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Overall crime declined but cybercrime rose exponentially in 2024 Andhra DGPTweet Facebook Mail A message left at the scene of a health insurance executive's fatal shooting — "deny," "defend" and "depose" — echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The three words were written on the ammunition a masked gunman used to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , according to two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday. They're similar to the phrase "delay, deny, defend" — the way some US lawyers describe how insurers deny services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book that was highly critical of the industry. READ MORE: Police release photos after CEO shot to death with inscribed bullets in New York This undated photo provided by UnitedHealth Group shows UnitedHealthcare chief executive officer Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/UnitedHealth Group via AP) (UnitedHealth Group) Police haven't officially commented on the wording or any connection between them and the common phrase. But Thompson's shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting a deepening frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. This combination of images provided by the New York City Police Department shows the suspect sought in the the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding an investor conference, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (New York City Police Department via AP) (New York City Police Department) What does the phrase mean? "Delay, deny, defend" has become something of a rallying cry for insurance critics. The terms refer to insurers delaying payment on claims, denying claims and defending their actions. The phrase has been used to describe many types of insurers — auto, property, and health. "The longer they can delay and deny the claim, the longer they can hold onto their money and they're not paying it out," said Lea Keller, managing partner at Lewis and Keller, a North Carolina-based personal-injury law firm. "Delay, Deny, Defend" is also the title of a 2010 book by Jay Feinman that delves into how insurers handle claims. "All insurance companies have an incentive to chisel their customers in order to increase profits," says an excerpt on the book's website. READ MORE: 'A third nuclear age is upon us': Military expert's chilling warning The New York Police Department released photos on Thursday, December 5, 2024, asking for the public's assistance in identifying a "person of interest" in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (NYPD) How does the phrase relate to UnitedHealthcare? UnitedHealthcare provides coverage for more than 49 million Americans and brought in more than $281 billion in revenue last year as one of the nation's largest health insurers. UnitedHealthcare and its rivals have become frequent targets of criticism from doctors, patients and lawmakers in recent years for denying claims or complicating access to care. Critics say insurers are increasingly interfering with even routine care, causing delays that can, in some cases, hurt a patient's chances for recovery or even survival. READ MORE: How a Sydney man turned a side hustle into a six-figure income The UnitedHealthcare headquarters in Minnetonka, Minn., lowered its flags to half-staff on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in honor of CEO Brian Thompson, who was fatally shot outside a hotel in New York. (Kerem Yücel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP) (Minnesota Public Radio) What is the criticism of insurers? Doctors and patients have become particularly frustrated with prior authorizations, which are requirements that an insurer approve surgery or care before it happens. UnitedHealthcare was named in an October report detailing how the insurer's prior authorization denial rate for some Medicare Advantage patients has surged in recent years. The report from the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations also named rivals Humana and CVS. Insurers say tactics like prior authorization are needed to limit unnecessary procedures and prevent the overuse of care to help control costs. Frustrations extend beyond the coverage of care. Expensive breakthrough medications to slow Alzheimer's disease or help with obesity are frequently not covered or have coverage limits. "Many Americans view these companies as driven by profit rather than a commitment to serve their customers," said Mario Macis, a Johns Hopkins economist who studies trust in the health care system. "And this creates a big disconnect." Members of the New York police crime scene unit investigate the scene outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan where Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah) What reactions have emerged on social media? Anger and vitriol against health insurers filled social media in the wake of Thompson's killing. Users' reactions — and in many cases jokes — populated comment sections teeming with frustration toward health insurers broadly and UnitedHealthcare in particular. "I would be happy to help look for the shooter but vision isn't covered under my healthcare plan," one comment read on Instagram. "Thoughts and prior authorizations!" wrote another user. How do Americans feel about insurers? In the US health care system, patients get coverage through a mix of private insurers such as UnitedHealthcare and government-funded programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. That can prove particularly frustrating for doctors and patients because coverage often varies by insurer. Polls reflect those frustrations with the health care system in general and insurance companies in particular. About two-thirds of Americans said health insurance companies deserve "a lot of blame" for high health care costs, according to a KFF poll conducted in February. A 2023 KFF survey of insured adults found that most give their health insurance an overall rating of "excellent" or "good" — but a majority also said they experienced a problem using their insurance in the previous year. That included denied claims, provider network problems and pre-authorization problems. Nearly half of insured adults with insurance problems said they were unable to resolve them satisfactorily. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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Belarus' strongman leader pardons 20 more prisoners, but rights groups say repression continuesAdele bids tearful farewell to her Las Vegas residency: I will miss it terribly
