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betfred opening times At the invitation of JD Vance, Daniel Penny will join the vice president-elect and Donald Trump at Saturday’s Army-Navy football game in Maryland. Penny, the 24-year-old Marine veteran who was found not guilty this week in the choking death of Jordan Neely, is seen by many as a hero for the courage he showed to protect a subway full of civilians from Neely, who apparently had serious mental problems and was threatening to kill someone. Vance said of Penny via Xwitter Friday: “Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone.” Vance is referring to District Attorney Alvin Bragg whose abuse of office is like nothing we’ve seen since the Democrat party instituted Jim Crow in the South. Vance added, “I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage.” In addition to Trump and Vance, according to various news reports, Penny will join Elon Musk, Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), and U.S. Senator-elect David McCormick (R-PA) in Trump’s suite at the stadium. What Trump and Vance are doing here is not only an act of decency towards a man abused and persecuted by his own government, but as we have seen Trump do for over a decade now, he is once again showing a canny instinct for where the culture is and then leading the way. Trump did this with the border. He did this with law and order. He did this with the NFL kneeling nonsense. He did this with the trans nonsense. He did this by not hiding his wealth (the way Mitt Romney did). The corporate media always try to make common sense into a third-rail issue. Don’t embrace this, they say . Don’t criticize that. And Trump not only embraces this third rail, but he reverses the polarity and burns the media and Democrats because he understands the culture better and cannot be emotionally blackmailed or bullied into backing off. Pre-Trump, Daniel Penny, even after his acquittal, would still be made radioactive by the media smearing him as a racist. Trump and Vance simply refuse to go along with this nonsense. They see Penny as a selfless hero who risked his own safety for others. His payback? A villain named Alvin Bragg turned a hero into a political piñata. Few people understand what that’s like more than Trump, and with the corporate media influence dying and Trump now the biggest cultural influencer on the planet, he’s sticking his finger in the media’s eye, in Bragg’s eye, and the left’s eye with this righteous gesture. This is one more sign that the regime media’s ability to influence, bully, and intimidate the behavior of our politicians is over. Trump is showing the way and it is truly liberating. FREE-FREE-FREE for the holidays: an autographed bookplate if you purchase John Nolte’s first and last novel, BORROWED TIME, between now and December 20. After you’ve made the purchase, email your request to JJMNOLTE at HOTMAIL dot COM with an address and any personalization requests. For example, something like; “To Rachel Levine: The sexiest man alive.” Borrowed Time , is winning five-star raves from everyday readers. You can read an excerpt here and an in-depth review here . Also available in hardcover and on Kindle and Audiobook .Weak productivity, teamed with an ageing population, raises questions over the long-term growth prospects of Ireland as well as the broader EU, the governor of the Central Bank of Ireland Gabriel Makhlouf has warned. Speaking at a dinner organised by the UK Society of Professional Economists, Mr Maklhouf pointed out that Ireland’s population is “ageing at a faster rate” than almost any other European country after having dependency rates significantly below other EU member states for decades. An ageing population impacts growth in two ways — it means more people are moving out of the workforce while more Government money is spent on healthcare and pensions. These additional spending requirements could have a knock-on impact of potentially crowding out public investment spending. However, Mr Makhlouf said various policies and new technologies mean that labour force participation — such as working beyond retirement age or boosting female labour force participation — can offset some of these effects. What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here Citing data from the European Commission, Mr Makhlouf said that the estimated annual total cost of ageing between 2022 and 2070 will be around 5% of gross domestic product in Ireland and 2% in the euro area “with most of this frontloaded in the next 20 years”. “These are substantial cost increases, when we compare with public investment rates of between 2% and 4% over recent decades,” he said. Mr Makhlouf said that addressing the demographic challenge is not just about looking at alternative sources of growth but also “re-assessing how we think about retirement and human capital accumulation over the life cycle”. “If people choose to work longer, it could also up-end how we traditionally think about human capital accumulation and individual productivity growth, especially in older-age working groups,” he said. “If a middle-aged worker instead expects to be working into their 70s, this could incentivise education and training throughout their working life, rather than the general practice of it ending in their 20s.” Mr Makhlouf said that increased longevity as a result of healthier lifestyles presents the opportunity for people to work longer if they choose to. “Policies to incentivise working longer, alongside promotion of lifelong learning, need to be part of our thinking,” he said. In the face of these demographic headwinds, Mr Makhlouf said there is an “even greater emphasis” on productivity to deliver growth, but in this area, Europe is “weak” and has been “for some years”. “Europe is at a pivotal moment in its economic development,” he said. "The tangle of ageing populations with weak productivity growth raises questions about the long-term growth outlook." In terms of addressing sluggish EU productivity growth, Mr Makhlouf noted that there was a recent report from former president of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi on this issue, which he said “present a menu of policy options to help boost competitiveness”. He added that policies that seek to boost productivity must be complemented by the completion of the EU single market, such as through the “long-touted capital markets union”.