MEXC has expanded its partnership with blockchain security platform Hacken to introduce monthly, independently verified Proof-of-Reserves (PoR) audits, marking a shift toward a more formalized transparency framework for the exchange. The monthly audits will add independent verification to MEXC’s existing PoR system, creating an external record of reserves that cannot be altered internally. Hacken will publish each report independently, without MEXC’s review or approval, starting in late November. The checks will compare MEXC’s reserves with user balances across major assets. MEXC said its current reserve ratios remain above 100% across major assets, with users able to verify their balances through the exchange’s Merkle tree system on a dedicated proof-of-reserves page. A Merkle tree PoR lets users verify that their assets are included in an exchange’s total balances by checking cryptographic “hashes” instead of revealing full account data. When asked if the exchange expects monthly third-party PoR audits to become an industry standard, a spokeperson for MEXC said: We believe the industry is moving in this direction. One-time or irregular PoR snapshots no longer meet the expectations of either users or institutional counterparties. Strengthening regulation in the US, EU, and Asia also points to a trend toward mandatory periodic reporting.” Hacken is a blockchain security and compliance company with expertise in Web3 and AI-assisted tools. Since 2017, it has worked with more than 1, 500 clients, including the European Commission, MetaMask, the Ethereum Foundation and Binance. MEXC, founded in 2018, says it serves over 40 million users across more than 170 countries and regions. CoinMarketCap data ranks the exchange ninth by trading volume, at roughly $3. 65 billion. Related: Crypto exchange Kraken submits confidential US IPO filing PoR becomes crypto’s trust benchmark Since FTX’s collapse in November 2022, centralized exchanges have been trying to restore user confidence. In the weeks after FTX’s bankruptcy, more than $20 billion flowed out of major platforms, according to CoinGecko data. Binance was the first major exchange to disclose its reserves after the collapse. It published an initial report on Nov. 10, 2022, followed days later by a Merkle Tree version that allowed users to verify its Bitcoin holdings. Around the same period, OKX, Deribit and Crypto. com also released proof-of-reserves reports, but most disclosures were one-off snapshots rather than ongoing audits, drawing criticism from the community for offering only limited transparency. In 2022, Kraken underwent a cryptographic audit by Armanino LLP, which verified that its Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) holdings matched customer balances. The exchange said that the independently validated process provided a level of transparency that legacy financial companies rarely offer. Bybit has been using Hacken to conduct PoR audits since June 2024. According to Hacken, the reviews check user liabilities, verify wallet ownership cryptographically, confirm that reserves exceed liabilities and use a Merkle tree system that lets users verify their own balances.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/tech/mexc-hires-hacken-for-monthly-proof-of-reserves-audits/
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Trinity Rodman focused on fight for NWSL title as departure rumors swirl
SAN JOSE, Calif. Spirit star forward Trinity Rodman on Thursday did her best to shut down speculation regarding her NWSL future as she tries to remain laser focused on Saturday’s championship match against Gotham FC. Rodman reportedly has received several lucrative international offers from top European clubs, but she said “no decisions” have been made regarding her impending free agency. She said it hasn’t even crossed her mind that Saturday’s game potentially could be her last in the NWSL. “I’m not there at all,” Rodman said. “There could be conversations being had, but right now I am so excited to be representing the Spirit. I’m not even thinking of when my last game will be. But yeah, I just want to win it and we’ll see.” Rodman is at the center of what could be a pivotal moment in league history as the NWSL’s salary cap restraints could result in an exodus of star players leaving for better compensation elsewhere. The Athletic reported that DC Power, of the Gainbridge Super League, presented Rodman with a “significantly larger” contract than what the Spirit or NWSL can compete against under the current salary cap restrictions. NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman was peppered with salary cap-related questions during her hourlong press conference. She said the league’s salary cap had “almost quadrupled” over the past four seasons as the league’s popularity and revenue streams grew. But she didn’t seem to entertain the idea of softening the NWSL’s current hard cap, which was set at $3. 