(The Center Square) – The House is set to vote on the compromise version of the National Defense Authorization Act which authorizes nearly $900 billion to support U.S. military service members, infrastructure, and defense capabilities during the 2025 fiscal year. The 1,813-page document released Saturday by the Senate and House Armed Services Committees outlines U.S. defense policy priorities and their costs for 2025. Most of the proposed funds, $849.9 billion out of the $895.2 billion topline, would go to programs within the Department of Defense. Though the result of a bipartisan compromise, some provisions remain a point of contention, including a Republican addition that prohibits the military’s health program from covering any gender dysphoria treatments on minors that could "result in sterilization.” Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee Adam Smith, D-Wash., has urged House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to “abandon” the provision and allow the House to bring forward a bill that “doesn’t attack the transgender community.” Johnson has argued that the current NDAA will “restore our focus on military lethality and to end the radical woke ideology being imposed on our military.” If the legislation passes, junior enlisted service members would receive a historic 14.5% pay raise and all other service members a 4.5% basic pay raise. The NDAA plan would also address multiple quality of life issues for service members, highlighted in a September report from the Government Accountability Office that revealed unsanitary and rundown living conditions for military personnel. It authorizes $2.7 billion to improve housing conditions, build more housing, and increase oversight. It also increases healthcare access and childcare services for military members by cutting red tape and approving $176 million for the construction of new childcare centers and $110 million for the construction of new schools. “Funding our military is one of Congress' most important responsibilities,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority Chairman, Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said on X. “Our brave men and women in uniform and their spouses allow us to enjoy the freedoms we have today. They deserve every benefit in this bill.” The legislation authorizes hundreds of billions in defense-related infrastructure and technology investments, including approximately $17.5 billion for military base or industrial construction projects; $33.5 billion to build seven battle force ships; and more than $161 billion for innovation and technology research and related programs. Nearly $16 billion would go to the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, funding new technologies like hypersonic weapons and AI to deter the Chinese Communist Party and mitigate espionage and cybersecurity risks. Anti-terrorism initiatives in the Middle East and overseas U.S. military construction projects countering North Korea and Russia would also receive funding, as well as a U.S.-Israel missile defense program and the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. “We remain determined to confront increasingly hostile threats from Communist China, Russia, and Iran, and this legislation provides our military with the tools they need to deter our enemies,” Johnson said in a statement. “The safety and security of the American people is top priority, and this bill ensures our military has the resources and capabilities needed to remain the most powerful force in the world.” U.S. border security receives a relatively small portion of funds from the NDAA, with $90 million authorized for the construction of a new command and control facility at the U.S.-Mexico border and a $10 million increase in funding for the DOD’s counternarcotics activities. The House Rules Committee is set to vote Monday afternoon on advancing the measure to the House floor, where it can pass with a majority vote. The Senate must vote on it by the end of the month for it to take effect.
Insurgents reach gates of Syria’s capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad rule
NICEVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Aaliyah Nye scored 15 points and No. 23 Alabama coasted to an 83-33 win over Alabama State on Monday at the Emerald Coast Classic. Sarah Ashlee Barker and Karly Weathers both added 12 points for the Crimson Tide (7-0). Zaay Green had 11. Barker, Weathers and Green combined to go 12 of 16 from the field as Alabama shot 51% and made 23 of 34 free throws. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
PTI leadership bent upon creating anarchy: SharjeelGlobus Medical Launches ExcelsiusHubTM Navigation System
AUDUBON, Pa., Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Globus Medical, Inc. GMED , a leading musculoskeletal solutions company, today announced the commercial launch of the ExcelsiusHubTM navigation system. ExcelsiusHubTM joins the expansive ecosystem of ExcelsiusTM technologies and is designed to elevate the standard for freehand navigation. Freehand navigation provides surgeons with real-time visualization of instrument placement, to reduce the reliance on X-ray imaging during spine surgery. This also facilitates accurate placement of screws and interbody spacer implants and may reduce OR radiation when compared to conventional fluoroscopy. ExcelsiusHubTM offers advantages over other navigation systems through features designed to enhance the safety and reproducibility of spine navigation such as real-time patient array monitoring, tissue-sparing drills, and registration flexibility. "This launch extends the capabilities and reach of our ExcelsiusTM ecosystem," said Dan Scavilla, president and chief executive officer of Globus Medical. "We now have a technology platform that