Taylor Swift , Kate Beckinsale and more of Hollywood’s biggest stars have one serious obsession with their furry feline friends. The “Lover” singer has never been shy about her love for pets Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson , named for some of her favorite fictional characters. The Nashville native adopted her third cat, Benjamin Button, on the set of a music video in 2019 . While speaking with TIME in April 2019, the Grammy winner admitted that the “most influential factor” in her life is her cuddly kittens. “I have cats. I’m obsessed with them,” she said at the time. “They’re just a real joy to live with.” Despite their past “Bad Blood,” Swift’s obsession with kittens is one thing she has in common with fellow cat lover Katy Perry . The “I Kissed a Girl” singer confirmed in April 2022 that her darling pet Kitty Purry had passed away . You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News “Kitty Purry crawled through my then-boyfriend’s window 15 years ago, fully pregnant and seeking shelter,” Perry wrote via Instagram at the time. “Kitty, thanks for the cuddles and companionship along the way.” Scroll down to see more celebs who go crazy for their kittens: Credit: Courtesy of Lupita Nyong'o/Instagram Celebrities Who Are Obsessed With Their Cats: Taylor Swift, Kate Beckinsale and More Taylor Swift , Kate Beckinsale and more of Hollywood's biggest stars have one serious obsession with their furry feline friends.The “Lover” singer has never been shy about her love for pets Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson , named for some of her favorite fictional characters. The Nashville native adopted her third cat, Benjamin Button, on the set of a music video in 2019 .While speaking with TIME in April 2019, the Grammy winner admitted that the "most influential factor" in her life is her cuddly kittens. "I have cats. I'm obsessed with them," she said at the time. "They're just a real joy to live with.”Despite their past "Bad Blood," Swift's obsession with kittens is one thing she has in common with fellow cat lover Katy Perry . The "I Kissed a Girl" singer confirmed in April 2022 that her darling pet Kitty Purry had passed away ."Kitty Purry crawled through my then-boyfriend’s window 15 years ago, fully pregnant and seeking shelter," Perry wrote via Instagram at the time. "Kitty, thanks for the cuddles and companionship along the way.”Scroll down to see more celebs who go crazy for their kittens: Credit: Courtesy of Lupita Nyong'o/Instagram Lupita Nyong'o As 2024 came to a close, Nyong’o shared her “year in review” of becoming a full-fledged cat mom to her orange feline companion, Yoyo, who she adopted from Best Friends Adoption Center in 2023. The Black Panther actress shared a sweet video via Instagram in December 2024 featuring a slideshow of images and clips of her and Yoyo living it up together. Among the snaps included a professional photoshoot for Glamour as well as personal photos of the actress and her fur baby. “YOYO’S YEAR IN REVIEW 😹,” Nyong’o captioned her video. “Looking back at my first full year as a full-on Cat Mom. Please join me in giving it up for the best cat a girl could have on this final #Caturday of 2024 😻 I adore you, little guy!! 🐈.” She went on to note all of YoYo’s adventures in 2024, which included traveling to New York City where he “luxuriated in his hotel room.” Per his mom, YoYo also “spent alone time in cozy hiding places,” “took a hike and was so LA,” “made his @glamourmag debut,” “partied for his birthday,” “survived the #quietplacechallenge,” and “kindly declined going out with me and stayed home with zero FOMO.” Credit: Courtesy of Danielle Ruhl/Instagram Danielle Ruhl “I guess I am officially a crazy cat lady now. Find someone who looks @ u the way Whiz does,” the Love Is Blind season 2 alum captioned an October 2022 Instagram snap with her feline companion. Credit: Courtesy of Hilaria Baldwin/Instagram Hilaria Baldwin “Meet Camila Valenciana Azul. Kids named her obvs 🤣,” the yoga instructor — who is married to actor Alec Baldwin — wrote via Instagram in June 2022, sharing footage with her new feline companion. “We love her so...and the bigger kittens are getting there. She’s a charcoal bengal and siblings with our other two...Emilio is a brown, Cayetana is a snow...got pretty much the whole bengal rainbow now😹. I’m truly a cat lady🐱🐱🐱.” Credit: Courtesy of Britney Spears/Instagram; Matt Baron/Shutterstock (Inset) Britney Spears “Introducing Wendy 🐈 !!! It’s MEOW time boys and girls 😬 And yes, this is the veil to my wedding dress 👰🏼♀️,” Spears gushed via Instagram in May 2022. Credit: Courtesy of Dove Cameron/Instagram Dove Cameron The Disney Channel alum cuddled up to a black feline in a March 2022 Instagram Story video. Credit: YouTube Machine Gun Kelly The “Bloody Valentine” performer, who shares a Bengal cat with fiancée Megan Fox, was surrounded by felines in his “Makeup Sex” music video, which dropped in March 2022. Credit: Courtesy of Khloe Kardashian/Instagram (2); Shutterstock (Inset) Khloe Kardashian The Strong Looks Better Naked author cooed over her cat Grey Kitty via Instagram Story in January 2022. In her post, she noted that the kitten is “now besties” with her pet fish, Nemo. Credit: Courtesy of Jennifer Lopez/Instagram; Stewart Cook/Shutterstock (Inset) Jennifer Lopez “Introducing ... #Hendrix!!!! 