5 million per club this season. “It’s hard to say” whether the salary cap was an appropriate mechanism for the NWSL at this time, according to Rodman. “In women’s sports, there’s always this fight for equal pay, to get paid more for the work that we do,” Rodman said. “But again, I’m 23 years old. I’m not going to try to completely change the league and fix that. But at the same time, yeah, we’re always going to push and strive for more.” Still, Berman remains steadfast about keeping Rodman in the league. “We want Trinity in the NWSL, and we will fight for her,” Berman said. “And we are excited to see her compete in the championship on Saturday.” Rodman, 23, was flattered by Berman’s comments and has been happy since starting her professional career in the NWSL in 2021. “But at the same time, like, I don’t want to put that pressure on myself of because she said that now, I’m like, ‘Oh, shoot, I’m trapped,’ ” Rodman said. “Again, I’m focused on this weekend, and that’s really all I can focus on. And then moving forward, then that’s when I really have those conversations and tough calls that I need to have.” Berman signed a multi-year contract extension to keep her in charge of ushering the league into its next era of growth, the NWSL announced Thursday. Berman took over as NWSL commissioner in 2022 and under her watch the league has checked off many major milestones, including a new collective bargaining agreement, league expansion and skyrocketing club valuations. “Jessica’s leadership has been instrumental in transforming the NWSL into a global sports property,” Gotham FC owner and NWSL executive committee chair Carolyn Tisch Blodget said in a statement. “Her vision for sustainable growth, along with her ability to fuel enduring momentum, has positioned the league for long-term success.” Berman now is under contract through the 2028 season, the Equalizer reported.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/20/sports/trinity-rodman-focused-on-fight-for-nwsl-title-as-departure-rumors-swirl/
Greenland 2: Migration – New Clip Released And 7 Location Posters
Lionsgate released a new clip and seven location posters from Greenland 2: Migration, which will be released in theaters on January 9th. We might be in the middle of awards season hell, but January and all of its glory will be here before we know it. January is such a fun time at the movies because it is still, though not as much anymore, a dumping ground for movies that studios might not have the most confidence in. It’s where low-budget horror tends to thrive and original action movies that still all somehow feel the same. Greenland 2: Migration is another one of those films, but this one has something that many other movies don’t have, and that’s a fan base that didn’t get the chance to experience the first film in theaters. The first film was a pandemic hit, and now this sequel is getting the full theatrical release. If there is room on the docket, Lionsgate should get some double features going; there’s an audience for it, I can assure you. We’re about six weeks out from the release, so we’re starting to get some promotional material. A clip was released today showing John Garrity out on the surface of the world following the catastrophic comet impact. This is a rare disaster movie sequel that looks into what happens after the world-ending event when the few survivors actually survive, which is a great angle to explore. We see a nasty storm that John is running from, and it’s dangerous enough that opening the door to let him in with it so close is a risk. We also got location posters. Usually, a film will release character posters, and maybe we’ll get some of those, but Greenland 2: Migration is about the world after. We have a series of seven location posters showcasing major cities in the United States and what they look like after a disaster. It’s another example of how this team is going above and beyond when they could have easily phoned it in with a sequel in name only. Greenland 2: Migration The Unlikely Pandemic Sequel Greenland 2: Migration will be directed by Ric Roman Waugh, written by Mitchell LaFortune and Chris Sparling, and produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, Sébastien Raybaud, John Zois, Brendon Boyea, and Ric Roman Waugh. The film stars Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roman Griffin Davis, Amber Rose Revah, Sophie Thompson, Trond Fausa Aurvåg, and William Abadie. Lionsgate released a brief summary for Greenland 2: Migration: In the aftermath of a comet strike that decimated most of the earth, Greenland 2: Migration follows the Garrity family (Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, and Roman Griffith Davis) as they’re forced to leave the safety of their bunker in Greenland to traverse a shattered world in search of a new home. Greenland 2: Migration will be released on January 9, 2026. The first film was released over the course of several months in 2020. Greenland was initially set to be a summer blockbuster, but the film kept getting pushed back as it became more and more apparent that this little virus thing was not going to be a quick thing that turned around. However, while the movie ultimately ended up skipping US theaters for a PVOD format in the fall, Greenland did release internationally in a couple of different countries. Starting in mid-July and through the rest of the summer and into the fall, Greenland would open in theaters across Europe, eventually gathering a worldwide box office of $52. 3 million on a budget of $35 million. That box office gross does not include the PVOD numbers when the film was released digitally in October 2020 or the $20-$30 million the studio made from selling the streaming rights to HBO. The sequel, which would eventually be titled Greenland 2: Migration, was officially greenlit in June 2021.