fits a very wide variety of surgeons' and hospitals' needs, with design and footprint suited for both the hospital and ASC setting. We look forward to continuing to support our customers with technology that is designed for less invasive procedures with potentially lower radiation exposure." "We have had great success with the adoption of the ExcelsiusGPSTM robot and Excelsius3DTM imaging systems in spinal surgery at our institution," said Dr. John O'Toole, Professor of Neurosurgery, Co-Director of Comprehensive Spine Tumor Clinic and of Neuroscience Service Line, and Director of Neurosurgery Spine Fellowship, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. "The addition of the ExcelsiusHubTM further broadens our options within the intraoperative navigation platform for implant placement accuracy and surgical efficiency over a wide array of cases." ExcelsiusHubTM offers the following differentiated functionality: Elevated safety features that pair navigational accuracy with innovative features designed to enhance patient safety such as patient array shift tracking and navigation of the DuraProTM Oscillating System; Imaging versatility with three distinct workflows: Automatic registration with Excelsius3DTM, CT to fluoroscopy merging for preoperative implant planning and quick intraoperative re-registration, and intraoperative 2D navigation; and Navigation of best-in-class Globus instruments and implants for a complete procedural solution from the cervical spine to the sacrum. "ExcelsiusHubTM has been a big advancement for our practice and for patients in the Dayton area," said Dr. Ryan Godinsky, a fellowship-trained spine surgeon at Mayfield Brain & Spine in Ohio. "We are able to work faster with navigation because it offers enhanced accuracy as compared to conventional techniques. One of the things I like about it is the alert when accuracy may be compromised. ExcelsiusHubTM is intuitive for surgeons and medical staff, so there is little wasted time. Overall, this is a technological enhancement that may result in more efficient operating rooms and surgical solutions for patients." Dr. Norah Foster of Miami Valley Spine Center in Ohio said, "ExcelsiusHubTM supports a variety of procedures, from minimally invasive to complex spinal deformity surgeries, enabling us to enhance surgical care and optimize treatment for many spine patients at Miami Valley Hospital South. Our goal has always been to do the right surgery for the right patient for the right reason. ExcelsiusHubTM is where innovation meets accuracy, giving us the right tool to elevate spinal surgical excellence for our patients." About Globus Medical, Inc. Globus Medical, Inc. is a leading global musculoskeletal company dedicated to solving unmet clinical needs and changing lives. We innovate with inspired urgency, provide world-class education and clinical support, and advance care throughout spine, orthopedic trauma, joint reconstruction, biomaterials and enabling technologies. Additional information can be accessed at https://www.globusmedical.com/ . Safe Harbor Statements All statements included in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and may be identified by their use of words such as "believe," "may," "might," "could," "will," "aim," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "plan" and other similar terms. These forward-looking statements are based on our current assumptions, expectations and estimates of future events and trends. Forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to many risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect our businesses and operations and could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks and costs associated with the integration of, and the ability of Globus Medical and NuVasive to integrate, their businesses successfully and to achieve anticipated synergies, health epidemics, pandemics and similar outbreaks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, factors affecting our quarterly results, our ability to manage our growth, our ability to sustain our profitability, demand for our products, our ability to compete successfully (including without limitation our ability to convince surgeons to use our products and our ability to attract and retain sales and other personnel), our ability to rapidly develop and introduce new products, our ability to develop and execute on successful business strategies, our ability to comply with laws and regulations that are or may become applicable to our businesses, our ability to safeguard our intellectual property, our success in defending legal proceedings brought against us, trends in the medical device industry, general economic conditions, and other risks. For a discussion of these and other risks, uncertainties and other factors that could affect our results, you should refer to the disclosure contained in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections labeled "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements," and in our Forms 10-Q, Forms 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These documents are available at www.sec.gov . Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, events or circumstances or other factors arising or coming to our attention after the date hereof. Investor contact: Brian Kearns 610-930-1800 investors@globusmedical.com Media contact: Moran Chavez media@globusmedical.com Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f042df92-f8a5-47dd-9528-8b6239c4adf2 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/999922d3-5f38-4df2-86bd-c8e20ff065ee © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Lindsey Vonn takes another step in comeback at age 40, competes in a pair of downhillsNone
Opposition fighters are at Damascus’ gates. Who are they and what now?
