Featured Stories
WLF Urges Supreme Court to Halt Dangerous "Constructive Tying" Antitrust Theory
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release:
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WLF Urges Supreme Court to Halt Dangerous "Constructive Tying" Antitrust Theory
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(Washington, DC)--Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today urged the U.S. Supreme Court to grant review of a Second Circuit decision that dramatically expanded Sherman Act liability for businesses engaged in beneficial, consumer welfare-maximizing sales.
The case arises from a federal antitrust suit by Cumulus Media against The Nielsen Company (the radio-and-TV ratings firm). Cumulus wanted to
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release:
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WLF Urges Supreme Court to Halt Dangerous "Constructive Tying" Antitrust Theory
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(Washington, DC)--Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today urged the U.S. Supreme Court to grant review of a Second Circuit decision that dramatically expanded Sherman Act liability for businesses engaged in beneficial, consumer welfare-maximizing sales.
The case arises from a federal antitrust suit by Cumulus Media against The Nielsen Company (the radio-and-TV ratings firm). Cumulus wanted tobuy only national radio-broadcast data from Nielsen, while procuring local reports from one of Nielsen's competitors. In contract negotiations, Nielsen offered both national-and-local reports at a steep discount relative to the nationwide report, which could be had at a premium. The Second Circuit deemed this an anti-competitive "constructive tie," likely triggering Sherman Act liability.
WLF's brief explains why that holding is wrong. Ties are a specific antitrust term of art for when two products are offered in a single sale, with no option to buy the items separately. But Nielsen did not do that here; it offered a bundled discount to make buying two things more attractive. As WLF contends in urging review, that is garden-variety business conduct, as anyone who has ever seen an ad for two medium pizzas and a soft drink offered for less than a large cheese pizza well knows. Those kind of offers benefit consumers and recognize customer agency to choose. They should not be vulnerable to antitrust liability under federal law.
REPORT: https://www.wlf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/WLF-Amicus-Brief-Nielsen-v-Cumulus-19oct2026.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.wlf.org/2026/10/19/communicating/wlf-urges-supreme-court-to-halt-dangerous-constructive-tying-antitrust-theory/
WLF Asks Fifth Circuit to Reverse Waiver Ruling That Rewards Strategic Pleading Around Arbitration
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release:
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WLF Asks Fifth Circuit to Reverse Waiver Ruling That Rewards Strategic Pleading Around Arbitration
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"A nonsignatory cannot waive an arbitration right the plaintiff has not yet conferred."
--Cory Andrews, WLF General Counsel & Vice President of Litigation
WASHINGTON, DC--Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to reverse a district-court order holding that Chevron waived its right to arbitrate. In its amicus brief, WLF
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release:
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WLF Asks Fifth Circuit to Reverse Waiver Ruling That Rewards Strategic Pleading Around Arbitration
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"A nonsignatory cannot waive an arbitration right the plaintiff has not yet conferred."
--Cory Andrews, WLF General Counsel & Vice President of Litigation
WASHINGTON, DC--Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to reverse a district-court order holding that Chevron waived its right to arbitrate. In its amicus brief, WLFcontends that the court charged Chevron with waiving a right that did not yet exist and created a template for plaintiffs in future cases to evade arbitration.
The case stems from a Venezuelan oil-services provider's suit against Chevron affiliates for unpaid work. Neither affiliate signed the master agreement that contained the arbitration clause. Servicios mentioned the agreement only in passing for nearly ten months. Only after motions to dismiss did it claim its alleged promise rested on signing that agreement, which prompted Chevron to seek a stay pending arbitration. The district court found waiver based on the complaint's early mentions and Chevron's ordinary litigation responses.
In its amicus brief, WLF argues that a nonsignatory's right to arbitrate arises only when the plaintiff's claim depends on the contract. Until that moment, there is no right to waive. Urging reversal, WLF contends that the decision below rewards strategic pleading, punishes businesses for contracting through subsidiaries, and conflicts with ordinary waiver principles and the Federal Arbitration Act.
