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The normally reliable centre-back passed the ball into his own net in the 26th minute after failing to spot goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel’s positioning. But a brilliant turn and finish on the hour mark from Daizen Maeda changed the game and ultimately earned the Scottish champions a 1-1 home draw. On the opener, Rodgers said: “Mistakes happen and it was just unfortunate. He’s played that pass a million times and it’s gone back and then we’ve been able to play forward. It was just one of those unfortunate moments in the game that happens. “But he’s a really, really tough character. He’s a great guy, he picked himself up. He was really strong and aggressive again in the game and got on with it and had a real bravery in the second half, because he was the one carrying the ball forward for us to start the attack.” Despite the gift, Brugge were worthy of their lead and Rodgers admitted his side were too passive in their pressing in the opening half. Some tactical tweaks – and the introduction of Paulo Bernardo – helped Celtic dominate after Maeda’s equaliser, although Brugge had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside. “I can only credit the players for the second half, because we had to fight,” Rodgers said. “And we’re still one of those teams that’s really pushing to try and make a mark at this level. So to make the comeback, score the goal, play with that courage, I was so pleased. “You want to win but I’ve been here enough times to have lost a game like that, but we didn’t. We showed a real strong mentality and we kept pushing right to the very end and the players did well. “I thought they showed great courage in the second half because we weren’t at our level in the first half. Sometimes a game like that can get away from you, but it didn’t. “We stayed with it, showed that determination, showed that mentality, never to quit, to keep going. And then we were much, much better, much freer in the second half. “So we’re on eight points, nine to play for. We’re still very much on course to get to where we want to get to and still three games to go.” Rodgers added: “It’s 20 games now and we’ve won 16 and drawn three and lost one, so it shows you the mentality is there, and especially at this level, you need to have that.”
Pumpkin spice lattes have given way to turkey and stuffing, which in turn has given way to ugly sweaters and pop star Christmas albums and specials. For working professionals, it’s a time for prognostications about what might change in their industry in the new year. End of year predictions make timely reads in part because they come at a time when people are winding down for the year and getting ready to take their mind off of their day to day work. Yet while they may give us a broad and varied view into expectations (or hopes and dreams), the vast majority of predictions about how healthcare will change in 2025 are likely to be wrong. Not because prognosticators are foolish, but because our modern healthcare system has evolved over 80+ years, and any major change over the course of any twelve month period is unlikely; add the enormous complexity of healthcare and its myriad special interests, and forecasting a specific change is that much more difficult. Given this, and perhaps sprinkling a bit of Grinch spirit onto the season, below are six things that experts view as unlikely to change in healthcare in 2025, followed by a dash of optimism. 1. GLP-1 Access Issues Will Take Time To Solve GLP-1s have been hailed as miracle drugs in recent years. Clinical studies are producing findings that support the enthusiasm. The class of drugs has been a miracle for the pharmaceutical firms that manufacture them, as spending has increased by more than 400% from 2019 to 2023 in Medicaid populations alone. Add to these developments the recent announcement that the Biden Administration is seeking to expand access to GLP-1 drugs among Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries (essentially by relaxing strict indications of use solely for diabetes), and there is palpable excitement about the continued use and healthcare system implications of these drugs. Yet thorny problems remain. First and foremost, the rapid increase in demand for these drugs has resulted in dramatic shortages, which in turn has led some pharmacies and virtual care companies to produce non-FDA approved (but legal) GLP-1 drugs via compounded generic ingredients. “We must first figure out the basics: how can we help more people access GLP-1s and achieve the best possible outcomes. Solving those problems means lowering the cost of treatment, through things like drug price competition and expanded insurance coverage, and overcoming barriers to access, through solutions like telehealth,” explains Zach Reitano of Ro, a virtual care company that offers access to FDA-approved and compounded GLP-1 drugs. Others point to the fact that while the drugs are promising, their impact may be transitory. “They’re not a silver bullet,” says Sean Duffy of Omada, a digital health company that focuses on helping consumers manage chronic diseases through lifestyle changes. Duffy argues that to have a lasting impact at scale, GLP-1s must be, “appropriately paired with proper nutrition, exercise, and other lifestyle improvements that have been proven over decades of research.” 