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rich9 com agent login CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row. The league has been reviewing the case for months , trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. “The matter is closed,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday in an email to The Associated Press. “There was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault in Texas by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damages before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson strongly denied the allegations through his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The 29-year-old Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in October. He's been rehabbing the injury in hopes of returning next season. The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons after they traded three first-round picks to Houston and signed him to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract that has backfired. Watson has only played in 19 games over three seasons due to the suspension and injuries. He was acquired by the Browns, who were comfortable with his character despite Watson being accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions while he played for the Texans. While he's in the clear with the league, Watson's future with Cleveland isn't so certain. His massive contract — and its salary-cap ramifications — has put the Browns in a bind in terms of trying to improve their roster. Cleveland has had a disappointing season after making the playoffs a year ago and could move on from Watson, but the cost would be exorbitant if the team just releases him. The Browns signed Jameis Winston for one season to be Watson's backup. Winston has gone 2-3 as a starter since taking over and he's put some life into Cleveland's offense, which didn't score 20 points or gain 300 yards with Watson before his injury. His 2023 season was ended by a broken bone in his shoulder, requiring surgery. Winston has indicated he would come back, and he could be a viable option as a starter even if the Browns draft a young QB. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLOmar orders uninterrupted services to mitigate snowfall impact

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks rode their dominant defense to a big win over a division rival to vault into first place in the NFC West. No, it isn’t 2013. These are the 2024 Seahawks, who, after struggling mightily against the run earlier this season, held the visiting Arizona Cardinals to 49 rushing yards in Sunday’s 16-6 victory . The defensive line kept Kyler Murray under consistent pressure thanks to a dominant performance from Leonard Williams, the secondary flew around to smack away passes, and safety Coby Bryant scored on a 69-yard pick-6. Sunday’s defensive performance was reminiscent of the Seahawks of a decade ago and a promising sign that first-year coach Mike Macdonald’s system is starting to click. Macdonald, who coordinated Baltimore’s NFL-best defense last year, was leading one of the worst rush defenses in the league earlier this season. But Seattle consistently stuffed the Cardinals, who came in as the fifth-best running team in the league at 149.4 yards per game. “Three games in a row now we played pretty decent on defense,” Macdonald said. “There is an expectation and standard here throughout the course of our Seahawks history that we’re trying to live up to and build on. So that’s the idea.” At 6-5, the Seahawks drew even with the Cardinals in the tightly bunched division. The teams play each other again in two weeks at Arizona. RELATED COVERAGE Rams WR Demarcus Robinson arrested on suspicion of DUI after loss to Eagles Jackson accounts for 3 TDs, John Harbaugh moves to 3-0 vs. brother as Ravens beat Chargers 30-23 Chargers struggle to score after RB J.K. Dobbins hurts his knee in his reunion game with Ravens What’s working Last month’s trade for linebacker Ernest Jones IV has clearly paid off. Seattle hasn’t allowed a running back to rush for more than 79 yards since its Week 8 loss to Buffalo, which was Jones’ first game in a Seahawks uniform. He has led the team in tackles in every game he’s played and has helped resurrect the run defense. What needs help The Seahawks’ run game continues to underperform. Seattle got 65 yards on the ground Sunday, with the Cardinals holding Kenneth Walker III to 41 yards on 16 attempts. Zach Charbonnet had 22 yards on six carries. Walker hasn’t topped 100 yards since Week 1. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb needs to think of something different to get the running backs involved. The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . Stock up Williams single-handedly disrupted the Cardinals with 2 1/2 sacks, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and one pass defensed. “I thought he was dominant,” Macdonald said. “I knew he played great and then I looked at the stat line and he played out of his mind.” The Seahawks finished with five sacks, seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss and six pass deflections against the Cardinals, shutting down a team that had averaged 29.3 points over its previous three games. Stock down Geno Smith finished with 254 yards passing and a touchdown, but he threw another momentum-stalling