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Christopher J. Logothetis, MD The influence a patient has on a clinician can go deeper than ever imagined. Carrying their stories, either of triumph or defeat, allows for the improvement of care for all other patients to follow. Over his nearly 50-year career, Christopher J. Logothetis, MD, has had many of these patient interactions. Through these experiences, he has begun to think about a more patient-first approach by accommodating their needs rather than having one mindset of treating their cancer to prolong life. Logothetis is the Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Clinical Research in Urologic Oncology, Distinguished Chair, and professor in the Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, as well as the director of the Department of The David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson) in Houston. His career has spanned a multitude of successful clinical trials in testicular cancer exploring randomization and clinical trial statistics. He has also been working on creating personalized therapies that are individualized for each patient. Although Logothetis has had an expansive career, he has no plans on slowing down and is still passionate about teaching and passing on as much knowledge as he can. “I want to transfer what I’m doing to the next generation. To try to understand and teach them where my failings were, what advances we have, and make sure that we address the challenge of a process-driven health care system [is important].” Logothetis on his graduation day from medical school in 1974 It was Logothetis’ work with the late Melvin Samuels, MD, at MD Anderson that taught him to believe that anything was possible. Under Samuels’ direction, he worked on creating a cure for testicular cancer. He described Samuels as an old-fashioned clinician who expected nothing less than 100% dedication and who gave everything to his profession. He met his other mentor, Gardidas, in Greece. Gardidas was trained in the US and taught Logothetis how to best prioritize opportunities to focus on. “He taught me [to surround myself] not with the ones who are active and industrious, but the ones who always search for the meaning beneath. He was like that. He had this way of doing impactful things. [He] was intellectually efficient and a role model for us,” Logothetis said. Teaching the current generation of clinicians so that they are more knowledgeable than he was when Logothetis began his career is a personal goal of his. Most are inundated with information and opportunity, which he equates to a kid in a candy store. Determining which information or technology to use among all the distractions can be hard, and his job is to guide them and help them decide which prospects to pursue. When Logothetis first dove into testicular cancer research, the field was transitioning from empirical research to randomized clinical trials. Through this switch, robustness, honesty, and clarity were gained. A series of trials taught Logothetis that P values and randomized studies are important, but it’s about how they inform clinicians on the average patient and how to apply it as individualized therapy. This is specific research he is now looking to try to correct. Logothetis cooking in his Houston apartment during his fellowship at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center His biggest impact in the field, he noted, was his work in germ cell tumor therapies. He worked with traditional approaches, such as cisplatin-based chemotherapy, which can now cure patients. One such trial evaluated CISCA (cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin) vs MVAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin) for patients with advanced metastatic urothelial tumors. 1 The trial assessed 110 patients, and the combined complete response and partial response rate was 65% in the CISCA arm vs 46% in the MVAC arm ( P < .05). Other groundbreaking trials that he’s contributed to focus on the evolutionary response and plasma genome sequencing in prostate cancer 2 ; high-volume, dose-dense chemotherapy in patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumors 3 ; and an update to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines on prostate cancer treatment, of which findings were published in ONCOLOGY ® , a sister brand to OncLive . 4 He is humbled to say that he has worked in any way to help evolve the genitourinary field. One of his biggest “aha” moments came when he was working with colleagues and realized cancer was a binary event. Meaning being cancer free was not synonymous with good health and having cancer was not always the dominate problem. He translated this to prostate cancer and found that if all patients were treated with the same paradigm, the survival rates would not reflect what was in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results databases. “His impact on the field of genitourinary oncology has been amazing. It resonates throughout the US and the world [he] is well known in the field,” Nizar M. Tannir, MD, FACP, professor and Ransome Horne, Jr. Professorship for Cancer Research in the Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, said ofLogothetis. “He continues to give his time and expertise to anybody who seeks it.” Opportunities looked different for Logothetis in his early life than for most. Both of his parents grew up on the Greek island Karpathos. With World War II looming, his father went to the US and joined the US Navy, whereas his mother stayed on the island and withstood the German occupation. Logothetis, second from left, with his siblings in 1973 While his father was in the Navy, Logothetis was born in Mannheim, Germany, and he eventually moved to France and northern Italy. He noted that there was a strong cultural obligation, so he returned to Greece each summer with his parents to visit the island and his relatives. His time in Greece during the dictatorship years was one with a culture of commitment, and he had to do something meaningful with his life. He could have chosen engineering or teaching, if not for his uncle who was a cardiologist. Logothetis said his uncle was admired in the community for his selfless work and for helping those who were less fortunate. It was then that Logothetis knew he wanted to go into medicine. “I was intrigued by the puzzle of biology. I always tried to understand illnesses, and it was an easy topic for me because it had such an appeal. Trying to understand biology was never a chore,” Logothetis said. “It wasn’t like going to school and having somebody make sure you do your math, which was always difficult for me, but it was exciting to read. [These interests] converged, and that’s what happened over time—[it] was somehow instinctive.” Logothetis, right, sailing in the Aegean Sea with a colleague This led him to attend medical school at the University of Athens School of Medicine. One of the greatest lessons he learned there was intellectual efficiency—in other words, understanding what you will need to succeed. He worked as a trainee there and helped to treat pediatric patients with leukemias. During his time in Athens, he saw this patient population go from having a disease that was incurable to curable, which he describes as “Easter.” This is where he pinpoints the start of his interest in working with more challenging diseases. He eventually transferred to Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, where he learned how to manage social and medical issues. Here, he developed his skills in biology, which led him to apply for a fellowship at MD Anderson, where he still works today. At MD Anderson, he began to gain experience in various parts of the genitourinary field. As a “drifter,” he would go to the diseases that others were not drawn to and try to figure out treatments or cures. Although Logothetis is an accomplished clinician, he continues to set professional and research-focused goals for himself. He also wants to create more opportunities for those who don’t want to come to an academic institution that falls under a Center of Excellence. Logothetis found that the resistance to going to these centers isn’t based on money but rather an aversion to large academic centers. There needs to be a bridge in the gap to include these populations in research. He noted that he frequently travels back to Greece to try to improve the quality of care and create more international alliances and skills in these communities. “Part of my dedication to helping them out [in Greece] is so all our intellectual resources [are combined. The patients and clinicians have] satisfaction in participating in the international effort to improve the outcomes of patients with these diseases,” Logothetis said. “It’s a huge satisfaction looking back [and seeing] that you contributed in a little way to this.” Logothetis lives a quiet life in Houston with his wife, Elizabeth, a former radiologist, and their 2 children, Richard and Irene. He and his wife met at MD Anderson when she began her training. He joked that he thinks he and his wife raised their children the same way, but they turned out complete opposites. Logothetis with his son, Richard Richard is more of an introvert and loves music. His aspiration is to one day “be Mozart,” but he is seeking to be a composer. Logothetis tries to listen to classical music so he can be educated for his son, but he admits it is quite demanding. Irene, however, is an extrovert and is constantly surrounded by people. She attended the University of Colorado and completed a degree in biology. “I’m lucky they were both healthy. They’re both good and properly motivated, searching for the meaning beneath, [and] struggling with designing opportunities,” Logothetis said. In his free time, Logothetis can be found on either his boat in Texas or the one he has in Greece to sail around the Aegean Sea. He notes that the names for his boats are not creative and are called Meltemi (of which he’s had 4), which is a northeasterly wind that blows in the afternoon in the Aegean Sea. For Logothetis, some quiet time with a good book is the highlight of his day. He spoke fondly about a recent read by Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom , which was a compilation of wisdom crafted by Tolstoy between 1903 and 1911. Logothetis took inspiration away from this book as Tolstoy spoke about various philosophers, thinkers, and writers but crafted his own conclusion on what they meant. Although you won’t find Logothetis binge-watching any shows, he does enjoy British murder mysteries, and even named his dog Vera after one of the lead detectives and simultaneously the show’s name. He appreciates these shows because they aren’t “all about the glitz and glamor often seen in Hollywood, and real actors portray these different characters.” Finally, Logothetis finds motivation every day by reminding himself that he has the gift of good health and a stimulating environment to work in. “It’s a fresh morning when your brain is freed and you’re ready to do something creative and novel,” he said.