2. Provider Consolidation And Desire For Scale And Efficiency Won’t Stop Horizontal mergers. Vertical acquisitions. Cross-market mergers. Between 2005 and 2022, the share of community hospitals that were part of a multi-hospital system increased from 53% to 68%. Related, the share of physicians practicing in hospital-owned practices increased to 41% in 2021 (up from 29% a decade earlier). The multitude of factors driving provider consolidation are many: administrative and operational challenges , increasing competition from private equity, and revenue uncertainty with shifting patient populations and preferences, among others. Given the industry’s inertia and the number of drivers, it seems unlikely that provider consolidation slows down in 2025. Scott Barclay, Managing Director of Insight Partners, a global venture capital and growth equity firm, sees relationship dynamics with health plans driving hospital self-interest and self-preservation. “We believe large providers will continue trying to buy market share and raise prices, and insurance companies will continue to raise premiums and fight with providers,” Barclay explains. (Disclosure: the author’s consulting firm works with Insight Partners). Where Barclay focuses on hospital relationships with health plans, others see continued strain on relationships with consumers. "The pressure on health systems to acquire new commercially-insured patients will only increase as more and more people age into Medicare. Ensuring that these patients are able to access the system will be a critical challenge for organizations already operating at 100% capacity,” says Graham Gardner, MD and CEO of Kyruus Health, a technology platform helping providers better connect with and improve access to consumers. 3. Hype Around Generative AI In Healthcare Remains Mostly That: Hype A Flare Capital report suggests $30 billion has been invested into healthcare AI in the past five years. The report highlights opportunities for AI to transform areas ranging from financial and back office functions to patient engagement to clinical care, among others. An Andreesen Horowitz analysis suggests that AI can help unlock $314 billion through more efficient healthcare operations. The numbers suggest massive investor enthusiasm in the technology. And certainly, the application of generative AI to certain use cases, most notably ambient scribe technology, seems to be finding the elusive product-market fit in healthcare. Yet for all of the excitement, there is a fair amount of skepticism around the actual application of AI within real world healthcare environments, or the ability to scale successful AI-first businesses in healthcare. "Generative AI has been proven useful in certain instances, but it is not the answer to everything in the healthcare industry,” says David Schweppe, Chief Analytics Officer of MedeAnalytics, an analytics and (ironically) AI company. Gardner of Kyruuus Health is skeptical that companies building AI-first solutions can stand out in a crowded field. “Point solutions — particularly new entrants leveraging AI — will struggle to differentiate themselves and risk having their features subsumed by incumbent vendors building these capabilities into their core offerings,” Gardner explains. Perhaps the most important insight relates to how AI should be used in the future: to build upon, rather than replace, the human connection that is (or should be) at the center of health. “True personalization will come from a people-centered approach... We're losing sight of how powerful it can be to simply ask patients, "How are you doing?",” notes Robin Glass of Included Health, a comprehensive virtual care provider. 4. Neither Retail Nor Tech Is Coming To The Rescue (But Won’t Stay Away Entirely) When Tim Cook announced in January 2019 that he thought that Apple’s lasting impact would be about health, it set the healthcare industry afire with speculation: what direction would Apple’s healthcare strategy take, and how would it impact healthcare stakeholders? More than five years later, it seems Apple has not made much progress toward achieving the impact its CEO hoped for. Judging by its own assessment, neither Apple’s own efforts nor its results are material enough to mention. This hasn’t prevented Cook from recently recommitting to his vision. Color industry insiders are skeptical, if still supportive. But the skepticism is not just reserved for Apple: after dozens of failed high profile initiatives and investment from big tech (e.g., Amazon’s Haven partnership) and big retailers (e.g., Walmart and Walgreen), even Harvard Business Review is doubtful about disruption from corporate outsiders. “It’ll be definitive in 2025 that Amazon will be the only major corporation in “FAANG” (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google) that is truly committed to transforming care delivery,” expects Duffy of Omada, who points to Amazon’s long term thinking and focus on pharmacy and care delivery (via its Oneedical acquisition). 5. Progress On Data Interoperability Continues, But Painfully Slowly "The politics of access to healthcare data will continue as if it's a 6th grade student council election,” says Jonathan Bush, industry luminary and CEO of health data platform Zus Health. Bush could be referring to many things here: the ongoing difficulties in consumer access to their own data (or even awareness this is possible), the public feud between Oracle Health and Epic Systems regarding which company is the true enabler (or laggard) of data interoperability, whether federal efforts to support interoperability via standards are too heavy handed or not enough, or the dispute and subsequent antitrust lawsuit between startup Particle Health and Epic Systems regarding data accessibility. Alon Jaffee, Cofounder and CEO of Eleos Health, agrees, noting that while virtually all stakeholders want interoperability between their systems, we’re unlikely to see robust progress in 2025. “Legacy systems are too complex and lack the right incentives,” he explains. Despite the complexity and incentives, there is a sense of movement, if it feels plodding. That may be okay, given the implications. “Privacy concerns, regulatory uncertainty from a new administration, and the rapid emergence of new data producers complicate the landscape,” describes Nick Stepro, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Arcadia, an analytics and data platform enabling healthcare organizations to pivot to value-based models of care. (Disclosure: the author’s consulting firm works with Arcadia.) Bush is optimistic, if for no other reason than emerging financial incentives. “There’s too much economic force profiting from the liberated data, and that economic force is reducing the cost of care. Once the genie gets out of the bottle, he is very hard to squeeze back in," he notes. 