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Porzingis, Morant make triumphant NBA returnsRBI, Maldives Monetary Authority sign pact to promote use of local currenciesIn August, the agency barred two of about a dozen private sector online-enrollment platforms from connecting with healthcare.gov over concerns related to improper switching.
Julie Appleby | KFF Health News Unauthorized switching of Affordable Care Act plans appears to have tapered off in recent weeks based on an almost one-third drop in casework associated with consumer complaints, say federal regulators . The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees the ACA, credits steps taken to thwart enrollment and switching problems that triggered more than 274,000 complaints this year through August. Now, the annual ACA open enrollment period that began Nov. 1 poses a real-world test: Will the changes curb fraud by rogue agents or brokerages without unduly slowing the process of enrolling or reducing the total number of sign-ups for 2025 coverage? “They really have this tightrope to walk,” said Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. “The more you tighten it up to prevent fraud, the more barriers there are that could inhibit enrollment among those who need the coverage.” CMS said in July that some types of policy changes — those in which the agent is not “affiliated” with the existing plan — will face more requirements, such as a three-way call with the consumer, broker, and a healthcare.gov call center representative. In August, the agency barred two of about a dozen private sector online-enrollment platforms from connecting with healthcare.gov over concerns related to improper switching. And CMS has suspended 850 agents suspected of being involved in unauthorized plan-switching from accessing the ACA marketplace. Still, the clampdown could add complexity to enrollment and slow the process. For example, a consumer might have to wait in a queue for a three-way call, or scramble to find a new agent because the one they previously worked with had been suspended. Given that phone lines with healthcare.gov staff already get busy — especially during mid-December — agents and policy analysts advise consumers not to dally this year. “Hit the ground running,” said Ronnell Nolan, president and CEO of Health Agents for America, a professional organization for brokers. Meanwhile, reports are emerging that some rogue entities are already figuring out workarounds that could undermine some of the anti-fraud protections CMS put in place, Nolan said. “Bottom line is: Fraud and abuse is still happening,” Nolan said. Brokers assist the majority of people actively enrolling in ACA plans and are paid a monthly commission by insurers for their efforts. Consumers can compare plans or enroll themselves online through federal or state marketplace websites. They can also seek help from people called assisters or navigators — certified helpers who are not paid commissions. Under a “find local help” button on the federal and state ACA websites , consumers can search for nearby brokers or navigators. CMS says it has “ramped up support operations” at its healthcare.gov marketplace call centers, which are open 24/7, in anticipation of increased demand for three-way calls, and it expects “minimal wait times,” said Jeff Wu, deputy director for policy of the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. Wu said those three-way calls are necessary only when an agent or a broker not already associated with a consumer’s enrollment wants to change that consumer’s enrollment or end that consumer’s coverage. It does not apply to people seeking coverage for the first time. Organizations paid by the government to offer navigator services have a dedicated phone line to the federal marketplace, and callers are not currently experiencing long waits, said Xonjenese Jacobs, director of Florida Covering Kids & Families, a program based at the University of South Florida that coordinates enrollment across the state through its Covering Florida navigator program. Navigators can assist with the three-way calls if a consumer’s situation requires it. “Because we have our quick line in, there’s no increased wait time,” Jacobs said. The problem of unauthorized switches has been around for a while but took off during last year’s open enrollment season. Brokers generally blamed much of the problem on the ease with which rogue agents can access ACA information in the federal marketplace, needing only a person’s name, date of birth, and state of residence. Though federal regulators have worked to tighten that access with the three-way call requirement, they stopped short of instituting what some agent groups say is needed: two-factor authentication, which could involve a code accessed by a consumer through a smartphone. Unauthorized switches can lead to a host of problems for consumers, from higher deductibles to landing in new networks that do not include their preferred physicians or hospitals. Some people have received tax bills when unauthorized policies came with premium credits for which they did not qualify. Unauthorized switches posed a political liability for the Biden administration, a blemish on two years of record ACA enrollment. The practice drew criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle; Democrats demanded more oversight and punishment of rogue agents, while Republicans said fraud attempts were fueled by Biden administration moves that allowed for more generous premium subsidies and special enrollment periods. The fate of those enhanced subsidies, which are set to expire, will be decided by Congress next year as the Trump