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Day 6 of Herrington trial continues to focus on timelines, online searchesAdams 1-3 2-4 4, Anderson 1-7 4-6 6, Doty 0-2 0-0 0, Pass 2-3 1-2 5, Preston 6-11 1-2 14, Dereje 2-3 0-0 4, Wadkovsky 0-0 0-0 0, Angel 7-13 3-5 20, Ervin 3-6 3-4 10, Khalil 0-0 0-0 0, Morrow 0-1 3-4 3, Shaw 0-0 3-3 3, Walton 0-1 0-0 0, Willard 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 22-52 20-30 69 Baker 3-7 1-2 7, Micheaux 8-12 3-7 19, Ekh 5-12 2-2 16, Wenzel 2-10 6-8 11, Lani White 2-7 2-2 7, Ramiya White 0-1 0-0 0, Nelson 5-7 2-2 12, Petersen 2-6 0-0 4, Suffren 2-2 2-2 6, Wells 2-3 1-1 5, Totals 31-67 19-26 87 3-Point Goals_Elon 5-15 (Anderson 0-2, Preston 1-3, Angel 3-7, Ervin 1-2, Willard 0-1), Virginia Tech 6-18 (Baker 0-2, Ekh 4-8, Wenzel 1-4, L.White 1-1, Nelson 0-1, Petersen 0-2). Assists_Elon 9 (Pass 4), Virginia Tech 21 (Micheaux 10). Fouled Out_Elon Adams, Virginia Tech Suffren. Rebounds_Elon 30 (Angel 6, Preston 6), Virginia Tech 42 (Micheaux 14). Total Fouls_Elon 21, Virginia Tech 19. Technical Fouls_None. A_5,156.SMITHFIELD, R.I. (AP) — Malik Grant rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns and Rhode Island beat Bryant 35-21 on Saturday to capture its first league title in 39 years. Rhode Island (10-2, 7-1 Coastal Athletic Association) secured the program's seventh title, with each of the previous six coming in the Yankee Conference. The Rams tied a program record for total wins in a season with 10, first set in 1984 and matched in 1985. Hunter Helms threw for 209 yards with one touchdown and one interception for Rhode Island. Grant also added his first touchdown reception of the season. Grant rushed for 47 yards on the first snap of the second half. He ran for 56 yards on the drive that ended with his 4-yard touchdown catch for a 20-14 lead. An interception by Braden Price on the ensuing Bryant possession set up another Grant rushing touchdown. Bryant scored in the fourth quarter to make it a one-score game, but a 15-play, 72-yard drive ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Grant. Grant's 13 rushing touchdowns are tied for Rhode Island's single-season record set last season by Ja’Den McKenzie. Brennan Myer threw for 189 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for Bryant (2-10, 0-8). Dylan Kedzior rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, and Landon Ruggieri caught eight passes for 105 yards and a score. 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
In conclusion, Sworn NPCs represent a new era of companion AI in gaming, where intelligence and efficiency are prioritized over unnecessary dialogue. By striking the perfect balance between assistance and brevity, these companions ensure that players can fully engage in the game without being annoyed by excessive chatter. With Sworn NPCs by their side, players can embark on epic adventures knowing that they have a reliable and intelligent companion to support them every step of the way.The arrest warrant list represents a significant moment in South Korea's fight against corruption, and serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding the rule of law and ensuring accountability at all levels of government. The investigation into President Yoon and the other individuals on the list is expected to be a long and complex process, but it is a necessary step towards restoring trust and integrity in the country's political institutions.