6. Antitrust in Healthcare Scrutiny Remains, Especially On the Highest Profile Cases One area of the incoming Trump Administration that seems clear, with respect to its posture toward how the private sector functions and antitrust policy in particular, is that it intends to ensure it is getting a fair shake from traditional and social media companies. Hence what may have contributed to ABC News’ recent settlement offer of $15 million and Meta’s (Facebook’s) $1 million contribution to the Trump inauguration fund, among others. Outside of that, speculation abounds: will the administration return to a more traditionally Republican-held laissez-faire view of private sector competition, or hue towards J.D. Vance’s advocacy of Lina Khan, who has worked to expand Federal Trade Commission’s remit and scope? It is worth noting that the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust case against Google, which a judge found guilty of anticompetitive practices in August, was initiated under the previous Trump Administration. As were many other cases. A review of the DOJ's website suggests an average of ~42 antitrust case filings during the first Trump Administration versus ~32 antitrust filings per year during the Biden Administration. Based on the data and previous experience, as well as the current political and public climate facing healthcare, it seems reasonable to expect continued focus at a minimum on single firm conduct among dominant firms. Within healthcare, that suggests the DOJ’s investigation into UnitedHealth Group is likely to continue. So too with the FTC’s ongoing feud with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), who also face bipartisan policymaker pressure. Related to health technology, Stepro of Arcadia points to the issues affecting health data interoperability as creating barriers to innovation and improved insights in healthcare. “There’s growing friction between new and innovative entrants and incumbent organizations that threaten to slow momentum without sufficient incentives to embrace true openness.” While they may be on their way out, current top antitrust enforcers seem to be aware of the interoperability issues, and the extent to which they may be exacerbated by large technology incumbents. When recently asked about the Particle Health lawsuit alleging anticompetitive conduct by Epic, FTC Chairperson Lina Khan acknowledged awareness of the issue. “We're not involved in that litigation, which is brought by a private company, but it's actually something I had heard concerns about, especially among entrepreneurs and startups that were trying to enter the healthcare space,” Khan said . Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter recently echoed the awareness of technology platforms. “Using the outdated... approach, antitrust enforcement and policy missed opportunities to assess how broader changes in business, such as the rise of platform business models, health care technology and regulatory incentives, impacted competition.” A Case For Rational Optimism So if relatively little is likely to change writ large in 2025, and we have a healthcare system that produces below-average outcomes for exceptionally high spend, why be optimistic? Adjusting the aperture can be helpful. A Bill Gates quote comes to mind: “'Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” Specific to healthcare, Alon Joffee, Cofounder and CEO of Eleos Healthcare thinks we live in the best time ever to impact the system. “We finally have the technological tools to best the cost curve. It will still take time and be an uphill battle, but at least we have the tools to fight it,” he explains. Likewise, Barclay of Insight Partners advises taking a longer term view of progress. “There are many negatives in our current moment, but in the long run, they are only a moment in time,” he says. Working to improve healthcare can at times feel like a Sisyphean task. It also can be difficult to recognize progress in the moment. With this in mind, perhaps the wisest prediction (or just insight) comes from an unlikely source: a media and public relations executive, not normally known for their desire to keep things low key. “Healthcare takes a minute,” advises and predicts Darren Brandt of Sloane PR. Amidst a prediction season that touts all the ways the world might change in the next 12 months, sometimes the diligence to keep one’s head down and patience to see things through is the reminder we all need.Wafer Vacuum Handling Robots Market Analysis By Top Keyplayers - RORZE Corporation, DAIHEN, Hirata Corporation, Yaskawa, Sinfonia Technology, Kawasaki Robotics, Nidec (Genmark Automation), JEL Corporation, Cymechs Inc, Robots and Design (RND), RAONTEC IncMichael Croley | (TNS) Bloomberg News In the old days of 2016, when golfers visited the Dormie Club in West End, North Carolina — 15 minutes from the hotbed of American golf, Pinehurst — they were greeted by a small, single-wide trailer and a rugged pine straw parking lot. Related Articles Travel | A preview of some stunning hotels and resorts opening in 2025 Travel | Travel scams that can hurt your credit or finances Travel | Travel: Paddle the Loxahatchee River, one of two National Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida Travel | 7 family-friendly ski resorts in the US that won’t break the bank Travel | Disneyland 2025: The top Disney events and festivals to plan for That trailer is now long gone. A gate has been installed at the club’s entrance and a long driveway leads to a grand turnaround that sweeps you past a new modern clubhouse that’s all right angles, with floor-to-ceiling glass. Seconds after you exit your car, valets are zipping up in golf carts, taking your name, then your bags, handing you keys to your own golf