'Tis the season for great holiday deals, and the Apple AirTag 4-Pack is one big example. Through Cyber Monday, we're seeing huge discounts on various tech items -- often even bigger discounts than during Amazon Prime Day. At 29% off, the Apple AirTag 4-Pack is one of those products that I love so much that I have to share it with everyone, especially when it's on sale. Also: Best Black Friday deals 2024 still live I use AirTags to track wallets, keys, remote controls, and even my young kids. Over the past few years, AirTags have become this iPhone user's go-to tracking device since they're easy to use, small enough to slip in a bag or outerwear, and extremely reliable. And because there are so many aftermarket cases and holders made for AirTags, you can use them to track anything, including your bike, luggage, and car. They also make great holiday stocking stuffers , and can be split apart or gifted as the set. Also: The best iPhone models of 2024: Expert tested and reviewed You can now buy an Apple AirTag 4-pack for $70 -- $17.50 a piece for peace of mind (its lowest price ever). AirTags are nearly $30 each at regular price, so this is a legitimately good deal. Plus, they don't frequently drop this low in price (they usually are on sale for $75-$85 dollars), and this is one of the lowest prices we've seen them this season. Right now, you can snag this deal at Amazon Best Buy , and Walmart Thanks to my husband, who always forgets where he puts his wallet, keys, and even his shoes, I've gone through several different Bluetooth trackers. While I can easily solve his incessant forgetfulness to lock the doors and close the garage with smart devices, I struggled for years to find a reliable Bluetooth tracker for our smaller items -- until I tried the AirTag. The Apple AirTag is so reliable for iPhone users that you can find out where it is down to a fraction of a foot's length with your phone. The iPhone's Find My app tracks the AirTag through Bluetooth, the Find My network, and ultra-wideband (UWB), a connectivity protocol that shows high-accuracy directional data. This results in highly accurate tracking information to help you find your lost devices within minutes. Also: The top 5 iPhone 16 Pro features power users will love Once I tried the AirTag, I couldn't consider returning to another Bluetooth tracker. The Apple AirTag is reliable enough to trust it blindly with my home's most frequently lost items. Thanks to how many AirTag holders exist for different devices, I use AirTags for my husband's wallet, our car keys, our remote control, and even wristbands. I like to keep tabs on our younger kids, so I give them an Apple AirTag on a wristband when we go to crowded places. As much as I try to hold their hands when out and about, I have three kids and only two hands, so it's easy to find my rowdy toddler trying to escape my grip in search of shiny things or fun places to hide. While I tend to be hypervigilant of said threenager, having my kids wear AirTags gives me extra piece of mind during fairs and other crowded events. When will this deal expire? While many sales events feature deals for a specific length of time, deals are on a limited-time basis, making them subject to expire anytime. ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best offers to help you maximize your savings so you can feel as confident in your purchases as we feel in our recommendations. Our ZDNET team of experts constantly monitors the deals we feature to keep our stories up-to-date. If you missed out on this deal, don't worry -- we're always sourcing new savings opportunities at ZDNET.com . When is Cyber Monday 2024? Cyber Monday always happens on the Monday following Thanksgiving. This year, Cyber Monday is today, on Monday Dec. 2. When was Black Friday? Black Friday is a sales event that happens each year on the Friday following Thanksgiving day. Black Friday 2024 was on November 29. Best Cyber Monday deals Best Cyber Monday TV deals Best Cyber Monday streaming deals Best Cyber Monday AirPods deals
By Vanessa G. Sánchez, KFF Health News (TNS) LOS ANGELES — President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations and tougher immigration restrictions is deepening mistrust of the health care system among California’s immigrants and clouding the future for providers serving the state’s most impoverished residents. At the same time, immigrants living illegally in Southern California told KFF Health News they thought the economy would improve and their incomes might increase under Trump, and for some that outweighed concerns about health care. Community health workers say fear of deportation is already affecting participation in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program for low-income residents, which was expanded in phases to all immigrants regardless of residency status over the past several years. That could undercut the state’s progress in reducing the uninsured rate, which reached a record low of 6.4% last year. Immigrants lacking legal residency have long worried that participation in government programs could make them targets, and Trump’s election has compounded those concerns, community advocates say. The incoming Trump administration is also expected to target Medicaid with funding cuts and enrollment restrictions , which activists worry could threaten the Medi-Cal expansion and kneecap efforts to extend health insurance subsidies under Covered California to all immigrants. “The fear alone has so many consequences to the health of our communities,” said Mar Velez , director of policy with the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. “This is, as they say, not their first rodeo. They understand how the system works. I think this machine is going to be, unfortunately, a lot more harmful to our communities.” Alongside such worries, though, is a strain of optimism that Trump might be a boon to the economy, according to interviews with immigrants in Los Angeles whom health care workers were soliciting to sign up for Medi-Cal. Since Election Day, community health worker Yanet Martinez said, people are more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” Martinez said. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Clinics and community health workers encourage immigrants to enroll for health coverage through Medi-Cal and Covered California. But workers have noticed that fear of deportation has chilled participation. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Community health workers like Yanet Martinez encourage people to enroll for health benefits. But many California immigrants fear that using subsidized services could hurt their chances of obtaining legal residency. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Since Election Day, community health worker Yanet Martinez said, people are more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” Martinez said. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Selvin, 39, who, like others interviewed for this article, asked to be identified by only his first name because he’s living here without legal permission, said that even though he believes Trump dislikes people like him, he thinks the new administration could help boost his hours at the food processing facility where he works packing noodles. “I do see how he could improve the economy. From that perspective, I think it’s good that he won.” He became eligible for Medi-Cal this year but decided not to enroll, worrying it could jeopardize his chances of changing his immigration status. “I’ve thought about it,” Selvin said, but “I feel like it could end up hurting me. I won’t deny that, obviously, I’d like to benefit — get my teeth fixed, a physical checkup.” But fear holds him back, he said, and he hasn’t seen a doctor in nine years. It’s not Trump’s mass deportation plan in particular that’s scaring him off, though. “If I’m not committing any crimes or getting a DUI, I think I won’t get deported,” Selvin said. Petrona, 55, came from El Salvador seeking asylum and enrolled in Medi-Cal last year. She said that if her health insurance benefits were cut, she wouldn’t be able to afford her visits to the dentist. A street food vendor, she hears often about Trump’s deportation plan, but she said it will be the criminals the new president pushes out. “I’ve heard people say he’s going to get rid of everyone who’s stealing.” Although she’s afraid she could be deported, she’s also hopeful about Trump. “He says he’s going to give a lot of work to Hispanics because Latinos are the ones who work the hardest,” she said. “That’s good, more work for us, the ones who came here to work.” Newly elected Republican Assembly member Jeff Gonzalez, who flipped a seat long held by Democrats in the Latino-heavy desert region in the southeastern part of the state, said his constituents were anxious to see a new economic direction. “They’re just really kind of fed up with the status quo in California,” Gonzalez said. “People on the ground are saying, ‘I’m hopeful,’ because now we have a different perspective. We have a businessperson who is looking at the very things that we are looking at, which is the price of eggs, the price of gas, the safety.” Gonzalez said he’s not going to comment about potential Medicaid cuts, because Trump has not made any official announcement. Unlike most in his party, Gonzalez said he supports the extension of health care services to all residents regardless of immigration status . Health care providers said they are facing a twin challenge of hesitancy among those they are supposed to serve and the threat of major cuts to Medicaid, the federal program that provides over 60% of the funding for Medi-Cal. Health providers and policy researchers say a loss in federal contributions could lead the state to roll back or downsize some programs, including the expansion to cover those without legal authorization. California and Oregon are the only states that offer comprehensive health insurance to all income-eligible immigrants regardless of status. About 1.5 million people without authorization have enrolled in California, at a cost of over $6 billion a year to state taxpayers. “Everyone wants to put these types of services on the chopping block, which is really unfair,” said state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat and chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. “We will do everything we can to ensure that we prioritize this.” Sen. Gonzalez said it will be challenging to expand programs such as Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, for which immigrants lacking permanent legal status are not eligible. A big concern for immigrants and their advocates is that Trump could reinstate changes to the public charge policy, which can deny green cards or visas based on the use of government benefits. “President Trump’s mass deportation plan will end the financial drain posed by illegal immigrants on our healthcare system, and ensure that our country can care for American citizens who rely on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security,” Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to KFF Health News. During his first term, in 2019, Trump broadened the policy to include the use of Medicaid, as well as housing and nutrition subsidies. The Biden administration rescinded the change in 2021. KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News, found immigrants use less health care than people born in the United States. And about 1 in 4 likely undocumented immigrant adults said they have avoided applying for assistance with health care, food, and housing because of immigration-related fears, according to a 2023 survey . Another uncertainty is the fate of the Affordable Care Act, which was opened in November to immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and are protected by the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals program. If DACA eligibility for the act’s plans, or even the act itself, were to be reversed under Trump, that would leave roughly 40,000 California DACA recipients, and about 100,000 nationwide , without access to subsidized health insurance. On Dec. 9, a federal court in North Dakota issued an order blocking DACA recipients from accessing Affordable Care Act health plans in 19 states that had challenged the Biden administration’s rule. Clinics and community health workers are encouraging people to continue enrolling in health benefits. But amid the push to spread the message, the chilling effects are already apparent up and down the state. “¿Ya tiene Medi-Cal?” community health worker Yanet Martinez said, asking residents whether they had Medi-Cal as she walked down Pico Boulevard recently in a Los Angeles neighborhood with many Salvadorans. “¡Nosotros podemos ayudarle a solicitar Medi-Cal! ¡Todo gratuito!” she shouted, offering help to sign up, free of charge. “Gracias, pero no,” said one young woman, responding with a no thanks. She shrugged her shoulders and averted her eyes under a cap that covered her from the late-morning sun. Since Election Day, Martinez said, people have been more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” she said. “They don’t want anything to do with it.” This article was produced by KFF Health News , which publishes California Healthline , an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation . ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Money Research Collective’s editorial team solely created this content. Opinions are their own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how companies may appear. Many featured companies advertise with us. How we make money . By Jordan Chussler MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE December 16, 2024 I tested the claim that AI could beat the stock market’s returns over 90 trading days. ***Money is not a client of any investment adviser featured on this page. The information provided on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Money does not offer advisory services.*** I consider myself a disciplined investor. I stick to dollar-cost averaging and dividend reinvestment plans. I sift through quarterly earnings reports; I generally avoid meme stocks and IPOs no matter how much hype they receive. And I pride myself on having a well-diversified portfolio. Is it boring? Sure. But is it effective ? Absolutely. It was for my grandfather, too, who taught me the basics of investing, including how patience is as critical to long-term success as which companies I choose to purchase shares of. He passed away in 2006, and 18 years later, my grandmother — who turned 92 recently — is still living comfortably from the seeds he sowed decades ago. But when a bunch of self-proclaimed apes begin to target short sellers, or when a new technology claims it can produce returns that beat the market — a feat that the majority of investment professionals are incapable of achieving — it always piques my interest. Such was the case earlier this year when a company named Danelfin began claiming that its AI-powered stock-picking tool was capable of outperforming the benchmark S&P 500 index over 90 consecutive trading days (i.e., excluding stock market holidays and weekends). It was a bold assertion made by the little-known startup, and as Money’s investing editor, I would’ve been remiss not to have tried it out for myself. So in short order, I signed up for Danelfin’s free model and decided to pit it against the S&P 500. And while I was at it, I asked my son — whose interests currently revolve around Roblox and ice cream — to hit the big blue button on a digital stock randomizer until he got bored. The stage was set: the S&P 500 vs. AI vs. my 5-year-old. How Danelfin’s AI works Before diving into the stocks chosen for me, it’s useful to understand how some companies are leveraging AI to help improve investors’ odds of success. The ability to beat the market isn’t taken lightly in investing circles. BNP Paribas found that in 2023, hedge funds