‘FOX NFL Sunday’ co-hosts Michael Strahan and Terry Bradshaw are at odds over whether or not the Kansas City Chiefs can accomplish the historic Super Bowl three-peat . On Sunday, the Chiefs secured yet another nail-biting victory in a season rife with them - narrowly defeating the Carolina Panthers , 30-27, on a game-winning field goal with time expiring. The contest marked Kansas City’s fifth walk-off and eighth one-score win this year - tying an NFL record for the most by a team through the first 11 games of a season. Discussing the outcome of the game on air, Bradshaw admitted that he was quite surprised by how close the final score ended up being. “I was shocked by that score,” he began. “Carolina, ever since they brought Bryce Young ... back to starting he has played outstanding. He was outstanding today against Kansas City. Russell Wilson gamble pays off handsomely for Sean Payton as Bo Nix makes Rookie of the Year case Key Detroit Lions duo injury updates before Thanksgiving game vs Chicago Bears “They had this game tied up at 27, but once again, with three touchdown passes you knew Mahomes was going to bring them back, and that's exactly what he did.” Despite the fact that the Chiefs only managed to squeak out a win rather than blowing out the 3-8 Panthers, Bradshaw asserted that Kansas City still remains a heavy favorite to win Super Bowl LIX. “How long do they continue doing this and winning [like] this, and will it finally let them down when it counts most? I doubt it. I just don't think that's going to happen. This football team knows how to win,” he said. Yet Strahan pushed back on Bradshaw’s assertion, speculating that the way in which Kansas City has won this year might take a toll on the Chiefs down the stretch. “You can know how to win, but you can't keep squeaking by week after week. I think it wears the players down,” Strahan argued. Follow us on X for the best and latest in sports news Bradshaw conceded that the Panthers game was a classic trap game for the Chiefs, adding: “But when you play Carolina, you cannot tell me that Kansas City didn't look at Carolina on the schedule and go, ‘Mhm, Carolina really?’” Yet Strahan clapped back, “But they've been looking at every team like that, they've been squeaking by every team this way.” Although the Chiefs actively boast the best record in the NFL at 10-1, quarterback Patrick Mahomes admitted that he’d like to see Kansas City start winning games by a more comfortable margin. "You want to have some blowouts,'' he told reporters following Sunday’s win. "You want be a little calmer in the fourth quarter. I've always said it can be a good thing as you get to the playoffs and later in the season, just knowing that you've been in those moments before and knowing how to kind of attack it. But I would love to win a game [before] the very last play.'' Want to watch more live sports? Peacock has your favorite sports, shows, and more all in one place. Peacock offers plans starting at $7.99 so you can stream live sports like NFL, Premier League, and Big Ten Football.

President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday he would work to end the "inconvenient" custom of moving clocks forward one hour every spring, which he said was imposing an unnecessary financial burden on the United States. "The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't! Daylight Saving Time (DST) is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation," Trump posted on his website, Truth Social. DST was adopted by the federal government during World War I but was unpopular with farmers rushing to get produce to morning markets, and was quickly abolished. Many states experimented with their own versions but it wasn't reintroduced nationwide until 1967. The Democratic-controlled US Senate advanced a bill in 2022 that, like Trump's plan, would bring an end to the twice-yearly changing of clocks, in favor of a "new, permanent standard time." But The Sunshine Protection Act called for the opposite switch -- moving permanently to DST rather than eliminating it -- to usher in brighter evenings, and fewer journeys home in the dark for school children and office workers. The bill never made it to President Joe Biden's desk, as it was not taken up in the Republican-led House. It had been introduced in 2021 by a Republican, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who is about to join the incoming Trump administration as secretary of state. He said studies had shown a permanent DST could benefit the economy. Either way, changing to one permanent time would put an end to Americans pushing their clocks forward in the spring, then setting them back an hour in the fall. Colloquially the practice is referred to as "springing" forward and "falling" back. The clamor has increased in recent years to make DST permanent especially among politicians and lobbyists from the Northeast, where frigid conditions are normal in the early winter mornings. "It's really straightforward. Cutting back on the sun during the fall and winter is a drain on the American people and does little to nothing to help them," Rubio said in a statement ahead of the vote. "It's time we retire this tired tradition." Rubio said the United States sees an increase in heart attacks and road accidents in the week that follows the changing of the clocks. Any changes would be unlikely to affect Hawaii and most of Arizona, the Navajo Nation, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, which do not spring forward in summer. ft/nro49ers vs. Bears injury report: Bosa doubtful, Williams out; Chicago stars in question

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ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani police Monday fired tear gas canisters at supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan to stop them from entering the capital, where they hoped to stage a sit-in to demand his release, officials said. The firing of tear gas came shortly after demonstrators — who traveled 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the restive northwest — began arriving and gathering near Islamabad. They defied a lockdown, previous tear gas and widespread arrests despite a ban on rallies in the city. The development came a day after the leadership of Khan’s party went ahead with the “long march” even as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arrived for a three-day visit. He was received at an airport near the capital by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday evening. Authorities said at least one police officer was killed and several officers and demonstrators were injured in clashes. The marchers appeared determined to enter Islamabad, where the lockdown, which has been in place for two days, has disrupted daily life. The government was in talks with Khan's party to avoid any further violence, officials said. Khan, who has been in jail for over a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases, remains popular. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI, says the cases are politically motivated. A convoy of vehicles carrying protesters was expected to enter the capital Monday night. Security officials say they expect between 9,000 and 11,000 demonstrators, while the PTI says the number will be much higher. Video on social media showed Khan supporters donning gas masks and protective goggles. Travel between Islamabad and other cities has become nearly impossible. Ambulances and cars were seen turning back from areas along the key Grand Trunk Road highway in Punjab province, where shipping containers were used to block roads. Video circulating online showed some protesters operating heavy machinery to remove the containers. “We are determined, and we will reach Islamabad, though police are using tear gas to stop our march,” PTI senior leader Kamran Bangash told The Associated Press. “We will overcome all hurdles one by one, and our supporters are removing shipping containers from roads." Bangash also said Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, who was recently released on bail in a graft case, will lead the march along with Ali Amin Gandapur , the chief minister in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where Khan’s party remains in power. Earlier, almost 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Islamabad, Bibi, wearing a white head-to-toe burqa, addressed protesters while sitting in a truck, urging them to remain determined to achieve their goal and free Khan. She then chanted, “God is great” and left. Khan’s main political opponent, Sharif, heads the current government. Sharif’s spokesperson, Attaullah Tarar, said on Sunday that whenever any high-profile foreign delegation comes to Pakistan, the PTI “begins the politics of long marches and onslaught on Islamabad to harm the economy.” Some economists say protests cause billions of rupees in damages to the country's fragile economy. Protesters on Sunday night burned trees as police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. Khan supporters retaliated by using slingshots and pelting security personnel with rocks. In a bid to foil the protest, police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters since Friday and suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns,” which the PTI said affected its call on social media for a protest. On Thursday, a court prohibited rallies in the capital and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said anyone violating the ban would be arrested. Authorities say only courts can order the release of Khan, who was ousted in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in Parliament. He has been imprisoned since his first conviction in a graft case, in August 2023. Khan has been sentenced in several cases. His convictions were later overturned on appeal but he cannot be freed due to other pending cases against him. Associated Press writers Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, and Asim Tanveer in Multan, Pakistan, contributed to this report.As open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans continues through Jan. 15, you’re likely seeing fewer social media ads promising monthly cash cards worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars that you can use for groceries, medical bills, rent and other expenses. But don’t worry. You haven’t missed out on any windfalls. Clicking on one of those ads would not have provided you with a cash card — at least not worth hundreds or thousands. But you might have found yourself switched to a health insurance plan you did not authorize, unable to afford treatment for an unforeseen medical emergency, and owing thousands of dollars to the IRS, according to an ongoing lawsuit against companies and individuals who plaintiffs say masterminded the ads and alleged scams committed against millions of people who responded to them. The absence of those once-ubiquitous ads are likely a result of the federal government suspending access to the ACA marketplace for two companies that market health insurance out of South Florida offices, amid accusations they used “fraudulent” ads to lure customers and then switched their insurance plans and agents without their knowledge. In its suspension letter, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cited “credible allegations of misconduct” in the agency’s decision to suspend the abilities of two companies — TrueCoverage (doing business as Inshura) and BenefitAlign — to transact information with the marketplace. CMS licenses and monitors agencies that use their own websites and information technology platforms to enroll health insurance customers in ACA plans offered in the federal marketplace. The alleged scheme affected millions of consumers, according to a lawsuit winding its way through U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale that seeks class-action status. An amended version of the suit, filed in August, increased the number of defendants from six to 12: — TrueCoverage LLC, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based health insurance agency with large offices in Miami, Miramar and Deerfield Beach. TrueCoverage is a sub-tenant of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a building leased by the newspaper in Deerfield Beach. — Enhance Health LLC, a Sunrise-based health insurance agency that the lawsuit says was founded by Matthew Herman, also named as a defendant, with a $150 million investment from hedge fund Bain Capital’s insurance division. Bain Capital Insurance Fund LP is also a defendant. — Speridian Technologies LLC, accused in the lawsuit of establishing two direct enrollment platforms that provided TrueCoverage and other agencies access to the ACA marketplace. — Benefitalign LLC, identified in the suit as one of the direct enrollment platforms created by Speridian. Like Speridian and TrueCoverage, the company is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. — Number One Prospecting LLC, doing business as Minerva Marketing, based in Fort Lauderdale, and its founder, Brandon Bowsky, accused of developing the social media ads that drove customers — or “leads” — to the health insurance agencies. — Digital Media Solutions LLC, doing business as Protect Health, a Miami-based agency that the suit says bought Minerva’s “fraudulent” ads. In September, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in United States Bankruptcy Court in Texas, which automatically suspended claims filed against the company. — Net Health Affiliates Inc., an Aventura-based agency the lawsuit says was associated with Enhance Health and like it, bought leads from Minerva. — Garish Panicker, identified in the lawsuit as half-owner of Speridian Global Holdings and day-to-day controller of companies under its umbrella, including TrueCoverage, Benefitalign and Speridian Technologies. — Matthew Goldfuss, accused by the suit of overseeing and directing TrueCoverage’s ACA enrollment efforts. All of the defendants have filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. The motions deny the allegations and argue that the plaintiffs failed to properly state their claims and lack the standing to file the complaints. The Sun Sentinel sent requests for comment and lists of questions about the cases to four separate law firms representing separate groups of defendants. Three of the law firms — one representing Brandon Bowsky and Number One Prospecting LLC d/b/a Minerva Marketing, and two others representing Net Health Affiliates Inc. and Bain Capital Insurance Fund — did not respond to the requests. A representative of Enhance Health LLC and Matthew Herman, Olga M. Vieira of the Miami-based firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, responded with a short message saying she was glad the newspaper knew a motion to dismiss