administration takes power. But the premiums and subsidies that come with 2025 plans that people are enrolling in now will remain in effect for the entire year. The actions taken this year to thwart the unauthorized enrollments apply to the federal marketplace, used by 31 states . The remaining states and the District of Columbia run their own websites, with many having in place additional layers of security. Related Articles Health | Feds suspend ACA marketplace access to companies accused of falsely promising ‘cash cards’ Health | More foods are making us sick: What to know as foodborne outbreaks hit Health | Which health insurance plan may be right for you? Health | Pay first, deliver later: Some women are being asked to prepay for their baby Health | Airport authority, Delta unveil $500k multi-sensory room at Metro Airport For its part, CMS says its efforts are working, pointing to the 30% drop in complaint casework. The agency also noted a 90% drop in the number of times an agent’s name was replaced by another’s, which it says indicates that it is tougher for rival agents to steal clients to gain the monthly commissions that insurers pay. Still, the move to suspend 850 agents has drawn pushback from agent groups that initially brought the problem to federal regulators’ attention. They say some of those accused were suspended before getting a chance to respond to the allegations. “There will be a certain number of agents and brokers who are going to be suspended without due process,” said Nolan, with the health agents’ group. She said that it has called for increased protections against unauthorized switching and that two-factor authentication, like that used in some state marketplaces or in the financial sector, would be more effective than what’s been done. “We now have to jump through so many hoops that I’m not sure we’re going to survive,” she said of agents in general. “They are just throwing things against the wall to see what sticks when they could just do two-factor.” The agency did not respond to questions asking for details about how the 850 agents suspended since July were selected, the states where they were located, or how many had their suspensions reversed after supplying additional information.
Former NFL star Rob Gronkowski says Apple stock was his best investment ever, turning $69,000 into $6000,000JERUSALEM — Israel approved a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire, starting at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday, would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Israel says it will ‘attack with might’ if Hezbollah breaks truce Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Warplanes bombard Beirut and its southern suburbs Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. The warnings sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli forces reach Litani River in southern Lebanon The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few miles from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 20 miles north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.Septoplasty Market Trends and Growth Scenario |Medtronic, Olympus, Stryker 12-07-2024 06:04 PM CET | Health & Medicine Press release from: HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Pvt. Ltd. Septoplasty Market HTF MI recently introduced Global Septoplasty Market study with 143+ pages in-depth overview, describing about the Product / Industry Scope and elaborates market outlook and status (2024-2032). The market Study is segmented by key regions which is accelerating the marketization. At present, the market is developing its presence. Some key players from the complete study are Medtronic, Olympus, Stryker, Smith & Nephew, etc.. 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FIVE FORCES & PESTLE ANALYSIS: In order to better understand market conditions five forces analysis is conducted that includes the Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitutes, and Threat of rivalry. • Political (Political policy and stability as well as trade, fiscal, and taxation policies) • Economical (Interest rates, employment or unemployment rates, raw material costs, and foreign exchange rates) • Social (Changing family demographics, education levels, cultural trends, attitude changes, and changes in lifestyles) • Technological (Changes in digital or mobile technology, automation, research, and development) • Legal (Employment legislation, consumer law, health, and safety, international as well as trade regulation and restrictions) • Environmental (Climate, recycling procedures, carbon footprint, waste disposal, and sustainability) Get 10-25% Discount on Immediate purchase 👉 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/request-discount/3319983-global-septoplasty-market-growth?utm_source=Tarusha_OpenPR&utm_id=Tarusha Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Septoplasty Market: Chapter 01 - Septoplasty Executive Summary Chapter 02 - Market Overview Chapter 03 - Key Success Factors Chapter 04 - Global Septoplasty Market - Pricing Analysis Chapter 05 - Global Septoplasty Market Background or History Chapter 06 - Global Septoplasty Market Segmentation (e.g. Type, Application) Chapter 07 - Key and Emerging Countries Analysis Worldwide Septoplasty Market Chapter 08 - Global Septoplasty Market Structure & worth Analysis Chapter 09 - Global Septoplasty Market Competitive Analysis & Challenges Chapter 10 - Assumptions and Acronyms Chapter 11 - Septoplasty Market Research Methodology Key questions answered • How Global Septoplasty Market growth & size is changing in next few years? • Who are the Leading players and what are their futuristic plans in the Global Septoplasty market? • What are the key concerns of the 5-forces analysis of the Global Septoplasty market? • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? • What are the different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Global Septoplasty market? Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter-wise sections or region-wise report versions like North America, LATAM, Europe, Japan, Australia or Southeast Asia. Contact Us: Nidhi Bhawsar (PR & Marketing Manager) HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited Phone: +15075562445 sales@htfmarketintelligence.com Connect with us on LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter About Author: HTF Market Intelligence Consulting is uniquely positioned to empower and inspire with research and consulting services to empower businesses with growth strategies. We offer services with extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events, and experience that assist in decision-making. This release was published on openPR.SAINT JOHN - After more than seven months of construction work, the walkway that connects Market Square and City Hall has reopened after a $1.7 million renovation project. In April, the city closed the St. Patrick Street pedway to replace the existing escalator with a wider staircase and add an additional elevator. Work was expected to conclude by October, but in that month the city’s infrastructure commissioner Ian Fogan told Brunswick News that a materials issue would delay completion of the project by six to eight weeks. On Thursday, the city posted on its social media that the connection was now reopened, adding that plywood would be standing in for glass railings until the material arrived, and that one of the two elevators was out of service. Samir Yammine, the city’s director of asset management and environmental performance, said he was “so excited.” “To make it accessible to people, especially those with a disability, and provide better service to the people moving forward ... it’s been a long journey,” Yammine said. “I’m very happy to see the project come alive.” The pedway is part of the Inside Connection path which runs from the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre and Hilton hotel through Market Square, Rocky’s Sports Bar, City Hall and Brunswick Square to City Market, with a branch that runs past the Canada Games Aquatic Centre to TD Station. It provides an accessible path for those with mobility needs especially in winter months, when snow and ice can make Saint John’s hilly sidewalks tough to navigate with a wheelchair or walker. Yammine said the pedway was first built in 1982, and since the last renovation, much of the infrastructure, including the skylight, was “already past due.” One of the big additions is an elevator shaft added to the side of the building, which has a brand new Otis Gen3 elevator with a capacity of 20 people, which Yammine said was the second of its kind in Canada. The existing elevator, however, was from the original build and had “major issues,” and the city is working with a contractor to decide whether to repair or replace it over the next month or two. The renovation started in 2023 following engagement with local businesses, with Yammine saying the city was told they’d rather have the build take place over the summer rather than the winter, when the pedway protects from the elements. But the materials acquisition had “several issues,” including problems with the tempered glass planned for the stair railing and balcony. He said they made the choice to make it accessible and hope that the glass can be installed in mid-January. Moe Arsenault, owner of Rocky’s and Beer Bread Pizza, which is on the first floor of the Canada Permanent building, said he is “extremely happy” about the reopening. “We believe the pedway system is the artery of our city,” Arsenault said. “To have the upgrades that were done were necessary. It did take a little longer than expected, but it’s a great day to celebrate moving forward and having a new piece to showcase the abilities to host events and people visiting our city.” He said the impact of the closure would have resulted in 30 per cent drop in sales to Beer Bread, which can be accessed through a stairwell in the pedway, and a 15 per cent cut to Rocky’s. He said that having the pedway reopened will mean renewed access from guests at the Hilton, as well as residents who live in the buildings along Harbour Passage. “It means the pedway system is going to be able to operate as intended, allowing people to come, shop and visit our establishment,” he said. “It looks wonderful out there, and it’s opened up quite a bit of that artery.” On Thursday, lunch traffic flowed up and down the stairs, and some residents stopped to chat to a waiting security guard. Lynn and Junior Patterson, two seniors who live at the Rotary Admiral Beatty Complex in Kings Square, passed through the area just before noon. “It’s nice, the stairs are lovely, the tile and everything on them, and they’ve got both elevators ... I think it’s better than the escalator,” said Lynn Patterson, who said they walk it every day. Junior Patterson said it was “very helpful” to have the walkway, saying “it’s a breakthrough, just getting out and getting your exercise.” Lynn Patterson noted that it opens connections to the seniors who live on Smythe Street “that are used to being able to stay inside the whole way.” Yammine said Saint John residents were “very patient with us” and said that the pedway is an “important link.” “We can see this flow here, nice flow,” he said. “Many people are very excited to see this finally open.”
