OTTAWA — Canada is considering supplying the RCMP and border agency with more resources including drones, helicopters and personnel in case of a "surge" at the border, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Tuesday in response to Donald Trump's threat to impose steep tariffs on Canadian imports into the U.S. The president-elect threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports unless action is taken to stem the flow of both migrants and illegal drugs crossing the border. "As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before," Trump said on Truth Social on Monday night. LeBlanc said his office has been working with finance officials, the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency "for months" to see what is needed and feasible. The minister added that Canada shares many of the same concerns as the Americans when it comes to illegal migration, and drugs and other contraband making its way across the border. LeBlanc said Canadian agencies work collaboratively with their U.S. counterparts. "For decades, this collaborative work happening literally daily with American authorities and Canadian authorities has allowed us to keep both countries safe, including dealing with some of the real challenges around the opioid crisis," LeBlanc said. Immigration Minister Marc Miller was asked on Tuesday about deploying more officers to oversee the New York-Vermont border area, which sees the highest rates of illegal crossings from Canada into the United States. He cautioned that there is no comparison to the flow of migrants entering the U.S. from Mexico. "It's the equivalent on a yearly basis with a significant weekend at the Mexico border. At the same time, it's not something I want to not take seriously, because it is serious," Miller said. "We have a job to not make our problems the Americans' problems and they have a job not to make their problems ours." U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows its officers recorded nearly 200,000 encounters at the northern border between October 2023 and September 2024. The same period in 2022 saw more than 109,000 encounters and there were around 32,000 in 2020. The term "encounters" includes apprehensions, people who are deemed inadmissible and those who are expelled from the U.S. Between October 2023 and September 2024, U.S. officials recorded more than two million encounters at the Mexican border. The two prior years also saw more than 2 million encounters each at the southern border. Chief border patrol agent Robert Garcia said last month on X that agents in the Swanton Sector, which covers Vermont's border with Quebec, apprehended more than 19,000 people from 97 countries in the last year — more than the last 17 years combined. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it also seized nearly 5,000 kilograms of illegal drugs at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024. That included 19.5 kilograms of fentanyl. Comparatively, border agents seized nearly 125,000 kilograms of narcotics at the border with Mexico, including almost 10,000 kilograms of fentanyl. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, two milligrams of fentanyl is a potentially fatal dose. Cannabis is by far the most commonly seized drug coming from Canada, accounting for almost 60 per cent of total seizures. From Mexico it's methamphetamine, accounting for about 57 per cent of seizures at the southern border. Drug seizures coming from Canada to the U.S. are down significantly from the prior two years, according to border patrol data: about 25,000 kilograms of narcotics were seized between October 2022 and September 2023, down from about 27,200 kilograms in the year before. Both Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet called on the Trudeau government to ensure the border is secure on Tuesday. Poilievre focused on government data that was raised at the immigration committee on Monday that said 4.9 million people will have their Canadian visas expire by the end of December 2025. In question period Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the "overwhelming majority" of people leave when their visas expire and there are measures in the immigration system to deal with cases where that does not happen. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she is open to talks with the Trump administration on the tariff issue, but said drugs were a "public health and consumption" issue in the U.S. She added most of the weapons entering Mexico are smuggled in through the U.S. In recent months the RCMP have announced two significant operations with ties to Mexican drug cartels. This includes the arrest of three men in Surrey, B.C., earlier this month, who police say are connected to an organized crime group with ties to Mexican drug cartels. Police seized "multiple kilos" of illicit drugs, and said the accused were allegedly "planning large-scale distribution" of drugs out of Surrey. In October, the RCMP, FBI and other policing partners arrested nine Canadians in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. The accused are alleged to have ties to a Mexico cartel-linked criminal network. Charges include murder, conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. — With files from The Associated Press David Baxter, The Canadian PressCouple charged in ring suspected of stealing $1 million in Lululemon clothes
Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staffMs Sheila Dunne (50), who was described by her daughter as a “an amazing woman – worth her weight in gold”, died following a single-vehicle crash in Sarsfield Court in Glanmire, Cork, last February. Poignantly, her husband Ted had died of Covid in February 2021. The death of Ms Dunne left their two children without any living parent. The special needs assistant was just 1.5km from her home in Glanmire when the crash occurred. Jennifer Thomas of Oakfield View, Glanmire, Co Cork, appeared before Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday having pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Ms Dunne on February 11th last. Defence counsel Tom Creed, SC, told Judge Helen Boyle that “unfounded social media rumours” and inaccurate newspaper reports had circulated in the wake of the crash. He said that “malicious rumours” had spread in Cork that the body of Ms Dunne had been moved in the vehicle. Investigating garda Det Gda Mark Durcan confirmed there was no truth to any suggestions that Ms Thomas or any other person had moved the body of Ms Dunne following the crash. Det Gda Durcan said that the crash occurred at 7.30pm on February 11th last at Sarsfield Court in Glanmire in Cork. Ms Thomas had been socialising with Ms Dunne, her friend of more than 20 years, from lunchtime that day when they went for a meal at a restaurant in Douglas in the city. They went to a bar in Blackrock in Cork and then on to a bar in Glanmire before getting into Ms Thomas’s jeep. Det Gda Durcan said that in the minutes before the crash occurred Ms Thomas fell asleep behind the wheel twice while stopped at traffic lights. She did two U-turns in a matter of minutes and drove on the wrong side of the road at Hazelwood Road in Glanmire. She knocked down traffic cones as she drove towards Sallybrook and narrowly missed two pedestrians on the footpath. Det Gda Durcan said Ms Thomas took a left-hand bend at Sarsfield Court in Glanmire and failed to straighten up entering a grass verge. The Bluetooth system in the car automatically called the emergency services. Speed was not a factor in the case. Det Gda Durcan said Ms Thomas was wearing her seat belt when the crash occurred. However, Ms Dunne was not. He indicated that the impact of the crash led Ms Dunne, who was in the front-passenger seat, to fall on top of Ms Thomas. Det Gda Durcan said that roof had to be cut off the vehicle in order to extricate the women. He said when gardaí arrived at the scene Ms Thomas was asked who was driving. She said she was and then she “got erratic” and was unable to give a definitive answer. She then said that Ms Dunne was driving as she had “more control”. When she was shown CCTV at a later date by gardaí, Ms Thomas accepted that she was driving. She also said she had no recollection of the crash due to concussion. However, there was no medical evidence of concussion. Ms Dunne died in hospital two days after the crash. Lilley Dunne, a 23-year-old daughter of Sheila Dunne, said in her victim impact statement that she came to court with a “shattered heart” weighed down heavily by the loss of her “rock of a mother”. She said that she was speaking on behalf of herself and her younger brother. Lilley Dunne said that she and her brother head already suffered the “unbearable” loss of their father, Ted, from Covid. “Now to experience the agonising loss of Mom, feels like a cruel twist of fate that I cannot comprehend,” she said. “This experience is what I can only describe as hell. My beautiful mom was taken from us far too soon at the young age of 50. In a car crash caused by a reckless decision made by a selfish individual. This choice has altered our lives forever. “We spent two days at my mom’s bedside hoping for a miracle. Out of respect, I made the decision to allow Jennifer to come in to say goodbye to my mom. Knowing what I know now, my decision would have been different.” Ms Dunne said Ms Thomas’s “malicious lies” had trickled out to “vultures” in the media. “Compounding our grief, newspapers and social media outlets covered the story and reported that my mom was the driver of the car. Jennifer’s complete fabrication painted a picture of my mom, Sheila, that was far from the truth, sensationalising the tragedy and worsening our family suffering.” Sheila’s mother, Esther O’Brien, said she was “heartbroken” to have lost her daughter to a drunk driver. “This loss has not only shattered my life but has also left two precious grandchildren without their mother,” she said. The court heard that Ms Thomas had 10 previous convictions for road-traffic offences, larceny and misuse of drugs. Defence barrister Tom Creed, SC said witnesses who arrived at the scene of the crash described his client as being distraught at the possibility that Ms Dunne could have died. Mr Creed said that his client has suffered from long-term mental health difficulties and often wishes that she died during the crash. He added that Ms Thomas was hugely remorseful for her actions. Mr Creed said that his client accepted that getting behind the wheel drunk was an “outrageous” thing to do. Judge Boyle reserved her decision in the case. Ms Thomas was remanded in custody pending her sentencing on Thursday. She was warned that she was facing a custodial sentence.
