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Revealed: The cycle of homelessness, hospital admission and dischargeMAPUTO, Mozambique. (AP) — At least 6,000 inmates escaped from a high-security prison in Mozambique’s capital on Christmas Day after a rebellion, the country's police chief said, as widespread post-election riots and violence are roiling the country. Police chief Bernardino Rafael said 33 prisoners died and 15 others were injured during a confrontation with the security forces. The prisoners fled during violent protests that have seen police cars, stations and infrastructure destroyed after the country’s Constitutional Council confirmed the ruling Frelimo party as the winner of the Oct. 9 elections. The escape from the Maputo Central Prison, located 14 kilometers (9 miles) southwest of the capital, started around midday on Wednesday after “agitation” by a “group of subversive protesters” nearby, Rafael said. Some of the prisoners at the facility snatched weapons from the guards and started freeing other detainees. “A curious fact is that in that prison we had 29 convicted terrorists, who they released. We are worried, as a country, as Mozambicans, as members of the defense and security forces,” said Rafael. “They (protesters) were making noise, demanding that they be able to remove the prisoners who are there serving their sentences”, said Rafael, adding that the protests led to the collapse of a wall, allowing the prisoners to flee. He called on the escaped prisoners to surrender to authorities and for the population to be informed about the fugitives. Videos circulating on social media show the moment inmates left the prison, while other recordings reveal captures made by military personnel and prison guards. Many prisoners tried to hide in homes, but some were unsuccessful and ended up being detained again. In one video, a prisoner still with handcuffs on his right wrist says he was held n the disciplinary section of the prison and was released by other inmates.
6,000 inmates escape from a high-security prison as post-election violence roils MozambiqueWhen Katja Vogt considers a Jaguar, she pictures a British-made car purring confidently along the Italian coastline — a vision of familiarity that conveys "that dreaming, longing feeling we all love." She's not sure what to think about Jaguar now after the 89-year-old company announced a radical rebranding that featured loud colors and androgynous people — but no cars. Jaguar, the company says, will now be JaGUar. It will produce only electric vehicles beginning in 2026. Bad attention is good attention, Jaguar execs would appear to believe. The car brand has prompted mockery online for posting a glitzy ad without a single car in it. Say goodbye to British racing green, Cotswold Blue and black. Its colors are henceforth electric pink, red and yellow, according to a video that sparked backlash online. Its mission statement: "Create exuberance. Live vivid. Delete ordinary. Break moulds." "Intrigued?" @Jaguar posted on social media. "Weird and unsettled" is more like it, Vogt wrote on Instagram. "Especially now, with the world feeling so dystopian," the Cyprus-based brand designer wrote, "a heritage brand like Jaguar should be conveying feelings of safety, stability, and maybe a hint of rebellion — the kind that shakes things up in a good way, not in a way that unsettles." Jaguar was one of several iconic companies that announced significant rebrandings in recent weeks, upending a series of commercial — and cultural — landmarks by which many modern human beings sort one another, carve out identities and recognize the world around them. Campbell's, the 155-year-old American icon that artist Andy Warhol immortalized in pop culture decades ago, is ready for a new, soupless name. Comcast's corporate reorganization means there will soon be two television networks with "NBC" in their name — CNBC and MSNBC — that will no longer have any corporate connection to NBC News, a U.S. legacy news outlet. CNBC One could even argue the United States itself is rebranding with the election of former President Donald Trump and Republican majorities in the House and Senate. Unlike Trump's first election in 2016, he won the popular vote in what many called a national referendum on American identity. Are we, then, the sum total of our consumer decisions — what we buy, where we travel and whom we elect? Certainly, it's a question for those privileged enough to be able to afford such choices. Volumes of research in the art and science of branding — from "brandr," an old Norse word for burning symbols into the hides of livestock — say those factors do contribute to the modern sense of identity. So rebranding, especially of heritage names, can be a deeply felt affront to consumers. "It can feel like the brand is turning its back on everything that it stood for — and therefore it feels like it's turning its back on us, the people who subscribe to that idea or ideology," said Ali Marmaduke, strategy director with the Amsterdam-based Brand Potential. He said cultural tension — polarization — is surging over politics, wars in Russia and the Mideast, the environment, public health and more, creating what Marmaduke said is known as a "polycrisis": the idea that there are several massive crises converging that feel scary and complex. Campbell's soups "People are understandably freaked out by that," he said. "So we are looking for something that will help us navigate this changing, threatening world that we face." Trump's "Make America Great Again" qualifies. So did President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" slogan. Campbell's soup itself — "Mmm Mmm Good" — isn't going anywhere, CEO Mark Clouse said. The company's new name, Campbell's Co., will reflect "the full breadth of our portfolio," which includes brands like Prego pasta sauce and Goldfish crackers. None of the recent activity around heritage brands sparked a backlash as ferocious as Jaguar's. The company stood as a pillar of tradition-loving British identity since World War II. The famous "leaper" cat Jaguar logo is pictured in 2019 at the Auto show in Paris, France. Jaguar said its approach to the rebrand was rooted in the philosophy of its founder, Sir William Lyons, to "copy nothing." What it's calling "the new Jaguar" will overhaul everything from the font of its name to the positioning of it's famous "leaper" cat. "Exuberant modernism" will "define all aspects of the new Jaguar world," according to the news release. The approach is thought to be aimed at selling fewer cars at a six-figure price point to a more diverse customer base. The reaction ranged from bewilderment to hostility. Memes sprouted up likening the video to the Teletubbies, a Benetton ad and — perhaps predictably — a bow to "woke" culture as the blowback intersected with politics. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
