for college hoops. The three-day Players Era Festival, tipping off Tuesday and organized by RedBird IMI-backed EverWonder Studios, is reimagining old-school holiday tournaments. Every school participating will receive at least $1 million for their NIL collective , with bonuses of $500,000 to the champion, $250,000 to the runner-up, $150,000 for third place and $100,000 for finishing in fourth. “When we launched Players Era, we knew that it had the ability to drive a positive shift in the college basketball landscape, and we’re seeing that vision come to life as we get ready to tip off next week,” the event’s CEO, Seth Berger, said in a statement. “Everything we do is about delivering value to the players,” Berger continued, ”and our guiding principles continue to be paying the players fair market value for their NIL and creating captivating content for fans.” Fair market value comes to a hefty tab of $9 million in payouts to the participating schools. The lucrative proposition has resulted in a stacked field for the round-robin format at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. San Diego State faces No. 21 Creighton , Oregon plays No. 20 Texas A&M, sixth-ranked Houston faces No. 9 Alabama and Rutgers plays Notre Dame on Tuesday. Each team plays another opponent Wednesday. Those results along with point differentials — capped at 20 points per game — are used to set Saturday’s championship and consolation games. The financials aside, the Players Era Festival features some heavyweight matchups of national title contenders. The Bluejays are led by All-American candidate Ryan Kalkbrenner, the Cougars and Crimson Tide — whose opening game is must-see TV — are March darlings, while Texas A&M is among nine SEC programs ranked in this week’s AP Top 25 . “There’s a lot of silliness out there asking if we can win a national championship. How would I know?” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Do you understand what a bad call does to a team, or a missed free throw or a sprained ankle? That’s why you don’t ever focus on the destination. You take pride and joy in going through the journey. However it ends up, it ends up, but don’t ever judge your season on how you finish. Judge it on how hard you tried and did you do the best you could.” The Maui Invitational is celebrating its ruby jubilee back in Lahaina , after the wildfires last year forced its relocation, and began Monday with another loaded field. Fourth-ranked Auburn faced No. 5 Iowa State in an opening round that also featured second-ranked UConn against Memphis, Colorado against Michigan State and Dayton against No. 12 North Carolina. The tournament continues with semifinals Tuesday and the championship game Wednesday. Top-ranked Kansas, led by All-American center Hunter Dickinson, takes on Cooper Flagg and No. 11 Duke on Tuesday night in the Vegas Showdown. Kansas already has beaten the Tar Heels in a thriller at Allen Fieldhouse and Michigan State in the Champions Classic, while the Blue Devils have lost to No. 8 Kentucky but are coming off a win over then-No. 17 Arizona. The ballroom is staged once against at Atlantis Paradise Island for one of the most unique holiday tournaments of Thanksgiving week. Third-ranked Gonzaga, No. 14 Indiana and No. 21 Arizona are the headliners in the eight-team Battle 4 Atlantis, which tips off Wednesday and continues with semifinals Thursday and the championship game Friday. No. 18 Florida should have a de facto home-court advantage when it joins Minnesota, Wichita State and Wake Forest for the ESPN Events Invitational at Walt Disney World Resort. The Rady Children’s Invitational also tips off Thursday in San Diego with No. 13 Purdue playing NC State and No. 23 Ole Miss facing BYU, while No. 19 Arkansas plays Illinois in the Thanksgiving Hoops Showcase at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. MORE SPORTS COVERAGE One day after Hurley’s meltdown, No. 2 UConn loses again Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat FREE LIVE STREAM (11/26/24): Watch NBA regular season game | Time, TV, Channel Giants’ Malik Nabers walks back (and doubles down on) fiery postgame comments after Bucs loss What channel is the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns game tonight (11/26/24)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Channel for NBA regular season Western Kentucky vs. Kentucky FREE LIVE STREAM (11/26/24): Watch college basketball online: Time, TV, Channel
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5 Tech Gifts This Mom Influencer Says Are on Her List — and Should Be on Yours Too