New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has brought in a significant expansion of consumer credit among the underserved borrowers who had no credit history, a study said. Since its launch in 2016, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has transformed financial access in India, enabling 300 million individuals and 50 million merchants to perform seamless digital transactions. By October 2023, 75 per cent of all retail digital payments in India were through UPI, according to a study titled Open Banking and Digital Payments: Implications for Credit Access. UPI is a payment system built as an interoperable protocol that allows third-party vendors to build apps to provide payments as a service to all customers of participating banks. It has enabled underserved groups, including subprime and new-to-credit borrowers, to access formal credit for the first time as transaction data was available before the lenders which enabled them to make credit decisions, it said. UPI is the earliest implementation of an open-banking-based payment infrastructure that is free for customers and enables them to create verifiable digital financial footprints in real time. Importantly, customers own their data and can share their UPI transaction history across financial intermediaries, it said. Taking advantage, it said, fintech lenders scaled rapidly, increasing their loan volumes 77 times, far outpacing traditional banks in catering to smaller, underserved borrowers. The study noted that the affordability of digital technology played a critical role, enabling widespread UPI adoption in rural and urban areas alike. A 10 per cent increase in UPI transactions led to a 7 per cent rise in credit availability, reflecting how digital financial histories enabled lenders to assess borrowers better, the report said. Despite the credit surge, default rates did not rise, showing that UPI-enabled digital transaction data helped lenders expand responsibly, it said. India's success with UPI offers a replicable model for other nations, showcasing how combining public digital infrastructure with open banking policies can reduce financial exclusion, foster innovation, and promote equitable economic growth, it suggested.Ange Postecoglou has revealed Tottenham are looking into why so many players have suffered injury setbacks this season. Ben Davies is the latest to fall into that category, with the Welsh international initially primed to return for Sunday’s visit of Wolves but no longer available. Davies suffered a setback in training this week, which means Spurs could be without a fit centre-back after Radu Dragusin was forced off in the latter stages of Thursday’s 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest with an ankle issue. Postecoglou is already without first-choice central defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven after both failed to make it through their comeback fixture against Chelsea on December 7. “Yeah, that’s been our major problem this year. Guys who are coming back from injury rather than us losing players as such,” Postecoglou said. “We’re looking at those things and why they’re happening. It’s certainly happened too often this year where guys have come back and they’re the ones who are missing. “I think just about all of them, apart from Vic (Guglielmo Vicario), are recurrences of an injury. “Even with Romero, it was a different injury but it’s still a guy coming back, so it’s something we’re looking at.” There could be good news on the horizon with attackers Mikey Moore and Richarlison expected to return to training next week. Richarlison suffered his own setback in November when his short-lived return after a calf issue was cut short when he injured the same area against Aston Villa. Moore, meanwhile, has been sidelined by a virus for the best part of two months but the 17-year-old could provide a much-needed spark in the new year when Newcastle visit on January 4. Postecoglou said: “Him and Richy are in the final phases. Next week they can start training. We’ve got a bit of a gap before the Newcastle game. “The plan is Mikey and Richy come back into first-team training next week.” Anticipated returns for Moore and Richarlison will fail to help Postecoglou against Wolves, with makeshift centre-back Archie Gray potentially set to partner up with fellow midfielder Yves Bissouma if Dragusin cannot recover. Pressed on the issue of fixture scheduling, with Spurs definitely missing eight players for Sunday’s fixture, Postecoglou said: “It is challenging. “All clubs are going to have to get their heads around it and authorities are going to have to get their heads around it. “One of two things need to happen: either you somehow change the fixture schedule, which doesn’t seem feasible, or you allow clubs bigger squads. Then you have other issues with that, as well. “The attrition rate you’re seeing and it’s not just us. We’re going through a particularly badly moment. Newcastle went through it last year and it affected them pretty badly. They were obviously in the Champions League as well and probably didn’t have the squad to cope with it. “It hits certain clubs at different times and is probably becoming more prevalent, and for all of us it’s a challenge as to how we navigate this process to keep our players healthy. “It’s not just a physical thing, it’s a mental thing. For us it’s been constant since August and we’re not even halfway through the year. And they’re not going to get a break now, so these things we’re constantly assessing.”