Special counsel Jack Smith filed to dismiss the two federal cases against Donald Trump , but that doesn't mean one of them will disappear anytime soon. MSNBC host Katie Phang and legal analyst Lisa Rubin both pointed out that Trump's aides, Carlos De Oliveira and Walt Nauta are both still on the hook for participating in the classified documents scandal. The three men were accused of an effort to obstruct justice by deleting security footage the Justice Department was requesting in the investigation . Also read: 'Not normal times': Ex-intel officials brace for retribution following J.D. Vance vow Trump was indicted for mishandling classified documents and a scheme to cover up the documents scandal with the other two men. "For what it's worth, the DOJ has moved to dismiss the classified documents case only against Trump," said Katie Phang on the social media site Bluesky . "The prosecution of his co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, will continue because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” Florida Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the classified documents case, ruling the special counsel's appointment was unconstitutional. The case was then sent to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. "Smith argues that dismissing the appeal (currently pending before the 11th Circuit) will 'leave in place the district court’s order dismissing the indictment without prejudice' as to Trump," Phang said. "The practical problem here, though, is that Trump can just pardon Nauta and de Oliveira because these are federal crimes," she added.
ANDERSON – Tate Ivanyo and Rob Davidson each posted a double-double Saturday, and the Anderson University men’s basketball team surged past Carthage 88-74 at O.C. Lewis Gynmasium. “I’m definitely proud of the guys on this one,” Ravens coach Carter Collins said “Carthage is a very talented team, ad they got us at their place last year.” Ivanyo finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds for his eighth career double-double. He added four assists, and three steals. Davidson tallied 14 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double while shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and procuring three steals. Brice Williams put Anderson in front by double figures for the first time at 24-13 with a layup at the 10:39 mark in the first half. The lead peaked at 21 points on a pair of free throws by Ivanyo with 54 seconds to play before intermission, and the Ravens (4-1) led 53-35 at halftime. “I thought we played really well during the first half and hit basically everything that we outlined we wanted to do,” Collins said. Ivanyo’s jumper with 19:07 remaining gave Anderson its biggest lead at 57-35 before Cathage (2-2) began chipping away. Ashe Oglesby’s layup with 12:57 to play pulled the Firebirds within single digits at 62-53, but the visitors got no closer. “The second half was more up and down,” Collins said, “but I was proud of the guys overcoming an uncharacteristic 0-for-13 3-point shooting half to play Carthage close to even and pull out the victory.” Anderson finished just 7-for-28 beyond the arc but shot 46.4% (32-of-69) overall. Carthage was at 41% (25-of-61) from the floor and was 9-of-29 from 3-point range. The Ravens shot 17-for-23 at the free-throw line, while the Firebirds were 15-of-23. Anderson won the battle of the boards 46-37 and scored 28 points off 19 Carthage turnovers. Williams finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals for the Ravens. Kenny Troutman tallied 11 points and two steals, and Nolan Swan added 10 points and three rebounds. Griffin Daun and Riley Brooks led Carthage with 17 points each. A.J. Williams was the only other Firebird in double figures with 10 points. Ryan Johnson pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds. The Ravens travel to Chicago on Tuesday to face North Park (1-3) at 8 p.m. HOLLAND, Mich. – Brynn Beard’s 3-pointer didn’t fall at the buzzer, and Olivet held off a furious second-half charge to outlast the Ravens 79-77 on Saturday. Bella Larrison’s layup with 50 seconds left pulled Anderson (2-4) within two points, and the Comets (2-2) missed a pair of free throws to extend the lead with 16 seconds to play. Lapel’s Makynlee Taylor rebounded the second miss to set up Beard’s attempted game winner. Larrison led the Ravens with 20 points, six rebounds, five steals and two assists. Sarah Sewak added 18 points and four rebounds, and Izzy Davis tallied 14 points, seven boards and five assists for Anderson. The Ravens trailed 45-29 at halftime but cut the deficit to 64-57 entering the fourth quarter. Olivet shot 41.8% (28-of-67) overall and was 7-of-21 from 3-point range and 16-of-24 at the free-throw line. Anderson shot 34.6% (28-of-81) from the floor, 7-of-34 beyond the arc and 14-of-19 at the charity stripe. The Ravens travel to South Bend on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. meeting against St. Mary’s (3-3).Photo: The Canadian Press Nick Frosst, co-founder of Cohere, is shown at the AI company's offices in Toronto on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young The co-founders of two of Canada's top artificial intelligence firms say companies in the country are buzzing with excitement around the technology but turning that enthusiasm into products and tools takes too long. Cohere co-founder Nick Frosst says he has grown used to being approached by Canadian firms wanting to work with AI but they're slow to actually implement the technology. Frosst says it is hard to pinpoint where that lack of urgency comes from but he thinks part of it is embedded in Canada's culture. Nicole Janssen, the co-founder of AltaML, has had a similar experience. She says it takes 18 months for companies reaching out to her business to commit to using AI and then another 18 months to start doing something with it. She says the danger in this long lead time is that people get tired of devoting energy and resources to projects that are not immediately giving them a return on their investment and then this work falls to the wayside.None
Canadian companies excited about AI but slow to adopt it: AI tech leaders
In August, the agency barred two of about a dozen private sector online-enrollment platforms from connecting with healthcare.gov over concerns related to improper switching.