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B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG acquired a new position in shares of Open Lending Co. ( NASDAQ:LPRO – Free Report ) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 188,462 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,153,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC acquired a new position in shares of Open Lending during the second quarter worth about $33,000. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in shares of Open Lending by 208.2% during the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 10,500 shares of the company’s stock worth $59,000 after buying an additional 7,093 shares during the period. SlateStone Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Open Lending during the second quarter worth about $70,000. QRG Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Open Lending by 24.0% during the second quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 14,587 shares of the company’s stock worth $81,000 after buying an additional 2,824 shares during the period. Finally, Point72 Asset Management L.P. acquired a new position in shares of Open Lending during the second quarter worth about $110,000. 78.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Open Lending Price Performance NASDAQ:LPRO opened at $6.47 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 9.42, a current ratio of 9.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $5.96 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $5.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $772.19 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 215.67, a P/E/G ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 1.13. Open Lending Co. has a 12-month low of $4.57 and a 12-month high of $8.70. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Read Our Latest Report on Open Lending Open Lending Profile ( Free Report ) Open Lending Corporation provides lending enablement and risk analytics solutions to credit unions, regional banks, finance companies, and captive finance companies of automakers in the United States. The company offers Lenders Protection Program (LPP), which is a cloud-based automotive lending platform that provides loan analytics solutions and automated issuance of credit default insurance with third-party insurance providers. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LPRO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Open Lending Co. ( NASDAQ:LPRO – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Open Lending Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Open Lending and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AP) — Zach Calzada threw for 182 yards and his 17-yard scoring pass to Roy Alexander was the game's only touchdown and Incarnate Word beat Villanova 13-6 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AP) — Zach Calzada threw for 182 yards and his 17-yard scoring pass to Roy Alexander was the game's only touchdown and Incarnate Word beat Villanova 13-6 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AP) — Zach Calzada threw for 182 yards and his 17-yard scoring pass to Roy Alexander was the game’s only touchdown and Incarnate Word beat Villanova 13-6 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Cardinals (11-2), who earned their highest seed in program history at No. 6, travel to face third-seeded South Dakota State in the quarterfinals. Brack Peacock kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead with 8:48 before halftime. Villanova (10-4) tied it on 49-yard field goal by Ethan Gettman almost five minutes later. Late in the third, Gettman gave the Wildcats their lone lead when he kicked a 52-yarder. Calzada connected with Roy early in the fourth and Peacock added insurance in the last stanza with a 35 yarder with 4:14 remaining. Lontrell Turner had 120 yards rushing on 18 carries for Incarnate Word. Connor Watkins threw for 103 yards and an interception for Villanova whose offense was outgained 437-138. The Wildcats hadn’t been kept out of the end zone since Nov. 5, 2022 when Towson beat Villanova 27-3. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football AdvertisementWhen Katja Vogt considers a Jaguar, she pictures a British-made car purring confidently along the Italian coastline — a vision of familiarity that conveys "that dreaming, longing feeling we all love." She's not sure what to think about Jaguar now after the 89-year-old company announced a radical rebranding that featured loud colors and androgynous people — but no cars. Jaguar, the company says, will now be JaGUar. It will produce only electric vehicles beginning in 2026. Bad attention is good attention, Jaguar execs would appear to believe. The car brand has prompted mockery online for posting a glitzy ad without a single car in it. Say goodbye to British racing green, Cotswold Blue and black. Its colors are henceforth electric pink, red and yellow, according to a video that sparked backlash online. Its mission statement: "Create exuberance. Live vivid. Delete ordinary. Break moulds." "Intrigued?" @Jaguar posted on social media. "Weird and unsettled" is more like it, Vogt wrote on Instagram. "Especially now, with the world feeling so dystopian," the Cyprus-based brand designer wrote, "a heritage brand like Jaguar should be conveying feelings of safety, stability, and maybe a hint of rebellion — the kind that shakes things up in a good way, not in a way that unsettles." Our brands, ourselves Jaguar was one of several iconic companies that announced significant rebrandings in recent weeks, upending a series of commercial — and cultural — landmarks by which many modern human beings sort one