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Original text here: https://www.wlf.org/2026/10/19/communicating/wlf-asks-fifth-circuit-to-reverse-waiver-ruling-that-rewards-strategic-pleading-around-arbitration/
Striped Bass See Slight Boost amid Years-Long Struggle in Chesapeake Bay, Annual Survey Says
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, Oct. 19 -- The Chesapeake Bay Foundation posted the following news release:
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Striped Bass See Slight Boost amid Years-Long Struggle in Chesapeake Bay, Annual Survey Says
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Results Predict How Many Large Fish the Atlantic Coast Can Expect in the Future
Despite a slight bump in numbers compared to last year, the future remains bleak for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay, as seen in juvenile striped bass survey results released today. This survey is issued annually by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR),
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ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, Oct. 19 -- The Chesapeake Bay Foundation posted the following news release:
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Striped Bass See Slight Boost amid Years-Long Struggle in Chesapeake Bay, Annual Survey Says
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Results Predict How Many Large Fish the Atlantic Coast Can Expect in the Future
Despite a slight bump in numbers compared to last year, the future remains bleak for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay, as seen in juvenile striped bass survey results released today. This survey is issued annually by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR),and estimates striped bass's reproductive success and ability to survive early life, giving a glimpse into the population's future.
For the eighth consecutive year in Maryland, young striped bass numbers remain well below the long-term average needed to sustain a healthy population. In Virginia, results ticked up from 2025 but were still similar to the state's historical average. The Virginia increase came after three consecutive years of below-average results.
These results mean not enough young fish are surviving into adulthood, likely due to environmental stressors like warmer water temperatures from climate change, habitat loss, food availability, and invasive predators like blue catfish.
According to the survey, the 2026 juvenile index for Maryland was 5.5 fish per sample. This is slightly higher than last year's index of 4.0, but significantly lower than the state's long-term average of 10.8. In Virginia, the index was 9.52 fish per sample. This is a bump from last year's index of 5.12 and slightly higher than the state's historical average of 7.77. VIMS characterized the 2026 class as an "average" year.
The results from Maryland are especially concerning because Maryland tributaries are where roughly 80 percent of all East Coast striped bass come to spawn. The Bay's annual juvenile survey essentially predicts how many large, adult striped bass the entire coast can expect to see in the future.
Last year, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) neglected a critical opportunity to help the striped bass population recover by rejecting a proposal for tighter regulations. This was after an analysis by ASMFC technical staff determined that striped bass are overfished, and that without additional action, it's unlikely the species will rebuild to their target numbers by 2029.
Instead, the Board formed a Striped Bass Working Group which will identify topics for future management consideration. The Board is scheduled to meet again at ASMFC's annual meeting on November 11 but will not be considering any additional regulatory changes.
Maryland DNR adopted a new striped bass fishing season earlier this year that closed striped bass fishing for the entire month of August. This is when water temperatures are the highest and striped bass are mostly likely to die when caught and released. Similarly, Virginia only allows anglers to target striped bass in the fall through spring.
Striped bass are running out of options. Chesapeake Bay states are doing their part to try and protect this beloved species. Now, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is imploring ASMFC to prioritize a coastwide strategy for striped bass so the species has a shot at rebuilding a sustainable future.
Allison Colden, CBF Maryland Executive Director, issued the following statement:
"Eight consecutive years of poor survey results paints a bleak picture. What happens in the Chesapeake Bay is a prediction for striped bass's future up and down the Atlantic Coast. Roughly 80 percent of the coastwide striped bass population spawn here in the Bay.
"We're encouraged by DNR's recent seasonal adjustments. But striped bass need coastwide commitment and action from ASMFC if we want this beloved fish to have any chance to rebound."
Chris Moore, CBF Virginia Executive Director, issued the following statement:
"Striped bass are clearly still struggling in the Chesapeake Bay. We must act more aggressively if they're to have a future here.
"While any increase is heartening, longer-term trends should be a wake-up call. Many striped bass caught in Virginia start their lives in Maryland. An average year here doesn't mean it's time to become complacent. Now is the time for coastwide action from ASMFC."
