India vs Australia 4th Test Day 3 Live Score: India and Australia resume their contest as the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy restarts on Day 3. The main aim for the Indian batters would be to look to avoid the follow-on.After Australia were bowled out for a mammoth 474, India began their innings on a horrific note as Rohit Sharma was dismissed for just three runs, thus continuing his poor form in the longest format. KL Rahul also departed in the 15th over. Yashasvi Jaiswal then partnered with Virat Kohli to stitch a century partnership. However, the game turned on its head in the final few minutes of the day's play.Jaiswal, Kohli and night watchman Akash Deep departed in quick succession as India ended the day at 164/5 with Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja batting at 6 and 4 respectively. India need to score 110 more runs to avoid the follow-on.Earlier, Steve Smith became the first batter to slam 11 centuries against India in Tests, as he smashed 140.Coming July 1, Vallejo’s Cal Maritime Academy and San Luis Obispo’s California Polytechnic State University will operate as a single university: Cal Poly. The name change — Cal Maritime Academy will officially be known as “Cal Poly, Solano Campus,” housing the “Cal Poly Maritime Academy” — comes after Thursday’s California State University Board of Trustees vote to approve a CSU Chancellor recommendation to integrate the two schools. The Times-Herald first reported on the story in June when a recommendation was made to integrate the Vallejo university with California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The integration would be complete by the start of the 2026-27 academic year. The only degree-granting maritime academy on the West Coast and one of only six state maritime academies in the United States, Cal Maritime has experienced a 31 percent enrollment decline over the last seven years — going from approximately 1,100 students in 2016-17 to just over 750 in 2023-24, according to the CSU statement. There are 81 members of faculty, with 176 staff. The rising employment and operational costs have contributed to the fiscal crisis for Cal Maritime, which has an annul budget of $53 million. Work on the integration process is currently underway. Planning and implementation will take place over the coming months. The first Cal Poly Maritime Academy and Cal Poly, Solano Campus students enrolling as Cal Poly students will take place in fall of 2026. Integration will result in one university (Cal Poly) under one president, President Jeffrey D. Armstrong. After July, a vice president and chief executive officer will lead the Solano campus while a superintendent will be appointed to lead the Cal Poly Maritime Academy. The VP/CEO will report to the president of Cal Poly and serve on the president’s leadership cabinet. The superintendent will report to the VP/CEO. Until July 1, Michael Dumont will continue to serve as interim president of Cal Maritime. Additionally, integration will result in a single administrative structure, one budget and one of each of the appropriate shared governance structures, including faculty/academic senates, one Associated Students, one alumni association and one philanthropic foundation. The integration is considered a permanent solution and Cal Maritime will not be going back to an independent school in the future. The CSU is providing $35 million in one-time funds to support the integration that will be distributed over seven years. It is unclear at this time whether or not jobs will be lost due to the integration. A statement on Thursday by Cal Maritime said, “It is premature to begin analyzing the impact on the Cal Maritime workforce. Analysis will be needed to determine existing capabilities and future requirements. Much of the analysis will depend upon future enrollment numbers.” Workgroups were formed comprising subject matter experts from the CSU Chancellor’s Office, Cal Poly and Cal Maritime across the 23 operational areas identified as most critical to a seamless and timely integration. Those 23 groups have been consolidated into seven functional implementation teams organized under thematic work areas: academics; enrollment; student affairs; advancement, communications and external relations; financial, administrative and human resources; technology; and legal, regulatory and accreditation matters. Informed and guided by Baker Tilly — a firm with extensive national experience in this highly specialized area — the seven FIT teams are now mapping the previously identified critical issues to activities that will form the foundation of an implementation plan. CSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Steve Relyea and Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs and Chief Academic Officer Nathan Evans made the recommendation to Chancellor Mildred García during the summer. “The integration of Cal Maritime and Cal Poly will benefit the students, faculty and staff of both institutions, as well as advance the broader mission of the CSU system by enhancing the quality, diversity and sustainability of the CSU’s academic programs and services statewide,” said Relyea and Evans in a CSU statement. “In addition, it will serve industry and workforce needs of the state of California and of the nation while also supporting U.S. economic and national