CHICAGO — Josh Giddey had 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double this season to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 116-111 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night. Giddey, who missed the previous four games with an ankle injury, sank two free throws with 10 seconds left to make it 115-111, then pulled down a rebound to help seal it as Chicago snapped a three-game losing streak. Nikola Vucevic had 23 points and 13 rebounds. Coby White, who scored 22, nailed a tiebreaking jumper with 32 seconds remaining. Damian Lillard returned to the lineup with 29 points and 12 assists, but the Bucks dropped their second straight. The star guard came on with 18 points in the second half as Milwaukee played without NBA scoring leader Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) for a fourth consecutive game. Brook Lopez had 22 points and Khris Middleton scored 17 of his 21 in the first half. Middleton, under a minutes restriction following offseason ankle surgery, played sparingly in the second half before hitting two key baskets late. The Bulls led 62-60 at halftime after opening a pair of 13-point leads. Takeaways Bucks: It took a while for the 34-year-old Lillard to heat up. He pulled Milwaukee back into the game and played 35:28. Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr., right, guards Chicago Bulls guard Coby White, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Chicago. Credit: AP/Erin Hooley Bulls: Chicago responded with a tighter effort following a 141-133 loss at Atlanta on Thursday when the Hawks rallied from a late 21-point deficit with 50 points in the fourth quarter. Key moment The Bulls opened a seven-point cushion to start the third before the Bucks bounced back and took their first lead, 75-72, on Bobby Portis' 3-pointer midway through the quarter. Milwaukee led 84-83 after three, but Chicago used a 10-0 run to set up a close finish. Key stat Chicago outscored Milwaukee 56-42 in the paint. Up next The Bucks play at Indiana on New Year’s Eve. The Bulls are at Charlotte on Monday.
Herro leads Heat over Rockets in game marred by fight and ejections in final minute HOUSTON (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 27 points before being one of six people ejected after a fight in the final minute of the Miami Heat's 104-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. Canadian Press Dec 29, 2024 7:01 PM Dec 29, 2024 7:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) shoots a three-point shot as Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) and forward Amen Thompson, center, look on during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) HOUSTON (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 27 points before being one of six people ejected after a fight in the final minute of the Miami Heat's 104-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. Herro was thrown to the ground by the Rockets' Amen Thompson with 35 seconds left and the Heat leading 99-94. Players and coaches from both benches then came onto the court. Both players were thrown out along with Rockets guard Jalen Green, coach Ime Udoka and assistant coach Ben Sullivan. Terry Rozier was also ejected for Miami. Houston led 92-85 after Fred VanVleet's layup with 8:10 to play, but the Rockets missed their next 11 shots, allowing Miami to tie the game when Herro found Haywood Highsmith for a 3-pointer with 4:47 to play. Herro’s jumper with 1:56 to play put the Heat on top for good. Takeaways Heat: Playing the second night of a back-to-back and missing Jimmy Butler for a fifth straight game, Nikola Jovic finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, and six assists for the Heat. Highsmith added 15 points. Rockets: After blowing a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead against the Wolves, Houston struggled offensively in the fourth quarter, shooting just 6 for 24 from the field. Dillon Brooks scored 22 points after missing the last three games with a right ankle effusion. Key moment Jovic’s 3 with 47 seconds left put Miami up 98-94. Key Stat Miami outscored Houston, the NBA’s best offensive rebounding team, 15-9 in second-chance points. Up Next The Rockets host Dallas on Wednesday and the Heat host New Orleans on Wednesday. The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Basketball Thunder rout short-handed Grizzlies 130-106 for their 11th straight victory Dec 29, 2024 6:49 PM Trae Young leads Hawks past Raptors 136-107; Toronto has season-high 31 turnovers Dec 29, 2024 5:52 PM Young scores 34 as Hawks beat Raptors 136-107, hand Raptors 10th consecutive loss Dec 29, 2024 5:43 PM
Regarding that trip, he set out his aspirations in his diary entry on the day of Mrs Carter's departure on May 30, 1977: “My hope and expectation are that her conversations will both convince the people of these countries of our interest and friendship and also provide the leaders with an avenue directly to me for their problems, opportunities and requests from our own government.” He later sought and received Jamaica's support at the United Nations in a vote on Iran sanctions in 1919. Then, in 1997, the former President led the first international observer mission overseeing an election in Jamaica, held on December 18 that year. In a recorded message to the Jamaican people, five days before the polls, he extolled the virtues of the country's democratic traditions, but noted that it had been marred in recent times by political violence. The aim of his oberver mission therefore was to support the efforts of local organizations such as the then recently formed Citizens' Action for Free & Fair Elections [CAFFE] along with the political parties, "to contribute and build on this climate of peace." "You, Jamaicans, will determine who will win the election. We are impartial, with regard to the outcome of the election. Our only hope is that we will contribute to a fair, open and free process," he stressed.
