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USAA Federal Savings Bank has been ordered to correct a range of longstanding regulatory deficiencies amounting to unsafe and unsound practices, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) said on Wednesday. Problems identified related to management, earnings, information technology, consumer compliance and internal audit and suspicious activity reporting violations, some of which the agency has identified since at least 2019, the office said in a statement. USAA Federal Savings is part of the United Services Automobile Association, which was founded to provide financial services to members of the U.S. military. According to the OCC, the order announced Wednesday included parts of prior orders issued in 2019 and 2022 for which USAA was not yet in compliance and directed the bank to improve management of compliance, fraud and third-party risks, as well as risk governance. It also prevents the bank from adding some products and services. In a statement, the USAA said it was working to address the problems identified. Capitalize on high interest rates: Best current CD rates "Although our progress has not been consistent or swift enough, the bank is well-positioned to complete this work," it said, adding that its credit ratings, capital and liquidity were "substantially above regulatory requirements." Reporting by Douglas Gillison; Editing by Aurora Ellis
Plans to add parking charges to a park in Bromley have been scrapped by the council after opposition from a local athletics club. The club had claimed the charges would have had a 'disastrous' effect on its future, but a clause in its lease agreement has quashed the authority's plans anyway. Bromley Council had approved a scheme last week to add charging for the car park in Norman Park in an effort to generate £35,000 a year for the authority. However, following an enquiry by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the council has confirmed it will not be going ahead with the planned charges after reviewing its lease agreement with Blackheath & Bromley Harriers Athletics Club. The lease, seen by the LDRS, states that employees, contractors and visitors of the club have the right to use the car park without charge. It also said that the landlord for the site, Bromley Council, should not impose fees for vehicles parking in the car park. Conservative Councillor Nicholas Bennett, Executive Councillor for Transport, Highways & Road Safety told the LDRS: "I was made aware shortly before the PDS Committee meeting of the existence of a lease. Consequently, I amended the recommendation at the meeting so that a discussion could take place with the lessee." He added: "Having now seen and read a copy of the lease I have decided that it would not be right to proceed with the proposal. As a public body we must always stand by any agreements that are made." Blackheath & Bromley Harriers was founded in 1869 and has produced several nationally recognised athletes, including Dina Asher-Smith who has achieved three Olympic medals for Great Britain since 2016. The track in the park has been in use since 1981, with the club being given planning permission in December 2019 to build a new clubhouse and sports centre, which it formally moved into in February 2023. Tim Soutar, a trustee of the athletics club, told the LDRS: "While it's unfortunate that we weren't approached before the proposal became public, I'm sure that the many users of the Norman Park Community Centre and Track will be relieved to learn that it's to go no further." He added: "When we originally agreed to take on responsibility for the track, we knew we would need to make a major investment to expand the facilities to secure a sustainable future based on community use. Ensuring free parking for users was a key element of the business plan and, accordingly, a red line during our lease negotiations. Since its opening less than two years ago, the centre has proved extremely popular and we hope it will remain so for many years to come." Chris Hilditch is a trustee of Norman Park Track Management, who run the park's athletic track on behalf of the club. He said that aside from the club's athletics teams, the community centre is used for art classes, a dementia hub, sign language courses and a variety of exercise classes. The club had stated that charges for the car park would have had a 'disastrous' effect on its future by adding a further financial burden to individuals using the facilities. Mr Hildtich told the LDRS: "A lot of the things that we do here are very price and footfall sensitive. For instance, we need footfall from the cafe to operate and generate revenue." Regarding the charges, he added: "[Parents] would be looking at probably double the amount they would be paying for their kids to be here and that would definitely impact the amount that comes along. Of course, it would impact the end of the spectrum which are the poorest because they're the ones that can't afford it and I feel very uncomfortable with that as a prospect." The U-turn on the decision also follows a petition against the scheme which was signed