the charges had been filed by the defendants. She also said that, “Enhance has denied all the allegations as reported previously in the media.” Catherine Riedel, a communications specialist representing TrueCoverage LLC, Benefitalign LLC, Speridian Technologies LLC, Girish Panicker and Matthew Goldfuss, issued the following statement: “TrueCoverage takes these allegations very seriously and is responding appropriately. While we cannot comment on ongoing litigation, we strongly believe that the allegations are baseless and without merit. “Compliance is our business. The TrueCoverage team records and reviews every call with a customer, including during Open Enrollment when roughly 500 agents handle nearly 30,000 calls a day. No customer is enrolled into any policy without a formal verbal consent given by the customer. If any customer calls in as a result of misleading content presented by third-party marketing vendors, agents are trained to correct such misinformation and action is taken against such third-party vendors.” Through Riedel, the defendants declined to answer follow-up questions, including whether the company remains in business, whether it continues to enroll Affordable Care Act clients, and whether it is still operating its New Mexico call center using another affiliated technology platform. The suspension notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services letter cites several factors, including the histories of noncompliance and previous suspensions. The letter noted suspicion that TrueCoverage and Benefitalign were storing consumers’ personally identifiable information in databases located in India and possibly other overseas locations in violation of the centers’ rules. The letter also notes allegations against the companies in the pending lawsuit that “they engaged in a variety of illegal practices, including violations of the (Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act), misuse of consumer (personal identifiable information) and insurance fraud.” The amended lawsuit filed in August names as plaintiffs five individuals who say their insurance plans were changed and two agencies who say they lost money when they were replaced as agents. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of 55 counts of wrongdoing, ranging from running ads offering thousands of dollars in cash that they knew would never be provided directly to consumers, switching millions of consumers into different insurance policies without their authorization, misstating their household incomes to make them eligible for $0 premium coverage, and “stealing” commissions by switching the agents listed in their accounts. TrueCoverage, Enhance Health, Protect Health, and some of their associates “engaged in hundreds of thousands of agent-of-record swaps to steal other agents’ commissions,” the suit states. “Using the Benefitalign and Inshura platforms, they created large spreadsheet lists of consumer names, dates of birth and zip codes.” They provided those spreadsheets to agents, it says, and instructed them to access platforms linked to the ACA marketplace and change the customers’ agents of record “without telling the client or providing informed consent.” “In doing so, they immediately captured the monthly commissions of agents ... who had originally worked with the consumers directly to sign them up,” the lawsuit asserts. TrueCoverage employees who complained about dealing with prospects who called looking for cash cards were routinely chided by supervisors who told them to be vague and keep making money, the suit says. When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began contacting the company in January about customer complaints, the suit says TrueCoverage enrollment supervisor Matthew Goldfuss sent an email instructing agents “do not respond.” The lawsuit states the “scheme” was made possible in 2021 when Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The act made it possible for Americans with household incomes between 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level to pay zero in premiums and it enabled those consumers to enroll in ACA plans all year round, instead of during the three-month open enrollment period from November to January. Experienced health insurance brokers recognized the opportunity presented by the changes, the lawsuit says. More than 40 million Americans live within 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level, while only 15 million had ACA insurance at the time. The defendants developed or benefited from online ads, the lawsuit says, which falsely promised “hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per month in cash benefits such as subsidy cards to pay for common expenses like rent, groceries, and gas.” Consumers who clicked on the ads were brought to a landing page that asked a few qualifying questions, and if their answers suggested that they might qualify for a low-cost or no-cost plan, they were provided a phone number to a health insurance agency. There was a major problem with the plan, according to the lawsuit. “Customers believe they are being routed to someone who will send them a free cash card, not enroll them in health insurance.” By law, the federal government sends subsidies for ACA plans to insurance companies, and not to individual consumers. Scripts were developed requiring agents not to mention a cash card, and if a customer mentions a cash card, “be vague” and tell the caller that only the insurance carrier can provide that information, the lawsuit alleges. In September, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the claims. In addition to denying the charges, they argued that the class plaintiffs lacked the standing to make the accusations and failed to demonstrate that they suffered harm. The motion also argued that the lawsuit’s accusations failed to meet requirements necessary to claim civil violations of the RICO Act. Miami-based attorney Jason Kellogg, representing the plaintiffs, said he doesn’t expect a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case for several months. The complaint also lists nearly 50 companies, not named as defendants, that it says fed business to TrueCoverage and Enhance Health. Known in the industry as “downlines,” most operate in office parks throughout South Florida, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit quotes former TrueCoverage employees complaining about having to work with customers lured by false cash promises in the online ads. A former employee who worked in the company’s Deerfield Beach office was quoted in the lawsuit as saying that senior TrueCoverage and Speridian executives “knew that consumers were calling in response to the false advertisements promising cash cards and they pressured agents to use them to enroll consumers into ACA plans.” A former human resources manager for TrueCoverage said sales agents frequently complained “that they did not feel comfortable having to mislead consumers,” the lawsuit said. Over two dozen agents “came to me with these complaints and showed me the false