Penn State fans, and James Franklin , can take a deep breath. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki posted on social media Monday night to hint that he plans to stay with Penn State moving forward. “Beyond lucky to be a part of the Penn State Football Family,” he wrote on X . “Still a lot to accomplish this season and I am looking forward to what 2025 has in store for our program!” Kotelnicki’s job status has been under scrutiny since reports surfaced on Dec. 2 that he’d interview at West Virginia for the Mountaineers' open head-coaching job . He went through the process, but clearly, Kotelnicki will remain in Happy Valley. The former Kansas offensive coordinator came to Penn State this offseason with the promise of delivering creative and explosive offensive play. Kotelnicki’s group has scored 33.2 points per game this season, good for 25th in the country, en route to an 11-2 record and a Big Ten Championship berth. While the numbers are a statistical decrease from 36.2 points in 2023, this year’s Penn State squad has been more consistently explosive. The Lions generated 57 plays of 20-plus yards in the regular season compared to 47 in 2023. A 37-point, 518-yard performance against No. 1 Oregon for the conference title was another example of why Kotelnicki was brought in. His work with quarterback Drew Allar and Heisman-candidate tight end Tyler Warren, specifically, has caught national attention for good reason. He’s also notorious for trick plays, like one Penn State ran for Warren against USC in which the tight end both snapped the ball and caught a touchdown . It’s not particularly surprising to see Kotelnicki stick with Penn State this time around, but he’s sure to continue generating head-coaching interest if he also continues to excel with the Nittany Lions. Penn State turns its attention to its home first-round College Football Playoff game, where it will serve as the No. 6 seed and play against the No. 11 seed in SMU . BETTING: Check out our guide to the best PA sportsbooks , where our team of sports betting experts has reviewed the experience, payout speed, parlay options and quality of odds for multiple sportsbooks. Sign up for the PennLive’s Penn State newsletters, the daily Penn State Today and the subscriber-exclusive Penn State Insider More Penn State Football News Penn State 'point god' Ace Baldwin Jr. named to national player of the year watch list Freshman Penn State defensive lineman planning to enter transfer portal Hoping to stay in State College for the Penn State-SMU playoff game? Better have a booming 401`kAs the days passed and there was no sign of the student, anxiety grew among those who knew him. Friends organized search parties, distributed flyers, and utilized social media platforms to raise awareness about his disappearance. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies worked tirelessly to track down any leads that could help locate the missing student.
As fans eagerly await the new season, they are poised to embark on a new adventure filled with challenges, victories, and memories to be cherished for years to come. Let the countdown to the new season of Overwatch begin, and may the spirit of competition and camaraderie continue to thrive in the Overwatch community.
Renuka Rayasam | (TNS) KFF Health News In April, just 12 weeks into her pregnancy, Kathleen Clark was standing at the receptionist window of her OB-GYN’s office when she was asked to pay $960, the total the office estimated she would owe after she delivered. Clark, 39, was shocked that she was asked to pay that amount during this second prenatal visit. Normally, patients receive the bill after insurance has paid its part, and for pregnant women that’s usually only when the pregnancy ends. It would be months before the office filed the claim with her health insurer. Clark said she felt stuck. The Cleveland, Tennessee, obstetrics practice was affiliated with a birthing center where she wanted to deliver. Plus, she and her husband had been wanting to have a baby for a long time. And Clark was emotional, because just weeks earlier her mother had died. “You’re standing there at the window, and there’s people all around, and you’re trying to be really nice,” recalled Clark, through tears. “So, I paid it.” On online baby message boards and other social media forums , pregnant women say they are being asked by their providers to pay out-of-pocket fees earlier than expected. The practice is legal, but patient advocacy groups call it unethical. Medical providers argue that asking for payment up front ensures they get compensated for their services. How frequently this happens is hard to track because it is considered a private transaction between the provider and the patient. Therefore, the payments are not recorded in insurance claims data and are not studied by researchers. Patients, medical billing experts, and patient advocates say the billing practice causes unexpected anxiety at a time of already heightened stress and financial pressure. Estimates can sometimes be higher than what a patient might ultimately owe and force people to fight for refunds if they miscarry or the amount paid was higher than the final bill. Up-front payments also create hurdles for women who may want to switch providers if they are unhappy with their care. In some cases, they may cause women to forgo prenatal care altogether, especially in places where few other maternity care options exist. It’s “holding their treatment hostage,” said Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation . Medical billing and women’s health experts believe OB-GYN offices adopted the practice to manage the high cost of maternity care and the way it is billed for in the U.S. When a pregnancy ends, OB-GYNs typically file a single insurance claim for routine prenatal care, labor, delivery, and, often, postpartum care. That practice of bundling all maternity care into one billing code began three decades ago, said Lisa Satterfield, senior director of health and payment policy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . But such bundled billing has become outdated, she said. Previously, pregnant patients had been subject to copayments for each prenatal visit, which might lead them to skip crucial appointments to save money. But the Affordable Care Act now requires all commercial insurers to fully cover certain prenatal services. Plus, it’s become more common for pregnant women to switch providers, or have different providers handle prenatal care, labor, and delivery — especially in rural areas where patient transfers are common. Some providers say prepayments allow them to spread out one-time payments over the course of the pregnancy to ensure that they are compensated for the care they do provide, even if they don’t ultimately deliver the baby. “You have people who, unfortunately, are not getting paid for the work that they do,” said Pamela Boatner, who works as a midwife in a Georgia hospital. While she believes women should receive pregnancy care regardless of their ability to pay, she also understands that some providers want to make sure their bill isn’t ignored after the baby is delivered. New parents might be overloaded with hospital bills and the costs of caring for a new child, and they may lack income if a parent isn’t working, Boatner said. In the U.S., having a baby can be expensive. People who obtain health insurance through large employers pay an average of nearly $3,000 out-of-pocket for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker . In addition, many people are opting for high-deductible health insurance plans, leaving them to shoulder a larger share of the costs. Of the 100 million U.S. people with health care debt, 12% attribute at least some of it to maternity care, according to a 2022 KFF poll . Families need time to save money for the high costs of pregnancy, childbirth, and child care, especially if they lack paid maternity leave, said Joy Burkhard , CEO of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, a Los Angeles-based policy think tank. Asking them to prepay “is another gut punch,” she said. “What if you don’t have the money? Do you put it on credit cards and hope your credit card goes through?” Calculating the final costs of childbirth depends on multiple factors, such as the timing of the pregnancy , plan benefits, and health complications, said Erin Duffy , a health policy researcher at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. The final bill for the patient is unclear until a health plan decides how much of the claim it will cover, she said. But sometimes the option to wait for the insurer is taken away. During Jamie Daw’s first pregnancy in 2020, her OB-GYN accepted her refusal to pay in advance because Daw wanted to see the final bill. But in 2023, during her second pregnancy, a private midwifery practice in New York told her that since she had a high-deductible plan, it was mandatory to pay $2,000 spread out with monthly payments. Daw, a health policy researcher at Columbia University, delivered in September 2023 and got a refund check that November for $640 to cover the difference between the estimate and the final bill. “I study health insurance,” she said. “But, as most of us know, it’s so complicated when you’re really living it.” While the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover some prenatal services, it doesn’t prohibit providers from sending their final bill to patients early. It would be a challenge politically and practically for state and federal governments to attempt to regulate the timing of the payment request, said Sabrina Corlette , a co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. Medical lobbying groups are powerful and contracts between insurers and medical providers are proprietary. Because of the legal gray area, Lacy Marshall , an insurance broker at Rapha Health and Life in Texas, advises clients to ask their insurer if they can refuse to prepay their deductible. Some insurance plans prohibit providers in their network from requiring payment up front. If the insurer says they can refuse to pay up front, Marshall said, she tells clients to get established with a practice before declining to pay, so that the provider can’t refuse treatment. Related Articles Your cool black kitchenware could be slowly poisoning you, study says. Here’s what to do Does fluoride cause cancer, IQ loss, and more? Fact-checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims US towns plunge into debates about fluoride in water Older Americans living alone often rely on neighbors or others willing to help Nationwide IV fluid shortage could change how hospitals manage patient hydration Clark said she met her insurance deductible after paying for genetic testing, extra ultrasounds, and other services out of her health care flexible spending account. Then she called her OB-GYN’s office and asked for a refund. “I got my spine back,” said Clark, who had previously worked at a health insurer and a medical office. She got an initial check for about half the $960 she originally paid. In August, Clark was sent to the hospital after her blood pressure spiked. A high-risk pregnancy specialist — not her original OB-GYN practice — delivered her son, Peter, prematurely via emergency cesarean section at 30 weeks. It was only after she resolved most of the bills from the delivery that she received the rest of her refund from the other OB-GYN practice. This final check came in October, just days after Clark brought Peter home from the hospital, and after multiple calls to the office. She said it all added stress to an already stressful period. “Why am I having to pay the price as a patient?” she said. “I’m just trying to have a baby.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
As the regular season unfolds and teams jockey for playoff positioning, the CBA remains a premier destination for basketball enthusiasts and fans of the sport. With each game, players have the chance to make their mark and leave a lasting impact on the league, solidifying their place among the best in Chinese basketball.
