France’s shortest-lived government has fallen in a vote of no confidence triggered by a dispute over now-departing prime minister Michel Barnier’s budget. The vote was led by the leftwing populists La France Insoumise and was supported by vote from the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) in an act that Barnier called a “conjunction of opposites.” As Barnier warned, the situation is grave: France faces a difficult financial reality, and government instability and institutional paralysis will only exacerbate the problem. As President Emmanuel Macron moves to replace Barnier, everyone involved, from government to opposition, should consider how they arrived at this situation. It was the persistence of the competitive and majoritarian instincts of France’s politicians that engendered this crisis. They should now accept that only a change in this kind of culture will help France out of its predicament. These instincts were evident from the moment Macron dissolved the National Assembly and called in June, following his party’s poor showing at the European Parliament elections. Anticipating that the RN might win an outright majority in the National Assembly, based on its results in the first round of elections (where it secured 32% of the vote), rival parties devised a joint strategy to stop it. They created a “republican front” that brought together parliamentarians from the far left, the centrists that make up Macron’s base and the centre right. Parties in the alliance entered an between the first and second rounds of voting, withdrawing their candidates where it would enable another to prevent the RN from winning the seat. It was this tactic that meant that, after years of steady growth in support, the RN narrowly missed being in office for the first time. It also deprived France of a majority and created three political clusters in the parliament of roughly equal size, each one incapable of governing alone. But while Macron’s group was content to partner with the others to keep the RN out of power, these noble sentiments evaporated when it came to governing. The economic ideology of each party was too different for them to find common ground. The centrists instead formed a minority government, a maneuver made possible by Macron’s centrists pleading with the RN to abstain during the government’s vote of investiture to ease its path. Brinkmanship While the RN enjoyed its new role as kingmaker, it didn’t hesitate to maintain its own competitive instincts when dealing with the ratification of the government’s budget – the cause of the current crisis. The budget Barnier presented to the parliament was tough: ($63.5 billion) needed to be found to correct a yawning deficit and to tackle a colossal public debt. To the government’s credit, it tried to spread the pain evenly (though not equally) across the board through a mix of tax increases and spending cuts. To pass the budget, a compromise would have to be forged between the government and the RN. But here again, a strict majoritarian logic was at play. The RN felt it wasn’t being listened to, and accused the government of being closed to dialogue. In that respect, the RN was correct. Barnier himself claimed to be willing to listen but not to negotiate. Knowing it was the key to ratifying the budget, the RN drew its red lines and issued its demands, focusing on the measures that would be most immediately felt by voters. It wanted to suspend the re-introduction of taxes on electricity and do a U-turn on proposed cuts to reimbursements for medical prescriptions. It also called for an immediate indexation of pension payments. The government conceded, first over the electricity prices, then over , until Barnier finally decided that was enough. The government could not go further without derailing its plans to restructure public spending, and without losing face to blackmail. And this is essentially what the whole exchange was about. The RN’s demands were also an act of retribution against the centrists and a reminder of its past threats to bring the government down. Barnier is a seasoned politician with an acute sense of the game to which he was being subjected. So rather than put the budget to a vote in the National Assembly, he chose to make the vote one about the “responsibility of the government.” To do so, he cited a that allows the government to pass a law without a parliamentary vote. He did this knowing that the opposition parties’ only option to stop him would be to call a vote of confidence and bring down the government. Such a motion was brought forward by the leftwing New Popular Front group and supported by the RN. Why would Barnier imperil the survival of the government in this way? It was a continuous display of the competitive and majoritarian logic, to put the ball back in the RN’s court and force it to confront the risks that its own behavior carries. What happens next? The RN now has to navigate the unchartered waters into which it has pushed the country. The government has fallen, but fresh elections can’t take place until July. A technocratic caretaker government will take over in the meantime, leading to paralysis in the French political system. But this paralysis has rattled credit markets and increased the price of borrowing for the French government. This is a problem for the government but it is also a problem for the RN if the electorate perceives it to be responsible. Many of the RN’s core supporters have an anti-system attitude. They oppose the government and always will because it is part of an establishment. But the RN will never win office, and certainly not the presidency, by relying solely on this core base. It needs support from moderate centre-right voters, including those with economically liberal inclinations, who prize economic stability above all. Alienating them is not an option. As Barnier had intended, the budget dispute has highlighted these internal tensions and harmed the RN’s