advertisements that consumers who called in were showing them,” the lawsuit quoted the former manager as saying. For much of the time the companies operated, the ACA marketplace enabled agents to easily access customer accounts using their names and Social Security numbers, change their insurance plans and switch their agents of record without their knowledge or authorization, the lawsuit says. This resulted in customers’ original agents losing their commissions and many of the policyholders finding out they suddenly owed far more for health care services than their original plans had required, the suit states. It says that one of the co-plaintiffs’ health plans was changed at least 22 times without her consent. She first discovered that she had lost her original plan when she sought to renew a prescription for her heart condition and her doctor told her she did not have health insurance, the suit states. Another co-plaintiff’s policy was switched after her husband responded to one of the cash card advertisements, the lawsuit says. That couple’s insurance plan was switched multiple times after a TrueCoverage agent excluded the wife’s income from an application so the couple would qualify. Later, they received bills from the IRS for $4,300 to cover tax credits issued to pay for the plans. CMS barred TrueCoverage and BenefitAlign from accessing the ACA marketplace. It said it received more than 90,000 complaints about unauthorized plan switches and more than 183,500 complaints about unauthorized enrollments, but the agency did not attribute all of the complaints to activities by the two companies. In addition, CMS restricted all agents’ abilities to alter policyholders’ enrollment information, the lawsuit says. Now access is allowed only for agents that already represent policyholders or if the policyholder participates in a three-way call with an agent and a marketplace employee. Between June and October, the agency barred 850 agents and brokers from accessing the marketplace “for reasonable suspicion of fraudulent or abusive conduct related to unauthorized enrollments or unauthorized plan switches,” according to an October CMS news release . The changes resulted in a “dramatic and sustained drop” in unauthorized activity, including a nearly 70% decrease in plan changes associated with an agent or broker and a nearly 90% decrease in changes to agent or broker commission information, the release said. It added that while consumers were often unaware of such changes, the opportunity to make them provided “significant financial incentive for non-compliant agents and brokers.” But CMS’ restrictions might be having unintended consequences for law-abiding agents and brokers. A story published by Insurance News Net on Nov. 11 quoted the president of the Health Agents for America (HAFA) trade group as saying agents are being suspended by CMS after being flagged by a mysterious algorithm that no one can figure out. The story quotes HAFA president Ronnell Nolan as surmising, “maybe they wrote too many policies on the same day for people who have the same income or they’re writing too many policies on people of a certain occupation.” Nolan continued, “We have members who have thousands of ACA clients. They can’t update or renew their clients. So those consumers have lost access to their professional agent, which is simply unfair.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of Microsoft 365 customers worldwide reported having issues with services like Outlook and Teams on Monday. In social media posts and comments on platforms like outage tracker Downdetector, some impacted said that they were having trouble seeing their emails, loading calendars or opening other Microsoft 365 applications such as Powerpoint. Related Articles National News | FDA authorizes clinical trials to study cannabis use for veterans with PTSD National News | Thanksgiving travel live updates: Airport strikes, winter storms expected to cause delays National News | Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference, classified documents cases against Trump National News | Joe Biden begins final White House holiday season with turkey pardons for ‘Peach’ and ‘Blossom’ National News | Warren Buffett gives away another $1.1B and plans for distributing his $147B fortune after his death Microsoft acknowledged “an issue impacting users attempting to access Exchange Online or functionality within Microsoft Teams calendar” earlier in the day. In updates posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the company’s status page said it identified a “recent change” that it believed to be behind the problem — and was working to revert it. Microsoft shared that it was deploying a fix — which, as of shortly before noon E.T., it said had reached about 98% of “affected environments.” Still, the company’s status page later added , targeted restarts were “progressing slower than anticipated for the majority of affected users.” As of midday Monday, Downdetector showed thousands of outage reports from users of Microsoft 365 , particularly Outlook . Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Underground fire still burning at Williamsburg Premium Outlets; officials advise caution Underground fire still burning at Williamsburg Premium Outlets; officials advise caution 7 people in custody after barricade situation in Norfolk 7 people in custody after barricade situation in Norfolk Underground fire causes partial parking lot collapse at Williamsburg Premium Outlets Underground fire causes partial parking lot collapse at Williamsburg Premium Outlets One nation, under watch: Flock Safety cameras help the police solve crime. But how much should privacy matter? One nation, under watch: Flock Safety cameras help the police solve crime. But how much should privacy matter? Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of ‘Love Connection’ and ‘Scrabble,’ dies at 83 Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of ‘Love Connection’ and ‘Scrabble,’ dies at 83 Teel: Return as columnist at The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press is a privilege Teel: Return as columnist at The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press is a privilege Corey Hairston retires as Warwick football coach, defensive coordinator Thomas Sykes is named successor Corey Hairston retires as Warwick football coach, defensive coordinator Thomas Sykes is named successor Virginia live election results Virginia live election results Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference, classified documents cases against Trump Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference, classified documents cases against Trump Newport News man dies, 1 seriously injured in Isle of Wight crash Newport News man dies, 1 seriously injured in Isle of Wight crash Trending Nationally Holiday homecoming for 1,300 Camp Pendleton Marines brings smiles One nation, under watch: Flock Safety cameras help the police solve crime. But how much should privacy matter? Lizzo shows off dramatic weight loss in new