AP News Summary at 6:48 p.m. EST‘Intrusive and presumptuous’: Fury in Germany after Musk backs far-right party ahead of elections
Republicans gain temporary control of Minnesota House after Democrat decides not to appeal ruling
The British singer-songwriter, 36, launched Weekends With Adele at Caesars Palace in November 2022 and performed her 100th show on Saturday. Her run of sell-out shows at the venue, which seats around 4,000 people, has been a success but has also taken its toll. In July, she announced she would be taking a “big break” from music after her current run of shows. A post shared by Adele (@adele) Videos posted online from her concert on Saturday show the singer getting tearful as she bid farewell to Vegas. “It’s been wonderful and I will miss it terribly and I will miss you terribly”, she said. “I don’t know when I next want to perform again.” She also said she got “closure” when Canadian singer Celine Dion came to watch her perform, admitting that she cried for a “whole week” afterwards. “It was just such a full circle moment for me because that’s the only reason I ever even wanted to be in here”, she added. Adele shared an emotional embrace with Dion after she spotted the singer in the audience during her Las Vegas show last month. A post shared by Adele (@adele) In footage shared online, the British star can be seen breaking down in tears as they hug in The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, which was built for Dion’s residency. The Rolling In The Deep singer has been vocal about her love for Dion over the years, hailing her as “Queen Celine” after attending one of her performances in an Instagram post in 2018. Dion reciprocated the love at the time, sharing a photo to social media of her posing alongside Adele, who was wearing the singer’s merchandise. She wrote: “Wasn’t able to do all my shows, but was thrilled that @Adele came to one of them.... I love her so much!! – Celine xx”. After their encounter at the venue, Adele said in an Instagram post: “Words will never sum up what you mean to me, or what you coming to my show means, let alone how it felt seeing you back in your palace with your beautiful family.”
S&P 500 components ( ) and ( ), and ( ), ( ) and ( ) are in focus for this week's stock market. The Dow Jones and the S&P 500, fell Friday, slashing weekly gains. However, the stock market rally is acting well, despite remaining somewhat divided. End-of-year light trading and potential tax-related selling in early January could add some turbulence to the market. With this is in mind, investors should keep an eye on these five stocks, which are setting up and are potentially actionable, as they assess current holdings and work on watchlists for stock market action. Investors should also keep tabs on the , the and along with the list for the week's stock market start. Boston Scientific Stock BSX edged down 0.9% to 90.66 during on Friday. But shares rose 1.9% for the week, bouncing off the and . Boston Scientific stock has been trading tightly for several weeks, forming a with a 91.93 buy point as of Friday's close, according to . It should be noted the base is long, dating back to August. Boston Scientific stock has gained around 57% in 2024 but the average analyst price target sits at 101.06, according to FactSet. That represents a further 11% upside for the S&P 500 medtech. While BSX has surged in 2024, the 126 stocks in the industry group have collectively only advanced 1.5% this year. Last week, Truist analysts raised their price target on Boston Scientific to 110 from 100 and kept a buy rating on the shares. The firm broadly sees the medical technology sector as "one of the better/safer houses" in health care given its lower "front-line" exposure to health care policy rhetoric that is tied to the White House change of guard. Earlier this month, Citi also raised its BSX price target to 107 from 98. The firm predicts this year's BSX momentum will continue in 2025 with growth buoyed by the Farapulse pulsed-field ablation and continued adoption and penetration of the company's "Watchman" left atrial appendage closure device. Boston Scientific was Thursday's . Boston Scientific stock has a 93 out of a best-possible 99. The stock also has an 88 and a 92 . Burlington Stores Stock BURL fell 1% to 292 Friday, but rose 2.4% for the week. For weeks, shares have been trading in or near a from a base of 279.51 after breaking out on Nov. 22. BURL stock is technically in the buy zone from that base. But it now has a new flat base with a 298.88 buy point. Investors could use Thursday's high of 295.18 as an early entry. Burlington is featured in this . Burlington has surged 67% from its April low. The stock is up about 50% so far this year and trading around its highest level since December 2021. Shares received a number of price-target hikes in the wake of Burlington's Q3 earnings report and Black Friday sales. Burlington Stores on Nov. 26 reported a 41% increase in Q3 earnings to $1.55 per share adjusted, meeting FactSet expectations. Total revenue rose about 11% to $2.53 billion, short of estimates for $2.55 billion. Chief Executive Michael O'Sullivan noted that third-quarter comparable-sales trends started out "very strongly" for the company's winter outerwear stronghold. However, comparable sales were up 4% during the quarter if cold weather categories were excluded, which represented 15% of sales for Q3. The comp growth is consistent with the trajectory Burlington has seen since March, O'Sullivan said, adding that the company is "very encouraged" by the underlying sales trend. However, the discount retailer provided cautious guidance for the fourth quarter, expecting comparable-sales growth to range from 0% to 2%. On Dec. 2 Goldman Sachs analysts added Burlington Stores to the firm's "U.S. Conviction List" as part of its monthly update. The firm has a buy rating on BURL shares with a 334 price target. Goldman sees Burlington's value offering as "ideally positioned for today's economy." Several discounters, including off-price rival ( ), have been acting well. Burlington Stores stock has a 92 Composite Rating out of a best-possible 99. The stock also has an 86 Relative Strength Rating and an 88 EPS Rating. S&P 500: Fortinet Stock Performance Fortinet fell 1.2% to 96.08 in Friday's stock market, trading about 4% below a traditional 100.59 buy point from a flat base after a strong run-up