another, carve out identities and recognize the world around them. Campbell's, the 155-year-old American icon that artist Andy Warhol immortalized in pop culture decades ago, is ready for a new, soupless name. Comcast's corporate reorganization means there will soon be two television networks with "NBC" in their name — CNBC and MSNBC — that will no longer have any corporate connection to NBC News, a U.S. legacy news outlet. CNBC One could even argue the United States itself is rebranding with the election of former President Donald Trump and Republican majorities in the House and Senate. Unlike Trump's first election in 2016, he won the popular vote in what many called a national referendum on American identity. Are we, then, the sum total of our consumer decisions — what we buy, where we travel and whom we elect? Certainly, it's a question for those privileged enough to be able to afford such choices. Volumes of research in the art and science of branding — from "brandr," an old Norse word for burning symbols into the hides of livestock — say those factors do contribute to the modern sense of identity. So rebranding, especially of heritage names, can be a deeply felt affront to consumers. "It can feel like the brand is turning its back on everything that it stood for — and therefore it feels like it's turning its back on us, the people who subscribe to that idea or ideology," said Ali Marmaduke, strategy director with the Amsterdam-based Brand Potential. He said cultural tension — polarization — is surging over politics, wars in Russia and the Mideast, the environment, public health and more, creating what Marmaduke said is known as a "polycrisis": the idea that there are several massive crises converging that feel scary and complex. Campbell's soups "People are understandably freaked out by that," he said. "So we are looking for something that will help us navigate this changing, threatening world that we face." Trump's "Make America Great Again" qualifies. So did President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" slogan. Campbell's soup itself — "Mmm Mmm Good" — isn't going anywhere, CEO Mark Clouse said. The company's new name, Campbell's Co., will reflect "the full breadth of our portfolio," which includes brands like Prego pasta sauce and Goldfish crackers. What is Jaguar? None of the recent activity around heritage brands sparked a backlash as ferocious as Jaguar's. The company stood as a pillar of tradition-loving British identity since World War II. The famous "leaper" cat Jaguar logo is pictured in 2019 at the Auto show in Paris, France. Jaguar said its approach to the rebrand was rooted in the philosophy of its founder, Sir William Lyons, to "copy nothing." What it's calling "the new Jaguar" will overhaul everything from the font of its name to the positioning of it's famous "leaper" cat. "Exuberant modernism" will "define all aspects of the new Jaguar world," according to the news release. The approach is thought to be aimed at selling fewer cars at a six-figure price point to a more diverse customer base. The reaction ranged from bewilderment to hostility. Memes sprouted up likening the video to the Teletubbies, a Benetton ad and — perhaps predictably — a bow to "woke" culture as the blowback intersected with politics. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
CHICAGO, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bectran, Inc., the industry leader in credit, collections and accounts receivable management technology, is excited to announce a design and usability revamp of their customer credit application and job sheet interfaces. This revamp blends together a new minimalist design with the tools and configuration adjustments critical to streamlining application processes. “This UI revamp will assist credit managers in responding to shifting market needs, shaping their credit applications to be more user friendly and quicker to complete,” comments Louis Ifeguni, Bectran CEO. Design and Usability Improvements Utilizing extensive customer feedback, surveys and recommendations, Bectran’s application forms offer users an industry-leading experience in readability and information organization. Working through our partnerships and long-term client relationships, our new modern interface is formulated around input from companies both large and small across multiple industries, pulling together a wide range of perspectives and experience. The modern interface includes new navigational tools that allow users to easily track their progress even when on the go, resulting in faster application completion times. Additionally, these navigation improvements increase the visibility of the credit application structure, enabling customers to perform multiple tasks at once with greater ease. As industry leaders in credit and AR automation technology, Bectran’s applications provide a streamlined workflow through intuitive design, emphasizing usability, enhanced viewing and mobile compatibility. “We are thrilled to be launching this design and usability revamp to give our clients applications a more personalized look and feel,” comments Ali Kidwai, Bectran’s Senior Product and Implementation Manager. “The organizational and document navigation improvements will provide customers with a simplified and refined application process.” For more information, visit Bectran.com . About Bectran Bectran is the premier SaaS platform for Finance Departments, akin to CRM for Sales. Trusted by diverse organizations, from SMEs to Fortune 500 companies, we streamline credit processing by over 98%, reducing credit defaults and collection costs. Many businesses rely on Bectran for efficient Accounts Receivable and Collections management, achieving up to 95% cost savings. With rapid onboarding in days, our platform is hailed by credit professionals as the future of credit management. Visit Bectran.com to learn more about financial solutions for your industry. Aidan Starkes Content & Copywriter Bectran Inc (888) 791-6620 PR@Bectran.comKing and Northeastern knock off Florida International 60-58
