For years, patients in the U.S. health care system have grown frustrated with a bureaucracy they don't understand. Doctors are included in an insurer's network one year but not the next. Getting someone on the phone to help can be next to impossible. Coverage of care and prescriptions is often unceremoniously denied. This week's fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has unleashed a wave of public feeling – exasperation, anger, resentment, helplessness – from Americans sharing personal stories of interactions with insurance companies, often seen as faceless corporate giants. In particular, the words written on ammunition found at the shooting scene – "delay," "deny" and "depose," echoing a phrase used to describe how insurers dodge claim payouts — amplified voices that have long been critical of the industry. "All of a sudden, I am fired up again," said Tim Anderson, describing how his wife, Mary, had to deal with UnitedHealthcare coverage denials before she died from Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in 2022. Mr. Anderson said they couldn't get coverage for machines to help his wife breathe or talk – toward the end, she communicated by blinking when he showed her pictures. The family had to rely on donations from a local ALS group, he said. "The business model for insurance is don't pay," said Mr. Anderson, 67, of Centerville, Ohio. "When Mary could still talk, she said to me to keep fighting this," he added. "It needs to be exposed." For Mr. Anderson and others, Mr. Thompson's death and the message left at the scene have created an opportunity to vent their frustrations. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic, as police efforts to find the gunman keep the case in the news. Hans Maristela said he understands why the chatter is bubbling up. The 54-year-old caregiver in California was moved to comment on Facebook about UnitedHealthcare's reputation of denying coverage. As a Catholic, he said, he grieves Mr. Thompson's death and feels for his family, especially with the holidays around the corner. But he sees frustration with insurers even among his clients, most of them wealthy older people who've not been shielded from high out-of-pocket costs. "And then you know the CEO of this company you pay a lot of money to gets $10 million dollars a year, you won't have a lot of sympathy for the guy," Mr. Maristela said, citing Mr. Thompson's compensation package that included base pay and stock options. "Health care is a business, I understand, but the obsession with share price, with profit, has to be reevaluated." University of Pennsylvania researcher Michael Anne Kyle said she's not surprised by the growth of conversation around insurers. "People are often struggling with this by themselves, and when you see someone else talk about it, that may prompt you to join the conversation," she said. Ms. Kyle studies how patients access care and said she's seen frustration with the system build for years. Costs are rising, and insurers are using more controls such as prior authorizations and doctor networks to manage them. Patients are often stuck in the middle of disputes between doctors and insurers. "Patients are already spending a lot of money on health care, and then they're still facing problems with the service," she said. Insurers often note that most of the money they bring in goes back out the door to pay claims, and that they try to corral soaring costs and the overuse of some care. In Ohio, Mr. Anderson said his initial reaction to the CEO shooting was to question whether it was connected to a coverage denial, like the ones he'd experienced with his wife. "I definitely do not condone killing people," he said. "But I read it and said, 'I wonder if somebody had a spouse whose coverage was denied.'" It's something Will Flanary, a Portland-based ophthalmologist and comedian with a large social media following, saw online a lot in the shooting's immediate aftermath and found very telling. "It's zero sympathy," he said. "And the lesson to take away from that is not, 'Let's shame people for celebrating a murder.' No, it's: 'Look at the amount of anger that people have toward this system that's taken advantage of people and do something to try to fix that.'" Mr. Flanary's content, published under the name Dr. Glaucomflecken, started out as niche eye doctor jokes and a way to cope with his own experiences with two cancer diagnoses and a sudden cardiac arrest. But it has evolved, featuring character skits that call attention to and satirize the decisions of large health insurers, including UnitedHealthcare. He said he's never seen conversations around health insurance policy take off the way they did this week – and he hopes these new voices can help bring about change. "I'm always talking about how powerful social media can be with advocacy," he said, "because it really is the only way to put a significant amount of pressure on these corporations who are doing bad things for patients." This story was reported by The Associated Press.Parsippany, NJ, Dec. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (NASDAQ: LINC), a national leader in specialized technical training for more than 75 years, today announced that it has signed a lease for a new campus in Hicksville, New York, representing the Company’s second campus in New York and 11 th in the tri-state area. The campus demonstrates a commitment to its strategic growth plan, and follows the successful launch of the Company’s newest campus in East Point, Georgia earlier this year. The Hicksville campus is expected to commence operations towards the end of 2026 and will focus on preparing students for hands-on careers in high-demand industries. The 65,000 square-foot training center will offer specialized career training in automotive, welding, HVAC and electrical and electronics fields. This new facility will increase Lincoln’s presence in the tri-state, complementing its closest flagship automotive campus in Queens, New York which has been operating for nearly 20 years. With demand for approximately 54,000 talented automotive technicians by 2030, the State of New York is certainly a region with abundant employment opportunities to meet strong student demand. 1 “Our 11 th campus in the tri-state area is an exciting development and represents significant growth potential for Lincoln as we plan to leverage our brand name in the region where we have successfully operated for over 75 years and have seen thousands of students graduate and start careers in in-demand fields,” commented Scott Shaw, President and CEO. “Our recently launched campus in East Point, Georgia has generated tremendous interest, and its performance has exceeded our expectation as it became profitable within its first year of operations. We plan to deploy and incorporate the same ‘wow’ factor at the Hicksville campus to deliver exceptional training in a state-of-the-art facility, featuring modern classrooms and equipment. The East Point performance is very encouraging and we are optimistic that the Hicksville campus also has great potential.” 1 National Center for O*NET Development. New York Employment Trends: 49-3023.00 - Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics. O*NET OnLine. Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/49-3023.00?st=NY&g=Go ### About Lincoln Educational Services Corporation Lincoln Educational Services Corporation is a leading provider of diversified career-oriented post-secondary education. Lincoln offers recent high school graduates and working adults career-oriented programs in five principal areas of study: automotive technology, health sciences, skilled trades, business and information technology, and hospitality services. Lincoln has provided the workforce with skilled technicians since its inception in 1946 and currently operates 22 campuses in 14 states. For more information, go to lincolntech.edu.haha777 promo code today 。

LG USA ANNOUNCES CREATION OF 2025 SUMMER INTERNSHIPS EXCLUSIVELY FOR RUTGERS STUDENT-ATHLETESAdam Clark scores 18 to help Merrimack knock off Niagara 80-62

“If you don’t enjoy it at the club, just leave” – Manchester United star brutally urged to quit the clubStory by: The Eclectic Agency For many years, the United States of America and Italy have shared a deep, enduring partnership rooted in cultural and economic ties, as well as a mutual commitment to advancing healthcare and medical research. These collaborations have helped proffer solutions to complex health issues. As both countries continue to spearhead groundbreaking health initiatives, the USA and Italy are positioning themselves as exemplary partners in health innovation, thus setting a model for other countries around the world. Historical Foundations of USA-Italy Health Collaboration The USA and Italy have long collaborated on healthcare projects, with each country leveraging its unique strengths. The U.S., known for its robust research funding and technological resources, has often partnered with Italy, which is reputed for its strong biomedical and clinical research. The collaborations between the two countries have ranged from fighting infectious diseases to advancing cancer treatments. An example of these partnerships is the CREID network . The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Italy’s National Institute of Health (ISS) have also jointly conducted studies that contribute to the global fight against various diseases. Current Health Innovation Partnerships Recently, the USA and Italy have increasingly focused on digital health, pharmaceuticals, and clinical research. Italian pharmaceutical companies such as Menarini, are actively collaborating with American firms to improve drug delivery systems and develop lifesaving treatments. Another notable example of this transatlantic cooperation is the Italian government’s recent and unprecedented $21 million donation to Boston University (BU) for biomedical research. Funding for BU’s biomedical research initiatives aims to support projects in genetics, cellular biology, vaccines, antibiotics, and rapid diagnostics for infections. Note that this investment will not only fund cutting-edge research but also promote academic exchanges between Italian researchers and BU’s faculty. Another notable Italian healthcare company that has contributed immensely to collaborations to improve global healthcare delivery is San Donato Hospital Group (GSD), a subsidiary of GKSD Investment Holding. A spokesperson for the company said: “GKSD & GSD have long understood that international collaboration is not an option but a fundamental component of quality healthcare research and innovation in the medical field. As such, we constantly leverage our ability to create enduring partnerships by funneling resources into collaborations aimed at providing the best combination of expert skills that can be translated into the delivery of successful patient outcomes through global alliances.” Setting an Example