https://bleedingcool.com/movies/greenland-2-migration-new-clip-released-and-7-location-posters/
Trump to meet New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Friday
President Donald Trump will meet with New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Friday after months of name-calling and threats against the 34-year-old democratic socialist, who has vowed to resist his agenda. “We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st,” Trump said in a social media post Wednesday evening. Mamdani’s campaign confirmed the meeting. “As is customary for an incoming mayoral administration, the Mayor-elect plans to meet with the President in Washington to discuss public safety, economic security and the affordability agenda that over one million New Yorkers voted for just two weeks ago,” Mamdani spokeswoman Dora Pekec said in a statement. Earlier in the week, Trump had signaled his intention to meet with Mamdani, telling reporters on Sunday night, “We’ll work something out.” Mamdani will be sworn in as New York’s first Muslim mayor on Jan. 1. Trump waded into the New York mayoral race by endorsing one of Mamdani’s opponents, former New York governor Andrew M. Cuomo – a Democrat who ran as an independent. The president has kept up a relentless line of attack on Mamdani over his policy positions, which include free city bus services, freezing rent on rent-stabilized apartments, launching city-owned grocery stores and free early child care. Ahead of the mayoral election, Trump also threatened to cut funding to New York and “take over” the city in the event of a Mamdani victory. Trump wields considerable influence over federal dollars going to New York City, where the 2026 operating budget relies on $7.4 billion in federal funding, The Washington Post has reported. Previously, Trump threatened to arrest Mamdani if he were to block Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in New York. He has variously called Mamdani “terrible,” “bad news” and a “total nutjob.” Mamdani has also faced a barrage of Islamophobic attacks and baseless questions about his citizenship status from some Trump supporters and Republican lawmakers – including from Rep. Andrew Ogles (R-Tennessee), who referred to Mamdani as “little muhammad,” called for him to be deported and asked the Justice Department to investigate him earlier this year. Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to parents of Indian origin. The family moved to New York City when Mamdani was 7, and he became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018. Mamdani has not backed down in the face of Trump’s insults and threats. In his victory speech, Mamdani said New York can become a model for how to defeat Trump “by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.” “So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up,” he said. He has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s agenda, especially an immigration crackdown that has targeted Democratic-led cities. In his first news conference after being elected, Mamdani said he would address the “twin crises” of “an authoritarian administration and an affordability crisis.” Recently, Mamdani said he would contact the White House as he prepares to take office, emphasizing his responsibility to work collaboratively, even with political adversaries. “I’ll say that I’m here to work for the benefit of everyone who calls the city home, and that wherever there is a possibility for working together toward that end, I’m ready,” Mamdani told NBC New York last week. “And if it’s to the expense of those New Yorkers, I will fight it.” Stay informed and connected — subscribe to The Philadelphia Tribune NOW! Click Here Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don’t Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/state_and_region/trump-to-meet-new-york-mayor-elect-zohran-mamdani-on-friday/article_cbdd8fd2-6f9f-4f46-b5fa-b061a95507fd.html