prospects. The RN’s most likely tactic in response is to try to shift the blame back onto the government in the hope that Macron can do nothing else but resign. Marine Le Pen is waiting in the wings.Syrian government services come to ‘complete halt’ as workers stay at homeNoneThe outcome of the 2024 election has resulted in no shortage of Democratic finger-pointing. While the postmortem and soul-searching are necessary, the tone and tenor of the blame game have begun to morph into something more insidious. In the last weeks we have seen an increasing demand for the Democratic Party to abandon its association with political issues reflecting the “identity” of marginalized or vulnerable communities. While few constituencies have been spared recrimination, some of the most cynical and pernicious scapegoating has been reserved for the transgender community. This is deeply troubling because trans people are particularly vulnerable; with an estimated population of 1.6 million people nationwide, they are barely half of 1% of the U.S. adult population. Transgender people face a disproportionate amount of discrimination. In the last year, more than 500 anti-trans laws were introduced in state legislatures. Over $215 million was spent on political ads demonizing trans people — despite polling showing trans-related issues were not a top priority for most voters. And even Congress is forming its own anti-trans brigade to ban the country’s first trans congresswoman from using the U.S. Capitol’s bathrooms. Trans issues are not fringe issues. Equality, dignity and the ability to control our own bodies are interlinked for all of us, but especially for the trans community. That’s why on Wednesday, the American Civil Liberties Union, where I serve as executive director, argued a landmark case before the Supreme Court regarding the constitutional rights of families with trans children. United States v. Skrmetti will decide whether Tennessee violates equal protection by enacting a sweeping health care ban preventing adolescents, parents and doctors from making decisions around gender-affirming health care. That the court has decided to take up this case demonstrates that how we treat trans people in law and society is important for all of us. Conservatives’ focus on trans rights is merely the next front in the attacks that brought about the overturning of Roe v. Wade. There is a throughline between trans rights and abortion rights: When the Supreme Court heard Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the justices were deciding whether a state could ban a form of healthcare that saved lives — just as they will in Skrmetti. By targeting one of the nation’s most vulnerable communities, conservatives are hoping the American people will shrug and let them do as they please. The recent retrenchment on the political left and center may set back the cause of trans equality — and equal protection more broadly. Pundits are saying we need to course correct because we have moved too far left. Some will even argue that bringing a Supreme Court case on trans rights — at this moment — isn’t politically savvy. But everyone deserves civil rights and civil liberties, even if the group being targeted does not poll well among likely voters. As the election postmortems continue, people should remember that the struggle for equality is rarely politically expedient or popular — especially at the outset. As a gay man, I vividly remember hearing from the Democratic establishment that gay equality was a losing proposition in the political arena. LBGTQ+ people understood that the Defense of Marriage Act, “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” and California’s Proposition 8 were little more than rationalizations and gussied-up prejudice. Looking further back, the struggles for civil rights and women’s equality were also unpopular with the public — especially White men — at their inception. It’s not a new phenomenon when voters in some states zealously resist any extension of federal civil rights into their communities. Fighting for trans rights is not hard or complicated for those of us who believe everyone has the right to live free from discrimination. The next generation has far more expansive views on LGBTQ+ issues and trans rights than many of the old guard who populate the top rungs of political parties and institutions today. They will remember the organizations and people who showed conviction and courage in this moment. Meanwhile, history is unlikely to look kindly upon the so-called leaders who chased polls and popularity at the expense of progress and principles. Betting on the future and fighting for trans equality is not just the right call — it’s an easy choice. Anthony D. Romero is the executive director of the ACLU. ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS: LEHI, Utah and SHERMAN, Texas , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments (TI) (Nasdaq: TXN) and the U.S. Department of Commerce today announced an award agreement of up to $1.6 billion in direct funding through the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, following the preliminary memorandum of terms announced in August 2024 . The funding will help support three of TI's new 300mm wafer fabs currently under construction in Texas and Utah. Support from the CHIPS Act, including the 25% investment tax credit, will help TI provide a geopolitically dependable supply of essential analog and embedded processing semiconductors. "As the largest analog and embedded processing semiconductor manufacturer in the U.S., TI is uniquely positioned to provide dependable, low-cost 300mm semiconductor manufacturing capacity at scale," said Haviv Ilan, president and CEO of Texas Instruments. "The increasing number of electronic devices in our lives depend on our foundational chips, and we appreciate the support from the U.S. government to make the semiconductor ecosystem stronger and more resilient." The CHIPS Act direct