for Global Health Collaboration Note that these partnerships between the USA and Italy serve as a blueprint for global health innovation. The two countries embody complementary strengths. While the U.S. brings technological prowess and funding, Italy offers biomedical expertise and a tradition of healthcare ethics. This collaboration allows both nations to pursue ambitious projects, such as large-scale clinical trials and pioneering drug therapies that could be applied worldwide. Their combined approach to accelerating clinical trial approvals, sharing best practices, and leveraging public-private partnerships further provides a valuable model for other countries. This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Four people are running to be the next Democratic National Committee chair, looking to take on the task of reinvigorating a party demoralized by a second loss to President-elect Donald Trump. Others may still get into the race as the party reckons with the 2024 election, which saw Trump gain with nearly every demographic group in a decisive repudiation of the incumbent party. The committee’s roughly 450 members will elect a successor for outgoing chairperson Jaime Harrison on Feb. 1. The four declared candidates spoke to The Associated Press last week in Scottsdale, Ariz., where they were making their pitch in public and private at a meeting of state Democratic chairs. Here are their responses. Should Joe Biden have dropped out sooner? The 82-year-old incumbent has been criticized for seeking reelection when many Americans were concerned about his age, and he has been accused of not giving Vice President Kamala Harris enough time to distinguish herself against Trump. Ken Martin, Democratic chairman in Minnesota and DNC vice chair: “To me, it’s an academic exercise. You can’t change the past. So for us, it’s really about what lessons can we draw right now that can inform the future.” Martin O’Malley, former Maryland governor and Social Security administrator: “I don’t know. You guys playing this D.C. parlor game on me, I’m not going to engage in that. Sorry.” James Skoufis, New York state senator: “Yes. A 107-day runway made for an exceptionally difficult set of circumstances. And it was clear to most Democrats at the time that President Biden was not well situated to run for reelection. And if dropping out sooner would have meant a primary, so be it. Vice President Harris, I’m very confident, still would have likely been the nominee if there was a primary. She would have been a stronger nominee with that longer runway.” Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party: “My campaign slogan is ‘unite, fight, win.’ And to me, uniting means a reckoning with how we can adapt to do better, but not recriminations about different things in the past. So my focus is on learning every lesson that we can apply in these next four years and beyond to build the new capacities that are going to allow us to win the lessons that were out of reach in 2024 and the last few years.” Did Kamala Harris spend too much time with Liz Cheney and courting Republican votes? Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and other progressives argued before and after Election Day that Harris should have focused more on working-class voters and less on Republicans and right-leaning voters disaffected with Trump. Martin: “Were there things we can learn from the election? Sure. We’re going to have to dig into all that. One thing I would say that’s important is that we have to make sure that we are competing in all spaces and we’re talking to all voters. And I’m not suggesting we spend a lot of time talking to Republican voters, don’t get me wrong. But we need to make sure that we are reaching outside of just our comfort zone and our base and trying to really make a significant play for independent voters.” O’Malley: “I don’t know. That’s another parlor game thing, and I’m not going to second-guess that. The only thing I know for sure, from all the people I’ve talked to now across the country, is that there’s pretty widespread belief that Americans’ primary concern in this election was economic anxieties about the future. Fear of the future. Fear that their own work wasn’t sufficient to keep their head above water. And we failed to speak to their economic concerns.” Skoufis: “I believe it was absolutely the right thing to be spending time and hitting the stump with Liz Cheney and other Republicans, disaffected former Trump administration officials. That was absolutely the right thing to do. And similarly, we absolutely need to be doing more of rebuilding the fraying edges of our tent on the left. They’re not mutually exclusive.” Wikler: “I live in a state where the suburban counties that Liz Cheney and Kamala Harris visited actually grew vote share for Democrats relative to 2020. Harris did better in the (suburban Milwaukee) counties than Biden had in the 2020 election. And I think there were some voters who are traditionally Republican who are making up their mind in the last second who saw that Republicans like them could vote for a Democrat this year. At the same time, there’s a ton of working-class folks who didn’t hear our message and who we need to find more ways to reach, that often won’t rely on being familiar with political figures that play a big role in cable news but aren’t present in people’s lives. And figuring out how to how to reach those folks, I think, is the next big challenge that we need to build on.”

