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ubet98 WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. It passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. The Pentagon and the surrounding area is seen Jan. 26, 2020, from the air in Washington. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. "No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "This bill goes a long way to fixing that." The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a "tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. "We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it," Wicker said. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., speaks with reporters Nov. 21 on Capitol Hill in Washington. House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. "These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives," Smith said. "And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar service members' children from having access to that." Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted on the ban and said the provision "taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation." Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, "I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates." Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, "and yet, here it is in this bill." Branden Marty, a Navy veteran who served for 13 years, said the loss of health coverage for transgender medical treatments could prompt some with valuable experience to leave the military, affecting national security because "we already struggle from a recruiting and retention standpoint." He also said the bill could regularly force service members into difficult choices financially. "It will be tough for a lot of them because of out-of-pocket expenses, especially enlisted members who we know already struggle with food insecurity," said Marty, the father of a transgender teenager. "They don't get paid very much, so they're going to be making a lot of choices on a day-to-day, tactical level." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., responds to reporters Dec. 6 during his weekly news conference at the Capitol in Washington. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team did not tell Democrats how to vote on the bill. "There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well," Jeffries said. Overall, 81 Democrats voted for the bill and 124 against it. On the Republican side, 200 voted for the bill and 16 against it. "It's disappointing to see 124 of my Democrat colleagues vote against our brave men and women in uniform over policies that have nothing to do with their intended mission," Johnson, R-La., said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January. Rising threats from debt collectors against members of the U.S. armed forces are undermining national security, according to data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal watchdog that protects consumer rights. To manage the impact of financial stress on individual performance, the Defense Department dedicates precious resources to improving financial literacy, so service members know the dangers of notorious no-credit-check loans. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Andrew Cohen, the director of financial readiness in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. But debt collectors are gaining ground. Last quarter, debt collection complaints by U.S. military service members increased 24% , and attempts to collect on “debts not owed” surged 40%. Complaints by service members against debt collectors for deceptive practices ballooned from 1,360 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 1,833 in the first quarter of 2024. “There’s a connection between the financial readiness and the readiness of a service member to perform their duty,” said Jim Rice, Assistant Director, Office of Servicemember Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Laws exist to protect the mission readiness of U.S. troops from being compromised by threats and intimidation, but debt collectors appear to be violating them at an alarming pace. “If they’re threatening to call your commander or get your security clearance revoked, that’s illegal,” says Deborah Olvera, financial readiness manager at Wounded Warriors Project, and a military spouse who’s been harassed herself by a collection agency that tried to extort money from her for a debt she didn’t owe. But after she requested the name of the original creditor, she never heard from them again. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities.” —Andrew Cohen, Director of Financial Readiness at the Pentagon Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, it’s illegal for debt collectors to threaten to contact your boss or have you arrested because it violates your financial privacy. The FDCPA also prohibits debt collectors from making false, deceptive, or misleading representations in connection with the collection of a debt, even for borrowers with bad credit scores. But according to the data, debt collectors are increasingly ignoring those rules. “Debt collection continues to be one of the top consumer complaint categories,” said a spokesperson at the Federal Trade Commission. The commission released a report earlier this year revealing that consumers were scammed $10 billion in 2023, a new benchmark for fraud losses. In his book Debt: The First 5,000 Years, David Graeber argues that debt often creates a relationship that can feel more oppressive than systems of hierarchy, like slavery or caste systems because it starts by presuming equality between the debtor and the creditor. When the debtor falls into arrears, that equality is then destroyed. This sense of betrayal and the subsequent imbalance of power leads to widespread resentment toward lenders. Photo Credit: Olena Yakobchuk / Shutterstock The debt collector reportedly harassing military service members most was Resurgent Capital Services, a subsidiary of