In the latest quarter, 7 analysts provided ratings for Excelerate Energy EE , showcasing a mix of bullish and bearish perspectives. The table below provides a snapshot of their recent ratings, showcasing how sentiments have evolved over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months. Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish Total Ratings 0 5 1 1 0 Last 30D 0 1 0 0 0 1M Ago 0 1 1 1 0 2M Ago 0 2 0 0 0 3M Ago 0 1 0 0 0 The 12-month price targets, analyzed by analysts, offer insights with an average target of $26.71, a high estimate of $36.00, and a low estimate of $21.00. This current average reflects an increase of 17.61% from the previous average price target of $22.71. Decoding Analyst Ratings: A Detailed Look A comprehensive examination of how financial experts perceive Excelerate Energy is derived from recent analyst actions. The following is a detailed summary of key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets. Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target Mike Scialla Stephens & Co. Raises Overweight $36.00 $28.00 Devin McDermott Morgan Stanley Raises Equal-Weight $25.00 $23.00 Michael Blum Wells Fargo Raises Underweight $22.00 $19.00 Bobby Brooks Northland Capital Markets Raises Outperform $29.00 $25.00 Marc Solecitto Barclays Raises Overweight $26.00 $22.00 Mike Scialla Stephens & Co. Raises Overweight $28.00 $21.00 Mike Scialla Stephens & Co. Maintains Overweight $21.00 $21.00 Key Insights: Action Taken: Analysts frequently update their recommendations based on evolving market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their reaction to recent developments related to Excelerate Energy. This information provides a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company. Rating: Delving into assessments, analysts assign qualitative values, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings communicate expectations for the relative performance of Excelerate Energy compared to the broader market. Price Targets: Analysts navigate through adjustments in price targets, providing estimates for Excelerate Energy's future value. Comparing current and prior targets offers insights into analysts' evolving expectations. Navigating through these analyst evaluations alongside other financial indicators can contribute to a holistic understanding of Excelerate Energy's market standing. Stay informed and make data-driven decisions with our Ratings Table. Stay up to date on Excelerate Energy analyst ratings. If you are interested in following small-cap stock news and performance you can start by tracking it here . Discovering Excelerate Energy: A Closer Look Excelerate Energy Inc is engaged in flexible LNG solutions, providing integrated services along the LNG value chain. The company offers a full range of flexible regasification services from FSRUs to infrastructure development, to LNG and natural gas supply. Excelerate Energy: A Financial Overview Market Capitalization Analysis: The company exhibits a lower market capitalization profile, positioning itself below industry averages. This suggests a smaller scale relative to peers. Revenue Growth: Excelerate Energy's revenue growth over a period of 3 months has faced challenges. As of 30 September, 2024, the company experienced a revenue decline of approximately -29.79% . This indicates a decrease in the company's top-line earnings. As compared to competitors, the company encountered difficulties, with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Energy sector. Net Margin: Excelerate Energy's net margin surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 4.63% net margin, the company effectively manages costs and achieves strong profitability. Return on Equity (ROE): Excelerate Energy's ROE stands out, surpassing industry averages. With an impressive ROE of 1.79% , the company demonstrates effective use of equity capital and strong financial performance. Return on Assets (ROA): Excelerate Energy's ROA lags behind industry averages, suggesting challenges in maximizing returns from its assets. With an ROA of 0.31%, the company may face hurdles in achieving optimal financial performance. Debt Management: Excelerate Energy's debt-to-equity ratio is notably higher than the industry average. With a ratio of 1.43 , the company relies more heavily on borrowed funds, indicating a higher level of financial risk. Analyst Ratings: Simplified Within the domain of banking and financial systems, analysts specialize in reporting for specific stocks or defined sectors. Their work involves attending company conference calls and meetings, researching company financial statements, and communicating with insiders to publish "analyst ratings" for stocks. Analysts typically assess and rate each stock once per quarter. Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors. If you want to keep track of which analysts are outperforming others, you can view updated analyst ratings along withanalyst success scores in Benzinga Pro . Which Stocks Are Analysts Recommending Now? Benzinga Edge gives you instant access to all major analyst upgrades, downgrades, and price targets. Sort by accuracy, upside potential, and more. Click here to stay ahead of the market . This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