There are a million of gift options for kids yet we’re often left scratching our heads, trying to come up with the perfect present for our little ones. As technology - including AI - moves forward at a pace, so do our options for presents. The Miko Mini is described as not just a robot but an “interactive companion and trusted friend that connects deeply with your child”. It’s certainly cute. It’s diddy size and adorable voice and face will definitely appeal to younger children. The model is aimed at youngsters aged 4-10. The idea is to make learning fun. I have to say it was a bit of a faff to set it up. It wouldn’t stay connected to the WiFi - we had to connect it five times (this could, of course, be an issue with our broadband). We couldn’t find a battery/power indicator so every time we took the cable out it asked to be charged. And initially it didn’t seem to want to respond to anyone’s voice despite the microphone being on the highest possible volume setting. But then Miko settled down and she started behaving herself. I’m calling her a she because sometimes she just doesn’t listen or does the opposite to what you’ve asked her to do - just like my five-year-old daughter. The first learning curve was realising you must wait a few seconds after saying ‘Hey Miko’ before asking your question or making your request. As long as you wait for the ripple effects on the screen, it should pick it up. There are still times where it doesn’t appear to hear anything, or it will say it doesn’t understand, despite me speaking quite clearly. And it doesn’t always pick up what my daughter says, which is understandable. Even I’m sometimes bamboozled with what she comes out with so I can’t blame poor little Miko. The great thing about Miko is it encourages curiosity and learning without the use of a screen. The novelty factor should keep them engaged enough while Miko chats to them about space and the ocean. It asks questions to keep their attention and keeps the conversation very simple. As well as the educational elements, there are some downright fun bits too. Ask Miko to dance and she’ll start boogying on her wheels to some top tunes. My daughter loves this and she’ll happily jump around and join in. You can ask it countless questions - do you like pets, what do you eat, do you like having wheels? By saying let’s talk, let’s play or what’s up will open up plentiful opportunities to chat and learn. It tells jokes, will beatbox and do its own version of a high five. You can even ask it ‘how can I make my parents happy?’ and ‘Do I have to clean my teeth every day’. It comes with an associated app and a subscription you will have to pay for, although currently it comes with a free 30-day trial. Prepare to spend a decent amount of time going through the app to find out exactly what it can do but it’s worth it if you want to get the most out of it. You can try to guess what it can do by asking random questions but that game can become quite tedious quite quickly. What I absolutely love is the story maker. Say ‘Hey Miko, let’s make a story’ and this is where the fun really begins. It will ask you what you want the story to be about, who the main character is, where they live, whether they have any friends and what adventures they get up to. It will then create a magical and joyful story for you, reciting it back to you as well as creating an e-version that sits within the app complete with images. We’ve had lots of laughs as Miko created a story about a turkey (was supposed to be Torquay) and a mobile fly (I have no idea what that was supposed to be). But on the whole it’s captured our story requests down to a T and we now have lasting electronic books of our imaginative creations. It’s worth noting that it will not respond to rude instructions or bad language. Being 45 going on 12, I have tried and tested this. Parents, you can basically leave your child with Miko safe in the knowledge that their conversation isn’t going to descend into the gutter. Miko will put a stop to that pretty quickly and turn the conversation onto something much more cordial. I’m pretty sure my daughter will get much more out of Miko as she gets older but for now she’s happy to have a disco buddy who can help her create her very own magical stories about mermaids, butterflies and fairies. Miko is currently on sale on Amazon for £99. Amazon also has a full range of other robot toys for children here .

