casino jackpot slots online real money 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.None

Powell Triggers Market Carnage: VIX Spikes 58%, Stocks Plummet, Dollar Hits 2-Year Highs, Bitcoin Nosedives

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:33 p.m. ESTEnphase Energy's ENPH short percent of float has risen 7.8% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 15.84 million shares sold short , which is 15.76% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 3.03 days to cover their short positions on average. Why Short Interest Matters Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. Short selling is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises. Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish. See Also: List of the most shorted stocks Enphase Energy Short Interest Graph (3 Months) As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Enphase Energy has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted. Comparing Enphase Energy's Short Interest Against Its Peers Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis. According to Benzinga Pro , Enphase Energy's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 7.37%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers. Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it. This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.The Philadelphia Eagles were already stacked with weapons before they signed running back Saquon Barkley in NFL free agency. But now it's clearer than ever that after seven straight wins, including a career-high 255 rushing yards night from him in the win over the Los Angeles Rams , the Eagles have created a monster of an offense. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said it best about the current state of the Eagles' offense that stars Barkley following the Week 12 victory. Jalen Hurts on Saquon Barkley and him being added to the other weapons on the Eagles offense “When you combine an issue with other issues you got a problem” pic.twitter.com/7IrRSj87ES "He's a hell of a player, he's a hell of a player," Hurts said. "I said that after the Jacksonville game and how blessed he is to do some of the things he's capable of. And when you accompany and issue with other issues -- you become a problem. I think we've got a lot of talent on our team, but I think we're fortunate when we're all together. I think that's evident out there. When we can find our rhythm in how we play and feed off of one another. And he set the tone for us, especially at the end." Not only are the Eagles scary in the ground game but they're just as dangerous in the passing game as long as A.J. Brown is healthy. It only gets worse for opponents knowing Hurts isn't afraid to use his legs and that Barkley can catch just as good as he runs too. Philly's offense ranks No. 6 heading into Week 13 and their defense balances them out well at No. 7. This Eagles team, which started the season looking concerning, is well on their way to a playoff run and even in the Super Bowl conversation. Of course, a lot of that can be attributed to the addition of Barkley. This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

Mr Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker”. Mr Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former senior Trump adviser who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Mr Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was co-operating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Mr Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Mr Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison – the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the US attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, had sought. Mr Christie has blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Mr Trump’s transition team in 2016, and has called Charles Kushner’s offences “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was US attorney”. Mr Trump and the elder Mr Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.None

The row over pardon to Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for committing a ‘blasphemous’ act of imitating Guru Gobind Singh is back in the spotlight with the Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh seeking clarification from three former jathedars — Gurbachan Singh (Akal Takht), Giani Gurmukh Singh (Takht Damdama Sahib) and Giani Iqbal Singh (Takht Patna Singh), who were part of the clergy that took the decision. Both, Takht and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), faced unprecedented backlash after the 2015 decision. On November 25, the trio was asked by Takht to submit their clarifications within five days ahead of the clergy meeting scheduled to be held on December 2. During this meeting, the SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and other Sikh leaders who served as ministers in the Akali government from 2007 to 2017 have also been summoned to the highest Sikh temporal seat. Sukhbir was declared tankhaiya by the highest Sikh temporal seat on August 30. Besides, members of the then executive committee of the SGPC have also been summoned for their role in publishing advertisements in newspapers to justify the pardon. The rebel Akali leaders in their ‘apology’ letter submitted to the jathedar on July 1 had alleged that Sukhbir used his ‘influence’ to get a pardon for the dera chief. Interestingly, Giani Gurmukh Singh, who was serving on two posts — acting jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib and head granthi of Akal Takht then, had in 2018 claimed: “Badals pressured the Sikh clergy to grant apology to dera chief”. His TV interviews levelling these allegations are still available on YouTube. After his allegations, he was removed from both posts and transferred to Haryana. After his transfer, his brother Himmat Singh left his job at the SGPC and became a key witness in the justice Ranjit Singh commission constituted by the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government to probe sacrilege and post-sacrilege police firing cases. Giani Gurmukh Singh was reinstated as Takht head granthi a couple of days before his younger brother Himmat Singh rescinded his statement. Scholars and experts believe that any adverse statement in the clarifications submitted by the former jathedars will have wider ramifications, especially in Sikh politics. “So far, different concerned persons including Giani Gurmukh Singh have made verbal allegations against Sukhbir. If the former jathedars endorse it in their written clarifications, it will be documentary proof and may increase the problems for the SAD president”, said Harsimran Singh, a noted Sikh scholar.