Curbing corruption(The Center Square) – House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., has opened an investigation into the Federal Emergency Management Agency over reports that it discriminated against supporters of Donald Trump. Comer said whistleblower reports suggest anti-Trump discrimination is rampant and has been going on for years. “[O]n the condition of anonymity, a FEMA official stated that the practice avoiding ‘white or conservative-dominated’ areas is an ‘open secret at the agency that has been going on for years,’” Comer said in a letter to FEMA. The investigation comes after FEMA fired one of its hurricane response supervisors after news went viral that she told her workers to avoid “Trump houses.” However, that employee has publicly said she was only following orders and acting according to the culture at FEMA. Comer and more than two dozen Republican lawmakers sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell demanding documentation, from internal policies to spending figures to incident reports. Lawmakers have pointed toward more anonymous sources backing up the fired employee’s claims. “Additionally, another whistleblower contacted the Committee during the hearing," the letter said. "This individual informed the Committee that a FEMA contractor warned a disabled veteran’s family in Georgia to remove Trump campaign materials from their home because FEMA supervisors viewed Trump supporters as domestic terrorists. At a hearing this week, U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., pointed to 35 of his constituents who shared similar stories with him. Lawmakers grilled Criswell over the discrimination reports at the hearing as well as FEMA’s recent focus on Diversity Equity and Inclusion efforts, something FEMA named as its number one goal in its latest strategic report. Lawmakers also raised concerns about the agency spending hundreds of millions of dollars on helping migrants. Defenders of FEMA have said the migrant funds do not take directly from disaster relief, while critics insist it shows missplaced priorities for the emergency relief agency. “In the fiscal year of 2023, FEMA spent nearly a billion dollars, $789 million, to shelter illegals in the United States,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga., said at the hearing, as The Center Square previously reported . “This past year it was $641 million, and this money is largely distributed through NGOs...and this was to house illegal aliens," she added. "Not Americans, who by the way all that money, that comes from Americans bank accounts when they write their checks to pay their taxes." At the hearing this week, Criswell also said she will request the Inspector General investigate the question of political discrimination at FEMA. She also said she does not think this fired employee is indicative of a broader problem in the agency but is looking into it. Criswell said FEMA workers went back to the homes that were skipped over by the fired employee and promised to ensure it doesn't happen again. “The Committee is in the process of investigating these claims,” the Oversight letter said. “If they are true, they would corroborate concerns that political discrimination extends beyond [the fired FEMA employee]. Furthermore, they suggest an apparent culture, whether sanctioned or not, within FEMA to politically discriminate against disaster survivors, specifically those who support President-elect Donald Trump.”
BEIRUT — Insurgents’ stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The capture of Homs is a major victory for insurgents, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said Homs falling into rebel hands would be a game-changer. The rebels’ moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country’s long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad’s government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad’s erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad’s chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria’s border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad’s forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement issued late Saturday, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis “that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians.” They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar’s top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process.
Louisiana lawmakers pass income and corporate tax cuts, raising statewide sales tax to pay for it
In a welcome move, ( ) stock saw its improve from 69 to 72 on Friday. IBD's unique RS Rating identifies technical performance by using a 1 (worst) to 99 (best) score that identifies how a stock's price action over the last 52 weeks stacks up against all the other stocks in our database. History reveals that the stocks that go on to make the biggest gains often have an 80 or higher RS Rating in the early stages of their moves. See if Range Resources stock can continue to show renewed price strength and hit that benchmark. Is Range Resources Stock A Buy? Range Resources stock is trying to complete a cup with handle with a 36.74 . See if the energy stock can clear the breakout price in heavy trading. Earnings-per-share growth fell last quarter from 53% to 4%, but revenue rose from -17% to 1%. Range Resources stock holds the No. 8 rank among its peers in the Oil&Gas-U.S. Exploration & Production industry group. ( ), ( ) and ( ) are among the top 5 highly rated stocks within the group.
I was stunned by how movingly cinematic ‘Wicked’ is. I shouldn’t be, and here’s why