returned an average of 6.67% while the S&P 500 returned 24%. Moreover, a 2020 study conducted by S&P Dow Jones Indices compared actively managed funds to the performance of the S&P 500, finding that 89% of fund managers failed to beat the benchmark index. Danelfin’s stock analytics platform aims to improve investors’ chances of securing large returns by leveraging AI’s ability to sort through massive amounts of data in order to provide retail investors with a technological edge formerly reserved for professionally managed funds. Founded in 2016, the company’s mission is to “democratize the use of artificial intelligence to help everyone make better investment decisions,” according to its website. Danelfin intends to do so by using its Explainable Artificial Intelligence, an analytics platform, to provide users with stock and ETF ratings, plus an easy-to-understand AI-generated score that ranges from 1 to 10. The platform uses 600 technical indicators, 150 fundamental indicators and 150 sentiment indicators for every stock and ETF it rates. According to the company, the higher the score assigned by its AI, the higher the probability that an equity will outperform the market over the next 90 trading days. The stocks AI (and my son) picked for me Because I’m a disciplined investor, I wasn’t about to break the bank on an AI stock-picking experiment solely because it would make for a fun story. Fortunately, most major brokerages now offer fractional shares . So before the market opened on July 8, I chose two stocks that Danelfin’s free AI model recommended — big-box retailer Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) and legacy carrier United Airlines Holding Inc. (UAL) — both of which received AI scores of 10 at the time. Then, after my son became disinterested in the stock randomizer after roughly 30 seconds, I had his pick: car parts retailer AutoZone Inc. (AZO). That Monday, before the opening bell, I purchased $1 worth of each. COST was trading for $885.67 per share, UAL was trading for $47 per share, and my 5-year-old’s pick, AZO, was trading for $2,815 per share. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 began the day at $5,567.19 before hitting a then-record high. After 30 trading days Things got off to a rocky start. In the lead-up to this analysis, the S&P 500 had posted a year-to-date return of 17.38%. But summertime volatility suddenly gripped the market, spiking to its highest levels since October 2023 at the tail end of the last bear market. After the first 30 trading days, on Aug. 16, here’s where things stood: The S&P 500 was outperforming the two AI picks despite both elevated volatility and a significant tech-fueled sell-off that saw it fall by 8.49% between July 16 and Aug. 5. But the index was able to recover nearly all of those losses by Aug. 16, the 30-day mark of the experiment. At this juncture, the S&P 500 and both AI stock picks were in the red, and it was beginning to look like my son — who thinks Santa is real and broccoli is evil — was a stock-picking savant. After 60 trading days September is notoriously the worst month of the year for stock performance. According to data from the S&P 500, since 1950, the average return for the S&P 500 for September is approximately -0.5%, which makes it the only month that has consistently posted a loss over that period. When the month began, it looked like more of the same. From the last trading day of August through Sept. 6, the S&P 500 experienced another sell-off that drove the index down by 4.25%. But things turned around quickly as foresighted investors scooped up the shares that inexperienced and panicked sellers offloaded. By Sept. 19, the S&P 500 was trading higher than it was before the sell-off began. After 60 trading days, on Sept. 30, here’s where things stood: At this point, the two AI picks had an average return of 10.74%, with one stock outperforming the S&P 500 by nearly fivefold and the other trailing the market by more than three percentage points. Meanwhile, my 5-year-old found himself in second place, with a return of 11.90% through 60 trading days, beating the market and one of the stocks AI picked. After 90 trading days The third and final phase of this experiment began with a strong October for the broad market and ended with a boost from the 2024 presidential election. In October, the S&P 500 set several more of all-time highs, and following a brief pullback at the end of the month, stocks rallied through the final day of the 90-trading day window prescribed by Danelfin’s AI. At the conclusion of those 90 trading days, on Nov. 11, here’s where everything stood: While the market rally allowed the S&P 500 to outperform one of AI’s stock picks — Costco — it was no match for United Airline’s gain of more than 90%. Danelifin’s proprietary model was able to identify the buy-low opportunity in the beleaguered airline before the stock hit its year-to-date low of $37.88 on Aug. 5. By Nov. 11, shares of UAL had reached their highest price since January 2020. The takeaway At the time of writing, shares of United Airlines just hit their all-time high, suggesting that AI is in agreement with my grandfather’s investment mantra of patience and discipline. While Danelfin’s other pick failed to beat the market, the average return for both stocks over the 90-trading day window was 47.8%, or more than five times the return of the S&P 500 during the same period. So: It worked. But had I decided to chose just one of Danelfin’s recommendations, I could have either outperformed or underperformed the market, which leads me to believe that — for now — AI’s claims are perhaps no more authentic than those made by the average Wall Street suit. Nobody has a crystal ball. The same goes for emerging technology like stock-picking AI platforms. And for novice or passive investors, the best approach remains investing in lower-risk index funds that historically provide reliable returns. My son has since returned to focusing on computer games and manipulating me into buying him cups of Cookie Monster ice cream (which contains enough blue food coloring to leave him looking like the flavor’s namesake Sesame Street character on a regular basis). That said, I’ll never forget that during a stretch of 2024, my 5-year-old randomly picked a stock that not only outperformed the market but held its own against AI. More from Money: Online Sports Betting Is Gaining Popularity — at the Expense of Traditional Investing This Is the Most Boring (but Effective) Way to Become a Millionaire What Investors Can Learn From the Worst-Performing Stocks of the Year Since joining Money in 2023 as an investment editor, Jordan has specialized in a wealth of finance topics, ranging from traditional equities (stocks, mutual funds and ETFs), income investment vehicles and alternative assets to retirement savings, debt-based fixed-income securities and commodities, with a specific focus on gold and other precious metals.He takes pride in combining his personal interests and professional experience in finance and education to help readers increase their financial literacy and make better investment choices.Jordan has worked in digital publishing for 17 years after graduating from Lynn University as a member of both the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society and the U.S. Achievement Academy's All-American Scholar Program. He previously served as managing editor of Weiss Ratings, where he worked alongside a team of investment writers, editors and analysts to produce educational finance content and daily, weekly and monthly market news alerts.As a contributing writer for BetterInvesting Magazine, Jordan covered topics focused on the fundamentals of investing, technical and fundamental analysis, mutual funds, debt securities, dividend investing, retirement savings strategies and passive income generation. His bylines can also be seen in Apple News, Money Crashers, The Charlotte Observer, Fort-Worth Star Telegram and a dozen other newspapers.