The ‘Wicked’ Curse Theory Erupts: Leading Cast Members Spark Major Health Concerns… as Fans Compare Photos of Stars Before Joining Franchise to Recent ‘Scary-Thin’ Images
Nov. 20 2025, Published 4:20 p.m. ET Disturbing photos of the cast of Wicked have sparked major health concerns and fueled accusations of “competitive anorexia” running rampant on the hit film’s set, RadarOnline.com can reveal. While the cast has been busy promoting Wicked: For Good, which hits theaters on November 21, fans have struggled to buy into the excitement for the sequel due to stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Michelle Yeoh’s “sickly” appearances. Fans Raise Concerns About ‘Wicked’ Stars’ Weight Fans took to social media to share their concerns about Grande, Erivo, and Yeoh’s health while highlighting their weight loss in dramatic before-and-after photos. Commenters said the Wicked cast looked “emaciated” and pointed to their protruding bones and gaunt faces as alleged evidence something is wrong. “Guys, there’s no way to find this normal!” an X user wrote alongside a before-and-after photo of Yeoh. “Look at how Michelle was before that diabolical movie and look at how she is now (oh my god).” Another X user said the actresses reminded them of how their “dying grandma” looked when she “lost the ability to eat because of her ALS,” adding, “These people genuinely need help, they look like skeletons.” “Yeah, it’s honestly very concerning that the three female leads all had very healthy, strong figures before Wicked, and now all of them look like they weigh less than 100 pounds each… Like what is happening on those sets…” one user chimed in. “The cast of Wicked looks emaciated, and it’s very concerning. I hope someone steps in,” a second person wrote. “You can see their bones pushing against their skin. It looks really worrying, and them being put on a red carpet and stylized and everyone acting like it’s fine is freaking me out.” ‘Ally McBeal’ Comparisons Many comments echoed the sentiment about how the Wicked cast reminded them of tales from “toxic” shows and films in the 1990s and early aughts, particularly claims about hit TV show Ally McBeal. While promoting her 2010 memoir Unbearable Lightness, Portia de Rossi famously confessed her eating disorder skyrocketed while starring on Ally McBeal. In her book, she revealed her weight dropped to a shocking 82 pounds, prompting the beginning stages of organ failure. Later, her co-stars Courtney Thorne Smith and Calista Flockhart opened up on the pressure they felt to be skinny and extreme diets. Some suggested a similar confession about Wicked would surface in the future. “I feel like in 10 years we’re going to find out there was something insanely sinister going on on the set of Wicked,” one person said. “I haven’t seen a single cast member who looks like they have gotten healthier or happier through the course of filming.” Although some attempted to defend the cast and accuse critics of body shaming, they were quickly shut down as users overwhelmingly branded the actresses’ transformations “not normal.” “Call me crazy, but I don’t think it’s body shaming to genuinely wonder what’s going on and if they’re all ok,” an X user remarked as another added, “I’m so sick of people pretending that pointing out a dangerous trend is body shaming.”