on earnings, according to MarketSurge chart recognition. Shares ended the week just above their 21-day line. A move above this past week's high of 97.83 could offer aggressive investors an early entry. Fortinet competes in the firewall network security market vs. ( ), ( ) and others. Firewalls reside between private networks and the internet. They block unauthorized traffic and check web applications for malware. As large companies shift to off-premise cloud computing services, one view is that firewall technology will play a lesser role. Fortinet has targeted software-defined wide area networks, or SD-WANs, an emerging computer networking technology. In November, Fortinet , with expectations billings and revenue will grow at a 12% CAGR. The forecast came in slightly above analyst predictions. The company did not give preliminary 2025 guidance. Fortinet stock has a strong 99 Composite Rating. The S&P 500 stock also has a 93 Relative Strength Rating and a 99 EPS Rating. MasTec Stock MTZ shares sank 2% to 135.73 on Friday, back below its recently regained 50-day and 21-day lines. A move above the Dec. 24 high of 140.06 would break a downtrend and offer investors an early entry opportunity. The stock has a three-weeks-tight pattern with a 150.12 buy point, according to MarketSurge chart analysis. It's working on a possible flat base but will need another week. MasTec is an infrastructure and construction services firm with segments including communications, oil and gas and clean energy. The communications segment performs engineering, construction, maintenance, and customer fulfillment activities related to communications infrastructure — primarily for wireless and wireline/fiber communications. The firm is also involved in electric utility transmission and distribution along with heavy civil works projects and industrial infrastructure. The company reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings on Oct. 31, while revenue came in a little light. MasTec Q3 profit grew 70% and analyst consensus has Q4 EPS jumping 86%, according to FactSet. Analysts project annual 2024 profit increasing more than 80% and surging 160% in 2025, compared to 2023 levels. Truist analysts on Dec. 19 raised the price target on MasTec to 189 from 173, keeping a buy rating on the stock as part of a broader research note previewing 2025 for machinery and infrastructure services industrials. The price target hike represents further 36% upside for the stock. The firm wrote that after a strong 2024, the anticipated large-scale investment in infrastructure, renewable energy and data center projects supports continued long term secular growth among infrastructure services names. The stock has gained more than 80% in 2024 while the 21 stocks in the industry group have collectively advanced 70% this year. MasTec stock has a robust 91 Composite Rating. The stock also has a 91 Relative Strength Rating and a 69 EPS Rating. Vertex Stock VERX shares sank 2.1% to 52.71 during Friday's stock market action, but came off lows after undercutting the lows of its recent pullback. The financial software maker is back below its 21-day moving average. A move above Friday's high of 54.48 would break a short downtrend, offering an early entry. Vertex stock is working on a possible new base, but needs more time. Shares also could test a rising 10-week line. Vertex stock had several high volume gains throughout November, with several . Several ANTS marks on a chart can be a signal to consider some profits in the short term. But it's also a reason to watch for a new base. The stock surged more than 30% in November but is down less than 1% in December. On Dec. 18, Stifel analyst Brad Reback raised the firm's price target on Vertex to 58 from 52 and maintained a buy rating. Reback wrote that after a bumpy start to 2024, the year is "ending on a higher note" for the enterprise software group. The analyst expects management to take a more conservative approach to Q1 guidance, but overall believes that "in general top-line growth rates should at least mirror what we have seen during the back half of 2024 due to many of the above mentioned factors." Overall, the corporate tax compliance software maker has had a successful 2024, gaining around 100% so far. Recent acquisitions have helped the investment case for Vertex. At the end of 2023, Vertex announced plans to acquire e-invoicing leader for $555 million. In June, the company acquired tax-specific AI technology and on Aug. 7, the company announced its intent to acquire Ecosio GmbH, an Austrian company that provides electronic data interchange and e-invoicing services. Vertex stock has a perfect 99 Composite Rating. The stock also has a 95 Relative Strength Rating and a 93 EPS Rating.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Shaquil Barrett is rejoining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs signed the two-time Super Bowl champion on Saturday, while also announcing safety Jordan Whitehead was activated from injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers. Barrett spent five seasons with Tampa Bay from 2019 to 2023. He led the NFL with a franchise-record 19 1-2 sacks in his first year with the Bucs, then helped the team win its second Super Bowl title the following season. In all, Barrett started 70 games with Tampa Bay, amassing 45 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions. He was released last winter in a salary cap move, signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins in free agency, then abruptly announced his retirement on social media before the start of training camp in July. Barrett, who also won a Super Bowl during a four-season stint with the Denver Broncos, decided to unretire last month. He signed with the Bucs after clearing waivers earlier in the week. Whitehead has missed the past four games with a pectoral injury. His return comes of the heels of the Bucs placing safety Christian Izien on IR with a pectoral injury. On Saturday, the Bucs also activated rookie wide receiver Kameron Johnson from IR and elevated punter Jack Browning to the active roster from the practice squad. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflThe Constitution of India is an embodiment of the aspirations of its citizens. These aspirations were also reflected in the long and painstaking process through which the Constitution came into being. This process, however, didn’t begin on November 26, 1949, when the first session of the Constituent Assembly was gavelled into existence. Debates and discussions on what should be incorporated into the Constitution started in the 19th century itself. Social movements played a crucial role in shaping the constitutional discourse, laying down the foundations of equality, dignity, social justice, and equal opportunity for any future document to govern a yet-to-be-born republic. The movements, led by Jyotiba Phule and Dr. BR Ambedkar, respectively, in different periods of history are representative of the direct impact of social movements on the framing of the Constitution. Phule’s constitutional project took inspiration from the 13th Amendment (1865) to the American Constitution, which abolished the slavery of African Americans. In 1873, Phule wrote a seminal book, titled Gulamgiri (translated as slavery), with a dedication to “the good people of the United States as a token of admiration for their sublime disinterested and self-sacrificing devotion in the cause” of slavery. Phule also hoped that the oppressor communities in India would follow a similar track in abolishing untouchability and emancipating the oppressed castes. Gulamgiri was a sharp critique of India’s caste system and oppression. In the same year, Phule also started the Satyashodhak Samaj (the truth seekers’ society) movement to unite the oppressed castes, promote their education, and build an alternative vision of an equal society. He further advocated before the British government for free and compulsory education for all. In 1882, he submitted to the Hunter Commission a document that asked the administration to “be kind enough to sanction measures for the spread of female primary education”. Dr. Ambedkar built further on Phule’s legacy in demanding constitutional rights for the oppressed castes. Before the Southborough Committee in 1919, Dr Ambedkar insisted on universal adult franchise (voting rights) for all Indians. Rejecting the contention that “franchise should be given to those only who can be expected to make an intelligent use of it’, he argued that franchise would promote the political awakening of the marginalised communities, who had long been excluded from politics and the social mainstream. The two Mahad Satyagraha led by Dr Ambedkar in 1927 established the groundwork for the non-discrimination principle and broadened the constitutional imagination of rights. The Satyagraha was a challenge to the age-old practice of restricting Dalits from accessing water from a public source used by oppressor castes. Dr Ambedkar regarded the access to public places and water resources as a fundamental civil right. In March 1927, thousands of oppressed castes walked several kilometres, under the leadership of Dr. Ambedkar, to drink water from the Chavdar tank, which was made open to everyone by the Mahad municipality in Maharashtra. However, after the gathering drank water from the tank, it was attacked by a large crowd of people from the oppressor castes, who came with sticks and stones. Later, the oppressor castes performed purification of the water tank by chanting hymns, while taking out the water from the tank in pots. This was seen by Dr Ambedkar as an effort to demoralise the Dalits in demanding their rights. Dr Ambedkar then launched a second Satyagraha in Mahad in December 1927. During this gathering, he presented certain resolutions prepared by him beforehand. These resolutions highlighted the principles that all human beings were born equal; the use of public roads, public schools, public water sources and temples is open to all; and that the “law should be equally applicable to all”. These are the modern principles of equality before law and equal protection of laws, and non-discrimination, which were later incorporated in Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution. The second Mahad Satyagraha also rejected the authority of “Manusmriti” as Dr Ambedkar publicly burnt it. During the Round Table conferences in London in the early 1930s, Dr Ambedkar presented a clause on non-discrimination and equal access to public places, which were inspired not only by Mahad Satyagraha, but the words of the American Civil Rights Act of 1875. His negotiations at the Conference, and later with Mahatma Gandhi, led to the reservation of seats for Dalits in Parliament and state assemblies. This framework was expanded later in the Constitution by providing for the reservation of seats for backward classes, including the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, in government services and educational institutions. Around this time, Dr. Ambedkar also wrote a landmark lecture titled “Annihilation of Caste” as part of his advocacy against caste oppression, but refused to deliver it after the organisers asked him to tone down his content. Later published as a book in 1936, it conceptualised “a society based on liberty, equality and fraternity”. As he elaboarated in this treatise, fraternity was “only another name for democracy”. These ideas garnered through the anti-caste social movements were brought by Dr Ambedkar to the Constituent Assembly. Similarly, other members of the assembly carried forward the demands from anti-colonial struggle, women’s movements, Adivasi movements, and peasant movements. In effect, social movements were instrumental in deciding the fate of the final text of several constitutional provisions such as equality, free speech, freedom of conscience and social reform, universal adult franchise, constitutional remedies, and even the Preamble. The broader principles embedded in the Constitution, influenced by earlier pre-independence social movements, were invoked by subsequent movements to advocate for enhanced constitutional safeguards and rights for citizens. Post-independence social movements have led to the enactment of laws to prohibit and prevent atrocities against Dalits and Adivasis, outlaw manual scavenging, and provide adequate quotas in educational institutions for other backward classes. Several pieces of legislation, such as the law providing the right to information, have been passed due to the efforts of civil society-led movements. These vignettes hint at why the Indian Constitution is a unique document – one that lays the legal foundation of a republic but more importantly creates a just and equitable social landscape for that republic to stand and thrive on. This is why pioneering American constitutionalist Granville Austin called the Constitution primarily a social document, one that he described as the cornerstone of a nation. Anurag Bhaskar is the author of The Foresighted Ambedkar: Ideas That Shaped Indian Constitution Discourse. The views expressed are personal.