security interests. We are confident in our recommendation.” Garcia was also in favor of the integration. “The recommended integration of Cal Maritime and Cal Poly is an innovative and vitally necessary strategy with benefits that will be felt throughout the CSU, the state of California and our nation,” said García in June. “It provides a long-term solution to Cal Maritime’s untenable fiscal circumstances, preserves its licensure-granting academic programs so key to the maritime industry and our state’s and nation’s economy and security, and leverages academic and operational synergies between the two universities that will benefit California’s diverse students, families and communities for generations.” Numerous options were considered to preserve Cal Maritime’s unique programs while ensuring financial feasibility and sustainability. It was determined that Cal Poly was clearly the best aligned with Cal Maritime for a successful integration because the schools have similar institutions in many fundamental ways, primarily in their academic missions and learning ethos. Both institutions rely upon a hands-on approach and both offer degree programs within high return-on-investment program areas. Clear synergistic opportunities exist in multiple academic programs, perhaps most obviously within the engineering and marine science fields. Both institutions also are involved in national and economic security issues that impact the western U.S., the Pacific Rim and beyond. There is also untapped potential in the ability of the two institutions, if combined, to compete for increased federal, philanthropic and other sources of funding for national security, renewable energy and other programs. Last summer, Dumont began his tenure as interim president at Cal Maritime, taking over for Thomas A. Cropper who announced in November of 2022 that he would retire in August of 2023. The merging comes after recent controversy at Cal Maritime. A Vallejo Times-Herald report in 2021 exposed decades-long claims of sexual assault and sexual harassment, homophobia, transphobia and racism on campus and during training cruises. Cal Maritime students and employees reported accusations of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment aboard the 500-foot ship to officials at the Vallejo campus between 2019-2022. The merger also comes two months after Dumont announced that the school will be end its longtime affiliation with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the California Pacific Conference, a result of the association’s recent adoption of its Transgender Participation Policy. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the governing body for mostly small colleges, announced with a 20-vote in April a policy banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. The organization, which oversees some 83,000 athletes at schools across the country, is believed to be the first college sports organization to take such a step. Since then the school has been recognized on multiple spots on the badge-eligible list of U.S. News and World Report’s list of 2024 Best Colleges. The college was recognized for top performances in academic reputation, cost of attendance and return on investment. The college scored No. 1 for Top Public Schools and ranked No. 2 out of 103 for Regional Colleges-West. Additionally, Cal Maritime was included on Forbes’ list of America’s Top Colleges 2023. Forbes’ annual list showcases 500 of the finest U.S. colleges, ranked using data on student success, return on investment and alumni influence. Although CSU said in a June statement that the challenges the school faces is nothing new, Cal Maritime has implemented several actions to reduce expenses and increase revenues. “Cal Maritime has been part of Vallejo’s rich history and a source of pride for eight decades. Our students, faculty, staff and alumni have played an important role in the history of the state, the region and the nation,” said Dumont during the summer. “An integration with Cal Poly is an amazing opportunity to honor that legacy by preserving one of the nation’s premier maritime academies.”
Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration will change economic conditions in Australia and around the world, writes Stephen Koukoulas . POLICYMAKERS IN AUSTRALIA are getting a clear picture of the economic policy changes that the new Trump administration will implement when Donald Trump takes power in January 2025. The early news is troubling. Trump has announced that he will follow through with his commitment to impose tariffs , initially against Canada, Mexico and China. Furthermore, Trump is threatening to impose a 100 per cent tariff on the BRICS countries if they go ahead with their proposal to create a new currency to compete with the U.S. dollar in global foreign exchange markets. The countries in the BRICS economic body are Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt and Ethiopia — which suggests the tariff impost would decimate global trade if implemented. There is even more to just the tariff issue alone. If Trump sticks with another of his pre-election plans, there will be further across-the-board tariffs imposed on exporters to the U.S. which will obviously severely undermine global trade and global economic growth. Prices on tariff-impacted goods will rise, but overall, the