By Marissa Dederer More than 500 online courses are available through Thompson Rivers University (TRU)’s Open Learning department. Each course is crafted with care, and just like in Oz, there’s a powerful being behind the curtain making it all happen. Their work, however, isn’t always obvious. “My work is somewhat hidden. It’s not always obvious in the finished course,” says Melissa Jakubec, one of 10 instructional designers. “You have to dig under the surface to see it.” The courses they produce are popular. Last academic year, more than 16,000 Open Learning students enrolled in over 35,000 courses. The subject matter is vast. Students can earn an MBA, get a veterinary technology diploma or learn about celestial bodies. The sky’s the limit. Students go at their own pace Flexibility is the name of the game in Open Learning. While there are a handful of courses and programs that are cohort based, the majority are self-paced. “We’re creating a course so that if the student sits down at 11 o’clock on a Saturday night because that’s the time they have available to finish something, they can do it without having to wait for resources or answers,” says Jakubec. “We try to anticipate their needs.” TRU’s instructional designers work with subject matter experts to develop course material. They also work with members of the larger Open Learning team, including editors, copyright specialists, multi-media developers, e-learning support technicians and more. “It’s part project management, part pedagogical guidance,” she says. Designing with heart In 2018, Jakubec was recognized with a national award for course design innovation . The course, ENGL 3991: Voices of Protest and Rebellion in Contemporary American Literature, was presented on a WordPress website rather than a traditional learning management system, like Moodle. She worked with subject matter expert, the late Dr. Cameron Reid. “Cameron had this idea of doing a course where the students could choose their own adventure,” she says. “We ended up creating a course where the beginning sets the stage and then students are able to choose to do the readings and the assignments in any order they want.” Jakubec continues to look for opportunities to present coursework creatively. “A lot of the job is seeing the potential in a course,” she says. “As I work with a developer, I might review some course material and suggest it would work well as an interactive media piece or that students would benefit from the addition of a short video to explain a challenging concept.” She approaches her work while keeping student care front of mind. Care is one of the Instructional Design team’s shared core values, along with connection, openness and active learning. These are articulated in their learning design framework . That means using materials that are accessible to students, both in cost and content. Jakubec and other instructional designers strive to incorporate and create open educational resources (OER) whenever possible. German 1111 , for example, was developed as an OER. Students work through the lessons on the website and complete their assessments in Moodle. Student care is also evident in ensuring accessibility: videos are captioned, images have alternate text and colour contrast is carefully considered. Students are given clear expectations to guide their learning. Educational excellence through innovation These principles of design have served Jakubec well. She’s designed more than 100 courses for Open Learning and is exploring topics of engagement and care in open entry courses in her studies in the Doctor of Education in Learning Sciences program at the University of Calgary. Innovation at TRU will continue as a demand for flexible learning opportunities keeps instructional designers busy.Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao demanded the state government to provide quality food to students in gurukul institutions and ensure timely medical care during emergencies. He urged the government to release pending funds to address infrastructure and operational issues in hostels, including payment of staff salaries. Harish Rao, accompanied by BRS leaders, visited the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) on Saturday, December 14, to take stock of the health condition of Leelavati, a student of Tribal Welfare Residential School in Tandur, Vikarabad district, who was among the several students who fell ill after consuming khichdi at their hostel on December 10. “Despite their deteriorating condition, Leelavati was kept in the hostel and provided inadequate treatment instead of being shifted to a proper medical facility. Four days later, as her health failed to improve, she was finally transferred to NIMS for advanced care,” he pointed out. Highlighting repeated failures in gurukul institutions, he recalled the tragic death of Shailaja due to similar negligence. He also expressed concern over the recurring incidents of food poisoning in Gurukul institutions and government schools across the state, which showed the government’s inability to address these critical issues effectively. He strongly criticised chief minister A Revanth Reddy, who also oversees the education and the SC/ST welfare ministries. “Despite numerous warnings about food poisoning and safety issues in Gurukul institutions, there has been no meaningful action. Even the schools in the chief minister’s district are neglected. The focus seems to be on propaganda rather than ensuring the safety and future of our children,” he observed. Harish Rao cited recurring incidents of food poisoning, dog bites, snake bites, rat bites, and even electric shocks in residential institutions. Referring to the recent case of Neelam Sai Ganesh, a 5th-grade student from Kettepalli mandal in Nalgonda district who was hospitalised after being bitten by a snake, he noted that 49 students had lost their lives so far under such circumstances, but the government remained unresponsive and indifferent. He also questioned why hostel funds were not released for six months despite the state government’s claim of a “green channel” for fund allocation.