LONDON: People smugglers are using TikTok adverts to lure migrants to the UK with “package deals.” More than 150,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats from mainland Europe to try and enter Britain illegally since 2018, the UK said on Friday. Traffickers have started to deploy new techniques advertised on social media to encourage more people to make the perilous journey in winter, The Times newspaper reported. These include deals offered on TikTok for as little as £2,500 ($3,140) with payment only required on reaching the UK coast. The adverts said specialized handlers would collect the migrants, take them to rented accommodation and find them work. The Times said the adverts were being run by Albanian smuggling gangs. One TikTok account named “Journey to London” offered deals to get people from Albania to England. Another used a photo of the boat that would carry the migrants and the promise of a “secure crossing.” The smugglers also offered to fly customers into the UK on stolen passports for £12,000. They urged one prospective client to make use of the Christmas period when airports are busier, The Times reported. The recent calm weather has sparked a surge in small boat crossings, with more than 850 people making the journey across the Channel on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. While the adverts predominantly targeted Albanians, the highest numbers of migrants using small boats in the year up to September were from Afghanistan, Iran and Syria. A Home Office spokesperson described the smuggling gangs as “despicable” and said they were “exploiting vulnerable people by peddling lies on social media and placing them in horrendous conditions, working for next to nothing.” “Anyone found to be doing this will face severe penalties and we are working with the National Crime Agency and major social media companies to rapidly remove online adverts promoting dangerous small boat crossings,” the person said. TikTok told The Times it had proactively removed adverts posted by the users. The number of small boat crossings hit a peak in 2022, when 45,774 people made the journey. More than 36,000 have done so this year. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised to “smash” the people smuggling gangs, with the issue of immigration featuring heavily in campaigning for the July election.The price of bitcoin surpassed $100,000 for the first time on Wednesday, soaring to a fresh high as the world's largest cryptocurrency extended a rally set off by the election of former President Donald Trump. Bitcoin has climbed more than 40% since Election Day, when voters opted for a candidate viewed as friendly toward digital currency. Those gains have far outpaced the stock market. The S &P 500 has increased about 2.4% over that period, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq has jumped 2.6%. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to bolster the cryptocurrency sector and ease regulations enforced by the Biden administration. Trump also promised to establish the federal government's first National Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Trump said he would replace Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler, whom many crypto proponents dislike for what they perceive as a robust approach to crypto regulation. Gensler announced that he plans to resign on Jan. 20, 2025, the date of Trump's inauguration. The post-election euphoria has lifted other parts of the crypto sector. Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, has climbed 27%. Lesser-known dogecoin has skyrocketed about 140%, while litecoin has surged 35%. Shares of Coinbase, a top crypto trading platform, have increased more than 70% since Trump's reelection. The growth in recent weeks extends a remarkable turnabout for the once-beleaguered crypto industry. The sector entered this year bruised after a series of high-profile collapses and company scandals. FTX, a multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency exchange co-founded by Sam Bankman-Fried, collapsed in November 2022. The implosion set off a 17-month legal saga that resulted in the conviction of Bankman-Fried for fraud. In April, Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Changpeng Zhao, the founder and former CEO of major cryptocurrency exchange Binance, was sentenced to four months in prison in April after pleading guilty to charges that his platform had enabled illicit financial activity. The reelection of Trump marks the latest in a series of positive developments that have buoyed cryptocurrency this year. Those gains have been propelled, in part, by U.S. approval in January of bitcoin ETFs, or exchange-traded funds. Bitcoin ETFs allow investors to buy into an asset that tracks the price movement of bitcoin, while avoiding the inconvenience and risk of purchasing the crypto coin itself. Last month, options on BlackRock's popular iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) were made available for trading on the Nasdaq. The options, which provide a new avenue for bitcoin investors, allow individuals to commit to buy or sell the ETF at a given price by a specific date. While such investments typically come with additional risk, they can also make large payouts. IBIT inched upward 1% on Friday, reaching a record high of about $56. Bryan Armour, the director of passive strategies research at financial firm Morningstar, attributed the recent crypto surge to investors' anticipation of friendly policy under Trump, as well as the newly available options trading for bitcoin ETFs. Still, the performance of cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, has proven volatile, Armour added. The price of bitcoin could fall, especially if Trump encounters difficulty following through on his campaign commitments, he said. "As long as the narrative stays positive, there's always room to grow," Armour told ABC News before bitcoin reached $100,000. "I also think campaign promises don't always come to fruition." "It's still a highly volatile asset," Armour added.