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Rashad King led Northeastern with 19 points, including the game-winning layup with three seconds remaining, and the Huskies beat Florida International 60-58 on Friday. King added eight rebounds for the Huskies (4-1). Harold Woods added 12 points while shooting 5 of 11 from the field and 2 for 4 from the line while he also had five rebounds. Vianney Salatchoum led the way for the Panthers (1-4) with 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Woods put up eight points in the first half for Northeastern, who led 30-27 at the break. King led Northeastern with 12 points in the second half. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .No. 1 South Carolina women stunned by fifth-ranked UCLA 77-62, ending Gamecocks' 43-game win streak
Mindglobal Recognized in the 2024 Gartner® Market Guide for Telecom Expense Management Services, GlobalCommunist-run Vietnam is planning its boldest bureaucratic reform in decades, slashing ministries, agencies and broadcasters in a bid to reduce bottlenecks and red tape, but risking short-term “paralysis”, officials and investors said. Under the plan, five ministries, four government agencies and five state TV channels would be among the bodies that will cease to exist, according to Communist Party documents reviewed by Reuters and reports in state media. The proposal is still in its preliminary stages and is subject to changes by the time is set to be voted in parliament in February. No figure has been circulated about the number of jobs that could be cut, but thousands of state employees are likely to be affected, based on the magnitude of the cuts envisaged in the documents. Vietnam, a Southeast Asian industrial hub, relies heavily on foreign investment in manufacturing, which fuels a booming export-oriented economy. However, in recent years investors’ discontent has grown louder over delays in project approvals and regulatory reforms compounded by a sweeping anti-corruption campaign. Responding to that criticism, Vietnam’s new Communist Party leader To Lam this month launched a massive overhaul of state bodies, soon after he was appointed to the country’s most powerful job. Vietnam’s home and foreign affairs ministries did not reply to requests for comment. The bold move comes about a year before the Communist Party congress, which in early 2026 will decide whether to confirm Lam in his job. It also coincides with similar post-pandemic government cost-cutting measures being implemented or pledged across the world, including by Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei and US President-elect Donald Trump. Among the planned measures, the investment ministry, which is responsible for approving industrial projects, will be merged with the finance ministry. For a while “investors may experience delays or uncertainty as the new structures are established and the dust of this top-level governance merger settles,” said Leif Schneider, head of international law firm Luther in Vietnam. But “the long-term outlook is more optimistic,” he added, saying Vietnam could become a more investor-friendly destination if the reform is executed effectively. Nine investors, diplomats and officials interviewed by Reuters shared the same mixed assessment with many anticipating new administrative delays in the short term. “Expect paralysis to be the normal for a while,” said a Western Hanoi-based diplomat, who also speculated that the reform may also be an attempt by Lam to consolidate power. Two foreign investors expected the reform would bring about long-awaited simplified procedures for businesses, although it was likely to slow project approvals for some months. They declined to be identified to speak more freely. Australia’s ambassador in Hanoi Andrew Goledzinowski likened the current phase to Vietnam’s wide-ranging economic reforms of the 1980s, which turned the war-torn Communist country into a major trading nation in the following decades. “Vietnam’s New Era is dawning at a critical time” as investors seek safe havens in a phase of growing protectionism, Goledzinowski wrote in a social media post. “Money is like water,” he noted, however. “When it is blocked, it goes elsewhere.”When you need some investing ideas, it's always a good idea to consider the moves of people who have proven their expertise. A perfect example is Ray Dalio, a self-made billionaire who got started by investing $300 in a stock at age 12 and tripling his money. Since then, he has had a flourishing career, and in the 1970s, launched Bridgewater Associates. He grew that firm into the world's largest hedge fund, with about $100 billion in assets under management today. Dalio believes in long-term investing -- holding onto stocks for a number of years and benefiting from their growth rather than moving in and out of positions over days or weeks. But he also knows when it's time to lock in profits. He has emphasized the importance of selling stocks when they are fully valued and reallocating those funds into stocks that still have room to run. Historically, Dalio's moves haven't necessarily gone along with the crowd. That was again the case with two of his maneuvers during the third quarter. Bridgewater sold what remained of its stake in cybersecurity leader CrowdStrike ( CRWD 0.22% ) , which Wall Street analysts generally predict will rise in the coming 12 months. At the same time, Bridgewater opened a new position in an S&P 500 artificial intelligence (AI) player that has soared 300% so far this year -- and that Wall Street thinks is headed for a 40% decline. Does Dalio know something Wall Street doesn't? Dalio's latest moves So, let's consider the details of those moves. Dalio's firm closed out its position in cybersecurity powerhouse CrowdStrike -- selling 7,140 shares -- after gradually decreasing its stake over the past year. Bridgewater originally bought CrowdStrike in the third quarter of 2022. Since the start of that quarter through the start of this year's third quarter, the stock has climbed about 118%, suggesting the billionaire locked in profits on the investment. Now, let's take a look at the new S&P 500 AI stock Bridgewater bought in the recent third quarter. That's Palantir Technologies ( PLTR 6.22% ) , a company offering AI-powered software to help clients make better use of their data. Bridgewater increased its position by more than 500% to 523,548 shares. This was after it originally bought the stock in the first quarter of 2022. Palantir has proven to be a winning investment so far, heading