photos Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths here in Florida. Here’s why After bankruptcy court, Spirit sees future as a higher value airline ‘for years to come’C.J. Stroud threw two interceptions, the defense gave up multiple big passing plays and Ka′imi Fairbairn missed a 28-yard field goal that would have tied it late in a 32-27 loss . “Just a disappointing loss for us,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We didn’t do anything well enough to win this game. Out of all the positives that we did have, there were way too many negatives, too many negative plays.” Jimmie Ward had a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter and the Texans tied a franchise record with eight sacks. Danielle Hunter led the group with a season-high three sacks and Will Anderson Jr. added two in his return after missing two games with an ankle injury. But the offense sputtered for most of the game as Joe Mixon was held to 22 yards on 14 carries. But Ryans refused to blame the offense for the loss. “Our offense did plenty," Ryans said. "They gave us enough points. On defense, we have to be able to stop them.” Chig Okonkwo grabbed a short pass and rumbled 70 yards for a touchdown to put the Titans (3-8) up 30-27 with 91⁄2 minutes remaining. Safety Eric Murray missed a tackle that would have stopped him near midfield. It was the last of three big passing plays the Titans had Sunday. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine got in front of the defense and was wide open for a 38-yard TD catch that made it 10-7 late in the first quarter. Calvin Ridley had a 63-yard reception that set up their next touchdown in the second. “It was just way too many negative plays,” Ryans said. “Defensively, unexplainable explosives for touchdowns. We didn’t play good across the board and that starts with me.” Despite this, the Texans (7-5) had a chance to tie it with less than two minutes remaining, but Fairbairn’s short field-goal attempt sailed wide left. He fell to the ground after the miss before getting up and slamming his helmet on the field. “The most frustrating part about it is out of all the bad things that happened, we still had a chance to finish the game,” Ryans said. “Everything that could go wrong, it went wrong. We still had a chance there to tie it up and finish the game, and we didn’t.” The Texans forced a three-and-out, but couldn’t move the ball after that and Harold Landry sacked Stroud in the end zone for a safety to make it 32-27 and allow Tennessee to snap a two-game skid. Stroud threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but his two interceptions Sunday give him five combined in the past three games. He now has more interceptions in 12 games this season (nine) than he had in 15 games as a rookie last season (five). “It’s no secret that I haven’t been playing well ... I’ve got to be harder on myself,” he said. “I’m not going to hold my head down. I know I can be a great player, but I’ve got to make better plays.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflO's Name Robinson Chirinos New Bench Coach

LIVING GRACE: Jesus grew physically, mentally, socially and spiritually

Trending in Telehealth highlights state legislative and regulatory developments that impact the healthcare providers, telehealth and digital health companies, pharmacists, and technology companies that deliver and facilitate the delivery of virtual care. Trending in the past two weeks: Behavioral and mental telehealth Coverage and payment parity A CLOSER LOOK Proposed Legislation & Rulemaking: In Illinois , HB 4475 gained another co-sponsor. If adopted, the bill would provide that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, or any third-party administrator administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer, must cover all out-of-network medically necessary mental health and substance use benefits and services (inpatient and outpatient) as if they were in-network for purposes of cost sharing for the insured. The bill specifically provides that the insured has the right to select the provider or facility of their choice and the modality, whether the care is provided via in-person visit or telehealth , for medically necessary care. To date, the proposed legislation has passed the house chamber and committee. In Washington , the Department of Health announced a proposed rule concerning certification standards for the new, voluntary certified peer specialist and trainee credentials created by passed SB 5555 (chapter 469, Laws of 2023) for behavioral health. The proposed rule would require a certified peer specialist who provides telehealth services to take the telehealth training as specified in WAC 246-929-340. Finalized Legislation & Rulemaking Activity: Missouri enacted several emergency rule amendments related to coverage under the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan, which provides coverage to employees and retirees of most state agencies, as well as public entities that have joined the plan. The amendments include revisions to coverage of virtual visits, non-network payments, the timing of other deposits to health savings accounts, and the right of the state plan to recoup certain deposits. Under the amendments, virtual visits offered through the vendor’s telehealth tool are covered at 100% after deductible is met unless Internal Revenue Service guidance permits them to be paid at 100% prior to deductible being met. Why it matters: Use of telehealth services for behavioral healthcare continues to grow. There has been a notable trend of telehealth modalities being adopted for mental health and substance abuse care. Legislative and regulatory activity is responding to this trend with increased access, as in the Illinois proposed legislation regarding telehealth coverage parity, and increased safeguards, such as the telehealth training requirements in the Washington proposed rule. This expansion of tele-behavioral health may increase access to mental health services for those in remote or underserved communities, and may increase convenience and flexibility, in turn promoting more consistent attendance and better treatment outcomes. States are assessing the extent of insurance coverage and payment rates for telehealth services. Telehealth services continue to inspire debate regarding coverage parity ( i.e. , covering telehealth services to the same extent as in-person services) and payment parity ( i.e. , mandating reimbursement at the same rate as equivalent in-person services). These debates center on balancing the benefits of increased access and convenience with the need to manage costs and ensure quality of care. The emergency rule amendments in Missouri endorse full coverage for virtual visits after the beneficiary’s deductible is met under the state’s health plan, and the Illinois proposed legislation would provide the insured with an equal choice between in-person care and telehealth care for medically necessary behavioral health care. Telehealth is an important development in care delivery, but the regulatory patchwork is complicated.