🐈⬛ 🎄,” the Hustlers actress captioned an Instagram video of her new pet lounging beside her holiday decorations in December 2021. Credit: Courtesy of Mark Ruffalo/Instagram Mark Ruffalo On National Cat Day, the Avengers star showed his appreciation for his felines with a gallery of photos. “Cats for days, all ways,” he captioned the purr-fect snapshots he shared in October 2021. Credit: Courtesy of Elisabeth Moss/Instagram Elisabeth Moss "Watch Ethel and I on @fallontonight to see me catch up with my friend the always funny and so lovely @jimmyfallon!! and see an exclusive clip from the first episode I directed for the new season of The Handmaids Tale 😻," the actress captioned a photo of her and her furry friend via Instagram in April 2021. Credit: Courtesy of Jonathan Van Ness/Instagram (2) Jonathan Van Ness After the Queer Eye personality mourned the loss of beloved pet Bug in 2019, he adopted two "new additions" to his feline family, introducing them via Instagram while wearing a "Kitten Lady" sweatshirt. Credit: Broadimage/Shutterstock; Courtesy of Kate Beckinsale/Instagram Kate Beckinsale The Van Helsing star's grumpy feline friends, Clive and Willow, have stolen the show in countless social media posts — especially during the coronavirus pandemic in the spring of 2020. Credit: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock; Courtesy of Martha Stewart/Instagram Martha Stewart "Princess peony and empress tang are going stir crazy," the lifestyle guru wrote via Instagram in April 2020 as her furry friends adjusted to their crowded coronavirus quarantine house. "There are people all over the place, namely me and Ryan, who usually are not here all the time . I am being followed .Cajoled .Bothered. Meowed at. Swatted at!! Oh my ! All I can say is sorry." Credit: Katy Perry/Instagram Katy Perry "Heaven is a place on earth,” the "Roar" singer captioned an Instagram post in 2014. Six years later, she mourned the loss of her beloved pet, Kitty Purry. “Sadly, Kitty completed her 9th life last night," Perry wrote in April 2020. "I hope she rests in salmon fillets and tuna tartare way up in catnip heaven. Kitty, thanks for the cuddles and companionship along the way. Big thanks to my brother David and @garethwalters for being great co-parents 💔 #kittypurryforever." Credit: Courtesy of Kat Dennings/Instagram Kat Dennings Dennings has a whole lot of love for her own cat, Millie, and worked hard to flip the "cat lady" stereotype on its head in Hulu's Dollface — even if she possesses some of those characteristics herself. "I am the person who just does not want to go out," she told Nylon in November 2019. "I just want to stay home and like, play with my cat." Credit: Courtesy Isla Fischer/Instagram Isla Fischer The Tag actress shared this shot of her tabby cat in August 2018, one day after National Dog Day, remarking that cats "deserve” their own day because they "were worshipped in Ancient Egypt" and "cleaner than dogs." Credit: Courtesy of Alison Brie/Instagram Alison Brie The Community alum's husband, Dave Franco , was relieved to discover that Brie was as much of a cat lover as he was before they tied the knot in March 2017. “She was really the only option [for marriage],” the 21 Jump Street actor teased during a September 2017 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon . Credit: Courtesy of Ricky Gervais/Instagram Ricky Gervais The British comedian and animal rights activist loves to share snaps of his cat, Ollie, on social media. "Have a great day," he captioned this silly selfie of the duo on Instagram in March 2017. Credit: Ian Somerhalder/Instagram Ian Somerhalder The actor has a charity, the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, that, among other causes, helps rescue animals. His feline is named Moke. Credit: Miley Cyrus/Instagram Miley Cyrus Can't be tamed! Cyrus has loads of pets including multiple cats and dogs, fish and even a pig. Credit: Lea Michele/Instagram Lea Michele Michele has called her kitty Sheila, who she found while filming Glee , "the love of my life." Credit: Russell Brand/Instagram Russell Brand The actor has two cats, Morrissey and Jericho. "Cat nip induced genie," he captioned this sweet Instagram snapshot. Credit: Ellie Goulding/Instagram Ellie Goulding Starry eyed! The singer posed with a precious ball of fuzz for this adorable Instagram shot. Credit: Lewis Jacobs/NBC CeeLo Green The "Crazy" singer's