Diversity statements will no longer be used in University of Michigan faculty hiring, promotion and tenure, a move applauded by critics who have called the practice "litmus tests" that limit diversity of thought while diversity advocates said the process was "preordained" and dishonest. Provost Laurie McCauley announced the decision Thursday based on a recommendation from a UM faculty working group to end diversity statements. But the recommendation is "deceptive," coming after the regents rejected a previous recommendation to keep the diversity statements, a faculty leader said. Diversity statements are documents written by faculty job candidates that let applicants explain to a search committee the distinct experiences they would bring to the university along with their commitment to diversity. The statements help search committees identify applicants "who have professional skills, experience and/or willingness to engage in activities that would enhance campus diversity and equity efforts," according to a University of California at San Diego statement referenced by UM's Center for Research on Learning & Teaching. McCauley's announcement came hours before the Board of Regents is scheduled to meet and a protest is planned beforehand at UM President Santa Ono's house. Many in the UM community are concerned the regents may dismantle a multimillion dollar diversity, equity and inclusion effort built after the school was at the center of a decade-long national debate around affirmative action in higher education, and DEI programs have been under attack across the nation.. "Diversity, equity and inclusion are three of our core values at the university," McCauley said in the University Record, an internal UM publication for faculty and staff, in announcing the end of diversity statements. "Our collective efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people. As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach.” But there is more that happened in this process, UM Faculty Senate Chair Rebekah Modrak wrote on the University Record page under the announcement. After the regents called for diversity statements to be banned last summer, McCauley formed a faculty committee to review diversity statements in the spirit of shared governance that came up with a different recommendation, Modrak wrote. "My understanding is that the committee’s first report recommended that the use of diversity statements should be up to each unit, a recommendation that honors our decentralization, independence, and academic freedom," Modrak wrote. "The Regents rejected that report and central leadership didn’t support their own faculty committee. Sending a committee back to work to give a second report with preordained results is neither honest nor respectful of faculty expertise. The University Record’s erasure of the Regents’ autocratic hand in this process is also deceptive." Regents will not vote on the provost's action, but may discuss it during the meeting, said Regent Sarah Hubbard, one of two Republicans on the eight-member UM board. "I applaud the provost for ending the practice of requiring diversity statements," said Hubbard. "This policy change removes a barrier to diversity of thought on campus by eliminating the ideological litmus test." No action is expected during Thursday's meeting around other DEI issues, added Hubbard, who previously said the regents have been looking for a long time at the university's DEI efforts and want to realign funds closer to student scholarships. Any budget decisions wouldn't happen until next year when budgetary decisions get made, she said. Even so, hundreds of students, faculty and staff demonstrated on campus earlier this week to show support for the university's DEI programs, and others are planning to attend the protest organized by UM's Black Student Union before the regents meeting and show up to the official meeting. UM's decision to discontinue diversity statements came after the statements were also eliminated in May at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in June at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In June, UM's provost charged the eight-member faculty working group to examine diversity statements, though the university did not have an institutional policy on the statements but units did have the discretion to ask for them. The working group recommended the end of the statements after reviewing other policies and surveying more than 2,000 faculty members. “Critics of diversity statements perceive them as expressions of personal identity traits, support of specific ideology or opinions on socially-relevant issues, and serve as a ‘litmus test’ of whether a faculty member’s views are politically acceptable,” the working group wrote in its report. “Thus, as currently enacted, diversity statements have the potential to limit viewpoints and reduce diversity of thought among faculty members.” The working group said it acknowledged the concerns. "But, well-written diversity statements do not necessarily require expression of one’s identity, and they need not express one's beliefs or stances on socially-charged issues," the working group wrote. "Instead, well-written diversity statements contain reflections of how identity has shaped a faculty member’s approach with their students, how they work with their colleagues, and how they interact with society. These are desirable features of current and future U-M faculty members, and this information should be considered when potential faculty are hired and current faculty are promoted." The work group also offered two other recommendations, including that the university "can and must" incorporate of content about DEI into teaching, research and service statements. "Through this incorporation, the problematic features of diversity statements can be