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Lucknow, Nov 23 (PTI) Sishamau Assembly bypoll winner SP’s Naseem Solanki on Saturday said she will visit temples, churches and gurdwaras for the sake of her supporters, while runner-up BJP’s Suresh Awasthi blamed the division of Hindu votes for his loss. BJP’s Ramveer Singh, meanwhile, thanked the Muslim voters in the Kundarki assembly constituency for the “bumper” vote margin he won with. Naseem was fielded from Sishamau in Kanpur after her jailed husband Irfan Solanki was disqualified as MLA from the family bastion seat. Irfan was jailed for arson in a woman’s house. “The way people were harassed and beaten during bypolls yet they cast their votes, I salute them. I thank the party workers and most of all the party president (Akhilesh Yadav) for giving me this opportunity. This seat belongs to my husband Irfan Solanki,” Naseem told reporters after the results. Asked about visiting a temple in the run-up to the bypolls, she said, “I have no problem going to mandir, church or gurdwara for my supporters. If it keeps my supporters happy, then why not. I will also get works done there (places of worship).” Meanwhile, BJP’s Suresh Awasthi who lost to Naseem by 8,654 votes, blamed the division in votes for his defeat. “Somewhere we had thought the Hindu votes won’t get divided. But the Hindu votes got divided and that has resulted in my (defeat). The result is yet to be out (officially),” he told reporters. Awasthi said he won’t comment on the impact of the ‘katoge to batoge’ slogan. He said caste equations and how other parties contested the bypolls in the seat was a matter of detailed analysis. In Kundarki, BJP’s Ramveer Singh said he expected a win by a 50,000-vote margin but ended up with a whopping 1.45 lakh vote gap. He added that among those who encouraged him to contest the polls were Muslim community members of his constituency. “Muslim voters from three generations are my supporters and they have full faith in me. I will serve them with honesty and dedication. Had they not had faith in me, I would not have got such bumper votes,” Singh said, after securing victory of the BJP on the seat after several years. “People love me and they were unhappy with the Samajwadi Party. They have voted for honesty, development and the ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ policy of PM Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath,” Singh told reporters. In Karhal, SP’s Tej Pratap Yadav secured a victory against his fufa BJP’s Anujesh Pratap Singh. He also alleged that voters were harassed during the voting process and claimed SP supporters were prevented from voting. “We will increase the vote margin in future, whatever shortcomings are there we will fix them,” Yadav told reporters. In Meerapur, Mithilesh Pal of the RLD, an ally of the BJP, secured victory and said CM Adityanath’s magic worked for the alliance candidates. “No doubt there is power in unity,” she said when asked about the CM’s ‘batoge to katoge’ slogan. She also thanked RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary for giving an “ordinary worker of the backward community” to fight the election. BJP’s Surender Diler, who won from the Khair (SC) seat in Aligarh district, rubbished SP’s allegations of irregularities during the bypolls. In Ghaziabad, BJP’s winning candidate Sanjeev Sharma told reporters that his tenure as MLA would be two years approximately during which he will get the development work done as much as he would have done in five years. “Along with getting the Dudheshwarath temple corridor built, I will especially work in the field of medicine and education,” Sharma said. He credited the party organisation and workers for his victory and “direct connection” with the public. In Katehari, BJP’s Dharmraj Nishad secured victory for the party after three decades. “It was the people of the constituency and the party workers who fought the election for me. I am thankful that a poor man like me was given a chance by the BJP and the result is that lotus has bloomed here after so many years,” Nishad told reporters. In Phulpur, BJP’s winning candidate Deepak Patel said the party cadre ensured his victory and he went to the electorate with the main issue of development. “People were convinced that only the BJP can do good for them,” he said. In Majhawan, BJP’s Suchismita Maurya credited her victory to the party. “BJP works for everyone, it does not engage in politics of appeasement. This worked for me,” she said. PTI COR KIS SKY SKY This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );In memory of the passenger who lost his life, let us honor his memory by renewing our commitment to ensuring the highest standards of safety and care for all those who take to the skies. May his tragic passing serve as a poignant reminder of the need for vigilance, preparedness, and compassion in the face of adversity.