collection giant Sherman Financial Group. The company tacks on accrued interest and junk fees and tries to collect on debts purchased for pennies on the dollar from cable companies, hospitals, and credit card companies, among others. Sherman Financial Group is run by billionaire Benjamin Navarro, who has a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes. Sherman Financial also owns subprime lender Credit One Bank and LVNV Funding, which outsource collections to Resurgent Capital. According to CFPB data, the second worst offender is CL Holdings, the parent company of debt-buyer Jefferson Capital Systems. The company has also been named in numerous complaints to the Better Business Bureau for alleged violations of the FDCPA, such as failing to properly validate debts or update credit reports with accurate information. Under the leadership of CEO David Burton, Jefferson Capital Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CompuCredit Corporation, which markets subprime credit cards under the names Aspire, Majestic, and others. The third most referenced debt collector is publicly traded Portfolio Recovery Associates [NASDAQ: PRAA], which was forced to pay $27 million in penalties for making false representations about debts, initiating lawsuits without proper documentation, and other violations. Portfolio Recovery Associates is run by CEO Vikram Atal. Fourth place for alleged worst offender goes to Encore Capital Group [NASDAQ ECPG], which was required to pay $42 million in consumer refunds and a $10 million penalty for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Encore collects under its subsidiary Midland Credit Management Group. These debt collectors all operate under a veritable shell game of company and brand names, almost none of which are disclosed on their websites, sending consumers on a wild goose chase to try and figure out how they’re related to each other. But despite their attempts to hide their tracks behind a smoke screen of subsidiaries, a leopard can’t change its spots, and the CFPB complaint database makes it harder for them to try. Photo Credit: Bumble Dee / Shutterstock Although widely considered a consumer-friendly state, complaints spiked most in California, which saw a 188% increase in complaints filed from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. California is home to 157,367 military personnel, making it the most populous state for active-duty service members. The second-largest increase in debt collection complaints was in Texas, which saw a 66% jump from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. The U.S. Department of Defense reports 111,005 service members stationed in the Lone Star State, which is the third-most populous state for active-duty military. The rising trends do not correlate to the number of military personnel by state. Complaints against debt collectors in Virginia, the second most populous state with 126,145 active duty personnel, decreased by 29% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. And complaints filed quarter-over-quarter in North Carolina, the fifth most populous state with 91,077 military personnel, decreased by 3% in the same period. The third largest percentage increase in debt collection complaints was from service members stationed in Maryland, where alleged harassment reports jumped 112% from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. Maryland ranks number 12 with just 28,059 active duty service members. Fourth place goes to Ohio – the 28th most populous active-duty state – where complaints doubled, followed by Arizona – the 15th most populous military state – where complaints were up 70% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. Photo Credit: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A / Shutterstock In 2007, Congress passed the Military Lending Act to cap the cost of credit to a 36% annual percentage rate, inclusive of junk fees and late charges, for active duty military service members. That rate is still considerably higher than average credit card rates, which range from 8% for borrowers with excellent credit scores to as high as 36% for borrowers with bad credit. But lenders still get hauled into court for violating the MLA. Don Hankey, the billionaire subprime auto lender who funded Donald Trump’s $175 million appeal bond , is among those violators. His company, Westlake Financial, which markets high-interest car loans for bad credit, has been sued twice by the Department of Justice for harassing military service members. In 2017, the DoJ alleged Hankey’s Westlake Financial illegally repossessed at least 70 vehicles owned by military service members. Westlake Financial paid $700,000 to settle the charges. In 2022, Westlake Financial paid $250,000 for allegedly cheating U.S. troops out of interest rates they were legally entitled to. Westlake Financial continues to receive complaints from military service members alleging abusive debt collection practices on its no-credit-check loans. A steady year-over-year increase in the number of complaints filed against Westlake Financial continued from 2020 to 2023. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data shows a 13% increase in the number of complaints against the company from 2020 to 2021, a 28% increase from 2021 to 2022, and a torrential 119% surge from 2022 to 2023. The numbers suggest systemic complaint-handling processes and inadequate customer service resources. Photo Credit: Cynthia Shirk / Shutterstock On May 16, 2024, a deceptively named predatory lending industry front group dubbed the Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) lost a legal attempt to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In an effort to deprive Americans of essential consumer protections, the lobby group argued that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure was unconstitutional. But the Supreme Court denied its claim. In a 7-2 ruling, the Court held that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure is indeed constitutional. That means the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot be defunded, but it does not mean the agency cannot be defanged. The New York Times suggested that Hankey’s incentive to finance Trump’s $175 million bond could have been a reciprocity pledge to neuter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau if Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election. If Trump wins a second term, he could replace Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Rohit Chopra, an American consumer advocate, with a predatory lending advocate. In 2020, the Trump Administration secured a Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for the president to fire the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The ruling struck down previous restrictions on when a president can fire the bureau’s director. Like other federal agencies, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also been confronted for overstepping its bounds, pushing too far, and acting unfairly against entities it regulates. Photo Credit: Lux Blue / Shutterstock Seasonality and rising interest rates do not explain the increase in debt collection complaints from service members. The surge in complaints is not tied to predictable seasonal fluctuations or changes in interest rates. The increase in debt collection complaints by service members may point to underlying systemic issues, such as aggressive and predatory debt collection practices that exploit the unique financial vulnerabilities of service members, who face frequent relocations and deployments. Debt Complaints by Service Members The 24% spike in debt collection complaints exhibits no correlation to fluctuations in interest rates. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Pandemic stimulus checks were also not a factor. COVID-19 relief benefit checks went through three major rounds during the pandemic. The final round of Economic Impact Payments went out in March 2021 . To better understand the rising trend of debt collection complaints, we calculated the increase in the total number of complaints and the percentage increase quarter-over-quarter. For example, New Jersey has the second largest percentage increase in complaints quarter-over-quarter, but the total number of complaints increased by just 16. The data for this study was sourced from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint database. The dataset specifically targeted complaints filed by U.S. military service members, identified using the tag “Servicemember” within Q4 2023 and Q1 2024. Readers can find the detailed research methodology underlying this news story in the accompanying section here . For complete results, see U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors on BadCredit.org . Homelessness reached record levels in 2023, as rents and home prices continued to rise in most of the U.S. One group was particularly impacted: people who have served in the U.S. military. "This time last year, we knew the nation was facing a deadly public health crisis," Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, said in a statement about the 2023 numbers. He said the latest homelessness estimates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development "confirms the depth of the crisis." At least 35,000 veterans were experiencing homelessness in 2023, according to HUD. While that's about half of what it was in 2009—when the organization began collecting data—things have plateaued in recent years despite active efforts to get that number to zero. Although they make up just 6.6% of the total homeless population, veterans are more likely to be at risk of homelessness than Americans overall. Of every 10,000 Americans, 20 were experiencing homelessness. Of veterans living in the United States, that number jumps to 22, HUD data shows. Complicated by bureaucracy, family dynamics, and prejudice, the path from serving in the military to homelessness is a long one. According to a 2022 study by Yale School of Medicine researchers, homelessness typically occurs within four years of leaving the military, as veterans must contend with the harsh reality of finding a job in a world where employers struggle to see how skills on the battlefield transfer to a corporate environment. These days, veterans also deal with historically high rent and home prices, which causes many to rely on family generosity while figuring out a game plan. Stacker examined academic studies, analyzed government data, and spoke with members of the Biden administration, experts, and former members of the armed forces to see the struggles members of the military face when leaving the armed forces. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers transition assistance to the roughly 250,000 service members who leave each year. However, those programs can be burdensome and complex to navigate, especially for those who don't have a plan for post-military life. Only a small portion of veterans have jobs lined up when they leave, according to 2019 Pew Research. Many also choose to live with relatives until they get on their feet, which can be longer than anticipated. Some former service members are unsure what kind of career they'd like to pursue and may have to get further education or training, Carl Castro, director of the Military and Veteran Programs at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California, told Stacker. "It takes years for that kind of transition," Castro said. Many have trouble finding a job after leaving the service, even if they are qualified. Some employers carry misconceptions about those who have served. A 2020 analysis from the journal Human Resource Management Review found that some veterans face hiring discrimination due to negative stereotypes that lead hiring managers to write them off as a poor culture fit. Underemployment, or working low-wage jobs below their skill level, is also an issue. While