cart, and then zipping off to drop your luggage in the four-bedroom cottage where you’ll stay. A short walk past an expansive putting green you’ll find the pro shop — and then you’ll see the club’s most elegant feature: its golf course. The changes have all come about because Dormie Club was acquired in 2017 by the Dormie Network, a national group that owns seven private golf facilities from Nebraska to New Jersey. (“Dormie” is a word for being ahead in golf — the names were coincidences.) A key to the network’s success has been its ability to find clubs ripe for acquisition, with outstanding golf courses and existing on-site lodging or the room to build it, says Zach Peed, president of the company and its driving force. After investing in Arbor Links Golf Club in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in late 2015, Peed believed he saw an opening in the golf market: a new model of hospitality for traveling professionals who wanted a pure golf experience that eschewed the pools and pickleball courts of their home clubs. His clubs would become dream golf-only getaways for avid players and their pals. “Dormie Network’s concept was sparked by having played competitive golf in college, combined with an element of experiencing and understanding hospitality,” says Peed. “It made sense to blend the two to create golf trips that had more value than just playing golf. We want genuine hospitality to help create unforgettable memories and new friendships.” Part of that formula has been in the lodging strategy; in North Carolina, 15 four-bedroom cottages now are a short golf cart ride from the main clubhouse. In each, golfers all have their own king-size bed and en suite bathroom. A large common room is dominated by a flatscreen television along with a well-stocked bar and snacks. That ability to be both social, or tucked away in your room, extends to the expansive new clubhouse, where a high-ceilinged bar area with blond wood creates an inviting space for dining and drinking, and several hideaway rooms allow for more private diners with just your group. So far, their commitment to hospitality has been helping them expand in both membership and club usage in the increasingly competitive market for traveling golfers. Major players such as Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst Resort, and the Cabot Collection have created — or renovated — a new paradigm where golfers get dining and lodging that’s as showcase-worthy as the courses they play. Comfortable sheets and options beyond pub food aren’t luxuries anymore, but staples for many group trips. Dormie has answered that call by focusing on both the big details and the small ones, like having the dew wiped off each golf cart at dawn outside guest cottages before the day begins or having a tray of cocktails delivered to golfers as their final putt falls on the 18th green. These touches may seem over-the-top, but they stand out in a world where golf travel is increasingly popular — and expensive — after the pandemic lockdowns. Since 2020 there has been an explosion in participation in the sport, with new golfers picking up the game and avid golfers playing more: According to the National Golf Foundation, a record 531 million rounds were played in 2023, surpassing the high of 529 million set in 2021. Supreme Golf, a public golf booking website, reports in its latest analysis that the average cost of a tee time has increased to $49 in 2024 from $38 in 2019, a 30% increase. Those cost increases are also on par (pun intended) with the costs of private clubs and initiation fees during that same period, where membership rosters that were dwindling pre-COVID now have waitlists 50 to 60 people deep, according to Jason Becker, co-founder and chief executive officer of Golf Life Navigators, which matches homebuyers with golf course communities. “There’s been an absolute run on private golf. If we use southwest Florida as an example, where there are 158 golf communities, this time last November, only five had memberships available,” he said. That inability to find a club close to home has pushed avid golfers to look farther afield, choosing national memberships at clubs that require traveling, usually via plane, to play. Dormie has capitalized on this growing segment, offering two types of memberships: First, a national membership, where members pay an initiation fee and monthly dues just as they would at a local club, but instead of one club they have access to seven. The second option is a signature membership for companies, “which allows businesses to use our properties for entertainment needs and requires a multiyear commitment,” Peed says. The network also offers a limited number of regional memberships for those living within a certain distance of one of its clubs. Dormie Network declined to provide the cost of memberships or monthly dues and wouldn’t give membership numbers, but the clubs are structured to lodge roughly 60 golfers, max, on-site at any given property at any time. The total number of beds across the network’s portfolio of properties has increased from 84 in 2019 to 432 today. It saw a jump from 10,000 room nights in 2019 to 48,000 in 2023. This September, Dormie opened GrayBull in Maxwell, in Nebraska’s, Sandhills region. Dormie Network tabbed David McLay Kidd to build the course, who also built the original course at Oregon’s famed Bandon Dunes. Kidd says of the property GrayBull sits on, “It’s like the Goldilocks thing: not too flat, not too steep. It’s kind of in a bowl that looks inwards, and there are no bad views.” That kind of remote destination, where the long-range views are only Mother Nature or other golf holes, is what drives many traveling golfers these days. Peed says his team leaned on years of knowledge from Dormie’s acquisitions as they built GrayBull, which started construction in 2022. “We had an understanding of how our members and guests use the clubs that allowed us to take a blank canvas in the Sandhills of Nebraska and combine all of the greatest aspects of each Dormie property into one.” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