https://radaronline.com/p/wicked-ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-health-concerns-weight-loss/
Giants corner Dru Phillips: ‘I didn’t get benched,’ must be better in ‘critical situations’
Giants corner Dru Phillips said Thursday that he was not benched in last Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, even though he played his final snap with over 12 minutes remaining in the third quarter. “It’s a rotation,” Phillips, 23, told the Daily News at his locker. “I didn’t get benched.” Both interim head coach Mike Kafka and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen confirmed the fourth quarter benching in favor of backup Nic Jones, but Phillips is a proud player. Bowen reaffirmed he still has confidence in the former third-round pick. And the Giants (2-9) might have to call upon Phillips again Sunday against the Lions (6-4) after Jones showed up on Thursday’s injury report as limited with a hamstring injury. “[I] felt like Nic earned the right to play a little bit, right?” Bowen said Thursday. “He’s out here working. He’s done a really good job. We got him in there, felt confident in his ability to go in there and play. And I would say he earned the right to play.” Phillips seemed to be playing a shallow zone on his final play with 12: 25 remaining in the third quarter when Dane Belton was flagged for a 35-yard pass interference near the goal line on Matthew Golden to set up a Packers touchdown. He also comes across as a hard-nosed, competitive, loyal and accountable player and person. But he has had a difficult season, and his late demotion was an interesting wrinkle during Kafka’s first game as head coach, considering there are plenty of other candidates on this roster as worthy of the fate Phillips received Sunday. Phillips is tied for the fourth-most penalties (eight) against in the NFL, and his 122 penalty yards against rank second in the league behind only Denver’s Riley Moss (nine for 178). He has also been victimized during some of the Giants defense’s collapses, especially during the infamous loss at Denver, when his finish on a play or two was far less than acceptable. Kafka supported the change after the game. When Jones entered, he immediately put tight coverage on Christian Watson for a 3rd down pass breakup late in the third quarter. “Yeah, the defense, they wanted to make a substitution there to put him at nickel,” Kafka said. “It was a good idea, and I think he did a nice job and made a nice little play there on third and two.” Phillips said he knows he has to play better. “I’ve got to be better in critical situations and reduce penalties,” he said. So what can he do to stay ready for Detroit, knowing he expects it to be a “rotation,” to earn his previous full-time role? “I’ve just got to show up, work and compete,” he said. Oddly enough, Bowen stressed full confidence in Jones but didn’t start him against the Packers. Why? “Because I have confidence in Dru,” he said. “I have confidence in Dru to go out there and do all those things as our starting nickel just trying to get him some time.” Phillips said he knew about the rotation before the Green Bay game started, though. It all makes for a lot of consternation and curiosity at what the next change will be when the Giants take the field on Sunday and how players will continue to respond to the whiplash of being handled differently by an interim coach. FITZGERALD STILL AT PRACTICE Former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald was watching Giants practice for a second straight day on Thursday and observing and taking notes. Kafka did not indicate Fitzgerald has any role other than visiting as a helpful mentor, but it’s worth monitoring Fitzgerald’s continued presence if coordinator Shane Bowen’s defense continues to struggle Sunday in Detroit. Kafka is 0-1 with six games remaining as interim Giants head coach. DART REMAINS LIMITED Quarterback Jaxson Dart (concussion/ non-contact) remained limited at practice for a second straight day. If he does clear the protocol for Sunday’s game, it is likely to happen sometime on Friday. It’s interesting that he wasn’t cleared on Thursday, considering he returned to the field last week and already was going through grueling workouts prior to the Packers game. Dart was in the locker room for a while at his locker, but NFL media rules prohibit reporters from interviewing players while they are in the concussion protocol. So it’s possible that Dart won’t speak on Brian Daboll’s firing, his concussion in Chicago and everything else until after the Giants’ game in Detroit. ADEBO NOT LOOKING GOOD Starting Giants corner Paulson Adebo (knee) did some running on a back field early in practice. But he isn’t close to 100%, and he was listed as a non-participant for a second straight day. So he is expected to miss a fifth straight game on Sunday. Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder) and seldom-used tight end Thomas Fidone II (foot) also remained sidelined. Thibodeaux will miss his second straight game, and Fidone looks like he will be out on Sunday, too. Corner Cor’Dale Flott had a baby, so he missed a second straight practice, but he’s healthy. Veteran receiver Darius Slayton (hamstring) was upgraded to limited and has a chance to play against the Lions. Dart, Jones, Corner Deonte Banks (hip), linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (illness), corner Rico Payton (illness), defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (neck), safety Tyler Nubin (neck) and defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr. (toe/elbow) were limited, too. Running back Eric Gray (knee) was a full participant after the Giants opened his window to active him from injured reserve.
