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The interim government has recently appointed new vice-chancellors and other top officials to public universities mostly on political considerations -- something that echoes the appointment practices of successive governments. At least 30 VCs out of 47, along with 18 Pro-VCs and treasurers from 40 appointments, have connections to teachers' organisations affiliated with the BNP and Jamaat. There are 55 public universities in the country with about 10.5 lakh students. "The government made these appointments in the face of continuous lobbying and pressures from the political parties," said Samina Lutfa, associate professor at Dhaka University. As there were experienced individuals in the advisory council, there were high hopes for positive changes, particularly in educational institutions, which have been struggling due to politicisation. "As this government came to power with the mandate of students and citizens, we expected them to take bold steps -- beyond lobbying and any pressures -- to bring real changes to institutions. Unfortunately, we haven't seen such initiatives," Samina said. THE APPOINTMENTS The government appointed Prof Kamrul Ahsan as the new VC of Jahangirnagar University. He was the president of the pro-BNP-backed teachers' organisation Jatiyatabadi Shikkhak Forum at JU before his appointment. His colleague Prof Nurul Islam, who is the general secretary of the same committee, has been appointed Pro-VC of the National University. Rashedul Islam, current general secretary of the pro-BNP teachers' forum at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, has been appointed VC of Kurigram Agricultural University. M Yeaqub Ali, member of the pro-BNP teachers' forum, has been appointed as the pro-VC of Islamic University. Leaders of the DU pro-BNP teachers' panel have been awarded top positions in several other universities. For example, DU Professor ABM Obaidul Islam, a former convener of the BNP-backed teachers' panel, has been appointed VC of Bangladesh Open University. The current convener of the forum, Professor Lutfor Rahman, was appointed Pro-VC of the National University. The newly appointed VC of Rajshahi University (RU), Prof Saleh Hasan Naqib, had ties to the RU pro-BNP teachers' forum. He used to attend programmes arranged by the forum, but resigned in August. However, RU VC Prof Naqib said, "I was barely a member. They [the forum] forcibly enlisted me as a member, but I was not actively involved in any of their meetings. "Besides, university teachers may hold political ideologies. My work primarily focuses on students, and I prefer to remain outside of political involvement. I consider myself somewhat independent-minded, so political influence wouldn't affect my work at all." At Khulna University, Md Rezaul Karim, former president of a pro-BNP organisation, was appointed as the VC. Contacted, Prof Rezaul said he had resigned from the association. "Even if I were involved with such an association, it wouldn't affect any of my administrative activities because. "The affiliation was solely for managing teachers' elections. Everything else we do is for the benefit of students and teachers on the campus. We hope it won't affect any kind of appointment or any other activities," he added. At Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), AK Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan, was appointed as the VC, who was the president of the BNP-backed Teachers Forum at the university. MANY FROM DU Several DU faculty members having ties to BNP-Jamaat-backed panels have secured the topmost positions at other universities. For instance, Professor ASM Amanullah, who contested for the Dean of Sociology at DU in 2022, has now been appointed VC of the National University. Similarly, Professor Haidar Ali who ran for the dean post of Engineering and Technology faculty, has been appointed VC of Comilla University. Three teachers who participated in the 2022 DU senate election from the pro-BNP "white panel" were appointed to VCs or Pro-VC roles -- Prof. Nakib M Nasrullah, as VC at Islamic University, Prof Dilip Kumar Barua as VC of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University and Prof Mamun Ahmed as DU Pro-VC. Of the eight newly appointed treasurers, seven are connected to pro-BNP or pro-Jamaat bodies. For example, Prof M Abdur Rab, JU treasurer, is known as a "white panel" member. Some appointments also appear to have been influenced by personal recommendations. In August, JU Professor Ismot Ara, a relative of Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, recommended four teachers for VC positions at JU. Although none of them were chosen, two were given key roles at Sheikh Hasina University in Netrokona. Professor Khandaker M Ashraful Munim, one of the recommended candidates, became VC and Professor Anichha Parvin became treasurer. Professor Ismot Ara is also a syndicate member at Sheikh Hasina University. REACTION FROM EDUCATIONISTS Samina Lutfa expressed concern that the government's move to appoint VCs on political considerations would not bring any meaningful improvements to universities. "It does not reflect the expectations of the July-August uprising either." Teachers who are not involved in politics, lacking the time or connections to lobby, are often excluded from key positions. "Considering these factors, in my opinion, the government appears very fragile. This fragility is evident in its tendency to sway under pressure or demands, shifting from one side to another. Such inconsistency is quite unexpected," she added. Contacted, prominent intellectual and writer Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq said, "Given the overall situation, I don't think that this interim government solely relies on or bends to any political party so far." The interim government has recently appointed new vice-chancellors and other top officials to public universities mostly on political considerations -- something that echoes the appointment practices of successive governments. At least 30 VCs out of 47, along with 18 Pro-VCs and treasurers from 40 appointments, have connections to teachers' organisations affiliated with the BNP and Jamaat. There are 55 public universities in the country with about 10.5 lakh students. "The government made these appointments in the face of continuous lobbying and pressures from the political parties," said Samina Lutfa, associate professor at Dhaka University. As there were experienced individuals in the advisory council, there were high hopes for positive changes, particularly in educational institutions, which have been struggling due to politicisation. "As this government came to power with the mandate of students and citizens, we expected them to take bold steps -- beyond lobbying and any pressures -- to bring real changes to institutions. Unfortunately, we haven't seen such initiatives," Samina said. THE APPOINTMENTS The government appointed Prof Kamrul Ahsan as the new VC of Jahangirnagar University. He was the president of the pro-BNP-backed teachers' organisation Jatiyatabadi Shikkhak Forum at JU before his appointment. His colleague Prof Nurul Islam, who is the general secretary of the same committee, has been appointed Pro-VC of the National University. Rashedul Islam, current general secretary of the pro-BNP teachers' forum at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, has been appointed VC of Kurigram Agricultural University. M Yeaqub Ali, member of the pro-BNP teachers' forum, has been appointed as the pro-VC of Islamic University. Leaders of the DU pro-BNP teachers' panel have been awarded top positions in several other universities. For example, DU Professor ABM Obaidul Islam, a former convener of the BNP-backed teachers' panel, has been appointed VC of Bangladesh Open University. The current convener of the forum, Professor Lutfor Rahman, was appointed Pro-VC of the National University. The newly appointed VC of Rajshahi University (RU), Prof Saleh Hasan Naqib, had ties to the RU pro-BNP teachers' forum. He used to attend programmes arranged by the forum, but resigned in August. However, RU VC Prof Naqib said, "I was barely a member. They [the forum] forcibly enlisted me as a member, but I was not actively involved in any of their meetings. "Besides, university teachers may hold political ideologies. My work primarily focuses on students, and I prefer to remain outside of political involvement. I consider myself somewhat independent-minded, so political influence wouldn't affect my work at all." At Khulna University, Md Rezaul Karim, former president of a pro-BNP organisation, was appointed as the VC. Contacted, Prof Rezaul said he had resigned from the association. "Even if I were involved with such an association, it wouldn't affect any of my administrative activities because. "The affiliation was solely for managing teachers' elections. Everything else we do is for the benefit of students and teachers on the campus. We hope it won't affect any kind of appointment or any other activities," he added. At Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), AK Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan, was appointed as the VC, who was the president of the BNP-backed Teachers Forum at the university. MANY FROM DU Several DU faculty members having ties to BNP-Jamaat-backed panels have secured the topmost positions at other universities. For instance, Professor ASM Amanullah, who contested for the Dean of Sociology at DU in 2022, has now been appointed VC of the National University. Similarly, Professor Haidar Ali who ran for the dean post of Engineering and Technology faculty, has been appointed VC of Comilla University. Three teachers who participated in the 2022 DU senate election from the pro-BNP "white panel" were appointed to VCs or Pro-VC roles -- Prof. Nakib M Nasrullah, as VC at Islamic University, Prof Dilip Kumar Barua as VC of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University and Prof Mamun Ahmed as DU Pro-VC. Of the eight newly appointed treasurers, seven are connected to pro-BNP or pro-Jamaat bodies. For example, Prof M Abdur Rab, JU treasurer, is known as a "white panel" member. Some appointments also appear to have been influenced by personal recommendations. In August, JU Professor Ismot Ara, a relative of Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, recommended four teachers for VC positions at JU. Although none of them were chosen, two were given key roles at Sheikh Hasina University in Netrokona. Professor Khandaker M Ashraful Munim, one of the recommended candidates, became VC and Professor Anichha Parvin became treasurer. Professor Ismot Ara is also a syndicate member at Sheikh Hasina University. REACTION FROM EDUCATIONISTS Samina Lutfa expressed concern that the government's move to appoint VCs on political considerations would not bring any meaningful improvements to universities. "It does not reflect the expectations of the July-August uprising either." Teachers who are not involved in politics, lacking the time or connections to lobby, are often excluded from key positions. "Considering these factors, in my opinion, the government appears very fragile. This fragility is evident in its tendency to sway under pressure or demands, shifting from one side to another. Such inconsistency is quite unexpected," she added. Contacted, prominent intellectual and writer Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq said, "Given the overall situation, I don't think that this interim government solely relies on or bends to any political party so far."NoneMaharashtra Election 2024 Live Updates: NCP factions face off in Anushakti Nagar raceSnoop Dogg gifted his daughter $1 million for her wedding

British Columbia Premier David Eby says his fellow premiers and the federal government have hatched a game plan to fight U.S. tariffs, with Conservative premiers lobbying Republican counterparts, left-leaning provincial leaders courting the Democrats, and Ottawa focusing on president-elect Donald Trump. The premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talked about using their political diversity and connections to thwart the prospect of Trump's proposed 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, Eby said Thursday in a year-end interview. He said it was discussed that Conservative premiers Danielle Smith in Alberta, Doug Ford in Ontario and Nova Scotia's Tim Houston are well-placed to lobby Republican governors and business leaders. Trudeau meets with the premiers as Trump ramps up his threats against Canada Eby said, as a New Democrat, he will likely have more in common with Democrat governors and business leaders from the West Coast states. "I can easily have conversations with governors and businesses down the West Coast of the U.S., where we have close relationships and our politics are very similar," he said. "Premier Smith can have conversations with Republican governors. That would be more challenging for me, and [she] would have more connections potentially with the Trump administration than an NDP administration in B.C. would." WATCH | Trudeau calls for united front against tariff threat: Trudeau and opposition leaders meet over Trump's tariffs threat 2 days ago Duration 2:53 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hosted opposition leaders for a rare meeting during which he urged a united response to the 25 per cent tariffs threatened by U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. He said a meeting last week between the premiers and Trudeau discussed Canada's diversity of representation, and how it could bring leverage and advantages in tariff talks. "It's interesting. There was a lot of talk about what unity means in terms of Canada's response to the tariffs," he said. "There's obviously a diversity of views around the Council of the Federation table of all the premiers. Certainly, mine is not the same as Premier Smith's or Premier Ford's or Premier Houston's, and that diversity of views is actually potentially a significant strength for us as we enter into these discussions." Eby also said he was prepared to appear on America's right-leaning Fox News TV network, as did premiers Ford and Smith. "Anything that I can do to support the national effort to protect the families in Canada from the impact of tariffs and also families in the U.S. from those unjustified tariffs," he said. "Absolutely, if I thought it was helpful." Did Justin Trudeau's meeting with Donald Trump break a 225-year-old U.S law? Video Politicians call for reinstatement of port police following Trump tariff threat

NEW YORK — The masked gunman who stalked and killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words "deny," "defend" and "depose," two law enforcement officials said Thursday. The words were written in permanent marker, according to one of the officials, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. With the gunman still at large, police also released photos of a person they said was wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company's annual investor conference at a Hilton hotel in Midtown. The reason behind the killing remained unknown, but investigators believe it was a targeted attack. This image shows a man wanted for questioning in connection to the investigation of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. The message left on the ammunition echoes the phrase "delay, deny, defend," which is commonly used by attorneys and insurance industry critics to describe tactics used to avoid paying claims. It refers to insurers delaying payment, denying a claim and then defending their actions. Health insurers like UnitedHealthcare have become frequent targets of criticism from doctors and patients for complicating access to care. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. Inside a nearby trash can, they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper that they say the gunman purchased from a nearby Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The city's medical examiner was looking for fingerprints. The killing and the shooter's movements in the minutes before and after were captured on some of the multitudes of security cameras present in that part of the city. The shooter fled on a bike and was last seen riding into Central Park. Bullets lie on the sidewalk Wednesday outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan where Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed in New York. The hunt for the shooter brought New York City police to at least two hostels on Manhattan's Upper West Side on Thursday morning, based on a tip that the suspected shooter might have stayed at one of the residences, according to one of the law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation. The photos police released Thursday of a man wanted for questioning were taken in the lobby of the HI New York City hostel. "We are fully cooperating with the NYPD and, as this is an active investigation, can not comment at this time," said Danielle Brumfitt, a spokesperson for the hostel. Police received a flood of tips from members of the public, many of them unfounded. On Wednesday evening, police searched a Long Island Rail Road train after a commuter claimed to have spotted the shooter, but found no sign of the gunman. "We're following up on every single tip that comes in," said Carlos Nieves, a police spokesperson. "That little piece of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that ties everything together." Investigators believe, judging from surveillance video and evidence collected from the scene, that the shooter had at least some prior firearms training and experience with guns and the weapon was equipped with a silencer, said one of the law enforcement officials who spoke with the AP. This still image from surveillance video shows the suspect, left, sought in the the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, center, Wednesday outside a Manhattan hotel. Security camera video showed the killer approach Thompson from behind, level his pistol and fire several shots, barely pausing to clear a gun jam while the health executive tumbled to the pavement. Cameras showed him fleeing the block across a pedestrian plaza before getting on the bicycle. Police issued several surveillance images of the man wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that concealed most of his face, which wouldn't have attracted attention on a frigid day. Authorities also used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intensive search, but the killer's whereabouts remained unknown. Thompson, a father of two sons who lived in suburban Minneapolis, was with UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years. The insurer's Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., was holding its annual meeting with investors in New York to update Wall Street on the company's direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson's death. UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs. In the U.S. healthcare system, even the simplest act, like booking an appointment with your primary care physician, may feel intimidating. As you wade through intake forms and insurance statements, and research out-of-network coverage , you might wonder, "When did U.S. health care get so confusing?" Short answer? It's complicated. The history of modern U.S. health care spans nearly a century, with social movements, legislation, and politics driving change. Take a trip back in time as Thatch highlights some of the most impactful legislation and policies that gave us the existing healthcare system, particularly how and when things got complicated. In the beginning, a common perception of American doctors was that they were kindly old men stepping right out of a Saturday Evening Post cover illustration to make house calls. If their patients couldn't afford their fee, they'd accept payment in chicken or goats. Health care was relatively affordable and accessible. Then it all fell apart during the Great Depression of the 1930s. That's when hospital administrators started looking for ways to guarantee payment. According to the American College of Healthcare Executives, this is when the earliest form of health insurance was born. Interestingly, doctors would have none of it at first. The earliest health plans covered hospitalization only. A new set of challenges from the Second World War required a new set of responses. During the Depression, there were far too many people and too few jobs. The war economy had the opposite effect. Suddenly, all able-bodied men were in the military, but somebody still had to build the weapons and provision the troops. Even with women entering the workforce in unprecedented numbers, there was simply too much to get done. The competition for skilled labor was brutal. A wage freeze starting in 1942 forced employers to find other means of recruiting and retaining workers. Building on the recently mandated workers' compensation plans, employers or their union counterparts started offering insurance to cover hospital and doctor visits. Of course, the wage freeze ended soon after the war. However, the tax code and the courts soon clarified that employer-sponsored health insurance was non-taxable. Medicare, a government-sponsored health plan for retirees 65 and older, debuted in 1965. Nowadays, Medicare is offered in Parts A, B, C, and D; each offering a different layer of coverage for older Americans. As of 2023, over a quarter of all U.S. adults are enrolled in Medicare. The structure of Medicare is not dissimilar to universal health care offered in other countries, although the policy covers everyone, not just people over a certain age. Medicaid was also signed into law with Medicare. Medicaid provides health care coverage for Americans with low incomes. Over 74 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid today. The Obama administration was neither the first nor the last to champion new ways to provide health care coverage to a wider swath of Americans. The first attempts to harmonize U.S. healthcare delivery systems with those of other developed economies came just five years after Medicare and Medicaid. Two separate bills were introduced in 1970 alone. Both bills aimed to widen affordable health benefits for Americans, either by making people Medicare-eligible or providing free health benefits for all Americans. As is the case with many bills, both these died, even though there was bipartisan support. But the chairman of the relevant Senate panel had his own bill in mind, which got through the committee. It effectively said that all Americans were entitled to the kind of health benefits enjoyed by the United Auto Workers Union or AFL-CIO—for free. But shortly after Sen. Edward Kennedy began hearings on his bill in early 1971 , a competing proposal came from an unexpected source: Richard Nixon's White House. President Nixon's approach , in retrospect, had some commonalities with what Obamacare turned out to be. There was the employer mandate, for example, and an expansion of Medicaid. It favored healthcare delivery via health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, which was a novel idea at the time. HMOs, which offer managed care within a tight network of health care providers, descended from the prepaid health plans that flourished briefly in the 1910s and 1920s. They were first conceived in their current form around 1970 by Dr. Paul M. Ellwood, Jr. In 1973, a law was passed to require large companies to give their employees an HMO option as well as a traditional health insurance option. But that was always intended to be ancillary to Nixon's more ambitious proposal, which got even closer to what exists now after it wallowed in the swamp for a while. When Nixon reintroduced the proposal in 1974, it featured state-run health insurance plans as a substitute for Medicaid—not a far cry from the tax credit-fueled state-run exchanges of today. Of course, Nixon had other things to worry about in 1974: inflation, recession, a nation just beginning to heal from its first lost war—and his looming impeachment. His successor, Gerald Ford, tried to keep the proposal moving forward, but to no avail. But this raises a good question: If the Republican president and the Democratic Senate majority both see the same problem and have competing but not irreconcilable proposals to address it, why wasn't there some kind of compromise? What major issue divided the two parties? It was a matter of funding. The Democrats wanted to pay for universal health coverage through the U.S. Treasury's general fund, acknowledging that Congress would have to raise taxes to pay for it. The Republicans wanted it to pay for itself by charging participants insurance premiums, which would be, in effect, a new tax. The next significant legislation came from President Reagan, who signed the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA, in 1985. COBRA enabled laid-off workers to hold onto their health insurance—providing that they pay 100% of the premium, which had been wholly or at least in part subsidized by their erstwhile employer. While COBRA offers continued coverage, its high expense doesn't offer much relief for the unemployed. A 2006 Commonwealth Fund survey found that only 9% of people eligible for COBRA coverage actually signed up for it. The COBRA law had a section, though, that was only tangentially related. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA, which was incorporated into COBRA, required all emergency medical facilities that take Medicare—that is, all of them—to treat patients irrespective of their insurance status or ability to pay. As Forbes staff writer Avik Roy wrote during the Obamacare debate, EMTALA has come to overshadow the rest of the COBRA law in its influence on American health care policy. More on that soon. It wasn't until the 1990s that Washington saw another serious attempt at healthcare reform. Bill Clinton's first order of business as president was to establish a new health care plan. For the first time, the First Lady took on the role of heavy-lifting policy advisor to the president and became the White House point person on universal health care. Hillary Clinton's proposal mandated : The Clintons' plan centralized decision-making in Washington, with a "National Health Board" overseeing quality assurance, training physicians, guaranteeing abortion coverage, and running both long-term care facilities and rural health systems. The insurance lobbyists had a field day with that. The famous "Harry and Louise" ads portrayed a generic American couple having tense conversations in their breakfast nook about how the federal government would come between them and their doctor. By the 1994 midterms, any chance of universal health care in America had died. In this case, it wasn't funding but the debate between big and small governments that killed the Clinton reform. It would be another generation before the U.S. saw universal health care take the stage. Fast-forward to 2010. It was clear that employer-sponsored plans were vestiges of another time. They made sense when people stayed with the same company for their entire careers, but as job-hopping and layoffs became more prevalent, plans tied to the job became obsolete. Thus the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, was proposed by Barack Obama's White House and squeaked by Congress and the Supreme Court with the narrowest of margins. The ACA introduced an individual mandate requiring everyone to have health insurance regardless of job status. It set up an array of government-sponsored online exchanges where individuals could buy coverage . It also provided advance premium tax credits to defray the cost to consumers. But it didn't ignore hat most people were already getting health insurance through work, and a significant proportion didn't want to change . So the ACA also required employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees to provide health coverage to at least 95% of them. The law, nicknamed Obamacare by supporters and detractors, set a minimum baseline of coverage and affordability. The penalty for an employer that offers inadequate or unaffordable coverage can never be greater than the penalty for not offering coverage at all. The model for Obamacare was the health care reform package that went into effect in Massachusetts in 2006. The initial proposal was made by then-Governor Mitt Romney, a Republican who now serves as a senator from Utah. Despite an onslaught of court challenges, Obamacare remains the law of the land. For a while, Republican congressional candidates ran on a "repeal-and-replace" platform plank, but even when they were in the majority, there was little legislative action to do either. Still, Obamacare is not the last word in American health care reform. Since then, there have been two important improvements to Health Reimbursement Arrangements, through which companies pay employees back for out-of-pocket medical-related expenses. HRAs had been evolving informally since at least the 1960s but were first addressed by the Internal Revenue Service in 2002. Not much more happened on that front until Obama's lame-duck period. In December 2016, he signed the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which was mainly a funding bill supporting the National Institutes of Health as it addressed the opioid crisis. But, just like the right to free emergency room treatment was nested in the larger COBRA law, the legal framework of Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangements was tucked away in a corner of the Cures Act. QSEHRAs, offered only by companies with fewer than 50 full-time employees, allow firms to let their employees pick their insurance coverage off the Obamacare exchanges. The firms pay the employees back for some or all of the cost of those premiums. The employees then become ineligible for the premium tax credit provided by the ACA, but a well-constructed QSEHRA will meet or exceed the value of that subsidy. That brings this timeline to one last innovation, which expands QSEHRA-like treatment to companies with more than 50 employees or aspiring to have them. Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements , or ICHRAs, were established by a 2019 IRS rule . ICHRAs allow firms of any size to offer employees tax-free contributions to cover up to 100% of their individual health insurance premiums as well as other eligible medical expenses. Instead of offering insurance policies directly, companies advise employees to shop on a government-sponsored exchange and select the best plan that suits their needs. Employer reimbursement rather than an advance premium tax credit reduces premiums. And because these plans are already ACA-compliant, there's no risk to the employer that they won't meet coverage or affordability standards. The U.S. is never going back to the mid-20th century model of lifetime employment at one company. Now, with remote employees and gig workers characterizing the workforce, the portability of an ICHRA provides some consistency for those who expect to be independent contractors for their entire careers. Simultaneously, allows bootstrap-phase startups to offer the dignity of health coverage to their Day One associates. The U.S. health care system can feel clunky and confusing to navigate. It is also regressive and penalizes startups and small businesses. For a country founded by entrepreneurs, it's sad that corporations like Google pay less for health care per employee than a small coffee shop in Florida. In many ways, ICHRA democratizes procuring health care coverage. In the same way that large employers enjoy the benefits of better rates, ICHRA plan quality and prices improve as the ICHRA risk pool grows. Moving away from the traditional employer model will change the incentive structure of the healthcare industry. Insurers will be able to compete and differentiate on the merits of their product. They will be incentivized to build products for people, not one-size-fits-all solutions for employers. This story was produced by Thatch and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.

California lawmakers begin special session to protect state laws from second Trump presidencyTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay’s bid for a fourth straight NFC South title and fifth consecutive playoff berth is gaining momentum. Back-to-back wins over a pair of last-place teams , combined with Atlanta’s three-game losing streak, have propelled the Bucs (6-6) to a tie atop the division. Although the Falcons (6-6) hold a tiebreaker after sweeping the season series between the teams, Tampa Bay can control its own destiny by finishing strong against a less than imposing schedule. The Bucs, who are back in the thick of the race after beating the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers, figure to be favored in four of their five remaining games. “Every week, we said it’s a playoff game, we got to take care of us. It’s not going to be easy. As it was (Sunday), it’s going to be a dog fight every week,” coach Todd Bowles said after Sunday’s 26-23 overtime win at Carolina. “We got to clean up some things, we know that, but it's hard to win in this league,” the coach said of the mistake-filled victory that lifted the Bucs back to .500. “We’ll take a win any way we can get it.” After facing Las Vegas (2-10) this week, the Bucs will finish with road games against the Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) and Dallas Cowboys (5-7), followed by home dates vs. Carolina (3-9) and the New Orleans Saints (4-8). What’s working Kicker Chase McLaughlin has been one of team’s most consistent performers, converting 21 of 23 field goal attempts. He was 4 of 5 against the Panthers, including 51-yarder to force overtime on the final play of regulation. He missed from 55 yards in OT before winning it with a 30-yard field goal on Tampa Bay’s next possession. What needs help Just when it appeared the defense was beginning to trend in the right direction, Carolina's Bryce Young threw for 298 yards without an interception against the Bucs in one of his better outings of the season. “In the first half, he did it with his feet and the second half he did it with his arm,” Bowles said. Stock up Running back Bucky Irving rushed for a career-best 152 yards and finished with 185 from scrimmage against Carolina, making him the first rookie since Miles Sanders in 2019 to have consecutive games with 150-plus yards from scrimmage. Stock down A week after playing well offensively and defensively in a 23-point rout of the New York Giants, the Bucs were sloppy against the Panthers. In addition to throwing two interceptions, Mayfield was sacked four times. Tampa Bay was penalized seven times for 54 yards, and the defense was only able to sack Young once. Injuries Mayfield (sore leg), linebacker K.J. Britt (sprained ankle) and safety Mike Edwards (hamstring) will be on the injury report this week. Bowles said he’s not sure what Mayfield's practice status will be when the team reconvenes Wednesday, however he expects the quarterback to play Sunday. Key numbers 37 and 101 — Wide receiver Mike Evans had another big day against Carolina, posting the 37th 100-yard receiving performance of his career — fifth among active players. He also moved ahead of Hall of Famers Steve Largent and Tim Brown for sole possession of ninth place on the all-time list for TD receptions with 101. Next steps The Buccaneers host Las Vegas in Tampa Bay's first home game in a month and the third consecutive outing against a last-place team. The Raiders (2-10) have lost eight in a row. ___ NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Fred Goodall, The Associated Press

NoneTrudeau told Trump Americans would also suffer if tariffs are imposed, a Canadian minister says

Willie Clemons scored in English non-league side Felixstowe & Walton’s 3-0 win at home to Mildenhall Town in the Isthmian League North Division today [November 30]. The Bermuda midfielder, who joined Felixstowe & Walton’s at the start of the season, scored a thunderbolt from distance at the end of the first half. Felixstowe & Walton are second in the table with 38 points from ten games. : ,

NEWCASTLE’S fine form came to a screeching halt as West Ham pulled one out of the bag to potentially save Julen Lopetegui’s job. Eddie Howe’s side could have climbed into the top six with a win over the struggling Hammers. But Tomas Soucek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka came up trumps to stun the Toon and earn a huge win for their under-pressure boss that lifted them to six points from danger. Toon started fast and Alexander Isak had the ball in the net after peeling off the last man and dinking it over Lukasz Fabianski only for an offside flag to ruin the party. But the Hammers knocked the stuffing right out of them in the tenth minute. Soucek was given the freedom of St. James’ as he escaped Lloyd Kelly, in for the suspended Dan Burn, and headed home Emerson Palmieri’s outswinging corner. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL This was not part of the script, but it was just the start Spaniard Lopetegui had dreamed about. And he was kicking every ball in his technical area throughout an animated first half performance that led to him being booked for dissent by referee Craig Pawson. That was his third caution of the campaign and he’ll now have to serve a touchline ban and miss Arsenal’s visit on Saturday. Not that he cared one jot at the time as he continued to bark orders at his side while Toon could only muster a curling effort from Joe Willock that went wide. Most read in Football FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS It was all feeling rather flat from those in Black and White and it could have got even worse as the visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Carlos Soler, replacing Guido Rodriguez, shot round the post. Despite needing a new passport following his drama in the international break returning from Ghana, the tireless Michail Antonio was left requiring a shirt here. After what seemed like his 100th tussle with the defence, he emerged with a huge rip right down the middle of his jersey, and he revelled in the minute or so it took for him to change it while the game was stopped. Longstaff headed straight at Fabianski while Lewis Hall’s drive and shot got the locals back off their seats. But both Anthony Gordon and Isak blew chances to go in level at the break. The England winger capitalised on Jean-Clair Todibo’s poor clearance inside the area. However, his strike was saved by the leg of the Hammers goalie before the striker had an effort deflected wide. Harvey Barnes came on for Willock at the break and teed up Gordon to drag an effort off target. But any momentum was soon cut short as West Ham doubled their lead eight minutes after the restart. Lucas Paqueta won the ball back and Jarrod Bowen broke and found Wan-Bissaka on the underlap. The ex-Manchester United full-back took a touch before firing across goal and into the far corner. Pope then saved from Bowen as things threatened to get worse before Sandro Tonali and Jacob Murphy came on along with Callum Wilson, making his first appearance of the season after injury. READ MORE SUN STORIES But even that trio could not conjure up some magic for the Magpies, despite the returning forward being convinced he should have had a penalty when bundled over by Konstantinos Mavropanos. That leaves them sat in tenth, while Lopetegui lives to fight another day at West Ham.Gilbertville man accused of stalking judge takes the stand at his trial

TORONTO, Dec. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xtract One Technologies Inc. (TSX: XTRA) (OTCQX: XTRAF) (FRA: 0PL) (“Xtract One” or the “Company”) a leading technology-driven threat detection and security solution that prioritizes the patron access experience by leveraging AI, today announced fiscal first quarter results for the three months ended October 31, 2024. All information is in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated. First Quarter Highlights Quarterly revenue of $3.6 million for the three months ended October 31, 2024 versus $3.1 million in the prior-year period. Gross margin of 64% for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 versus 67% in the prior year period. Total contract value of new bookings 1 was $4.2 million for the three months ending October 31, 2024 as compared to $9.6 million for the same period last year. The total contract value of new bookings in the prior-year period also included $5 million from a large global entertainment organization. Contractual backlog was $14.0 million at the end of the first quarter as compared to $9.5 million in the prior-year period, excluding an additional $12.9 million of agreements pending installation 1 versus approximately $10.6 million at the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2024. “As expected, first quarter revenue, while up year-over-year, was a little lighter in new bookings than recent periods reflecting order timing, as we focused on bringing Xtract One Gateway to market and actively engaged in business development initiatives to build our pipeline for the remainder of fiscal 2025,” stated Peter Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Xtract One. “We continue to win customers outside of our core sports and live entertainment markets, welcoming new clients in the Education, Healthcare, and Manufacturing sectors, which made up 67% of the total contract value of new bookings this quarter. Demand remains strong as evidenced by our growing sales pipeline, and we’ve been pleased