Published 4:21 pm Friday, December 13, 2024 By Sabrina Simms Robertson VIDALIA, La. — Vidalia Mayor Buz Craft is opposed to plans to reorganize the Concordia Parish schools, and he’s urging residents to join his opposition. This week, the Concordia Parish School Board released a consent order handed down from the U.S. District Court that proposes redrawing school boundary lines to change where high school students attend school and consolidate elementary schools. The proposed changes set new boundaries for existing high schools, with consolidation for elementary and middle school grades. Students enrolled in kindergarten through second grade would attend Vidalia Upper Elementary. Students enrolled in third through fifth grade would attend Ferriday Upper Elementary. Students enrolled in sixth through eighth grade would attend Ferriday Junior High. The purpose of the proposal, which the school board must vote on by Dec. 31, is to move the 1965 desegregation lawsuit against the school board toward dismissal. In a livestream on his social media page Friday, Craft asked residents to contact the school board and tell members to “vote no” on the proposal and to “go to trial” with it if they have to. “I’m very much against what’s proposed right now,” Craft said, explaining that the sense of pride that most people have in their schools could dissipate and cause people to leave. He also cited other issues he felt the school reorganization would cause, such as increasing transportation costs for the school system and families and causing congestion in classrooms. “I know Vidalia doesn’t want this. The Town of Ferriday doesn’t want this at all. They love their independence. They love their community. They don’t want this either. ... Monterey doesn’t want it ... nobody really wants it. So why can’t we stand together?” he said. Craft also questioned what happened to dig up the nearly 60-year-old desegregation case to begin with. “I got some questions and I hope to get those answered,” he said. “Why, after 60 years, are we bringing up a 1965 segregation case to hang this on? It has been 60 years that this has been out there and now it’s thrust into ‘this has got to be taken care of now.’ Why? Why is it such an important thing now to go back and change up something that’s worked for 60 years for our community and for our school system. ... Is it money? ... Is it test scores? Those are questions that I hope to get answered pretty quickly.” Craft encouraged residents to attend the public forum on this issue at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Vidalia Convention Center, both to receive information and to let their opposition to it be heard. “There is nothing more serious to us than our kids and their education ... so let’s get together. Say no to this, because no one in the parish wants it,” Craft said. “Let’s all stand together and push our school boards to say no. And if this has got to go to trial, let’s take our chances at trial. Because if we don’t, if you vote to go ahead and support it, it’s a done deal.”
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'The artery of our city': Saint John opens pedway to Market Square
Thousands of Syrians gathered in Damascus’ main square and a historic mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since former President Bashar Assad was overthrown , a major symbolic moment for the country’s dramatic change of power. The rebels are now working to establish security and start a political transition after seizing the capital on Sunday. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Friday, pressing ahead with efforts to unify Middle East nations in support of a peaceful political transition in Syria. It’s part of Blinken’s 12th trip to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year in Gaza but his first after Assad was ousted. The U.S. is also making a renewed push for an ceasefire in Gaza, where the war has plunged more than 2 million Palestinians into a severe humanitarian crisis. Israel’s war against Hamas has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The October 2023 Hamas attack that sparked the war killed some 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and around 250 others were taken hostage. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here's the latest: ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday that eliminating a U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia is his country’s “strategic goal,” and called on members of the group to leave Syria or lay down arms. In an interview with Turkey’s NTV television, Fidan also suggested that Syria’s new rulers — the rebels who swept into Damascus and who are backed by Ankara — would not recognize the militia, known as the People’s Protection Units, or YPG. The group is allied with the United States in the fight against the Islamic State group but Turkey views it as a terrorist organization and a security threat. “The non-Syrian YPG members must leave the country as soon as possible. The entire command level of the YPG must also leave the country,” Fidan said. “After that, those who remain must put down their weapons and continue with their lives.” Fidan said that as the Syrian insurgents advanced toward Damascus and Syria's Bashar Assad was toppled, Turkey in talks that were underway in Qatar at the time asked Iran and Russia not to intervene militarily. “At some point they (Russians and Iranians) made phone calls. That evening, Assad left,” Fidan said. UNITED NATIONS —– The situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating with scores of reported fatalities from multiple Israeli airstrikes in recent days and insecurity hampering aid deliveries, the United Nations said Friday. U.N. humanitarian coordinator Muhannad Hadi urged respect for the principles of “distinction, proportionality and precautions” and called on the parties to ensure the protection of civilians and safe and unimpeded passage of humanitarian aid. Hadi cited the looting of a 70-truck convoy that was traveling at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Wednesday and the looting of four out of five trucks leaving the Kissufim crossing that same day. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs known as OCHA reported that Israel denied more than 90% of the 137 missions the U.N. and its partners wanted to send to besieged northern Gaza since Oct. 6. BEIRUT — Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on Friday against sites in several cities in Syria, an opposition war monitor reported. Associated Press journalists heard loud explosions throughout the Syrian capital Damascus. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The strikes hit the summit of Mount Qasioun in Damascus, Khalkhala Airport in the countryside of Sweida and the Defense and Research Laboratories in Masyaf, located in the western countryside of Hama, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Earlier on Friday, Israeli strikes targeted six military sites in the countryside of Damascus and Sweida, the observatory said. Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes since the toppling of the Syrian regime, saying it seeks to neutralize potential threats following the ouster of Bashar Assad. The strikes have targeted weapons production sites, anti-aircraft batteries and airfields. Israel has also moved troops to occupy a buffer zone in the Golan Heights on its border with Syria. DAMASCUS, Syria — Russian forces and military vehicles were seen withdrawing from southern Syria on Friday toward their primary base in in the coastal city of Latakia. The Russian troop movement comes amid questions about whether Moscow will still be able to project power in the Middle East after the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad. His rule was supported by Russia and he received asylum in Russia after being toppled Sunday. There are also questions about what a Russian pullback in Syria could mean for the war in Ukraine. Significant Russian military convoys were seen on the Damascus-Homs highway near Shinshar village heading north. The military vehicles, bearing Russian flags, included tanks and armored personnel carriers. The military equipment had been previously stationed in southern regions such as Daraa and Damascus. On Thursday, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Russian forces were leaving bases in Ain Issa and Tel Al-Samn in the Al-Raqqah countryside. Satellite images released by Maxar Technologies on Friday show what appear to be cargo planes at a Russian military airfield in Syria with their nose cones opened to receive heavy equipment, along with helicopters being dismantled and prepared for transport. Earlier this week, all Russian naval ships departed the Syrian port of Tartus, according to a U.S. official. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey's embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus will reopen on Saturday for the first time since 2012, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday. In an interview with Turkey’s NTV television Fidan said a newly appointed interim charge d’affaires had left for Damascus on Friday together with his delegation. “It will be operational as of tomorrow,” he said. The embassy in Damascus had suspended operations in 2012 due to the escalating security conditions during the Syrian civil war. All embassy staff and their families were recalled to Turkey. The Syrian insurgents who overthrew Syrian President Bashar Assad on Sunday did so with vital help from Turkey. WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has transported out of Syria an American who disappeared seven months ago into former President Bashar Assad’s notorious prison system and was among the thousands released this week by rebels, a U.S. official said Friday. Travis Timmerman was flown out of Syria on a U.S. military helicopter, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation. Timmerman, 29, told The Associated Press he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in Palestine Branch, a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.” Timmerman said he was released Monday morning alongside a young Syrian man and 70 female prisoners, some of whom had their children with them. He had been held separately from Syrian and other Arab prisoners and said he didn’t know of any other Americans held in the facility. — By Lolita C. Baldor THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A Dutch court on Friday rejected a bid from human rights groups to block weapons exports to Israel and trading with the occupied territories, after finding there were sufficient checks already in place to comply with international law. The ten organizations told The Hague District Court last month that they thought the Netherlands was in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention, drawn up following World War II, by continuing to sell weapons to Israel more than a year into the conflict in Gaza. “The government uses my own tax money, that I pay, to kill my own family. I’ve lost 18 members of my own family,” Ahmed Abofoul, a legal adviser for the pro-Palestinian organization Al-Haq, one of the groups involved in the lawsuit, told the court during a hearing in November . The court ruling said that “it is not up to the interim relief judge to order the state to reconsider government policy. That is primarily a political responsibility.” Lawyers for the government argued it wasn’t up to a judge to decide foreign policy for the Netherlands. The activist groups pointed to several emergency orders from another court, the International Court of Justice, as confirming the obligation to stop weapons sales. In January, the top U.N. court said it was plausible Palestinians were being deprived of some rights protected under the Genocide Convention. The coalition said it will review the court’s ruling and is considering an appeal. CAIRO — Israeli attacks in and around a hospital in northern Gaza wounded three medical staff overnight into Friday and caused damage to the isolated medical facility, according to its director. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said Israeli quadcopter drones carrying explosives deliberately targeted the emergency and reception area of Kamal Adwan Hospital, where one doctor was wounded for a third time. Abu Safiya said “relentless” drone and artillery strikes throughout the night exploded “alarmingly close” to the hospital, heavily damaging nearby buildings and destroying most of the water tanks on the hospital’s roof and blowing out doors and windows. Kamal Adwan Hospital in the town of Beit Lahiya has been hit multiple times over the past two months since Israel launched a fierce military operation against Hamas in northern Gaza. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strikes. “We demand international protection for the hospital and its staff,” Abu Safiya said in a statement released via the U.K.-based aid group Medical Aid for Palestinians, “as well as the entry of delegations with surgical expertise, medical supplies, and essential medications to ensure we can adequately serve the people we are treating.” Abu Safiya said there were 72 wounded patients at the hospital, one of the few medical facilities left in northern Gaza. He said he expected Israeli forces would allow a World Health Organization aid convoy to bring supplies to the hospital on Friday or Saturday, as well as a team of doctors from Indonesia. Israel has allowed almost no humanitarian or medical aid to enter the three besieged communities in northern Gaza — Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and the urban Jabaliya refugee camp — and ordered tens of thousands to flee to nearby Gaza City. Israeli officials have said the three communities are mostly deserted, but the United Nations humanitarian office said Tuesday it believes around 65,000 to 75,000 people are still there, with little access to food, water, electricity or health care. Experts have warned that the north may be experiencing famine . BAGHDAD — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced stop in Iraq on Friday on his latest visit to the Middle East aimed at stabilizing the situation in Syria to prevent further regional turmoil. Blinken met in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani as part of the hastily arranged trip, his 12th to the region since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year but his first since the weekend ouster of Syrian strongman Bashar Assad. Blinken has already been to Jordan and Turkey on his current tour and will return to the Jordanian city of Aqaba for meetings on Saturday with Arab foreign ministers, Turkey’s foreign minister and the United Nations special envoy for Syria, the U.N. said. Blinken will try to unify support for an inclusive post-Assad transition that does not allow the Islamic State group to take advantage of the political vacuum in Syria and secures suspected chemical weapons stocks. In Baghdad, Blinken underscored “U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Iraq strategic partnership and to Iraq’s security, stability, and sovereignty,” the State Department said. “He will also discuss regional security opportunities and challenges, as well as enduring U.S. support for engagement with all communities in Syria to establish an inclusive transition,” it said in a statement. His trip comes as the Biden administration winds down with just over a month left before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has been highly critical of Biden’s approach to the Middle East and skeptical of the U.S. military presence in both Iraq and Syria. The U.S. and Iraq agreed in September to wrap up U.S.-led military operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq next year, although Assad’s ouster and the potential for the group taking advantage of a political vacuum in Syria could complicate the timing of the withdrawal, according to American officials. DAMASCUS — The kingdom of Bahrain sent a message Friday to Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It said Bahrain is “fully prepared to consult with you continuously and to provide support in regional and international organizations to achieve what is in the interest of the brotherly Syrian people.” It added, “We look forward to Syria regaining its authentic role in the Arab League.” Bahrain is the current head of the Arab summit. Syria was readmitted to the Arab League last year after 12 years of ostracization. It is still unclear how the international community will deal officially with the new interim government in Syria. JERUSALEM - Israel’s defense minister told troops to prepare to remain through the winter months on the peak of Mount Hermon, Syria’s highest point, located in a swath of southern Syria that Israeli troops moved into after the fall of Damascus to insurgents. The comments by Defense Minister Israel Katz signaled that the military will extend its occupation of the zone along the border, which Israel says it seized to create a buffer zone. In a statement Friday, Katz said that holding the peak was of major importance for Israel’s security and that it would be necessary to build facilities there to sustain troops through the winter. The summit of Mount Hermon, the highest peak on the eastern Mediterranean coast at 2,814 meters (9,232 feet), gives a commanding view over the plains of southern Syria. It also positions Israeli troops about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the center of Damascus. The mount is divided between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Lebanon and Syria. Only the United States recognizes Israel’s control of the Golan Heights. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israeli troops would remain in the zone until another force across the border in Syria could guarantee security. Israeli troops moved into the zone -– set as a demilitarized area inside Syrian territory under truce deals that ended the 1973 Mideast war -- after the regime of Bashar al-Assad fell last weekend. ANKARA, Turkey -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. “There’s broad agreement on what we would like to see going forward, starting with the interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said in joint statements with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The insurgent groups that toppled Assad in Syria have not made clear their policy or stance on Israel, whose military in recent days has bombed sites all over the country, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands. Blinken also said it was crucial to keep the Islamic State group under control. “We also discussed the imperative of continuing the efforts to keep ISIS down. Our countries worked very hard and gave a lot over many years to ensure the elimination of the territorial caliphate of ISIS to ensure that that threat doesn’t rear its head again,” Blinken said. The Turkish foreign minister said the two discussed ways of establishing prosperity in Syria and ending terrorism in the country. “Our priority is establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant,” Fidan said, in a reference to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party. Blinken said: “We’re very focused on Syria, very focused on the opportunity that now is before us and before the Syrian people to move from out from under the shackles of Bashar al-Assad to a different and better future for the Syrian people, one that the Syrian people decide for themselves.” Blinken and Fidan said they had also discussed a ceasefire for Gaza. “We’ve seen in the last couple of weeks more encouraging signs that (a ceasefire) is possible,” Blinken said. Blinken, who is making his 12th trip to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year but first since the weekend ouster of Assad, met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Thursday. The outgoing Biden administration is particularly concerned that a power vacuum in Syria could exacerbate already heightened tensions in the region, which is already wracked by multiple conflicts, and create conditions for the Islamic State group to regain territory and influence. Later Friday, Blinken is to return to Jordan for meetings on Saturday with Arab foreign ministers and senior officials from the European Union, the Arab League and the United Nations. ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey has appointed a temporary charge d’affaires to reopen its embassy in Syria, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported. The Turkish Embassy in Damascus had suspended operations in 2012 due to the escalating security problems during the Syrian civil war and embassy staff and their families were recalled to Turkey. The Anadolu Agency said late Thursday that Turkey appointed Burhan Koroglu, its ambassador in Mauritania, to the post.
Data is the lifeblood of the modern insurance business. It is the central ingredient needed to drive underwriting processes, determine accurate pricing, manage claims, and drive customer engagement. Yet, despite the huge role it plays and the massive amount of data that is collected each day, most insurers struggle when it comes to accessing, analyzing, and driving business decisions from that data. There are lots of reasons for this. In the health and life insurance space in particular, strict guardrails around data privacy and data security can make it difficult to access a complete picture of an individual patient experience across different care channels. Segmented business functions and different tools used for specific workflows often do not communicate with one another, creating data silos within a business. And the industry itself, which has grown through years of mergers, acquisitions, and technology transformation, has developed a piecemeal approach to technology. Today, multiple different systems and internal protocols must be navigated before it’s possible to see a complete, real-time picture of the member population. Meanwhile, the growth of AI-powered analytics, workflow management, and customer engagement tools has promised to revolutionize every aspect of the insurance business from underwriting to customer engagement. However, as many companies are finding out the hard way, there is a big leap to get to the promise of AI from the fractured data foundation inside many businesses. The fact is, even the world’s most powerful large language models (LLMs) are only as good as the data foundations on which they are built. So, unless insurers get their data houses in order, the real gains promised by AI will not materialize. Over the course of our work together modernizing data architectures and integrating AI into a wide range of insurance workflows over the last several months, we’ve identified the four key elements of creating a data-first culture to support AI innovation. There is a tendency when thinking about data modernization or AI-enablement efforts to compartmentalize them as the domain of the back-office tech team, or an ancillary part of the core business. Today, that is no longer the case. The companies that deliver superior levels of customer experience foster loyalty and brand advocacy, as well as drive increased efficiencies. This allows them to anticipate client needs, deliver faster claims processing, and offer highly personalized products. At their core, all these value propositions are driven by data. Increasingly, an insurer’s ability to harness their data and use it to power better customer experiences will soon become the key differentiator separating world leaders from the rest of the pack.
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