https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/11/20/giants-corner-dru-phillips-i-didnt-get-benched-must-be-better-in-critical-situations/
Coast Guard set to change policy to call swastikas and nooses ‘potentially divisive’
WASHINGTON (AP) The U. S. Coast Guard is poised to change some of its language and policies surrounding the display of hate symbols like swastikas and nooses as well as how personnel report hate incidents. A Coast Guard message in 2020 from then-Commandant Karl Schultz said symbols like swastikas and nooses were “widely identified with oppression or hatred” and called their display “a potential hate incident.” The Coast Guard policy dated this month calls those same symbols “potentially divisive.” The new policy maintains a yearslong prohibition on publicly displaying the Confederate flag outside of a handful of situations, such as educational or historical settings. However, it does not outright prohibit the public display of any other “potentially divisive” symbols. The new Coast Guard policy, which is set to take effect on Dec. 15 and was first reported by The Washington Post, is facing pushback. Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada said that “this updated policy rolls back important protections against bigotry and could allow for horrifically hateful symbols like swastikas and nooses to be inexplicably permitted to be displayed.” “At a time when antisemitism is rising in the United States and around the world, relaxing policies aimed at fighting hate crimes not only sends the wrong message to the men and women of our Coast Guard, but it puts their safety at risk,” she added. Admiral Kevin Lunday, acting commandant of the Coast Guard, said the policy does not roll back any prohibitions. “These symbols have been and remain prohibited in the Coast Guard per policy,” Lunday said in a statement, adding that “any display, use or promotion of such symbols, as always, will be thoroughly investigated and severely punished.” Lunday’s predecessor, Admiral Linda Fagan, was fired on President Donald Trump’s first day in office. Trump officials later said she fired in part for putting an “excessive focus” on diversity and inclusion efforts that diverted “resources and attention from operational imperatives.” The new policy explicitly says that “the terminology ‘hate incident’ is no longer present in policy” and conduct that would have previously been handled as a potential hate incident will now be treated as “a report of harassment in cases with an identified aggrieved individual.” Commanders, in consultation with lawyers, may order or direct the removal of “potentially divisive” symbols or flags if they are found to be affecting the unit’s morale or discipline, according to the policy. The Coast Guard is under the Department of Homeland Security, but it is still considered a part of America’s armed forces and the new policy was updated in part to be consistent with similar Pentagon directives, according to a Coast Guard message announcing the changes. It also has historically modeled many of its human resources policies on other military services. The policy change comes less than two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth the policies were “overly broad” and they were “jeopardizing combat readiness, mission accomplishment, and trust in the organization.” The Pentagon could not offer any details about what the review was specifically looking at, if it could lead to similar changes as seen in the Coast Guard policy or when the review would be complete.
https://ktar.com/national-news/coast-guard-set-to-change-policy-to-call-swastikas-and-nooses-potentially-divisive/5779955/
20 Funny Memes of Cats Saying “No Thanks” to Winter and “Yes Please” to Warm Snuggles
Cats may act like fearless rulers of the household, but introduce them to snow or a chilly breeze, and suddenly they become dramatic little divas. The moment a cold draft slips under the door, they stare at it like the weather purrsonally insulted them. They’ll glare out the window as if winter is an unacceptable malfunction that needs to be fixed immediately. And if a paw happens to touch snow? That single toe freeze is enough to trigger a full meltdown, complete with offended meows and frantic retreat back to the warmest blanket in the house. Even indoor cats can’t escape the cold-weather complaints. They spend winter under blankets, on top of heaters, buried in laundry piles, and draped over radiators like furry hot water bottles. Their paws tuck underneath their bodies, their tails wrap tight like scarves, and they look at their hoomans with that classic “fix the thermostat, peasant” expression.
https://cheezburger.com/43327237/20-funny-memes-of-cats-saying-no-thanks-to-winter-and-yes-please-to-warm-snuggles
Should nursing contracts be more like prix fixe menus?