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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s health minister has been removed from his post following , government officials said Thursday. According to two government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the subject, Health Minister Duckenson Lorthe will be replaced by Justice Minister Patrick Pelissier until a new health minister is found. Two journalists and a police officer were killed Tuesday as who were there to cover the facility's reopening. It was one of the worst attacks on Haitian media in recent memory. Seven other journalists were wounded. Jean Feguens Regala, a photographer , said journalists had been invited to the hospital by the health ministry but there was little security at the site. “The fact that the minister of health invited us, you feel that preparations have been made already,” Regala told The Associated Press. “When we made contact with a police unit, the police told us they were not aware of the event." The health minister did not show up at the event, for reasons that have not been explained. Shortly after the attack, Johnson “Izo” André — considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of the Viv Ansanm group of gangs that has taken control of much of Port-au-Prince — posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening. Gang violence has worsened in Haiti, with crippling the country’s capital and plunging Haiti into an unprecedented crisis. Gangs are believed to control 85% of Port-au-Prince. The Caribbean country has struggled to organize an election that will restore democratic rule, and is currently governed by a transitional council made up of representatives of political parties, business groups and civil society organizations. Evens Sanon, The Associated Press
Two arrested for allegedly flying drone ‘dangerously close’ to Boston airportWASHINGTON (AP) — A ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a that gave officials in access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans, a top White House official said Friday. Biden administration officials said , as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, told reporters Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. The update from Neuberger is the latest development in a massive hacking operation that has alarmed national security officials, exposed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the private sector and laid bare China’s hacking sophistication. The hackers compromised the networks of telecommunications companies to obtain customer call records and gain access to the private communications of “a limited number of individuals.” Though the FBI has not publicly identified any of the victims, officials believe senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures are among those whose whose communications were accessed. Neuberger said officials did not yet have a precise sense how many Americans overall were affected by Salt Typhoon, in part because the Chinese were careful about their techniques, but a “large number” were in the Washington-Virginia area. Officials believe the goal of the hackers was to identify who owned the phones and, if they were “government targets of interest,” spy on their texts and phone calls, she said. The FBI said most of the people targeted by the hackers are “primarily involved in government or political activity.” Neuberger said the episode highlighted the need for required cybersecurity practices in the telecommunications industry, something the Federal Communications Commission is to take up at a meeting next month. “We know that voluntary cyber security practices are inadequate to protect against China, Russia and Iran hacking of our critical infrastructure,” she said. The Chinese government has denied responsibility for the hacking.Family-Friendly Perks and Huge Discounts Highlight Princess Cruises' 'Come Aboard Sale on 2025 - 2027 Sailings
SUV struck by MBTA Commuter Rail train on South Shore
Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. New sanctions on Russia's energy sector could temporarily raise gas prices and shift oil export patterns, according to experts who analyzed the global impact of penalties previously placed against the country's fossil fuels. President Joe Biden is reportedly considering imposing new sanctions on Russian energy before he leaves office, the Washington Post reported, citing four people familiar with the matter. Sources suggested that such a move could give President-elect Donald Trump more leverage in potential negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. If Biden proceeds with the sanction, analysis of U.S. sanctions against Russia at the beginning of the conflict with Ukraine indicate energy sanctions can result in higher gas prices globally. The price of natural gas began to rise amid tensions in Russia in 2022 but reached a record high in the U.S. after the country invaded and sparked a yearslong war with its neighboring country, Ukraine. PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA READY TO COMPROMISE WITH TRUMP ON UKRAINE WAR President Joe Biden (Brandon Bell) "Western sanctions on the Russian energy sector have reduced Russian revenues, but have also created costs for the sanctioning nations," the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis wrote in a review of the impact of energy sanctions on Russia. Biden and Western countries imposed sanctions on Russian energy after the country invaded Ukraine, resulting in rising diesel prices worldwide because there "simply weren’t enough refineries to meet diesel demand, especially after the U.S. and other countries stopped purchasing energy exports from Russia," according to an analysis from the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED). US SLAPS SANCTIONS ON COMPANIES TIED TO NORD STREAM 2 IN BID TO SQUEEZE RUSSIA According to FRED, the Producer Price Index (PPI) for diesel in June 2022 was approximately 109% higher than in June 2021. However, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that prices have decreased considerably since. The American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a public policy think tank, says that sanctions can have varying effects, such as a "significant shift in oil export patterns, rerouting trade flows in an economically inefficient manner and forcing sanctioned countries such as Iran, Russia, and Venezuela to sell crude at below-market prices." Russian President Vladimir Putin (Gavriil Grigorov) While the move could increase oil costs, one advocate of the idea suggested that the election being over could be a reason for Biden to move forward with the penalty. "The Biden administration has been worried about increasing gas prices and worsening inflation. That was the main constraint on their Russia sanctions policy, the domestic ramifications," said Edward Fishman, senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, the Washington Post reported. "But the election is over, and inflation is under control. The reasons to be this cautious on sanctions don’t apply anymore." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The report comes just days after the U.S. issued fresh sanctions against several Russian-linked entities and individuals involved in the building of Nord Stream 2, the massive undersea gas pipeline linking Russia to Germany. Fox News' Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report. Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.No country and its people have learned the hard lessons of economic management quite like Sri Lanka. This isn’t said with sarcasm but with deep recognition of a nation shaped by economic challenges. Our struggle to reform and adapt to internal and external shocks has been long and arduous. The COVID-19 pandemic further aggravated existing issues but also brought an unexpected silver lining—accelerating digital adoption in both personal and professional spheres. The pandemic became a turning point, compelling citizens to rely on digital tools for banking, utilities, shopping, meetings, and even official processes like the unforgettable fuel QR code system. While the Sri Lankan IT sector had already laid the groundwork for digital transformation, widespread adoption only took off when the lockdowns left no alternative. These experiences underscore that digitalisation is no longer optional—it is essential. People have come to believe in its power to reduce costs, enhance efficiency, boost citizen engagement, and minimise delays. Digital transformation is not just a necessity but the path to a more sustainable future for Sri Lanka. Next Steps: A Nation Poised for Digital Change Unlike any previous administration, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s Government has underscored digitalisation to a national priority, using it as a bandwagon even during election campaigns. The President has pledged that Sri Lanka will undergo a comprehensive digital transformation within the next three years. His administration views digitalisation as a grand catalyst to boosting the country’s global competitiveness, highlighting that several initiatives are already underway. Can the Government Deliver? Th core and focal element of this transformation is the introduction of a digital identity card. This long-discussed concept has repeatedly surfaced but went into oblivion due to shifting political interests rather than a lack of professional capability. Sri Lankan IT professionals have long supported this initiative, recognising that a digital ID could serve as the foundational database for managing Government services and streamlining administrative processes. With accurate, real-time citizen data, public services could become more accessible, transparent, and efficient. The Private Sector: Leading by Example While the Government is still catching up, the private sector is already firing on all cylinders. Businesses are exploiting all possible digital tools as essential drivers of cost reduction and productivity. Digitalisation allows organisations to combat corruption, minimise waste, and optimise expenditures—all while boosting customer experience and maximising profitability. For them, it’s not at all anice to have but acompetitive necessity. The Government Must Follow Suit To realise the vision of a fully digital Sri Lanka, the Government must adopt the same level of urgency as the private sector. Public-private partnerships could be instrumental in fast-tracking digital projects while leveraging the expertise and resources already present in the country. A collaborative approach will ensure that digital transformation isn’t just a political promise but a reality that reshapes Sri Lanka’s future. Does the Government Have the Right People? There’s little room for complaint when it comes to the team driving Sri Lanka’s digital transformation. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has strategically appointed some of the country’s most qualified and experienced professionals, well-versed in the nation’s technological landscape. A key figure in this effort is Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, initially appointed as the President’s Chief Advisor on the Digital Economy and later named Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Chairman of ICTA (Information & Communication Technology Agency). His appointment has been widely welcomed by the public, specially people who hail from the corporate sector. Dr. Wijayasuriya’s expertise extends far beyond telecommunications, where he played a pivotal role in digitally transforming Sri Lanka’s telco sector. His leadership has driven progress in areas such as digital health, digital finance, digital education, digital insurance, digital welfare, and CSR initiatives. His proven track record highlights a clear capacity for managing complex national-scale digital projects. The broader digitalization team also features highly capable professionals recognized for their technical proficiency and leadership. These appointments underscore the Government’s genuine commitment to making digital transformation a reality, demonstrating a thoughtful alignment of roles with relevant expertise. Managing the Change Managing the digital transformation politically and publicly is one of the major challenges the Government may face. A historical reminder is the resistance encountered when biometric systems were introduced to track Government employees’ attendance. Such pushback reflects a deeper challenge—overcoming entrenched mindsets. However, the winds of change are evident. Sri Lankans have recognized past inefficiencies and voted for a Government promising ‘Change’. This willingness for change creates a valuable starting point for the Government to tackle resistance proactively and ensure smooth implementation. Another crucial aspect is transforming the attitudes of Government service providers. They must embrace a service-oriented mindset driven by responsibility and transparency. Digitalized processes can serve as the key catalyst, simplifying workflows, reducing bureaucratic delays, and fostering accountability. Potential concerns about data security are also inevitable. Citizens may question, “Is my data secure with the Government?” It is essential to highlight that most people have already shared their personal information with private entities like supermarkets, banks, hospitals, telecom providers, and educational institutions for various services. With the project in capable hands, the Government must deploy the best digital infrastructure while ensuring robust cybersecurity protocols to protect sensitive data. Above all, the Government needs a well-structured communication and change management plan to engage the public, Government agencies, and employees. Clear messaging, transparency, and consistent engagement will be critical in rallying support for this transformative initiative, setting Sri Lanka on a path toward digital excellence. Global Examples: Proof of Possibility Sri Lanka is not the first country to embark on a journey toward digital transformation. If other nations, including emerging economies, have successfully aligned their Governments and citizens with digitalisation, why can’t we? While countries like the USA, Canada, and Scandinavian nations are often cited, their models might seem too far removed from our reality. However, several emerging economies have proven that digitalisation can be the driving force behind their solid growth trajectory hither to have proven. * Nigeria: Despite funding challenges, Nigeria’s National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) systems now serve over 100 million citizens. These initiatives have strengthened digital services, promoting financial inclusion and economic growth. * India: The Aadhaar system, the world’s largest biometric digital ID programme, covers over 1.3 billion people. It supports essential services like banking, welfare disbursements, and tax filing, playing a transformative role in India’s digital governance. * Estonia: Though not a developing economy, Estonia offers a powerful case study with its fully digital Government services. Its digital ID system ensures secure access to online services, including voting, business registration, and healthcare management. * Kenya: Kenya’s Huduma Namba digital ID program has enhanced service delivery by streamlining access to Government services like healthcare, education, and tax payments. * Indonesia: Indonesia’s e-KTP (electronic identity card) system covers over 97% of its population, enabling seamless access to Government services and financial transactions. These examples demonstrate that digital transformation is not an unreachable dream. Sri Lanka, with a population of 22 million, has every reason to believe in this possibility. With the right vision, leadership, and public alignment, we can harness digitalization as the key driver for national development. Let’s commit to this journey, stay aligned, and transform our collective future. The writer is a professional with extensive corporate experience in marketing, corporate communications, branding, sustainability and change management. The expertise spans various industries, including media, advertising and public relations, automobile, construction and real estate, telecom, ICT, and manufacturing. The writer can be reached through [email protected]Ritz-Carlton Sets A New Standard For Luxury In Xiamen boosting Travel and Hospitality IndustryThe webcast, as with other selected presentations regarding developments in Amgen's business given by management at certain investor and medical conferences, can be found on Amgen's website, www.amgen.com , under Investors. 