interception. Smith was picked off on a third-and-6 play on the Arizona 18-yard line at the start of the fourth quarter, ending an 11-play, 73-yard drive. Smith has an NFL-most 12 interceptions this season, more than in either of his previous two seasons as the Seahawks’ full-time starter. “That was a huge drive for us. ... Obviously made a terrible mistake down there, something I got to clean up,” Smith said. “But it was a big drive. We wanted to put the game ahead at least two scores.” The offensive line has contributed to the problem. Guard Anthony Bradford left with an ankle injury, and the line struggled to protect Smith, who was sacked five times. Injuries Macdonald said Bradford is expected to miss next week’s game. Key number 77 — Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the team with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, marking the fourth consecutive game that Smith-Njigba has led the team in receptions. He topped 100 yards receiving in the previous two games. “He’s getting open,” Smith said. “He’s catching the ball. He’s doing a great job in the screen game. All-around great player. I just think the way that teams are playing us coverage-wise, I feel like it’s the ultimate sign of respect.” Up next The Seahawks play at the struggling New York Jets on Sunday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflSAN DIEGO, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins LLP reminds investors that a class action was filed on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired TMC the metals company Inc. (NASDAQ: TMC) securities between May 12, 2023 and March 25, 2024. TMC is a deep-sea minerals exploration company focused on the collection, processing, and refining of polymetallic nodules. For more information, submit a form , email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or give us a call at (800) 350-6003. The Allegations: Robbins LLP is Investigating Allegations that TMC the metals company Inc. (TMC) Failed to Disclose its Deficient Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting According to the complaint, during the class period, defendants failed to disclose that: (i) TMC maintained deficient internal controls over financial reporting; (ii) as a result, the Company inaccurately classified the sale of future revenue attributable to the LCR Partnership as deferred income rather than debt; and (iii) the foregoing misclassification, when it became known, would require TMC to restate one or more of its previously issued financial statements. Plaintiff alleges that on March 25, 2024, TMC disclosed in a filing with the SEC that the Company’s financial statements for the first three quarters of 2023 “should be restated and, accordingly, should no longer be relied upon”, citing the “re-evaluat[ion of] whether the offsetting entry to the proceeds it received from LCR should be classified as debt or deferred income.” Further, TMC explained that, “[a]s the transaction with LCR was considered an equity investment rather than a sale transaction, the sale of future revenue will be reclassified as Royalty liability” per appropriate accounting standards. On this news, TMC’s stock price fell $0.205 per share, or 13.23%, to close at $1.345 per share on March 26, 2024. What Now: You may be eligible to participate in the class action against TMC the metals company Inc. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must submit their application to the court by January 7, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here . All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses. About Robbins LLP: Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions; Robbins LLP does. A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002. Since our inception, we have obtained over $1 billion for shareholders. To be notified if a class action against TMC the metals company Inc. settles or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today. Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/282e7bf3-60ef-4761-a2ec-25905268aa76None

BEIRUT — Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials claimed they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Bulldozers remove the rubble of a destroyed building Monday that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations also expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire. “Knock on wood,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said as he opened the Group of Seven meeting outside Rome. “We are perhaps close to a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said. "Let's hope it's true and that there's no backing down at the last-minute.” A ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon was foremost on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, outside Rome, that gathered ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the last G7 encounter of the Biden administration. For the first time, the G7 ministers were joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League. Thick smoke, flames and debris erupt Monday from an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Tayouneh, Beirut, Lebanon. Meanwhile, massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians, and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel claims to have killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Destroyed buildings stand Monday in the area of a village in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because "we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire." Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were "close to a deal." "It can happen within days," he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. A member of the Israeli security forces inspects an impact site Sunday after a rocket fired from Lebanon hit an area in Rinatya, outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel. After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force. Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel demands the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government says such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country's sovereignty. On paper, being more sustainable and eco-friendly while shopping sounds great—so why don't more people do it? There is growing consumer consciousness about the environmental impact of where people choose to shop and the sustainability of the products they buy. According to McKinsey, over 60% of individuals surveyed in 2020 said they would be willing to pay more for a product that is packaged in an eco-friendly way. Since 2019, products marketed as being environmentally sustainable have seen a 28% growth in revenue compared to 20% for products with no such marketing, a 2023 McKinsey and NielsenIQ report found. Much of this is thanks to the preferences and attitudes of Gen Z, who, on average, care more than their older counterparts about being informed shoppers. The younger generation also has more social justice and environmental awareness altogether. Shoppers are willing to spend around 9.7% more on a product they know is sourced or manufactured sustainably, with 46% saying they would do so explicitly because they want to reduce their environmental footprint, according to a 2024 PwC report. Sustainable practices consumers look for from companies include production methods, packaging, and water conservation. But despite the growing consciousness around being more environmentally responsible, consumer actions don't always align with their values. In psychology, this is defined as the "say-do gap": the phenomenon wherein people openly express concern and intention around an issue, but fail to take tangible action to make a change. According to the Harvard Business Review in 2019, most consumers (65%) say they want to buy from brands that promote sustainability, but only 1 in 4 follow through. So why don't people actually shop sustainably, despite how much they express a preference for eco-friendly products—and how can we close the gap? The RealReal examined reports from the Harvard Business Review and other sources to explore why some shoppers want to buy sustainably but struggle to follow through. This lack of action isn't due to a lack of caring—in many cases, it's hard to know how to be a sustainable consumer and other factors are often outside of shoppers' control. But the more people shop sustainably, the easier and more accessible that market will be for everyone—making it much easier for folks to buy aligned with their values. There are many obstacles preventing shoppers from upholding eco-friendly habits as much as they may want to—but not all of these barriers are necessarily real, or accurately understood. Shopping sustainably simply isn't convenient or accessible for many. Those who live in apartment buildings are 50% less likely to recycle , according to Ipsos. Reasons for this can vary from lack of space to buildings being excluded altogether because of recycling contamination issues. Many believe that sustainable products are too expensive or of a lower quality. The former is often true, which does create a hurdle for many: The manufacturing processes and materials for sustainable products are pricey. For instance, organic cotton requires an intensive production process free of certain chemicals or pesticides; by definition, true eco-friendly products can't be mass-produced, further upping their price tag. Using recycled materials for packaging, or obtaining an eco certification, can also be expensive. However, although the narrative of eco-friendly products being more expensive is true, there is often more of an effort to use better quality materials that last longer than their noneco-friendly counterparts. This could end up saving consumers money in the long run: By paying more upfront, they can get more wear out of sustainable fashion, for instance. There is also undeniable political rhetoric surrounding eco-friendly products—however, despite many Conservative politicians decrying sustainable products, members of all generations are increasingly choosing to prioritize shopping sustainably regardless of their political affiliation, according to research from NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business . This finding shows a trend toward seeing sustainability as a nonpartisan subject everyone can benefit from, no matter where they lie on the political spectrum. Some might think eco-friendly clothing, in particular, is not fashion-forward; after all, many of the top clothing retailers in the world partake in fast fashion. However, brands are increasingly being recognized as 'cool' and 'trendy' for supporting environmentally ethical practices, particularly as younger generations prioritize sustainability, as noted before. Many increasingly popular online stores are taking advantage of this paradigm shift by offering secondhand shopping options that are not only fashionable, but also more affordable, like ThredUp or Poshmark. Additionally, many legacy large-name brands are hopping on the sustainability movement and are gaining appreciation from loyal customers. Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly program partners with third-party certification bodies to make it easier for shoppers to identify eco-friendly products as they browse the website. H&M's newly launched H&M Rewear program debuts a resale platform that allows the resale of all clothing brands—not just their own. Similarly, Patagonia's Worn Wear program allows shoppers to trade in and buy used gear and clothing. The federal government is also working to close this gap. The Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice program is attempting to make sustainable shopping easier for consumers and companies alike. It includes a directory of certified products, a list of safer chemicals to look out for on labels, a "Safer Choice" label that products can earn to denote they are eco-friendly, and resources for manufacturers looking to adopt more sustainable practices. Most of all, though, the biggest way shoppers can shift toward sustainable shopping is through their behaviors and attitudes amongst their peers and communities. Studies show that humans largely care what others think of their actions; the more shoppers make environmentally conscious shopping the norm, the more others will follow suit. From an economic perspective, the more consumers shop eco-friendly, the more affordable and accessible these products will become, too: Sustainable products are currently more expensive because they are not in high demand. Once demand rises, production rates and prices can lower, making these products more accessible for all. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on The RealReal and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 6, 2024-- Enviva, LLC (“Enviva” or the “Company”), a leading producer of industrial wood pellets, today announced its successful emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, marking a significant milestone in the Company’s strategic transformation. Enviva is well-positioned for long-term growth and consistent operating performance, allowing the Company to serve its customers as a market leader and critical partner in meeting their demand for renewable fuel. Enviva’s Plan of Reorganization (the “Plan”) was confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, with overwhelming support from the Company's key stakeholders and business partners. As part of its financial restructuring, Enviva has equitized more than $1 billion of indebtedness and American Industrial Partners Capital Fund VIII (“AIP”) has become the largest shareholder of the Company. To support ongoing operations and future growth initiatives, Enviva is capitalized at emergence with an attractive exit loan facility, as well as access to further capital through a delayed draw term loan. As part of the Plan, stakeholders provided $250 million of new money financing through an Equity Rights Offering to help fund the recapitalization of the Company. As a result of this, the Company’s liquidity and financial profile is very strong and the Company has no near-term debt maturities. The secured funding also fully finances completion of the Company’s 11 th production plant, under construction in Epes, Alabama, which is anticipated to produce its first pellets in May 2025. Once fully ramped, the Company expects the new plant to produce ~1 million metric tons of wood pellets per year, providing a significant opportunity to sell into new and existing markets. Also on emergence, Glenn Nunziata, who most recently served as Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, and James Geraghty, who formerly served as Executive Vice President of Finance, has been named Chief Financial Officer. “Emergence is a critical milestone and exciting step forward in positioning Enviva for a successful future,” said Glenn Nunziata, Enviva’s Chief Executive Officer. “On behalf of Enviva, I want to express our gratitude to all our stakeholders, especially our customers and associates, for their continued business and support. With a substantially reduced debt burden and dramatically improved liquidity profile, we are well-positioned to serve our customers reliably as a leading producer of industrial wood pellets and to rebuild trust and confidence in the communities in which we operate and markets in which we sell our product.” In connection with emergence, Enviva will operate as a private company with a new Board of Managers (“Board”) comprising representatives from key shareholders, including AIP, Keyframe Capital Partners, L.P., and Ares Management funds, who bring valuable financial, operational, and end-market experience to support Enviva’s operations and future growth. Jan Trnka-Amrhein, member of Enviva’s Board and Partner at AIP, added, "Enviva’s best-in-class portfolio of production assets and robust logistics capabilities allows for the Company to be the go-to partner for woody biomass renewable energy solutions. We see an immense opportunity for growth and expansion in the markets in which Enviva operates, and we’re confident that Enviva is well equipped to reliably meet its customers’ growing demand for biomass products.” Enviva extends its gratitude to its employees, customers, suppliers, and other partners for their support throughout the restructuring process. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, Vinson & Elkins LLP, and Kutak Rock LLP served as legal counsel, Lazard served as investment banker, and Alvarez & Marsal North America, LLC served as restructuring advisor to Enviva. The Ad Hoc Group of Creditors was represented by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and McGuireWoods LLP as legal counsel and Evercore Group LLC as investment banker. About Enviva Enviva, LLC is a leading producer of industrial wood pellets, a renewable energy source produced by aggregating a natural resource, wood fiber, and processing it into a transportable form, wood pellets. Enviva owns and operates ten plants in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi, and is constructing its 11th plant in Epes, Alabama. Enviva sells most of its wood pellets through long-term, take-or-pay off-take contracts with customers located primarily in the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Japan, helping to accelerate the energy transition away from conventional energy sources in hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement, lime, chemicals, and aviation. Enviva exports its wood pellets to global markets through its deep-water marine terminals at the Port of Chesapeake, Virginia, the Port of Wilmington, North Carolina, and the Port of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and from third-party deep-water marine terminals in Savannah, Georgia, Mobile, Alabama, and Panama City, Florida. Learn more at www.envivabiomass.com and follow us on social media @Enviva. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241206254913/en/ CONTACT: media@envivabiomass.com +1-301-657-5560 KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA MARYLAND INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OTHER ENERGY FOREST PRODUCTS ENERGY FINANCE NATURAL RESOURCES SOURCE: Enviva Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/06/2024 04:18 PM/DISC: 12/06/2024 04:18 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241206254913/en

By Blake Brittain (Reuters) - A federal jury in Marshall, Texas, on Friday awarded computer memory company Netlist $118 million in damages from Samsung Electronics in a patent lawsuit over technology for improving data processing in high-performance memory products. The verdict follows a $303 million verdict against Samsung for Irvine, California-based Netlist in a related case last year. Netlist also won $445 million from chipmaker Micron in May in a separate lawsuit over some of the same patents. Spokespeople for Samsung and Netlist did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Friday verdict. The jury also determined that Samsung's infringement was willful, which could lead to a judge increasing the award by up to three times. Netlist sued Samsung in 2022, alleging that the Korean tech giant's memory modules used in cloud computing servers and other data-intensive technology infringed its patents. Netlist said its innovations increase the power efficiency of memory modules and enable users to "derive useful information from vast amounts of data in a shorter period." Samsung denied the allegations, arguing that the patents were invalid and that its technology worked differently than Netlist's inventions. Samsung has also filed a related lawsuit in Delaware federal court accusing Netlist of breaking an obligation to offer fair licenses for technology required to comply with international standards. (Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Jonathan Oatis) Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

CM Omar Abdullah urges swift action to restore essential servicesENLC Stock Alert: Halper Sadeh LLC Is Investigating Whether the Sale of EnLink Midstream, LLC Is Fair to ShareholdersAcentra Health Campaign Raises $31,000 to Help Southeastern U.S. Communities Recover from Hurricane Devastation

Former officials urge closed-door Senate hearings on Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for intel chiefBy Noam N. Levey, KFF Health News Worried that President-elect Donald Trump will curtail federal efforts to take on the nation’s medical debt problem, patient and consumer advocates are looking to states to help people who can’t afford their medical bills or pay down their debts. “The election simply shifts our focus,” said Eva Stahl, who oversees public policy at Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit that has worked closely with the Biden administration and state leaders on medical debt. “States are going to be the epicenter of policy change to mitigate the harms of medical debt.” New state initiatives may not be enough to protect Americans from medical debt if the incoming Trump administration and congressional Republicans move forward with plans to scale back federal aid that has helped millions gain health insurance or reduce the cost of their plans in recent years. Comprehensive health coverage