Immigration advocates call on Biden to close detention centers; dismantle immigration systemThousands of Syrians gathered on Friday in 's historic main mosque and in the capital’s largest square to celebrate the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. The jubilant scenes were a major symbolic moment since the downfall of the Syrian dictator, Huge crowds, including some insurgents, packed Damascus' historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital's old city, many waving the rebel opposition flag which has replaced the Assad-era flag. According to Arab TV stations, the Friday sermon was delivered by , the interim prime minister installed by HTS, the rebel group which seized control of Damascus and other major cities. The square, a major symbol of , had often been a site of brutal repression under Assad after rallies broke out in 2011. The crowd chanted calls for a free Syria, while others shouted slurs against Assad and his late father, One man in the crowd, 51-year-old Khaled Abu Chahine, originally from the southern province of Daraa, where the 2011 uprising first erupted, said he hoped for "freedom and coexistence between all Syrians, Alawites, Sunnis, Shiites and Druze." "The former government was a government of crime and executions," he told the AP news agency, calling on foreign nations "hosting these gangs to bring them to justice and those who are in Syria and committed crimes should face justice." The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has been working to establish security and start a political transition after seizing Damascus early Sunday. The group has tried to reassure a public both stunned by Assad's fall and concerned over extremist jihadis among the rebels. The insurgents' leadership says it has broken with its extremist past, having started as an off-shoot of Al Qaeda. HTS is still labeled a HTS's leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message Friday congratulating "the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution." "I invite them to head to the squares to show their happiness without shooting bullets and scaring people," he said. "And then after we will work to build this country and as I said in the beginning, we will be victorious by the help of God." It comes as Syrians began exploring the abandoned homes of the former dictator, including the family’s massive summer resort in Burj Islam, overlooking the Mediterranean. The property lay in disrepair on Friday after heavy looting and damage, with shattered windows and broken fixtures. Following Assad's toppling, locals, mostly Syrian Turkmen driven out to nearby villages during the construction of the resort, entered the area for the first time since the Assad family built it 50 years ago. Assad is said to have removed his valuables from the villa by sea using small boats.Supreme Court to hear challenge to California's pace-setting vehicle emissions rules
BlueStone DRHP: A Look At The Shareholding Pattern & Key LeadersIf history is an indicator, Utah’s role in President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to deport undocumented immigrants isn’t likely to be a big part of the national effort, according to federal data. Gov. Spencer Cox pledged on Tuesday to support the new Trump administration in “deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes and pose a threat to public safety.” But deportions from Utah account for a minuscule portion of those by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Between December 2002 and February 2024, ICE deported 995 immigrants from Utah, according to federal data collected by the Transaction Records Access Clearinghouse , a data gathering and research tool from Syracuse University. That’s around 0.02% of the 5.5 million ICE deportations during that time. According to that federal data, the number of deportations dipped significantly since President Joe Biden took office, with 64 people deported since January 2021. That’s four fewer than in 2020 and about half of the 123 individuals deported by ICE in 2018. On average, ICE has deported two people from Utah a month since January 2021. The average from January 2018 to December 2020 was seven people a month — and as high as 22 in July 2018. [READ: Utah Gov. Cox plans to help Trump deport undocumented immigrants who commit crimes ] Deportations by ICE also have dropped nationally from more than 200,000 annually in 2018 and 2019 to fewer than 100,000 since 2021 — with the exception of 2023, when the federal agency deported 182,412 people. The data does not include deportations by Customs and Border Protection — of which there are millions each year — unless an individual was transferred into ICE custody. One piece of the Republican governor’s five-part plan to aid the Trump administration includes creating additional training and guidance to assist “local and state authorities as they attempt to identify criminal illegal immigrants who should be turned over to [ICE] for deportation proceedings.” “Federal immigration authorities have failed in their duty to the American people and they’ve left states and localities to independently manage the fallout of those failures,” Cox said in a statement Tuesday. “We’re grateful to have an administration coming in who will take these problems seriously.” Megan Banta is The Salt Lake Tribune’s data enterprise reporter, a philanthropically supported position . The Tribune retains control over all editorial decisions.
After 3 million meals, Mother’s, a gathering place for Ravens fans, will closeFACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setupHyderabad: The Hyderabad city police commissioner CV Anand visited the Telangana Minority Welfare Residential Girls School Musheerabad in Narayanguda on Saturday, December 14, as part of the school visits under the directive of the chief minister A Revanth Reddy. He unveiled the new menu chart introduced by the state government, named “Common Diet Meal” at the school, run by the Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGMREIS). During his visit, the city police commissioner inquired about various problems faced by the students and the facilities available to them. Before having lunch with the students, he discussed the breakfast, lunch snacks and dinner served at the school with the school authorities. The Hyderabad police commissioner visited the kitchen, sanitary area, science lab, computer lab, robotic lab, sports room, and student dormitories to check the quality of the amenities provided. The Hyderabad city police commissioner reiterated that the government is responsible for the welfare of the residential school students in the state, and said that it has allocated Rs 500 crore for social and minority welfare institutions to provide more nutritious food and cosmetic products to the students. While speaking to the students the senior police officer encouraged them to maintain a healthy diet and participate in extracurricular activities including sports, which helps in building a healthy body and achieving a good personality. He reminded the students that an active lifestyle helps in facing life challenges. “Stay healthy, stay safe, study hard to fulfil the wishes of your parents and teachers and live up to their hopes,” he said.
A deal which could see the Elgin Marbles returned to Greece is “still some distance” away, George Osborne has signalled. The former Tory chancellor, now chairman of the British Museum, suggested Sir Keir Starmer had contributed to a warmer spirit of the negotiations over the famous ancient artworks. Greece has long called for the return of the Marbles, also known as the Parthenon sculptures, and maintains they were illegally removed from Athens’ acropolis during a period of foreign occupation. The British Museum – where they are currently on display – is forbidden by law from giving away any of its artefacts, and the Government has no plans to change the law to permit a permanent move. But under Mr Osborne’s leadership, the museum is negotiating the possibility of a long-term loan of the sculptures, in exchange for rolling exhibitions of famous artworks. No 10 has indicated the Prime Minister is unlikely to stand in the way of such a deal. Speaking on Political Currency, the podcast he hosts alongside former Labour politician Ed Balls, Mr Osborne said the museum was “looking to see if we can come to some arrangement where at some point some of the sculptures are in Athens, where, of course, they were originally sited”. He added: “And in return, Greece lends us some of its treasures, and we made a lot of progress on that, but we’re still some distance from any kind of agreement.” The Greek government has suggested negotiations with the museum have taken a warmer tone since Labour came to power in the summer. Mr Osborne appeared to concur with this view and praised Sir Keir’s hands-off approach, adding: “It is not the same as Rishi Sunak, who refused to see the Greek prime minister, if you remember, he sort of stood him up. “So it seems to me a more sensible and diplomatic way to proceed.” Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek premier, discussed the Elgin Marbles with Sir Keir when they met on Tuesday morning at Downing Street, he said after returning to Athens. Mr Mitsotakis has signalled his government is awaiting developments on the negotiations. A diplomatic spat between the Greek leader and Mr Sunak emerged last year when the then-prime minister refused to meet his counterpart. Mr Mitsotakis had compared splitting the Elgin Marbles from those still in Athens to cutting the Mona Lisa in half. The marble statues came from friezes on the 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple and have been displayed at the British Museum for more than 200 years. They were removed by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century when he was British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Some of the remaining temple statues are on display in the purpose-built Acropolis Museum in Athens, and Greece has called for the collections to be reunited.Power Rangers has been fueling fantasies of Saturday morning, multicolored, tokusatsu action for over thirty years now. It’s impossible to not have felt the touch of the morphin’ time, whether its been you or some child in your life who has fallen down the rabbit hole. For some, Power Rangers isn’t enough, and maybe you’ve gone further, checking out its origins in Super Sentai or its older brother series Kamen Rider . While we’re still receiving Power Rangers stuff with no sign of stopping (there’s still toys on shelves and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is just now hitting controllers ), there isn’t, currently, any new shows on the horizon. Mercifully, there are a lot of Power Rangers fans, and more broadly tokusatsu fans, who have what we all need. Here’s some games for you, or someone you love, to manifest those Saturday morning, multicolored, tokusatsu action fantasies. It only feels right to start this list with the most official Power Rangers TTRPG on the market. Renegade has been publishing a whole ton of products for Power Rangers for Hasbro over the last few years. There’s a significant amount of extra sourcebooks for different ranger teams, so you can probably just roleplay your favorite team. But, there’s more than enough available to let you build your own team from scratch. Renegade’s Essence20 System powers this game (as it does their GI Joe, My Little Pony, and Transformers RPGs), so folks making a leap from Dungeons & Dragons will be in fairly familiar waters here. 9. Teens with Attitude (David Brunell-Brutman) To say that Teens with Attitude is a “Power Rangers” game is, admittedly, a little misleading. No, this game takes its inspiration widely. Teens with Attitude seeks to give you all the tools you’ll need to emulate the heroes of 90s children’s television, especially Power Rangers , Animorphs , and Captain Planet . The game utilizes the Powered by the Apocalypse system to bring out the tropes and archetypes of that era of television, meaning all you’ll need is two six-sided dice, a love for campy action, and the image in your mind of your ideal 90s children’s protagonist. Lumen Ryder Core skews purposefully more towards Kamen Rider and Super Sentai , in terms of what it is trying to bring to life. Still, at its center, the game wants you to loudly declare your transformations, battle monsters and their mooks, and save the world. This game makes use of the Illuminated by Lumen system, so it lives on fast-paced action, quick throws of the dice, and managing resources for even bigger abilities. All wrapped in the unique skin of a bunch of heroes trying to solve mysteries and understand themselves. The real joy is digging your claws into the many abilities, boons, and drawbacks that make up your different forms and inventing the most chaotic synergies you can muster. You can even have your own mooks to fight monster mooks! Sometimes what you need to build your perfect Power Ranger story is some episode structure. Rover Royale builds itself around simplicity with mechanics (you’re mostly just rolling 1d6 + your stat) and the episodic structure you’ve come to expect from Power Rangers and shows like it. Rover Royale asks you to look at your team’s story beyond just the single battles against one evil monster, out to the bigger season arc. Relying on the tried-and-true framework that every episode of these shows works under, you’re gonna be building the full story of a season of your team’s efforts to curb evil. Originally published in Japan and eventually translated, Convictor Drive: Armored by Grief presents a relatively more grounded take on the genre, inspired primarily by Kamen Rider . You play as wielders of Convictors, special devices that transform you into an armored hero. As the tragic guardians of a prototype utopia city, you’ll serve as investigators of strange occurrences and defenders against those who would misuse experimental technology for their own purposes. Convictor Drive: Armored by Grief leans very deep into the individual parts and gadgets that make up your