Angel Reese Responds to 'Irritated' Fan's Cereals ComplaintNEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks recalled top prospect Frank Nazar from the minor leagues on Friday. Chicago also placed defenseman Alec Martinez on injured reserve, retroactive to Dec. 7. Martinez, who signed a $4 million, one-year contract with the Blackhawks in free agency, has a neck injury. The 20-year-old Nazar had 11 goals and 13 assists in 21 games with Rockford of the American Hockey League. He said he tried not to think about a possible promotion while he was playing with the IceHogs. “Just play my game, focus on myself and obviously help the team win, best I could do, and let the rest come,” he said. The move reunites Nazar with Anders Sorensen, who was coaching Rockford before he got the interim job with Chicago when Luke Richardson was fired on Dec 5. “It's definitely really nice just to have someone that I know and trust and have a good relationship with,” Nazar said. “I know that he's going to give good feedback and everything like that, and just help out in areas where I need it.” Nazar was selected by Chicago with the No. 13 pick in the 2022 draft. After starring for the University of Michigan, the forward agreed to a three-year contract with the Blackhawks in April. Nazar skated in three games with Chicago at the end of last season, scoring on his first shot on goal in his NHL debut on April 14 against Carolina. The Blackhawks were active in free agency, so they had Nazar begin the season with Rockford to continue with his development. But he made a strong case to rejoin the NHL team with his fast start in the minors. “Frank’s played very well,” general manager Kyle Davidson said last week when asked about Nazar being promoted. “He’s been a real bright spot for us and his performance has been really exciting.” Chicago (9-18-2) has dropped six of seven going into Saturday's game at New Jersey. It begins a three-game homestand on Sunday against the New York Islanders. Nazar is expected to skate on a line with Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi against the Devils. Sorensen said his advice for Nazar is to trust his instincts. “He's been playing real well down there,” Sorensen said. “He can drive a puck and just kind of play his game, right? And then as we go, after the game we'll talk more.” ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl The Associated Press

Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer. Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house. But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am. Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team. “This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them. “I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. Last night at Enzo’s 🏡 💙 pic.twitter.com/dqP8BFsDn3 — Leicester City (@LCFC) April 27, 2024 “When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.” Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR. “To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian. “They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.” Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. “People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. “But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.” Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.