that limits patients’ out-of-pocket costs remains the best defense against medical debt. But in the face of federal retrenchment, advocates are eyeing new initiatives in state legislatures to keep medical bills off people’s credit reports, a consumer protection that can boost credit scores and make it easier to buy a car, rent an apartment, or even get a job. Several states are looking to strengthen oversight of medical credit cards and other financial products that can leave patients paying high interest rates on top of their medical debt. Some states are also exploring new ways to compel hospitals to bolster financial aid programs to help their patients avoid sinking into debt. “There’s an enormous amount that states can do,” said Elisabeth Benjamin, who leads health care initiatives at the nonprofit Community Service Society of New York. “Look at what’s happened here.” New York state has enacted several laws in recent years to rein in hospital debt collections and to expand financial aid for patients, often with support from both Democrats and Republicans in the legislature. “It doesn’t matter the party. No one likes medical debt,” Benjamin said. Other states that have enacted protections in recent years include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. Many measures picked up bipartisan support. President Joe Biden’s administration has proved to be an ally in state efforts to control health care debt. Such debt burdens 100 million people in the United States, a KFF Health News investigation found . Led by Biden appointee Rohit Chopra, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has made medical debt a priority , going after aggressive collectors and exposing problematic practices across the medical debt industry. Earlier this year, the agency proposed landmark regulations to remove medical bills from consumer credit scores. The White House also championed legislation to boost access to government-subsidized health insurance and to cap out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors, both key bulwarks against medical debt. Trump hasn’t indicated whether his administration will move ahead with the CFPB credit reporting rule, which was slated to be finalized early next year. Congressional Republicans, who will control the House and Senate next year, have blasted the proposal as regulatory overreach that will compromise the value of credit reports. And Elon Musk, the billionaire whom Trump has tapped to lead his initiative to shrink government, last week called for the elimination of the watchdog agency . “Delete CFPB,” Musk posted on X. If the CFPB withdraws the proposed regulation, states could enact their own rules, following the lead of Colorado, New York, and other states that have passed credit reporting bans since 2023. Advocates in Massachusetts are pushing the legislature there to take up a ban when it reconvenes in January. “There are a lot of different levers that states have to take on medical debt,” said April Kuehnhoff, a senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, which has helped lead national efforts to expand debt protections for patients. Kuehnhoff said she expects more states to crack down on medical credit card providers and other companies that lend money to patients to pay off medical bills, sometimes at double-digit interest rates. Under the Biden administration, the CFPB has been investigating patient financing companies amid warnings that many people may not understand that signing up for a medical credit card such as CareCredit or enrolling in a payment plan through a financial services company can pile on more debt. If the CFPB efforts stall under Trump, states could follow the lead of California, New York, and Illinois, which have all tightened rules governing patient lending in recent years. Consumer advocates say states are also likely to continue expanding efforts to get hospitals to provide more financial assistance to reduce or eliminate bills for low- and middle-income patients, a key protection that can keep people from slipping into debt. Hospitals historically have not made this aid readily available, prompting states such as California, Colorado, and Washington to set stronger standards to ensure more patients get help with bills they can’t afford. This year, North Carolina also won approval from the Biden administration to withhold federal funding from hospitals in the state unless they agreed to expand financial assistance. In Georgia, where state government is entirely in Republican control, officials have been discussing new measures to get hospitals to provide more assistance to patients. “When we talk about hospitals putting profits over patients, we get lots of nodding in the legislature from Democrats and Republicans,” said Liz Coyle, executive director of Georgia Watch, a consumer advocacy nonprofit. Many advocates caution, however, that state efforts to bolster patient protections will be critically undermined if the Trump administration cuts federal funding for health insurance programs such as Medicaid and the insurance marketplaces established through the Affordable Care Act. Trump and congressional Republicans have signaled their intent to roll back federal subsidies passed under Biden that make health plans purchased on ACA marketplaces more affordable. That