by over 5,700 residents. Residents living near the park told the LDRS that they were concerned about the effect the charging would have had on traffic and parking on local streets such as Hayes Lane, where congestion is already 'crazy'. Locals said the car park is frequently full from people doing activities such as parkrun. Bromley Mencap, a charity based in Norman Park that supports disabled residents, said it was concerned that the charges would impact both its staff and clients by creating barriers to the outdoor space. Anna McEwen, CEO of Bromley Mencap, told the LDRS: "We are delighted, and relieved, to hear that the council has made the decision not to proceed with the parking charges proposal at Norman Park. This would have had a detrimental impact on our day service for adults with learning disabilities and the social enterprises (coffee kiosk and bike loan scheme) that we run within the park that rely on visitors to the park." She added: "I am very happy that residents, including the people we support, are able to continue to use the park and facilities within it without being charged to park." Have a story you want to share? Email joseph.coughlan@reachplc.com . Don't miss out on the biggest local stories. Sign up to our MySouthLondon newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more.Q. My new year’s resolution is to clean out my garage and get rid of any pesticides that are expired, not needed, or harmful to wildlife. How do I find out what I should get rid of? Do fertilizers have an expiration date? ANSWER: This is an excellent new year’s resolution! If you have any pesticides that are expired or not needed anymore, make sure they are labelled (hopefully with the original) and place them in a sturdy box so you can take them to your nearest hazardous materials disposal site. Fertilizers don’t really expire, but they may become clumpy and unusable, so these can be disposed of in a similar way. The laws concerning pesticides change frequently, so it’s always a good idea to take inventory and get rid of any chemicals that are no longer considered safe to use. Take note of the active ingredient(s), which should be listed on the front of the container, and look them up on the UC IPM website. There you can find an active ingredient index that will give you information on precautions, how it works, and possible adverse effects, including effects on wildlife. There is also a list of less toxic alternatives that is quite useful. When you are ready to dispose of your old pesticides, fertilizers, and other household chemicals, you can find a drop off site by searching “Household Hazardous Waste + (your county)”. Alternatively, your waste management company’s website should also have this information. Q. What rodenticides are least likely to harm wildlife? We have a terrible rat problem, but I don’t want to hurt the local predators. Realistically, there are no rodenticides that are completely safe for non-target species like owls, bobcats and coyotes. Poisons such as brodifacoum, bromadiolone, and difethialone are single-dose rodenticides. These poisons kill quickly, usually within a day of ingestion. Once eaten, the drug is stored in the liver and prevents blood clotting. Since these drugs are not excreted before the rodent dies, predators and scavengers can be poisoned. If you have any of these rodenticides, please dispose of them properly and do not use them. Older poisons such as warfarin, chlorophacinone, and diphacinone are multiple-dose rodenticides. These are generally considered to be less harmful to wildlife but can cause problems if a predator or scavenger consumes multiple rodents that have been poisoned. To minimize the risk of secondary poisoning to wildlife or pets, follow the instructions on the label closely. Promptly remove and dispose of any dead rodents by sealing in a plastic bag and disposing in a secure trash container. Don’t handle dead rodents with bare hands. Buried rodents can be exhumed by dogs or coyotes. If possible, find other ways to kill rodents. I prefer the electrocution-type traps since they are humane and easy to use. Never use sticky traps outdoors since they are more likely to catch non-target animals and are inhumane. For more information on rat control, see ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/rats/pest-notes/#gsc.tab=0 Related Articles
Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. Announces $250 Million Stock Repurchase ProgramBy Conor Roche The Patriots’ draft pick position in the 2025 NFL Draft improved in Week 16, potentially creating a simple scenario for them to possibly land the No. 1 overall pick. If the Patriots lose their final two games and the Giants win just once in the final two weeks, New England will likely have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Patriots hold the No. 2 overall pick ahead of their Week 17 matchup against the Chargers, moving up from No. 3 last week following their loss to the Bills and the Raiders’ win over the Jaguars. New England could wind up being in position to hold the No. 1 pick entering Week 18 if it loses to Los Angeles on Saturday and New York beats Indianapolis on Sunday. The Patriots are 4.5-point underdogs in their Week 17 matchup, but the Giants are 7.5-point underdogs at home against the Colts, seemingly making it unlikely that New England would jump up to hold the No. 1 pick following Week 17. If the Giants can pull off the upset, though, and the Patriots also lose on Saturday, they wouldn’t be guaranteed to hold the No. 1 overall pick entering the final week of the season. The three-win Jaguars aren’t too far behind them in the strength of schedule tiebreaker. New England currently has the edge by .016 points over Jacksonville (.461 to .477). The Patriots’ edge over the Jaguars in the strength of schedule tiebreaker can improve if the Broncos beat the Bengals, the Raiders beat the Saints, the Eagles beat the Cowboys, the Browns beat the Dolphins, and the Lions beat the 49ers. A Colts win over the Giants would also help improve the Patriots’ gap over the Jaguars in the strength of schedule tiebreaker, but would obviously run counterintuitive to their hopes of getting the No. 1 pick. However, the Patriots might not need to sweat out the tiebreaker scenario with the Jaguars after Week 17. Jacksonville hosts one of five three-win teams on Sunday, sitting as a one-point underdog against Tennessee. The Jaguars defeated the Titans in Week 14. Beyond the Jaguars, the Patriots have a clear edge over the other three-win teams in the strength of schedule tiebreaker. The other three teams are at least .047 points behind the Patriots in that tiebreaker, which is essentially an insurmountable difference to make up in the final two weeks of the season. New England could potentially seal a top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft in Week 17 as well. A Patriots loss along with wins by the Browns and Raiders would make it difficult for New England to fall out of the top five as it also has a clear edge in the strength of schedule tiebreaker over the four-win teams. At the very least, a loss by the Patriots on Saturday would likely seal a top-six selection for New England given the aforementioned tiebreaker. The Patriots have already secured a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, regardless of what happens over the final two weeks. Entering Week 17, ESPN’s FPI still projects the Patriots to hold the No. 2 overall pick. It projects the Giants to land the No. 1 pick, giving them a 55.2 percent chance to do so to the Patriots’ 22.9 percent odds. While the Patriots have two games against playoff-bound teams, there is a possibility that the Bills have nothing to play for in Week 18. If the Bills beat the Jets on Sunday, they’ll clinch the No. 2 seed in the AFC, creating a more likely scenario for them to rest important players in their regular-season finale. The Giants might sit in a similar spot with their Week 18 foe. There’s a possible scenario where the Eagles, who the Giants play in Week 18, clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC after Week 17. If so, they might be in a spot where they feel less inclined to play their key players in Week 18. In the event the Patriots pull off an upset win on Saturday, they won’t drop any further than No. 6 in the draft order. New England has a 92.1 percent chance of getting a top-five pick, per ESPN’s FPI. Sign up for Patriots updates🏈 Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during football season. Be civil. Be kind.WASHINGTON , Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA continues to advance its campaign to explore more of the Moon than ever before, awarding Firefly Aerospace $179 million to deliver six experiments to the lunar surface. This fourth task order for Firefly will target landing in the Gruithuisen Domes on the near side of the Moon in 2028. As part of the agency's broader Artemis campaign, Firefly will deliver a group of science experiments and technology demonstrations under NASA's CLPS initiative, or Commercial Lunar Payload Services, to these lunar domes, an area of ancient lava flows, to better understand planetary processes and evolution. Through CLPS, NASA is furthering our understanding of the Moon's environment and helping prepare for future human missions to the lunar surface, as part of the agency's Moon to Mars exploration approach. "The CLPS initiative carries out U.S. scientific and technical studies on the surface of the Moon by robot explorers. As NASA prepares for future human exploration of the Moon, the CLPS initiative continues to support a growing lunar economy with American companies," said Joel Kearns , deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington . "Understanding the formation of the Gruithuisen Domes, as well as the ancient lava flows surrounding the landing site, will help the U.S. answer important questions about the lunar surface." Firefly's first lunar delivery is scheduled to launch no earlier than mid-January 2025 and will land near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, on the northeast quadrant of the Moon's near side. Firefly's second lunar mission includes two task orders: a lunar orbit drop-off of a satellite combined with a delivery to the lunar surface on the far side and a delivery of a lunar orbital calibration source, scheduled in 2026. This new delivery in 2028 will send payloads to the Gruithuisen Domes and the nearby Sinus Viscositatus. The Gruithuisen Domes have long been suspected to be formed by a magma rich in silica, similar in composition to granite. Granitic rocks form easily on Earth due to plate tectonics and oceans of water. The Moon lacks these key ingredients, so lunar scientists have been left to wonder how these domes formed and evolved over time. For the first time, as part of this task order, NASA also has contracted to provide "mobility," or roving, for some of the scientific instruments on the lunar surface after landing. This will enable new types of U.S. scientific investigations from CLPS. "Firefly will deliver six instruments to understand the landing site and surrounding vicinity," said Chris Culbert , manager of the CLPS initiative at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston . "These instruments will study geologic processes and lunar regolith, test solar cells, and characterize the neutron radiation environment, supplying invaluable information as NASA works to establish a long-term presence on the Moon." The instruments, collectively expected to be about 215 pounds (97 kilograms) in mass, include: Through the CLPS initiative, NASA purchases lunar landing and surface operations services from American companies. The agency uses CLPS to send scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to advance capabilities for science, exploration, or commercial development of the Moon. By supporting a robust cadence of lunar deliveries, NASA will continue to enable a growing lunar economy while leveraging the entrepreneurial innovation of the commercial space industry. Two upcoming CLPS flights scheduled to launch in early 2025 will deliver NASA payloads to the Moon's near side and south polar region, respectively. Learn more about CLPS and Artemis at: https://www.nasa.gov/clps View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-nasa-science-tech-will-fly-to-moon-aboard-future-firefly-flight-302335523.html SOURCE NASA
US sanctions Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of Georgia ruling political partyBy Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald (TNS) MIAMI — As her students finished their online exam, Arlet Lara got up to make a cafe con leche . Her 16-year-old son found her on the kitchen floor. First, he called Dad in a panic. Then 911. “I had a stroke and my life made a 180-degree turn,” Lara told the Miami Herald, recalling the medical scare she experienced in May 2020 in the early months of the COVID pandemic. “The stroke affected my left side of the body,” the North Miami woman and former high school math teacher said. Lara, an avid runner and gym goer, couldn’t even walk. “It was hard,” the 50-year-old mom said. After years of rehabilitation therapy and a foot surgery, Lara can walk again. But she still struggles with moving. This summer, she became the first patient in South Florida to get an implant of a new and only FDA-approved nerve stimulation device designed to help ischemic stroke survivors regain movement in their arms and hands. This first procedure was at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Lara’s rehab was at at the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, part of a partnership between Jackson Health System and UHealth. Every year, thousands in the United States have a stroke , with one occurring every 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of strokes are ischemic, often caused by blood clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain. For survivors, most of whom are left with some level of disability, the Vivistim Paired VNS System, the device implanted in Lara’s chest, could be a game changer in recovery, said Dr. Robert Starke, a UHealth neurosurgeon and interventional neuroradiologist. He also serves as co-director of endovascular neurosurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, part of Miami-Dade’s public hospital system. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms, goes through exercises while her therapist activates the device during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA- approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) What to know about the stroke device The Vivistim Paired VNS System is a small pacemaker-like device implanted in the upper chest and neck area. Patients can go home the same day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the stroke rehabilitation system in 2021 to be used alongside post-ischemic stroke rehabilitation therapy to treat moderate to severe mobility issues in hands and arms. Lara’s occupational therapist can activate the device during rehabilitation sessions to electrically stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to the abdomen and regulates various parts of the body’s nervous system. The electrical stimulation rewires the brain to improve a stroke survivor’s ability to move their arms and hands. How it worked on the first Jackson patient Lara also has a magnet she can use to activate