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The 39-year-old has been a breath of fresh air since succeeding Erik ten Hag, with his personality and approach, coupled with promising early performances, bringing hope back to Old Trafford. Amorim has been touched by his warm welcome but repeatedly urged fans to avoid jumping the gun, having followed a draw at Ipswich with home wins against Bodo/Glimt and Everton. Wednesday’s trip to Arsenal is comfortably his biggest challenge yet and victory would see United move within three points of the Premier League title contenders. Put to Amorim it will be hard to manage expectations if they won in the capital, the head coach said: “I would like to say different things, but I have to say it again: the storm will come. “I don’t know if you use that expression, but we are going to have difficult moments and we will be found out in some games. “And I know that because I’m knowing my players and I know football and I follow football, so I understand the difference between the teams. “We are in the point in that we are putting simple things in the team, without training, and you feel it in this game against Everton, they change a little bit the way they were building up. “They are very good team, and we were with a lot of problems because we cannot change it by calling one thing to the captain. “So, we don’t have this training, so let’s focus on each game, on the performance, what we have to improve, trying to win games. And that is the focus. “I know it’s really hard to be a Manchester United coach and say these things in press conferences. We want to win all the time. No matter what. “We are going to try to win, but we know that we are in a different point if you compare to Arsenal. “So, it is what it is and we will try to win it and we go with confidence to win, but we know that we need to play very well to win the next football match.” The trip to Arsenal is the second of nine December matches for United, who are looking to avoid suffering four straight league defeats to the Gunners for the first time. The Red Devils have not won a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium since 2017, but Amorim knows a thing or two about frustrating Mikel Arteta’s men. Arsenal thrashed Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League last week, but in 2022-23 he led the Portuguese side to a Europa League last-16 penalty triumph after a 1-1 draw in London made it 3-3 on aggregate. “Arsenal this year, they play a little bit different,” Amorim said. “They are more fluid. “For example, two years ago when we faced them with Sporting, you knew how to press because you can understand better the structure. “Now it’s more fluid with (Riccardo) Calafiori and (Jurrien) Timber in different sides. One coming inside, the other going outside. Also (Martin) Odegaard changed the team, and you can feel it during this season. “So, you can take something from that game, especially because I know so well the opponent so you can understand the weakness of that team. “But every game is different, so you take something, but you already know that you are going to face a very good team.” This hectic winter schedule means Amorim sidestepped talk of January transfer business ahead of facing Arsenal, although he was more forthcoming on Amad Diallo’s future. The 22-year-old, who put in a man of the match display in Sunday’s 4-0 win against Everton, is out of contract at the end of the season, although the club holds an option to extend by a year. Diallo has repeatedly spoken of his desire to stay at United and it has been reported an agreement is close. Amorim said: “I think he wants to stay, and we want him to stay. So that is clear and we will find a solution.”