could hike annual premiums by hundreds or even thousands of dollars for many enrollees, according to estimates by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank. And during Trump’s first term, he backed efforts in Republican-led states to restrict enrollment in their Medicaid safety net programs through rules that would require people to work in order to receive benefits. GOP state leaders in Idaho, Louisiana, and other states have expressed a desire to renew such efforts. “That’s all a recipe for more medical debt,” said Stahl, of Undue Medical Debt. Jessica Altman, who heads the Covered California insurance marketplace, warned that federal cuts will imperil initiatives in her state that have limited copays and deductibles and curtailed debt for many state residents. “States like California that have invested in critical affordable programs for our residents will face tough decisions,” she said. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Tiger Woods at the 2024 Hero World Challenge. Getty Images There were plenty of good vibes emanating from Tiger Woods’ Tuesday reappearance in the Bahamas, his annual State of the Tiger press conference ahead of this week’s Hero World Challenge . Woods isn’t playing this year but he seemed at peace with that, instead reprising his role as smiley tournament host. These days, Woods is largely congenial with the press and vice-versa, each owing a better understanding of what to expect from the other. As expected, the day’s back-and-forth failed to unearth any five-alarm breaking news. In some ways that was the biggest takeaway. But one line was hard to hear without wincing. Woods was asked about a prediction he’d made a year ago in this same chair, when he’d declared his intentions to play once per month in 2024. It seemed ambitious but exciting at the time, a dose of optimism from the greatest player of his generation. But it didn’t pan out that way. Woods’ 2024 began with a mysterious WD at the Genesis Invitational, it peaked with yet another made cut at the Masters and then came disappointing MCs at the PGA, U.S. Open and Open Championship. We didn’t hear much from him after that, just news of another successful back surgery — his sixth. So what happened? “Well, I didn’t think my back was going to go like it did this year,” Woods said. He described the pain that progressed throughout the season, the way it radiated down his leg, and how it stopped responding to treatment and recovery. He said he could commit to one tournament per month again, but he paused. “I truly don’t know.” Now comes the hard part. Prep mode for 2025, a year that promises the TGL and some unknown number of stroke-play golf tournaments. But 2024? “This year was kind of — I had to toss it away,” he said. “I wasn’t as sharp as I needed to be. I didn’t play as much as I needed to going into the major championships and I didn’t play well at them. Hopefully next year will be better, I’ll be physically stronger and better. I know the procedure helped and hopefully I can build upon that.” I had to toss it away. It’s painful to witness pain in another human being. It’s even harder to see what pain does to an athlete — how the body can betray the mind and the spirit. It’s painful to watch Woods in particular, who has pushed his body, mind and spirit past the limit for decades, and is now fighting Father Time for good measure. Woods’ words were painful too in the context of his other work as a central figure in the PGA Tour’s geopolitical negotiations — his lost year on the course felt emblematic of a lost year across the fragmented landscape of professional golf, which remains in frustrating limbo. This December marks the first anniversary of the original deal deadline between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund. It seems like we’ll breeze past that unfortunate one-year mark without an agreement; Woods’ latest update on that front was a mix between some cautious optimism (“definitely moving”) and one giant shrug (“Even if we had gotten a deal done by now, it’s still in the DOJ’s hands, but we wish we would have had something more concrete”). Across the sport, it was hardly a lost year — think Scottie Scheffler’s stretch of dominance , Xander Schauffele’s validation , Bryson DeChambeau’s U.S. Open heroics . But within the sport, “high-level negotiations” between the interested parties are beginning to feel like intransigence. We’ve seen no progress on a satisfying top-tour resolution, inched no closer to peace or harmony, and we’ve reached December, again, staring down an offseason of LIV signing rumors and merger non-update eye-rolls. At this week’s Hero, we might not find comfort. But through Woods, we might at least find context. This year marks the 25th edition of the World Challenge, an event Woods first hosted in 1999 to benefit his foundation. Woods turns 49 later this month, which means he’s hosted this event for more than half his life. Mostly that seems surreal. Tiger turned 24 in his first year as tournament host, and it’s tough to imagine Ludvig Aberg (who turned 25 last month) or Akshay Bhatia (who turns 23 next month) hosting an invitational or getting the world’s best pros to turn up. But the 25th anniversary of this event is also a reminder that the issues facing pro golf in 2024 haven’t changed much