crunching of economic growth will be disinflationary. Trump’s return offers gains for Australia and other trade competitors If the second Trump Administration is as incompetent and corrupt as the first, Australia will win handsomely again. The Australian economy suffers in a tariff war There will be a direct and substantially negative impact on the Australian economy from the imposition of tariffs. When analysing the impact of US tariffs and the almost certain retaliatory action from its trading partners, the Reserve Bank of Australia ( RBA ) analysis found: 'However, weaker Chinese growth will have relatively strong negative implications for Australia given the strength of export trade links. In the extreme scenario, weaker export demand, and slower growth would be disinflationary, putting downward pressure on policy rate expectations, government bond yields and the Australian dollar.' And, it noted that: '...some modest downward pressure on policy rate expectations...' Similarly, when the first Trump administration sparked a tariff dispute between the U.S. and China, Treasury analysis found: 'An escalation in tariffs between the United States and China will negatively affect global growth. In the short run, tariffs are likely to disrupt global supply chains, and could reduce confidence, leading to a reduction in spending, particularly investment.' Treasury added: 'GDP growth in Australia will also be affected by lower global growth, particularly given the U.S. and China are two of our largest trading partners. A key mechanism through which lower global growth affects Australia is through lower commodity prices, which will reduce our national income.' There is no doubt that the RBA and Treasury would still hold these views and would be advising the government accordingly. Both economic agencies will be preparing strategies for the government to deal with the fallout from such a dislocation in global trade. And, the sooner the government and RBA act, the lesser the fallout for investment and unemployment. Altruism among voters fading as selfishness prevails A global trend shows altruism diminishing amongst voters, with many electing leaders based on what they can do for the individual. The RBA has an easy decision to make As noted, the Trump tariffs and likely tariff retaliation mean lower economic growth with lower inflation. At a time when GDP growth in Australia is already weak and inflation is comfortably in the target zone, an immediate interest rate cut from the RBA would be a simple and appropriate policy response to the shitstorm that is about to smash the global economy and Australia’s major export market, China. GDP growth is struggling around 1 to 1.5 per cent. Inflation is 2.1 per cent and has been in the RBA’s 2 to 3 per cent range for three straight months and the rest of the world is cutting interest rates aggressively. The rising spare capacity in the labour market has seen annual wage growth slow from 4.3 per cent to 3.5 per cent with more weakness likely if the economy remains in the doldrums. The RBA Board meets next on 10 December 2024 and there are many independently-minded economists thinking that lower interest rates are necessary — even before the latest headwinds from the U.S. hit our shores. An interest rate cut in December from the RBA – in part in response to what it knows now about U.S. trade policy – plus the updated run of domestic fundamentals, would be prudent and sensible. It would be an insurance move against the effects of higher tariffs, yet weaker global growth and elevated problems in the Australian economy. Waiting until the RBA meeting after that – in February 2025, or even the one after that, in April – will impose additional months of monetary policy austerity when there are so many concerns impacting the local economy. No coming back from Trump The next Trump Administration is going to be a period of chaos from which the United States may never recover socially or economically. What should the government do? The appropriate government response to the tariff imbroglio is less obvious, particularly in the near term. To assist local businesses, the government can try to carve out exemptions from the countries imposing tariffs but this is hit-and-miss and does not deal with the broader macroeconomic effect of weaker growth and lower inflation. It may want to consider its own retaliatory action, with a tariff impost on countries hurting Australian businesses with their tariffs. Again, this is messy and would make Australia an active participant in the global trade war which is something against the thinking of good economic managers. Another option is to relax budget settings further. This means allowing the automatic stabilisers in the budget to work through the economy – lower taxes and higher government spending – to support private sector activity. In more extreme negative economic circumstances, some additional discretionary fiscal measures could be implemented to maintain employment and to support economic activity. Much like the fiscal responses to the global financial crisis and the pandemic. Reserve Bank playing with fire — beware of the creeping recession The RBA is risking repeating the errors that led to the deep and dark recession of the early 1990s. Stephen Koukoulas reports. Difficult times ahead The problems generated by the