Coming July 1, Vallejo’s Cal Maritime Academy and San Luis Obispo’s California Polytechnic State University will operate as a single university: Cal Poly. The name change — Cal Maritime Academy will officially be known as “Cal Poly, Solano Campus,” housing the “Cal Poly Maritime Academy” — comes after Thursday’s California State University Board of Trustees vote to approve a CSU Chancellor recommendation to integrate the two schools. The Times-Herald first reported on the story in June when a recommendation was made to integrate the Vallejo university with California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The integration would be complete by the start of the 2026-27 academic year. The only degree-granting maritime academy on the West Coast and one of only six state maritime academies in the United States, Cal Maritime has experienced a 31 percent enrollment decline over the last seven years — going from approximately 1,100 students in 2016-17 to just over 750 in 2023-24, according to the CSU statement. There are 81 members of faculty, with 176 staff. The rising employment and operational costs have contributed to the fiscal crisis for Cal Maritime, which has an annul budget of $53 million. Work on the integration process is currently underway. Planning and implementation will take place over the coming months. The first Cal Poly Maritime Academy and Cal Poly, Solano Campus students enrolling as Cal Poly students will take place in fall of 2026. Integration will result in one university (Cal Poly) under one president, President Jeffrey D. Armstrong. After July, a vice president and chief executive officer will lead the Solano campus while a superintendent will be appointed to lead the Cal Poly Maritime Academy. The VP/CEO will report to the president of Cal Poly and serve on the president’s leadership cabinet. The superintendent will report to the VP/CEO. Until July 1, Michael Dumont will continue to serve as interim president of Cal Maritime. Additionally, integration will result in a single administrative structure, one budget and one of each of the appropriate shared governance structures, including faculty/academic senates, one Associated Students, one alumni association and one philanthropic foundation. The integration is considered a permanent solution and Cal Maritime will not be going back to an independent school in the future. The CSU is providing $35 million in one-time funds to support the integration that will be distributed over seven years. It is unclear at this time whether or not jobs will be lost due to the integration. A statement on Thursday by Cal Maritime said, “It is premature to begin analyzing the impact on the Cal Maritime workforce. Analysis will be needed to determine existing capabilities and future requirements. Much of the analysis will depend upon future enrollment numbers.” Workgroups were formed comprising subject matter experts from the CSU Chancellor’s Office, Cal Poly and Cal Maritime across the 23 operational areas identified as most critical to a seamless and timely integration. Those 23 groups have been consolidated into seven functional implementation teams organized under thematic work areas: academics; enrollment; student affairs; advancement, communications and external relations; financial, administrative and human resources; technology; and legal, regulatory and accreditation matters. Informed and guided by Baker Tilly — a firm with extensive national experience in this highly specialized area — the seven FIT teams are now mapping the previously identified critical issues to activities that will form the foundation of an implementation plan. CSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Steve Relyea and Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs and Chief Academic Officer Nathan Evans made the recommendation to Chancellor Mildred García during the summer. “The integration of Cal Maritime and Cal Poly will benefit the students, faculty and staff of both institutions, as well as advance the broader mission of the CSU system by enhancing the quality, diversity and sustainability of the CSU’s academic programs and services statewide,” said Relyea and Evans in a CSU statement. “In addition, it will serve industry and workforce needs of the state of California and of the nation while also supporting U.S. economic and national security interests. We are confident in our recommendation.” Garcia was also in favor of the integration. “The recommended integration of Cal Maritime and Cal Poly is an innovative and vitally necessary strategy with benefits that will be felt throughout the CSU, the state of California and our nation,” said García in June. “It provides a long-term solution to Cal Maritime’s untenable fiscal circumstances, preserves its licensure-granting academic programs so key to the maritime industry and our state’s and nation’s economy and security, and leverages academic and operational synergies between the two universities that will benefit California’s diverse students, families and communities for generations.” Numerous options were considered to preserve Cal Maritime’s unique programs while ensuring financial feasibility and sustainability. It was determined that Cal Poly was clearly the best aligned with Cal Maritime for a successful integration because the schools have similar institutions in many fundamental ways, primarily in their academic missions and learning ethos. Both institutions rely upon a hands-on approach and both offer degree programs within high return-on-investment program areas. Clear synergistic opportunities exist in multiple academic programs, perhaps most obviously within the engineering and marine science fields. Both institutions also are involved in national and economic security issues that impact the western U.S., the Pacific Rim and beyond. There is also untapped potential in the ability of the two institutions, if combined, to compete for increased federal, philanthropic and other sources of funding for national security, renewable energy and other programs. Last summer, Dumont began his tenure as interim president at Cal Maritime, taking over for Thomas A. Cropper who announced in November of 2022 that he would retire in August of 2023. The merging comes after recent controversy at Cal Maritime. A Vallejo Times-Herald report in 2021 exposed decades-long claims of sexual assault and sexual harassment, homophobia, transphobia and racism on campus and during training cruises. Cal Maritime students and employees reported accusations of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment aboard the 500-foot ship to officials at the Vallejo campus between 2019-2022. The merger also comes two months after Dumont announced that the school will be end its longtime affiliation with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the California Pacific Conference, a result of the association’s recent adoption of its Transgender Participation Policy. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the governing body for mostly small colleges, announced with a 20-vote in April a policy banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. The organization, which oversees some 83,000 athletes at schools across the country, is believed to be the first college sports organization to take such a step. Since then the school has been recognized on multiple spots on the badge-eligible list of U.S. News and World Report’s list of 2024 Best Colleges. The college was recognized for top performances in academic reputation, cost of attendance and return on investment. The college scored No. 1 for Top Public Schools and ranked No. 2 out of 103 for Regional Colleges-West. Additionally, Cal Maritime was included on Forbes’ list of America’s Top Colleges 2023. Forbes’ annual list showcases 500 of the finest U.S. colleges, ranked using data on student success, return on investment and alumni influence. Although CSU said in a June statement that the challenges the school faces is nothing new, Cal Maritime has implemented several actions to reduce expenses and increase revenues. “Cal Maritime has been part of Vallejo’s rich history and a source of pride for eight decades. Our students, faculty, staff and alumni have played an important role in the history of the state, the region and the nation,” said Dumont during the summer. “An integration with Cal Poly is an amazing opportunity to honor that legacy by preserving one of the nation’s premier maritime academies.”McDonald’s fans blast ‘they failed us again’ after chain refuses to bring back ‘original’ version of Snack Wrap

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