EPL Wrap: City’s new low, Ange blames Spurs slump on injury crisis
Microsoft Azure customers worldwide now gain access to Impartner's Partner Relationship Management (PRM) platform to take advantage of the scalability, reliability, and agility of Azure to drive partner program growth and enhance business strategies. SALT LAKE CITY , Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Impartner , a leading provider of partner management and partner marketing automation solutions, today announced the availability of its Partnership Relationship Management (PRM) platform in Microsoft Azure Marketplace , an online store providing applications and services for use on Azure. Impartner customers can now take advantage of the productive and trusted Azure cloud platform, with streamlined deployment and management. Impartner PRM enables businesses to effectively manage and scale their partner ecosystems. By integrating seamlessly with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Azure, the platform offers real-time data synchronization, scalable cloud infrastructure, and enterprise-grade security. Impartner's PRM leverages Dynamics 365 to provide bi-directional data synchronization, streamlining partner management and optimizing the sales pipeline. Customers benefit from improved partner engagement, increased scalability through Azure, and secure compliance with global standards. Impartner's PRM includes AI-powered tools, such as an AI-driven chatbot, that enhance resource accessibility and partner engagement with 24/7 support. By integrating with Dynamics 365 and Azure, Impartner ensures customers can scale their operations and benefit from a cloud infrastructure that supports growth, efficiency, and innovation. "We're excited to make Impartner's PRM available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, enabling businesses to manage and grow their partner ecosystems more effectively," said Ryan Knapp , Global Head of Partnerships at Impartner. "By combining our advanced platform with Microsoft cloud infrastructure, we're helping companies streamline operations, strengthen partnerships, and drive growth. This integration opens up new possibilities for businesses to scale efficiently and innovate with confidence." "Microsoft welcomes Impartner to Azure Marketplace, where global customers can find, try, and buy from among thousands of partner solutions," said Jake Zborowski , General Manager, Microsoft Azure Platform at Microsoft Corp. "Azure Marketplace and trusted partners like Impartner help customers do more with less by increasing efficiency, buying confidently, and spending smarter." The Azure Marketplace is an online market for buying and selling cloud solutions certified to run on Azure. The Azure Marketplace helps connect companies seeking innovative, cloud-based solutions with partners who have developed solutions that are ready to use. About Impartner Impartner is the fastest-growing, most awarded provider of channel management technologies, including its flagship Partner Relationship Management (PRM) and Partner Marketing Automation solutions. These tools empower organizations worldwide to effectively manage partner relationships, drive demand through partners, and accelerate revenue via indirect sales channels. For more information, visit impartner.com . For more information, press only: Lola Phonpadith Impartner Lola.phonpadith@impartner.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/impartner-partner-relationship-management-platform-now-available-in-the-microsoft-azure-marketplace-302339325.html SOURCE Impartner
Tom Sandoval, Tom Schwartz are closing their LA bar Schwartz & Sandy'sMONTRÉAL , Dec. 17, 2024 /CNW/ - In an effort to keep the population safe this Holiday season, Montréal's fire department (SIM) would like to remind residents of the fire safety tips to follow during the Holidays. The following are some of the fire department's recommendations to reduce the risk of fires and the resulting damages, injuries or death. Christmas tree (natural or artificial) Set up your Christmas tree away from heat sources (baseboards, space heaters, fireplace, etc.) Turn off the Christmas lights when you go to sleep or leave your home. Cut approximately 1cm off the base of your Christmas tree before placing it in a water-filled stand. Make sure there is always water in the stand of your natural tree, in order to prevent it from drying out. Store your natural tree outside, in the shade after the Holiday period, in order to prevent it from drying out until it can be collected by the city. Keep the dry tree away from buildings, balconies, exits, flammable materials. Candles and lights Turn off Christmas lights and decorations indoors and outside before you go to bed or when you leave your home. Keep candles out of the reach of children or pets and place them where they are not at risk of being tipped over. Contain flames using a fireproof container. Turn off all candles when you go to bed or leave your home. Use a certified multiple outlet extension cord with power surge protection in order to plug several devices or light garlands. Opt for battery-operated candles and LED lights. Keep all decorations away from open flames and other heat sources such as light bulbs, light garlands, space heaters, etc. Never place any open-flame candles in a Christmas tree. Kitchen Use a timer so as not to forget a meal cooking on your stovetop or in a cooking appliance. Always keep an eye on your stove or cooking appliance when preparing a meal. Invite your guests to join you in the kitchen so as to avoid leaving your cooking appliances unattended. Make sure to turn off your stove or cooking appliance when you leave your home. Make sure to keep a functioning fire extinguisher on hand. Fire escapes Ensure that all fire escapes, including balconies and windows are visible, accessible and that the snow has been cleared. When choosing