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Ruud van Nistelrooy admits he was “hurt” at having to leave Manchester United last month. Van Nistelrooy returned to Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag’s assistant in the summer and had a four-game interim spell in charge following his compatriot’s sacking in October. He left the club in the wake of Ruben Amorim’s appointment but was only out of work for two weeks after being appointed Leicester’s new manager on a deal until 2027. The 48-year-old had a glittering playing career with United and was disappointed his return had to end so soon. “The moment I took over the interim job what I said was I’m here to help United and to stay to help United, and I meant it,” he said. “So I was disappointed, yeah, very much so, and it hurt I had to leave. “The only job I would take as an assistant was at United because of the bond that I have with the people in the club and the fans. “But in the end I got my head around it because I also understand the new manager. I’m in football long enough, and I’ve managed myself, that you can think of a situation, me being there, I understand. “I spoke to Ruben about it, fair enough to him, the conversation was grateful, man to man, person to person, manager to manager, and that helped a lot to move on and straightaway get into talks with new possibilities which of course lifted my spirits.” The Dutchman takes on a difficult job at the King Power Stadium as he is tasked with keeping Leicester in the Premier League. He inherits an influential dressing room, which has seen a number of managers come and go over the last few years. Ruud's here for his first press conference as our Manager 😃 pic.twitter.com/A4Juixvorb — Leicester City (@LCFC) December 2, 2024 Van Nistelrooy revealed he has done his due diligence and also let the players know as well. “It’s the only way you can work. It’s mutual respect. I also mentioned to the players yesterday that I looked at the squad and started to make phone calls about players, because in football everyone knows everyone,” he said. “With two or three phone calls you hear stories about 20 players and for me it was important that you hear there are good characters there. That’s important, that there are good people there. “I look at the players how they play. I obviously don’t know them but I got general information and the individuals that they are a good bunch of people. That was important for me to get in.”Mary Murphy, longest-serving woman in the Minnesota House, has died at 85
Tommy Banks, who owns two restaurants and a pub in North Yorkshire, posted on Instagram on Monday morning to say his van with £25,000 of stock in the back had been taken from just outside Ripon. Mr Banks said in the video that the stock – including steak and ale, turkey and butternut squash pies, as well as gravy and custard – was for York Christmas Market. A post shared by Tommy Banks (@tommybanks) He urged the thieves to drop the pies somewhere such as a community centre, adding “I know you’re a criminal, but maybe just do something nice because it’s Christmas and maybe we can feed a few thousand people with these pies that you’ve stolen, do the right thing”. Mr Banks also asked anyone who is offered pies from someone who is not him to report them to the police. North Yorkshire Police said it had been informed of the theft and asked anyone with information to get in touch, the BBC reported. Mr Banks’s video contained the caption: “So @matthewalockwood went into @madeinoldstead this morning to pick up the van and it has been stolen. “These guys had loaded up the van with stock for @tommyspieshop today and left plugged in overnight. “I’m guessing the thieves didn’t realise they were stealing 2,500 pies along with the van! The pies are all in boxes with my name on so not very easy to sell. “If you are the thieves and read this I urge you to drop the pies off somewhere. So we can at least give them to people who need food and they are not wasted.” Mr Banks told the PA news agency: “What was really making me sad this morning, I thought suddenly they’re going to realise what’s in the back and ditch the food. “We talk about zero waste and when you’ve got just short of a tonne of food that’s probably been ditched, it would be good if it could find its way to people who need it.” He added that his team were “much less bothered about the van as they’re bothered about the pies” as it was a week’s worth of stock. The chef said they are planning to create a chicken pie this week and one of his team came up with the name “bandit butter chicken pie”, as he said the situation was “all a bit Home Alone – at Christmas with the pie bandit stealing our pies”.
A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House saysGophers football players are preparing to play Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Friday, but three key pieces peered beyond the blinders to shore up their commitment to Minnesota on Monday. Quarterback Max Brosmer and offensive lineman Quinn Carroll — two sixth-year seniors — said they will play in the Gophers’ to-be-determined bowl game, bucking a growing trend of players skipping postseason games to prepare for shots in the NFL. ADVERTISEMENT Brosmer, a transfer from FCS-level New Hampshire, said he will “definitely” suit up. “It’s another opportunity for us to play as a team,” said Brosmer, who threw for 2,426 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in 11 games this season. “It’s a compilation of what you have worked on all season.” Carroll said he respects higher-level prospects who might opt out and protect their draft stock, but he wants to get back to a “standard” of players not skipping the games. “My goal ever since I came here was to be the leader, be the standard all the time, and I don’t want it to become a standard that we don’t play in the bowl game if we have NFL aspirations,” said Carroll, who has played three seasons at Minnesota after three years at Notre Dame. “Obviously it’s different for guys who are maybe touted a little bit higher or think it will be better off for them to start working on the next step, whether that is combine training or what have you. But that is one opportunity that I’m blessed with to play with the guys and I’m going to take full advantage of it.” Left tackle Aireontae Ersery is a prime candidate of a Gophers player who might want to safeguard a higher draft stock and limit injury exposure by sitting out the bowl game. The possible first- or second-round pick has not said what he might do. For example, former U center, John Michael Schmitz opted out of the Pinstripe Bowl in 2022; he was drafted in the second round by the New York Giants. Meanwhile, Gophers fifth-year defensive lineman Jalen Logan-Redding said he will return to Minnesota for 2025, instead of trying his luck in the NFL. “Coming back next year is definitely going to be the best for me and being able to maximize all my opportunities and exhaust eligibility,” Logan-Redding said. Logan-Redding said he talked with fellow D-lineman Deven Eastern, who has one more year remaining, about pairing up in 2025. ADVERTISEMENT “We talk a lot about it,” Logan-Redding said. “... We are excited for it, honestly. Not only continuing to build the D-line, but just continuing to build on the experience that we already have. We’ve seen the amount of destruction that we can create when we are focused. Me, Dev and, of course, (Anthony Smith). He would be pissed if I didn’t shout him out.” Smith, who has two more years of eligibility, has been one of the U’s best players in the last month. He has 23 total pressures and five sacks, including one sack in each of the last three weeks. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
Applied Industrial Technologies director sells $605,167 in stockTrump accuses Biden of knowing more about reported drone sightings than he's saying without evidenceBy Vanessa G. Sánchez, KFF Health News (TNS) LOS ANGELES — President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations and tougher immigration restrictions is deepening mistrust of the health care system among California’s immigrants and clouding the future for providers serving the state’s most impoverished residents. At the same time, immigrants living illegally in Southern California told KFF Health News they thought the economy would improve and their incomes might increase under Trump, and for some that outweighed concerns about health care. Community health workers say fear of deportation is already affecting participation in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program for low-income residents, which was expanded in phases to all immigrants regardless of residency status over the past several years. That could undercut the state’s progress in reducing the uninsured rate, which reached a record low of 6.4% last year. Immigrants lacking legal residency have long worried that participation in government programs could make them targets, and Trump’s election has compounded those concerns, community advocates say. The incoming Trump administration is also expected to target Medicaid with funding cuts and enrollment restrictions , which activists worry could threaten the Medi-Cal expansion and kneecap efforts to extend health insurance subsidies under Covered California to all immigrants. “The fear alone has so many consequences to the health of our communities,” said Mar Velez , director of policy with the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. “This is, as they say, not their first rodeo. They understand how the system works. I think this machine is going to be, unfortunately, a lot more harmful to our communities.” Alongside such worries, though, is a strain of optimism that Trump might be a boon to the economy, according to interviews with immigrants in Los Angeles whom health care workers were soliciting to sign up for Medi-Cal. Since Election Day, community health worker Yanet Martinez said, people are more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” Martinez said. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Clinics and community health workers encourage immigrants to enroll for health coverage through Medi-Cal and Covered California. But workers have noticed that fear of deportation has chilled participation. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Community health workers like Yanet Martinez encourage people to enroll for health benefits. But many California immigrants fear that using subsidized services could hurt their chances of obtaining legal residency. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Since Election Day, community health worker Yanet Martinez said, people are more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” Martinez said. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Selvin, 39, who, like others interviewed for this article, asked to be identified by only his first name because he’s living here without legal permission, said that even though he believes Trump dislikes people like him, he thinks the new administration could help boost his hours at the food processing facility where he works packing noodles. “I do see how he could improve the economy. From that perspective, I think it’s good that he won.” He became eligible for Medi-Cal this year but decided not to enroll, worrying it could jeopardize his chances of changing his immigration status. “I’ve thought about it,” Selvin said, but “I feel like it could end up hurting me. I won’t deny that, obviously, I’d like to benefit — get my teeth fixed, a physical checkup.” But fear holds him back, he said, and he hasn’t seen a doctor in nine years. It’s not Trump’s mass deportation plan in particular that’s scaring him off, though. “If I’m not committing any crimes or getting a DUI, I think I won’t get deported,” Selvin said. Petrona, 55, came from El Salvador seeking asylum and enrolled in Medi-Cal last year. She said that if her health insurance benefits were cut, she wouldn’t be able to afford her visits to the dentist. A street food vendor, she hears often about Trump’s deportation plan, but she said it will be the criminals the new president pushes out. “I’ve heard people say he’s going to get rid of everyone who’s stealing.” Although she’s afraid she could be deported, she’s also hopeful about Trump. “He says he’s going to give a lot of work to Hispanics because Latinos are the ones who work the hardest,” she said. “That’s good, more work for us, the ones who came here to work.” Newly elected Republican Assembly member Jeff Gonzalez, who flipped a seat long held by Democrats in the Latino-heavy desert region in the southeastern part of the state, said his constituents were anxious to see a new economic direction. “They’re just really kind of fed up with the status quo in California,” Gonzalez said. “People on the ground are saying, ‘I’m hopeful,’ because now we have a different perspective. We have a businessperson who is looking at the very things that we are looking at, which is the price of eggs, the price of gas, the safety.” Related Articles National Politics | Mexico tests cellphone app allowing migrants to send alert if they are about to be detained in US National Politics | Trump wants mass deportations. For the agents removing immigrants, it’s a painstaking process National Politics | Immigration agency deports highest numbers since 2014, aided by more flights National Politics | Advocates train immigrants to ‘prepare to stay’ in the US under Trump National Politics | Immigration drives US population growth to highest rate in 23 years as residents pass 340 million Gonzalez said he’s not going to comment about potential Medicaid cuts, because Trump has not made any official announcement. Unlike most in his party, Gonzalez said he supports the extension of health care services to all residents regardless of immigration status . Health care providers said they are facing a twin challenge of hesitancy among those they are supposed to serve and the threat of major cuts to Medicaid, the federal program that provides over 60% of the funding for Medi-Cal. Health providers and policy researchers say a loss in federal contributions could lead the state to roll back or downsize some programs, including the expansion to cover those without legal authorization. California and Oregon are the only states that offer comprehensive health insurance to all income-eligible immigrants regardless of status. About 1.5 million people without authorization have enrolled in California, at a cost of over $6 billion a year to state taxpayers. “Everyone wants to put these types of services on the chopping block, which is really unfair,” said state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat and chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. “We will do everything we can to ensure that we prioritize this.” Sen. Gonzalez said it will be challenging to expand programs such as Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, for which immigrants lacking permanent legal status are not eligible. A big concern for immigrants and their advocates is that Trump could reinstate changes to the public charge policy, which can deny green cards or visas based on the use of government benefits. “President Trump’s mass deportation plan will end the financial drain posed by illegal immigrants on our healthcare system, and ensure that our country can care for American citizens who rely on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security,” Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to KFF Health News. During his first term, in 2019, Trump broadened the policy to include the use of Medicaid, as well as housing and nutrition subsidies. The Biden administration rescinded the change in 2021. KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News, found immigrants use less health care than people born in the United States. And about 1 in 4 likely undocumented immigrant adults said they have avoided applying for assistance with health care, food, and housing because of immigration-related fears, according to a 2023 survey . Another uncertainty is the fate of the Affordable Care Act, which was opened in November to immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and are protected by the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals program. If DACA eligibility for the act’s plans, or even the act itself, were to be reversed under Trump, that would leave roughly 40,000 California DACA recipients, and about 100,000 nationwide , without access to subsidized health insurance. On Dec. 9, a federal court in North Dakota issued an order blocking DACA recipients from accessing Affordable Care Act health plans in 19 states that had challenged the Biden administration’s rule. Clinics and community health workers are encouraging people to continue enrolling in health benefits. But amid the push to spread the message, the chilling effects are already apparent up and down the state. “¿Ya tiene Medi-Cal?” community health worker Yanet Martinez said, asking residents whether they had Medi-Cal as she walked down Pico Boulevard recently in a Los Angeles neighborhood with many Salvadorans. “¡Nosotros podemos ayudarle a solicitar Medi-Cal! ¡Todo gratuito!” she shouted, offering help to sign up, free of charge. “Gracias, pero no,” said one young woman, responding with a no thanks. She shrugged her shoulders and averted her eyes under a cap that covered her from the late-morning sun. Since Election Day, Martinez said, people have been more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” she said. “They don’t want anything to do with it.” This article was produced by KFF Health News , which publishes California Healthline , an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation . ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.US Drone Sightings: Why Shooting Them Down Could Be Risky
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