Micheal Andretti has spoken out after General Motors received an "agreement in principle" to join the Formula One grid in 2026 under its Cadillac branding. The bid for entry for the American team was originally backed by Andretti Global. It had received approval from the FIA in October 2023, but reached a road block in January 2024 when Formula One Management rejected the entry. Andretti had continued with it's push to join the sport with the unveiling of its new headquarters in Silverstone, England, and the signing of former F1 technical chief Pat Symonds. However, after Michael Andretti recently stepped down as Andretti Global CEO, the bid seemed to get moving again. Formula One announced earlier today that it had reached an "agreement in principle" with General Motors to join the grid as an eleventh team in 2026. In the announcement, there was no mention of how Andretti might be involved with the new team. Taking to social media, Micheal Andretti posted: "The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team. I'm very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!" The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team. I'm very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you! Dan Towriss, who took over from Andretti, has commented on the agreement to join the grid : "We're excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1. Together, we're assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world. We appreciate the FIA and FOM's support of our application and their recognition of the value we can bring to the championship." Speaking about the new "agreement in principle" Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei also commented: "With Formula 1's continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1. We are excited to move forward with the application process for the GM/Cadillac team to enter the Championship in 2026." F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also explained: "General Motors and Cadillac's commitment to this project is an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport. We look forward to seeing the progress and growth of this application, certain of the full collaboration and support of all the parties involved."The European Commission announced on Thursday that it would step up and the TikTok platform’s compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). The move comes in the context of the ongoing Romanian elections and the online campaign of front-runner candidate Calin Georgescu. The European Commission issued an order, obliging TikTok to freeze all information regarding “actual or foreseeable systemic risks its service could pose on electoral processes and civic discourse in the EU.” This retention order permits the Commission to preserve evidence in case of further investigations of TikTok’s compliance with its obligations under the . Such obligations include the way this platform addresses the risk of intentional manipulation and the prohibition of monetization for features of promotion of political content. Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy said the Commission is “intensifying contacts with digital and cyber regulators across Europe in light of emerging evidence of systematic inauthentic activity.” The order concerns both the current elections in Romania and future elections in the EU as a whole. The Commission decided to issue the retention order due to by the Romanian government on foreign interference from Russia in its ongoing elections. The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, disclosed evidence collected by the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The declassified information revealed allegations that Georgescu’s online campaign on platforms like TikTok was under Russian influence. On December 3, the Romanian Constitutional Court the results of the first rounds of elections. This decision followed allegations of TikTok coverage of Georgescu’s campaign, with candidates claiming election fraud. Georgescu is a known supporter of Putin and has a controversial position concerning the war in Ukraine. This is not the first time the European Commission has acted regarding TikTok’s actions under the DSA. The Commission had formal proceedings and issued requests for information against TikTok earlier this year. Now, meetings of the European Board for Digital Services Coordinators are expected to establish further steps of action, as the second round of Romanian’s disputed elections will occur on December 8. 13th Amendment ended slavery in the United States On December 6, 1865, the to the United States Constitution was ratified, formally ending slavery in the US. Spain adopts modern constitution On December 6, 1978, Spain adopted its by referendum. It laid the foundation for democratic government in the country after the death of dictator Francisco Franco. The event is celebrated annually in Spain as Constitution Day.None