where to place your tree, make sure it does not obstruct any means of egress. Always keep your entrances clear (free of any cumbersome items near your doors.) Smoker's items Provide ashtrays outdoors for your guests. You may improvise one using a tin can containing humid sand and place it on a fireproof surface, shielded from the wind. Remember to empty the ashtrays regularly in order to avoid the accumulation of cigarette butts. Use of technological devices (lithium-ion batteries): A growing number of appliances used daily are operated by lithium-ion batteries. Few people realize that such devices as laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, scooters or electric bikes can start fires. Here are some tips regarding these devices: Make sure that the battery is not damaged. When replacing batteries, store the old ones away from heat sources, in fireproof containers. Make sure to recycle hazardous waste at ecocentres. Use chargers that comply with Canadian electrical standards and are certified for use with the type of device you are charging. Protect batteries from extended exposure to heat sources and from contact with water. Remain present while a device is charging in your home and observe the maximum charging times as directed. Read the manufacturer's instructions and comply with them. Smoke alarms Make sure you have a smoke alarm installed on every floor of your home, and that it is in good working order. This includes basements. It is the occupant's responsibility to maintain smoke alarms in their dwelling unit and to ensure they work. All residential buildings built prior to 1985 that are not equipped with electric smoke alarms must have smoke alarms operated by a non-removable, long-lasting 10-year battery. Buildings built after 1985 must be equipped with electric smoke alarms. The city's fire department strongly recommends the installation of smoke alarms in bedrooms and more specifically where people sleep with their doors closed. The city's fire department (SIM) encourages all Montrealers to remain vigilant during this time of festive gatherings, because fires can have a significant impact on people and their homes. Montréal's fire department would like to take this opportunity to wish all Montrealers a Happy Holiday Season! The fire department's spokesperson is available for media interviews on this subject from December 18 to 23 . Media outlets wishing to request an interview must contact the city's press relations at media.sim@montreal.ca . For more information, go to web page regarding recommendations for a safe Holiday season. SOURCE Ville de Montréal - Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2024/17/c7559.html © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Border plan promises round-the-clock aerial surveillance, drug detection support
The Giants were a no-show against the Bucs after releasing quarterback Daniel Jones
WM TECHNOLOGY ALERT: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Is Investigating WM Technology, Inc. On Behalf Of Long-Term Stockholders And Encourages Investors To Contact The FirmHindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is expected to begin trials of the light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A in January 2025, as per reports. Indian Air Force, who is already awaiting the delivery of these fighter jets is expected to get the delivery of the first LCA Tejas Mk-1A by March 31, 2025 after clearing the required certification, sources have claimed. The testing will also involve testing of Astra beyond-visual-range missile, indigenous electronic warfare suite and the Elta radar, procured from Israel. Beside this, HAL is also in talks with GE Aerospace for speedy delivery of 404 engines for new aircrafts. According to reports, a group of top officials will visit the United States to get a firsthand experience of production of 404 engines. GE Aerospace has not given any delivery date for the 99 engines which have been ordered. This incessant delay from GE Aerospace to supply the critical F404-IN20 engines needed to power the fighter jets has led to delay in delivery of Tejas Mk1A to the IAF. Speaking on these delays, the officials have claimed that HAL has the capability and capacity to catch up in production once the F404 engines start coming in As per the official sources, the upcoming Astra missile firing, the electronic warfare suite testing and the ongoing software updates on the new systems are the final processes before HAL can deliver the first LCA Mk1A to the IAF. In 2021, the defence ministry signed a contract for 83 LCA Tejas fighter jets, including 73 LCA Tejas Mk1A fighter aircrafts and 10 LCA Tejas Mk1 Trainer aircrafts. As a part of the contract, all 83 aircraft deliveries are to be completed in right years starting 2021. It’s been three years since the contract and not a single delivery has happened to date. Some media reports have stated that there were some issues with the F404 production line at Lynn in Massachusetts, but the problems are being solved. Tejas M-1A variant is an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured state-of-the-art modern 4+ generation fighter aircraft.1 2 3 Ludhiana: A protest by residents of Jain Colony and Bhagya Homes , who blocked the main road, sent the area around Rahon Road into a tizzy at around 8am on Monday. The irate residents were protesting against the demolition of the main gate and boundary wall of their housing complexes, both of which shared a gate and boundary wall. They alleged that this had been done to benefit a realtor developing another colony. IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025: Who went where and for how much IPL 2025: Complete list of players of each franchise Fuming over the MC action, they claimed that it had jeopardised at least 800 families of residents. The MC demolition drive allegedly started in the wee hours, when most residents were still asleep. Supported by police personnel, civic body teams started demolishing the main