slots winner 777 While Zheng may have missed out on the Player of the Year award, her extraordinary achievements and bright future in the sport are undeniable. At just 19 years old, she has already established herself as a formidable presence on the WTA Tour and has shown immense potential for even greater success in the years to come. With her combination of skill, determination, and passion for the game, Zheng is poised to continue making waves in the world of tennis and inspiring fans worldwide with her remarkable talent.

As open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans continues through Jan. 15, you’re likely seeing fewer social media ads promising monthly cash cards worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars that you can use for groceries, medical bills, rent and other expenses. But don’t worry. You haven’t missed out on any windfalls. Clicking on one of those ads would not have provided you with a cash card — at least not worth hundreds or thousands. But you might have found yourself switched to a health insurance plan you did not authorize, unable to afford treatment for an unforeseen medical emergency, and owing thousands of dollars to the IRS, according to an ongoing lawsuit against companies and individuals who plaintiffs say masterminded the ads and alleged scams committed against millions of people who responded to them. The absence of those once-ubiquitous ads are likely a result of the federal government suspending access to the ACA marketplace for two companies that market health insurance out of South Florida offices, amid accusations they used “fraudulent” ads to lure customers and then switched their insurance plans and agents without their knowledge. In its suspension letter, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cited “credible allegations of misconduct” in the agency’s decision to suspend the abilities of two companies — TrueCoverage (doing business as Inshura) and BenefitAlign — to transact information with the marketplace. CMS licenses and monitors agencies that use their own websites and information technology platforms to enroll health insurance customers in ACA plans offered in the federal marketplace. Suit names long list of defendants The alleged scheme affected millions of consumers, according to a lawsuit winding its way through U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale that seeks class-action status. An amended version of the suit, filed in August, increased the number of defendants from six to 12: — TrueCoverage LLC, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based health insurance agency with large offices in Miami, Miramar and Deerfield Beach. TrueCoverage is a sub-tenant of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a building leased by the newspaper in Deerfield Beach. — Enhance Health LLC, a Sunrise-based health insurance agency that the lawsuit says was founded by Matthew Herman, also named as a defendant, with a $150 million investment from hedge fund Bain Capital’s insurance division. Bain Capital Insurance Fund LP is also a defendant. — Speridian Technologies LLC, accused in the lawsuit of establishing two direct enrollment platforms that provided TrueCoverage and other agencies access to the ACA marketplace. — Benefitalign LLC, identified in the suit as one of the direct enrollment platforms created by Speridian. Like Speridian and TrueCoverage, the company is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. — Number One Prospecting LLC, doing business as Minerva Marketing, based in Fort Lauderdale, and its founder, Brandon Bowsky, accused of developing the social media ads that drove customers — or “leads” — to the health insurance agencies. — Digital Media Solutions LLC, doing business as Protect Health, a Miami-based agency that the suit says bought Minerva’s “fraudulent” ads. In September, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in United States Bankruptcy Court in Texas, which automatically suspended claims filed against the company. — Net Health Affiliates Inc., an Aventura-based agency the lawsuit says was associated with Enhance Health and like it, bought leads from Minerva. — Garish Panicker, identified in the lawsuit as half-owner of Speridian Global Holdings and day-to-day controller of companies under its umbrella, including TrueCoverage, Benefitalign and Speridian Technologies. — Matthew Goldfuss, accused by the suit of overseeing and directing TrueCoverage’s ACA enrollment efforts. All of the defendants have filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. The motions deny the allegations and argue that the plaintiffs failed to properly state their claims and lack the standing to file the complaints. Defendants respond to requests for comment The Sun Sentinel sent requests for comment and lists of questions about the cases to four separate law firms representing separate groups of defendants. Three of the law firms — one representing Brandon Bowsky and Number One Prospecting LLC d/b/a Minerva Marketing, and two others representing Net Health Affiliates Inc. and Bain Capital Insurance Fund — did not respond to the requests. A representative of Enhance Health LLC and Matthew Herman, Olga M. Vieira of the Miami-based firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, responded with a short message saying she was glad the newspaper knew a motion to dismiss the charges had been filed by the defendants. She also said that, “Enhance has denied all the allegations as reported previously in the media.” Catherine Riedel, a communications specialist representing TrueCoverage LLC, Benefitalign LLC, Speridian Technologies LLC, Girish Panicker and Matthew Goldfuss, issued the following statement: “TrueCoverage takes these allegations very