from 1999. Woods was already the biggest player in golf then. He entered the 1999 World Challenge off four PGA Tour victories in a row, he’d kick off 2000 with two more and, later that year, he’d claim the first three legs of the Tiger Slam. But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses; Woods and agent Mark Steinberg had their issues with the operations of the PGA Tour. They didn’t appreciate the hefty rights fee the Tour charged their tournament, which quadrupled from 1999 to 2000. Nor did they approve of the ads used by tournament sponsors featuring Woods’ likeness. (Mercedes plastered Woods’ face on tournament advertising while Buick paid Woods directly for the same privilege.) Tiger and commissioner Tim Finchem had a frosty relationship, and there was even some concern Woods could look to play his golf elsewhere. “The players and the PGA Tour have been bucking heads on a lot of issues,” Woods said in 2000. “The public has no idea we do it, but we do it all the time.” Asked about speculation that he could leave the PGA Tour, the New York Times described his reaction this way : “Woods hummed, smiled and shrugged his shoulders.” His father Earl fueled the speculation. “He can take his game to Europe, Africa, Asia or wherever he wants,” Earl told the Associated Press, “and the world will follow.” Unlike today, when the tangible threat of departure can beam its advertising on the PGA Tour website, the conversation then was likely just chatter and leverage. Woods and the PGA Tour were better in shared company. But Woods’ displeasure was a reminder of the perennial push-pull between players and institutions — a push-pull echoed by LIV’s arrival, by Policy Board negotiations, by changing field sizes and Tour sizes and equity payments and media rights. And by the discourse around players being paid to play in the Ryder Cup, an issue that resurfaced again at Tiger’s presser on Tuesday. “Going back to my playing days, we had the same conversation back in ’99 and we didn’t want to get paid, we wanted to give more money to charity, and the media turned it around against us and said we want to get paid,” Woods recalled on Tuesday. “The Ryder Cup itself makes so much money, why can’t we allocate it to various charities? And what’s wrong with each player, 12 players getting a million dollars and the ability to divvy out to amazing charities that they’re involved in that they can help out?” A final reference to 1999 came in reference to Woods’ swing changes at the time, and here he made an effort to correct the record. As time has gone by Earl has gotten painted as Woods’ swing coach, but after his early golf days that was never really the case. “My father turned over all the keys to the golf swing, that wasn’t his thing,” Woods said. “My father understood more the mental side of it from his operational days in Special Forces and the mindset that it took to do what he had to do, but as far as golf mechanics, no.” In 1999, Woods underwent a controversial swing change under the watchful eye of Butch Harmon. First things got worse, and then they got much, much better. “We went to work on slowly integrating pieces of the golf swing and it took the better part of a year and a half or so to where it got to where I thought it was where I would like it to be. I had a good run in ’99, 2000, 2001,” Woods said in an understated, satisfied sort of way. The players battled the tour then, as now. They fought for more money, more control, a bigger piece of the pie. They threatened to look elsewhere. Largely they stayed. They battled tough fields and their own swings, and they tweaked both and tried to make ’em better. At the time, Woods did all of those things better than nearly all of his peers. They’ve nearly all gotten tougher with time. On Tuesday, Woods didn’t just look back, though. This is the 10th anniversary of Hero’s sponsorship of the World Challenge, and while Hero’s executive chairman Dr. Pawan Munjal admitted uncertainty — “There is confusion for the sponsors as well right now, what to do, where to go, how to look at the future,” — he also announced a sponsorship extension through 2030. Woods will turn 55 that December. It’s tough to predict the status of LIV Golf, the PGA Tour or their potential intersection. And it’s tough to know whether Woods will have stepped away from competitive golf altogether by that point — or if he’ll be teeing it up as a sponsor invite that week having made the cut at the Masters and dominated in a limited schedule on the PGA Tour Champions. Woods talked about the athlete’s journey and about the roles of recovery, patience, and frustration. His body doesn’t recover like it used to, he said. Still, he remembers and he hopes. Which brings us to his other line, uttered by athletes and sports fans as long as there have been seasons. Hopefully next year will be better. Latest In News Golf.com Editor Dylan Dethier is a senior writer for GOLF Magazine/GOLF.com. The Williamstown, Mass. native joined GOLF in 2017 after two years scuffling on the mini-tours. Dethier is a graduate of Williams College, where he majored in English, and he’s the author of 18 in America , which details the year he spent as an 18-year-old living from his car and playing a round of golf in every state.

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