And single people are more likely to use mobility tools compared to those who are married, according to researchers from University College London (UCL) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Researchers looked at information from a group of more than 12,000 adults in England aged 50 to 89 who were tracked over a 13-year period. At the start of the study, 8,225 adults had no mobility difficulty and did not use mobility assistive products (MAPs). Some 2,480 were deemed to have “unmet need” and 1,375 were using mobility aids. During the follow-up period, there were 2,313 “transitions” where people went from having no mobility issues to needing some help with getting around. And 1,274 people started to use mobility aids. Compared with men, women were 49% more likely to transition from not needing mobility aids to needing to use them, according to the study which has been published in The Lancet Public Health. But were 21% less likely to go on to use mobility aids when they needed them. The authors said their study showed “barriers to access” for women. For both men and women, with every year that passed during the study period the need for mobility aids increased. People who were older, less educated, less wealthy or reported being disabled were more likely to “transition from no need to unmet need, and from unmet need to use”, the authors said, with this indicating a “higher prevalence of mobility limitations and MAP need overall among these groups”. They added: “Finally, marital or partnership status was not associated with transitioning to unmet need; however, single people were more likely to transition from unmet need to use compared with married or partnered people.” Jamie Danemayer, first author of the study from UCL Computer Science and UCL’s Global Disability Innovation Hub, said: “Our analysis suggests that there is a clear gender gap in access to mobility aids. “Though our data didn’t ascertain the reason why participants weren’t using mobility aids, other research tells us that women are often more likely than men to face obstacles such as cost barriers as a result of well-documented income disparities between genders. “Many mobility aids are designed for men rather than women, which we think may be a factor. “Using mobility aids can also make a disability visible, which can impact the safety and stigma experienced by women, in particular. “There’s a critical need for further research to identify and break down the barriers preventing women from accessing mobility aids that would improve their quality of life.” Professor Cathy Holloway, also from UCL, added: “Not having access to mobility aids when a person needs one can have a big impact on their independence, well-being and quality of life. “Our analysis suggests that women, in particular, regardless of other factors such as education and employment status, are not getting the support that they need.” Professor Shereen Hussein, senior author of the study and lead of the social care group at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “The research provides compelling evidence of gender disparities in accessing assistive technology, suggesting that cost, design bias, and social stigma are likely to disproportionally affect women. “This underscores the need for inclusive, gender-sensitive approaches in the design, production and inclusivity of assistive technologies.”
The NFL is warning team security directors and the players' union about recent burglaries targeting professional athletes' homes. The bulletin obtained by Newsweek warns that "organized and skilled groups" are burglarizing the homes of professional athletes "across multiple sports leagues." "Law enforcement officials have noted these groups appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days," the bulletin said. "It is important for players to maintain situational awareness, practice social media safety and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of becoming a target." The FBI is investigating the incidents as international organized crime, according to a report by NFL.com . Newsweek reached out to the FBI for comment. Full List of Athletes Being Targeted The Missouri home of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was broken into on October 6. The Cass County Sheriff's Office described the incident as a first-degree burglary in an incident report obtained by Newsweek . Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce's home in Leawood, Kansas was broken into the next day. The Chiefs were reportedly playing a game against the Saints at Arrowhead Stadium at the time of the break-in. The burglars stole $20,000 in cash. "Leawood Police Department will not have any comment on any open investigations. We do not want to compromise any investigative leads that might have been developed by detectives," the Leawood Police Department told Newsweek . Linval Joseph, a Dallas Cowboys and former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle, was also the target of a burglary. The incident happened on Monday at his residence in Sunfish Lake, Minnesota. "This is an active investigation. Therefore, reports are unable to be released at this time," the West St. Paul Police Department told Newsweek . Several players in the NBA have also reported home burglaries recently. In November, the home of Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis was burglarized. Two months before that incident, burglars broke into the home of Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley and stole jewelry. What does the NFL bulletin say? The NFL bulletin claims that the groups are gathering information on potential victims from public records, media reports and social media. "Some groups also conduct extensive surveillance on targets, their residences, neighborhoods and security measures," the bulletin said. "Surveillance tactics have included attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in a neighborhood." There are reports of burglars entering through side doors, balconies or second-floor windows, according to the NFL bulletin. The bulletin said burglars have scaled walls or used patio furniture or ladders to gain access. Glass was reportedly broken in several cases. "Thieves have focused on master bedrooms and closet areas, looking for high-end jewelry, handbags, cash and watches," the bulletin said. "They have also targeted safes and office areas looking for small valuables and cash." The NFL bulletin also gave players several recommendations related to social media. Players were advised to avoid updating social media with daily activities until the end of the day, posting photos of "expensive items" and sharing images or comments about their residence or hotel accommodations. The bulletin also told players to "be wary of unknown individuals trying to gain information about your location or residence." The bulletin provides multiple home security recommendations, including installing a "comprehensive" home security system, motion sensor lights and doors with deadbolt locks and reinforced frames. Athletes who believe they have been burglarized are being asked to contact their local police and avoid entering the residence. Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.Japan’s megabanks are awash in cash and eager to invest. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. and Mizuho Financial Group Inc. are enjoying record earnings. Selling off cross-shareholdings is bringing in even more money. Even as they reward shareholders with buybacks and higher dividends, they are determined to fund overseas expansion. Their primary focuses are on the US and India, respectively the world’s largest economy and the fastest-growing. While the banks have had a presence in the two countries for decades, this year has seen a fresh push in investment and hiring. Buying stakes in local companies also puts their excess funds to work as the banks are under pressure from the Tokyo Stock Exchange to boost their valuations. “Their investment strategy including M&A is key to whether the banks can reach the next level of growth,” said Nana Otsuki, a senior fellow at Pictet Asset Management Japan Ltd. “Given their price-to-book ratios still aren’t comfortably above one, it’s a priority to better utilize their capital.” All of the companies have more cash on their balance sheets than their target common equity tier 1 ratios and have plans to reduce their strategic holdings over the next several years. MUFG aims to cut its stakes in clients by at least 700 billion yen by March 2027. SMFG has a similar plan to dispose of 600 billion yen in such holdings by March 2029 and Mizuho’s aim is to reduce its cross shareholding by 300 billion yen by March 2026. “We are now moving from the stage of capital buildup to the stage of striking a balance between growth investment and enhanced shareholder returns,” said Mizuho CEO Masahiro Kihara at an investor presentation on Nov 15. In the race to deploy their excess capital, the hottest area for all three banks has been India. The country’s strong economic growth is fueling demand for loans to fund capital expenditure across industries. Consumer demand is creating additional opportunities for lending and a record amount of money is set to be raised in initial public offerings this year. MUFG has singled the country out as a specific pillar of its Asia growth strategy. It has aggressively courted India’s top conglomerates including Reliance Industries and the Adani Group. The bank has a goal of doubling its loan exposure in India to about $30 billion over the next several years. MUFG and its Japanese rivals plan to keep business ties with Adani Group despite founder Gautam Adani facing bribery charges in the US. Japan’s largest bank took a strategic investment with a $333 million stake in DMI Finance Pvt Ltd. That deal valued the Indian shadow bank at $3 billion. MUFG has made clear though that it’s appetite is much larger. “If there are good opportunities, we can spend big money,” said Yasushi Itagaki, head of MUFG’s global commercial banking business, adding multi-billion deals are possible. He was commenting on both India and the bank’s expansion into the Asian digital industry and declined to talk about specific deals. India’s white-hot market for IPOs is also drawing in the Japanese. Mizuho and Nomura Holdings Inc. are the leading bidders to buy control of Avendus Capital Pvt., one of the country’s biggest investment banks. The two companies are jockeying to purchase a 63% stake from KKR & Co., which is seeking at least $400 million, according to people familiar with the situation. Retail loans for India’s growing middle class are another area where Japanese lenders anticipate high demand over the next decade. The country experienced strong credit growth in the last few quarters as retail customers borrowed for everything from buying homes and vehicles to funding holidays and impulse purchases. SMFG, Japan’s