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Original text here: https://www.cbf.org/news/striped-bass-see-slight-boost-amid-years-long-struggle-in-chesapeake-bay-annual-survey-says/
OMRF's biggest annual fundraiser tops $1 million for biomedical research
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Oct. 19 -- The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation posted the following news:
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OMRF's biggest annual fundraiser tops $1 million for biomedical research
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The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation raised more than $1 million this week from a golf tournament and a concert. Proceeds will support medical research at the Oklahoma City nonprofit.
A wine and food festival accompanied Sunday's performance by the Spinners as the first part of the foundation's annual "241" fundraiser - two events for one great cause. The band performed from their catalog of 1970s hits,
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Oct. 19 -- The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation posted the following news:
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OMRF's biggest annual fundraiser tops $1 million for biomedical research
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The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation raised more than $1 million this week from a golf tournament and a concert. Proceeds will support medical research at the Oklahoma City nonprofit.
A wine and food festival accompanied Sunday's performance by the Spinners as the first part of the foundation's annual "241" fundraiser - two events for one great cause. The band performed from their catalog of 1970s hits,including "The Rubberband Man," "I'll Be Around" and "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love."
A golf tournament Monday at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa concluded the fundraiser.
This was OMRF's 13th year to hold the benefit. In total, the 241 events have raised more than $9 million to help fund research projects for cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and diseases of aging. This year's total of $1.01 million represented a new record.
"We are fortunate to have so many great people and organizations in our corner," said OMRF President Andrew Weyrich, Ph.D. "Our donors' generosity helps people live longer, healthier lives."
This year, the fundraiser had 155 sponsors. Sponsorship chairs were Debby Hampton and Ed Martin.
"Considering its impact on the local community and the scientific community at large, OMRF is an easy organization to champion," Hampton said. "I've been attending 241 for the past few years, and it's such a great event that I was happy to take a leadership role this year."
Lead event sponsors included the Chickasaw Nation; Helen Marie Lewis Medical Research Foundation; Tyler Media Group; American Fidelity Foundation; Chisholm Trail Broadcasting; Continental Resources; Virginia Groendyke; Hardesty Family Foundation; Gay & Ed Kirby; Presbyterian Health Foundation; Ronnie Rosenfeld; and Glenna & Dick Tanenbaum.
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Original text here: https://omrf.org/omrfs-biggest-annual-fundraiser-tops-1-million-for-biomedical-research/
Reason Foundation: California Gov. Newsom's Veto Saves Taxpayers Billions, Preserves Previous Pension Reforms
LOS ANGELES, California, Oct. 17 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following news:
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California Gov. Newsom's veto saves taxpayers billions, preserves previous pension reforms
Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected AB 1383, which would've increased pension benefits for police and firefighters at a high cost to taxpayers.
Zachary Christensen
Managing Director
October 16, 2026
California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently vetoed Assembly Bill 1383 (AB 1383) and Assembly Bill 1054 (AB 1054), which sought to grant the state's best-paid police and firefighters unfunded enhancements to their pension benefits.
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LOS ANGELES, California, Oct. 17 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following news:
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California Gov. Newsom's veto saves taxpayers billions, preserves previous pension reforms
Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected AB 1383, which would've increased pension benefits for police and firefighters at a high cost to taxpayers.
Zachary Christensen
Managing Director
October 16, 2026
California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently vetoed Assembly Bill 1383 (AB 1383) and Assembly Bill 1054 (AB 1054), which sought to grant the state's best-paid police and firefighters unfunded enhancements to their pension benefits.
In letters to the California legislature, Gov. Newsom cited concerns about the additional risks and costs the bills would impose on local governments and emphasized the importance of staying the course on the landmark Public Employees' Pension Reform Act (PEPRA), passed in 2012.
Newsom's veto is a wise, decisive response to extensive analyses and warnings from Reason Foundation, other fiscally minded interest groups, and local government leadership. While AB 1383 and AB 1054 garnered near-unanimous support in the state legislature, these vetoes were vital for a state still decades away from fully funding public pension promises already made to retirees and workers.
Although this effort to repeat the state's past mistakes by granting costly pension benefit increases to the state's best-paid government workers fell short, government employee unions and interest groups will likely continue to wield their heavy political influence on future proposals of this sort. With Gov. Newsom leaving office next year, other California lawmakers must continue to protect pension reforms like PEPRA and avoid adding to the state's gargantuan $257 billion pension funding debt.
PEPRA's impact so far
Thanks to a massive unfunded pension benefit increase that was granted to all California public employees and retirees in 1999, the state found itself in a perilous pension funding quagmire after major investment losses during the Great Recession. In two short years, the state's public pensions went from fully funded to $245 billion in debt by 2009. Facing projections of pension system insolvency, lawmakers had to act, and to their credit, they passed a package in PEPRA.
The most pivotal aspect of seeing pension reform through, however, is time. Even under the most optimistic of outlooks, PEPRA was always going to take multiple decades to fully realize its goal of bringing the state's pensions back to solvency and full funding.
The reforms' progress is evident in the gradual improvement of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), whose funding rose from 61% in 2009 (meaning it held just 61 cents to every dollar owed to its members) to 85% funded in 2026.
Despite the progress, this trajectory, and the system's own actuarial reports, indicate that CalPERS is still 10 to 20 years away from meeting PEPRA's original aim.
Given the long path ahead for California's pensions, it is concerning that lawmakers appear ready to prematurely unwind reforms and grant costly benefit increases.
A legislative threat to PEPRA
Since its passage in 2012, California has seen several attempts to chip away at PEPRA by crossing the prudent limits set in the reforms, but none generated as much support as AB 1383 and AB 1054. Before Gov. Newsom vetoed them, the bills had strong support among Democrats and Republicans, with unanimous support in the Senate and only two opposing votes in the Assembly.
Despite the fact that the bills would enhance the pensions of only the state's best-paid and longest-serving employees, the bills were sold by their sponsors to address perceived recruitment and retention challenges facing the state's first responders.
In truth, AB 1383 would have lowered the retirement age of police and firefighters from 57 to 55. It would also have made significant adjustments to PEPRA's limits on the level of compensation that could apply to the pension benefit formula and created a new, higher tier of benefits that employees could use to bargain with participating employers.
AB 1054 would have established a new deferred retirement option plan (DROP) for first responders, creating new, unpredictable costs.
These changes would have significantly undermined several of PEPRA's prudent cost-saving limits and would have opened the floodgates--as the state did in 1999--for granting unfunded benefit sweeteners with unforeseeable costs. The heavy burden of additional costs would have fallen on employers of public safety employees, mostly local governments, which would ultimately have been shouldered by the state's already stretched taxpayers.
The defense of PEPRA
Drawing on more than a decade of pension reform work across the country, Reason Foundation understood how crucial this moment was for the nation's largest system of government employee retirement plans.
To address the stated impetus of the bills, Reason Foundation conducted robust analyses showing that the state's turnover of public workers was much lower than the national average and had not changed notably over the last seven years.
An additional analysis of national Census Bureau survey data showed that, contrary to the bills' proponents' assertions, the median tenure of California's public safety workers had doubled since the 1980s and stood well above the national average for first responders.
These findings undermine claims that a staffing crisis exists, certainly not enough to justify adding high costs to an already underfunded pension system.
To advise on the state's history with pension policy and the potential costs of AB 1383, Reason Foundation released the CalPERS Monitor website. This actuarial analysis included the only forward-looking perspective to account for the potential costs that could arise under recession scenarios, which was the main source of California's current pension funding woes. According to Reason's projections, AB 1383 could have added $9.3 to $14.5 billion in new costs over 30 years, depending on investment outcomes.
Reason's analysis on the individual components of these costs also became a crucial feature of discussion on the bill. According to more detailed modeling of AB 1383, the bulk of new costs (86%) that the bill would generate would come from allowing higher salaries to apply to the pension formula. This meant that most of the proposed new costs would go toward granting richer benefits for employees already making more than $160,000 annually.
Alarmed by Reason's findings, California's fiscally minded organizations and several local government officials pushed back hard against AB 1383. In response to the backlash, the bill's sponsor accepted two amendments: the first an attempt to distance the legislation from the disastrous retroactive benefit-gifting spree of 1999, and the second to directly reduce the aforementioned benefit boost for higher earners. By Reason's estimate, the latter amendment would have reduced AB 1383's 30-year cost by $2.7 billion.
The veto that stymied the reform rollback
Passing with near-unanimous support, AB 1383 and AB 1054 reached Newsom's desk in early September. He responded decisively, justifying his vetoes by stating that the bills would "partially reverse some of PEPRA's reforms and significantly increase state and local government costs" and create "significant long-term fiscal and administrative pressures on departments." Newsom also said the bills would be seen as special treatment for public safety workers, putting them ahead of the state's other government employees.
What is next for PEPRA?
This is likely not the end of efforts to undermine PEPRA by granting pension boosts to government employees. Public safety union leadership has already said it intends to continue this push. Any future efforts will go through a different governor, but policymakers should assume the next governor, like Newsom, will also want to preserve the state's fiscal health and its pensions.
Lawmakers in this latest legislative process unfortunately overlooked the perspectives of local city and county governments, which would have borne the brunt of Sacramento's decision. While state senators in the Capitol echoed talking points from public safety unions, several city and county managers testified against AB 1383, urging lawmakers not to impose more costs on their annual budgets.
Many of California's policymakers seemed to overlook that cities and counties can already adjust compensation to meet their unique needs. If a city's police or fire department faces recruitment challenges, it already has the tools to attract new applicants, including higher salaries. Forcing, by edict, a public pension benefit enhancement on the entire state ignores that each local government faces its own unique challenges and already has the wherewithal to identify and enact appropriate policy.
The bipartisan coalition of lawmakers that enacted the reforms in PEPRA still has a long road ahead before it reaches the goal of fully funding California's pensions. The good news is that PEPRA's reforms are clearly working, but today's policymakers must honor those sacrifices and stay the course.
Lawmakers must remember that, while there has been some progress, CalPERS is still $179 billion short of funding the retirement promises made to its public employees. Now is not the time to give in to pressure from politically influential unions and employee groups to increase pension benefits, which would undermine PEPRA's success and impose high costs on taxpayers and local governments.
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Zachary Christensen is a managing director of Reason Foundation's Pension Integrity Project.
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Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/california-gov-newsoms-veto-saves-taxpayers-billions-preserves-previous-pension-reforms/
International Myeloma Foundation: Dr. Wee Joo Chng to Receive Asian Myeloma Network Distinguished Service Award at the 10th AMN Summit in Shanghai
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, California, Oct. 17 -- The International Myeloma Foundation issued the following news:
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Dr. Wee Joo Chng to Receive Asian Myeloma Network Distinguished Service Award at the 10th AMN Summit in Shanghai
SHANGHAI, Oct. 16, 2026 -- The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will be holding the Asian Myeloma Network (AMN) awards ceremony on Saturday, October 17, during the 10th Annual AMN Summit in Shanghai, China from October 15-18, 2026.
This year's 10th Annual AMN Summit will be Asia's largest gathering ever of myeloma specialists, along with patients and caregivers.
Launched
... Show Full Article
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, California, Oct. 17 -- The International Myeloma Foundation issued the following news:
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Dr. Wee Joo Chng to Receive Asian Myeloma Network Distinguished Service Award at the 10th AMN Summit in Shanghai
SHANGHAI, Oct. 16, 2026 -- The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will be holding the Asian Myeloma Network (AMN) awards ceremony on Saturday, October 17, during the 10th Annual AMN Summit in Shanghai, China from October 15-18, 2026.
This year's 10th Annual AMN Summit will be Asia's largest gathering ever of myeloma specialists, along with patients and caregivers.
Launchedin 2023 by the AMN Executive Committee, the Asian Myeloma Network Distinguished Service Award recognizes and honors the lifelong achievements of deserving AMN myeloma specialists, who have made a considerable impact in the field of myeloma research, clinical trials, and patient support.
This year's AMN Distinguished Service Awardee is Wee Joo Chng, MB ChB, PhD, FRCP (UK), FRCPath (UK), FAMS.
Dr. Chng is the Chairman of the Asian Myeloma Network; a member of the IMF Scientific Advisory Board; Vice President of Biomedical Sciences Research, Office of the Deputy President at the National University of Singapore; Yong Loo Lin Professor in Medical Oncology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore; Senior Consultant, Division of Haematology, Department of Haematology-Oncology at the National University Cancer Institute; and Group Chief Scientist at the National University Health System.
Dr. Chng obtained his medical degree from the University of Leeds, UK, and did his internal medicine residency in the United Kingdom.
He completed his fellowship training in hematology in Singapore, prior to receiving an A*STAR international fellowship in 2004 in multiple myeloma genetics at the Mayo Clinic.
Currently, Dr. Chng is highly involved in translational research -- particularly, in the use of high-resolution global genomic techniques to understand biology, identify drug targets, understand drug resistance, and improve disease prognosis in hematological malignancies, with the ultimate goals of improving patient outcomes and personalizing treatment.
Dr. Chng has received numerous awards in the field of myeloma, including the 2021 Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Graduate Mentor of the Year (GRAMAY) Award; 2020 Brian G.M. Durie Outstanding Achievement Award; 2020 National Day Awards - Public Administration Silver Medal; 2017 NUS YYL SOM Outstanding Researcher of the Year Award; 2017 NMRC Senior Translational (STaR) Research Award; 2016 26th Seah Cheng Siang Memorial Lecture; and the 2016 NMEA National Outstanding Clinician-Scientist Award.
He has co-authored a number of publications, with some of his notable work published in prestigious medical journals such as Leukemia, Haematologica, Blood, Cancer Research, and Blood Cancer Journal.
Dr. Chng has professional memberships in numerous organizations, including the American Society of Haematology (ASH), American Association of Cancer Research (AACR), International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), and the Singapore Society of Haematology.
"It is a real honor to receive this award. It has been a real privilege to be trusted by the International Myeloma Foundation and all my colleagues at the Asian Myeloma Network to lead the AMN. One of the biggest joys in my career so far has been the opportunity to work with my colleagues to make impact on the lives of myeloma patients in Asia, to develop the next generation of myeloma experts, to provide an avenue for the voice of Asian myeloma patients to be heard and all wild establishing strong friendships across the countries and regions. We are by no means done. Expect more to come!" said Dr. Chng.
"Dr. Chng has been instrumental in advancing myeloma research and care throughout Asia, while also making important contributions to the field globally," said S. Vincent Rajkumar, MD, Chair of the International Myeloma Working Group and Chair of the IMF Board of Directors. "His scientific leadership, commitment to collaboration, and dedication to developing the Asian Myeloma Network have helped create an increasingly strong platform for research, clinical trials, physician education, and improved patient care across the region. I can think of no one more deserving of this recognition."
"Dr. Chng embodies the spirit of the Distinguished Service Award because his impact extends far beyond his own extraordinary scientific accomplishments," said Heather Cooper Ortner, President and CEO of the International Myeloma Foundation. "He has invested in building a community of clinicians, researchers, and leaders across Asia who are working together to improve the lives of people with myeloma. Under his leadership, the Asian Myeloma Network has grown into an important force for collaboration, education, research, and patient support. The IMF is incredibly proud to recognize Dr. Chng for his years of service and for the lasting impact he continues to have on the myeloma community throughout Asia and around the world."