the device when she wants to practice at home. Her therapy consists of repetitive tasks, including coloring, pinching cubes and grabbing and releasing cylindrical shapes. After several weeks of rehabilitation therapy with the device, Lara has seen improvement. “Little by little, I’m noticing that my hand is getting stronger. I am already able to brush my teeth with the left hand,” she told the Miami Herald in September. Since then, Lara has finished the initial six-week Vivitism therapy program, and is continuing to use the device in her rehabilitation therapy. She continues to improve and can now eat better with her left hand and can brush her hair with less difficulty, according to her occupational therapist, Neil Batungbakal. Lara learned about the device through an online group for stroke survivors and contacted the company to inquire. She then connected them with her Jackson medical team. Now a year later, the device is available to Jackson patients. So far, four patients have received the implant at Jackson. Starke sees the device as an opportunity to help bring survivors one step closer to regaining full mobility. Strokes are a leading cause of disability worldwide. While most stroke survivors can usually recover some function through treatment and rehabilitation, they tend to hit a “major plateau” after the first six months of recovery, he said. Vivistim, when paired with rehabilitation therapy, could change that. Jackson Health said results of a clinical trial published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet in 2021 showed that the device, “when paired with high-repetition, task-specific occupational or physical therapy, helps generate two to three times more hand and arm function for stroke survivors than rehabilitation therapy alone.” The device has even shown to benefit patients 20 years from their original stroke, according to Starke. “So now a lot of these patients that had strokes 10-15 years ago that thought that they would never be able to use their arm in any sort of real functional way are now able to have a real meaningful function, which is pretty tremendous,” Starke said. More about the device Vivistim’s vagus-nerve stimulation technology was developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas’ Texas Biomedical Device Center and is being sold commercially by Austin-based MicroTransponder, a company started by university graduates. Similar devices are used to treat epilepsy and depression . For Lara, the device is a new tool to help her recovery journey. “Everything becomes a challenge so we are working with small things every day because I want to get back as many functions as possible,” Lara said. Patients interested in Vivistim should speak with their doctor to check their eligibility. The FDA said patients should make sure to discuss any prior medical history, including concurrent forms of brain stimulation, current diathermy treatment, previous brain surgery, depression, respiratory diseases and disorders such as asthma, and cardiac abnormalities. “Adverse events included but were not limited to dysphonia (difficulty speaking), bruising, falling, general hoarseness, general pain, hoarseness after surgery, low mood, muscle pain, fracture, headache, rash, dizziness, throat irritation, urinary tract infection and fatigue,” the FDA said. MicroTransponder says the device is “covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance with prior authorization on a case-by-case basis.” To learn more about the device, visit vivistim.com. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The University of South Dakota women’s basketball team notched a season-high scoring output en route to a 79-69 victory over Dayton on Tuesday during the first of two games for the Coyotes at the Music City Classic. Grace Larkins and Alexi Hempe paced the Coyotes with big performances. Larkins matched a career-high with 34 points on 50% shooting from the field with seven rebounds as well. Meanwhile, Hempe scored a career-high 23 points in the matchup to go along with eight rebounds of her own. ADVERTISEMENT The Coyotes got out to an early advantage of 19-9 through the first quarter with a stifling defense that only allowed the Flyers to shoot 22% from the field in the opening 10 minutes. The advantage grew by halftime, with USD leading 41-29 at the intermission. Dayton was the team to come out of the locker room on the front to start the third quarter though. The Flyers began to close the gap, hitting as many field goals in the third quarter as they did in the first two combined. However, the Coyotes still held a 59-52 advantage thanks to seven points from Hempe in the final four minutes of the quarter. Larkins and Hempe stayed hot as the two combined for 13 of the Coyotes' 20 points in the fourth quarter as they went on to close out the Flyers for their third win of the season and third straight. For Dayton, Nicole Stephens led the way with 15 points, Arianna Smith was right behind with 14 points of her own, while Ivy Wolf also finished in double-figures with 13. USD (3-4) will finish out the Music City Classic against Arizona State at 11 a.m. Wednesday.