Trump administration – even before he is sworn in – will change economic conditions in Australia. Most of the impacts will be negative. Policymakers will be watching and the sensible ones will be looking for policy agility to safeguard the Australian economy when the fallout hits. Policymakers must start to act to shore up the Australian economy against the backwash – which is potentially huge – from the Trump smashing on global trade. Stephen Koukoulas is an IA columnist and one of Australia’s leading economic visionaries, past Chief Economist of Citibank and Senior Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License Support independent journalism Subscribe to IA. Related Articles No coming back from Trump Trump's runaway trolley piling up with cuckoo captain's picks Trump's tariffs and their effect on the Australian economy U.S. Election not about economic anxiety, it’s about religious identity anxiety Trump taps into new media and rise in youth conservatism POLITICS AUSTRALIA CONSUMERS FINANCE ECONOMICS DONALD TRUMP US Election US Tariffs Australia trade war tariff war Stephen Koukoulas BRICS RBA Treasury Share Article
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo was available for the Milwaukee Bucks against the Washington Wizards Saturday night after missing one game with swelling in his left knee. Antetokounmpo sat out the Bucks' 106-103 NBA Cup victory at Miami on Tuesday. The two-time MVP had been listed as probable with tendinopathy in his right patellar tendon. “He's good,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game. Antetokounmpo entered Saturday as the league's leading scorer at 32.4 points per game. He ranked fifth in rebounds (11.9) and 20th in assists (6.4). ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba The Associated PressBills' Josh Allen has the perfect sideline reaction to his epic play on Sunday Night Football against the 49ersNEW YORK , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is redefining market landscape - The global non- fungible token (NFT) market size is estimated to grow by USD 68.16 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 30.23% during the forecast period. Increasing demand for digital art is driving market growth, with a trend towards growing interest in nfts among major brands. However, uncertainty in nfts poses a challenge. Key market players include AirNFTs Platform, Asynchronous Art Inc., Binance Holdings Ltd., Blockchain App Factory, Celer Network, Chaincella, Decentraland Foundation, Enjin Pte. Ltd., Foundation Labs Inc., Funko Inc., Gemini Trust Co. LLC, Mintable.app, Ozone Networks Inc., Out The Mud Ventures Inc., Rarible Inc., Sky Mavis , SuperRare Labs Inc., Tiki Labs Inc., Yellowheart LLC, Axie Infinity.Cloudflare, Inc.; PLBY Group, Inc.; Dolphin Entertainment, Inc.; Takung Art Co., Ltd.; Dapper Labs, Inc.; Onchain Labs, Inc Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF Non- fungible Token (NFT) Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 30.23% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 68.16 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 23.27 Regional analysis APAC, North America, South America, Europe, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 39% Key countries US; Canada; Thailand, China; Brazil, U.K.; Germany; France; China; Japan; India; South Korea; Australia; Mexico; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA); UAE; South Africa Key companies profiled AirNFTs Platform, Asynchronous Art Inc., Binance Holdings Ltd., Blockchain App Factory, Celer Network, Chaincella, Decentraland Foundation, Enjin Pte. Ltd., Foundation Labs Inc., Funko Inc., Gemini Trust Co. LLC, Mintable.app, Ozone Networks Inc., Out The Mud Ventures Inc., Rarible Inc., Sky Mavis, SuperRare Labs Inc., Tiki Labs Inc., Yellowheart LLC, Axie Infinity, Cloudflare, Inc.; PLBY Group, Inc.; Dolphin Entertainment, Inc.; Takung Art Co., Ltd.; Dapper Labs, Inc.; Onchain Labs, Inc Market Driver NFTs, or Non- Fungible Tokens, have taken the art, athletes, and celebrities worlds by storm. These digital assets, representing unique items like artworks, collectibles, and even virtual real estate, are creating buzz in various industries. Blockchain technology powers NFTs, ensuring transparency, ownership, and scarcity. The gaming industry and media & entertainment sector are leveraging NFTs for tokenizing games, trading cards, and virtual items. Artists and athletes are minting NFTs of their digital artworks and collectibles, offering fans exclusive ownership. Augmented Reality (AR) and Extended Reality (XR) are enhancing the NFT experience, making it more interactive. The NFT community is growing, with online platforms enabling easy buying, selling, and trading. However, regulatory considerations, consumer protection, and legal frameworks are crucial. Fraud and taxation are concerns, with securities laws and intellectual property rights coming into play. Blockchain networks like Ethereum and proof-of-work/stake mechanisms ensure secure transactions. The NFT market is evolving, with potential applications in decentralized finance, music, and even virtual vehicles. The future looks promising, with the metaverse and virtual reality (VR) offering new possibilities. The White House and third parties are exploring NFTs, signaling mainstream adoption. Big brands, such as Visa