For years, patients in the U.S. health care system have grown frustrated with a bureaucracy they don’t understand. Doctors are included in an insurer’s network one year but not the next. Getting someone on the phone to help can be next to impossible. Coverage of care and prescriptions is often unceremoniously denied. This week’s fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has unleashed a wave of public feeling — exasperation, anger, resentment, helplessness — from Americans sharing personal stories of interactions with insurance companies, often seen as faceless corporate giants. In particular, the words written on ammunition found at the shooting scene — “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” echoing a phrase used to describe how insurers dodge claim payouts — amplified voices that have long been critical of the industry. “All of a sudden, I am fired up again,” said Tim Anderson, describing how his wife, Mary, had to deal with UnitedHealthcare coverage denials before she died from Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in 2022. Anderson said they couldn’t get coverage for machines to help his wife breathe or talk — toward the end, she communicated by blinking when he showed her pictures. The family had to rely on donations from a local ALS group, he said. “The business model for insurance is don’t pay,” said Anderson, 67, of Centerville, Ohio. “When Mary could still talk, she said to me to keep fighting this,” he added. “It needs to be exposed.” For Anderson and others, Thompson’s death and the message left at the scene have created an opportunity to vent their frustrations. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic, as police efforts to find the gunman keep the case in the news . Hans Maristela said he understands why the chatter is bubbling up. The 54-year-old caregiver in California was moved to comment on Facebook about UnitedHealthcare’s reputation of denying coverage. As a Catholic, he said, he grieves Thompson’s death and feels for his family, especially with the holidays around the corner. But he sees frustration with insurers even among his clients, most of them wealthy older people who’ve not been shielded from high out-of-pocket costs. “And then you know the CEO of this company you pay a lot of money to gets $10 million dollars a year, you won’t have a lot of sympathy for the guy,” Maristela said, citing Thompson’s compensation package that included base pay and stock options. “Health care is a business, I understand, but the obsession with share price, with profit, has to be reevaluated.” University of Pennsylvania researcher Michael Anne Kyle said she’s not surprised by the growth of conversation around insurers. “People are often struggling with this by themselves, and when you see someone else talk about it, that may prompt you to join the conversation,” she said. Kyle studies how patients access care and said she’s seen frustration with the system build for years. Costs are rising, and insurers are using more controls such as prior authorizations and doctor networks to manage them. Patients are often stuck in the middle of disputes between doctors and insurers. “Patients are already spending a lot of money on health care, and then they’re still facing problems with the service,” she said. Insurers often note that most of the money they bring in goes back out the door to pay claims, and that they try to corral soaring costs and the overuse of some care. In Ohio, Anderson said his initial reaction to the CEO shooting was to question whether it was connected to a coverage denial, like the ones he’d experienced with his wife. “I definitely do not condone killing people,” he said. “But I read it and said, ‘I wonder if somebody had a spouse whose coverage was denied.’” It’s something Will Flanary, a Portland-based ophthalmologist and comedian with a large social media following, saw online a lot in the shooting’s immediate aftermath and found very telling. “It’s zero sympathy,” he said. “And the lesson to take away from that is not, ‘Let’s shame people for celebrating a murder.’ No, it’s: ‘Look at the amount of anger that people have toward this system that’s taken advantage of people and do something to try to fix that.’” Flanary’s content, published under the name Dr. Glaucomflecken , started out as niche eye doctor jokes and a way to cope with his own experiences with two cancer diagnoses and a sudden cardiac arrest. But it has evolved, featuring character skits that call attention to and satirize the decisions of large health insurers, including UnitedHealthcare. He said he’s never seen conversations around health insurance policy take off the way they did this week — and he hopes these new voices can help bring about change. “I’m always talking about how powerful social media can be with advocacy,” he said, “because it really is the only way to put a significant amount of pressure on these corporations who are doing bad things for patients.” — TOM MURPHY and DEVI SHASTRI, AP Health Writers The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.Investments of Rs 45,000 crore approved within 100 days BJP govt in Odisha, says PM Modi at Odisha Parba

Fyodor Lukyanov: Biden is trying to throw Trump under the Ukrainian bus

Syrian insurgents reach the capital's suburbs. Worried residents flee and stock up on supplies BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press Dec 7, 2024 9:22 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Defectors line-up to register their details with Syrian insurgents in Aleppo, Syria, Thursday Dec. 5, 2024. As insurgents consolidate their hold of Aleppo, which they overran last week, they issued a call to government soldiers and security agencies to defect, granting them what they called "protection cards," which offer them some sort of amnesty and assurances that they won't be hunted down.(AP Photo/Omar Albam) BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. As they have advanced, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands rushed the Syria border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those that remained open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some shops were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reach the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. Assad's status Amid the developments, Syria’s state media denied rumors flooding social media that Assad has left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. Assad's chief international backer, Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up his forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. Pedersen said a date for the talks in Geneva on the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2254 would be announced later. The resolution, adopted in 2015, called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were also marching from eastern Syria toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth largest city. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an interview Thursday from Syria that the aim is to overthrow Assad’s government. The Britain-based Observatory said Syrian troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle is looming. If the insurgents capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. The Syrian army said in a statement Saturday that it has carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it is setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. Tartus is home to the only Russian naval base outside the former Soviet Union while Latakia is home to a major Russian air base. Diplomacy in Doha In the gas-rich nation of Qatar, the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey met to discuss the situation in Syria. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. On Friday, U.S.-backed fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces captured wide parts of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq as well as the provincial capital that carries the same name. The capture of areas in Deir el-Zour is a blow to Iran’s influence in the region as the area is the gateway to the corridor linking the Mediterranean to Iran, a supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. With the capture of a main border crossing with Iraq by the SDF and after opposition fighters took control of the Naseeb border crossing to Jordan in southern Syria, the Syrian government's only gateway to the outside world is the Masnaa border crossing with Lebanon. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More World News Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy in their meeting Dec 7, 2024 9:02 AM An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 3 and injuring others Dec 7, 2024 8:47 AM South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law Dec 7, 2024 7:02 AM Featured FlyerCARSON, Calif. — The LA Galaxy finished 26th in the 29-team Major League Soccer standings just one season ago, and their biggest supporters boycotted certain matches to protest a decade of poor performance. The most successful club in league history seemed light years away from its luminous prime. When the Galaxy raised the MLS Cup again Saturday amid confetti and fireworks, their spectacular transformation was complete. In only one year, a team that was profoundly lost had rediscovered its peerless championship pedigree. "We won this trophy, and it's finally back where it belongs," striker Dejan Joveljic said. Joseph Paintsil and Joveljic scored in the first half, and the Galaxy won their record sixth MLS Cup championship with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls. After striking twice in the first 13 minutes of the final, the Galaxy nursed their lead through a scoreless second half to raise their league's biggest trophy for the first time since 2014. People are also reading... MLS' most successful franchise struggled through most of the ensuing years, but everything changed after LA spent smartly in the offseason to build a high-scoring new lineup topped by Paintsil, Joveljic and Gabriel Pec. The Galaxy finished second in the Western Conference and streaked through the postseason with an MLS playoff-record 18 goals in five games to win another crown. "I'm just so proud of this group after the challenges that we (had) and the way they bounced back and competed as a group," Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. "We spent a lot of energy at the start, but I'm just so proud of these guys. They've cemented themselves as legends in this club." The Galaxy even won this title without perhaps their most important player. Riqui Puig, the playmaking midfielder from Barcelona who ran their offense impressively all season long, tore a ligament in his knee last week in the conference final. Puig watched this game in a suit, but the Catalan catalyst's teammates hadn't forgotten him: After his replacement, Gastón Brugman, set up LA's opening goal with a superb pass in the ninth minute, Paintsil held up Puig's jersey to their roaring fans during the celebration. "I was really waiting for this moment," said Paintsil, who scored his 14th goal of an impressive season. "I'm much more, 10 times faster than them, and Gaston saw the space. ... It was really a good thing. We did it for Riqui, and we did it for our family that came, and our supporters." Just four minutes later, Joveljic sprinted past four New York defenders and chipped home his 21st goal. Brugman was named the MLS Cup MVP after a commanding performance in midfield. The Uruguayan hadn't started a match for the Galaxy since Oct. 5 after an injury-slowed season, playing only as a postseason substitute before the final. "I dreamed of that yesterday, of something I could give to the team," Brugman said of his pass to Paintsil. "Today, it happened." Sean Nealis scored for the seventh-seeded Red Bulls, whose improbable postseason charge ended one win shy of their first Cup championship. With the league's youngest roster, New York fell just short of becoming the lowest-seeded team to win the tournament under first-year German coach Sandro Schwarz. "I love these guys," Schwarz said. "Some guys, they are crying. In the big picture, that's a start. Sometimes when you lose the final, it's tough, but you use this experience to create the next energy, the next intensity." Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy made four saves to win his second MLS title in three seasons, but Nealis beat the 2022 MLS Cup MVP in the 28th minute when he volleyed from the penalty area. The second half was lively: Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg hit the outside of the post in the 72nd minute, while Pec and Galaxy substitute Marco Reus nearly converted chances a few moments later. The ball got loose in the Galaxy's penalty area in the third minute of extra time, but two Red Bulls couldn't finish. After Galaxy owner Phil Anschutz received the MLS Cup that bears his name because of his steady financial support of the league during its shaky years, Galaxy captain Maya Yoshida carried the trophy to his teammates for the celebration. The Galaxy extended their lead over DC United (4) for the most MLS Cup championships in league history. The Red Bulls remain one of three original MLS franchises never to win the title, along with FC Dallas and the New England Revolution. The Galaxy finished 17-0-3 this season at their frequently renamed suburban stadium, where the sellout crowd of 26,812 for the final included several robust cheering sections of Red Bulls supporters hoping to see their New Jersey-based club's breakthrough. But this season was about the Galaxy's rebirth. The club famous for employing global stars from David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Robbie Keane and Javier "Chicharito" Hernández swiftly turned itself into a contender again by acquiring young talents without international fame. The Galaxy signed Pec from Brazil and grabbed Paintsil, a Ghanaian playing in Belgium. The duo combined with Joveljic to form a potent attack with orchestration from Puig, one of MLS' best players. "Losing a guy like Riqui after the performance he put in all season was devastating," McCarthy said. "Even if he wasn't on the field, we did it for him." Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

None

CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews James May And The Dull Men on Quest: Cheerfully dull May looks like Santa's slightly disreputable brother By CHRISTOPHER STEVENS, TV CRITIC FOR DAILY MAIL Published: 22:31, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 00:18, 11 December 2024 e-mail 6 View comments James May And The Dull Men (Quest) Rating: There’s one crucial difference between being dull and being boring. A dull man will happily spend the afternoon in his shed, adjusting the height of his lawnmower blades. A bore will tell you all about it afterwards. James May And The Dull Men celebrates the questions that preoccupy the minds of chaps past a certain age, such as the difference between a bradawl and an awl, or how far it’s possible to stretch an extendable metal tape measure before it sags. For many years the motoring sidekick of Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond , these days James May is white-haired and bearded, looking like Santa Claus’s older and slightly disreputable brother. Freed from the obligation to attempt marathon car treks or undignified stunts, he is able now to pursue less flamboyant activities, on more modest platforms. Instead of multi-million-pound contracts with Amazon Prime, he has tinkered in his workshop on BBC4, taking radios, vacuum cleaners and bicycles to bits. Now, he’s pottering around on Quest (find it on Freeview, channel no. 12), whose annual budget probably wouldn’t cover a single day of filming on an Amazon show such as The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power (even though that turgid series is more dull than anything May could ever dream up). James May And The Dull Men celebrates the questions that preoccupy the minds of chaps past a certain age, such as the difference between a bradawl and an awl, or how far it’s possible to stretch an extendable metal tape measure before it sags For many years the motoring sidekick of Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond , these days James May is white-haired and bearded, looking like Santa Claus’s older and slightly disreputable brother. Pictured: James May (left) and Seb Tiley (right) His challenge, as he happily does nothing very exciting for an hour, is to avoid boring us. He came close as he tried to learn the art of cutting hair in less than three hours - on discovering that his hairdressing scissors were made of Tokyo steel, James began extolling the quality of his Japanese chisel collection. Mason, the young man brought in to teach him the basics of barbering, visibly glazed over. James had a lot to learn. He claimed never to have used a hairdryer, which, coming from him, seemed plausible. Read More James May, 61, suffers nasty injury after shock bike accident For his victim, he picked one of the camera crew — Ruby, a young woman with strawberry blonde tresses to her waist. ‘Do you know how long it took me to grow it this long?’ she fretted. ‘I only let my mum cut my hair.’ When the ordeal was over, Ruby did declare herself pleased with the result. But I’m surprised it’s still acceptable, or even legal, to use underlings for experiments. The escapade smacked of laddish larks in the Noughties, when junior members of the ‘posse’ were expected to be game for anything. It was all worthwhile, though, if only for the punchline. Another of the team, Seb, suggested the name for James’s salon: The Darling Cuts Of May. Seb also helped devise the Sunbrella, a brolly fitted with LED lights and painted sky-blue on the underside, to give the impression of a summer’s day in winter. James made a bowl out of bits of broken pottery found in his garden. ‘I think this may be the dullest thing ever committed to television,’ he grumbled cheerfully. Far from it. He clearly hasn’t spent hours on end watching Clarkson plough a field. James May Richard Hammond Jeremy Clarkson Share or comment on this article: CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews James May And The Dull Men on Quest: Cheerfully dull May looks like Santa's slightly disreputable brother e-mail Add comment

MicroStrategy stock rises 3.3% amid Nasdaq 100 inclusion speculationEastern states were earlier considered backwards, I view them as country’s growth engine: PM Modi at ‘Odisha Parba’ PTI Updated: November 24th, 2024, 19:45 IST in National , Top Stories 0 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on WhatsApp Share on Linkedin New Delhi: Addressing a gathering at the ‘Odisha Parba’ event in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said that his government considers India’s eastern region as the country’s growth engine, while the area was considered backwards earlier. Prime Minister Modi said investments of Rs 45,000 crore have been approved within 100 days of the formation of a new government in Odisha. Also Read Odisha: Truck driver burnt alive in road accident 3 hours ago Hyderabad FC to host Odisha FC Monday 4 hours ago “Odisha has always been a land of seers and scholars. The way the scholars here took our religious texts to every household and connected the public with those, it has played a crucial role in the cultural prosperity of India,” PM Modi said. “There was a time when India’s eastern region and the states there were called backward. However, I consider India’s eastern region as the country’s growth engine. That is why we have prioritised the development of India’s eastern region,” he said. “The budget that we now allocate to Odisha is three times higher than what it was 10 years ago. We are working rapidly in every sector for Odisha’s development and the budget has been increased by 30 per cent this year,” Modi added. The Prime Minister informed that the Centre is committed to promoting ease of doing business in Odisha and said investments of Rs 45,000 crore have been approved within 100 days of the formation of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. “Last year, the G20 Summit was held in India. During the G20 Summit, we showcased the photo of the Sun Temple (in Konark). I am also glad that all four doors of the Jagannath temple (in Puri) are open now. Besides, the Ratna Bhandar of the temple is also open,” he added. “Odisha Parba” is a flagship event conducted by the Odia Samaj, a Delhi-based trust engaged in providing valuable support towards the preservation and promotion of Odia heritage. This year, “Odisha Parba” was organised from November 22 to November 24 to showcase the rich heritage of Odisha, displaying colourful cultural forms and exhibiting the vibrant social, cultural and political ethos of the state. PTI Tags: Narendra Modi New Delhi Odisha Share Tweet Send Share Suggest A Correction Enter your email to get our daily news in your inbox. Leave this field empty if you're human:

100 years ago Dec. 7, 1924: Shepherds, beagles and terriers are expected to lead all other kinds of dogs exhibited at the second annual licensed American Kennel Club show to be held Dec. 9-11 in Decatur, in connection with the fourth annual show of the Central Illinois Pet Stock Association. Other departments of the exhibition include the fourth annual licensed championship cat show, the rabbit division and the pigeon, bantam and bird divisions. 75 years ago Dec. 7, 1949: Mumps took a jump from two cases reported in October to 16 in November, according to records of communicable disease kept by the McLean County Health Department. Infantile paralysis was down from six in October to five reported in November. Whooping cough jumped from two to 12. 50 years ago Dec. 7, 1974: Mary Cantrell of Saybrook and Janet Rash of Arrowsmith, employees of FS Services Inc., collected money from dozens of colleagues to purchase gifts for the baby found Dec. 4 in a cardboard box at the Eastland Shopping Center parking lot. "I've never seen so much Christmas in the 20 years I've been around," said Cantrell of the response. "I saw more love than ever before." The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services currently has custody of the nearly six-pound baby now being cared for at St. Joseph's Hospital, where the staff have given her name the "Holly Elizabeth." 25 years ago Dec. 7, 1999: The Old House Society of Bloomington-Normal is getting its first fulltime paid executive in Mark Edwards, who has served as co-president the past year. The 43-year-old Bloomington resident has a lifetime of love for old structures, kindled in part by his father, local architect Bob Edwards, and he has a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Illinois. Nov. 13, 1883 Dec. 11, 1914 April 14, 1917 Nov. 8, 1918 Oct. 8, 1923 Feb. 29, 1924 Aug. 6, 1924 Nov. 20, 1942 Nov. 6, 1945 Nov. 28, 1948 Dec. 11, 1953 Dec. 11, 1953 Dec. 18, 1966 Dec. 7, 1969 Dec. 9, 1973 Dec. 22, 1973 Oct. 12, 1974 Feb. 6, 1975 Jan. 14, 1979 March 30, 1980 Dec. 4, 1981 Nov. 9, 1982 March 16, 1986 Oct. 5, 1994 Nov. 6, 1997 Dive into hometown history With a weekly newsletter looking back at local history. Central Illinois Executive Editor {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

8 Things to Remember About Dexter’s Childhood Before ‘Original Sin’

By Louis Collins Housing has been one of the trickiest portfolios for successive governments. Its quality, supply, warmth, and affordability have all been problems. Theories about how to fix 'the housing crisis' are common. Suburban New Zealand is thick with ex-state houses. They show that housing has been in crisis before, and has been managed. Nearly a century since the first state houses, they remain a crucial service. Kāinga Ora's 72,000-plus properties make it the largest residential landlord in the country. Debt loads, hefty waiting lists and a mismatch between available housing and what is needed are identified as issues. During the annual review of Kāinga Ora this week , Housing Minister Chris Bishop told the Social Services Committee 60 percent of people on the housing register required one-bedroom homes, but only about 10 percent of the ministry's homes fit the bill. Bishop suggested the problem was also true of New Zealand housing stock generally. "It all comes down to rent and affordability, and we just have an undersupply of houses across the continuum... [The wait-list] people classified as 'in severe and urgent need of housing' ... can't afford the private rental market because we haven't built enough houses over the last 30 years, when we've had the fastest house price growth in the OECD... and we've made it nearly impossible to build housing in this country." Bishop is also the minister for RMA reform - an area he seems passionate about. During the Kāinga Ora hearing, Bishop lamented low land availability and regulation as barriers to housing, saying "the evidence is really clear". "Cities that have functional land markets and infrastructure that is allowed to be built without barrier after barrier in the way, have cheaper and affordable housing." Nodding supportively beside Bishop was his junior minister, Tama Potaka, responsible for emergency housing. In Question Time some questions are known in advance and deflection is easy. There are fewer escapes in an annual review hearing. Labour MP Kieran McAnulty suggested Potaka was avoiding questions. "Whenever we've tried to ask you about this in the House, frankly, it's been dismissed," McAnulty said. "At least give us an acknowledgement that the change in criteria has played a part in the reduction of the emergency housing numbers." Potaka didn't give McAnulty as straight an answer as he wanted. "In terms of the declines, there has been a slight increase in the number of applications that have been declined, but nearly 50 percent of those that have been declined in the month of October were actually triaged and helped in a different way to get into housing, not into emergency housing. So I think there's some 'good news stories', and how we are making sure that the system operates in a manner to help people get into housing that is not emergency housing." There certainly isn't an easy fix to housing - results will take time. The combined housing and emergency portfolios require both addressing short-term needs, while also working to fix systemic housing issues over the longer term. It's a role unlikely to show real success until years after a minister has departed. RNZ's The House , with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Dubai: Indian consulate issues new rules to repatriate expats’ remainsTikTok is inching closer to a potential ban in the US. So what's next?

AMGEN ANNOUNCES 2025 FIRST QUARTER DIVIDENDAMGEN ANNOUNCES 2025 FIRST QUARTER DIVIDEND

New Delhi, November 24: On the eve of the Winter Session of Parliament, the government on Sunday appealed to all the parties to ensure smooth conduct of business in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, even as representatives of 30 parties highlighted several issues for inclusion in the agenda. Amid expectations of a stormy session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju described as “fruitful” the all-party meeting with 42 leaders and floor managers from all parties that was chaired by veteran BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The Winter Session is scheduled to be held from November 25 to December 20. Parliament Session 2024: All-Party Meet Ahead of Winter Session Underway, Congress Demands Discussion on Bribery Charges Against Adani Group. "The government is open to discussing all issues, but our only request is to ensure a smooth conduct of proceedings. Raising issues peacefully would ensure that members looking forward to taking part in proceedings are not denied an opportunity to do so," Kiren Rijiju said. "We have taken note of the suggestions regarding issues for discussion made by floor managers of parties and would share them with the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman," the Union Minister said. Seeking cooperation from all parties, Kiren Rijiju said the business advisory committees of the two Houses would finalise the agenda with the consent of the presiding officers. Winter Session 2024: All-Party Meeting Today at 11 AM in Main Committee Room of Parliament House. The legislative agenda of the session will include the celebration of 75 years of the Constitution on November 26, said Kiren Rijiju, adding that key documents related to the making of the statute would also be released in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu. "A year-long celebration is planned across the country as part of the 75 years of the Constitution," he said, hinting that at least 17 bills are likely to come up for discussion during the session. According to the Rajya Sabha secretariat, 19 sittings of the House are scheduled during the session. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, pending in Lok Sabha, has also been listed for consideration and passage after a report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is submitted in the Lower House. In all, eight bills are pending in Lok Sabha and two in Rajya Sabha. The developments during the Winter Session, beginning within two days of the declaration of Assembly election results in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, are also likely to reflect the contrasting moods in the ruling NDA and the INDIA bloc after the former won in the western state and the latter retained power in the tribal-majority eastern state. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 24, 2024 07:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com ).Nebraska women’s basketball player Callin Hake summed it up as well as anyone could. “I think in South Dakota we shot the crap out of it, which is awesome,” the guard from Minnesota said. On that night last weekend in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Huskers made a school-record 20 3-pointers on 58% shooting beyond the arc in a 113-70 win against South Dakota. That was three more than the previous record, from 2010. Now comes another game against Creighton where the series at times has at times been defined by the 3-point line — both the ability to make and defend it. The 3-point line is something to watch closely again when the Huskers and Bluejays play at 4 p.m. Friday at Sokol Arena in Omaha, a few hours before the men’s teams from the same schools play at CHI Health Center Omaha. People are also reading... Creighton (1-2) has won two straight in the series. Last year, Morgan Maly made three 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the game and Creighton led the entire game while winning 79-74. Creighton didn’t keep its hot 3-point shooting going the entire game but made nine and outscored the Huskers by 18 points beyond the arc. Nebraska was 3-for-21 on 3-pointers. In 2022, Creighton blasted the Huskers 77-51 after making five of its first eight 3-pointers. “One thing I know is they (Creighton) all shoot it pretty well,” Nebraska coach Amy Williams said. “Last year we gave up eight made threes in the first quarter. That’s something we’ll have to shore up. They’re very, very good off the ball with their movement and cuts so you’re positioning really matters. We’ll have to make the hustle plays and not give them second-chance opportunities.” Creighton has won seven of the last eight meetings with the Huskers. The Bluejays are averaging 10.4 made threes per game during the stretch, while Nebraska is averaging 3.6. The 5-0 and 21st-ranked Huskers faced a major dose of adversity this week when sophomore forward Natalie Potts sustained a season-ending knee injury during Tuesday’s game against North Alabama. She’s scheduled for surgery in two weeks. Williams called the injury is “devastating.” “What a start she’s had to the season, leading our team in scoring and rebounding,” Williams said. “She worked really hard this offseason.” Nebraska's Callin Hake attempts a 3-pointer against Southern on Nov. 12 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Creighton has reached the NCAA Tournament the past three seasons, making the Elite Eight in 2022, the first round in 2023 and the second round in 2024 with several of the same players that are on the team this year. Creighton may be the most experienced team the Huskers face all season, as the Bluejay playing rotation includes five graduate students, two seniors and two juniors. “We’re incredibly familiar with their roster, and they’re incredibly familiar with our roster,” Williams said. Creighton guard Lauren Jensen has already gone off this season, scoring a career-high 32 in an 80-72 win against Drake. She was 6-for-10 on threes and made each of her six two-point shots. One thing new to the series for Nebraska is Britt Prince, the freshman from Elkhorn North getting her first taste of playing against her hometown school. In the past two games combined, Prince is 15 for 21 shooting. She’s driving to the basket, and also shooting 3s. “She’s gotten more aggressive, and I’d like to see her be even more aggressive,” Williams said. The 113-70 win against South Dakota showed the Huskers what it can look like this season. The Huskers zipped passes around the perimeter to get lots of good 3-point chances. Nebraska had 33 assists on 41 field goals. Hake felt like a lot of inside-outside passes helped the Huskers to the fourth-best scoring total in program history. “When you have posts that are willing to kick it out and give you dimes for passes that makes shooting in a guard’s job a lot easier,” Hake said. “I think we really wanted to carry that forward. But we don’t want to live and die by the three.” Projected starters Nebraska (5-0) G – Britt Prince; 5-11; Fr.; 13.0 G – Callin Hake; 5-8; Jr.; 6.0 G – Alberte Rimdal; 5-9; Sr.; 10.4 G – Logan Nissley; 6-0; So.; 8.0 C – Alexis Markowski; 6-3; Sr.; 13.8 Creighton (1-2) Player; Ht.; Yr.; PPG. G – Molly Mogensen; 5-7; Sr.; 6.0 G – Lauren Jensen; 5-10; Sr.; 21.3 G – Kiani Lockett; 5-8; Jr.; 11.3 G – Mallory Brake; 6-0; Sr.; 2.7 F – Morgan Maly; 6-1; Sr.; 15.3 Photos: Nebraska women's basketball hosts North Alabama — Nov. 19 Nebraska head coach Amy Williams greets the team after defeating North Alabama, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Jessica Petrie (right) scores next to North Alabama's Rhema Pegues, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Alberte Rimdal (left) is defended by North Alabama's Veronaye Charlton, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Britt Prince (left) scores next to North Alabama's India Howard, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Logan Nissley (2) defends against North Alabama's Sofia Ceppellotti, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. North Alabama's Cameron Jones (left) defends against Nebraska's Alexis Markowski, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Callin Hake (left) looks to score next to North Alabama's Veronaye Charlton, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Alexis Markowski attempts a free throw against North Alabama, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Callin Hake (left) scores next to North Alabama's India Howard on Tuesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Natalie Potts is taken off the court after an injury during the North Alabama game, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Natalie Potts is helped off of the court after suffering an apparent knee injury in the Huskers' win against North Alabama on Tuesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Natalie Potts is taken off the court after an injury during the North Alabama game, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Callin Hake (right) picks up a turnover next to North Alabama's Sarang West, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Kendall Moriarty scores a 3-pointer against North Alabama, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Alexis Markowski (right) is defended by North Alabama's Cameron Jones (left) and Alyssa Clutter, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Amiah Hargrove (center) is defended by North Alabama's Katie Criswell (left) and Jazzy Klinge, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Natalie Potts (right) grabs a rebound next to North Alabama's Rhema Pegues, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Natalie Potts grabs a rebound against North Alabama, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Reach the writer at 402-473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com . On Twitter @LJSSportsWagner. Subscribe for the best Husker news & commentary Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Husker volleyball/women's basketball reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The capture of Homs is a major victory for insurgents, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said Homs falling into rebel hands would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country’s long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement issued late Saturday, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis “that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians.” They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists." The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria; Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad; and Josef Federman and Victoria Eastwood in Doha, Qatar, contributed to this report.

GTA 6 Fans enthusiastically analyse water physics in first trailer ahead of highly anticipated release