Flag football scours nation with talent camps to uncover next wave of starsCryptocurrency markets are trading lower on Tuesday. Cryptocurrency Price Gains +/- Bitcoin BTC/USD $91,912.69 -2.9% Ethereum ETH/USD $3,277.87 -4.8% Solana SOL/USD $226.08 -5.1% Dogecoin DOGE/USD $0.3746 -6.8% Shiba Inu SHIB/USD $0.00002385 -6.7% Notable Statistics: IntoTheBlock data shows large transaction volume increasing by 77.4% and daily active addresses up by 16.4%. Transactions greater than $100,000 are up from 9,585 to 13,037 in a single day. Exchanges netflows are up by 858.2%. Coinglass data reports 193,074 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $590.74 million. CryptoQuant noted long-term holders offloaded 728,000 BTC in the past 30 days, the highest sell-off since April. Notable Developments: MicroStrategy, Coinbase, And Other Bitcoin-Linked Stocks Tumble As BTC’s March To $100,000 Stalls Pantera Bitcoin Fund Hits 1,000X Return, Predicts BTC At $740,000 By 2028 Crypto Billionaire Justin Sun Pledges $30M Investment In Trump-Backed World Liberty Financial: What’s Happening? Dogecoin Gets Its First Exchange-Traded Product In Sweden Pro-Bitcoin Trump Administration Could See El Salvador Emerging As US ‘Strategic Partner,’ Says VanEck Top Losers : Cryptocurrency Price Gains +/- The Sandbox SAND/USD $0.5954 -18.6% Stellar XLM/USD $0.4344 -14.9% Maker MKR/USD $1,689.37 -11.7% Trader Notes: With Bitcoin’s recent price drop dragging the cryptocurrency market lower, chart analyst Ali Martinez highlights the availability of crypto assets at “discounts.” Black Friday came early! These are pretty good discounts. pic.twitter.com/BJFWCdmR2U According to More Crypto Online, Bitcoin's correction remains in progress. The $92,802 support hasn't been invalidated, meaning bulls could still regain momentum. Key support levels include $88,650, with additional Fibonacci targets at $85,558 and $77,874 if the downward trend persists. CoinDesk senior analyst James Van Straten noted a record-breaking $4 billion in Bitcoin panic sales to exchanges, triggering liquidation cascades that allowed smart money to accumulate at discounted prices. Van Straten believes the correction, which reached 10%, may now be complete. Read Next: Anthony Scaramucci: Trump Win Is ‘The Greatest Political Comeback In US History,’ Crypto Surge Following It Was 3 Years Overdue Image: Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
NETGEAR stock soars to 52-week high, hits $25.07Tech slump slays Santa rally, weak yen lifts Japan stocks higherSurveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration
Nasdaq Reports November 2024 VolumesStock market today: Rising tech stocks pull Wall Street to another record
AMMO Deadline: POWW Investors Have Opportunity to Lead AMMO, Inc. Securities Fraud LawsuitA California man confessed to helping the North Korean regime prepare for an attack in a “sophisticated scheme” to illegally obtain restricted weapons and military grade technology, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. Shenghua Wen, a Chinese national residing unlawfully in Ontario, California, conspired with North Korean officials to obtain prohibited items before traveling to the US as a student in 2012, the Justice Department alleged in a criminal complaint. Wen, who allegedly overstayed his visa and remained in the US illegally, was arrested Tuesday by the FBI. During interviews with the FBI, Wen said “he believed the North Korean government wanted the weapons, ammunition, and other military-related equipment to prepare for an attack against South Korea,” according to the complaint, which adds the North Korean government paid Wen $2 million to obtain the items. In addition to weapons and equipment, Wen told investigators the North Korean regime also tasked him with obtaining military uniforms in the US, which “would subsequently be used by the North Korean military to disguise their soldiers to conduct a surprise attack on South Korea,” the complaint states. Thousands of US military personnel are stationed in South Korea to help bolster security and stability in the region. Justice Department officials said the arrest was unrelated to Tuesday’s internal political turmoil amid a declaration of martial law and clashes outside South Korean parliament. Prosecutors allege Wen established an export company in Texas, where firearms and ammunition were procured and transported to the Los Angeles area, then ultimately packed in cargo containers bearing fake inventory manifests for shipment to North Korea as recently as 2023. While executing a search warrant at Wen’s home, authorities seized 50,000 rounds of ammunition, sophisticated chemical detection equipment, and a tool used for detecting listening devices, which Wen allegedly said he intended to also ship to North Korea. During a search of his cell phone, the FBI discovered numerous messages “between Wen and several (North Korean) co-conspirators with images of firearms and electronic devices,” the complaint states. “There is no telling what additional damage Mr. Wen could have committed if not for the intervention of law enforcement,” said US Attorney Martin Estrada during a news conference Tuesday. CNN is attempting to locate attorney information for Wen. If convicted of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, he faces up to 20 years in prison, Estrada said. “The consequences of these actions cannot be overstated when technology and sensitive items fall into the wrong hands, especially those of hostile nations,” said Shawn Gibson, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations. Akil Davis, head of the FBI’s Los Angeles division, said: “Not only did the investigative team prevent additional restricted items going to the North Korean regime, but they gathered valuable intelligence for the United States and our allies.”