for a gain of more than 400% since the end of that quarter. From today's price levels, Wall Street's average analyst forecast calls for CrowdStrike to advance by about 2.5% over the coming 12 months -- not a big increase, but positive movement all the same -- and for Palantir to drop by about 40%. Has Dalio made the right move by locking in his profits from CrowdStrike and increasing his bet on Palantir? Pressure on CrowdStrike It's still too early to know for sure. But it's true that CrowdStrike could face some pressure in the months to come. The company's faulty software update in July unleashed the biggest information technology outage ever, and CrowdStrike has said it expects the costs of packages to compensate customers for the losses that caused will weigh on its growth in the coming quarters. It's possible this also will limit the stock's near-term performance, though the company still represents a top long-term investment. As for Palantir, yes, the stock's valuation has skyrocketed -- it trades for 184 times forward earnings estimates right now. But some investors -- including Dalio -- may be willing to accept that since Palantir is in the early stages of its AI growth story. The S&P 500 invited Palantir to join this fall, showing that it has entered the ranks of the companies that drive the modern economy. Palantir's AIP demand Palantir launched its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) a year ago, and demand for it is soaring. The company's commercial customer growth has taken off in recent times, but with only about 300 U.S. commercial customers right now, Palantir still has plenty of room to expand. Finally, forecasts that today's $200 billion AI market is on track to grow to $1 trillion by the end of the decade suggest more growth ahead for today's top AI players. Palantir's recent earnings results support this optimism, with the company reporting its highest profit ever in the third quarter. All of this means that Dalio may have the right idea about investing in this high-flying AI stock today -- even if Wall Street isn't as optimistic about how it will perform in the coming months. It's also important to remember that long-term investing can mean holding onto a stock for five to 10 years or even longer. That means that no matter what happens over the first few months you own an investment, it still could be a winner for you over the long run.
JOHN MURDOCH'S DRIVE TIME: We highlight how the MINI Cooper Convertible is back in production and when Cupra will launch new Terramar Sports SUVAhead of Ohio State's appearance in the College Football Playoff, head coach Ryan Day received a vote of confidence from his athletic director despite the Buckeyes' latest loss to Michigan. Ohio State AD Ross Bjork appeared on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus on Thursday, where a radio host asked him whether Day would be the Buckeyes' coach at the start of next season regardless of how the playoffs shake out. "Absolutely," said Bjork, who came to Ohio State from the same role at Texas A&M in July. "Coach Day and I have just hit it off so well. I've been really, really impressed. Every single time I've talked to him, I've learned something. He's innovative. He recruits at the highest level. He's got a great staff. There's always tweaks. There was tweaks after last year, right? You're always going to tweak things. You're always going to make adjustments. You're always going to make improvements." Bjork continued by addressing the "championship or bust" attitude held by some of the fanbase. "This whole mentality about -- and look, we live it, and we sign up for it -- but if you get fixated on the end result and not have the process fully baked every time, you're going to lose," Bjork said. "The mindset's going to lose because you're only fixated on one thing. And so what we have to do is this whole ‘championship or bust' mentality, you want that as the goal, but it has to be about the process. "To me, we've got to maybe change some conversations a little bit. I think we need to maybe just approach things a little bit differently." Day is 66-10 as Ohio State's coach and led the Buckeyes to one national championship game appearance, a 52-24 loss to Alabama to cap the 2020 season. Ohio State went 10-2 in the regular season but missed out on a place in the Big Ten championship game when rival Michigan defeated the Buckeyes 13-10 on Nov. 30. It was Michigan's fourth straight win in The Game, and Day is now 1-4 as a head coach against the Wolverines. At the time, Bjork released a statement of support for Day, and he doubled down during Thursday's radio hit. "He's great to work with. He totally gets it. He loves being a Buckeye, and so we're going to support him at the highest level throughout," Bjork said. "But here's the thing too, and the reason why we needed to say something after that game is we're still breathing. They're still alive. The season's not over. The book is not closed, right? And so we've got to have confidence. I mean, Ohio State should be confident every single day. We're Ohio State. "But we also have to make sure we stay to our values and we stick to what we believe in. And so to me, it's the process as much as it is about the end result." --Field Level Media
Transcript Erin Browne, Portfolio Manager, Asset Allocation: As inflation and growth appear to be moderating over the cyclical horizon, the traditional negative relationship between stocks and bonds has re-emerged, which is highly supportive of multi-asset portfolios today. Equities and bonds serve as a complement to each other, and we believe both asset classes to benefit in our baseline economic outlook for a soft landing amid continued central bank rate cuts. The return of the inverse relationship between equities and bonds enables better diversification across asset classes and allows us to position multi-asset portfolios to target attractive returns while limiting risk. Investors are also considering the potential impact of U.S. policy under the second Trump administration. We expect bond yields to remain attractive amid this leadership transition, and within equities, we favor U.S. companies that don't rely as heavily on imports, as well as those likely to be buoyed by deregulation and more favorable tax policies. Emmanuel