Inc. And Budweiser, are increasingly exploring the Non- Fungible Token (NFT) market for potential earnings. In August 2021 , Visa Inc. Made a significant investment by purchasing a CryptoPunk NFT for approximately USD165,000 . This acquisition expanded Visa's historic commerce artifacts collection. The primary motivation for these corporations is the opportunity to generate additional revenue. Furthermore, they are focusing on utilizing NFTs as incentives for consumers. For instance, NFTs can serve as innovative rewards, offering exclusive gifts to loyal customers. Request Sample of our comprehensive report now to stay ahead in the AI-driven market evolution! Non- Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have disrupted the art, collectibles, and entertainment industries by allowing unique digital assets to be bought and sold as property. Artists, athletes, celebrities, and even the White House have joined the NFT community, creating digital artworks, collectibles, and virtual items backed by blockchain technology. NFTs provide proof of ownership, scarcity, and authenticity, making them attractive to investors. However, challenges persist, such as regulatory considerations under securities laws, consumer protection, and fraud . Distributed networks like Ethereum facilitate NFT trading, but logistical issues and taxation remain unclear. The gaming industry, media & entertainment, and decentralized finance are exploring NFTs for tokenization of games, virtual items, and digital property. Augmented Reality (AR) and Extended Reality (XR) are expected to enhance the NFT experience. However, legal frameworks and regulatory considerations need to address intellectual property, third-party rights, and securities laws. Ultimately, NFTs offer a new way to monetize and trade digital assets, but careful planning and regulation are crucial to ensure a fair and secure marketplace. The Non- Fungible Token (NFT) market presents both opportunities and challenges for sellers. Valuation of NFTs is uncertain due to the difficulty in determining future demand and pricing. Factors such as scarcity, uniqueness, and buyer perception play a significant role in determining NFT value. New sellers face challenges in anticipating buyer identity and purchase drivers. As the market continues to evolve, predicting future trends in NFT pricing remains difficult for new investors. The value of NFTs is subjective and dependent on buyer perception, leading to price fluctuations. Discover how AI is revolutionizing market trends- Get your access now! This non- fungible token (nft) market report extensively covers market segmentation by Application 1.1 Collectibles 1.2 Sports 1.3 Arts 1.4 Others End-user 2.1 Personal 2.2 Commercial Geography 3.1 APAC 3.2 North America 3.3 South America 3.4 Europe 3.5 Middle East and Africa Type 1.1 Collectibles- Non- Fungible Tokens (NFTs) refer to unique digital collectibles, minted on the Blockchain. These collectibles are limited-edition and cannot be exchanged or replicated. Vendors offer online platforms for buying and selling NFTs. Key features include the owner's exclusive right to sell, royalty payments on future sales, and protection against unauthorized use or copying. The NFT market's expansion is fueled by the increasing demand for digital assets worldwide. Industries are going digital, and the Internet's ubiquity, along with rising usage, encourages investments in digital assets. Tokenization, which creates digital tokens representing asset ownership, further boosts market growth. These factors are expected to significantly contribute to the growth of the global NFT market. Download a Sample of our comprehensive report today to discover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping competitive dynamics The Non- Fungible Token (NFT) market is revolutionizing the way we buy, sell, and own digital assets. This innovative technology allows for the unique representation and ownership of electronic artworks, gaming items, and collectibles on the blockchain. The gaming industry has embraced NFTs, enabling tokenization of in-game items and creating new revenue streams. NFTs on Ethereum network provide scarcity and ownership, making digital artworks valuable and collectible. Legal frameworks are evolving to accommodate this new asset class, while AR, VR, and XR technologies enhance the NFT experience. Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies power the NFT market, with Web 3 enabling decentralized finance and creating new distribution networks. Fraud prevention is crucial in this market, with NFT suppliers ensuring authenticity and ownership. The NFT market offers a new frontier for creators, collectors, and investors, with Magic Eden and other platforms serving as marketplaces for these unique digital assets. The Non- Fungible Token (NFT) market is a revolutionary digital ecosystem where Art, Digital Artworks, and Collectibles come to life as unique, verifiable, and tradable assets on the blockchain. This decentralized platform allows Artists, Athletes, and Celebrities to monetize and showcase their Intellectual Property in the form of NFTs, including Painting, Music, and even Virtual Real Estate. Blockchain technology enables Ownership and Transfer of these Digital Assets with transparency and Security. NFTs are not limited to the Art World but extend