Trust Digest 161 (October 17, 2016)

Financial Engineers Take On New Rule With More Engineering
Starting Christmas Eve, the Dodd-Frank regulatory overhaul will require companies that package most types of loans into bonds to keep at least 5% of the securities they create. The intent is to prevent a repeat of crisis-era behavior, in which loan quality fell dramatically as lenders passed all of the risk along to investors.  
Key Words: Dodd-Frank, regulations  
Trust Issues: Situational Adjustment, Transparency  

Medtronic Issues Recall for Certain Neurovascular Products  
Medtronic PLC on Friday recalled certain lots of four of its neurovascular products, saying they could put patients at risk for blood clots.
Key Words: Medtronic, recall  
Trust Issues: Risk Tolerance, Capability 

CDC Links Bacterial Infection in Patients to LivaNova Surgical Device  
Researchers linked a rare but potentially lethal bacterial infection that has affected patients in at least three states to contamination of a device used in open-heart surgery centers. At least four patients in the U.S. have died.
Key Words: LivaNova, bacterial infection, open-heart surgery  
Trust Issues: Benevolent Concern, Capability, Risk Tolerance

Community Health Systems Faces Heat From Investor  
Community Health Systems Inc. came under fire from an investor crying foul over a recent spinoff by the embattled hospital chain.
Key Words: Community Health Systems, investors  
Trust Issues: Transparency, Honesty, Capability

Humana Sees Potential Fallout From Lower Medicare Star-Rating Report  
Humana Inc. on Wednesday indicated that a downgrade in a key Medicare quality measure could lower its federal reimbursements, but the insurer said the poor grade wasn’t a fair indication of how its business is faring.  
Key Words: Humana, Medicare, federal reimbursements  
Trust Issues: Transparency, Situational Adjustment  

A comprehensive investigation of voter impersonation finds 31 credible incidents out of one billion ballots cast  
Voter ID laws are back in the news once again, with two new opinions from the Wisconsin Supreme Court late last week dealing with the state’s ID requirement, which would allow people to vote only if they provide certain forms of government-issued ID.   
Key Words: Voter ID laws, pending federal lawsuit  
Trust Issues: Honesty, Integrity, Situational Adjustment  

Thousands in Hungary protest closing of country’s largest opposition newspaper, government corruption  
Thousands of people in Hungary protested on Sunday against government corruption and to demand the preservation of press freedoms. A rally called by civic groups and small opposition parties was held on Free Press Road, a traditional location for protests but made more symbolic by last week’s closure of the largest opposition newspaper. 
Key Words: Hungary, government corruption  
Trust Issues: Conflict of Interests, Transparency  

Nigerian parents reunite with 21 girls freed by Boko Haram    
Nigerian parents are reunited with 21 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram 2 ½ years ago and freed.
Key Words: Nigeria, Boko Haram, schoolgirls kidnapped 
Trust Issues: Capability, Integrity   

US, UK say support is weak for military action against Syria    
The United States and Britain on Sunday acknowledged the Western world’s weak support for any military action against Syria’s government as they sought ways to pressure President Bashar Assad and his chief backer, Russia, to halt a deadly offensive in Aleppo. They tried to present it as a possibility, nevertheless.
Key Words: US, UK, Syria 
Trust Issues: Risk Tolerance, Situational Security 

Kuwait Emir Dissolves Parliament Over Security Fears    
Kuwait’s ruler dissolved parliament by royal decree on Sunday over unspecified security concerns as low oil prices squeeze government coffers, setting the stage for early elections in the tiny, oil-rich country.
Key Words: Kuwait, parliament 
Trust Issues: Risk Tolerance, Situational Security