President-elect Donald Trump on Monday said his incoming administration would slap new tariffs on imported goods from Mexico, Canada and China, fulfilling a key campaign promise that could have a major impact on trade. Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he plans to seek to impose a 25% tariff on products imported from Mexico and Canada, framing the proposed plan as a response to the ongoing fentanyl crisis. Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump wrote. "This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!" Trump said that he would also seek to impose additional tariffs on China. "I have had many talks with China about the massive amounts of drugs, in particular Fentanyl, being sent into the United States — But to no avail," Trump wrote. "Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America." Embassies for Canada, China and Mexico did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday night. The U.S. and China held high-level talks this year about the fentanyl crisis in an effort to resume counternarcotics cooperation after President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in California last year. Biden also announced he would increase the tariff rate on various goods from China, saying in May that he would increase the tariffs on electric vehicles from 25% to 100% this year. Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world. On the campaign trail, Trump declared he would impose 20% blanket tariff on all imports, and add tariffs of at least 60% to Chinese products. During a presidential debate with then-Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, who called Trump's tariffs a "sales tax on the American people," Trump cast the proposed tariffs as a kind of payback. “Other countries are going to finally, after 75 years, pay us back for all that we’ve done for the world, and the tariff will be substantial,” Trump said during the September debate. Any proposed tariffs are likely to receive some pushback from businesses and on Capitol Hill, as NBC News has previously reported . This story first appeared on NBCNews.com . More from NBC News:By CLAIRE RUSH President-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America’s tallest mountain — Alaska’s Denali — to Mount McKinley, wading into a sensitive and decades-old conflict about what the peak should be called. Related Articles National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents. The federal government in recent years has endeavored to change place-names considered disrespectful to Native people. “Denali” is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one” or “the great one.” A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. That name was formally recognized by the U.S. government until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley’s home state of Ohio. Trump suggested in 2016 that he might undo Obama’s action, but he dropped that notion after Alaska’s senators objected. He raised it again during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday. “McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said Sunday. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people.” Once again, Trump’s suggestion drew quick opposition within Alaska. “Uh. Nope. It’s Denali,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki posted on the social platform X Sunday night. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski , who for years pushed for legislation to change the name to Denali, conveyed a similar sentiment in a post of her own. “There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One,” Murkowski wrote on X. Various tribes of Athabascan people have lived in the shadow of the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain for thousands of years. McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th president, was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the name since at least the 1970s. Alaska had a standing request to change the name since 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Gov. Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government. Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it. Rush reported from Portland, Oregon.Heartland celebrates Workforce Equity Initiative students

Newsom says California could offer electric vehicle rebates if Trump eliminates federal tax credit