eliminated, while the useful and necessary information that exists in diversity statements can be saved and placed where it more naturally belongs," the group wrote in its report. However, UM did not adopt those recommendations. UM's decision to discontinue diversity statements followed other steps the university has taken in recent months that supporters said will create an environment that expands diverse views on campus. They include the regents' controversial adoption last month of a policy on institutional neutrality that prohibits some officials from taking public stances on political and social issues not related to the internal governance of the university. Last month the Faculty Senate passed a resolution censuring the Board of Regents and accusing the regents of "increasingly exhibiting authoritarian tendencies, and silencing free speech. ©2024 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com . 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Matthew Gaudreau's Wife Welcomes Their First Baby After His DeathTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Shaquil Barrett is rejoining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs signed the two-time Super Bowl champion on Saturday, while also announcing safety Jordan Whitehead was activated from injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers. Barrett spent five seasons with Tampa Bay from 2019 to 2023. He led the NFL with a franchise-record 19 1-2 sacks in his first year with the Bucs, then helped the team win its second Super Bowl title the following season. In all, Barrett started 70 games with Tampa Bay, amassing 45 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions. He was released last winter in a salary cap move, signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins in free agency, then abruptly announced his retirement on social media before the start of training camp in July. Barrett, who also won a Super Bowl during a four-season stint with the Denver Broncos, decided to unretire last month. He signed with the Bucs after clearing waivers earlier in the week. Whitehead has missed the past four games with a pectoral injury. His return comes of the heels of the Bucs placing safety Christian Izien on IR with a pectoral injury. On Saturday, the Bucs also activated rookie wide receiver Kameron Johnson from IR and elevated punter Jack Browning to the active roster from the practice squad. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
A pair of Seattle, Washington-area teens accused of tying a younger boy to a tree and “disemboweling” him in a possible gang-related attack earlier this month have been charged as adults. Everett Police responded to the area of Olympic Drive and Rainier Drive in the early morning hours of December 17 after a 911 caller said that a teenager covered in blood was at their home, FOX13 reported. Upon arrival, officers observed a 14-year-old victim with “obvious stab wounds,” the department said in a news release . No suspects were present at the scene, believed to have “fled on foot,” police said. By December 18, two 17-year-olds who were “known” to the victim were arrested in their respective homes, the release stated. According to FOX13, all three teens are students at Lakewood High School in Arlington. Court documents obtained by the outlet revealed more gruesome details of the incident, including that it may have been a gang-related setup involving a girl. Security footage from the 911 caller’s front door shows a “disemboweled” and naked teen ringing the doorbell while “struggling to breathe,” the outlet reported of probable cause documents. The boy’s injuries were described as “traumatic,” including a letter “N” that had been carved into his chest. The young teen told police that he had been stabbed in the nearby Lions Park, and that one of the suspects was a member of the “Norteños” — which the City of Everett describes as “a group of Latino street gangs with origins in northern California.” The 14-year-old told police that he had been in communication with a girl over social media, and agreed to meet her on the evening of December 16, court documents stated. “After picking him up, the victim suggested they go to Lions Park to hang out and smoke,” FOX13 noted. The victim told police that while the girl was driving them to the park, he believes that she was messaging someone to let them know their location. He knew the girl had previously “set up one of his friends and attacked her,” documents stated. After arriving at the park, the victim got out of the car and went to open the driver’s side door for the girl when two people grabbed him and took him into a “wooded area,” according to the outlet. “The girl then drove away,” the article reported of allegations in the court documents. While the perpetrators were wearing ski masks over their faces, the victim told police that he quickly recognized them before they forced him to strip off his clothes and tied him to a tree at gunpoint. After allegedly stabbing him, court documents said the suspects fled the scene and the victim was able to free himself and get to the nearest home for help. He was transported to the hospital and is expected to survive, Fox News reported. The two 17-year-olds, identified by the outlet as Milo Canales and Hayden Lusebrink, have since been charged as adults with first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and first-degree kidnapping. Canales, who was allegedly found with the victim’s bloody clothing, had his bail set at $1 million. He was already facing felony charges in juvenile court for a November 2023 robbery in Seattle, but had been released from custody on December 2, according to KOMO News. Lusebrink, who had his bail set at $300,000, bonded out and was released.India’s founding document sparked a social revolution