S. Sharef, Portfolio Manager, Asset Allocation: Currently, we are focused on the benefits of having both stocks and bonds in PIMCO's multi-asset portfolios. And this is important because during past rate-cutting cycles in soft landings, we've actually seen good performance from both asset classes. Now, if we look through factor and sector lenses, there are several takeaways from history: after the first rate cut, growth stocks usually do better than value stocks, large companies tend to outperform smaller ones, and stocks with good dividend yields and quality characteristics often see positive returns within six months. Sectors like technology, healthcare, and consumer staples generally outperform, while energy, communications, and financials lag. Regionally, we maintain a preference for the United States. US stocks have a solid track record of delivering positive returns during soft landings, and we're also expecting the market to broaden beyond just the Magnificent 7.How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers
Trump returns to world stage in Paris with Ukraine war on agendaBy Katheryn Houghton and Arielle Zionts, KFF Health News (TNS) Tescha Hawley learned that hospital bills from her son’s birth had been sent to debt collectors only when she checked her credit score while attending a home-buying class. The new mom’s plans to buy a house stalled. Hawley said she didn’t owe those thousands of dollars in debts. The federal government did. Hawley, a citizen of the Gros Ventre Tribe, lives on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. The Indian Health Service is a federal agency that provides free health care to Native Americans, but its services are limited by a chronic shortage of funding and staff. Hawley’s local Indian Health Service hospital wasn’t equipped to deliver babies. But she said staff there agreed that the agency would pay for her care at a privately owned hospital more than an hour away. That arrangement came through the Purchased/Referred Care program, which pays for services Native Americans can’t get through an agency-funded clinic or hospital. Federal law stresses that patients approved for the program aren’t responsible for any of the costs. But tribal leaders, health officials, and a new federal report say patients are routinely billed anyway as a result of backlogs or mistakes from the Indian Health Service, financial middlemen, hospitals, and clinics. The financial consequences for patients can last years. Those sent to collections can face damaged credit scores, which can prevent them from securing loans or require them to pay higher interest rates. The December report , by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, found these long-standing problems contribute to people in Native American-majority communities being nearly twice as likely to have medical debt in collections compared with the national average. And their amount of medical debt is significantly higher. The report found the program is often late to pay bills. In some cases, hospitals or collection agencies hound tribal citizens for more money after bills are paid. Hawley’s son was born in 2003. She had to wait another year to buy a home, as she struggled to pay off the debt. It took seven years for it to drop from her credit report. “I don’t think a person ever recovers from debt,” Hawley said. Hawley, a cancer survivor, still must navigate the referral program. In 2024 alone, she received two notices from clinics about overdue bills. Frank White Clay, chairman of the Crow Tribe in Montana, testified about the impact of wrongful billing during a U.S. House committee hearing in April. He shared stories of veterans rejected for home loans, elders whose Social Security benefits were reduced, and students denied college loans and federal aid. “Some of the most vulnerable people are being harassed daily by debt collectors,” White Clay said. No one is immune from the risk. A high-ranking Indian Health Service official learned during her job’s background check that her credit report contained referred-care debt, the federal report found. Native Americans face disproportionately high rates of poverty and disease , which researchers link to limited access to health care and the ongoing impact of racist federal policies . White Clay is among many who say problems with the referred-care program are an example of the U.S. government violating treaties that promised to provide for the health and welfare of tribes in return for their land. The chairman’s testimony came during a hearing on the Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act, which would require the Indian Health Service to create a reimbursement process for patients who were wrongfully billed. Committee members approved the bill in November and sent it for consideration by the full House. A second federal bill, the Protecting Native Americans’ Credit Act , would prevent debt like Hawley’s from affecting patients’ credit scores. The bipartisan bill hadn’t had a hearing by mid-December. The exact number of people wrongfully billed isn’t clear, but the Indian Health Service has acknowledged it has work to do. The agency is developing a dashboard to help workers track referrals and to speed up bill processing, spokesperson Brendan White said. It’s also trying to hire more referred-care staff, to address vacancy rates of more than 30%. Officials say problems with the program also stem from outside health providers that don’t follow the rules. Melanie Egorin, an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said at the hearing that the proposed legislation doesn’t include consequences for “bad actors” — health facilities that repeatedly bill patients when they shouldn’t. “The lack of enforcement is definitely a challenge,” she said. But tribal leaders warned that penalties could backfire. Related Articles Health | How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic Health | How to kick back, relax and embrace a less-than-perfect holiday Health | Boston to distribute Narcan via vending machines, kiosks to prevent opioid overdoses Health | More teens turning down pot, booze not nicotine pouches Health | New childhood leukemia protocol is ‘tremendous win’ White Clay told lawmakers that some clinics already refuse to see patients if the Indian Health Service hasn’t paid for their previous appointments. He’s worried the threat of penalties would lead to more refusals. If that happens, White Clay said, Crow tribal members who already travel hours to access specialty treatment would have to go even farther. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report found clinics are already refusing to see any referred-care patients due to the program’s payment problems. The bureau and the Indian Health Service also recently published a letter urging health care providers and debt collectors not to hold patients accountable for program-approved care. White, the Indian Health Service spokesperson, said the agency recently updated the referred-care forms sent to outside hospitals and clinics to include billing instructions and to stress that patients aren’t liable for any out-of-pocket costs. And he said the staff can help patients get reimbursed if they have already paid for services that were supposed to be covered. Joe Bryant, an Indian Health Service official who oversees efforts to improve the referral program, said patients can ask credit bureaus to remove debt from their reports if the agency should have covered their bills. Leaders with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington state helped shape the proposed legislation after their citizens were repeatedly harmed by wrongful billing. Tribal Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson said problems began in 2017, when a regional Indian Health Service office took over the referred-care program from local staff. It “created a domino effect of negative outcomes,” Erickson wrote in a letter to Congress. He said some tribal members whose finances were damaged stopped using the Indian Health Service. Others avoided health care altogether. Responsibility for the Colville Reservation program transferred back to local staff in 2022. Staffers found the billing process hadn’t been completed for thousands of cases, worth an estimated $24 million in medical care, Erickson told lawmakers . Workers are making progress on the backlog and they have explained the rules to outside hospitals and clinics, Erickson said. But he said there are still cases of wrongful billing, such as a tribal member who was sent to collections after receiving a $17,000 bill for chemotherapy that the agency was supposed to pay for. Erickson said the tribe is in the process of taking over its health care facilities instead of having the Indian Health Service run them. He and others who work in Native American health said tribally managed units — which are still funded by the federal agency — tend to have fewer problems with their referred-care programs. For example, they have more oversight over staff and flexibility to create their own payment tracking systems. But some Native Americans oppose tribal management because they feel it releases the federal government from its obligations. Beyond wrongful billing, access to the referred-care program is limited because of underfunding from Congress. The $1 billion budget this year is $9 billion short of the need, according to a committee report by tribal health and government leaders. Donald Warne, a physician and member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, called the proposed legislation a “band-aid.” He said the ultimate solution is for Congress to fully fund the Indian Health Service, which would reduce the need for the referred-care program. Back in Montana, Hawley said she braces for a fight each time she gets a bill that the referral program was supposed to cover. “I’ve learned not to trust the process,” Hawley said. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
CBC resurrects plans for live New Year's Eve broadcast specialsBy Katheryn Houghton and Arielle Zionts, KFF Health News (TNS) Tescha Hawley learned that hospital bills from her son’s birth had been sent to debt collectors only when she checked her credit score while attending a home-buying class. The new mom’s plans to buy a house stalled. Hawley said she didn’t owe those thousands of dollars in debts. The federal government did. Hawley, a citizen of the Gros Ventre Tribe, lives on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. The Indian Health Service is a federal agency that provides free health care to Native Americans, but its services are limited by a chronic shortage of funding and staff. Hawley’s local Indian Health Service hospital wasn’t equipped to deliver babies. But she said staff there agreed that the agency would pay for her care at a privately owned hospital more than an hour away. That arrangement came through the Purchased/Referred Care program, which pays for services Native Americans can’t get through an agency-funded clinic or hospital. Federal law stresses that patients approved for the program aren’t responsible for any of the costs. But tribal leaders, health officials, and a new federal report say patients are routinely billed anyway as a result of backlogs or mistakes from the Indian Health Service, financial middlemen, hospitals, and clinics. The financial consequences for patients can last years. Those sent to collections can face damaged credit scores, which can prevent them from securing loans or require them to pay higher interest rates. The December report , by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, found these long-standing problems contribute to people in Native American-majority communities being nearly twice as likely to have medical debt in collections compared with the national average. And their amount of medical debt is significantly higher. The report found the program is often late to pay bills. In some cases, hospitals or collection agencies hound tribal citizens for more money after bills are paid. Hawley’s son was born in 2003. She had to wait another year to buy a home, as she struggled to pay off the debt. It took seven years for it to drop from her credit report. “I don’t think a person ever recovers from debt,” Hawley said. Hawley, a cancer survivor, still must navigate the referral program. In 2024 alone, she received two notices from clinics about overdue bills. Frank White Clay, chairman of the Crow Tribe in Montana, testified about the impact of wrongful billing during a U.S. House committee hearing in April. He shared stories