ANDOVER, Mass. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TransMedics Group, Inc. ("TransMedics") (Nasdaq: TMDX), a medical technology company that is transforming organ transplant therapy for patients with end-stage lung, heart, and liver failure, today announced the appointment of Mr. Gerardo Hernandez as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, effective December 2, 2024 . In this role, Mr. Hernandez joins the TransMedics executive leadership team, succeeding Mr. Stephen Gordon . To enable a smooth transition, Mr. Gordon will remain a non-executive employee of the Company until March 31, 2025 , before serving as a non-employee senior advisor to the Company focusing on national transplant stakeholder engagement until March 31, 2026 . TransMedics also updated its 2024 financial outlook. Dr. Waleed Hassanein , Mr. Gerardo Hernandez and Mr. Stephen Gordon will attend the upcoming Piper Sandler Conference on December 3, 2024 , the TransMedics Investor & Analyst Day on December 10, 2024 , as well as the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in January 2025 . Mr. Hernandez is an accomplished finance leader with over 25 years of experience across the healthcare and consumer packaged goods (CPG) sectors. He most recently served as Vice President Finance, Head of Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on RNAi therapeutics. In this role, Mr. Hernandez led a global team as the company scaled rapidly. Prior to his role at Alnylam, Mr. Hernandez spent nearly a decade at Shire, where he rose through the organization, eventually leading corporate FP&A. During his tenure, Shire was acquired by Takeda in a $62 billion transaction, after which he was instrumental in the integration effort. Mr. Hernandez began his career at Unilever where he held several finance roles of increasing responsibility before joining Shire in 2010. Mr. Hernandez holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Wisconsin , La Crosse and an MBA in Strategy and Economics from Fundação Getulio Vargas , Sao Paulo, Brazil . "Stephen has been an exceptional partner to me as a member of the TransMedics leadership team for nearly a decade. During his tenure we transitioned the Company from a clinical stage organization to a high growth, publicly traded commercial business," said Waleed Hassanein , M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer. "On behalf of the entire management team and the Board, I want to thank Stephen for his countless contributions to our business that will have lasting benefits for the Company. I am grateful for Stephen's dedication and efforts to advance our corporate strategy while delivering considerable shareholder value, and I look forward to his continued partnership to affect a smooth transition as we start our next chapter at TransMedics." "I am delighted to welcome Gerardo to the TransMedics leadership team as our new Chief Financial Officer," added Dr. Hassanein. "His proven record over two decades of leadership across FP&A functions within high-growth, complex global organizations makes him an ideal addition to our team. I am looking forward to partnering with Gerardo as we continue to deliver significant long-term corporate growth and shareholder value." "I am thrilled to join TransMedics as Chief Financial Officer," said Mr. Hernandez. "I look forward to working with the entire leadership team to expand access to the Company's unparalleled products and services in the organ transplant field while enhancing operational efficiency and delivering lasting value to both our shareholders and the patients we serve." Dr. Hassanein concluded, "As we enter the final weeks of the fourth quarter, we are also updating our financial outlook for the full year 2024. Our updated guidance reflects our continued expectation for considerable year-over-year revenue growth. We look forward to providing additional context at our upcoming Investor & Analyst Day." 2024 Financial Outlook TransMedics now expects revenue for the full year 2024 to be in the range of $428 million to $432 million, which represents 77% to 79% growth compared to the Company's prior year revenue. Piper Sandler 36th Annual Healthcare Conference Members of the TransMedics management team will participate in a fireside chat at the upcoming Piper Sandler 36th Annual Healthcare Conference at the Lotte New York Palace. The fireside chat will take place on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 , at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time . A live and archived webcast of the fireside chat will be available on the "Investors" section of the TransMedics website at https://investors.transmedics.com . The Company's standard investor presentation is also available through this link. TransMedics Investor & Analyst Day Details TransMedics will discuss the transition and updated financial outlook, as well as the Company's growth strategy, clinical pipeline, and operations, in greater detail at its Investor & Analyst Day in New York City on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 , at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time . A live and archived webcast of presentations and Q&A sessions will be available on the "Investors" section of the TransMedics website at https://investors.transmedics.com . Please note management will only take questions from the live audience during the question-and-answer session following formal presentations. About TransMedics Group, Inc. TransMedics is the world's leader in portable extracorporeal warm perfusion and assessment of donor organs for transplantation. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts , the company was founded to address the unmet need for more and better organs for transplantation and has developed technologies to preserve organ quality, assess organ viability prior to transplant, and potentially increase the utilization of donor organs for the treatment of end-stage heart, lung, and liver failure. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, a leadership transition and our full-year guidance. For this purpose, all statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "should," "could," "target," "predict," "seek" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Our management cannot predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in or implied by any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Some of the key factors that could cause actual results to differ include: our ability to maintain profitability on a sustained basis; our ability to attract, train and retain key personnel; our existing and any future indebtedness, including our ability to comply with affirmative and negative covenants under our credit agreement to which we will remain subject until maturity; the fluctuation of our financial results from quarter to quarter; our need to raise additional funding and our ability to obtain it on favorable terms, or at all; our ability to use net operating losses and research and development credit carryforwards; our dependence on the success of the Organ Care System or OCS; our ability to expand access to the OCS through our National OCS Program or NOP; our ability to scale our manufacturing and sterilization capabilities to meet increasing demand for our products; the rate and degree of market acceptance of the OCS; our ability to educate patients, surgeons, transplant centers and private and public payors on the benefits offered by the OCS; our ability to improve the OCS platform and develop the next generation of the OCS products; our dependence on a limited number of customers for a significant portion of our revenue; our ability to maintain regulatory approvals or clearances for our OCS products in the United States , the European Union, and other select jurisdictions worldwide; our ability to adequately respond to the Food and Drug Administration or FDA, or other competent authorities, follow-up inquiries in a timely manner; the performance of our third-party suppliers and manufacturers; our use of third parties to transport donor organs and medical personnel for our NOP and our ability to maintain and grow our logistics capabilities to support our NOP and reduce dependence on third party transportation, including by means of attracting, training and retaining pilots, and the acquisition, maintenance or replacement of fixed-wing aircraft for our aviation transportation services or other acquisitions, joint ventures or strategic investments; our ability to maintain Federal Aviation Administration or FAA or other regulatory licenses or approvals for our aircraft transportation services; price increases of the components of our products and maintenance, parts and fuel for our aircraft; the timing or results of post-approval studies and any clinical trials for the OCS; our manufacturing, sales, marketing and clinical support capabilities and strategy; attacks against our information technology infrastructure; the economic, political and other risks associated with our foreign operations; our ability to protect, defend, maintain and enforce our intellectual property rights relating to the OCS and avoid allegations that our products infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of third parties; the pricing of the OCS, as well as the reimbursement coverage for the OCS in the United States and internationally; regulatory developments in the United States, European Union and other jurisdictions; the extent and success of competing products or procedures that are or may become available; our ability to service our 1.50% convertible senior notes, due 2028; the impact of any product recalls or improper use of our products; our estimates regarding revenues, expenses and needs for additional financing; and other factors that may be described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Additional information will be made available in our annual and quarterly reports and other filings that we make with the SEC. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and we are not able to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law. Investor Contact: Brian Johnston Laine Morgan 332-895-3222 Investors@transmedics.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/transmedics-appoints-gerardo-hernandez-as-chief-financial-officer-and-provides-updated-2024-financial-outlook-302320060.html SOURCE TransMedics Group, Inc.By Vanessa G. Sánchez, KFF Health News (TNS) LOS ANGELES — President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations and tougher immigration restrictions is deepening mistrust of the health care system among California’s immigrants and clouding the future for providers serving the state’s most impoverished residents. At the same time, immigrants living illegally in Southern California told KFF Health News they thought the economy would improve and their incomes might increase under Trump, and for some that outweighed concerns about health care. Community health workers say fear of deportation is already affecting participation in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program for low-income residents, which was expanded in phases to all immigrants regardless of residency status over the past several years. That could undercut the state’s progress in reducing the uninsured rate, which reached a record low of 6.4% last year. Immigrants lacking legal residency have long worried that participation in government programs could make them targets, and Trump’s election has compounded those concerns, community advocates say. The incoming Trump administration is also expected to target Medicaid with funding cuts and enrollment restrictions , which activists worry could threaten the Medi-Cal expansion and kneecap efforts to extend health insurance subsidies under Covered California to all immigrants. “The fear alone has so many consequences to the health of our communities,” said Mar Velez , director of policy with the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. “This is, as they say, not their first rodeo. They understand how the system works. I think this machine is going to be, unfortunately, a lot more harmful to our communities.” Alongside such worries, though, is a strain of optimism that Trump might be a boon to the economy, according to interviews with immigrants in Los Angeles whom health care workers were soliciting to sign up for Medi-Cal. Since Election Day, community health worker Yanet Martinez said, people are more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” Martinez said. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Clinics and community health workers encourage immigrants to enroll for health coverage through Medi-Cal and Covered California. But workers have noticed that fear of deportation has chilled participation. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Community health workers like Yanet Martinez encourage people to enroll for health benefits. But many California immigrants fear that using subsidized services could hurt their chances of obtaining legal residency. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Since Election Day, community health worker Yanet Martinez said, people are more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” Martinez said. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Selvin, 39, who, like others interviewed for this article, asked to be identified by only his first name because he’s living here without legal permission, said that even though he believes Trump dislikes people like him, he thinks the new administration could help boost his hours at the food processing facility where he works packing noodles. “I do see how he could improve the economy. From that perspective, I think it’s good that he won.” He became eligible for Medi-Cal this year but decided not to enroll, worrying it could jeopardize his chances of changing his immigration status. “I’ve thought about it,” Selvin said, but “I feel like it could end up hurting me. I won’t deny that, obviously, I’d like to benefit — get my teeth fixed, a physical checkup.” But fear holds him back, he said, and he hasn’t seen a doctor in nine years. It’s not Trump’s mass deportation plan in particular that’s scaring him off, though. “If I’m not committing any crimes or getting a DUI, I think I won’t get deported,” Selvin said. Petrona, 55, came from El Salvador seeking asylum and enrolled in Medi-Cal last year. She said that if her health insurance benefits were cut, she wouldn’t be able to afford her visits to the dentist. A street food vendor, she hears often about Trump’s deportation plan, but she said it will be the criminals the new president pushes out. “I’ve heard people say he’s going to get rid of everyone who’s stealing.” Although she’s afraid she could be deported, she’s also hopeful about Trump. “He says he’s going to give a lot of work to Hispanics because Latinos are the ones who work the hardest,” she said. “That’s good, more work for us, the ones who came here to work.” Newly elected Republican Assembly member Jeff Gonzalez, who flipped a seat long held by Democrats in the Latino-heavy desert region in the southeastern part of the state, said his constituents were anxious to see a new economic direction. “They’re just really kind of fed up with the status quo in California,” Gonzalez said. “People on the ground are saying, ‘I’m hopeful,’ because now we have a different perspective. We have a businessperson who is looking at the very things that we are looking at, which is the price of eggs, the price of gas, the safety.” Gonzalez said he’s not going to comment about potential Medicaid cuts, because Trump has not made any official announcement. Unlike most in his party, Gonzalez said he supports the extension of health care services to all residents regardless of immigration status . Health care providers said they are facing a twin challenge of hesitancy among those they are supposed to serve and the threat of major cuts to Medicaid, the federal program that provides over 60% of the funding for Medi-Cal. Health providers and policy researchers say a loss in federal contributions could lead the state to roll back or downsize some programs, including the expansion to cover those without legal authorization. California and Oregon are the only states that offer comprehensive health insurance to all income-eligible immigrants regardless of status. About 1.5 million people without authorization have enrolled in California, at a cost of over $6 billion a year to state taxpayers. “Everyone wants to put these types of services on the chopping block, which is really unfair,” said state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat and chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. “We will do everything we can to ensure that we prioritize this.” Sen. Gonzalez said it will be challenging to expand programs such as Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, for which immigrants lacking permanent legal status are not eligible. A big concern for immigrants and their advocates is that Trump could reinstate changes to the public charge policy, which can deny green cards or visas based on the use of government benefits. “President Trump’s mass deportation plan will end the financial drain posed by illegal immigrants on our healthcare system, and ensure that our country can care for American citizens who rely on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security,” Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to KFF Health News. During his first term, in 2019, Trump broadened the policy to include the use of Medicaid, as well as housing and nutrition subsidies. The Biden administration rescinded the change in 2021. KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News, found immigrants use less health care than people born in the United States. And about 1 in 4 likely undocumented immigrant adults said they have avoided applying for assistance with health care, food, and housing because of immigration-related fears, according to a 2023 survey . Another uncertainty is the fate of the Affordable Care Act, which was opened in November to immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and are protected by the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals program. If DACA eligibility for the act’s plans, or even the act itself, were to be reversed under Trump, that would leave roughly 40,000 California DACA recipients, and about 100,000 nationwide , without access to subsidized health insurance. On Dec. 9, a federal court in North Dakota issued an order blocking DACA recipients from accessing Affordable Care Act health plans in 19 states that had challenged the Biden administration’s rule. Clinics and community health workers are encouraging people to continue enrolling in health benefits. But amid the push to spread the message, the chilling effects are already apparent up and down the state. “¿Ya tiene Medi-Cal?” community health worker Yanet Martinez said, asking residents whether they had Medi-Cal as she walked down Pico Boulevard recently in a Los Angeles neighborhood with many Salvadorans. “¡Nosotros podemos ayudarle a solicitar Medi-Cal! ¡Todo gratuito!” she shouted, offering help to sign up, free of charge. “Gracias, pero no,” said one young woman, responding with a no thanks. She shrugged her shoulders and averted her eyes under a cap that covered her from the late-morning sun. Since Election Day, Martinez said, people have been more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” she said. “They don’t want anything to do with it.” This article was produced by KFF Health News , which publishes California Healthline , an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation . ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.The City of Sault Ste. Marie is providing an update on its response to the large amount of snow that has fallen over the last few days and the snow that’s on the way. “Cutting snowpack on the arterial and collector roadways is completed,” the city said in a social media post on Tuesday afternoon. “We are aware that the subdivisions and sidewalks require additional attention. Public works staff will be working through these areas this evening into the morning,” the Facebook post said. There is snow forecasted through the night “that may divert operators back on the arterial roadways. We do thank you for your ongoing patience.”