to Gaming Industry, Sports Collectibles, Trading Cards, and Virtual Items. The market also includes Decentralized Finance, Cryptocurrencies , and Cryptocurrencies /assets. Regulatory considerations and Consumer Protection are essential aspects of this emerging market, with legal frameworks and Taxation being crucial. NFTs can be traded on various Online Platforms, and the market is expanding into Extended Reality (XR) and Metaverse, offering new opportunities for creators and investors. However, Fraud and Scam risks exist, highlighting the need for careful consideration and due diligence. NFTs represent a new frontier in the Digital Economy, with potential applications in various industries, including Media & Entertainment, Logistics, and even House and Vehicle ownership. Smart Contracts and Proof of Work or Stake are essential components of the NFT market, enabling seamless Transactions and Distribution Networks. The NFT community continues to grow, with various Third Parties offering services and solutions to facilitate the creation, trading, and management of NFTs. The NFT market is a dynamic and evolving space, offering endless possibilities for creators, investors, and consumers alike. 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation Application Collectibles Sports Arts Others End-user Personal Commercial Geography APAC North America South America Europe Middle East And Africa Type 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/non-fungible-token-nft-market-to-grow-by-usd-68-16-billion-2024-2028-driven-by-digital-art-demand-and-ai-powered-market-evolution---technavio-302327902.html SOURCE Technavio © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Is Washington positioned for long-term success in the Big Ten? We aren't convinced, for a variety of reasons.Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens nextSportscaster Greg Gumbel dies from cancer at age 78
Tua Tagovailoa sends brutal warning to gangs who robbed Joe Burrow, Travis Kelce and Patrick MahomesWASHINGTON — 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. High rents make it difficult to save up, even when applying for a VA loan—a mortgage backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs that typically has more favorable terms. While the VA does not require a downpayment, some lenders, who ultimately provide the loan, do. They're not entirely risk-free either, and veterans can still lose their homes if they are unable to keep up with their mortgages. In November 2023, the VA put a six-month pause on foreclosures when an NPR investigation found thousands of veterans were in danger of losing their homes after a COVID forbearance program ended. Biden officials pointed to high rents and the end of COVID-era housing restrictions like eviction moratoriums to explain the spike in Americans experiencing homelessness. In the last year, homelessness rose 12%—to more than 650,000 people—the highest level since data began being collected in 2007. Overall, more than half of people experiencing homelessness in 2023 live in states with high living costs. Most were in California, followed by New York and Florida. Western states, including Montana and Utah, experienced massive population growth during the pandemic, becoming hubs for remote workers who drove home prices and rents even further. 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. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!
A landmark $600 million deal for a Papua New Guinea team to enter the National Rugby League comes with an escape clause allowing the Australian government to immediately terminate the agreement if PNG strikes a security or policing pact with China or other rival nations over the next decade. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and PNG Prime Minister James Marape announced at a joint press conference in Sydney that a Port Moresby-based team will enter the NRL from 2028. The PNG team is likely to want Xavier Coates to be its inaugural marquee signing. Credit: Getty “Australia and PNG are the nearest of neighbours and we are the truest of friends,” Albanese said. “We are bound by a history of shared sacrifice and a common commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific. And we are united of course by a love of rugby league. That’s why I’m delighted to announce the Australian government is supporting a PNG team to join the NRL competition from 2028.” “Rugby league is PNG’s national sport and PNG deserves a national team. The new team will belong to the people of PNG and it will call Port Moresby home. It will have millions of people barracking for it from day one.” The leaders hailed the deal as a historic milestone for the PNG-Australia relationship that will bond the nations together and provide a major economic boost to the Pacific’s most populous nation as it seeks to lift much of its population out of poverty. There’s no questioning Papua New Guinea’s passion for rugby league. Credit: Getty “What this is about, isn’t just the elite level,” Albanese said. “This is about the grassroots level. It’s about economic development. It’s about the relationship between our peoples. It provides, as sport often does, an opportunity for people to succeed, not just in sport but in life. “That is why this partnership isn’t just about Papua New Guinea, it’s also about our relationship