Persian cat, which often accompanied him to the set of The Voice while he was a coach on the NBC sing-off, is named Purrfect. Credit: Debby Ryan/Instagram Debby Ryan Ryan, who often takes to Instagram to promote cat adoption, wrote in July 2016: "Celebrate every love that makes you safe and better." Credit: Bella Thorne/Instagram Bella Thorne Thorne says her cats, Louis and Lola, can sense when she's upset. “If I’m, like, crying or something, they’ll come up to me and they’ll just, like, snuggle me cause they know I’m having a bad day,” The Babysitter star told Us in March 2016 . “That makes me feel so much better because, you know, then for a second I’m just thinking about them and what they want and not me and what I’m going through.” Credit: Kesha/Instagram Kesha "My babies haven't left my side," the singer shared on Instagram in 2016. "Animals literally make EVERYTHING better." Credit: Courtesy of Jason Mraz/Instagram Jason Mraz The "I'm Yours" crooner admitted he was grateful for "family, fruit trees, and fur friends" during the 2015 holiday season. Credit: Mayim Bialik/Instagram Mayim Bialik "I’m a huge cat lover," the Big Bang Theory star told Parade in 2015. "I read books on cats. I spend time with my cats. I post a lot on social media about my cats." Credit: Peyton Clark/Instagram Peyton Clark "Don't be mad 'cause we doin' us better than you doin' you," the actor captioned this post in 2015. Credit: Carlos Pena/Instagram Carlos PenaVega The Grease Live! star tagged this 2015 shot "#Catmodeling." Credit: Macklemore/Instagram Macklemore In January 2015 the rapper shared a photo of his tabby named Cairo, who is an Instagram star! Credit: Norman Reedus/Instagram Norman Reedus "My best friend is my cat," the Walking Dead star told Us in 2014. Case in point: He carries his furball with him on flights! Credit: Ed Sheeran/Instagram Ed Sheeran "So basically this one month old kitten was gonna get put down," the "Shape of You" singer tweeted in 2014. "So I adopted him and called him Graham. Just bought Graham a bed and snacks." Credit: Taylor Swift/Instagram Taylor Swift The singer documents the lives of her two adorable furballs, Doctor Meredith Grey (named after the Grey's Anatomy lead character, played by Ellen Pompeo ) and Detective Olivia Benson (named after Mariska Hargitay 's character on Law & Order: SVU ), on her Instagram. On the Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2014, Swift revealed that she nicknamed Olivia, the younger of her two felines, Dibbles. "It suits her personality more," she explained. "She's like a scrappy little cat." In order to view the gallery, please allow Manage Cookies For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump used his image as a successful New York businessman to become a celebrity, a reality television star and eventually the president. Now he will get to revel in one of the most visible symbols of success in the city when he rings the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday as he's also named Time Magazine's Person of the Year. Trump is expected to be on Wall Street to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, according to four people with knowledge of his plans. He will also be announced Thursday as Time's 2024 Person of the Year , according to a person familiar with the selection. The people who confirmed the stock exchange appearance and Time award were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. It will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who at times has treated the stock market as a measure of public approval and has long-prized signifiers of his success in New York's business world and his appearances on the covers of magazines — especially Time. Trump was named the magazine's Person of the Year in 2016, when he was first elected to the White House. He had already been listed as a finalist for this year's award alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, X owner Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kate, the Princess of Wales. Time declined to confirm the selection ahead of Thursday morning's announcement. “Time does not comment on its annual choice for Person of the Year prior to publication,” a spokesperson for the magazine said Wednesday. The ringing of the bell is a powerful symbol of U.S. capitalism — and a good New York photo opportunity at that. Despite his decades as a New York businessman, Trump has never done it before. It was unclear whether Trump, a Republican, would meet with New York's embattled mayor, Democrat Eric Adams , who has warmed to Trump and has not ruled out changing his political party. Adams has been charged with federal corruption crimes and accused of selling influence to foreign nationals; he has denied wrongdoing. Trump himself was once a symbol of New York, but he gave up living full-time in his namesake Trump Tower in Manhattan and moved to Florida after leaving the White House. CNN first reported Wednesday Trump’s visit to the stock exchange and Politico reported that Trump was expected to be unveiled as Time's Person of the Year. The stock exchange regularly invites celebrities and business leaders to participate in the ceremonial opening and closing of trading. During Trump’s first term, his wife, Melania Trump, rang the bell to promote her “Be Best” initiative on children’s well-being. Last year, Time CEO Jessica Sibley rang the opening bell to unveil the magazine's 2023 Person of the Year: Taylor Swift . After the Nov. 5 election, the S&P 500 rallied 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,508 points, or 3.6%, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 3%. All three indexes topped records they had set in recent weeks. The U.S. stock market has historically tended to rise regardless of which party wins the White House, with Democrats scoring bigger average gains since 1945. But Republican control could mean big shifts in the winning and losing industries underneath the surface, and investors are adding to bets built earlier on what the higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation that Trump favors will mean. Trump has long courted the business community based on his own status as a wealthy real estate developer who gained additional fame as the star of the TV show “The Apprentice” in which competitors tried to impress him with their business skills. He won the election in part by tapping into Americans' deep anxieties about an economy that seemed unable to meet the needs of the middle class. The larger business community has applauded his promises to reduce corporate taxes and cut regulations. But there are also concerns about his stated plans to impose broad tariffs and possibly target companies that he sees as not aligning with his own political interests. Trump spends the bulk of his time at his Florida home but was in New York for weeks this spring during his hush money trial there. He was convicted, but his lawyers are pushing for the case to be thrown out in light of his election. While he spent hours in a Manhattan courthouse every day during his criminal trial, Trump took his presidential campaign to the streets of the heavily Democratic city, holding a rally in the Bronx and popping up at settings for working-class New Yorkers: a bodega, a construction site and a firehouse. Trump returned to the city in September to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Manhattan tower and again in the final stretch of the presidential campaign when he held a rally at Madison Square Garden that drew immediate blowback as speakers made rude and racist insults and incendiary remarks . At the stock exchange, the ringing of the bell has been a tradition since the 1800s. The first guest to do it was a 10-year-old boy named Leonard Ross, in 1956, who won a quiz show answering questions about the stock market. Many times, companies listing on the exchange would ring the bell at 9:30 a.m. to commemorate their initial offerings as trading began. But the appearances have become an important marker of culture and politics -- something that Trump hopes to seize as he’s promised historic levels of economic growth. The anti-apartheid advocate and South African President Nelson Mandela rang the bell, as has Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone with his castmates from the film “The Expendables.” So, too, have the actors Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner for an “Avengers” movie and the Olympians Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin. In 1985, Ronald Reagan became the first sitting U.S. president to ring the bell. “With tax reform and budget control, our economy will be free to expand to its full potential, driving the bears back into permanent hibernation,” Reagan said at the time. “We’re going to turn the bull loose.” The crowd of traders on the floor chanted, “Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie!” The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed in 1985 and 1986, but it suffered a decline in October 1987 in an event known as “Black Monday.” Long reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.
At the forefront of this groundbreaking development is Dr. LuKa, a renowned expert in the field of education technology and the driving force behind the development of the CloudSky EduPro. With a background in artificial intelligence and machine learning, Dr. LuKa has dedicated his career to exploring the potential of big models in education, believing that they hold the key to unlocking a new era of personalized and effective learning methodologies.2. Legal Issues: Wang Sicong's past legal troubles, including the market manipulation fine, indicate a disregard for legal compliance, which could expose his company to further legal risks in the future.
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However, the footballing world was sent into a frenzy when it was announced that Messi, now 32 years old, was eager to part ways with Barcelona and explore new horizons as a free agent. The prospect of seeing Messi don a different jersey after two decades in the blaugrana colors seemed unfathomable, yet here we are, faced with the tantalizing possibility of witnessing the iconic forward ply his trade elsewhere.Trump, Biden react to death of former President Jimmy Carter
The cathartic process of clearing out one's study materials, notes, and clutter after exams are over. The post-exam purge is a symbolic way for students to mentally and emotionally transition from the intensity of finals week to the freedom of the semester break. It may involve throwing away old papers, organizing study materials, or simply taking a well-deserved break.TRYNGOLZATM (olezarsen) approved in U.S. as first-ever treatment for adults living with familial chylomicronemia syndrome as an adjunct to dietThe recurrence of this hoax highlights the pervasive issue of misinformation spread through social media and the internet. In today's digital age, false information can quickly gain traction and mislead a large number of people. It is crucial for individuals to critically evaluate the credibility of the sources they encounter online and fact-check information before sharing it with others.
DALLAS (AP) — Kevin Miller had 24 points in SMU's 98-82 victory over Longwood on Sunday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * DALLAS (AP) — Kevin Miller had 24 points in SMU's 98-82 victory over Longwood on Sunday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? DALLAS (AP) — Kevin Miller had 24 points in SMU’s 98-82 victory over Longwood on Sunday. Miller also added five rebounds and seven assists for the Mustangs (11-2). Yohan Traore added 20 points while going 7 of 10 from the floor, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the free-throw line while and grabbed 11 rebounds. Matt Cross shot 6 for 10 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line to finish with 19 points. The Mustangs prolonged their winning streak to seven games. The Lancers (11-4) were led in scoring by Elijah Tucker, who finished with 20 points and six rebounds. Longwood also got 19 points and 11 assists from Colby Garland. Emanuel Richards had 12 points. SMU took the lead as time expired in the first half on a jumper by Chuck Harris and did not give it up. Traore led their team in scoring with 15 points in the first half to help put them up 45-43 at the break. SMU pulled away with an 18-2 run in the second half to extend a nine-point lead to 25 points. They outscored Longwood by 14 points in the final half, as Miller led the way with a team-high 13 second-half points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. AdvertisementSalah's goal was a testament to his clinical finishing skills and his ability to create opportunities out of seemingly nothing. His speed and agility on the ball made him a constant threat to Girona's defense, and it was no surprise when he found the back of the net with a precise shot that left the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.
Come 2025, Kinshasa must act in good faith for peace to return
In recent years, a new trend has emerged in the world of consumerism - the rise of the cute economy. Young people have played a significant role in driving this trend, embracing and promoting everything sweet, charming, and irresistible. From adorable plush toys to cute stationery, and even cute-themed cafes and restaurants, the appeal of all things cute has taken the market by storm.Spending squeeze ‘could cost more than 10,000 Civil Service jobs’
In conclusion, the symposium with non-Communist Party members on economic work marks an important step towards harnessing diverse perspectives and expertise in shaping China's economic policies. By fostering dialogue and collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, the Chinese leadership is demonstrating its commitment to inclusive governance and sustainable development. This inclusive approach will be crucial in guiding China's economic growth and ensuring that the benefits are shared by all members of society.Last week, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot to death on a New York City sidewalk in what was clearly a thoroughly planned-out attack. Over the next few days, as authorities hunted for the killer, online progressives did not try hard to hide their delight that a millionaire health insurance executive like Thompson was killed. Social media was flooded with posts and videos—with different ranges of subtlety—suggesting that Thompson, at the very least, did not deserve to be mourned because of all the health care his company has denied to poor and working people. Progressives framed the shooting as an act of self-defense on behalf of the working class. Before the alleged killer was caught Monday, they promised not to snitch if they saw the shooter themselves and fantasized about a working-class jury nullifying all charges, leading to other CEOs getting gunned down with impunity if they oversaw price increases. The narrative that these online progressives clearly subscribe to and perpetuate is one where, in the United States, healthcare is a totally unfettered, unregulated industry; where—because of a total lack of government involvement—wealthy CEOs charge whatever prices they want and then refuse to provide customers what they already paid for without facing any bad consequences. The characterization of healthcare and health insurance companies charging absurdly high prices while treating