seriously and is responding appropriately. While we cannot comment on ongoing litigation, we strongly believe that the allegations are baseless and without merit. “Compliance is our business. The TrueCoverage team records and reviews every call with a customer, including during Open Enrollment when roughly 500 agents handle nearly 30,000 calls a day. No customer is enrolled into any policy without a formal verbal consent given by the customer. If any customer calls in as a result of misleading content presented by third-party marketing vendors, agents are trained to correct such misinformation and action is taken against such third-party vendors.” Through Riedel, the defendants declined to answer follow-up questions, including whether the company remains in business, whether it continues to enroll Affordable Care Act clients, and whether it is still operating its New Mexico call center using another affiliated technology platform. Lawsuit: COVID relief package made ‘scheme’ possible The suspension notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services letter cites several factors, including the histories of noncompliance and previous suspensions. The letter noted suspicion that TrueCoverage and Benefitalign were storing consumers’ personally identifiable information in databases located in India and possibly other overseas locations in violation of the centers’ rules. The letter also notes allegations against the companies in the pending lawsuit that “they engaged in a variety of illegal practices, including violations of the (Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act), misuse of consumer (personal identifiable information) and insurance fraud.” The amended lawsuit filed in August names as plaintiffs five individuals who say their insurance plans were changed and two agencies who say they lost money when they were replaced as agents. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of 55 counts of wrongdoing, ranging from running ads offering thousands of dollars in cash that they knew would never be provided directly to consumers, switching millions of consumers into different insurance policies without their authorization, misstating their household incomes to make them eligible for $0 premium coverage, and “stealing” commissions by switching the agents listed in their accounts. TrueCoverage, Enhance Health, Protect Health, and some of their associates “engaged in hundreds of thousands of agent-of-record swaps to steal other agents’ commissions,” the suit states. “Using the Benefitalign and Inshura platforms, they created large spreadsheet lists of consumer names, dates of birth and zip codes.” They provided those spreadsheets to agents, it says, and instructed them to access platforms linked to the ACA marketplace and change the customers’ agents of record “without telling the client or providing informed consent.” “In doing so, they immediately captured the monthly commissions of agents ... who had originally worked with the consumers directly to sign them up,” the lawsuit asserts. TrueCoverage employees who complained about dealing with prospects who called looking for cash cards were routinely chided by supervisors who told them to be vague and keep making money, the suit says. When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began contacting the company in January about customer complaints, the suit says TrueCoverage enrollment supervisor Matthew Goldfuss sent an email instructing agents “do not respond.” How it started The lawsuit states the “scheme” was made possible in 2021 when Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The act made it possible for Americans with household incomes between 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level to pay zero in premiums and it enabled those consumers to enroll in ACA plans all year round, instead of during the three-month open enrollment period from November to January. Experienced health insurance brokers recognized the opportunity presented by the changes, the lawsuit says. More than 40 million Americans live within 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level, while only 15 million had ACA insurance at the time. The defendants developed or benefited from online ads, the lawsuit says, which falsely promised “hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per month in cash benefits such as subsidy cards to pay for common expenses like rent, groceries, and gas.” Consumers who clicked on the ads were brought to a landing page that asked a few qualifying questions, and if their answers suggested that they might qualify for a low-cost or no-cost plan, they were provided a phone number to a health insurance agency. There was a major problem with the plan, according to the lawsuit. “Customers believe they are being routed to someone who will send them a free cash card, not enroll them in health insurance.” By law, the federal government sends subsidies for ACA plans to insurance companies, and not to individual consumers. Scripts were developed requiring agents not to mention a cash card, and if a customer mentions a cash card, “be vague” and tell the caller that only the insurance carrier can provide that information, the lawsuit alleges. In September, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the claims. In addition to denying the charges, they argued that the class plaintiffs lacked the standing to make the accusations and failed to demonstrate that they suffered harm. The motion also argued that the lawsuit’s accusations failed to meet requirements necessary to claim civil violations of the RICO Act. Miami-based attorney Jason Kellogg, representing the plaintiffs, said he doesn’t expect a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case for several