with the Pacific.” Australian taxpayers will provide $600 million over the next 10 years to help establish the team, with $120 million coming from existing Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade funding. The PNG government has committed to building compound-style accommodation for players and offering tax-free salary benefits to lure star players to its capital, Port Moresby. The Australian and PNG governments have signed a separate agreement on “shared strategic trust” that sits beside the franchise agreement between the NRL, Australia and PNG. The exact terms of the strategic trust agreement are confidential and will not be released to the public. “Today also confirms ... our bilateral security agreement, which was signed just over a year ago in Canberra,” Albanese said. “Since signing that agreement, we’ve made real progress with Australia providing tangible support to PNG’s internal security priorities ... I think that today is a day where people will look back in five years, 10 years, 20 years and see that this was a day where the relationship between our nations was cemented even further into a new level.” While there is no explicit clause granting Australia veto rights over security deals between PNG and other countries, government sources said the NRL agreement was “contingent” on PNG continuing to support the principle that security and policing arrangements are handled by Pacific nations including Australia. The sources, who were not authorised to speak publicly, said the agreement allows the Australian government to withdraw financial support for PNG’s NRL team without supplying a reason until 2035. The NRL would be required to terminate the PNG team’s franchise if the Australian government removes its support under the terms of the agreement. “This is about diplomacy, this is about making Australia safer, this is about securing our status as the security partner of choice in the Pacific,” a senior government source said. The government announced a new treaty earlier this week with Nauru that allows it to block China and other countries from striking any security or telecommunications deals with the tiny Pacific nation in exchange for $140 million in financial support from Australian taxpayers. PNG’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told this masthead last week that the agreement has “nothing to do with China” but Australian government officials have insisted there was a security element to the agreement. A separate clause prohibits the NRL from asking the Australian government for more money within or after the 10-year funding period. The logo, colours and name of the PNG team are yet to be determined. One option is for the club to be called the PNG Hunters, the name given to the team that has been playing in the Queensland Cup competition since 2014. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and PNG counterpart James Marape discussed PNG’s NRL bid while walking the Kokoda Track in April. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer “I want to indicate to everyone here in Australia and back home, we’re not just filling the numbers for Anthony [Albanese] and James [Marape] to feel good,” Marape said. “Far from it. We want to win the competition. Just like the Dolphins did in their first year of entry [in 2023], we will field a very strong team in the first game in 2028. “As South Sydney lives on 100 years on from its birth, this one will live on way after you [Albanese] and me are gone. Our people forever bound in not only a shared love for rugby league, but a shared love for each other.” It remains unclear whether PNG will be the NRL’s 18th or 19th team, given there is a desire to add another side as early as 2027. The NRL remains in negotiations for a Perth-based franchise, which are continuing directly with the WA government after a consortium bid was rejected. Sources said negotiations over the PNG team were up in the air until the May NRL “magic round” in May, when Pacific Minister Pat Conroy and Australian Rugby League chairman Peter V’landys struck an in-principle agreement for a team to enter the competition. One of the likely signing targets for the franchise is Xavier Coates. The Melbourne, Queensland and Australian star was born in Port Moresby, has previously represented Fiji and, given he is only 23 years old, will likely be in his prime when the team enters the NRL. His younger brother, Phillip, is also a rising star who represented the PNG Junior Kumuls in their recent draw with the Australian Schoolboys team. As a sweetener to sign with PNG, players and staff will be granted tax-free status. That will allow a marquee signing on a $1.2 million deal to save up to $550,000 a year. The expansion of the NRL competition is expected to bring more money into the game and the existing clubs have argued for a share. They have been placated by the division of a $60 million license fee, which will come out of the $600 million Australian government payment. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. 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FILE PHOTO: Nov 21, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) watches a foul shot during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at the Spectrum Center. Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images/File Photo Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball will be sidelined at least two weeks with a left calf strain, the team announced on Saturday. Ball sustained his injury late in the fourth quarter of Charlotte's 98-94 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday. He sat out the Hornets' 99-98 setback to the New York Knicks on Friday and has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the visiting Atlanta Hawks. The Hornets have dropped four in a row and six of their last seven games. Ball, 23, is averaging an NBA second-best 31.1 points per game to go along with 6.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds this season. The NBA's Rookie of the Year in 2020-21 and an All-Star the following season, Ball has contributed 21.0 points, 7.4 assists and 6.2 rebounds in 202 career games (182 starts). Ball was selected by the Hornets with the third overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft. --Field Level Media REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas defensive tackle Alfred Collins surveyed the wreckage left by the No. 2 Longhorns' total domination of Texas A&M. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas defensive tackle Alfred Collins surveyed the wreckage left by the No. 2 Longhorns' total domination of Texas A&M. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas defensive tackle Alfred Collins surveyed the wreckage left by the No. 2 Longhorns’ total domination of Texas A&M. Then he summed up the message he believes it sent to the rest of college football about the Texas defense. “We’re the best in the nation,” Collins said. It’s hard to argue with the evidence the No. 2 Longhorns (11-1, 7-1, No. 3 CFP) have produced week after week in earning a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday against No. 6 Georgia (10-2, 6-2 No. 7 CFP). The winner also earns a first-round bye in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Texas opened the season with a shutout. Three more times the Longhorns did not surrender an offensive touchdown. The defense has surrendered a total of 17 points over the last three games. The Longhorns rank No. 3 nationally in total defense, No. 2 in scoring defense, No. 1 in passing yards allowed and No. 3 in total interceptions while allowing just six passing touchdowns. Against Texas A&M, in the first game in the rivalry since 2011, Texas allowed just 248 total yards and made two critical touchdown-saving stands, one early and one late, that sealed a 17-7 victory. On the second one, Texas stuffed the Aggies on fourth-and-goal from the Texas 1 with less than five minutes left. “We feel like nobody’s getting in the end zone with us,” Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. said after the game. “If you think you’re going to just run right at us for 1 yard, I feel like you’ve lost your mind. I feel like that’s not going to happen.” Most notable against A&M was how the defense turned momentum and rescued a sputtering offense after the Aggies had scored their only touchdown on an interception return, and then blocked a punt. Backed inside their 5, the Texas defensive line mauled the Aggies and stuffed four consecutive run plays. “It’s just like a common theme at this point,” Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers said after the game, “they continue to save our butts on offense.” The game against Georgia is a rematch of the Bulldogs’ 30-15 win on Oct. 19. Texas will be playing in the title game in its first year in the league. The Bulldogs are in the championship game for the fourth consecutive year and for the seventh time since 2018. The Bulldogs’ 30 points was the most the Longhorns allowed all season. But even then, the Texas defense mostly excelled, holding Georgia under 300 total yards and intercepting three passes by Georgia quarterback Carson Beck. Georgia ran out to a 23-0 lead after two Texas turnovers set up the Bulldogs with short drives for a pair of touchdowns. Arguably the only time the Texas defense truly broke this season was a second half touchdown drive by the Bulldogs that put the game out of reach. The Longhorns had pulled within 23-15 when Georgia marched 89 yards in 11 plays for Trevor Etienne’s fourth-down 1-yard TD run. “Georgia had a bunch of short fields and took advantage of those,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. If anything, the Texas defense has gotten better since then. And Georgia coach Kirby Smart won’t count on Texas being starstruck playing in the SEC title game. “I think defensively they’ve been at a high level the entire year,” Smart said. “I’m just saying that the previous matchup does not determine this matchup,” Smart said. “You can’t overstate that to your players because the flow of that game was different in the first three, four, five drives. And then, you know, after a turnover it went the other way a little bit.” ___ 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 Advertisement Advertisement
Community Health System President and CEO Craig Castro announced intentions to retire in early 2025. Photo via Community Health System Craig Castro, who has served nearly 23 of his 40-year Two Fresno physicians have agreed to pay a combined $2.43 Lawrence Yun, the National Association of Realtors chief economist, forecasts Trumark Homes officially opened sales at its Copper River community