gate and boundary wall with machines, tippers and fire brigade. They were through before residents could make sense of what was going on. When residents came to know, they gathered in large numbers and even gheraoed the machinery brought by MC teams. As they questioned the drive, asserting that the colonies had been developed legally, the MC officials allegedly beat a hasty retreat. Colonisers Manmohan Kumar and Rakesh Kumar said that at least 800 families lived in both colonies. They claimed that for the past over one year, attempts were being made to dismantle the wall to facilitate the colony being developed at the backside. Meanwhile, protesting women said that since they go out to work, leaving their children at home, a walled and gated community was a vital security measure. They rued that with the gates and wall removed, they would not be able to go to work with a free mind and that vehicles would pass through the area freely, further endangering children. Citing safety concerns, residents started constructing the boundary wall demolished by authorities. The Leisure Valley, which had been constructed by LIT, was also damaged in the process. A senior MC official said that the demolition was done to open an alternative route and ease traffic snarls at Rahon Road, Tibba Road and Tajpur Road. He added that if the wall was removed, people would get easy access to Tajpur Road from Tibba Road and further till Chandigarh Road. He denied that the demolition drive had been carried out to help a realtor. According to him, if the colony was part of a government regularisation process and the MC was providing basic amenities, then it had a right on the site under the MC Act. Political blame game starts When news of the drive reached political parties, local leaders turned up at the spot. Former MLA from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Ranjit Singh Dhillon arrived at the site and condemned the ruling party for the act. Claiming that officials were acting under political pressure, he said that he had never seen MC teams bringing material to construct the road after dismantling the wall to give access to the colony. He demanded a probe into the matter saying that officials were positing different theories to prove that the demolition drive was legal. He also asked CM Bhagwant Mann to take action. Former MLA from Congress and district Congress Committee president Sanjay Talwar asked how MC officials could give access to any private colony from Leisure Valley, which was developed at a cost of Rs 8 crore by Ludhiana Improvement Trust. Meanwhile, MLA from East constituency, Daljit Singh Grewal said, “This step has been taken to come up with an alternate route for public welfare. People waste a lot of time after getting stuck in traffic jams in these areas. We have no concern with any private colony.”
California saw its biggest increase in registered lobbyists last session since at least 2011, when a change in the law caused the number to more than double. There was a roughly 10% increase in the number of lobbyists who registered for the 2023-24 session compared to the previous one — for a record of 3,245 people, according to the Secretary of State’s office. What’s behind the jump? Longtime lobbyist Chris Micheli sees it as the result of high turnover in the Legislature — leading to an “exodus of legislative staff” who went into advocacy. In what was dubbed the Great Resignation of 2022, for example, 26 members opted out of seeking re-election , in addition to the seven who reached term limits. Micheli said he has also seen a rise in state agency rule-making, which motivates those in support of or against regulations to lobby: “Some of these regulatory bodies, like the Air Resources Board — the number of regulations that they’re undertaking and their significance has been growing in recent years.” Meanwhile, the number of legislative staff has shifted only slightly since the mid-1990s, according to data from the National Conference of State Legislatures. The staff count can impact how much time members have to write and research legislation. The increase in lobbyists means there’s now at least one lobbyist for every staff member, compared to two staffers per lobbyist back in 1995, the earliest data available from the Secretary of State’s office. RELATED COVERAGE Tennessee governor repays trip after ethics panel finds a group shouldn’t have covered it Trump’s incoming chief of staff is a former lobbyist. She’ll face a raft of special interests This Montana Senate candidate said his opponent ate ‘lobbyist steak.’ But he lobbied—with steak “The fact that the number of registered lobbyists has risen so high and outstrips the number of actual staffers that legislators have to help them with people’s work shows how skewed our system has become towards the interests of wealthy interests that also dominate campaign spending, rather than regular people,” emailed Trent Lange, executive director of California Clean Money Campaign — an advocacy group that aims to combat the influence of money on politics. Lobbyists are required to register with the Secretary of State’s office, and report on their activities each quarter. That’s according to the state’s Political Reform Act , which passed in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal in 1974 in an effort to combat political corruption. The law defines lobbyists as those who are paid to influence legislation or regulation through direct communication with lawmakers, outside of public comments. They can be hired as contractors by companies, or work to influence policy as an employee, although those who spend less than one-third of their time lobbying don’t have to register. Lawmakers and those who work for state agencies legally must wait one year after leaving state jobs before working as lobbyists. Legislative staff do not have that requirement. The recent jump in new lobbyists was the highest since 2011 , when a law signed by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger went into effect requiring placement agents — financial officers who solicit investments from the state workers’ and teachers’ retirement funds — to register as lobbyists. The law nearly doubled the number of registered lobbyists, from 1,237 for the two-year session ending in 2010 to 2,353 in 2012. The second highest bump came in the session that ended in 2020, with 257 more registered lobbyists compared to the session before, according to the Secretary of State’s office. The rise in the number of lobbyists coincides with an uptick in money spent on lobbying, with industry and advocacy groups spending record amounts each year since 2022 . Spending to lobby California legislators hit nearly $420 million in just the first nine months of 2024, compared to $484 million in all of 2023 and $443 million in the entirety of 2022. Included in the recent boost: a summer lobbying blitz by Google to influence whether it would have to pay news outlets for publishing their content. Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of the good governmental advocacy group California Common Cause, labeled it “absolutely wild” that nearly $1 billion was spent on lobbying last session. “Sometimes people in the capitol community,” he said, “lose sight of how staggering it would be to their constituents if they knew how much money is spent to, in many cases, divert policy decisions away from the reason everyone originally went to Sacramento, which is to serve the public interest without fear or favor.” ___ Jeremia Kimelman contributed to this story. ___ This story was originally published by CalMatters and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
ANN/VIETNAM NEWS – Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping Vietnam’s business landscape, emerging as a key driver of digital transformation and Industry 4.0 advancements. From streamlining operations to unlocking new value propositions, AI is revolutionising how companies compete in an increasingly digital world. Vietnamese enterprises are rapidly adopting AI as a cornerstone of growth and innovation. A report by Viettel AI underscored the global surge in AI adoption, a trend mirrored in Vietnam as businesses recognise its transformative potential. “Vietnamese enterprises understand that AI is no longer optional but essential,” stated solutions consultant at Viettel AI Vu Thi Hanh during a seminar on ‘Applying AI in Enterprise Management.’ The event organised by the park’s Management Board to highlight the pivotal role of AI in modern business management. With AI driving efficiencies and fostering innovation, Vietnamese businesses are positioning themselves at the forefront of the global digital economy. KEY APPLICATIONS OF AI AI’s integration spans various sectors and functions, revolutionising operational efficiency and customer engagement. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are transforming customer service by providing instant, personalised responses. Companies like FPT and Viettel are deploying these solutions to enhance user satisfaction. In supply chain and operations, predictive analytics and anomaly detection are optimising logistics and inventory management. By leveraging AI, enterprises can forecast demand, reduce waste, and ensure smooth operations. Moreover, AI-driven recommendation engines and predictive modelling enable businesses to target the right audience with precision, boosting conversion rates. Intelligent automation is streamlining recruitment processes and performance evaluations. Meanwhile, for finance and accounting expertise, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and AI accounting assistants are reducing manual workloads, enhancing accuracy and improving compliance in financial operations. Vietnamese enterprises are evolving from digital transformation to intelligent transformation, leveraging big data and AI for data-driven decision-making. This shift focuses on creating intelligent, personalised products and services that cater to specific customer needs. For instance, AI-enabled platforms now provide market forecasts, helping businesses anticipate trends and adapt strategies effectively. “AI not only helps optimise operating processes and save costs, but also creates new value through effectively exploiting data and predicting trends,” said Deputy Manager of the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park Tran Dac Trung.
KYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. People are also reading... Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Evgeniy Maloletka, Associated Press Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents. In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals. Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease. Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission. Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000. Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. Smith Collection/Gado // Getty Images Infectious diseases lead causes of death in America According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths. By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people. Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s. Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline. In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children. By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. Death Records Leading causes of death tip toward lifestyle-related disease From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs. The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data. Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers. This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles. In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time. In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals. This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time. Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people. Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Canva Be the first to know