the unemployment rate for veterans was 3% in March 2024, a study released by Penn State at the end of 2023 found three years after leaving the service, 61% of veterans said they were underemployed because of perceived skill mismatches . This phenomenon can have long-term economic effects, and eventually, that frustration can boil over, strain relationships, and potentially lead to housing instability. Working, especially a low-wage job, is not protection against homelessness. A 2021 study from the University of Chicago found half of people living in homeless shelters and 2 in 5 unsheltered people were employed, full or part-time. For veterans, housing costs certainly play a role, but those who leave the military also face systemic barriers. "It's worrying there are people that continue to fall through the cracks," said Jeanette Yih Harvie, a research associate at Syracuse University's D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Just under a quarter of adults experiencing homelessness have a severe mental illness , according to 2022 HUD survey data. They are also likely to have chronic illnesses but are unable to maintain preventative care, which only exacerbates these problems. Veterans facing homelessness are more likely to have experienced trauma , either before or after joining the military, according to Yale researchers who analyzed the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Childhood trauma was among the most significant commonalities among vets who become homeless. Substance use disorder is also widespread and can indicate an undiagnosed mental illness . Racial and ethnic disparities are at play, too. A 2023 study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research showed that Hispanic and Black veterans were more likely to screen positive for PTSD, and Hispanic veterans were more likely to report having suicidal ideation. Overall, access to mental health care has improved in the last decade or so. In December 2023, the VA announced it would open nine additional counseling centers. However, the stigma of getting help remains, especially after years of being conditioned to be self-reliant and pull oneself up by their bootstraps. That help, in the form of public policy, is slowly working to catch up to the need. In 2023, the Biden administration invested millions into research programs and studies on suicide prevention by the VA office in addition to a proposed $16 billion to improve quality and lower-cost mental health care services for veterans. And, in February of this year, HUD and the VA announced they would give up to $14 million in vouchers to public housing agencies for veterans experiencing homelessness. The program would also offer case management and other services. Still, with a culture that pushes people to keep going, it can be challenging for servicemembers to take advantage of these opportunities, Harvie said. "When you've been doing that for the last 15 or 20 years, it's difficult to stop and say, 'I'm the person that needs help.'" Story editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.The standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.Citigroup Inc. Grows Stake in Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI)

UP: 40-year-old madrasa bulldozed after BJP leader’s complaintThe CMA is about to release a provisional decision in its investigation into the cloud, but seems to have started with a fundamental misunderstanding of how customers buy IT, says Chris Hayman As the CEO of Rayo, a cloud and AI consultancy, and a veteran of the UK’s technology sector, I’ve had a front row seat to our nation’s remarkable journey in cloud. The UK’s light-touch regulatory approach and forward thinking cloud-first policy have propelled us to the forefront of the global digital economy. However, as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) prepares to release its provisional decision as part of its investigation into cloud, we stand at a critical juncture that demands careful consideration. The success of cloud computing in the UK is undeniable. Analysis commissioned by my former employer AWS estimates that the economic impact of cloud computing in the UK accounted for over £42bn in 2023 alone. Looking ahead, research from Microsoft says that the UK could make more than half a trillion pounds in the next decade by fully embracing AI and cloud technology. If that all sounds like marketing spin look at the hard investment cash the UK is attracting: this year alone AWS committed £8 billion to the UK over the next 5 years, Google announced a £1bn data centre in Hertfordshire, and Microsoft heralded a £2.5bn AI infrastructure expansion. Or look at how, over the last decade, UK start-ups have raced ahead of their European counterparts in fundraising and hiring, or how the UK Government’s cloud native policy has helped propel it to the top of digital government rankings. The CMA, however well-intentioned, risks undermining this hard-won progress. I take issue with the regulator’s work on two fronts. First, they seem to have started with a fundamental misunderstanding of how customers buy IT. Cloud computing isn’t a separate market; it’s a delivery model for IT services, competing with traditional on-premises solutions. Or put another way it’s simply wrong to think that customers buy services like compute or storage from cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft, Google or Oracle, with no thought to what the same services might cost via other means. Compute is compute, whether you are renting in from someone’s else data centre, or buying it in a tin. Second, and more practically, I worry about the impact of the remedies the CMA have said it might want to impose. For example, the regulator says it’s concerned about the fees cloud providers charge some customers to move data. Today a small number of very large customers – think banks or online gaming platforms – pay these charges to cloud providers in order to move data around