"Prof. Chng has been a central figure in the AMN since its inception. For several years he led the AMN clinical trial work and was responsible for many AMN initiatives, including the AMN Tissue Bank project and the creation of the AMN Young Investigators Committee. Now as the Chair of the AMN, Prof. Chng is leading the network to new heights. He is very much deserving of this recognition," said IMF Senior Vice President of Global Affairs Daniel Navid.
"The AMN Distinguished Service Award is an important milestone in the continued development of this important regional initiative. The AMN's body of work--including clinical trials, basic myeloma research, physician training, and patient support--is becoming increasingly recognized. The AMN Distinguished Service Award provides a spotlight to honor leading Asian myeloma specialists," said Daniel about this award.
IMF Executive Vice President of Research and Operations Lisa Paik and IMF SVP of Global Affairs Daniel Navid will be presenting the award to AMN Chairman Dr. Wee Joo Chng on Saturday, October 17, during the 2026 AMN Summit Award Dinner.
To learn more about the Asian Myeloma Network and its annual summit and programs, visit myeloma.org/asian-myeloma-network.
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ABOUT MULTIPLE MYELOMA
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the bone marrow plasma cells -- white blood cells that make antibodies. A cancerous or malignant plasma cell is called a myeloma cell. Myeloma is called "multiple" because there are frequently multiple patches or areas in bone where it grows. It often involves damage to bone and kidneys. Multiple myeloma is still incurable, but great progress has been made in terms of survival over the last two decades. The disease is twice as common and is diagnosed at a younger age in African Americans than white Americans. The most common presenting symptoms include fatigue and bone pain.
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ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA FOUNDATION
Founded in 1990, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the world's leading organization dedicated to multiple myeloma. The IMF is steadfast in its mission: accelerating the prevention and cure of myeloma and improving the quality of life for patients and families.
The IMF serves people impacted by myeloma at every stage of the disease by combining world-class research, trusted education, global advocacy, and direct support. A cornerstone of this work is the International Myeloma Working Group(R) (IMWG)--a network of more than 380 internationally renowned researchers and clinicians who establish the guidelines that shape how myeloma is diagnosed, treated, and managed across the globe.
Through its global network of support groups, educational programs, its 24/7 generative-AI myeloma assistant Myelo(R), its InfoLine, and its advocacy for greater healthcare access, the IMF helps people living with myeloma and their care partners navigate diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. At the same time, the IMF ensures scientific advances translate into better care and outcomes.
Learn more at www.myeloma.org or contact the IMF InfoLine at (800) 452-CURE (2873) (U.S. & Canada), +1 (818) 487-7455 (worldwide), or infoline@myeloma.org.
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Original text here: https://www.myeloma.org/dr-wee-joo-chng-receive-asian-myeloma-network-distinguished-service-award-10th-amn-summit-shanghai
Foundation for Economic Education Issues Commentary: Why Can Nothing Be Built in Britain?
DETROIT, Michigan, Oct. 17 -- The Foundation for Economic Education issued the following commentary:
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October 16, 2026
Why Can Nothing Be Built in Britain?
Mani Basharzad
Creating more ways to say no leads to fewer ways to say yes.
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A public company in the UK was building a high-speed railway when it suddenly faced a regulation that few could have predicted: a pound sterling100 million ($132 million) bat tunnel. The railway passed through Sheephouse Wood, an area inhabited by rare Bechstein's bats. To comply with environmental regulations that protect the bats from colliding with high-speed
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DETROIT, Michigan, Oct. 17 -- The Foundation for Economic Education issued the following commentary:
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October 16, 2026
Why Can Nothing Be Built in Britain?
Mani Basharzad
Creating more ways to say no leads to fewer ways to say yes.
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A public company in the UK was building a high-speed railway when it suddenly faced a regulation that few could have predicted: a pound sterling100 million ($132 million) bat tunnel. The railway passed through Sheephouse Wood, an area inhabited by rare Bechstein's bats. To comply with environmental regulations that protect the bats from colliding with high-speedtrains, the company had to build a roughly one-kilometer covered structure alongside the railway. This structure has since become widely known in the UK as the "bat tunnel."