special exo-suit. This means you’ll be able to mod out every limb for battle, all while dealing with the emotional scars your characters need to even use them. Savage Tokusatsu is built out of the hefty, yet flexible, bones of Savage World . The game promises, and delivers, the simple premise that it is about fighting monsters and then getting in your mech and fighting an even bigger monster. Savage Tokusatsu is robust with options and advantages for creating your perfect tokusatsu hero and team. True to the name, it doesn’t just just lean in towards any one tokusatsu property. The ruleset is flexible enough that you can emulate just about any series you want to. If this were an Ultraman list, this game would make the crossover. Based on the manga of the same name, Queerz! brings to life sentai hero action with an LGBTQ flair. The game is built entirely out of a notably different game in City of Mist , but to extremely wondrous effect. Using the same move and tag system, Queerz! creates an incredibly expressive and evocative sense of design. It is hard, at times, to believe that it and City of Mist are the same bones, but it is very effective in its aesthetic. It is also very queer, and very proudly so, thank heavens. The game offers you many abilities, but above all the promise that you can fight, not just monsters, but ignorance, with your own empathy and joy. There is a simplicity that I feel you really cannot beat with something like Super Sentinels Neo . The game itself has a minimalist presentation, and its mechanics are exceedingly simple. It’s the perfect kind of game to teach a group of seasoned roleplayers in a few minutes so you can play something else that evening. You can also feel the love of the genre dripping in every minimal element, whether its the special abilities each color gets or the special hazards for the unique fighting locations. But you should consider this game because it is an open book about asking its players to create new things. Make new items and abilities for your Sentinels! Invent new strange beasts with your own table’s rules for the battles! When your Sentinels finally face down Emperor Z, make it unique for your group. Powered by Cereal gives me such a strange feeling, and I can’t explain why. It’s like being eight years old again and seeing Power Rangers Dino Thunder for the first time, with my math homework due the following Monday. The game absolutely drips with this Saturday Morning Cartoon, kid-juiced-up-on sugar energy. Even its system is simple, but incredibly unique, asking you to roll a bunch of d6s and count how many different numbers you roll, as opposed to highest or lowest. There’s an understanding when playing Powered by Cereal that part of the Power Rangers fantasy is everything around the team, the setting, the home town you’re defending, your series, what makes your team or show different from the rest in your franchise. It’s a great game to build the world around your Power Ranger fantasy, then play in the new sandbox you’ve built. If we’re talking about RPGs that let you live out the ultimate Power Rangers dream, it feels only right to talk about Henshin! and its hack Rider Konchu . Henshin! builds itself out of the Belonging Outside Belonging system, meaning that the primary method of resolution is earning and spending tokens. However, beyond that, it’s purely roleplaying. In the simplest degree, the game is about you and your friends describing in detail the incredible stunts, wild action, deep melodrama, major downfalls, and ultimate victories of your own Ranger team. Henshin! has received a handful of expansions over the years, adding on new options for players to build characters with. From rebel Green Rangers to Doggie Kruger, genius Blue Rangers to Alpha-5, Evil-Rangers-turned-good and Evil-Monsters-turned-good, even unlikely Orange Rangers to a rogue Megazord itself, Henshin! has provided every possible combination of team members to bring the dream to life. For those experimenting with other toku shows, Rider Konchu hacks Henshin! into a Kamen Rider game straight out of the modern era. But don’t worry about them being mutually exclusive, because you can even play a guest starring Rider using one of Henshin! ‘s playbooks. Your Saturday morning action show dreams are alive and well. They’re just waiting for you to morph up.