of veterans rejected for home loans, elders whose Social Security benefits were reduced, and students denied college loans and federal aid. “Some of the most vulnerable people are being harassed daily by debt collectors,” White Clay said. No one is immune from the risk. A high-ranking Indian Health Service official learned during her job’s background check that her credit report contained referred-care debt, the federal report found. Native Americans face disproportionately high rates of poverty and disease , which researchers link to limited access to health care and the ongoing impact of racist federal policies . White Clay is among many who say problems with the referred-care program are an example of the U.S. government violating treaties that promised to provide for the health and welfare of tribes in return for their land. The chairman’s testimony came during a hearing on the Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act, which would require the Indian Health Service to create a reimbursement process for patients who were wrongfully billed. Committee members approved the bill in November and sent it for consideration by the full House. A second federal bill, the Protecting Native Americans’ Credit Act , would prevent debt like Hawley’s from affecting patients’ credit scores. The bipartisan bill hadn’t had a hearing by mid-December. The exact number of people wrongfully billed isn’t clear, but the Indian Health Service has acknowledged it has work to do. The agency is developing a dashboard to help workers track referrals and to speed up bill processing, spokesperson Brendan White said. It’s also trying to hire more referred-care staff, to address vacancy rates of more than 30%. Officials say problems with the program also stem from outside health providers that don’t follow the rules. Melanie Egorin, an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said at the hearing that the proposed legislation doesn’t include consequences for “bad actors” — health facilities that repeatedly bill patients when they shouldn’t. “The lack of enforcement is definitely a challenge,” she said. But tribal leaders warned that penalties could backfire. Related Articles Health | How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic Health | How to kick back, relax and embrace a less-than-perfect holiday Health | New childhood leukemia protocol is ‘tremendous win’ Health | For some FSA dollars, it’s use it or lose it at year’s end Health | Norovirus is rampant. Blame oysters, cruise ships and holiday travel White Clay told lawmakers that some clinics already refuse to see patients if the Indian Health Service hasn’t paid for their previous appointments. He’s worried the threat of penalties would lead to more refusals. If that happens, White Clay said, Crow tribal members who already travel hours to access specialty treatment would have to go even farther. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report found clinics are already refusing to see any referred-care patients due to the program’s payment problems. The bureau and the Indian Health Service also recently published a letter urging health care providers and debt collectors not to hold patients accountable for program-approved care. White, the Indian Health Service spokesperson, said the agency recently updated the referred-care forms sent to outside hospitals and clinics to include billing instructions and to stress that patients aren’t liable for any out-of-pocket costs. And he said the staff can help patients get reimbursed if they have already paid for services that were supposed to be covered. Joe Bryant, an Indian Health Service official who oversees efforts to improve the referral program, said patients can ask credit bureaus to remove debt from their reports if the agency should have covered their bills. Leaders with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington state helped shape the proposed legislation after their citizens were repeatedly harmed by wrongful billing. Tribal Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson said problems began in 2017, when a regional Indian Health Service office took over the referred-care program from local staff. It “created a domino effect of negative outcomes,” Erickson wrote in a letter to Congress. He said some tribal members whose finances were damaged stopped using the Indian Health Service. Others avoided health care altogether. Responsibility for the Colville Reservation program transferred back to local staff in 2022. Staffers found the billing process hadn’t been completed for thousands of cases, worth an estimated $24 million in medical care, Erickson told lawmakers . Workers are making progress on the backlog and they have explained the rules to outside hospitals and clinics, Erickson said. But he said there are still cases of wrongful billing, such as a tribal member who was sent to collections after receiving a $17,000 bill for chemotherapy that the agency was supposed to pay for. Erickson said the tribe is in the process of taking over its health care facilities instead of having the Indian Health Service run them. He and others who work in Native American health said tribally managed units — which are still funded by the federal agency — tend to have fewer problems with their referred-care programs. For example, they have more oversight over staff and flexibility to create their own payment tracking systems. But some Native Americans oppose tribal management because they feel it releases the federal government from its obligations. Beyond wrongful billing, access to the referred-care program is limited because of underfunding from Congress. The $1 billion budget this year is $9 billion short of the need, according to a committee report by tribal health and government leaders. Donald Warne, a physician and member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, called the proposed legislation a “band-aid.” He said the ultimate solution is for Congress to fully fund the Indian Health Service, which would reduce the need for the referred-care program. Back in Montana, Hawley said she braces for a fight each time she gets a bill that the referral program was supposed to cover. “I’ve learned not to trust the process,” Hawley said. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.