funding will support TI's investments through 2029 for three large-scale 300mm wafer fabs in Sherman, Texas (SM1 and SM2), and Lehi, Utah (LFAB2). Together, these fabs will manufacture tens of millions of analog and embedded processing chips every day that are critical to a variety of end markets, including automotive, industrial, personal electronics, communications equipment and enterprise systems. Specifically, the CHIPS Act direct funding will be distributed upon completion of project milestones, supporting: These connected, multi-fab sites in Texas and Utah will benefit from shared infrastructure, talent and technology sharing, and a strong network of existing suppliers and community partners. Combined, TI's three new fabs in Texas and Utah will create 2,000 company jobs, along with thousands of indirect jobs for construction, suppliers and supporting industries. TI is also investing in building its future workforce. As part of the CHIPS Act award agreement, TI will also receive up to $10 million for workplace development efforts in Texas and Utah . Consistent with TI's longstanding commitment to responsible, sustainable manufacturing and environmental stewardship, the company's 300mm wafer fabs will be entirely powered by renewable electricity. Additionally, TI is committed to reducing overall water consumption across its operations, endeavoring to achieve a 70% water reuse capability in Sherman, Texas , and Lehi , Utah. All of TI's new 300mm fabs are also designed to meet LEED Gold standards for structural efficiency and sustainability. Learn more: Notice regarding forward-looking statements This release includes forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as TI or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements herein that describe TI's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. See Item 1A of TI's most recent Form 10-K for a detailed discussion of risk factors that could cause results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update the forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. If we do update any forward-looking statement, you should not infer that we will make additional updates with respect to that statement or any other forward-looking statement. About Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Incorporated (Nasdaq: TXN) is a global semiconductor company that designs, manufactures, and sells analog and embedded processing chips for markets such as industrial, automotive, personal electronics, communications equipment and enterprise systems. At our core, we have a passion to create a better world by making electronics more affordable through semiconductors. This passion is alive today as each generation of innovation builds upon the last to make our technology more reliable, more affordable and lower power, making it possible for semiconductors to go into electronics everywhere. Learn more at TI.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/texas-instruments-announces-award-agreement-for-chips-and-science-act-funding-302337541.html SOURCE Texas Instruments“Cassoulet, that best of bean feasts, is everyday fare for a peasant but ambrosia for a gastronome.” ~ Julia Child When winter heads our way, bringing chilly temperatures and close, dark nights, my thoughts turn to Cassoulet, the iconic comfort food from southwestern France. It has it all – juicy beans, duck leg confit, sausages and sometimes pork or lamb, slowly simmered in well-seasoned broth, then baked in a wide-mouthed, glazed terra-cotta dish called a cassole . Like any truly traditional dish, there are multiple versions, all claiming to be the “authentic one.” Cassoulet originated in southwestern France. Toulouse claims it — and so does Castelnaudary and Carcassonne — and the recipes vary. Toulouse adherents eschew adding cubed pork. Castelnaudary purists add a bit of lamb, while Carcassonne’s adds partridge. In most restaurants, cassoulets are served in an individual cassole , bubbling with hot juices,and with a bit of duck leg peeking through the top. But at Hostellerie Etienne , a vast indoor- outdoor restaurant on the edge of a forest near Castelnaudary, the cassoulets come to the table in family-size cassoles , big enough to serve two, four, six or even 10 people, so you can share the dish with your dining companions. I don’t know if Etienne’s even has a single-serving bowl size. I didn’t see one, when I was there as the guest of a bean trader from Castelnaudary. According to him, Etiennne’s has the best cassoulet anywhere, and they use the Lauragais lingot beans known as the Castelnaudary bean. Copious doesn’t begin to describe the cassoulet scene there, with stacks of cassoles lined up in Etienne’s kitchen, next to caldrons of simmering beans, ready to be filled and popped into the vast ovens. Here in the Bay Area, we have our own go-to restaurants for cassoulets. Some, like the Left Bank Brasseries in San Jose, Menlo Park, Oakland and Larkspur, and Reve Bistro in Lafayette, only serve it during the winter months as a special. (Reve will be serving cassoulet Dec. 10-14, for example, and Jan. 7-11; reserve it when you reserve your table.) Others, such as Bistro Jeanty in Yountville and Le Central in San Francisco, always have it on the menu. Both Reve Bistro and Bistro Jeanty use cassoles made by potter Kathy Kernes at her Crockett Pottery in Crockett, and they are every bit as beautiful and as practical as those you’ll find in southwestern France. Kernes’ makes cassoles in six sizes ($38-$210), ranging from individual to “extra large plus,” which is very large indeed. (Browse the possibilities at www.crockettpottery.com.) Reve Bistro offers take-out cassoulets if you pre-order the week the dish is on the menu. Pick it up — in a takeout container, not a cassole! — then heat it at home. Just note that chef-owner Paul Magu-Lecugy only makes a limited number of portions. “It’s time consuming,” he says, noting for him, it is a two-day process. Le Central’s cassoulet is one of the more elaborate around, with lamb, pork shoulder and boudin blanc, as well as the all-important duck leg confit and slightly garlicky Toulouse sausage. Left Bank uses chef-owner Roland Passot’s recipe (see below) and keeps it simple, limiting the meats to duck leg confit and Toulouse sausages. (Don’t panic. If you’re making this at home, some specialty markets sell duck confit.) The beans are key to cassoulet. Once cooked, they should not be mushy, but hold their shape after the long cooking. In France, tradition calls for either Tarbais beans, a plump, white bean, or lingot beans — a strain of cannellini beans — in making cassoulet. As Passot suggests in his recipe below, you can substitute cannellini beans or Great Northern beans. Rancho Gordo produces a variety called cassoulet , a West Coast-grown bean from the Tarbais strain. Cassoulet isn’t difficult to make. It just requires time and patience. You can make it a couple of days ahead, refrigerate it and then slowly reheat it. That way, there’s nothing to do on the day of but sip a glass of wine while the beans and meats slowly heat to bubbling. Add a green salad and some crusty bread, and you’ll have the perfect winter meal. Or put your coat on and head to one of our local restaurants, where the cooking is done for you. All you need is a reservation. Serves 6 to 8 Beans: 4 cups dried lingot beans (white kidney, cannellini or Great Northern, will all work) 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped 1 small onion, diced (about 3⁄4 cup) 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 pound slab bacon or extra thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 sprigs of thyme 1 bay leaf Cassoulet: 1⁄4 cup duck fat (lard will do in a pinch) 2 pounds pork butt cut in 2-inch cubes 1 cup onions, diced small 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1⁄4 cup tomato paste 1 small can diced tomatoes 11⁄2-2 cups reserved bean water 6 Toulouse sausages 1 small garlic sausage 4 confit duck legs, purchased or homemade (see note below) 1 cup panko bread crumbs 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Note: If you are making your own duck confit, start the night before by rubbing the duck legs with a “green salt” mixture — kosher salt, parsley, a couple of bay leaves and thyme ground together. The next day, rinse the duck legs well, pat dry and place in an oven-safe cooking vessel with enough duck fat to cover the legs. Roast in a 225-degree oven for 21⁄2 to 3 hrs. The night before, place the beans in a deep pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Let beans soak overnight. The next day, rinse the beans well. Add the rinsed beans, carrots, onions, garlic, bacon, thyme and bay leaf to cold water and cook, over low heat, until the beans are tender. Strain the beans, saving the water, and set aside the beans. In a large braising pan, melt the duck fat over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, brown the pork butt pieces without stirring. When beginning to brown, start stirring, making sure you scrape the bottom if it starts to caramelize. The pork doesn’t need much color, but it does need to cook in the duck fat for a while. Add lots of salt and pepper. This is not a shy dish. When the pork is nice and brown on all sides, add the 1 cup onions and garlic, and sauté until the onions are soft and cooked through. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes and reserved liquid from the beans. Stir, using a rubber spatula to clean the side of the pot. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Bring the heat under the braising pan up to high. Once at a rolling boil, turn down to low heat and add all the sausages. When they are cooked through, remove and set aside. Slice the garlic sausage in half and cut into 1-inch pieces. Return the whole and sliced sausages back to the pot along with the cooked beans. Continue to cook on low heat until the pork is cooked through. Taste for seasoning; add more salt and pepper if needed. Transfer the beans and pork to a heavy, wide mouth, earthenware, clay or cast iron baking dish that can hold 5 to 6 quarts. Bake at 250 degrees for about 11⁄2 hours, checking at least every 30 minutes. It may require a bit more time. If the dish is starting to look too dry, add a small amount of reserved bean broth or chicken stock. Add warmed duck legs to the cassoulet and make a breadcrumb topping by combining the panko, garlic, parsley, thyme and extra virgin olive oil. Return the dish to the oven and continue baking until the crumbs brown on the top. — Courtesy Roland Passot, Propriétaire, Chef Culinary Officer, Vine Hospitality
Alberta information and privacy commissioner wasn’t expecting bill changes after letter to ministerNoneThe masked gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday. The gunman is still at large and a manhunt is underway. Here's the latest: Just minutes before the shooting, the suspect was seen on surveillance footage purchasing the two items from a nearby Starbucks. Both the water bottle and protein bar wrapper were later recovered from a trash can in the vicinity of the killing, according to a police spokesperson. They’ve been sent to the city’s medical examiner for expedited fingerprint testing. As the suspect remained at large Thursday afternoon, New York police were sorting through a growing number of leads coming in through a public hotline. Many have been unfounded, including a tip from a commuter who claimed to have spotted the shooter on a Long Island Rail Road train Wednesday evening. Police searched the train, but found no sign of the gunman. Members of the public have also provided police with several different names of people who bear a resemblance to the gunman — though they have yet to confirm the shooter’s identity. NYPD spokesperson Carlos Nieves urged anyone with information to contact the department “even if it seems trivial.” “We ask you to call the tip line because that little piece of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that ties everything together,” he said. Users’ reactions — and in many cases jokes — populated comment sections teeming with frustration toward health insurers broadly and UnitedHealthcare in particular. “I would be happy to help look for the shooter but vision isn’t covered under my healthcare plan,” one comment read on Instagram. “Thoughts and prior authorizations!” wrote another user. Images released by police of a person they say is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Both feature a black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semicircle. Matheus Taranto, a guest at the hostel who’s visiting from Brazil, says he saw police at the lodging Wednesday evening. He said an officer wouldn’t let him access a bathroom where he wanted to brush his teeth. “I asked why, he was like, no, nothing happened,” said Taranto, 24. He didn’t connect the dots with the shooting until later. In Minnesota, police in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove, where Thompson lived, said Thursday they believe a bomb threat on Wednesday night was a hoax. Maple Grove police put out a statement Thursday saying a “suspected swatting investigation” was underway. The department said it received a report of a bomb threat directed at two addresses around 7 p.m. CT Wednesday. The Minneapolis Bomb Squad and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office assisted, but investigators found no suspicions devices or other items. “The case is considered an active investigation, while the incident appears to be a hoax. No further comments will be made at this time,” the police statement said. Police reports provided to The Associated Press by the department show that officers made contact with family members at one of the homes and were told they had seen nothing suspicious and had received no direct threats. Back in Thompson’s home state of Minnesota, authorities were investigating a bomb threat that reportedly was made against his home Wednesday night, after his death. It was first reported by TMZ. City Prosecutor Andrew Draper confirmed to The Associated Press via email Thursday that he received an email Wednesday night “regarding a bomb threat. I reported it to the Maple Grove Police Department and do not have any additional information.” Maple Grove police officials did not immediately respond to requests for details Thursday. Local ATF spokesperson Ashlee Sherrill said: “ATF was made aware of the incident in Maple Grove last night, but no ATF resources were deployed. We are unable to confirm any further details.” A local FBI spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for information on the FBI’s involvement in the investigation. The words emblazoned on the ammunition used in the shooting – “deny,” “defend” and “depose” – were written in permanent marker, according to a law enforcement official. The official wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. — Jake Offenhartz As of Thursday morning, police were still searching for the shooter. They released new photos of a person they said is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting. The images match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, including its black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semi-circle. An employee at the hostel said police had visited but declined to provide further information. Danielle Brumfitt, a spokesperson for the lodging, said in an emailed statement that they are cooperating with the NYPD but can’t comment due to the active investigation. According to the official who spoke to AP about the ammunition messaging, investigators are running DNA and fingerprint analysis on items found near the shooting, including a water bottle, that they believe the suspect may have discarded. Additionally, they’re looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bike as part of an escape plan. Story continues below video Doctors and patients have become particularly frustrated with prior authorizations, which are requirements that an insurer approve surgery or care before it happens. UnitedHealthcare was named in an October report detailing how the insurer’s prior authorization denial rate for some Medicare Advantage patients has surged in recent years. The report from the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations also named rivals Humana and CVS. Insurers say tactics like prior authorization are needed to limit unnecessary care and help control spiraling medical costs. Frustrations extend beyond the coverage of care. Expensive breakthrough medications to slow Alzheimer’s disease or help with obesity are frequently not covered or have coverage limits. In the U.S. health care system, patients get coverage through a mix of private insurers such as UnitedHealthcare and government-funded programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. That can prove particularly frustrating for doctors and patients because coverage often varies by insurer. Polls reflect those frustrations with the U.S. health care system in general and insurance companies in particular. About two-thirds of Americans said health insurance companies deserve “a lot of blame” for high health care costs, according to a KFF poll conducted in February . Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive. A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting — “deny,” “defend” and “depose” — echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The three words were emblazoned on the ammunition a masked gunman used to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Thursday. They’re similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend” — the way some attorneys describe how insurers deny services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book that was highly critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the wording or any connection between them and the common phrase. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting a deepening frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. ▶ Read more about the messaging left behind by the shooter The New York Police Department released photos Thursday morning, asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual pictured. Police say the person is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. A Senate panel has been investigating how frequently three major insurers, including UnitedHealthcare, deny care to patients who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. It has also investigated the use of artificial intelligence in deny those claims. Medicare Advantage is the private version of Medicare, which provides health insurance to millions of older Americans. The Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee’s report released earlier this year found that as UnitedHealthcare relied more on its automated system to review claims denials increased for post-acute treatment, which includes nursing home or rehabilitation care. The insurer denied nearly a quarter of claims, a rate that doubled over just a two-year period from 2020 to 2022. Joseph Kenny, the NYPD chief of detectives, says the shooter wore a black face mask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack. He arrived outside the hotel about five minutes before UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson did, then waited and ignored other pedestrians before he approached Thompson from behind. After the assailant began to fire, his 9 mm pistol jammed but he quickly fixed it and kept firing, Kenny said, another sign of the shooter’s professionalism. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” Kenny said. The hostels were on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and police were following a tip that the suspect may have stayed at one of the residences, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the ongoing search. According to an employee of Kama Central Park, two detectives arrived at the hostel at 7 a.m. Thursday with a photo of the shooter and asked staff if they recognized the man. They did not, the employee said, and the detectives left soon after. An employee at the nearby HI New York City hostel also confirmed that police had visited the location Thursday, but declined to provide further information. — Jake Offenhartz New York Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday the shooter used a silencer — something he’d never encountered in his 22 years as a police officer. “In all of my years in law enforcement I have never seen a silencer before,” Adams, a retired NYPD captain, said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “And so that was really something that was shocking to us all.” The masked gunman used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to strategies insurance companies use to try to avoid paying claims. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny had said earlier. — Mike Balsamo, Jake Offenhartz and Michael R. Sisak The chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation’s largest insurers, was killed Wednesday in midtown Manhattan in what police described as a targeted attack by a shooter outside a hotel where the company was holding a conference. ▶ Read more about the key things to know about the fatal attackNew winter road condition categories unveiled on 511 Wisconsin
How to gift smartphones and gadgets to your child this seasonS M Krishna, a towering figure in Indian politics and former External Affairs Minister, has passed away at the age of 92. His passing was confirmed early on Tuesday morning, bringing an end to a prolonged period of illness. In response to the news, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took to social media to express his heartfelt condolences. Praising Krishna's legacy, Jaishankar highlighted Krishna's notable contributions to the development of Karnataka and his tenure as India's External Affairs Minister. 'Deeply saddened by the passing away of former EAM S M Krishna,' he wrote. Krishna's legacy as a politician, particularly during his time as Karnataka's Chief Minister, will be remembered fondly. His political career spanned decades, and his impact on the state and nation was profound. Condolences have been pouring in for the veteran leader, who leaves behind a substantial legacy. (With inputs from agencies.)
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Oak Street Health, EmblemHealth, Vytalize Health, and several large national health plans recognize Thyme Care's patient-centric navigation and deep provider relationships as a leading value-based model that delivers on the promise of better care at lower costs Thyme Care generates savings and improves the cancer experience, fueling its national expansion across Medicare Advantage, commercial health plans, employers, provider groups, and CMS's Enhancing Oncology Model Thyme Care Oncology Partners (TCOP) doubles the number of oncologists in its network since launching in March; more than 850 oncologists represented from every major managed service organization now part of the platform NASHVILLE, Tenn. , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Thyme Care today announced new strategic partnerships across the cancer care continuum, enabling the company to achieve 4x year-over-year growth in 2025. With this momentum, Thyme Care expects to bring comprehensive cancer care support services to over 40,000 people with cancer. The cancer care system is nearing a financial and logistical breaking point, strained by systemic inefficiencies and gaps in care that burden patients, providers, and payers alike. Patients and caregivers struggle to navigate a complex and siloed healthcare ecosystem, and often experience barriers to care once they leave the physician's office. Oncologists, regardless of whether they practice in the community or a hospital setting, are not incentivized in the current fee-for-service environment to provide value-based care. These challenges inflate costs for everyone in the care continuum, bringing the entire system closer to a breaking point. Thyme Care addresses challenges by empowering oncologists with the resources to deliver value-based care while providing patients with comprehensive support to navigate their journey in collaboration with their care team. "Thyme Care is the connective tissue between oncologists, primary care providers, hospitals, and health plans, creating a cohesive cancer care delivery system that reduces barriers to care and eases the burden of a cancer diagnosis for everyone involved," said Thyme Care President and Chief Operating Officer Brad Diephuis , MD. "Our partners recognize Thyme Care has the technology, data, and relationships to reduce barriers to care and drive better outcomes and affordability across the system." Thyme Care's 2024 strategic partnerships and key milestones include: Health Plan Partnerships: EmblemHealth , one of New York's largest not-for-profit health insurers, has partnered with Thyme Care to provide comprehensive cancer support for its three million members across the tri-state area. Nearly 30% of EmblemHealth's members with cancer receive care in trusted settings like New York Cancer and Blood Specialists (NYCBS), a Thyme Care Oncology Partner. In addition, several large national plans will be launching with Thyme Care in Q1 of 2025. Primary Care Collaborations: Oak Street Health and Vytalize Health , two leading risk-bearing primary care groups, have chosen Thyme Care as their oncology partner to enhance their specialty offerings for members, aligning value-based primary care and oncology care. These collaborations streamline patient referrals, improve patient care coordination, and reduce unnecessary drug spend. Oncologist Enablement: Thyme Care has rapidly grown its oncology provider relationships to embrace new economic incentives, participate in shared savings models, and deliver patient-centered care beyond its four walls. Since launching its oncology partner platform in March, Thyme Care has more than doubled its oncologist partnerships, now counting more than 850 oncologists across the nation. Northwest Cancer Centers and Oncology Consultants have recently joined the platform. Thyme Care's partnership with American Oncology Network (AON) to support its 3,200+ patients in CMS's Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) has resulted in $2.5M projected savings across pharmacy interventions over a six-month period. Patient Reach: With the addition of new strategic partnerships, Thyme Care expects to quadruple the number of covered lives across the nation, reaching over 40,000 people with cancer in 2025. By aligning incentives across payers, providers, and patients, Thyme Care reduces barriers to care and streamlines a collaborative, value-based framework that prioritizes better outcomes and affordability. The partnership momentum coincides with other successes this year, including the company's recent $95M Series C raise , the establishment of its scientific advisory board , and the addition of new executive hires including Lalan Wilfong , M.D , senior vice president of value-based care, who joined the company from McKesson/The US Oncology Network. Partner Quotes "Vytalize Health's partnership with Thyme Care represents an exciting step forward in our approach to partnering with preferred oncologists to deliver superior care while also lowering patient cost share. Thyme Care offers specialized expertise in value-based cancer care as well as a nimble and flexible approach to engaging providers and patients," said Vytalize Health Vice President of Network Innovation, Jessica Riccardo . "We are committed to improving health outcomes and affordability for EmblemHealth members, and partnering with Thyme Care is a reflection of our shared vision to deliver value-based care. Thyme Care's innovative model ensures our members receive the guidance and support they need, whether that's in the clinic, at the hospital, or at home," said EmblemHealth Senior Vice President of Medical Management & Chief Health Equity Officer, Abdou Bah . "Our partnership with Thyme Care has been instrumental in helping us succeed in the Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM). Over the past year, Thyme Care's Care Team has worked seamlessly with our oncologists and clinic staff to improve the patient experience, while their insights and analytics have helped us better understand the meaningful savings we're generating. Thyme Care supports our ability to deliver high-quality, value-based care that meets the demands of alternative payment models," said American Oncology Network Chief Medical Officer, Stephen "Fred" Divers, MD. About Thyme Care Thyme Care is the leading value-based care enabler, collaborating with payers and providers to transform the experience and outcomes for individuals living with cancer. The company partners with health plans, employers and risk-bearing providers to assume accountability for enhanced care quality, improved health outcomes, and reduced total cost of care. Thyme Care's approach combines a technology-enabled Care Team and seamless integration with more than 800 oncologists in Thyme Care Oncology Partners, creating a hybrid collaborative care model that guides and supports the entire patient journey. Thyme Care empowers oncologists nationwide through purpose-built tech, advanced data analytics, and virtual patient engagement, driving better care and outcomes in value-based arrangements. Thyme Care is a founding member of CancerX , and is backed by leading investors . To learn more about how Thyme Care is enabling the shift to value-based care in oncology, visit www.thymecare.com . Contact Kimberly Dreisinger Thyme Care Communications [email protected] SOURCE Thyme Care
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The new, 12-team College Football Playoff brings with it a promise to be bigger, more exciting, more lucrative. Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekNone
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The new, 12-team College Football Playoff brings with it a promise to be bigger, more exciting, more lucrative. Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama team on the sideline in favor of an SMU squad that finished with a better record after playing a schedule that was not as difficult. It ranked undefeated Oregon first but set up a possible rematch against Ohio State, the team that came closest to beating the Ducks this year. It treated underdog Boise State like a favorite and banged-up Georgia like a world beater at No. 2. It gave Ohio State home-field advantage against Tennessee for reasons it would take a supercomputer to figure out. It gave the sport the multiweek tournament it has longed for, but also ensured there will be plenty to grouse about between now and when the trophy is handed out on Jan. 20 after what will easily be the longest college football season in history. All of it, thankfully, will be sorted out on the field starting with first-round games on campuses Dec. 20 and 21, then over three succeeding rounds that will wind their way through traditional bowl sites. Maybe Oregon coach Dan Lanning, whose undefeated Ducks are the favorite to win it all, put it best when he offered: "Winning a national championship is not supposed to be easy.” Neither, it turns out, is figuring out who should play for it. Alabama comes up short in the bracket’s biggest debate The Big Ten will lead the way with four teams in the tournament, followed by the SEC with three and the ACC with two. The lasting memory from the inaugural bracket will involve the decision that handed the ACC that second bid. Alabama of the SEC didn't play Saturday. SMU of the ACC did. The Mustangs fell behind by three touchdowns to Clemson before coming back to tie. But they ultimately lost 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal as time expired. “We were on pins and needles,” SMU coach Rhett Lashley said. “Until we saw the name ‘SMU’ up there, we were hanging on the edge. We're really, really happy and thankful to the committee for rewarding our guys for their total body of work." The Mustangs only had two losses, compared to three for the Crimson Tide. Even though SMU's schedule wasn't nearly as tough, the committee was impressed by the way the Mustangs came back against Clemson. “We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chairman of the selection committee. “But it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams.” Crimson Tide AD gracious, but looking for answers Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne was gracious, up to a point. “Disappointed with the outcome and felt we were one of the 12 best teams in the country,” he said on social media. He acknowledged — despite all of Alabama’s losses coming against conference opponents this season — that the Tide’s push to schedule more games against teams from other major conferences in order to improve its strength of schedule did not pay off this time. “That is not good for college football," Byrne said. Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State join Oregon with first-round byes Georgia, the SEC champion, was seeded second; Boise State, the Mountain West champion, earned the third seed; and Big 12 titlist Arizona State got the fourth seed and the fourth and final first-round bye. All will play in quarterfinals at bowl games on Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Clemson stole a bid and the 12th seed with its crazy win over SMU, the result that ultimately cost Alabama a spot in the field. The Tigers moved to No. 16 in the rankings, but got in as the fifth-best conference winner. Automatic byes and bids made the bracket strange The conference commissioners' idea to give conference champions preferable treatment in this first iteration of the 12-team playoff could be up for reconsideration after this season. The committee actually ranked Boise State, the Mountain West Champion, at No. 9 and Big 12 champion Arizona State at No. 12, but both get to skip the first round. Another CFP guideline: There’s no reseeding of teams after each round, which means no break for Oregon. The top-seeded Ducks will face the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 earlier this year in one of the season’s best games. What the matchups look like No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Dec. 21. Clemson is riding high after the SMU upset, while Texas is 0-2 against Georgia and 11-0 vs. everyone else this season. The winner faces ... Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Huh? No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Dec. 21. The biggest knock against the Mustangs was that they didn't play any big boys with that 60th-ranked strength of schedule. Well, now they get to. The winner faces ... Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, SMU vs. Boise was the quarterfinal we all expected. No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, Dec. 20. Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti thought his team deserved a home game. Well, not quite but close. The winner faces ... Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs got the No. 2 seed despite a throwing-arm injury to QB Carson Beck. But what else was the committee supposed to do? No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State , Dec. 21. The Buckeyes (losses to Oregon, Michigan) got home field over the Volunteers (losses to Arkansas, Georgia) in a matchup of programs with two of the biggest stadiums in football. The winner faces ... Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Feels like that matchup should come in the semifinals or later. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football