Not long after former President Donald Trump waxed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency, California Gov. Gavin Newsom moved to position himself as the leader of Resistance 2.0 during the Trump 2.0 Administration. Shortly after the election, Newsom called for a special session of the state legislature to “safeguard California values,” whatever the hell that means. In his proclamation, Newsom said he wants the Legislature to approve funding for the Department of Justice and other state agencies to “immediately file affirmative litigation.” Great, Newsom wants to file one nuisance lawsuit against the federal government after another. Translation: Cheeseball trial lawyers, start your engines! Move over greasy billboard ambulance chasers. There’s a new lame duck governor in town. Trump doesn’t seem to be impressed. He took to Truth Social and posted that, “Governor Gavin Newscum is trying to KILL our Nation’s beautiful California” and “stopping all of the GREAT things that can be done to ‘Make California Great Again.’” Legislative Republicans are equally unimpressed, with Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher writing in a statement, “The only ‘problem’ it will solve is Gavin Newsom’s insecurity that not enough people are paying attention to him...There will not be a single policy implemented in this special session that couldn’t be addressed when the Legislature reconvenes in January.” Why is Newsom participating in such an obvious and pathetic publicity stunt? Because he has to. If Newsom wants to run for president as the de-facto leader of the Democratic Party, he has two years to earn that honor. In 2026 Newsom will be past his freshness date due to term limits. Of course, the exact date will remain a mystery, since he recently outlawed posting ‘best by’ date stamps on food. He’ll go from being a “somebody” to being a “former somebody” overnight – like a B-list actor whose sitcom just got canceled. Next stop: signing autographs at the Beverly Garland Hotel in North Hollywood for $25 bucks a pop. Out of office, Newsom will lose relevance, the ability to make news, and the power to do favors for political benefactors. He will become like so many former politicians — out in the wilderness and looking for a way to get back in the game. In addition, he will lose the ballot designation as ‘Governor of California,’ which looks a lot better on paper than, oh, I don’t know, Herbalife salesman. It’s not the old days when nominees were chosen at the conventions by political fat cats in smoke-filled rooms, where long time relationships mattered. There are still backrooms with kingmakers, but these days they’re all vaping. Now, nominees are chosen by primary voters with short term memories and fleeting attention spans. For Newsom, the dates on the calendar just don’t work out. 2024 was his chance to run for President as a sitting governor against a much older Republican. However, one Sunday evening summer tweet from President Joe Biden endorsing Kamala Harris for president took that opportunity away from him, and now he’s trying to make the best of a bad situation. If Newsom chooses to remain in public office, there aren’t many good options. Both of California’s U.S. Senate seats are currently occupied by Democrats, including one that Newsom appointed, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla. Any statewide constitutional office would be a major step down compared to being governor. And no one is buying Gavin Newsom as Hollywood Mayor Johnny Grant’s successor. Also, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Kamala Harris won’t be around to make him a cabinet secretary. The one option he has would be to replace former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi as the member of Congress representing San Francisco. Typically going from governor to congressman would be seen as a step backwards, but not replacing her and not in that seat – particularly for an audience of Democratic primary voters. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | Will Trump turn his ‘fix it’ gaze toward FTC, DOJ abuses? Opinion Columnists | Where do Democrats go from here? Opinion Columnists | California’s political clout will fade as long as population growth remains slow Opinion Columnists | Susan Shelley: Slow counts show election system needs reform Opinion Columnists | Here’s to hoping Trump delivers on some of his Libertarian promises If Newsom was the congressman from San Francisco, he could take his dramatic stunts to the floor of the House, and become a reliable flamethrower on the CNN and MSNBC talking-head shows. And presto, before you know it he’d have had his teeth bonded and he’s dating Kimberly Guilfoyle again. For this to work, it would require the 84 year-old Pelosi to retire from congress. Earlier this month Pelosi was re-elected to yet another two-year-term, and then on November 14th, she opened up a campaign account to run for re-election in 2026. Once again, Newsom gets Trumped by the calendar. His only remaining shot at the White House will be for him to concoct the mother of all publicity stunts in order to regain the spotlight. My advice: see if Mike Tyson has one more fight left in him. John Phillips can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on “The John Phillips Show” on KABC/AM 790.
Lewandowski scores his 100th Champions League goal. He is the 3rd player to reach the milestone