with the initial response of our newly announced Xtract One Gateway, particularly in high-traffic facilities like schools, convention centers, and commercial properties where we offer a highly differentiated solution. We expect to see revenue accelerate as the year progresses and continue to make progress on our path to profitability.” Financial Results for the Three Month Period Ended October 31, 2024 Consolidated revenue was $3.6 million for the three months ended October 31, 2024 as compared to $3.1 million for the same period last year, reflecting new business contract wins and a greater number of installations. Gross profit was $2.3 million, or a margin of 64%, in the fiscal 2025 first quarter versus $2.1 million, or 67% of sales, in the prior-year period. Comprehensive loss was $2.7 million for the three month period ended October 31, 2024 as compared to $2.7 million for the same period in fiscal 2024. This reflects higher revenue and gross profit, largely offset by an increase in operating expenses. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the three month periods ended October 31, 2024 and 2023, which can be found on the Company’s website and under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca . Conference Call Details Xtract One will host a conference call to discuss its results tomorrow, December 6, 2024 at 10:00 am EST. Peter Evans, Xtract One CEO and Director, and Karen Hersh, CFO and Corporate Secretary, will provide an overview of the interim financial results along with management’s outlook for the business, followed by a question-and-answer period. The webcast and presentation will be accessible on the company’s website. The webcast can be accessed here and the telephone number for the conference call is 844-481-3016 (412-317-1881 for international callers). About Xtract One Technologies Xtract One Technologies is a leading technology-driven threat detection and security solution leveraging AI to provide seamless and secure patron access control experiences. The Company makes unobtrusive threat detection systems that enable facility building operators to prioritize and deliver “Walk-right-In” experiences while providing unprecedented safety. Xtract One's innovative portfolio of AI-powered Gateway solutions excels at allowing facilities to discreetly screen and identify weapons and other threats at points of entry and exit without disrupting the flow of traffic. With solutions built to serve the unique market needs for schools, hospitals, arenas, stadiums, manufacturing, distribution, and other customers, Xtract One is recognized as a market leader delivering the highest security in combination with the best individual experience. For more information, visit www.xtractone.com or connect on Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn . For further information, please contact: Xtract One Inquiries: info@xtractone.com , http://www.xtractone.com Media Contact: Kristen Aikey, JMG Public Relations, 212-206-1645, kristen@jmgpr.com Investor Relations: Chris Witty, Darrow Associates, 646-438-9385, cwitty@darrowir.com 1 Supplementary Financial Measures: The Company utilizes specific supplementary financial measures in this earnings release to allow for a better evaluation of the operating performance of the Company’s business and facilitates meaningful comparison of results in the current period with those in prior periods and future periods. Supplementary financial measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to measures presented by other companies. Supplementary financial measures presented in this earnings release include ‘Agreements pending installation’ and ‘Total contract value of new bookings.’ Agreements pending installation reflects total value of signed contracts awarded to the Company that has not been installed at the customer site. ‘Total contract value of new bookings’ is comprised of all new contracts signed and awarded to the Company, regardless of the performance obligations outstanding as of the end of the reporting period. Total contract value is the aggregate value of sales commitments from customers as at the end of the reporting period without consideration of the Company’s completion of the associated performance obligations outlined in each contract. CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT : This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “will”, “may”, “should”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “believes”, and similar expressions or the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include but are not limited to the risks detailed from time to time in the continuous disclosure filings made by the Company with securities regulations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements only as expressly required by applicable law. No securities exchange or commission has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Unaudited Interim Statements of Loss and Comprehensive Loss for the Three Months Ended October 31, 2024 and 2023 The following table is extracted from the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements and presented in Canadian dollars to demonstrate the Statements of Loss and Comprehensive loss for the three months ended October 31, 2024 and 2023: Unaudited Interim Statements of Financial Position as at October 31, 2024 and July 31, 2024 The following table is extracted from the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements and presented in Canadian dollars to demonstrate the Company’s financial position as at October 31, 2024 and July 31, 2024: Unaudited Interim Statements of Cash Flows for the Three Months Ended October 31, 2024 and 2023 The following table is extracted from the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements and presented in Canadian dollars to demonstrate the Company’s cash flows for the three month periods ended October 31, 2024 and 2023:22yo star’s ‘sick act’ while 80yo boyfriend in hospital bed