Big Ten slate features Indiana-Ohio State showdown and Penn State-Minnesota matchup Things to watch this week in the Big Ten Conference: No. 5 Indiana (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten, No. 5 CFP ) at No. 2 Ohio State (9-1, 6-1, No. 2 CFP), Saturday, noon ET (Fox) This marks the 98th matchup between these two teams, but it's only the fourth time both teams have been ranked. Although Indiana is unbeaten, its soft schedule means the Hoosiers aren't assured of making the 12-team field if they lose this game. The only team with a winning record that Indiana has beaten is Washington (6-5). Ohio State needs a win to have a realistic shot at a rematch with top-ranked Oregon in the Big Ten championship game. Ohio State has beaten Indiana 28 straight times since the Hoosiers posted back-to-back victories in 1987-88. No. 4 Penn State (9-1, 6-1, No. 4 CFP) at Minnesota (6-4, 4-3), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) This is likely Penn State's biggest obstacle on its way to a potential playoff berth. The Nittany Lions' lone remaining regular-season game is a Nov. 30 home matchup with Maryland (4-6, 1-6). Minnesota has had an extra week to prepare this game since its 26-19 loss at Rutgers on Nov. 9, which snapped a four-game winning streak. Penn State and Minnesota have split their last four meetings, with the home team winning each time. Penn State DE Abdul Carter has multiple tackles for loss in each of his last three games. He ranks second among all Bowl Subdivision players in tackles for loss (17 1⁄2). Southern California RB Woody Marks rushed for a career-high 146 yards in a 28-20 win over Nebraska. Marks has six 100-yard rushing performances this season. Rutgers RB Kyle Monangai is the first Scarlet Knight to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons since Ray Rice did it three straight years from 2005-07. Monangai has run for 1,028 yards this season and rushed for 1,262 yards last year. Oregon OLB Matayo Uiagalelei recorded a sack and had a game-clinching interception as the top-ranked Ducks won 16-13 at Wisconsin last week. He has 8 1⁄2 sacks this season to rank second in the Big Ten. Four of the top seven Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks in passer rating are from the Big Ten. Indiana's Kurtis Rourke is second, Ohio State's Will Howard is third, Penn State's Drew Allar is fifth and Oregon's Dillon Gabriel is seventh. ... Illinois QB Luke Altmyer has thrown 18 touchdown passes with only three interceptions. The only Power Four quarterback with a better touchdown/interception ratio while throwing at least 10 touchdown passes is Clemson's Cade Klubnik, who has 26 touchdowns and four interceptions. ... Rutgers' three Big Ten wins matches its largest total since joining the league in 2014. Rutgers also had three conference wins in 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2023. A victory Saturday over No. 24 Illinois would give Rutgers three straight Big Ten wins for the first time. ... Washington's 31-19 win over UCLA was its 20th straight home victory, representing its second-longest such streak in school history. The Huskies won 45 straight home games from 1908-17. ... Wisconsin heads to Nebraska this week having won its last 10 matchups with the Cornhuskers. Penn State justifiably is favored on the road against Minnesota, but Bet MGM's 12 1⁄2-point spread seems way too big. Expect this game to have a single-digit margin. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Stock market today: Wall Street slips as technology stocks drag on the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slipped as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.4% Friday and the the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 402 points, or 0.9%. The Nasdaq composite is down 2%. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market. The major indexes are still on track to close the week with gains, and the S&P 500 remains headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%. In Asia, Japan’s benchmark index surged as the yen remained weak against the dollar. Stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. Most Americans blame insurance profits and denials alongside the killer in UHC CEO death, poll finds WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO — although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger. So says a new poll from NORC at the University of Chicago. It finds that about 8 in 10 Americans say that the person who committed the killing has “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the Dec. 4 shooting of Brian Thompson. Still, some see suspect Luigi Mangione as a heroic figure. About 7 in 10 adults say coverage denials or health insurance profits also bear at least “a moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s death. Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot is projected to soar above $1 billion, and that's still a big deal. Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion. The prize has evoked headlines across the country, despite the nation's top 10 jackpots already having boasted billion-dollar payouts. Jonathan Cohen is the author of the book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” He says he expects jackpots to continue to grow in size. Larger payouts attract more media attention, increase ticket sales and bring in new players. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Richard Parsons, prominent executive who led Time Warner and Citigroup, dies at 76 NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, has died. He was 76. Parsons died Thursday at his Manhattan home. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. Financial services company Lazard confirmed his death. Parsons was a longtime member of the company's board. His friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder’s company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder’s board for 25 years. Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen has targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said Thursday's bombardment took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. At least three people were reported killed and dozens injured in the Sanaa airport strike. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose. Finland stops Russia-linked vessel over damaged undersea power cable in Baltic Sea FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finnish police say authorities detained a ship linked to neighboring Russia as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables. It was the latest incident involving disruption of key infrastructure. Police and border guards boarded the Eagle S and took control as they investigate damage to the Estlink-2 undersea power cable. The cable brings electricity from Finland to Estonia across the Baltic Sea. The cable went down on Wednesday. The incident follows damage to two data cables and the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Both have been termed sabotage. Climate-friendly electricity sees big battery projects soar again for 2024 2024 was another banner year for a source of electricity that is better for people’s lungs, better for climate change and may be reaching your home now when you turn on the lights or turn up the thermostat — large banks of batteries. Storing extra power in batteries effectively extends the hours of solar and wind power in a day. Storage is also important as global electricity demand rises. Last, it is important for increasingly frequent extreme weather events, worsened by climate change. Texas and California are embracing the benefits of batteries, but some other regions are dragging their feet. Russian ship that sank in the Mediterranean was attacked, owner says MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian operator of a cargo ship that sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria says it has been hit by a series of explosions in an act of sabotage. Oboronlogistica is a state-controlled company that operated the Ursa Major freighter. The company said the vessel was wrecked by three powerful explosions just above the water line in what it described as a “terrorist attack” that caused it to sink on Monday. The company said in a statement carried by Russia’s state RIA Novosti news agency on Thursday that the explosions left a hole in the ship’s starboard and filled the engine room with acrid smoke. That hampered the crew’s attempts to access it.
