Author: 5hspx

Marketplace health premiums for individuals and small group employers will rise by 8 percent and 9 percent, respectively, next January, but the hikes will be less steep than this year's double-digit increases and less steep than insurers initially proposed. Maine Insurance Commissioner Bob Carey recently approved health insurance rates that will take effect on January 1, 2025. According to a press release, the Department worked with health insurers, including Anthem, Harvard Pilgrim and Taro Health, to reduce the originally proposed rates. The approved rate increases were reduced from a 14.2% average increase proposed across various insurers to an 8.6% average…

SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) – As Tuesday's storms move away, we expect milder weather today and tomorrow. No need to worry about the heat anymore as cooler weather is on the way. A few more showers are predicted today, but they won't be as rainy as we had Tuesday afternoon.todayClouds will remain throughout the day, keeping skies mostly overcast. Winds will also shift to the northeast at 5-10 mph with gusts to 20 mph. These two factors will result in cooler temperatures with highs remaining in the 70s F. Temperatures will vary across central Michigan, ranging from the upper 60s F…

Vietnam-based shipping company Asia Pacific Shipping has decided to order two liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers in China. The company has contracted with China's Jiangnan Shipyard to build two 50,500 cbm LPG carriers, each valued at $102 million, according to data from Intermodal Shipbrokers. The ship is designed to transport liquid ammonia and is scheduled to be delivered in 2027. Asia Pacific Shipping was established in 2021. The company owns and operates a diversified fleet of vessels, including LPG carriers, oil tankers and bulk carriers. According to data provided by VesselsValue, the shipowner has ordered eight vessels from different shipyards,…

P-pop goes global when SB19 and BINI win the prestigious “Voice of Asia Award” at Billboard Korea's “Billboard K-Power 100” event in Seoul.In a historic moment for Philippine music, P-Pop groups SB19 and BINI received the Voices of Asia Award in recognition of their contributions to the global music scene and their steady promotion of P-Pop outside the Philippines.Hailed for their chart-topping hits and international influence, SB19 and BINI, dubbed “the people's girl group” for their pioneering success, continue to solidify their roles as key figures in the evolution of global music. Beyond their musical achievements, members of both groups…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Germany today and met Chancellor Olaf Scholz, vowing to “turn around Brexit” and rebuild ties with EU member states.Arriving in Berlin, the chancellor said he wanted to repair the “broken relationships” left by the previous government and forge new agreements with Europe's neighbours.”We have a unique opportunity to rebuild our relationship with Europe,” the prime minister added.No details were given of the deal British negotiators are trying to reach with German officials, but the prime minister suggested the visit would be the catalyst for talks expected to continue over the next six months.British, German and…

1. Special Counsel Jack Smith is not letting the Supreme Court's immunity ruling in favor of Donald Trump and senior officials deter him from prosecuting the former president solely for his role in the attack on the Capitol on January 6. Smith has just filed a new indictment against Trump, which has been approved by a new grand jury. 2. Eastern equine encephalitis has put several New England states on high alert. A New Hampshire woman has died from the mosquito-borne disease for the first time in a decade. Massachusetts is on high alert, restricting some outdoor activities and closing…

Having spotted an opportunity in Indonesia's competitive coffee-selling business, entrepreneur Edward Tirtanata is aiming for rapid expansion over the next few years. Co-founder and group CEO of Southeast Asia's first food and beverage unicorn, Kopi Kenangan, said the privately held company is Indonesia's largest coffee chain, currently selling about 6 million cups a month. With revenue of $106 million in 2023, Tirtanata sees it growing 32% this year to $140 million and quadrupling to $430 million by 2028. That's just one of his ambitious goals: He aims to expand into more countries (currently, the company only has international stores in…

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.Tim McDonnell: Why is it so important to build a bigger market for U.S. clean technology exports?Brian Dees: When we think about where the biggest emissions are going to come from and where the biggest investments and transformations are going to be needed over the next few decades, it's outside the U.S. So boosting the U.S. economy with clean energy and expanding that globally is the surest way we can actually accelerate decarbonization on a global scale.And this is what's most relevant about the Marshall Plan analogy. When people think of the…

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The Royal Thai Air Force has selected the Gripen E/F fighter jet to replace its aging F-16A/B fighters after a fierce competition that also included Saab and Lockheed Martin, officials announced Tuesday.The military committee deliberated for 10 months before recommending Gripen, but government approval is still required before a contract can be awarded. “It is concluded that the JAS 39 Gripen E/F strike fighter is capable of meeting the strategic needs of the Air Force,” the committee said in a statement.According to a Royal Thai Air Force white paper released on February 29, the fighter jet…

While respiratory illnesses like the flu tend to increase during the winter months, COVID-19 is not entirely seasonal. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests COVID-19 infection rates are high or very high across the country this summer. But with a new vaccine expected to be available next month and the winter months approaching, Virginia health experts are urging people to get vaccinated early. “COVID mutates faster than the flu,” said Heather Harmon Sloan with the Virginia Department of Health, “which is why it's so important to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine, which will be available soon.”…