their customers terribly without the risk of losing them is spot on. But the idea that what caused this was a lack of government involvement in the healthcare system is completely delusional. And this delusion conveniently removes all the responsibility progressives bear for the nightmare that is the US healthcare system. Today, healthcare is one of the most heavily government-regulated industries in the economy—right up there with the finance and energy sectors. Government agencies are involved in all parts of the process, from the research and production of drugs, the training and licensing of medical professionals, and the building of hospitals to the availability of health insurance, the makeup of insurance plans, and the complicated payment processes. And that is nothing new. The US government has been intervening heavily in the healthcare industry for over a century. And no group has done more to bring this about than the progressives. It really began, after all, during the Progressive Era, when the American Medical Association maneuvered its way into setting the official accreditation standards for the nation’s “unregulated” medical schools. The AMA wrote standards that excluded the medical approaches of their competitors, which forced half of the nation’s medical schools to close. The new shortage of trained doctors drove up the price of medical services—to the delight of the AMA and other government-recognized doctor’s groups—setting the familiar healthcare affordability crisis in motion. Around the same time, progressives successfully pushed for strict restrictions on the production of drugs and, shortly afterward, to grant drug producers monopoly privileges. After WWII, as healthcare grew more expensive, the government used the tax code to warp how Americans paid for healthcare. Under President Truman, the IRS made employer-provided health insurance tax deductible while continuing to tax other means of payment. It didn’t take long for employer plans to become the dominant arrangement and for health insurance to morph away from actual insurance into a general third-party payment system. These government interventions restricting the supply of medical care and privileging insurance over other payment methods created a real affordability problem for many Americans. But the crisis didn’t really start until the 1960s when Congress passed two of the progressive’s favorite government programs—Medicare and Medicaid. Initially, industry groups like the AMA opposed Medicare and Medicaid because they believed the government subsidies would deteriorate the quality of care. They were right about that, but what they clearly didn’t anticipate was how rich the programs would make them. Anyone who’s taken even a single introductory economics class could tell you that prices will rise if supply decreases or demand increases. The government was already keeping the supply of medical services artificially low—leading to artificially high prices. Medicare and Medicaid left those shortages in place and poured a ton of tax dollars into the healthcare sector—significantly increasing demand. The result was an easily predictable explosion in the cost of healthcare. Fewer and fewer people could afford healthcare at these rising prices, meaning more people required government assistance, which meant more demand, causing prices to grow faster and faster. Meanwhile, private health “insurance” providers were also benefiting from the mounting crisis. In a free market, insurance serves as a means to trade risk. Insurance works well for accidents and calamities that are hard to predict individually but relatively easy to predict in bulk, like car accidents, house fires, and unexpected family deaths. Health insurance providers were already being subsidized by all the taxes on competing means of payment, which allowed their plans to grow beyond the typical bounds of insurance and begin to cover easily-predictable occurrences like annual physicals. And, as the price of all of these services continued to shoot up, the costs of these routine procedures were becoming high enough to resemble the costs of emergencies—making consumers even more reliant on insurance. With progressives cheering on, the political class used government intervention to create a healthcare system that behaves as if its sole purpose is to move as much money as possible into the pockets of healthcare providers, drug companies, hospitals, health-related federal agencies, and insurance providers. But the party could not last forever. As the price of healthcare rose, the price of health insurance rose, too. Eventually, when insurance premiums grew too high, fewer employers or individual buyers were willing to buy insurance, and the flow of money into the healthcare system started to falter. The data suggests that that tipping point was reached in the early 2000s. For the first time since the cycle began back in the 1960s, the number of people with health insurance began to fall each year. Healthcare providers—who had seemingly assumed that the flow of money would never stop increasing—began to panic. Then came Barack Obama. Obama’s seminal legislative accomplishment—the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare—can best be understood as a ploy by healthcare providers and the government to keep the party going. Obamacare required all fifty million uninsured Americans to obtain insurance, and it greatly expanded what these “insurance” companies covered. Demand for healthcare shot back up, and the vicious cycle started back up again—which is why the bill enjoyed so much support from big corporations all across the healthcare industry. Before it was passed, economists were practically screaming that the Affordable Care Act would make care less affordable by raising premiums and healthcare prices while making shortages worse. Progressives dismissed such concerns as Reagan-era “free market fundamentalist” propaganda. But that is exactly what happened . Now, the affordability crisis is worse than ever as prices reach historic levels. And, because Obamacare brought American healthcare much closer to a single-payer system, the demand for healthcare far exceeds the supply of healthcare—leading to deadly shortages. There are literally not enough resources or available medical professionals to treat everyone who can pay for care. Also, the tax code and warped “insurance” market protect these providers from competition—making it almost impossible for people to switch to a different provider after their claims are unfairly denied. If it were simply greed, denying customers who already paid would be a feature in all industries. But it’s not. It requires the kind of policy protections progressives helped implement. And on top of all that, despite paying all this money, Americans are quickly becoming one of the sickest populations on Earth. This is one of the most pressing problems facing the country. A problem that requires immediate, radical change to solve. But it also requires an accurate and precise diagnosis—something that, this week, progressives demonstrated they are incapable of making. Related Articles Commentary | John Stossel: Your tax dollars not at work Commentary | After so many years of failure, time’s up for California Democrats Commentary | Vince Fong: We don’t need Newsom to lecture us. We need him to listen to us. Commentary | Deregulation rather than fossil fuel controls needed to fix California insurance market Commentary | The FBI has been political from the start The American progressive movement is responsible for providing the political class the intellectual cover they needed to break the healthcare market and transform the entire system into a means to transfer wealth to people like Brian Thompson. Now, they want to sit back, pretend like they’ve never gotten their way, that the government has never done anything with the healthcare market, and that these healthcare executives just popped up and started doing this all on their own—all so they can celebrate him being gunned down in the street. It’s disgusting. Brian Thompson acted exactly like every economically literate person over the last fifty years has said health insurance CEOs would act if progressives got their way. If we’re ever going to see the end of this century-long nightmare, we need to start listening to the people who have gotten it right, not those who pretend they are blameless as they fantasize online about others starting a violent revolution. Connor O’Keeffe ( @ConnorMOKeeffe ) produces media and content at the Mises Institute. This commentary is republished with permission from the Mises Institute.
MUMBAI: Commuter associations and passengers have cautioned the Western Railway against succumbing to political pressure and altering train schedules and reducing the number of air-conditioned (AC) trains plying on the suburban route. On Thursday, a meeting between Western Railway (WR) authorities and the Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC) - a body appointed by the Indian Railways representing train commuters - discussed this issue, among other things. On December 3, the Shiv Sena (UBT) had organised a protest at Bhayander station, where they opposed the replacing of the 8.24 am Churchgate-bound non-AC local with an AC local. They claimed that AC services were not being adequately patronised. Following the protest, last week, the WR revised its train schedule and increased the number of coaches, from 12 to 15, for two non-AC services starting from Bhayander. The revision was in response to demands made by the Sena (UBT) to withdraw suburban AC services during morning peak hours. Opposing this decision, DRUCC members at Thursday’s meeting urged the railway not to curtail the services of AC local trains, especially those connecting Bhayander and Virar with Churchgate, sources said. “There is ample demand for AC trains, which operate at full capacity. There is no space to board Churchgate-bound trains from Borivali during morning peak hours and vice versa during evening rush hour. We demanded that the new AC train that has come to the Central Railway and is lying unused be shifted to WR,” said Rajiv Singhal, member, DRUCC. “I have appealed to local railway officials and the ministry of railways not to succumb to political pressure”. In November, the Central Railway, after more than two years, received an AC local train with advanced technology that creates more room for passengers. Sources in the WR who were present at the meeting said they have asked the Railway Board if this train could be transferred from the CR to the WR. Currently, WR has nine local AC trains and operates 109 trips daily. These AC locals carry over 4% of the passengers on the railway and account for 23% of the railway’s revenue. The average daily number of commuters using AC locals on the WR is around 125,000, of the total 2.9 million commuters travelling on the 120-km-long Churchgate–Dahanu route. The Central Railway operates six AC locals, with five of them in service operating 66 services. When inducted, the seventh new AC train will be used when other trains are under maintenance. “There is no proposal to send our AC rake to the WR and it will be used for our services after fitment. This new rake will be needed to avoid cancellation of AC trains on Saturdays and Sundays,” said a CR official.Greenland is a “linchpin for U.S. national security and the future of the free world,” according to leading expert Dr. Walter Berbrick, the founding director of the Arctic Studies Group at the U.S. Naval War College, who noted the pivotal country’s geostrategic and economic significance as well as its critical role in defense and the global order, which is “essential to counter authoritarian influence” and safeguard U.S. and allied interests, as he urged strengthened partnerships. In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, Dr. Berbrick, the former senior adviser to the 77th Secretary of the Navy and the Special Representative for the Arctic Region at the State Department, highlighted the island’s unparalleled value to U.S. national security, economic resilience, and global stability, noting that Greenland’s significance as a hub for defense and economic activity will only grow. “Greenland is a linchpin for U.S. national security and the future of the free world,” he stated. “Its geographic position provides unparalleled strategic access to the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans — enabling the United States to monitor and deter threats against North America and NATO allies.” Arctic Defense and Resources Beyond its strategic location, Dr. Berbrick noted, Greenland offers vast reserves of rare earth elements, critical to advanced technology and military systems. “Economically, Greenland holds vast reserves of rare earth minerals essential for U.S. technological leadership and military readiness,” he explained. He also warned about the risks of allowing authoritarian powers like China and Russia to dominate Greenland’s resources and influence. “If China gains undue influence in Greenland, it risks compromising the stability of the Arctic, endangering U.S. interests, and weakening the rules-based international order,” he warned. Highlighting Greenland’s “irreplaceable” role in missile warning systems, Arctic operations, and securing freedom of navigation as new sea routes emerge, Dr. Berbrick called strengthening partnerships with Greenland and Denmark “essential to counter authoritarian influence and protect the economic and security interests of the United States and its allies for generations to come.” Strengthening Partnerships He recommended that the incoming Trump administration deepen ties with Greenland and Denmark through a defense and security compact modeled on agreements with Pacific Island nations. Such a compact, he explained, would deliver tangible benefits. For Greenland, he explained, it would offer investments in modern infrastructure, access to education, and sustainable development while safeguarding cultural and environmental integrity. For the United States, he clarified, it would provide critical Arctic access, bolstered defense infrastructure, and strengthened collaboration with allies “in a region that is rapidly becoming a focal point of global competition.” “A defense and security compact between the United States, Greenland, and Denmark... would protect Greenland from economic and political exploitation while ensuring the people of Greenland have control over their own future,” he emphasized. Policy Recommendations To enhance its Arctic presence, Dr. Berbrick suggested several actionable steps for U.S. policymakers: Trilateral Arctic Framework : Establish a formal cooperative agreement with Greenland and Denmark to address shared defense and economic priorities. Infrastructure Investments : Develop modernized ports, airports, and renewable energy projects in Greenland to foster sustainable growth and integration with global markets. Responsible Resource Partnerships : Support “environmentally sound” extraction of Greenland’s rare earth elements to benefit local communities and secure U.S. supply chains. Educational and Cultural Exchanges : Strengthen long-term ties between U.S. and Greenlandic communities through exchange programs and scientific collaboration. The matter comes as Greenland’s strategic importance has shifted into sharp focus amid evolving Arctic dynamics and growing international interest. On Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump wrote that, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.” An autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland occupies a unique and strategic position in the Arctic. The U.S. has long recognized Greenland’s strategic importance, a focus heightened in recent years by increasing global competition in the Arctic from China and Russia. Dr. Berbrick’s insights underscore the need for forward-thinking partnerships that align Greenland’s aspirations with U.S. and allied interests, ensuring Arctic stability and security for generations to come. Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein .
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves delayed their game against the San Antonio Spurs by one hour on Sunday night due to an issue with the court at Target Center. The Timberwolves announced the decision about three hours before the originally scheduled tipoff time. The Spurs discovered the problem during their morning shootaround, Timberwolves spokesman Patrick Rees said. The team decided to delay the game so arena staff had enough time to install the replacement court that had to be delivered from elsewhere. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.The decision not to join Barcelona was undoubtedly a tough one for Neymar, as he had previously expressed his desire to return to the club where he enjoyed success and formed close relationships with his teammates. However, the pragmatic approach of prioritizing his career and ensuring his ability to compete at the highest level ultimately led Neymar to stay at PSG.