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The King is scheduled to attend the show at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Friday which will see Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish present a musical number from their new show The Devil Wears Prada – based on the 2006 Oscar-nominated film. Cast members Vanessa Williams, who plays Miranda Priestly, and Matt Henry, who stars as art director Nigel, were among those posing on the red carpet ahead of the performance which showcases an original score by Sir Elton. The variety show will also see debuts from British singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor with her hit track Murder On The Dancefloor while Eurovision winner Nemo is also featured on the bill. Also posing on the carpet were US magicians and comedy duo Penn and Teller, whose performance marks their 50th anniversary. Comedy will come from Ted Lasso star Ellie Taylor, writer and comic Scott Bennett, Scottish comedian Larry Dean and political comic Matt Forde – who posed on the red carpet with a crutch after undergoing surgery for cancer on his spine. Among the arrivals was TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, who will make an appearance in this year’s show with her Change And Check Choir led by Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow. The choir, made up of women from across the UK who detected their breast cancer through Kelly’s campaign, will perform Love Is All Around, which is being re-released to raise awareness of breast cancer early detection. It comes hours after Camilla insisted the “show must go on” after pulling out of attending the performance on Friday evening as doctors advised that she should prioritise rest. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest. “With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned.” A royal source said the Queen was “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved, but is a great believer that ‘the show must go on'”. “She hopes to be back to full strength and regular public duties very soon,” the source added. The Royal Variety Performance will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player in December. Money raised from the show will go to help people from the world of entertainment in need of care and assistance, with the Royal Variety Charity launching an initiative to help those with mental health issues this year.Victory Capital Management Inc. Purchases 8,095 Shares of Carpenter Technology Co. (NYSE:CRS)David Smick ’s documentary America’s Burning , executive produced and narrated by Michael Douglas , explores the causes and consequences of America’s income inequality. Those consequences include anger and division, but Smick and Douglas are hopeful that the country will come together to resolve its differences, and the film reflects that hope. “I predict 70% of the country, maybe 80%, hasn’t lost its mind,” Smick said. “The others I’m not going after, but I’m just not mentioning them. I just said I’m going to go and do something for that 70% or that 80% and speak to them. [Cable news] can go back and forth with the other 20% to 30% because I do think most people know that we have a history of pulling together, and we have to go back to that.” America’s Burning opened in August. After the re-election of Donald Trump in November, Douglas predicts not catastrophe but rather a period of thoughtful reconnection. “Everybody’s going to kind of think things over again and realize all of the issues that we can agree upon rather than those few that separate us,” he said at Deadline’s Contenders Documentary event. “Hopefully, I like to think that things are going to calm down and become more civil again. I think it’s crucial for our country.” In the film, Smick highlights the stock market growth that paid off well for corporations and investors. However, the disparity between those payoffs and conditions for people collecting paychecks proved stark. Smick said over 40 years, the stock market enjoyed a “5,000% increase and yet at the same time, wages went up during that same period, adjusting for inflation, 15%. So I sat around and said. ‘We’re wondering why everyone hates each other, why there’s such division, why people just have no belief in the future, and it’s that.’” RELATED: Oscars: Academy Reveals List Of Documentary, Animation & International Features Eligible For Consideration Smick’s previous film, Stars and Strife , premiered on Starz during the pandemic. That film is about the growing anger and hate in U.S. politics and society, but Smick regretted he did not focus more on economic factors. “It had mentioned some, but it didn’t address this,” Smick said. “It’s so tied to status and loss of status that has really destroyed the hope in the American dream.” The subject appealed to Douglas, who starred in Oliver Stone’s two Wall Street movies. He also felt that Smick presented a balanced, objective perspective as a registered Independent. RELATED: Contenders Documentary — Deadline’s Complete Coverage “Many people were sort of disenchanted at what was going on out there in the world,” Douglas said. “I saw for the first time kind of an answer, a clarity as to what the hell this is all about and what has happened. That goes back down to economic issues, the huge disparity that exists in this country.” Through that objectivity, Douglas said Smick succeeded in “not picking one side but talking to both of us on both sides and try to embrace and come back from the edge. Check back Monday for the panel video.