If you think this is just one case, let me tell you about the fish disco. EDF Energy was developing a new nuclear power station in Somerset, which draws cooling water from the Severn Estuary. The project faced regulatory requirements to reduce the number of fish being drawn into and killed by its cooling-water intake pipes. EDF agreed to three measures: specially designed low-velocity intake heads, a fish recovery-and-return system, and an acoustic fish deterrent--underwater speakers that make noise to steer fish away, nicknamed the "fish disco." The acoustic deterrent alone reportedly costs about $66 million, while EDF says the full fish-protection package costs more than $926 million.
The problem with the UK is that it has become a vetocracy. Francis Fukuyama, the famous author of The End of History, explored this problem in his often-overlooked book Political Order and Political Decay. The concept helps explain part of the productivity puzzle in the Western world. Vetocracy means "rule by veto": a political system with so many points at which organized minorities, courts, agencies, legislators, or interest groups can block action that the majority struggles to govern.
At first glance, this might seem necessary to protect democracy from majority rule and dictatorship. The separation of powers, independent courts, and an independent judiciary are essential safeguards. As Montesquieu famously wrote, "When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty." But vetocracy is not simply about separating powers and protecting minority rights from the majority; it is about paralyzing democratic institutions and preventing the government from functioning.
Take the British example. Businesses want a new high-speed railway, the company wants to invest in it, and even the government supports it. Yet an independent regulatory body, Natural England, can act as a veto player, imposing additional requirements and costs. And that is the key distinction Fukuyama discusses: the difference between constraints and capacity. Constraints are necessary because they protect our liberties from government overreach. But we also need government capacity: the ability to build things without being buried under thousands of regulations and a maze of supposed "independent actors" empowered by the state to obstruct or reverse policies.
This has contributed to the problem of quangocracy. In the UK, there are more than 400 quangos, independent organizations set up by the government to carry out certain initiatives, which the TaxPayers' Alliance has estimated cost the government around pound sterling400 billion ($528 billion). The problem with quangos is that they can be protected from both market forces, such as profit and loss, and the electoral accountability of democratic government. As Fukuyama's argument helps explain, this can create the conditions for a populist backlash. Voters do not get the policies they want, and when institutions become paralyzed, they may turn to a populist strongman promising to "get things done."
This has created a regulatory burden that has paralyzed building in the UK. Britain has not built a major new conventional reservoir in three decades. Housing is another example. Research by the Centre for Policy Studies shows that Britain has just 446 homes per 1,000 people, the second worst rate in Europe. Why? Because everyone can become a veto player when you want to build something in Britain. Residents of Chelsea, one of London's most affluent areas, have even opposed the expansion of a cancer hospital because it could "harm property prices."
These are the visible costs of regulation: the cancer hospital that cannot be expanded, the house that could help a young person get on the housing ladder, or the nuclear power station that could help bring down energy costs.
But the more serious costs are the ones unseen: the products that fail to come to fruition as a result of regulation. As the Austrian school economist Per Bylund has argued in his book The Seen, the Unseen, and the Unrealized: How Regulations Affect Our Everyday Lives, the problem with regulation is that it limits the possibilities of what could happen. It is not just about the direct financial cost of compliance. It is about the choices that disappear, the investments that never happen, and the economic freedom that is gradually eroded. The real cost of regulation is not only what we can see, but also what we never get to see because it was never built in the first place.
Vetocracy is a product of an overextended state: one that wants to be the dominant actor in the economy and micromanage every aspect of economic life. Sooner or later, it discovers that governing is not as easy as it looks. The barriers originally created by the state in the name of better governance can make effective governance almost impossible. A vetocracy is a democracy that has accumulated so many opportunities to say no that it has lost the practical ability to say yes.
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Mani Basharzad
Mani Basharzad is a Research Associate at the Institute of Economic Affairs and an Asia Freedom Fellow at the London School of Economics. His work has been published by the New York Post, National Review, The Spectator, and Daily Express.
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Original text here: https://fee.org/articles/why-can-nothing-be-built-in-britain/