This is a preview of the November 20 edition of Access Health-Tap here to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Here in Chicago, we have a Restaurant Week each year has released a study discrediting “pediatric sex rejecting procedures” for the treatment of gender dysphoria in children and teens. The study found “significant, long-term, and too often ignored or inadequately tracked” health effects from gender affirming treatments given to pediatric patients, according to a Wednesday news release from HHS, led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The report’s authors included physicians from Duke University, University of South Florida and Baylor College of Medicine. The American Psychiatric Association participated in the review, but the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society refused HHS’ invitation to partake, according to the report. Health systems around the country are caught in the medical and political crossfires. As of August, at least 21 hospitals had discontinued some or all of their gender-affirming care services for transgender patients amidst increased pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration, NBC reported. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association released a joint statement on Wednesday, saying, “We reject selective or politically motivated interpretations of data that ignore the totality of research and clinical outcomes.” Click here for the full statement. You can view HHS’ report here. UMass Memorial Health Care She’s also the primary CEO of three of the eight medical groups in the Federation: the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, the Permanente Medical Group in Northern California and the Northwest Permanente Medical Group in Oregon and part of Washington. Ansari oversees about 12, 000 physicians caring for a combined 6 million patients. We discussed how she’s preparing to support them into the future-especially as the Baby Boomer population ages, placing additional strain on an already-taxed health care system. Below, find some of her insights on how new care models and AI can lighten providers’ load. Editor’s Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. How is The Permanente Federation planning to care for an aging population? We’re using a lot of different care models to look at this population, because [our plan] depends on the state. As an example, in Oregon, the birth rate is really low, and so the growth is in the Medicare line of business. What’s true across [all of our] markets is that we’re aging faster than we’re growing [the workforce], and so we have to really invest in caring for this older population. We know that for people over 65, close to 90 percent of them have at least one chronic medical condition, and 60 percent have at least two chronic medical conditions. People are living longer and they are carrying more disease burden. And so what we’re looking at from a population perspective is, how do we keep them living their best lives? How do we keep them healthy? How do we support them in this? Because they all look different, right? If you’ve seen one 80-year-old, you’ve seen one 80-year-old, because one might be playing tennis, another might be bedridden, and there’s everything in between. We have a few different pilots going on, but the general approach is moving care more and more upstream so that they don’t get the late-stage manifestation of their disease. If they have hypertension, [we want to ensure] that it’s under tight control, or if they have diabetes, that we’re controlling it so well that they don’t get hospitalized, because nobody wants to be in the emergency department. Frictionless, convenient access to care and care management systems help keep them healthy at home. That’s a mainstay throughout The Permanente Federation and all of our medical groups: care managers for chronic conditions. What we are doing differently right now is using AI to [identify patients that are at] the highest risk to be admitted, to have a fall, to have a heart attack, and really put wraparound services around them. We’re calling that Care Plus. We’ve been using that in Northern California, and we’re trying to spread it to some of the other markets. But the Care Plus model is basically a care team that includes a nurse, a pharmacist, a physician, a social worker and a care navigator. There are multiple [of those] groups of five that care for a population of patients that are at risk for getting sicker, and the AI alerts us to get involved, and they direct the right type of person on the team to address it. So if it’s a transport issue or a food insecurity issue, it might be the social worker. If it’s they’re running out of meds, it might be the pharmacist. Did Kaiser Permanente develop that AI tool internally, or are you working with a vendor? We do work with vendors on some of our AI tools. This particular AI tool is our own in-house AI tool [that] we use our electronic medical record for. We actually have 12. 6 million members across our entire enterprise, and use a predictive analytics model to determine who is most likely to get re-hospitalized, who’s more likely to deteriorate, and then alert the care team on what the gap is in terms of the need so that we can match them to the right member of the care team. It’s almost like AI is part of the care team-so we have a team-based approach, and AI is just one that is trying to match the patient to the right care team member. For most of their lives, patients over the age of 65 have been receiving care face-to-face, without much technological intervention. Are you concerned about integrating more digital tools into their care journey? Personally, I am not worried about it. They are not a monolithic group, and many of them are wearing wearables and are very tech savvy. They want real-time feedback. They want to have what we consider asynchronous interactions with their care team, where they can just [ask], “What do you think of this mole?” We piloted a [dermatology] app and had people send in pictures of their moles, and the AI algorithm helped tell them [if they were] going to have to see a doctor or if this could be managed with over-the-counter treatment. We had just as many older patients engaged in that as younger. In fact, the older patients are more likely to have some lesions that they’re more concerned about. So I’m very optimistic about our seniors embracing AI. We use AI in most of our clinic visits because we use Abridge and supplementing by looking for the metaphorical sunshine. Health care professionals are confronted with a lot of problems in their day-to-day: ill patients, declining reimbursement rates, staffing shortages. Naturally, a lot of our conversations focus on these issues; you have to examine them closely to find the solutions. But lately, I’ve really enjoyed hearing what industry leaders are excited about-what they feel is going right. This week, I saw some of those bright spots in my conversation with Dr. Alexa Kimball, president and CEO of Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians. Kimball told me that she sees progress when reflecting on her time in medicine, and that helps her keep a positive outlook. Here’s what she said: Editor’s Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. “It’s been an incredible journey of watching the progress that medicine has made over the past 25 years, and an amazing privilege to be able to have been a part of it. “There are diseases that were so common and so problematic years ago, and today, this next generation of physicians has never even really seen the disease because it almost doesn’t exist anymore. “It’s been extraordinary to watch that, so I am very optimistic about the care that we bring to patients. We have to figure out how we support the physician enterprise effectively to bring the best care to patients, and AI has also made me optimistic about reducing some of doctors’ burdens to make them more effective. But we’re all in this together at the end of the day, and we’re not going to optimize the health care system unless all parts of it are really pulling the same direction, which, at the end of the day, should be about the care of the patients.” CEO Circle Insights from health care thought leaders around the world “A quiet paradox is unfolding in health care,” according to Dr. Lawrence Rosenberg, president and CEO of the Integrated Health & Social Sciences University Network for West-Central Montreal, and a member of Newsweek’s CEO Circle. Governments are focused on centralizing their health systems-but Rosenberg argues that they could become vulnerable to “intelligence bottlenecks” in the age of AI. Click here to read his thoughts.
https://www.newsweek.com/should-nursing-contracts-be-more-like-prix-fixe-menus-access-health-11084548
Citi chief financial officer Mark Mason to leave bank next year
Citigroup said Thursday that Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason will step down from his role in early March before leaving the bank next year. The Jane Fraser-led lender named Gonzalo Luchetti, currently the bank’s head of US personal banking, as his successor. Mason, who has been the company’s CFO since 2019, will become executive vice chair and senior executive advisor to chair and CEO Fraser starting in the spring. But the US financial giant said that the Queens native will leave the bank before the end of next year so he can “pursue his leadership aspirations outside of Citi.” Mason, who joined Citi in 2001, said in a statement that “serving as CFO for the last seven years” was “one of the most demanding and fulfilling chapters of my career.” Scotland-born Fraser, 58, said that the former Goldman Sachs banker “has proven himself to be a leader for all seasons, having helped Citi navigate some of our most challenging times.” Luchetti, who previously worked at JPMorgan Chase and Bain & Company, will take over as CFO once the firm files its year-end reports for 2025 in March. Citi said the Argentine national, who has been the head of US banking since 2021, had presided over solid business growth since taking up the post while modernizing its branch network and successfully strengthening risk and controls. “The evolution of our leadership team and structure is well timed as it puts in place our next generation of leaders ahead of our upcoming investor day [in May] when we will lay out our plans to further grow our returns,” Fraser added. The British-American CEO was handed a one-time bonus last month worth $25 million, along with just over 1 million stock options potentially worth tens of millions of dollars more. The Harvard Business School graduate is in the midst of her turnaround plan to slash costs and streamline operations. The cost of a Citi share stood at $97. 63 just after the closing bell on Thursday, with the announcement of the bank’s management reshuffle being made shortly afterwards.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/20/business/citi-chief-financial-officer-mark-mason-to-leave-bank-next-year/