Biden's Bold Clemency Move: Halting Federal Executions

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:33 p.m. ESTDENVER , Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - The Board of Trustees (the "Board") of Principal Real Estate Income Fund (the "Fund"), announced today that it has approved a renewal of the Fund's share repurchase program. Under the share repurchase program, the Fund may purchase up to approximately 2.1% of its outstanding common shares beginning January 21, 2025 , in the open market, until January 21, 2026 . As part of its evaluation of options to enhance shareholder value, the Board has authorized ALPS Advisors, Inc. (the "Advisor") to repurchase the Fund's common shares at such times and in such amounts as the Advisor reasonably believes may enhance shareholder value. The Board and the Advisor continually analyze options to enhance shareholder value and potentially reduce the discount between the market price of the Fund's common share and the net asset value per share ("NAV"). The Board and the Advisor believe that the share repurchase program may further these goals because the program allows the Fund to acquire its shares in the open market at a discount to NAV, which will increase the NAV and thereby benefit remaining shareholders while potentially providing additional liquidity in the trading of the fund shares. The Board will monitor the repurchase program and will continue to consider strategic options to enhance shareholder value in the long-term. The Fund's repurchase program will be implemented on a discretionary basis under the direction of the Advisor. There is no assurance that the Fund will purchase shares at any specific discount level or in any specific amount or that the market price of the Fund's shares will increase as a result of any share repurchases. RISKS An investment in the Fund is not appropriate for all investors and is not intended to be a complete investment program. The Fund is designed as a long-term investment and not as a trading vehicle. Investing in the Fund involves risks, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment or that you may lose part or even all of your investment and exposure to below-investment grade investments (i.e., "junk bonds"). The Fund's net asset value will vary and its distribution rate may vary and both may be affected by numerous factors, including changes in the market spread over a specified benchmark, market interest rates and performance of the broader equity markets. Fluctuations in net asset value may be magnified as a result of the Fund's use of leverage. Therefore, before investing you should carefully consider the risks that you assume when you invest in the Fund's common shares. Securities backed by commercial real estate assets are subject to market risks similar to those of direct ownership of commercial real estate assets including, but not limited to, declines in the value of real estate, declines in rental or occupancy rates and risks related to general and local economic conditions. The Fund's investment objectives and policies are not designed to seek to return the initial investment to investors that purchase shares. An investor should consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. To obtain an annual report or semi-annual report which contains this and other information visit www.principalcef.com or call 855.838.9485. Please read them carefully before investing . Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value and initial offering prices. NOT FDIC INSURED | May Lose Value | No Bank Guarantee The Fund is a closed-end fund and does not continuously issue shares for sale as open-end mutual funds do. Since the initial public offering, the Fund now trades in the secondary market. Investors wishing to buy or sell shares need to place orders through an intermediary or broker. The share price of a closed-end fund is based on the market's value. ALPS Advisors, Inc. is the investment adviser to the Fund. Principal Real Estate Investors LLC is the investment sub-adviser to the Fund. Principal Real Estate Investors LLC is not affiliated with ALPS Advisors, Inc. or any of its affiliates. ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributor, Inc. is the FINRA Member firm. About SS&C Technologies SS&C is a global provider of services and software for the financial services and healthcare industries. Founded in 1986, SS&C is headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut , and has offices around the world. Some 20,000 financial services and healthcare organizations, from the world's largest companies to small and mid-market firms, rely on SS&C for expertise, scale, and technology. Additional information about SS&C SSNC is available at www.ssctech.com . About SS&C ALPS Advisors SS&C ALPS Advisors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SS&C Technologies, is a leading provider of investment products for advisors and institutions. With over $26.24 billion under management as of September 30, 2024 , SS&C ALPS Advisors is an open architecture boutique investment manager offering portfolio building blocks, active insight and an unwavering drive to guide clients to investment outcomes across sustainable income, thematic and alternative growth strategies. For more information, visit www.alpsfunds.com. About SS&C Technologies Principal Real Estate Investors manages or sub-advises $102 billion in commercial real estate assets, as of September 30, 2024 . The firm's real estate capabilities include both public and private equity and debt investment alternatives. Principal Real Estate Investors is the dedicated real estate group of Principal Global Investors, a diversified asset management organization and a member of the Principal Financial Group ® . PRE000436 12/18/2025 View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/principal-real-estate-income-fund-continues-share-repurchase-program-302335508.html SOURCE Principal Real Estate Income Fund © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.It’s Christmas time again in Japan, which means children everywhere are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Kris Kringle and his bag of toys for all the good girls and boys. It’s all enough to make anyone suddenly get filled with the Christmas spirit and go out to spread some cheer. However, cheer in general has been in short order in recent years so whenever it presents itself, people aren’t so quick to take it at face value. That’s precisely why on December 18, police in the town of Yuasa in Wakayama Prefecture were called out to investigate a young man dressed as Santa Claus who was spotted handing out treats in front of Yuasa Municipal Elementary School. The rogue Santa was first seen at approximately 4 p.m. on December 17 and reported to police by the town’s board of education. The following day police located the man and questioned him. As a result, they sent out an email announcing that the suspicious Santa was acting purely out of “goodwill” but reminded residents to remain vigilant to ensure public safety. The incident attracted attention on social media and quickly spread around the country. Many comments online applauded taking action against strangers handing food out to children, while others lamented that society has come to a place where we have to drop a dime on Santa. “That’s not goodwill. It’s potentially dangerous and a nuisance to others.” “There are people who pass off illegal drugs as candy.” “In this day and age, even Santa is suspect.” “Even if he is sincere, he should know better these days.” “There have been a lot of strange incidents recently, so people are on guard.” “This is the most depressing news story I’ve heard in a while.” “Did we forget about drug gummies? Cannabis gummies are regulated as narcotics.” “If you want to hand out candy, get permission from the school first.” It’s always interesting how people are quick to assume it would be illegal drugs like weed mixed in with the snacks, as if most drug fiends are sitting on a mountain of the stuff and have no problem giving it away for free rather than keep if for themselves. Even if the intent is simply to poison or intoxicate kids for some sick thrill, there are way easier ways to do it than procuring illicit narcotics in Japan. But the point stands that there could have been anything in that food from the guy’s boogers to antifreeze, so, as sad a reflection on society as it is, it’s hard to argue with putting a stop to this guy’s impromptu generosity. The last comment said it best that anyone who genuinely wants to play Santa should just go through the proper channels first. We’re sure they would be more than happy to set up a Santa event in front of the school with a willing volunteer. Heck, they’d probably even provide the food themselves. Let’s practice safe Santa out there folks. Source: Yomiuri Shimbun Online, My Game News Flash Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Mysterious Santa puts smiles on childrens’ faces with a generous gift of 3,000 books! -- Japan destroys Santa Claus with science: “If he were real, we’d all be dead from his sonic boom.” -- Japanese idol group asks fans to be respectful towards pre-teen singer for heartwarming reason

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