Alphabet -owned Waymo announced Monday that it will start testing its autonomous vehicles in Tokyo in early 2025, the company's first step toward international expansion. > Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are Waymo hasn't committed to start commercial service in Tokyo yet, but the robotaxi developer will partner with Japan's largest taxi operator, Nihon Kotsu, and taxi app GO to start testing its Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in Tokyo's streets. To start, Nihon Kotsu drivers will manually operate the Waymo vehicles to map key areas of the Japanese capital, including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō. Data from the manned test drives will help train the company's AI systems. Waymo will also test its robotaxis on a closed course in the U.S. built to mimic driving conditions in Japan. This is the first phase of the partnerships, which will last several quarters, Waymo told CNBC, adding that it expects to remain in Japan for an extended period. "Our upcoming road trip to Tokyo gives us the chance to work alongside local partners, government officials, and community groups to understand the new landscape," Waymo said in a statement. "We'll learn how Waymo can serve Tokyo's residents and become a beneficial part of the city's transportation ecosystem." Nihon Kotsu will oversee the management and servicing of Waymo's vehicles in Japan, the companies said. Waymo announced a series of expansions across the U.S. in 2024. Earlier this month, the company announced new testing in Miami in 2025, it made its driverless ride hail service available across Los Angeles in November, and in September, it announced planned expansions into Austin and Atlanta in partnership with Uber . The move into Japan marks the company's first in a left-hand traffic market. Both the Japanese national government and Tokyo Metropolitan government see driverless technology as a potential boon to the country's aging population, according to research by the World Economic Forum . Tokyo has designated certain areas as "test zones" for self-driving cars hoping to hasten the arrival of safe driverless transportation systems there. Several developers are working on autonomous vehicles in Japan, including local startup Tier IV and ZMP, a robotics company that is testing delivery vehicles and buses in Tokyo. Monet Technologies, which is partly owned by Toyota , announced plans to test a self-driving taxi service in Tokyo's Odaiba district earlier this year. Waymo's Japan expansion announcement comes a week after General Motors announced it was abandoning its Cruise robotaxi division . Honda, an outside investor in Cruise, told CNBC that it aimed to launch a driverless ride-hail service in Japan in early 2026 but would re-assess those plans and make adjustments if needed. Prior to GM's retreat from robotaxis, Cruise had been one of Waymo's primary domestic competitors. WATCH: GM pulls the plug on robotaxi plan

Indiana aims to run its winning streak to five games Friday night when Nebraska welcomes the Hoosiers to Lincoln, Neb. Indiana (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten) has lost the past three meetings with Nebraska after winning seven straight. The Hoosiers are led by center Oumar Ballo, a transfer from Arizona who averages 13.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, and forward Malik Reneau (team-best 15.5 points and 6.4 rebounds). Reneau, according to Indiana, is one of five major-conference players to average at least 10 points per game with a field goal percentage of at least 60 and 80 percent from the free-throw line. Off Indiana's 82-67 home win over Minnesota on Monday, head coach Mike Woodson said there are things to work on going forward. "When you get a team down 15, 20 points, you got to remember how you got them down and continue to do the same things that got you the lead," said Woodson, "and I don't think we did that coming down the stretch." Nebraska's best win this season was over then-No. 14 Creighton in an in-state battle last month. But the Cornhuskers (6-2, 0-1) haven't played a very difficult schedule, and were blown out 89-52 by current No. 21 Michigan State on the road last weekend. The Spartans became the first team in 25 games to make more than 50 percent of their shots against Nebraska, so improved defense will be key for the Huskers. Nebraska was also outrebounded 48-19. "That hadn't been us all year, and that was the disappointing thing," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "The physicality of the game in this league ... we're going to see it every night. I've been pleased with how they've responded, but we'll see how they step up to the challenge Friday night." If Nebraska can turn things around on offense, it is 38-2 under Hoiberg when scoring at least 80 points, including 