the globe. Most businesses will never transfer the amounts of data required to trigger these costs, which for most providers only kicks above 100GB per month, roughly the equivalent of sending over 1m emails every 31 days. While transparency is crucial, forcing cloud providers to eliminate these fees risks hampering investment in UK networking capability, or more likely pushing cloud providers to spread out these costs across all customers. Regulators wading in The CMA also appears to take issue with the discounts cloud providers offer. Going by the submissions the CMA has received, very few customers agree. Instead, they worry that the interventions considered by the CMA will make cloud services more expensive, especially for start-ups and scale-ups that rely on these cost efficiencies to fuel their growth. It could also slow the pace of digital transformation by making large-scale migrations less economically viable. Finally, the CMA appears to be toying with the idea of mandating interoperability between providers. While laudable in theory, I worry about a regulator wading into this space, with limited technical understanding, and inadvertently increasing costs for customers, and limiting choice. To be clear no customer I’ve ever worked with believed that switching providers for complex IT systems was pain free, but more often than not the underlining reason for this sat with the expertise assembled within that organisation. Most customers prefer to build an IT function that is specialised, even if this means it harder for them to change suppliers, because they believe they will get more out of their primarily suppliers as a result. I’ve not seen evidence so far from the CMA that there is something about cloud computing that adds additional complexity here, or that cloud providers are doing anything artificial or underhand to increase these costs. We will find out in the coming weeks how far the CMA intends to push these ideas when its provisional findings are published. When they are, I expect some pretty sensationalist headlines to follow, with some of cloud’s habitual naysayers out in force in response. But once the dust settles, and as the CMA considers its final recommendations, I hope it will alight on an approach that promotes competition among start-ups, SMEs and tech giants, without stifling the very innovation and investment that has made the UK a frontrunner in cloud. If like me you believe the UK’s future prosperity and security hinges on our ability to lead in the emerging AI revolution, we must build upon the success we’ve had with enabling technologies like cloud, rather than risk squandering our hard-earned advantage. Chris Hayman is CEO of Rayo

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HOUSTON — E.J. Warner threw three touchdown passes and Rice survived a late USF rally to take a 35-28 victory on Saturday in a regular-season finale. Warner was 27-of-42 passing for 430 yards and had 294 yards and two TD throws in the first half when the Owls (4-6, 3-5 AAC) rolled up 367 yards offense and 19 first downs for a 27-7 lead at the break. Trailing 35-14 with five minutes left, USF quarterback Bryce Archie had to leave the game after taking a late hit. Backup Israel Carter threw two touchdown passes in the final three minutes to cut the lead to seven. Rice recovered an onside kick and got the clock down to 27 seconds on six straight Christian Francisco runs before turning the ball over on downs at the USF 28. A final hook-and-lateral play loaded with backward passes went deep into Rice territory but was nullified in any case by a penalty. Rice’s Matt Sykes had 118 yards receiving and Dean Connors had 91 yards and a score. The other TD passes went to Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman and Drayden Dickmann. Archie was 19 of 35 for 227 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception for USF (6-6, 4-4). Sean Atkins with 110 went over 2,000 career receiving yards and Keshaun Singleton had 107 yards receiving with a score. USF came in having won four of its last five games but was outgained by Rice 550-431. With the game tied at 7-all, Quinton Jackson scored on a 12-yard run three plays after Francisco returned a kickoff 45 yards to the USF 38. Tim Horn added a field goal in the final minute of the first quarter for a 17-7 lead after Josh Pearcy recovered a fumble in USF territory. Connors’ 23-yard scoring reception and another field goal with 12 seconds left in the half made it a 20-point lead. ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25TORONTO (AP) — The Utah Hockey Club said players were forced to walk to their game against the Maple Leafs after their bus got stuck in Toronto traffic Sunday night. The team posted a video on social media of team members walking to Scotiabank Arena, with player Maveric Lamoureux saying the bus was “not moving at all.” Several city streets had been closed during the day for the annual Santa Claus parade. The Maple Leafs earned their fourth consecutive win by defeating Utah 3-2. The viral incident prompted Ontario Premier Doug Ford to call the congestion “embarrassing” and “unacceptable,” highlighting his government’s plan to address the city’s gridlock through bike lane legislation. It wasn’t the first time a Toronto visitor had to ditch their vehicle to make it to an event on time. In June, former One Direction band member Niall Horan had to walk through traffic to get to his concert at Scotiabank Arena. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Recent incidents prompt heightened security at Illinois StatehouseDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Corey McKeithan's 27 points helped La Salle defeat Stetson 92-77 on Saturday. McKeithan also added five rebounds for the Explorers (5-2). Andres Marrero added 13 points while shooting 5 for 11, including 3 for 6 from beyond the arc while they also had six rebounds. Jahlil White had 13 points and shot 4 of 9 from the field and 5 of 8 from the free-throw line. Mehki finished with 20 points and seven rebounds for the Hatters (1-6). Abramo Canka added 14 points for Stetson. Jamie Phillips Jr. had 12 points and seven rebounds. The Hatters extended their losing streak to six in a row. La Salle went on an 18-3 run to make it 69-48 with 11:22 left in the half. White scored 10 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Richard C. Young & CO. LTD. raised its stake in shares of Amazon.com, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AMZN ) by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 87,746 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,052 shares during the period. Amazon.com accounts for about 1.8% of Richard C. Young & CO. LTD.’s portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest position. Richard C. Young & CO. LTD.’s holdings in Amazon.com were worth $16,350,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of AMZN. Tsfg LLC increased its position in shares of Amazon.com by 6.5% during the second quarter. Tsfg LLC now owns 40,602 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $7,846,000 after acquiring an additional 2,471 shares during the last quarter. Sky Investment Group LLC increased its position in shares of Amazon.com by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. Sky Investment Group LLC now owns 25,809 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $4,988,000 after purchasing an additional 940 shares during the last quarter. Key Client Fiduciary Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Amazon.com by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. Key Client Fiduciary Advisors LLC now owns 27,844 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $5,381,000 after purchasing an additional 273 shares during the period. PGGM Investments boosted its holdings in shares of Amazon.com by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter. PGGM Investments now owns 349,715 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $67,582,000 after buying an additional 14,756 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. grew its position in Amazon.com by 5.6% during the second quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 548,166 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $105,933,000 after buying an additional 28,953 shares during the period. 72.20% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Insider Activity In other news, Director Jonathan Rubinstein sold 5,004 shares of Amazon.com stock in a transaction on Friday, November 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $199.85, for a total transaction of $1,000,049.40. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 99,396 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,864,290.60. The trade was a 4.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website . Also, Director Daniel P. Huttenlocher sold 1,237 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $199.06, for a total value of $246,237.22. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 24,912 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,958,982.72. This trade represents a 4.73 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last quarter, insiders sold 6,032,344 shares of company stock worth $1,253,456,822. Insiders own 10.80% of the company’s stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Amazon.com Amazon.com Stock Down 1.5 % NASDAQ:AMZN opened at $223.75 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 0.87. The firm has a market cap of $2.35 trillion, a PE ratio of 47.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 1.16. The company has a 50-day moving average of $209.73 and a 200 day moving average of $192.85. Amazon.com, Inc. has a 1-year low of $144.05 and a 1-year high of $233.00. Amazon.com ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The e-commerce giant reported $1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.14 by $0.29. The firm had revenue of $158.88 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $157.28 billion. Amazon.com had a net margin of 8.04% and a return on equity of 22.41%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.85 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Amazon.com, Inc. will post 5.29 EPS for the current fiscal year. Amazon.com Company Profile ( Free Report ) Amazon.com, Inc engages in the retail sale of consumer products, advertising, and subscriptions service through online and physical stores in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo, Ring, Blink, and eero; and develops and produces media content. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AMZN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Amazon.com, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Amazon.com Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amazon.com and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• The Nov. 24 article, “ Businesses built arts scene. They could also break it ,” highlights a growing crisis: the decline in funding for the arts across our state. This isn’t just a financial challenge for arts organizations; it’s a profound loss for our communities, particularly for children who are being deprived of access to creativity — something that has the power to change lives. For 50 years, COMPAS has provided participatory creative experiences to millions of Minnesotans of all ages, especially children from historically marginalized communities. We witness the transformative impact of arts participation every day. Creativity helps young people build confidence, process complex emotions and imagine new possibilities. It’s a tool for connection, empowerment and resilience, key ingredients for thriving individuals and communities. The research supports what we see firsthand. A 2018 study by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences found that while 88% of Americans agree arts education is essential to a well-rounded education, support for arts