months. The complaint also lists nearly 50 companies, not named as defendants, that it says fed business to TrueCoverage and Enhance Health. Known in the industry as “downlines,” most operate in office parks throughout South Florida, the lawsuit says. Complaints from former employees and clients The lawsuit quotes former TrueCoverage employees complaining about having to work with customers lured by false cash promises in the online ads. A former employee who worked in the company’s Deerfield Beach office was quoted in the lawsuit as saying that senior TrueCoverage and Speridian executives “knew that consumers were calling in response to the false advertisements promising cash cards and they pressured agents to use them to enroll consumers into ACA plans.” A former human resources manager for TrueCoverage said sales agents frequently complained “that they did not feel comfortable having to mislead consumers,” the lawsuit said. Over two dozen agents “came to me with these complaints and showed me the false advertisements that consumers who called in were showing them,” the lawsuit quoted the former manager as saying. For much of the time the companies operated, the ACA marketplace enabled agents to easily access customer accounts using their names and Social Security numbers, change their insurance plans and switch their agents of record without their knowledge or authorization, the lawsuit says. This resulted in customers’ original agents losing their commissions and many of the policyholders finding out they suddenly owed far more for health care services than their original plans had required, the suit states. It says that one of the co-plaintiffs’ health plans was changed at least 22 times without her consent. She first discovered that she had lost her original plan when she sought to renew a prescription for her heart condition and her doctor told her she did not have health insurance, the suit states. Another co-plaintiff’s policy was switched after her husband responded to one of the cash card advertisements, the lawsuit says. That couple’s insurance plan was switched multiple times after a TrueCoverage agent excluded the wife’s income from an application so the couple would qualify. Later, they received bills from the IRS for $4,300 to cover tax credits issued to pay for the plans. CMS barred TrueCoverage and BenefitAlign from accessing the ACA marketplace. It said it received more than 90,000 complaints about unauthorized plan switches and more than 183,500 complaints about unauthorized enrollments, but the agency did not attribute all of the complaints to activities by the two companies. In addition, CMS restricted all agents’ abilities to alter policyholders’ enrollment information, the lawsuit says. Now access is allowed only for agents that already represent policyholders or if the policyholder participates in a three-way call with an agent and a marketplace employee. Between June and October, the agency barred 850 agents and brokers from accessing the marketplace “for reasonable suspicion of fraudulent or abusive conduct related to unauthorized enrollments or unauthorized plan switches,” according to an October CMS news release . The changes resulted in a “dramatic and sustained drop” in unauthorized activity, including a nearly 70% decrease in plan changes associated with an agent or broker and a nearly 90% decrease in changes to agent or broker commission information, the release said. It added that while consumers were often unaware of such changes, the opportunity to make them provided “significant financial incentive for non-compliant agents and brokers.” But CMS’ restrictions might be having unintended consequences for law-abiding agents and brokers. A story published by Insurance News Net on Nov. 11 quoted the president of the Health Agents for America (HAFA) trade group as saying agents are being suspended by CMS after being flagged by a mysterious algorithm that no one can figure out. The story quotes HAFA president Ronnell Nolan as surmising, “maybe they wrote too many policies on the same day for people who have the same income or they’re writing too many policies on people of a certain occupation.” Nolan continued, “We have members who have thousands of ACA clients. They can’t update or renew their clients. So those consumers have lost access to their professional agent, which is simply unfair.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.Body:(Word Count: 489)Madigan CHICAGO — Hours of secretly recorded videos and phone calls have offered a rare glimpse into how the longest-serving legislative leader in American history operated behind closed doors. As the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan stretches into its third month, testimony has covered his multiple alleged schemes, from kickbacks involving the state's largest utility company to Chinatown developments benefiting his private tax firm. Jurors have heard from a congresswoman, former state legislators and the government's star witness: a former Chicago alderman who secretly wore a wire. Here's a closer look at the ongoing trial. The charges Madigan, who was speaker for over three decades, is charged in a 23-count indictment for bribery, racketeering, wire fraud and other crimes. Prosecutors allege he exploited his unmatched influence not only as the Illinois House speaker but also as head of the state's Democratic Party for personal gain and to amass even more power. A tax attorney, he's also accused of benefiting from private work that was illegally steered to his law firm. The trial has shown how Madigan worked, with the lines between his political and personal roles intertwined. For instance, meetings often took place at his downtown law office, whether they were for political or legal work. Elected officials or his political advisors were often present alongside business contacts. Even in meetings about tax work, he was called "the speaker," the recordings show. In one 2014 meeting secretly recorded by a businessman also working undercover, a City Council member introduced Madigan to hotel developers for a Chinatown project. Madigan pitched his firm's business. "We're not interested in a quick killing here. We're interested in a long-term relationship," Madigan said. "In terms of the quality of representation that you get from this law firm, we don't take a second seat to anybody. " Afterward, the alderman told a businessman: "If he works with the speaker, he will get anything he needs for that hotel." Star witness One of the most-anticipated parts of the trial has been the testimony of former Chicago Alderman Danny Solis. A council member for 23 years, Solis led the powerful zoning committee. Solis As Madigan sought business for his tax firm, Solis met with Madigan over projects in the alderman's ward, which then included Chinatown and the trendy West Loop neighborhood near downtown. But unknown to everyone — including his family — Solis was working for federal agents, recording meetings and phone calls. "It was critical that the undercover work I was doing remain secret," Solis, 75, testified in court. He told jurors that federal agents approached him in June 2016 and he agreed to cooperate to avoid prison for admitted wrongdoing including bribery. However, Solis could be a problematic witness. He faced massive financial issues, marital problems after an affair and ethical lapses, including accepting favors from a developer who arranged for Solis to get Viagra and massages "that turned sexual." He also testified he acted on requests from federal agents, including proposing that Madigan appoint him to a board after he left office. Defense attorneys called Solis unreliable and blasted his financial wrongdoing, including misspending campaign funds for a trip to Puerto Rico, his son's school tuition and a car. Former Chicago Alderman Daniel Solis leaves Dirksen U.S. Courthouse after another day of testimony in the corruption trial of former Speaker Michael Madigan in Chicago on Dec. 3, 2024. "As an alderman and as chair of the zoning committee, you committed many crimes, is that correct?" Madigan attorney Daniel Collins asked Solis during cross examination. "Yes," Solis said. Other witnesses have included U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinksi, who testified about Madigan's influence in 2018 while she worked as an adviser for Gov. JB Pritzker. The recordings Some of the Solis videos are shaky and it's unclear how he recorded them. There's extended footage of ceilings and office walls. Many calls are short. But they show how Madigan, who famously didn't have a cellphone or email address, operated. In January 2018, Madigan called up Solis and asked about a proposed West Loop apartment building. "Is that going to go ahead? You know why I'm interested," Madigan says. Solis asks if Madigan knew the developers. "No, but I'd like to," he says. Solis told jurors that Madigan's influence would be helpful to him, so he provided introductions. "I wanted to curry political favor with Mr. Madigan," Solis told jurors. The schemes A sweeping investigation of public corruption in Illinois has already produced convictions of other elected officials and Madigan's former chief of staff. Among other schemes, Madigan is accused of using his influence to pass legislation favorable to electric utility ComEd. In return, ComEd allegedly offered Madigan loyalists kickbacks, contracts and jobs where they did little or no work. "When Madigan saw an opportunity to enrich himself, he took it," Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker told jurors. Defense attorneys have painted Madigan as a devoted public servant, calling him "incorruptible." McClain Madigan, who has has "adamantly" denied wrongdoing in the past, hasn't spoken publicly during the trial. He spends the proceedings watching witnesses and jurors intently, often taking notes. Family members including his daughter, former Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, have attended court. Also standing trial with Madigan is longtime confidant Michael McClain, 76, who already has been found guilty in a separate, related case. Last year, federal jurors convicted McClain and three others of the bribery conspiracy involving ComEd. The trial is expected to extend into mid-January. "Illinois needs to quickly and dramatically ramp up our efforts to approve and build new housing, and to give more affordable options to working families," Gov. JB Pritzker said during a news conference to announce new housing initiatives on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

By DAVID A. LIEB Artificial intelligence. Abortion. Guns. Marijuana. Minimum wages. Name a hot topic, and chances are good there’s a new law about it taking effect in 2025 in one state or another. Many of the laws launching in January are a result of legislation passed this year. Others stem from ballot measures approved by voters. Some face legal challenges. Here’s a look at some of the most notable state laws taking effect: California, home to Hollywood and some of the largest technology companies, is seeking to rein in the artificial intelligence industry and put some parameters around social media stars. New laws seek to prevent the use of digital replicas of Hollywood actors and performers without permission and allow the estates of dead performers to sue over unauthorized AI use. Parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside some earnings for their young influencers. A new law also allows children to sue their parents for failing to do so. New social media restrictions in several states face court challenges. Related Articles National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen National Politics | Exhausted by political news? TV ratings and new poll say you’re not alone National Politics | Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ A Florida law bans children under 14 from having social media accounts and requires parental consent for ages 14 and 15. But enforcement is being delayed because of a lawsuit filed by two associations for online companies, with a hearing scheduled for late February. A new Tennessee law also requires parental consent for minors to open accounts on social media. NetChoice, an industry group for online businesses, is challenging the law. Another new state law requires porn websites to verify that visitors are at least 18 years old. But the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry, has filed a challenge. Several new California measures aimed at combating political deepfakes are also being challenged, including one requiring large social media platforms to remove deceptive content related to elections and another allowing any individual to sue for damages over the use of AI to create fabricated images or videos in political ads . In a first nationally, California will start enforcing a law prohibiting school districts from adopting policies that require staff to notify parents if their children change their gender identification . The law was a priority for Democratic lawmakers who wanted to halt such policies passed by several districts. Many states have passed laws limiting or protecting abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a nationwide right to the procedure in 2022. One of the latest is the Democratic-led state of Delaware. A law there will require the state employee health plan and Medicaid plans for lower-income residents to cover abortions with no deductible , copayments or other cost-sharing requirements. A new Minnesota law prohibits guns with “binary triggers” that allow for more rapid fire, causing a weapon to fire one round when the trigger is pulled and another when it is released. In Delaware, a law adds colleges and universities to a list of school zones where guns are prohibited, with exceptions for those working in their official capacity such as law officers and commissioned security guards. Kentucky is becoming the latest state to let people use marijuana for medical purposes . To apply for a state medical cannabis card, people must get written certification from a medical provider of a qualifying condition, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea or post-traumatic stress disorder. Nearly four-fifths of U.S. states have now legalized medical marijuana. Minimum wage workers in more than 20 states are due to receive raises in January. The highest minimum wages will be in Washington, California and Connecticut, all of which will top $16 an hour after modest increases. The largest increases are scheduled in Delaware, where the minimum wage will rise by $1.75 to $15 an hour, and in Nebraska, where a ballot measure approved by voters in 2022 will add $1.50 to the current minimum of $12 an hour. Twenty other states still follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. In Oregon, using drugs on public transit will be considered a misdemeanor crime of interfering with public transportation. While the measure worked its way through the legislature, multiple transportation officials said drug use on buses and trains, and at transit stops and stations, was making passengers and drivers feel less safe. In Missouri, law enforcement officers have spent the past 16 months issuing warnings to motorists that handheld cellphone use is illegal. Starting with the new year, penalties will kick in: a $150 fine for the first violation, progressing to $500 for third and subsequent offenses and up to 15 years imprisonment if a driver using a cellphone cause an injury or death. But police must notice a primary violation, such as speeding or weaving across lanes, to cite motorists for violating the cellphone law. Montana is the only state that hasn’t banned texting while driving , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Tenants in Arizona will no longer have to pay tax on their monthly rent , thanks to the repeal of a law that had allowed cities and towns to impose such taxes. While a victory for renters, the new law is a financial loss for governments. An analysis by Arizona’s nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimated that $230 million would be lost in municipal tax revenue during the first full fiscal year of implementation. Meanwhile Alabama will offer tax credits to businesses that help employees with child care costs. Kansas is eliminating its 2% sales tax on groceries. It also is cutting individual income taxes by dropping the top tax rate, increasing a credit for child care expenses and exempting all Social Security income from taxes, among other things. Taxpayers are expected to save about $320 million a year going forward. An Oklahoma law expands voting privileges to people who have been convicted of felonies but had their sentences discharged or commuted, including commutations for crimes that have been reclassified from felonies to misdemeanors. Former state Sen. George Young, an Oklahoma City Democrat, carried the bill in the Senate. “I think it’s very important that people who have gone through trials and tribulations in their life, that we have a system that brings them back and allows them to participate as contributing citizens,” Young said. Associated Press writers Trân Nguyễn in Sacramento, California; Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Randall Chase in Dover, Delaware; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Kentucky; Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri; Gabriel Sandoval in Phoenix; Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed.Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com This letter is in support of Sean Faircloth who is running in the special election for State House District 24, which includes parts of Bangor, Brewer and Orono, and all of Veazie. It starts with the nominating caucus at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 7 at the old courthouse at 97 Hammond St. in Bangor. Sean is a lifelong Bangor resident. He has previously served in the Legislature and on the Bangor City Council. Sean is ready to hit the ground running on day one. Sean has contributed tremendously to the community over the years. He was the project director for establishing the Maine Discovery Museum in downtown Bangor and led efforts to revitalize The Together Place Peer Run Recovery Center and to create EnergySmart Bangor to reduce energy costs. Sean is a strong advocate for limiting big money in politics in order to make government more responsive to the people, and for creating an economy that works well for everyone. No one is a stronger voice for the interests of hard-working middle-class Mainers. If you’re a registered Democrat in House District 24, please attend the caucus on Jan. 7 in support of Sean Faircloth. Ron Bilancia Bangor More articles from the BDN

How do you explain the lack of street protests and the silence of political groups as one of the most controversial books published in independent India -Salman Rushdie’s 1988 novel 'The Satanic Verses' – returns to the country's bookshops after being banned for 36 years? The book, which is based on the life of Islam's prophet Muhammad, was banned by the Rajiv Gandhi government immediately after it was published. An international fatwa and a bounty were placed on the head of the author by the Iranian government, forcing him to go into hiding.The book, considered blasphemous by believers, still evokes extreme reactions. Rushdie, who had come out of hiding, was stabbed two years ago in New York, losing an eye in the attack. The book's release in India had triggered riots. However, reaction to news about the book's reappearance on the bookshelves has been muted.Dr Zeenat Shaukat Ali, former head of the Department of Islamic Studies at Mumbai's St Xavier's College, explained it: "The Muslim community has matured. Many things have happened in the last few years. There was a mindset that Muslims did not react (to events) logically. The reaction (to the book's reappearance) has been muted, which is the correct reaction. We are hurt, but we cannot react violently." Others who had seen the protests that led to the book's ban said that the Muslim community is now facing so many challenges, both politically and socially, that the book is another irritant. Farid Khan, president of the literary group Urdu Caravan, said that he had watched the protests in Mumbai and the police reaction to it. "At that time people felt that they had a friendly government that would listen to them. There have been so many events since then - the 1993 riots, the demolition of the Babri Masjid. People have seen worse things. A book looks irrelevant after all these," said Khan. Another reason for the tepid response to the book's return could be the four decades that separate the ban and the book's reappearance. The majority of the community have been born after the controversy. Nazim Ansari, 36, a human resource consultant, said he did not know about the book till he read recent news reports. "Young people are not familiar with the book," said Ansari. The government has not officially lifted the ban on the book but the order is now in legally untenable territory, the notification banning the book having been lost. Noting that no document exists to enforce the ban, the Delhi High Court said: “We have no other option except to presume that no such notification exists.”The book's publishers in India - Penguin Random House - have not commented about republishing a new edition. Manasi Subramaniam, the editor-in-chief at Penguin Random House India, the book’s publisher, quoted Rushdie on X, and posted: “‘Language is courage: the ability to conceive a thought, to speak it, and by doing so to make it true.’ At long last, @SalmanRushdie’s The Satanic Verses is allowed to be sold in India.”The book is not yet available on major e-retail sites. One online site has the book on sale for Rs 1714. Amazon's international portal sells the book but it is not available for shipment to India. The site, however, sells the Kindle edition. In Delhi, major book retailer Bahrisons said in a social media post that it is in stock, though the imported edition cost around Rs 2000. In Mumbai, the book is not available at major retailers.However, it may be too early to decipher the response to the book's sale. Maulana Yasub Abbas, general secretary of the All India Shia Personal Law Board, said he wrote to the Prime Minister on Thursday demanding a fresh ban on the book. "The book insults prophet Muhammad and his companions. Allowing its sale poses a threat to peace. The Prime Minister has to stop the sale," said Abbas Maulana Rashidi, legal advisor for the UP unit of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind (AM) reported as saying: "Religious sentiments cannot be hurt under the garb of freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution." Saeed Noori, president of Raza Academy, said it is regrettable that such orders are being issued by the court. "The government should take decisive action, but it seems that those in power influence court decisions based on their inclinations."

GILBERT, AZ — Game over! The owners of Level 1 Arcade Bar in downtown Gilbert have announced its closure. In a social media post, the owners announced the bar will shut down for good on January 18, writing, "Thank you for the laughs. Thank you for the fun times. Thank you for the parties and for the costume nights and the friendships and even for the tears as we write this..." In the post, the owners cite the end of their five-year lease as one of the reasons for the closing. Level 1 opened in 2019 and TJ Tillman, one of five partners on the project, told ABC15 at the time , “We’re all 80s and 90s kids that grew up on arcade games, and just sometimes want to go back to that carefree time where you can go and chill with your friends, play some old arcade games like you used to, and have a drink." The owners say they have plans for their next Gilbert location and an announcement will come soon. Latest from ABC15: Housing laws to pay attention to as the New Year approaches Lillian Donahue Officials are investigating what brought down an Azerbaijan Airlines jet Scripps News Staff Man shot in west Phoenix near 83rd Ave and Lower Buckeye Rd abc15.com staff Walmart sued for allegedly forcing drivers into paying fees to access earnings Scripps News StaffAP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:06 p.m. EST

Despite mounting pressure amid ongoing protests over allegations of question paper leak, the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on Friday asserted that the 70th Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 held on December 13 across the state will not be cancelled. Making the announcement, BPSC Examination Controller Rajesh Kumar Singh said: "There is no question of cancelling the entire BPSC exam held on December 13. The BPSC decided to cancel the preliminary examination held at Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre only due to disruption created by a group of unruly aspirants as part of the conspiracy to disrupt the exam. The re-examination will be held on January 4 at some other centre in the city." "We have information that a group of private coaching institutes are instigating aspirants... and they are mobilising students to raise the demand for the cancellation of the entire exam. Their demand is baseless," Singh said. The decision comes as several political figures showcased support for the protesters who have been demonstrating for over a week and had even tried to storm the BPSC premises once, which led to a police crackdown. Tejashwi Yadav Writes To CM Nitish Kumar For Exam Cancellation Last week, former deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had expressed his solidarity with the protesting aspirants and even met them at the protest site in Patna's Gardani Bagh. He also wrote a letter to CM Nitish Kumar, demanding cancellation of the exam. Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh and Independent MP from Purnea, Pappu Yadav, who belongs to the INDIA bloc, also made similar gestures. The Jan Suraaj Party also sent a letter to the chief secretary regarding the exam's cancellation. Its founder Prashant Kishor visited the protest site on Thursday where he asked the state government to resolve the crisis within three days, failing which he warned to lead the protest himself. However, the protesters showed no interest in political leaders trying to use their cause for their own agenda. Educator 'Khan Sir' Visits Protest Site, Forced To Leave YouTube influencer Motiur Rahman Khan, known as Guru Rahman, declared that Prashant Kishor will not be allowed to participate in the protests. However, he himself was chased away by the aspirants on Friday when he visited the protest site, the report said. Educator Faizal Khan, popularly known as Khan Sir, was given a similar treatment, despite him trying to convince the protesters of his deep sympathy for them."I am willing to sell one of my kidneys for the sake of your cause," he said. Khan Sir, who came to meet the protesting BPSC candidates, said: "We are only demanding a re-examination from the commission. The commission can conduct as difficult an examination as it wants. We are not running away from this. We are saying that take a difficult examination and do not give children's questions... the questions in our class tests are more difficult than this... Why did the commission hide the evidence and CCTV footage? Many things have come out which are a matter of investigation." He further lashed out at the Bihar government and said he would move the apex court over the BPSC row. "We will go to the Supreme Court, we will even tell the President what is happening in Bihar... First, the country's GDP fell, then the bridge in Bihar collapsed and now BPSC has collapsed," he said. #WATCH | Patna, Bihar | Educator and YouTuber Khan Sir, who came to meet the protesting BPSC candidates, says, "We are only demanding a re-examination from the commission. The commission can conduct as difficult an examination as it wants. We are not running away from this. We... pic.twitter.com/8BFccuPir1 — ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2024 However, visuals surfaced showing the two being sent away by angry aspirants from the protest site. "We will not allow anybody, including Khan Sir or Guru Rahman, to use our stir for their own gains," one of the protesters told reporters. A group of aspirants is demanding that the entire exam of the BPSC held on December 13 in Bihar be cancelled. Seeking a response in this regard from the government, they have been staging a dharna at Gardani Bagh for the last several days. They are reasoning that cancellation shouldn't be ordered for just one centre but across the board since to esnure "level playing field". Education Loan Information: Calculate Education Loan EMI