4-0 this season. Brice Williams is Nebraska's leading scorer at 17.5 points per game. Connor Essegian adds 13.0 ppg and shoots 42.6 percent from 3-point range. --Field Level MediaTheir ages vary. But a conspicuous handful of filmmaking lions in winter, or let’s say late autumn, have given us new reasons to be grateful for their work over the decades — even for the work that didn’t quite work. Which, yes, sounds like ingratitude. But do we even want more conventional or better-behaved work from talents such as Francis Ford Coppola? Even if we’re talking about “Megalopolis” ? If Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” gave audiences a less morally complicated courtroom drama, would that have mattered, given Warner Bros.’ butt-headed decision to plop it in less than three dozen movie theaters in the U.S.? Coppola is 85. Eastwood is 94. Paul Schrader, whose latest film “Oh, Canada” arrives this week and is well worth seeking out, is a mere 78. Based on the 2021 Russell Banks novel “Foregone,” “Oh, Canada” is the story of a documentary filmmaker, played by Richard Gere, being interviewed near the end of his cancer-shrouded final days. In the Montreal home he shares with his wife and creative partner, played by Uma Thurman, he consents to the interview by two former students of his. Gere’s character, Leonard Fife, has no little contempt for these two, whom he calls “Mr. and Mrs. Ken Burns of Canada” with subtle disdain. As we learn over the artful dodges and layers of past and present, events imagined and/or real, Fife treats the interview as a final confession from a guarded and deceptive soul. He’s also a hero to everyone in the room, famous for his anti-Vietnam war political activism, and for the Frederick Wiseman-like inflection of his own films’ interview techniques. The real-life filmmaker name-checked in “Oh, Canada” is documentarian Errol Morris, whose straight-to-the-lens framing of interview subjects was made possible by his Interrotron device. In Schrader’s adaptation, Fife doesn’t want the nominal director (Michael Imperioli, a nicely finessed embodiment of a second-rate talent with first-rate airs) in his eyeline. Rather, as he struggles with hazy, self-incriminating memories of affairs, marriages, one-offs with a friend’s wife and a tense, brief reunion with the son he never knew, Fife wants only his wife, Emma — his former Goddard College student — in this metaphoric confessional. Schrader and his editor Benjamin Rodriguez Jr. treat the memories as on-screen flashbacks spanning from 1968 to 2023. At times, Gere and Thurman appear as their decades-young selves, without any attempt to de-age them, digitally or otherwise. (Thank god, I kind of hate that stuff in any circumstance.) In other sequences from Fife’s past, Jacob Elordi portrays Fife, with sly and convincing behavioral details linking his performance to Gere’s persona. We hear frequent voiceovers spoken by Gere about having ruined his life by age 24, at least spiritually or morally. Banks’ novel is no less devoted to a dying man’s addled but ardent attempt to come clean and own up to what has terrified him the most in the mess and joy of living: Honesty. Love. Commitment. There are elements of “Oh, Canada” that soften Banks’ conception of Fife, from the parentage of Fife’s abandoned son to the specific qualities of Gere’s performance. It has been 44 years since Gere teamed with Schrader on “American Gigolo,” a movie made by a very different filmmaker with very different preoccupations of hetero male hollowness. It’s also clearly the same director at work, I think. And Gere remains a unique camera object, with a stunning mastery of filling a close-up with an unblinking stillness conveying feelings easier left behind. The musical score is pretty watery, and with Schrader you always get a few lines of tortured rhetoric interrupting the good stuff. In the end, “Oh, Canada” has an extraordinarily simple idea at its core: That of a man with a movie camera, most of his life, now on the other side of the lens. Not easy. “I can’t tell the truth unless that camera’s on!” he barks at one point. I don’t think the line from the novel made it into Schrader’s script, but it too sums up this lion-in-winter feeling of truth without triumphal Hollywood catharsis. The interview, Banks wrote, is one’s man’s “last chance to stop lying.” It’s also a “final prayer,” dramatized by the Calvinist-to-the-bone filmmaker who made sure to include that phrase in his latest devotion to final prayers and missions of redemption. “Oh, Canada” — 3 stars (out of 4) No MPA rating (some language and sexual material) Running time: 1:34 How to watch: Opens in theaters Dec. 13, running 1in Chicago Dec. 13-19 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.; siskelfilmcenter.org Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.