second-largest lender, spent $700 million in March to take full control of the local company formerly known as Fullerton India Credit Co. after first buying a $2 billion stake in 2021. The unit specializes in housing and car loans. Like MUFG, SMFG has singled India out as a key focus because of its high growth potential. “We will keep allocating necessary resources to capture its high economic growth,” said Yoshihiro Hyakutome, Sumitomo Mitsui’s co-head of global banking unit. Mizuho is also chasing Indian retail consumers. In February, it announced a deal to buy 15% in Kisetsu Saison Finance(India)Pvt. Ltd., an Indian unit of a Japanese financial company Credit Saison for about $145 million. In corporate and investment banking, Mizuho has also held internal discussions about focusing on winning firms that invest in private businesses, according to people familiar with the talks. Apart from India, MUFG has made it a priority to invest in fintech companies in other Asian countries. The move represents a major shift in MUFG’s growth strategy in the region, where the bank has spent billions to buy big commercial banks in Thailand and Indonesia. This year, the bank announced investments of $195 million in Thailand’s Ascend Money Co. and $393 million in the Philippines’ Globe Fintech Innovations Inc., both digital payment companies. “In the power dynamics of Asia’s unicorn industry, they can raise funds from anywhere,” said MUFG’s Itagaki. “So they are examining who is the best to team up with to boost their value.” The US The banks are following a different strategy in North America. There they are focusing on growth in corporate and investment banking, providing financing and advising companies and institutional clients. The playbook is the one pioneered by MUFG with its investment in Morgan Stanley in 2008, leaning hard on the experience and connections of a US partner. Mizuho was the latest major bank to adopt this tactic with the completion of its purchase of the investment bank Greenhill & Co. for $550 million last December. It has been on a hiring spree since then, adding bankers for various sectors including financial institutions, health care and infrastructure. “The Americas is the largest fee pool and Mizuho was historically underrepresented” in M&A advisory, said Jerry Rizzieri, CEO of Mizuho Securities USA. “Our objective is to be firmly entrenched as one of the top 10 corporate and investment banks in the Americas.” In addition to fees, M&A advisory brings in other banking businesses, such as bridging loans, and underwriting bond issues as deal-making clients seek to finance acquisitions, according to Mizuho officials. Mizuho has improved its position in some key areas this year, cracking the top ten rankings in several markets. In US corporate bonds, it jumped three spots to #7. In US loans, it rose four spots to #9 and it also ranked #8 in US investment grade corporate bonds, up a notch from the same period last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. “Our product lineup allows us to access about 80% of CIB fee pool in the US,” said Hidekatsu Take, Mizuho’s deputy president and head of global corporate and investment banking. At an earnings briefing in November, Mizuho CEO Kihara said the bank may consider further acquisitions after completing the post-merger integration of Greenhill. He also said investments in asset managers are possible, like what the bank did with private credit manager Golub Capital. SMFG and Jefferies Financial Group Inc. are expanding their partnership and working together on corporate and investment banking deals. In the alliance, the Japanese bank brings its balance sheet and debt capital markets expertise while Jefferies adds M&A advisory and equity financing services. They have jointly worked on about 130 deals including M&A and debt and equity underwriting over the 12 months ending in September, compared with 30 deals as of September, 2023. The two banks served as financial advisers to US property developer Alliance Residential Co. when it sold a minority stake to Japanese homebuilder Daiwa House Industry Co. Sumitomo Mitsui said the bank’s relationship with Daiwa and Jefferies’ ties with Alliance were utilized for the origination of the deal. MUFG is expanding the areas of collaboration with Morgan Stanley in the US to the middle market, where the two companies aim to win more businesses in loans, M&A advisory and IPOs targeting smaller companies than they have been banking with so far. The company also recently hired a pair of senior bankers to expand the bank’s presence with mid-sized healthcare companies. The Japanese banks’ overseas buildup has not been without setbacks. In 2021, MUFG agreed to sell its US regional lender Union Bank to U.S. Bancorp for $8 billion after it determined the unit lacked the scale to keep up with local competition amid growing IT and other necessary spending. The move sent shockwaves through the industry at the time, since Union Bank had long been considered a crown jewel of MUFG’s US operations. The megabanks “have been doing overseas businesses for years but they haven’t quite done truly globalized management,” said Hideyasu Ban, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. “It’s still a challenge for them to secure good local talent and manage them effectively from Tokyo.” With assistance from Hideki Suzuki, Guillermo Molero, Alex Gabriel Simon and Reinie Booysen. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.