SAN FRANCISCO: Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis and Ja Morant of Memphis made triumphant and long-awaited NBA returns from injuries on Monday, while Kyrie Irving scored 32 points to spark a Dallas victory at Atlanta. Porzingis had 16 points, hitting five-of-six from inside three-point range, with six rebounds, two blocks and two assists in 23 minutes for the reigning champion Celtics in a 126-94 home rout of the Los Angeles Clippers. “Good to go and looking forward to many, many great wins,” Porzingis said. Latvian center Porzingis had been sidelined for five months following left ankle surgery last June after being injured in the NBA Finals. “It has been killing me inside not to be able to be out there,” said Porzingis. “But it was worth the wait to come back now and finally be with my guys. “It has been maybe a couple weeks I’ve been nearing the finish line of starting to play and as I was ramping up I was getting more and more antsy to be out there finally. And here it is.” Asked about his ankle, Porzingis said: “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. “I did have a couple flat tires on some lobs but I was still able to finish it and I’m happy with the game, happy with the win and with each game I’m only going to find my rhythm more and more.” Morant sparks Grizzlies Jayson Tatum and reserve Payton Pritchard each scored 20 points to lead the Celtics while Derrick White had 19 and Jaylen Brown added 17. “No matter who is in or out on this team, we’re an unbelievably built team,” Porzingis said. “It’s like nothing, whoever is out, we can still win any game.” Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with 23 points and 10 rebounds while James Harden had 19 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. At Memphis, Morant was back to his fast-breaking, slam-dunking top form to spark the Grizzlies over Portland 123-98. Morant scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half and added 11 assists while Jaren Jackson Jr. had 21 points for Memphis. Morant has missed the past eight games for the Grizzlies after suffering a hip injury in a fall against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 6. In Atlanta, Irving scored 22 of his 32 points in the second half to lead the Dallas Mavericks over the host Hawks 129-119. Jaden Hardy added 23 points while Naji Marshall and Spencer Dinwiddie each added 22 for the Mavs. Jalen Johnson scored 28 for Atlanta, who have lost three in a row. Thunder alone atop West Oklahoma City Thunder grabbed sole possession of the Western Conference lead at 13-4 after their 130-109 victory at the Sacramento Kings and Golden State’s 128-120 home defeat to the Brooklyn Nets. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 37 points and 11 assists and Jalen Williams scored 28 points for the Thunder, who were coming off a four-day break, while DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 30 points. At San Francisco, Brooklyn’s Dennis Schroder scored 31 points and Cam Thomas had 23. Stephen Curry top scored with 28 for the Warriors, who fell to 12-5 and host the Thunder on Wednesday. Detroit’s Jaden Ivey scored the last of his team-high 25 points on a floater at the final buzzer to give the Pistons a 102-100 victory over visiting Toronto. OG Anunoby scored 40 points to lead New York’s 145-118 rout at Denver. Karl-Anthony Towns added 30 points and 15 rebounds while Jalen Brunson had 23 points and 17 assists for the Knicks. Russell Westbrook led the Nuggets with 27 points off the bench. Tyrese Haliburton scored 34 points and passed off 13 assists to lead the host Indiana Pacers over New Orleans 114-110. Germany’s Franz Wagner scored 21 points to lead the Orlando Magic to a 95-84 victory at Charlotte despite LaMelo Ball’s game-high 44 points for the Hornets. — AFPAgnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. stock falls Monday, underperforms market