education has persistently declined, particularly in communities that cannot fund it on their own. Additionally, according to data from the College Board, students who take four years of arts and music classes in high school score an average of 92 points higher on their SATs compared to students who only took half a year or less of arts education. Integrating arts into education not only enriches children’s social and emotional skills but also enhances their cognitive abilities, making it clear that creative education has the power to transform lives and shape futures. As corporate and public support for the arts diminishes, opportunities for children to experience creativity are slipping away. This loss is particularly devastating at a time when creativity is more crucial than ever. History shows that during periods of crisis and turbulence, creativity provides the tools we need to understand the present and build a better future. We are living in one of those times. Whether it’s addressing social inequalities, environmental challenges or economic uncertainty, creativity isn’t just about making art. It’s about making meaning and solutions. This makes access to creative opportunities a pressing human need and, we believe, a fundamental human right. Minnesota has long been known for its vibrant and innovative arts community, a hallmark of our quality of life and a draw for people from across the country. But this legacy didn’t happen by accident. It happened because generations of business leaders, policymakers and community members prioritized the arts as essential to the fabric of our state. We are now at a crossroads. Without renewed commitment and investment in the arts, we risk depriving our children — and our society — of the opportunity to create, connect and thrive. To our business leaders, policymakers and neighbors: recommit to making creativity accessible to every child in Minnesota. Support organizations that bring the arts to schools, libraries and community spaces. Recognize that creativity is not just an enrichment activity; it’s the foundation for a brighter, more inclusive future. Creativity is a human right. Let’s ensure every Minnesotan has the chance to embrace it. Dawne Brown White is the executive director of COMPAS. Liz Tunheim Sheets is president of the COMPAS board of directors. COMPAS is an arts education nonprofit, serving Minnesotans for more than 50 years (compas.org).When living in a bustling city, pollution is an unavoidable reality that can affect your health and well-being. Creating a healthy living environment is essential, especially when you’re at home. Fortunately, there are discreet and stylish devices designed to purify the air you breathe so that your indoor space remains a sanctuary from outdoor contaminants. Among these devices, the Blueair air purifiers stand out for their efficiency and sleek design. With current Black Friday deals bringing prices down significantly—the Blue Pure 411i Max at $119 (was $169) and the Blue Pure 511 at $69 (was $99) , there’s no better time to enhance your home environment. There are some other Blueair models available on sale for Black Friday on Amazon, go check them out. See Blueair 411i Max at Amazon See Blueair 511 at Amazon The Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max air purifier is a great choice for small rooms as it effectively cleans spaces up to 1,052 square feet in just one hour. This model uses Blueair’s innovative HEPASilent technology which combines mechanical and electrostatic filtration to capture airborne pollutants efficiently. This dual filtration system ensures that even the tiniest particles—down to 0.1 microns—are removed from your environment, including allergens like pollen, dust mites, pet dander, and even viruses. The 411i Max is particularly adept at providing relief for allergy sufferers and pet owners. See Blueair 411i Max at Amazon For those seeking a more budget-friendly option without sacrificing quality, the Blueair Blue Pure 511 is another excellent choice . It is designed for smaller spaces up to 180 square feet and can clean the air in just over 12 minutes. Like its larger counterpart, the Blue Pure 511 uses HEPASilent technology to eliminate airborne particles efficiently while consuming minimal energy (about as much as a single lightbulb). See Blueair 511 Both models come with washable pre-filters available in various colors to match your home decor while extending the life of the primary filter by capturing larger particles like dust and lint before they reach the main filtration system. The filters are designed for longevity so users can expect them to last up to one year with regular use. When it’s time for a replacement, an LED indicator will alert you.

District Monitoring Officer and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Women Development Corporation S. Dhivyadarshini presided over a disaster management and preparedness meeting here on Saturday. The meeting chaired by District Collector K. Shanthi reviewed inter-department coordination and preparedness for the heavy rains in the wake of cyclones. The monitoring officer sought a ready list of the lakes and water bodies under the control of the Rural Development Department and the Public Works Department and advised officials to ascertain the strength of the embankments. Further, the officials concerned were advised to ensure adequate stock of sand bags. The officials were instructed to vet the preparedness of the community centres, schools and marriage halls, and inspect them for basic amenities, in addition to checking the structural stability of school buildings. Local body administrations were instructed to monitor waterlogging and intervene immediately to remedy flooding. Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage Board and the local body administrations were asked to ensure uninterrupted supply of water. Published - November 30, 2024 08:23 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit